Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 2: Sexual InversionEllis, Havelock
Science
Studies in the Psychology of Sex, Volume 2: Sexual Inversion
Ellis, Havelock
Sex; Sex (Psychology)
When conveyed to the police station Olmstead completely broke
down and wept bitterly, crying: "Oh! Will, Will, come to me! Why
don't you kill me and let me go to him!" (At this time he
supposed he had killed Clifford.) A letter was found on him, as
follows: "Mercy, March 27th. To Him Who Cares to Read: Fearing
that my motives in killing Clifford and myself may be
misunderstood, I write this to explain the cause of this homicide
and suicide. Last summer Clifford and I began a friendship which
developed into love." He then recited the details of the
friendship, and continued: "After playing a Liszt rhapsody for
Clifford over and over, he said that when our time to die came he
hoped we would die together, listening to such glorious music as
that. Our time has now come to die, but death will not be
accompanied by music. Clifford's love has, alas! turned to deadly
hatred. For some reason Clifford suddenly ended our relations and
friendship." In his cell he behaved in a wildly excited manner,
and made several attempts at suicide; so that he had to be
closely watched. A few weeks later he wrote to Dr. Talbot: "Cook
County Gaol, April 23. I feel as though I had neglected you in
not writing you in all this time, though you may not care to hear
from me, as I have never done anything but trespass on your
kindness. But please do me the justice of thinking that I never
expected all this trouble, as I thought Will and I would be in
our graves and at peace long before this. But my plans failed
miserably. Poor Will was not dead, and I was grabbed before I
could shoot myself. I think Will really shot himself, and I feel
certain others will think so, too, when the whole story comes out
in court. I can't understand the surprise and indignation my act
seemed to engender, as it was perfectly right and natural that
Will and I should die together, and nobody else's business. Do
you know I believe that poor boy will yet kill himself, for last
November when I in my grief and anger told his relations about
our marriage he was so frightened, hurt, and angry that he wanted
us both; to kill ourselves. I acquiesced gladly in this proposal
to commit suicide, but he backed out in a day or two. I am glad
now that Will is alive, and am glad that I am alive, even with
the prospect of years of imprisonment before me, but which I will
cheerfully endure for his sake. And yet for the last ten months
his influence has so completely controlled me, both body and
soul, that if I have done right he should have the credit for my
good deeds, and if I have done wrong he should be blamed for the
mischief, as I have not been myself at all, but a part of him,
and happy to merge my individuality into his."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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