A Madman at Bay.

Evening Post, Issue 23, 6 March 1865, Page 3

A Madman at Bay.

-The town of Bagneres de Biporre was thrown into a state of great excitement some days since by a tragical «c«ne, in which a madman n*mi d Marcel Pambrun, aged 32, was the principal actor. It appears that Pamhrun, after remaining some time in (he lunatic asylum at Pau, and being apparently cured, was discharged ten days since at his mother's request. For a week lie seemed perfectly rational, but on the eighth day lie was seized with a fit of madn ss.and "utteiel suchjterrible threats against his n.orher th it she was in fear of her life, and applied to the police for protection. The madman suspected her design, and when she returned with two poliOQ nupnts he was found to have hnrricaded himself in the room on the first floor,and to have armed himself with a double barrelled gun and several pistols, with which he threatened to shoot any one who should approach him. One of the agents j then went to seek further aid, but on his leaving the house the madman fired at him from the window, and wounded him severely with small shot shout the head and shoulders. Other messengers were sent to ob'ain assistance, and the madman meanwhile set fire to his bedding, and fled several times at the people collected in the street, several of whom were struck by the shot. The sub-prefect, the proenreur imperial, and the captain of the gendarmerie soon arrived with a number of men, and orders were given to force an entrance info the chamber. Three gendarmes immediately executed these orders, and seized the poor maniac, but not before he had flied three shots at them, by ope of which a gendarme, natved T.adrix, was dangerously wounded in the abdomen. Pambrun was then secured and taken to the lock-up, where he recovered his reason a few hours afterwards, and was so overwhelmed with despair on being told what lie hud done that he has since steadfastly refused to take any food, and seems resolved to starve himself to death. Or.o Bachelors.— Tn antiquity it vas considered umpnttiotic in a citizen to remain a baululor all his diiys. By the Spartan laws, those ritzena who retntrined bachelors after tlie middie age were excluded from all offices, I civil or military. At certain feasts they | were exposed to public derision, and lead round the market place. Although, generI ally speaking, nge wns deeply respected, yet ' this feclin? was not manifested to old bachelors. " Why should 1 make way for you," said a Spartan youth to a. grey-headed old bachelor, who will never have a son to do me the same honor when I am old ?" The Romans pursued the same policy towards bachelors. They had to pay extra and special taxes, and under Agustus a law was enacted by which Imchelors were made incnpable of acquiring legacies and devises of real estate by will, exept from their near relatives. The Star's Turin correspondent writes :— " I told you of the steps taken to bring about a reconciliation between Oaiibaldi and Cialdini. From what 1 know of the result, I entertain no doubt that those two men will shake hands once more when they meet aga'n " The following anecdote of the Iron Duke may be resuscitated by way of a hint to the war authorities of the present day, who have spent enormous sums in fruitless experiments with ne<r indentions: — A man visited the duke, and intimated that he had an important invention to submit to his notice. " Well, what h.-ive you to offo-r ?" •' A bullet-proof jacket, your grace." " Put it on." The inventor obeyed, when the duke rang a bell and an aide-dc camp presented himself. " Tell the captain of the guard to order one of his men to load with ball cartride. The inventor disappeared, a>id was never again seen near the Horse Guards. No monoy was wasted in trying that invention. Hydrophobia from the Bite op a Cat — A pensioner named Andrew Gill, aged 68 years, who has lived at Greenwich during the last twenty years, was bitten by a cat, which appeared in a rabid state, in January last, but from the usual remedies being resorted to, and the wound suddeul yhealing up, it was supposed no evil ri-sults would arise ; but on the 2lst Feb., he felt bis limbs benumbed, he was stupid and rather dtjected, with an incessant coldness over the whole system. These symptoms were followed with great depression of spirits, which increased into horror of mind with the progress of the disorder ; the mouth was parched, and the patient had a strong desire for drink, whioh he involuntarily threw from him and a paroxysm followed. These continued at short intervals until Monday last, when he became exhausted, and death ended his sufferings. Advertising.— The first time a man sees an advertisement he takes no notice ; the second time he looks at the name ; the third time he looks at the price ; the fourth time he reads It ; the fifth time he tells his wife ; the sixth time she buys.— French Paper. ,