The Springdale news., 1889-10-11

began, little by little. to return to my normal state. It is really very little trouble to enact the madman if you have studied the part well.
 They guarded mo carefully fer six weeks time. and NJ Laussedat paid me a daily visit, daily finding in me, as l meant he should, a sensible modiiica- ton of my symptoms, and daily felict- ing me upon my strength Of mind. Ye gods! Strength of mind, when l was in d lunatic asylum.
 showed myself however. q docile and exemplary patient, though l laughed in my sleeve when 1 got chance. so well did l know how greatly the doctor was hattered Ny case. you sec, tallied exactly with the theories and state ments so many times advanced by him in his dealings with the deranged. It was an exercise of nerve and memory to keep the run of all these imaginary symptoms; still did it. and did them well, particularly those which proved my case progressive and definite; the disappearance for instance of cephalic trouble, restricting respiration and the accompanying Arrangement of normal functions.
 But when the day camo, and the doc tor announced mo cured and ready to return to my family, l objected. Not yet, urged; another month, doctor. if only for observation. Then only shall feel that can go in peace. A precaution to which the doctor assent ed, at the same time declaring it se- less,
 In short when I did resume my lib- erty and my home, wife, sister-in-law and friends positively feted me; for l had finally consented to write them that l was suffering q little with lung trouble; was under treatment, though rapidly recovering. and had not spoken of it before leaving them, for fear of alarming them l was well now, an assertion with which my appearance agreed, repose of mind. good living and the certainty of coming success having greatly fa.tened me. Yes, l was really very we'll
 Well? Exactly; never was better, and every one saw it. but four months precisely from the day when resumed my place at tie family table.I plunged the carving knife into my sister-in- l laws heart as she sat beside mo in her accustomed place. Then l turned 1t in the wound (there should be no mistake if could help it) with frightful and maddened howls. succeeded by maudlin l tears.
 They arrested me, Of course. had counted upon that; also upon the fact and so timed it. that Dr. Laussedat was out of town In pursuance to my plan, you sec. l desired. and it was necessary, that l should be officially arrested. desired also to be officially investigated, and that the investigation should pur- sue the usual liae To call upon the Doctor too soon would interfere with this. Bah, how we'll one can calculate upon the events that follow crime, the questions of the judge and the re- sponses, my responses. above all: That l had acted without conscious ness Of the act, and under the impulsiop of force could not control" adding to the statement and as if bowed down by shame a passing, and as fl by chance, reference to Dr. Laussedat.
 The bait took. Dr. Laussedat, re- called in haste, testified willingly in my favor. He told every thing. and most patheticalIy; the frankness with which l had appealed to him, the tests to which l had submitted myself, the struggle had made to control the evil, and my patient, voluntary sojourn in the maison de sante. The "homieidal mania was plain to the most skeptical of minds, and well known and repeat edly encountered by the members of the faculty, and the two great specialists. Esquiros and Pincl, both recalled ob- servations identical in every particular with my case etc.
 Which 1 knew as well as the doctor himself knew, since it was these iden- tical observations that had enabled me to construct my plan.
 Briefly, things went as l wished and had counted upon. l was too rich and too welI-known to have tho matter drop- ped with merely the preliminary mag isterial inquiry feared to be ac- cused of partiality. The Court of As sizes, therefore took mo in hand, and, as was bound to be the case, unani- mously acquitted me; only coupling to the vindication the condition that l should be returned to tho asylum for such periol Of time as the doctors should deem essential.
 "For the very emotional explosion of which l had been guilty" as NJ Laussedat assured the Tribunal per mitted the strongest hope of perma- nent cure.
 am again ill the maison de sante for another term. Itis why laugh, when unobserved. and say that have suc- ceeded, and accomplished my end to commit a crime, to profit by it, and to