Year: 1877

Among the many sensational devices


of modern days for bidding adieu to the


world and all its cares and troubles,


none, perhaps. can pass in sacrilegiOus


conception and deliberateness of pur-


pose the singular freak of Venetian


fanatic, Matthew Lovat de Casale, who


died in 1906, after crucifying himself.


The fact that ''truth is stranger than


fiction" is so strongly eXemplilied in


this instance, that we condensc from an


old and rare work the main features of


the case, believing that they will not


be without interest to our readers.


Matthew Lovat (surnamed DE Casale),


at the time of his last attempt at cruci-


fixion, in Venice, on the morning of


the 18th of July, 1905, was fOrty-siX


years of age. lie was born of humble


parentage, and in early life had been


destined for the church ;'but circum-
stances altered the wishes of his parents


and himself and he learned the trade of
a shoemaker, at which he worked at the


time of the commission of his act Of
pious folly. His habits were simple
and confOrmable to his station, nothing
distinguishing him but an extreme de-


gree eff devotion. He spoke of no other
subjects than those of religion, and was


frequently observed to be absorbed in


meditation; but no evidence of insanity


was given until he first attempted to
cruelty himself in the public streets,


but was prevented by passers-by. A
second attempt was made shortly after,


which, although unsuccessful, resulted


in his death from the injuries inflicted.


He had worked every day in forming
the instrument of his torture and had
provided himself with the necessary
nails, ropes, bands, crowns of thOrns,
&c. As he fOresaw that il would be
extremely difficult to fasten himself
upon the cross, he made net of small
cords capable of supporting his weight
in case he should happen to disengage
himself from it. His cruel prepara-
tions being ended, the fanatic proceeded
Is crown himself with the thOrns, of
which two or three pierced the skin of
the forehead. Next he bound white
handkerchief around his lOins and
thighs, and seating himself upon the
cross, he drove one of the nails, by
striking its head on the floor of the
chamber in which his preparations
were being made, into the palm of his
left hand until half of it appeared
through the back of the member. He
then adjusted his feet to the bracket
prepared for them, driving long, pol
ished nail so far through both that they
were firmly fastened to the tree of the
cross. He planted the third nail in the
right hand as he had managed to do
with the left, and having bound himself
by the middle to the upright of the
cross by cord which he had previously
placed nnder him. he set about intlict-
ing the wound in the side with knife
which he had placed beside him for the
purpose. lie struck himself on the left |
side instead of the right, without, how
ever, inflicting serious injury. Whether
fear checked his hand, or whether he |
could not find a place offering the least |
resistance, is not certainly known, but |
there were numerous scratches indica-
tive of the search. Having completed
all his preparations, Lovat thought it
necessary that the public should see the
cOnsummation of his attempt. He had
previously placed the lower end of the
cross on the window sill, the upper end
being fastened to a beam in the apart
ment. BY giving a series of jerks the
cross was forced out of the window,
Lovat hanging upon it by the left hand,
the greater portion of the weight of his
body being supported by the net alluded
to. While he was endeavOring to insert
the nail placed in the right hand into
hole prepared for it in the cross he was
seen by some people in the street, who
ran up to the window and quickly
dragged him inside and took him from
the cross. After being taken to a hos
pitaD, under careful medical treatment
his wounds began to heal. Always
sombre and silent, he would give no
reason for his strange conduct other
than the "Irhe Pride of man must be
must expire ON the cross"
When his wounds were completely
cured he desired to leave the hospital
but the authorities, desiring to place
him under restraint, would not permit
it, when he determined to starve him
self; but meanwhile being stricken
with illness, the poor maniac died April