The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1897-07-07

y
strongly contracted, and was sure,
therefore, that he was under the infiu-
ence of that drug. Evidently he could
not live.
1t was impossible to employ the usual
measures for keeping up vitality by
forcing the patient to move about. He
was too far gone for that. However.
sent at once for the remedies want
ed to use, but before the messenger re-
turned he was dead.
The case was evidently one for the
coroner, and that official was at once
notified. He arrived promptly, held
his inquest, and after thorough eluci-
dation OF all the facts in the case the
more than ordinarily intelligent jury
rendered the verdict of Suicide from
morphia-poisoning."
Preparations were made for the flu
neral which, = decided, should take
place the following day, and from the
house in which the man had died
There was much food for thought and
conversation, and = and | talked
over all the circumstances of Dr. Lam
ville's life and death. 1t was, therefore,
after ten O'clock when l started for
home.
l had telephoned my wife that was
detained and would not be home in
time for dinner. | found her. neverthe-
less, waiting for me with letter which,
as she told me, had been left at the door
shortly after | had gone out. 1t had
evidently been directed with trem-
bling hand and the contents were al
most illegible. With difficulty, and not
without my wife's assistance-she is
wonderfully good at deciphering bad
writing-l managed to read the follow
ing words:
II have long held theory that any
disease, and even the effects of poisons,
could be produced in himself by any
strong-minded man fully acquainted
with the symptoms, and who chose to
bring to bear all the Influences of a
powerful will. | resolved to try this
experiment, and l began over three
months ago to simulate the symptoms
caused by morphia.
ITO make sure that my counterfeit
was good, determined to carry out the
deception so as to impress my friend
=, who had himself feigned insanity
so successfully as to deceive the med
sane asylum. This has been most
onerous, and in fact heartrending,
task; for | have been obliged, in order
to be consistent, 10 assume all he false
hood, the fraud and the degradation
which morphia produces in its slaves.
But l have carried my experiment
beyond my power of control, and to
such an extreme degree that am now
dying as though poisoned by morpnia,
when l have not used the drug in any
form. i have done this by the exercise
of my knowledge, imagination and will.
II feel that cannot live. and write
this account to you who have studied
the mind and nervous system in their
normal and abnormal relations; feel
ing assured that, influential as you
know the principle of suggestion to be.
this will give you new idea of its
awful and irresistible power. | have
acted tremendous lie, and | am fifty
punished. There is a limit to the eff
forts of those who would advance scr
ence, and that limit is truth.
THE daily record of my perceptions,
reasonings, emotions and volitional i'm .
pulses, with their alterations, you will,
find in package which will reach you
by mail tomorrow. My last thoughts
on earth are devoted to the inquiry:
Which is the more to be deprecated:
the formation of a habit by INDUCING
in vicious appetite, or, by perverted
Imagination and will, to create all the
morbid phenomena of that habit. and
finally to die from the condition thus in
duced?
II pray you to beg j to forgive
me for the distress my experiment has
caused him. He has been so forbear-
most grievously for the pain and dis
gust have made him suffer. ! have
endeavored to make some reparation
by giving him the whole of my estate.
You will find the will III the package,
duly executed.
When you read these lines shall
have persisted through a misguided
zeal, but with the full conviction that
wicked thoughts and impulses. if yield
ed to, may become an abiding principle
in ones mental organization. How
necessary, therefore, to keep the
thoughts pure and good, not only that
an evil nature may be avoided, but that
noble one may be produced. E. L."
'He was insane!" exclaimed Mary,
wnen she had, with many expressions
of establishment and horror, finished
reading the paper. mo one but lu-
matte could have acted in this way.
Don't you think he was mad, Frank?"
Il don't know" Ireplied. Perhaps
he was, and perhaps he tells a half
truth. Suggestion is powerful factor
with all of us. ] can possibly form an
L L l.