Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-13
DETERMINED TO STARVE.
c. de ServIlle, the Mysterious Stranger In
Bellevue Hospital, Refuses Food.
q


New York Woiid.l
The man who was taken to Bellevue Hos
pital and was registered under the name OF
| {. dc Scryillc is dying from inanition pro-
duced hy an apparently deliberate plan to
starvc himself. Although seemingly real
| iZing his low state and probable early
death. he not only maintains stolid indh-
| ference rs 10 lis fste. but refuses 10 answer
any interTogatorIfs as 10 his residence or
| the Whereabouts Of friends and relative4.
| His conduct Is more than eccentric, and
| his bearing Is that Of a man who is guard
| ing some secret that will be buried in his
grave.
lie is about fOrty.fyc years old and has
| the air OF person OF good breeding who
has occupied high position IN society. IL
was at the Metropolitan Hotel that he gave
| the name Of de SerNiie and sad ho came
from -. Louis. He engaged permanent
| board, paving for a month in advance
| There was nothing about him to attrie.
| attention save his frequent inquiries at the
| Office il anv mail bad been received FOR hlm.
| For several days he appeared very folicitoui
| for letters that never came, aHd alter short
! time be did not even inquire after any.
| BE appeared 20 have an Abundance OF
money. tut after relapsing into indifference
| concerning his correspondence appeared TO
| ie greatly depressed. The slight amount
of food that be partoOk Of at the public
! table was noticed by the walters,
| aud after several days he absented
| himself entirely from the dining-room.
! This fact WAS communicated 70 one OF the
! clerks ct the hotel. who, noting the
! Laggard appearance OF the strange guest,
visited his room and asked II lie was sick.
He was utterly indifferent TO the clerks
haa1 nd
exorcssions Of sympathy, and only coudc-
ecended 10 reply 10 his direct question
concerning his health: Pm not very ILL.,"
saturday last he was found un"0nscinus
ard suffering from ph'hisis and inanitiOn,
| ard preparations were made 10 remove him
| TO The hospital. He regaiued consciousness
before being taken away ard was perfectly
rational. understanding wheie he was GO
ing, but offered no protest. At the hos
pltal he was placed under the care OF Dr.
| il. Wildman, who has charge OF the insane
patients. The physician has endeaVored
to discover the identity of his patient. but
his CiTorts have thus far proved unsVailing.
lie is evidently suffering from acute mental
depression. something preyinS on his mlhd,
hut concerning which he Will nst make
! anv explanation. At times he l' out OF MS
mind and RACES violently.
portor: "T The man is deliberately starving
hImself to death. He has refused all nour-
isbment offered except little egg-nos, and
is determined to die. He is suffering from
n high fever and his death is only qlleS-
tion Of very few d,y-, | think"
Although registering under the name OF
de Seryillc at the Metropolitan Hotel, ne
refuses 10 say whether or not that II ms
real name. In response to telegram. sent
70 II. Louis word has been received that
no ore answering his description is known
there. and none OF that name can be found
in that city who have missing relative:
A guest at the Metropolitan who had IRE
uenlly seen the stranger while stopping al
tbc hotel said TO HOrid reporter: " am
pcsitive that saw the man in II. LOUIS as
he was passing through that city ca route
from Mexico. heard HIM speak OF travel
ling ly the Mexican Central railway by
wsv of RI PaSo. He appeared anxious 10
rescb New York as soon rs possible, ana ]
understood that lie planned 10 90 abroad
,Judging from his conversation, ] set hlnl
down for mining man. and besides he had
several fine specimens OF wire silver IN hl-
Dos.ession. He was generous with hiH
money. and. while inclined to conviyi,lity,
/ did not regard him as hard drinker."
II is said that soon after his appearance
at the Metropolitan he made the acqllalnt'
apce OF a commercial traveller for car
pet.house named Perry, with whom M
, look in the town and expended large
sum fol wine, but there was nothing IN M
appeaIancc TO indicate that his mind wa'
derspged 40 the result Of the debaueh.
/ /