According to the Sémaphore from Marseille dated September 29th several journals were fast to reproduce the following fact:
“The day before yesterday, at night, a house located at Rue Paradis was the stage of a very painful event. An industrialist that has lamp store there killed himself, employing a strong dose of one of the most lethal poisons. Here is how the suicide took place:
The businessman was giving signs of a certain mental disarray for some time already, produced perhaps by the abuse of alcohol but more particularly to the practice of Spiritism, this modern scourge that has already claimed so many victims in the large cities and that now threatens to bring its devastations even to the country side. Despite his clientele that assure him a lucrative work, Mr. X… businesses were not in good shape and sometimes he had difficulties to pay for all his bills. His humor consequently was generally somber and his attitude unpleasant.”
The article attests that he used to abuse strong liquors and that his business was in poor condition, circumstances that many times lead to mental issues and even suicide. The author, however, only admits these causes as possible or accessories in that case whereas he strongly attributes the fact to the practice of Spiritism. The letter below was sent to us from Marseille, solving the issue and pointing out to the good-faith of the editor.
Dear Master,
The Gazette du Midi and the Sémaphore of Marseille from September 29th published an article about the voluntary poisoning of a businessman attributed to the practice of Spiritism. Since I personally knew that miserable man that was from the same Mason Store that I am, I can positively attest that he has never been involved with Spiritism and that he had never read any publication about the subject. You have my authorization to use my name since I am ready to prove the truth about what I am telling you; if needed all my brothers and the best friends of the deceased consider to be their duty to attest the same. Had him had God’s blessing to have known and understood Spiritism and he would have found the necessary strength to resist the dismal inclinations that led him to such an insensible act.
Yours truly,
Chavaux
Doctor in Medicine, Rue du Petit-Saint-Jean, 24
