Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-05-05
VIIRDER OR SUICIDE?

Il This stoIJ we .
asjiral student just over from Paris.
'r nav believe it if you want to; |
lg1 link do myself S.
O0 ,ra we're sitting at the cafe, he said,
seeming last summer and discussing
@ oev law in the state of New York
tho execution of criminals by cleo
NV There were three of us, all
u .Tcal students. who were putting in
',me al the hospitals at Paris We held
1,gorapt opinions on the subject and
r @ discussing it rather warmly, when
,aIl young man who had been sitting
Il t5ble near US rose and came over to
where we sat.
4 'Gentemen," he said, Il have been
4 i,eping to part of your conversation
"A I'D am very much interested in the sub
4 .ot which YOU were discussing. | have
II Lon baen in Paris for three months and
Il intend to leave the city tomorrow |
Intended to 90 by way of the Seine. In
4 otber words, gentlemen, | proposed to
.onmit suicide. After what | have
u heard YOU say | have been convinced
,bst this would be a waste of valuable
material | therefore offer myself to
7nu gentlemen, to be executed by cleo
iricity or to have any Of the experiments
II which you propose tried upon me as long
as the experiment will result in a 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
i waste of good material and il is so alb
surdly conventional Therefore, if you
will take my offer, am at your dis
FaaL'
We looked at the young man with
] astonshment. know that thought he
was probably insane, and the others
doubtless had the same opinion. had
gimnering Of an idea that it might be
practical joke of some kind, whose
point was unable TO see.
Gentlemen" continued the young
man, If you have no objections [ 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
dest If that is the case we might be
able to help you out"
No, my finances are all right, and
that reminds me | know a medical
student is not too well blessed with
this worlds goods. If the experiment
winch 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
nooody 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 well as
myself Is at your disposal"
Are You fully determined on suicide?"
certainly, | made up my mind to it q
Wee6 ago. You see, | am afflicted with
an mcurable disease; in fact my ease and
'iat OF the late crown prince are very
similar, / have seen the best specialists
IN france and Germany and they offer
Ie no hope. | have no desire to linger
along have no intentions of DIVING a
lingering death The moment l satisfied
myself that my malady was incurable |
resolved to commit suicide, and ctn
Ire nothing that would induce me to
eAahse that intention. Now, gentlemen.
you VIII probably desire to have some
conversation together about this pro
po'al' when ! presume you will look
uEol as somewhat extraordinary, and if
!'u Will give me the address of one Of
YOU or II you will meet me here to-
morrow morrow morning l shall keep any APP
to1'llent that you choose to make. Ny
u ., IS entirely unoccupied, and one
ll4ce OF meeting is as convenient for me
as another."
gave him the address at which l
l5o'9ed' and asked him to call the next
p'y at about II O'clock. With that he
r o1as Us 'Good-by" in a very gentlemanly
5i i.'--s'' anu paying his bill to the waiter,
', nh down the boulevard.
tl;. I9N' boys, said Brown, do you
'-' MI, he Is in earnest;"
laont know, | am sure. " I asid. 1T
.o ems 10 me he has some kind Of practi-
, NJ, JoAe TO work on US, but | hardly see
l -u1' ms object would be. 1t is well
49,, a'.'"n mat moNical students never com
i- ~ practical jokes on anybody else, and
sA '-,sie'ore fail to understand why he
nc I = want to try practical joke on
ti,.i lie might find it rather a serious prac-
80 80 JOKE said Smith, "if he once got
W., Wy oof clutches Perhaps the quickest
49,. VI t4'mg him would beto undertake.
y" euFe his trouble"
Wa - Ne N earnest" said Brown, who
po~o ' tt,' most serious of our party, "sup-
w. '''1t We arrange an interview be-
teJl - MN and our professor? He will
h1n,f Us at once whether his throat
c9r ~ Is heurable or not. If it is in
har'n l. Tor my part think it no
c9rrr N assisting the young fellow to
0u' MS design. 1t would be, as he
:, t'5S a waste Of valuable material If he
el himself into the Seine and were
, ,,9.i'd out by some waterman and taken
" The morgue."
n.,., cry well, - l said, 1--WE can arrange
,,' Dl our professor to call up at my
ms at II O'Clock tomorrow, and then
b WIN examine the young man and if