The San Francisco call., 1908-07-12
The EX Pc RT

alleged committed crime for which
from which he had not recovered until recently.
Chance ied that Of these letters should fall into
hands OF 0 members OF the ministerial
cabinet who had interested himself in MS youth in
psychatric studies
The politician struck by the of sincerity
in the letter. He thought he recognized degree
Of verisimiltude in the arguments brought forward
by the petitioner he had spoken about the matter TO
his colleague the department. of justice The latter
had received the same impression The result was
report directed CourrioIes.
7 have read the entire report said Courroles
Portchaute. 4 very curious tic The
the crime extremely specific only alienist
dering watch maker of ebony. He
had studied medicine Therefore it is likely that
paper he deals personal "reminiscences
And still there is something that puzzles me
The delay putting off this explanation until
after the triaI? suggested Portchaute the master
NO" said Courroles 1t is always possible that
the first crisis Of madness pass unperceived by
subject who experiences it if be only slight
But there is much conference in the symptoms re-
ported by Ribier story suggests careful and
well thought construction. 1 remember what
chiehy distinguishes the the counterfeit is
that the counterfeit IS nearly always too perfect
He pronounced these wise words-the sign manual
all expernenters-as he before his desk in the
little hall Of the tnfrmary o. the depot engaged in
lingering the package OF papers which were noted
the patients Of the
There is nothing urgent?, he asked
= don't think So sir replied Portcheute. 49,.
professor "Habert, bring him in
Keeper Habert old soldier, short. athletic,
jolly face-he still retained his gayety in
that direful business. He brought the back of his
hand up TO his forehead a gesture customary
with him. wherein Courrioles would invariably
in technical phrase addressed to his as
sstaht, Stereotype OF the military salute"
Two minutes later Iabert with young
Of -. dressed in the uniform of the central
The doctor with q gesture invited him to sit down
upon chair him the other side OF the table
The young took simply. unaffectedly as
he had entered And he gazed the scientist, who
Ribier had something sinister n Though
quite handsome lad with regular featuresmby rea-
sbif+f1ess If his brovn e aIer awake and alert in
that dark mask-carved apparently in inert mat
hunted animal which exers all its energy to miss no
single chance of escape or attack When the young
spoke his mouth moved with motion slight
that the line Of lips displaced.
though that part face were put action by
absolutely independent mechanism The words issued
hesitatingy pronounced at the tips Of the teeth with
any accident. automatic delivery. which be-
! trayeu no emotion This entire inpassibity was
which had begun with the usual questions
You name is william Fiibier?
You have been condemned the of the
watch maker Jacquin at Bordeaux and aferward sent
to prison insane crimnal?'
And you alege that at the moment when you com
mitted the murder you already insane. and be-
yourself during the course of your trial?%
can you inform me how you felt them"
Yes. doctor must first tell that my mother
has always been nervous. She is the
becoming Ny father was
2 sleep in her One morning. toward
= o'clock awakened by a cry. 1 her-it
in the sprng-t"isting and groaning her eyes open
and upturned in the air one arm the right, placed
with eonvulsive movements. tried 10 speak TO her
came motonless breathing NSry hard Ana when she
opened her she did not recognize me-
1t was crisis of coma?" asked s,s5 the doctor
: understanding the scientific which Courrioes
had Used characterize nocturnal epi.
lepsy SO clearly described by this sef-styied igno-
Mothers attack of nerves that
1 became i'll She died shortly afterward but not
|
since, mpressionable Six
before Bordeaux affair I began to become
melancholy, without under good
master succeeded well had headaches
couldn't eat couldn't sleep. That passed
During the week preceding the affair experienced
myself prey excitement which 1 could not
rapidftH astonished my
self felt myself nvincibly attracted things
It was 3 need which I could not resist II was tbe
sane With women bsd - nnistres rho W. ,,.1i ene
more than good comrade- suddenly developed
for her I committed crime 1
wished give her watch with a chain
fancy in passing before Jacqun's shop
Joaquin to give credit I saw red
! struck him without knowing it From this time
til emerged from the hospital all is like dream in
my memory. Ny arrest my Imprisonment, trial
, while sleeping. There is something between them
: and me As to the asylum, it is all night
today. The doctor told that gone crazy IN
prison. and he had tell my story. That
is why ask for revision Of my sentence"
How do you explain" asked Courrioles, IF
how the thing happened that you open
watch makers strong box and set aside from its
jewels which it has been found from papers
Joaquin may valued 900 10000 francs?
They told that also" answered William Ribier
that large sum had disappeared might have
taken a of mental oblivion.
obvious a 1 become so until
reached the hospital, should remember it."
You think. therefore thatA somebody else
yourself took this money!
Yes, doctor. In reading the details of my
T you will perceive that the Jac-
quins at o'clock in the evening That is
tablished fact The neighbors astonished to
the shop remain and, uniighted
o'clock the evening Between and o'clock
time elapsed. I suppose wayfarer stepped
in. he behind the He was
thief, who judged the time propitious strike
whether he the body of Joaquin did not see It
is possible. carried cornsa intn