Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-07-22
A MADMAN'S STORY.

easy. however. My purpose WAS InlS-
TO commit crime, to profit by it and go
unpublished. a concise programme that l
have filled 70 the letter. | will relate
it to you. l believe | am justified in
saying l displayed some ingenuity.
First, the crime, voici! l had espoused
a girl without fortune. l was simple
~employe at 220O francs per year. but |
was very content My tastes were al
ways modest Ny wife, who was an or
phan, had one sister. Marie and Blanche,
two pretty names. | had espoused
Marie Blanche lived with us. All
went we'll. At first q son and then
a daughter. My salary was increased
to 5000 francs and | had nothing Of
which TO complain.
One day a notary wrote to me. | was
greatly surprised. l had had, l VOW.
little relation with these honorable gem
tIemen. Ny surprise increased when
the worthy notary informed me that a
merchant of Calcutta, uncle to my wife
and her sister, had died and left them
an heritage of 100000 francs
That is to say, 100000 francs each
bara i-bibari-hOld! Why do | write
this now-bira bibba-a half million for
my wife:
The inheritance was promptly arranged
I had an income of $4,000 francs: that
is a handsome figure, is it not: My sis
ter-in-law had an equal share. We put
the house on a good footing at once
adomestlcs, carriages, etc. | have al
ways loved the arts. l bought choice
pictures and statuary. For the first
time in my life l patronized Il fashiona-
bic tailor. | had an air tout-a-fait dis
tingue, | assure you. My hand is ele-
giant, my foot is small, and all the ladies
~enyied my luXuriant locks. | am what
is called a handsome man; only At the
end of very short time [ felt profound
ly vexed that half million had fallen TO
"A genuine satisfaction-I dissmulate not
to have the entire million, since I was
charged with a wife and children. and
this old woman had no one but herself
to look after, don't you see?
Then the idea came to me to Kill her
My wife was her sole inheritor Her
sister dispatched, the million would come
ITO US intact. and | could put it to good
use. VOLTA. that is what [ said to my
self that evening in chatting with the
two sisters. Then [ resolved to assas-
:sinate Blanche. Only being intelligent,
l searched means to commit this crime
without any danger | read all the col
lections of causes celebres, and | soon
'came to the conclusion that assassins
We're almost invariably betrayed by the
very care which they took to conceal
their criminal intentions. Barabi-bi-
bari. Singular these syllables always
running through my head and Sprlnglng
to my lips without my knowing why.
| have always had a weakness for
reading scientific works, particularly
those that treat Of medicine. | read the
Manual of Hallucinations'' of Briere de
Boismont, La Folie" of Novel, La
in the latter book that l found the out
line of a plan very ingenious and very
useful IN my emergency. And this is
what I did:
One morning | went to the office of
DR.. Laussedat, the most renowned spe-
"cialist in brain disorders of modern
times. He received me very politely,
and | said to him:
Doctor, l have come to make Il terri
bic ayowal. | am rich: l am happy; |
adore my wife and children. | have no
cause to hate any person on the face of
the earth. Nevertheless, I sometimes
find myself in a frightful state"
spoke in dry sort of tone, the eyes
a little Wldened, and my lips contracted
at intervals
| bowed my head, and in a hollow
voice continued:
Sometimes, when 1 am in the midst
eof my family, | am all at once seized
With an insane desire to kill someone.
There succeeds, within myself. a terrible
combat. | feel my hands involuntarly
attracted toward the knife that is beside
sne at the table. Whom should | wish
to Stay? [ know not. My wife. my chill
'dren, my slster-in-law? In my hideous
nightmare l should not choose. I resist
some time, fearing that one might read
II my eyes the horrible secret that
hauntS me. L close ms hands and bury
the nails in the flesh to arouse myself.
AT the commencement physical i'm
preston was sufficient to dissipate this
hallucination. Without attracting atten-
ton | arose and went to my chamber.
A dash of cold water on the forehead
restored calm. The specter disappeared
and | returned smiling.
But for some time now the attacks
have been more and more frequent
realize that resistance of will and reason
becomes daily more and more feeble
begin to fear that some fatal day may
throw myself upon one of those [ love
and plunge a knife into her heart Doc
tor, have come to you to make confes-
sion. fear myself-yOu are the only
one that is able to save me-
NJ. 1aussedat listened to me with the
utmost attention.
'Tell me-" said he, ''haye you not re-
marked some symptoms premonitory to
these attacks|
eyes, indeed" [ responded. "At first
there IS heaYlnesS Of the head, as if
my brain was too weighty, and rolled
about IN the skull. and after that a COM
preston OF the chest, q contraction of
the heart, and other peculiar sensations.
1T is WELL" said the doctor. 81 as
sure you that your case is one that can
be easily cured. Follow exactly the
treatment that ] am about to prescribe.
and | will answer for the result
He wrote a long prescription. which
[ took away after thanking him in the
most earnest manner: Bibari-babari-
bu-ba- bi-Tenez! This refrain annoys
me.
[ followed punctiliously-in appear
ance, you understandable instructions
of the doctor. My room was encountered
with walls. My wife became uneasy.
| treasured her the best that l was
able. But from time to time I fixed a
haggard look upon her. She questioned
me. replied evasively. l allowed
three months to pass. At the end of
that time | sought the doctor again
''Eh bein.'' he cried, as soon as he
perceived me- Il hope you have chased
away the black butterflies"
| burst into tears. | was a victim of
fatality. In case of being cured these
attacks had become more and more fire.
eaupnt Sometimes | shut myself i'm at