Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-06-06
HIS own ASSASSIN.
A Baron Kills Himself on the suppo.
sitiOn that He IL HIS Own Father.


peculiar suicide occurred in Paris
several weeks ago. the circumstances of
which show most strikingly the power
OF q fixed idea to derange the human
brain, just as the smallest grain of dust
will disarrange watch. 1t presents,
too, novel phase of insanity of the
highest interest ts alienists. For ten
years the Baron Robert du Creuzy, a
man SO years of age, had lived at No. q
Rue Monge, without family, his only
companion in the house being an old
servant. Once rich, he had lost the
greater portion of his fortune, and
mourned bitterly the loss of his youth.
which would have permitted him to ac-
cumulate another. He often remarked
to his acquaintances that DIR. Faust was
very fortunate IN being able to re-
gain his youth at the price of his soul
and that he would willingly consent to
a similar bargain II the devil was still
in the business. M. de Creuzy was the
possessor of a very curious library, con-
tanning many old cabalistic books on
sorcery. Among others he had the
two early cabalistic works, "Sepher
deciresh" tbook of the creation), and
'Fabar" llight); also Albert LAG
Book of Magic" DE Magicis Arti-
bus" published in 1913. Treatise on
Magic" by Cornelius Agrippa and A.
Delsic; THE World of Witchcraft,"
published in 1851; "The Red Dragon"
ETC., al of which taught the art of grow
ing young. Constant reading of these
whimsical works resulted in upsetting
the poor mans brain to such an extent
that he finally put entire faith in the
as inc .knx ~. \
in ''The Red Dragon" Thenceforth he
purchased all sorts of queer things for
| ingredients in the composition Of the
potion: A black pullet (which was to
be strangled at midnight, as the clock
struck Il, beneath the rays of new
noon, quantities of the herb yervain,
| he procured in a menagerie. One fine
night he swallowed drug which he had
mixed himself, containing a frightful
dose of alcohol. Under its influence he
fell into a drunken sleep and awoke a
| lunatic. He fancied himself rejuve-
mated, and, stranger still, that he felt
within himself a double personality.
He explained in all seriousness to his
friends that he saw this two-f0ld ex-
| istence.
"The potion was not strong enough, -
he said. 81 am really young again, but
something of my old self rernains-
something that seems to be my father.
have become my own son; thereby
am possessed, and suffer terribly"
They laughed at him. A week later
they learned that the Baron, having
fully decided that he was young man,
had thrown out of the window the little
money which he had left, saying that
youth should be prodigal. But he often
repeated that he felt within him his
father reprimanding him for his con-
duct. and that no good would come of
it. One morning soon after this loud
words were heard in his chamber. He
was hurting angry insults at "his faith
er," whom he charged with desire to
steal away his money. The last words
which reached the ears Of his servant
were these:
"Your curse! What is your curse to
me? You are in me in spite Of myself.
Be silent!'
All was still for few seconds, when
he resumed in a voice of thunder:
Miserable old man, never moro will
you reproach me with dishonoring my
race! Take that and die!"
The servant hearing body fall, hur-
ried into the room. The Baron de
Creuzy lay on the floor in q sea of
blood; he had plunged knife into his
OWE heart.