Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1880-07-15
THE DEED OF A BASTARD
A Horrible Plot to Take a
Human Life.
A SOCIETY OF CRIMINALS
A Catholic Opinion Of Hancock's
Nomination--An Echo from
the Great Fraud A
Mammoth Meteor.
MARRIED OR NOT MARRIED
PE1TI1.

Malignant Use of the Maii-Thc
Germs OF an infectious and Terri
BILE Disease Sent 10 Anthony Com
stock in n Letter-Tbc LoathesOmc
Work IL Wrought.
New YORK, July 9.-About two months
ago, an envelope bearing a New York
post-mark and directed to Anthony
Oomstock was delivered at his office, $50
Nassau street. He WAS absent at the time
and the envelope being torn partly open,
by rough handling i'll the mail, perhaps,
Mr.. Ducret, his secretary, opened it in
the presence of several clerks in the office.
1t contained what appeared TO be porous
plaster covered with foul matter. It's odor
was verv offensive, and those in the Office
nj the time were at once affected by an
itching Dnd prickling sensation about the
face, Ducret, who opened the envelope,
handled the matter and snelled OF it.
When Mr.. Oomstoek arrived two hours
later he suspected that the missive had
been sent to him by some enemy to do
him bodily harm. He caused the package
to be destroyed, and sending to . drug
store he procured wash for himself and
his clerks. ms well as disinfectant for his
Office. The subject was then dismissed
later while Ducret was walking with his
brother he noticed return of the itching
sensation about his neck. 1t was accom-
panied by m unusual discoloration of the
skin. lie returned to his house at 1853
Clinton place, Brooklyn, ill. Beginning
Mt the lower extromities the disease grad
ually extended up over his whole body.
The purple appearance Of the skin was
succeeded by reddish rash, accompanied
by high fever, and DIR. John II. Quinn,
OF 1873 Kent avenue, who was called in,
told reporter last night that the patient
appeared at first sight to be suffering
from scarlet fever. The symptoms, how
ever, soon assumed more the appearance
of erysipelss.
Ducret has now been confined to his
bed for seven weeks. During that time
the disease has been accompanied by a
constant fliking off of the skin, and the
lever has continued very high with but
brief intervals. The joints began to swell
first on the left side, until 1t was found
necessary to open the swelling at the left
knee joint, and the left arm has become
stiff at the elbow. At preseut the right
knee is greatly swollen, and similar
operation will have to be performed. The
patient is helpless and is in constant
suffering He has wasted away almost to
skeleton, and his physicians fear that
he will not have strength to withstand the
disease.
DIR. Quinn and DIR. Hutchinson cannot
make diagnosis of the case. 1t is, they
say, an unquestionable case of pmmia, the
pus being of very malignant type, and
DIR. Quinn thinks that they have gained
ground against the blood poison. But
they are completely at a los as to the
nature of the poison, and cannot do other
wise than act upon the hypothesis that the
envelope addressed to Mr.. Comstock
which Mr.. Ducret opened, was the caus,
of the maady. DIR. Quinn said last even
ing that Ducret WAS far from being out o.
danger, but they had hope that he woult
be able to hold out until the blood poison
had been expelled.
Mr.. Oomstock, who was found at hi
residenca, 35+ Grand avenue, Brooklyn
said last evening that he had been anxiou
to Keep the facts of Mr.. Ducret's sickness
from the public for several reasons, one o
which was that he did not desire to Civ
the perpetrator of the deed-which h
imputes without question to vicou
intent-the satisfaction of knowing tha
his missivo had SO nearly reached its des
tination. He said that he was satisfied
that he knew who sent it, but he wa
afraid he could not command evdenc
enough on which to make any arrest. II
anspeets practitioner in New York
whom he says he once arrested for
crime, and to whom he afterwards trace
AN Internal machine which he had re
ceived by mail, bat from which he ha
escaped uninjured. The address of tn
present package, he says, was in the sam
handwriting, .....
Ducret, who is but %, he says was
most faithful young man in the discharg
of his dutiGs a. stenographer and seer,
iary, and the Sncieiy for the Sugpressiu
of Vice has cared for him during his sicl
ness.
Last night Mr.. Ducret was resting MOI
com. .fortahly, his brother saii, but the
could not see any material improvement
his condition.