The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-08-08
MURDER OR SUICIDE?

medical Student just over from Paris.
You may believe it if you want to;
don't think do myself.-L- S.
We were sitting at the cafe, he said,
one evening last summer and discussing
the new law in the state of New York
for the execution Of criminals by cleo
tricity. There were three of us, all
medical students. who were putting in
time at the hospitals at Paris. We held
different opinions on the subject and
were discussing it rather warmly, when
a tall young man who had been sitting
at table near us rose and came over to
where we sat.
Gentlemen" he said, II have been
listening to part of your conversation
and am very much interested in the sub
ject which you were discussing. have
been been in Paris for three months and
intend to leave the city tomorrow. l
intended to go by way of the Seine. In
other words, gentlemen, l proposed to
commit suicide. After what l have
heard you say l have been convinced
that this would be a waste of valuable
materi".. l therefore offer myself to
you, gentlemen. to be executed by cleo
tricity or to have any of the experiments
which you propose tried upon me as long
as the experiment will result in speedy
and painless death. am not particular
as to the methods you use or to any plan
you may try upon me as long as it in
wolves no extra suffering to myself. /
confess do not at all look with pleasure
towards the committing of suicide by
throwing myself into the river, it seems
waste Of good material and it is so alb
surdly conventional Therefore, if you
will take my offer, l am at your dis
posal."
We looked at the young man with
establishment. know that thought he
was probably insane, and the others
doubtless had the same opinion. had
glimmering of an idea that it might be
q practical joke of some kind, whose
point l was unable to see.
"Gentlemen," continued the young
man, "if you have no objections l will
join your group, that we may discuss
the matter at our leisure. Please fill up
your glasses. gentlemen, and drink with
me-"
"You say you have been in Paris three
months. Are you studying anything?"
mo. I'm studying nothing; am here
for treatment"
"And what is your idea-that is, what
is the reason that you propose the act
which you told us of Financial difficult
ties? If that is the case we might be
able to help you out"
mo. my finances are all right, and
that reminds me l know a medical
student is not too well blessed with
this worlds goods. If the experiment
which you propose to conduct costs more
than you think you would like to spend,
you may draw on my bank account to
whatever extent Fyou desire. There is
nobody to whom wish in particular to
leave what money shall have to leave
behind, and SO if it will help you any in
your experiment, my cash as we'll as
myself is at your disposal"
"Are you fully determined on suicide?'
Certainly, l made up my mind to it a
week ago. You see, am afflicted with
an incurable disease; in fact my case and
that of the late crown prince are very
similar. l have seen the best specialists
in France ard Germany and they offer
me no hope have no desire to inger
along. have no intentions of dying a
lingering death. The moment satisfied
myself that my malady was incurable
resolved to commit suicide, and | can
see nothing that would induce me to
change that intention. Now, gentlemen,
you will probably desire to have some
conversation together about this pro-
posal, which | presume you will look
upon as somewhat extraordinary, and if
you will give me the address of one of
you, or if you will meet me here to-
morrow morning shall keep any ap-
pointment that you choose to make. nv
time is entirely unoccupied, and one
place OF meeting is as convenient for me
as another"
! gave him the address at which I
lodged, and asked him to call the next
day at about II o'cldek. With that he
babe us "Good-by" in very gentlemanly
manner, and paying his bill to the waiter.
disappeared down the boulevard.
well. boys" said Brown, "do you
think he is in earnest?"
II don't know, am sure" said. "It
seems to me he has some kind of practi-
cal joke to work on us, but hardly see
what his object would be. 1t is well
known that medical students never COM
NIT practical jokes on anybody else, and
! therefore fail to understand WHY he
should want to try a practical joke on
US"
He might find it rather a serious prac-
teal joke" said Smith, ''if he once got
into our clutches Perhaps the quickest
way of killing him would be to undertake
to cure his trouble"
III he's in earnest" said Brown, who
was the most serious of our party, sup
pose that we arrange an interview be-
tween him and our professor? He will
tell Us at once whether his throat
trouble is incurable or not If it is in
durable. l. for my part, think it no
harm in assisting the young fellow to
carry out his design. It would be. as he
says. waste OF valuable nlaleriul !.
threw himself into the Seine and wer.
fished out by some waterman and taken
to the morgue."
Every well, said, I'VE can arrange
with our professor to call up at my
rooms at IA o'clock tomorrow, and then
he will examine the young man and if
he still persists in his intention propose
that we take him at his word"
Certainly" answered Brown. "Now
the fault that have with the proposed
method Of execution is not that it will
not kill man quick enough, but that
the appalling preparation adds an agony
| to the death which mn lroa e .,,;4..ae IL