The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-08-24
Aged Louis Scagcr's Desire TO Kill
Himself Finally Was Gratiird
by Queer Means.
FROM PROSPERITY TO WANT.
Swiss Governors Son. He Became
an Expert Watchspring Maker,
Roamed the World Over and
Died in an Asylum.

Louis Seaser. IS years old. a native
OF Switzerland. a watclsnring MAKER.
Gnawed eff The top joint Of his left-hand
index finger at the ST. Louis Insane Asy-
lum and died on August 70 IS the result of
the blood poisoning caused 10y the ugly
wound.
AS the old man was friendless and for
saken. his body was turned over ID ne
Anatomical Board. by which it was Cts
posed Of for dissection to d n2i;cll col
leEe.
Seager was once considered bv some
manufacturers the best watcaspring
maker of the world. and during the last
days of his Incarceration he babh!ad in
cessantly of the days of his prosp e-ity.
His father was the Governor of the CEN
ton IN Switzerland where he was born ard
Seager was well educated, being able TO
speak French. Italian and German. be-
sides reading in the CLASSIC tongues.
The old man had been through a fellow
fever siege in New Orleans and served as
q nurse when most of the people fled from
the city. Ultimately he himself was in
fected and he bore the marks of his hero
ism to the dissecting board. He served a
short time In the Union Army in the civil
War. but was never wounded and thee
fore thought he was not entitled to q pen-
sion, and never applied for one.
He claimed to nave lived in st. Louis for
seventeen years. but In the last years OF
his life his home was on the streets, as he
was addicted to drink and often used NOR
phine. When he was taken to the City
Hospital by the police the attendants at
the institution say he was the most pitt
fully neglected creature whom 1t was ever
their fortune to handle.
He was admitted to the City Hospital on
July - and on the 18th Doctor Nook en-
tered the ward where the old man was
just in time TO frus rate his attempts to
strange himself. Thereafter he became
Violently insane, and when he was removed
to the cells in the hosptta! he attempted to
kill everybody with whom he came in con-
tact. Then. ON the first Gay o. August, lie
was removed TO he Insane Asylum. And
there he succeeded in destroying himself.
In Switzerland 1t IS compulsory FOX every
child. of high or low degree. to attend the
public school. 1t mattered lite hat Sa-
gers father was chief of the Canton, or
Governor. except that he enjoyed the
privilege OF being a student longer than
children whose parents were not so b!sh
IN the state. But SeaScr, according to his
own story, did not profit by. this privilege
very long. as he arGentiy wished to learn
a trade. Accordingly his father appTen-
ticed him to Il matchmaker. and even ually
at making watch springs and he was ad-
vised TO max that his life work.
his tame Tor ms skill grew ana he was
called to many places in Europe to ply
his trade. When he was in his youth it
was customary for young professionals TO
become itinerant w~orkinen for a period OF
| months. and when he started out on his
walking tour he stroiled throu-h Italy.
But he was restless and had nomadic in
stincts and was thus moved to come to
this country. where his accomplishments
caused him to flourish. He wandered about
this country rather aimlessly until he
reached New Orleans.
While he was in that city one of the
epidemics of yellow fever which perenni-
ally swoop down upon tina city came. and
when many of the inhabitants fled SeaEer
coolly remained as the guest of u physi,
clan with whom he was acquainted and
assisted in the hospitals as q nurse. When
he himself was finally stricken he lowered
between life and death for many days.
In 1888 he came to ST. Louis. If any of
his friends of former days knew where he
was they never came forward to ASST
him towards the end. Whether he was
ever married the physicians were unable
to ascertain.