The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-06-13
MYSTERIES
Was Mirabeau Poison7
OF THE woRLr

Mirabean, one Of the most interesting
characters in French history at the
period Of the revolution, is reported
usually by the chronielers as having
died April ?, 1891, of a'fever No ex'
PLANTATION is given as to what brought
on this fever, but il is generally sup
posed that IL was induced by poison
that was administered in his food. 1t
s said that a number of attempts had
been made to poison him, hut by forth
nate circumstances he was able to es-
cape.
Mirabeau was sort of political go
between in the Revolution. lie was the
people champion against royalty, and
as such was no doubt sincere, but at the
same time, il is said, he was accepting
brides from royalty itself. ot.1r
Mirabeau was thoroughly hated by
the Jacobins as well as the queen g adj
visers. and it Is said that he frequently
suffered with severe internal pains,
which had symptoms unpleasantly like
those of slow poison. One day, during
one of these attacks, he remarked to
friend: eff ] believed in such things,
I should say / had been poisoned.
At dinner one evening, through an
error. another man drank the cup in
tended for Mirabeau and became dan
gerously i'll. A short time after this
incident Mirabeau attended n formal
Banquet. His friend, Prince George of
Hesse- asset, was informed that Mira
beau was to be poisoned that evening.
The prince tried to reach the banquet
hall in time to prevent this calamity,
but he was refused admission. He sent
note to Mirabeau, which failed in its
delivery. As the statesman left the
Inner Prince George met him and re-
heated the warning. To this Mirabeau
| only laughed: "They are quite capable
IF it, he said. "but it s too late to
liscuss it now
The prince begged him to see
loctor but he refused. The following
lay he fell i'll and it was announced
| hat he could not recover. He died
| soon after. The French nation mourned
| him sincerely. The theaters and the
| stores were closed. Men wept aloud on
| the streets and one hundred thousand
| reople followed him to his grave and "A
| ,alute of 10000 muskets was fired.
The Jacobins naturally rejoiced
| realty, for the last barrier to their
| longed-for Reign of Terror was remov-
| ii. The Revolution began. The mon
| ,rchy was destroyed The king and
| queen were beheaded, and as soon as
hey dared to do so they dug up Mira
4 beau coffin and buried it in an I'M
inown grave in convict cemetery.
| Mirabeau seems to have been pictur-
'sque personally as well as politically.
lie was born with club foot and in
addition to this defect, his tongue, fas-
ened by the froenum, gave little prom
Sc of oratorical success. The size and
| sigor of his limbs, and the circumstance
If two molar teeth being already form.
ID in his mouth, were sufficiently ex-
raordinary. He was also early at.
,ackcd with the smallpox, which left its
Isual impress on his face.
In spite of all these deformities he
s said to have been fascinating. Women
vent mad over him, and one committed
'uicide when she failed to hold his love.
lie no doubt had n magnetic charm
hat won the alteration and loyalty of
the land.
At an early age he quarreed with
his father and fled from the paternal
mansion, but the old gentleman pro-
'urcl a "lettrc de cachet' and impris.
med him. He, however, escaped aud
lived for long time in habits of dissi.
pation, in proof of which the following
mccdote is related: Mirabeau one day
allied up hisNvalot to discharge him
Fhe fellow asked the reason. "You
were drunk yesterday, as | myself was
Now, sir. you agreed not to get drunk
Dnly on the days when | was sober.
81 remember it, replied the valet
but YOU will excuse me when you re-
iect on the impossibiIity of my obey
ing you-for YOU are drunk every day.
| Nirabeau reflected moment and re
tanned the domestic.
--s.<-s~-