Case CLXIX

Captain L., during his stay at Cette, believed that insults and menaces were addressed to him, which induced him to stand armed on the bridge all night.

The vessel stood to sea for Bourbon. During the voyage, many distressing events occurred; the captain on several occasions struck the sailors until blood flowed; and many other circumstances were charged upon him. They deposed that he looked at them suspiciously, talked often to himself, said that he heard provocations and insults which no one had addressed to him; and that one day, without any reason, he had put his pistol to the throat of the cabin-boy.

The captain, on his side, complained of the insults to which he had been constantly subjected. Being pressed to state his motive for firing on a person whom he scarcely knew, he very coolly asserted that for some time he had distinctly heard the voice of his wife (the trial was occurring in Bourbon, and his wife was in France), calling to him from the cellar of the house where he lodged, and imploring his help; that he had spoken to several public functionaries to have search made, but they had paid no attention to him; that he had threatened them for thus neglecting their public duties; and that after he had fired on one in particular, who had provoked him, he had been taken to the hospital, where they had attempted to poison him with a glass of tisane.

A deep feeling of pity ran through the court at this statement. Thus coolly asserting this nonsense about his wife, who pursues him, and whom he cannot find, and about menaces of death, of which he is the object, and yet on other points talking rationally. It may be supposed that if this disposition existed previously to the scene which caused his arrest, it also influenced him in the menaces of which he stated himself to be the subject, on the part of his crew.

The charge was brought forward by the attorney-general, and the defence conducted by M. Menardiere. After a strict examination, the court withdrew to deliberate, and an unanimous verdict of acquittal was the result*

Much was said of the serious injury done in this case to discipline. There can be no doubt that the safety both of the Teasel and crew were endangered by the monomaniac.†

Case CLXX

J. B. D. was accused of having killed his wife during the night of the 3d or 4th of May, 1828. A maternal uncle of his had been deranged. His intellect was not greatly developed; nevertheless, he had profited by the education he had received. His habits had always been regular; he had been married for several years, and lived happily with his wife.

The mayor of his commune having given, on occasion of the fete of St. Charles (1827), a feast to the firemen of the town, was much joked by his companions. D., irritated by their remarks, and perhaps elevated by wine, drew his sword on the drummer, which gave rise to a brawl. Since that time he had appeared moody and suspicious. Towards the close of December following, he awoke one night with a start, and complained of being ill. A medical man was called in, who considered that he had a gastric affection, accompanied by delirium. This doctor has since stated that D. declined taking the medicines he ordered, saying that he was leagued with his wife and his father to destroy him.

From that period his character as well as his habits changed. He became gloomy, suspicious, irritable, and passionate; he abandoned his religious duties, neglected his field labor, and drank much; suspected the fidelity of his wife; lived alone, shunned those with whom he was accustomed to associate, went out but seldom, and frequently exhibited fears that his life was in danger. Overpowered by this chimerical fear, he spoke con-stantly of enemies and plots, and persuaded himself that a man named Robert - of whom he had often spoken both before and after the 3d of May, 1828, in his conversations, fits of anger, letters, and evidence - was the chief of the conspiracy hatched against him. His old companions, his friends, his father, and his wife, were by turns ranked amongst the conspirators; and yet on every other subject he appeared rational. In one of these paroxysms, during which his delirium was augmented, and his fears and suspicions increased, he swallowed sulphuric acid, not being able, as he said, to resist the torments which he experienced, and wishing to be rid of his enemies. This attempt at suicide took place in the spring of 1827.

* Le Droit, Bulletin des Tritranaux, 21st Feb. 1844 - Court of Assise of the Island of Bourbon.

† Brierre de Boismont, Observations medico-legales sur les monomanes tristos, hallucines. Gazette des Hopitaux civils et militaires, 10th October, 1843.

The medical men who attended D., at the commencement of his malady, after his attempt at suicide, and since that time, attested that he had a mental alienation, which they called melancholy with delirium, characterized by imaginary fears, conviction that his death was being sought for, frequent fits of weeping, the pursuit of men, etc. Some witnessed to having seen D. hide himself behind the house door, or run away, whenever any one called. Others had seen him in the fields making strange gestures, and talking to himself.

On the 3d of May, 1828, D. passed the evening in company with his wife and a third person, until nine o'clock; nothing indicated the disquiet and restlessness of a person about to commit a double crime (his wife being pregnant). He embraced her, and invited her to supper, after which they retired to rest.

On the following morning, the 4th of May, the wife was found dead in her bed; a napkin was spread over the corpse, and a cross laid thereon. Her husband had gone away with his father's horse. The clothes which he had worn on the preceding day were found covered with blood in the cellar. After a search of nine days, he was found, and the following facts gathered from himself and others. Having killed his sleeping wife with a mallet, which he fetched out of the yard, he went to the wardrobe for a napkin, spread it over the body, and placed upon it a cross, which was on the mantel-piece, washed his hands in a tub, took off his blood-stained clothes, which he threw into the 33 ocllar, stocked himself with money, took his father's horse, closed the door of the house, the key of which he hid, and fled across the fields, avoiding the high roads. He reached an inn, ate heartily, and drank two bottles of wine, leaving articles in the inn by which he could be recognised, and went off. For nine days he concealed himself, and was arrested on the 11th of May, having both said and done things which betrayed him.