Sylvia,
 
Mr. DuPont shot the head coach of the US Olympic Wrestling team.  As a
inheritor of great walth, duPont was able to indulge his interests, one of
which was wrestling.  He built a training center on his estate and funded
Olympic training there.  In a dispute with the victim, he shot him dead in
front of the victim's young family.  It was later confirmed that duPont
suffered from paranoid schizophrenia.
 
There are several illustrated newspaper articles describing this sad tale
that can be found on the Internet through search engines.  I remembered at
the time of the incident how I as a youth had seen that same National
Geographic article and marveled at Mr. duPont's collection.  I would be
interested in hearing on Conch-L from those who knew him personally, not for
its purient value but rather as insight into the human condition.  It is
tragic that the life of a fellow friend of malacology could go so terribly
awry.
 
Scott Jordan
-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Sturm <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Sunday, January 31, 1999 9:23 AM
Subject: Re: National Geographic
 
 
>Sylvia,
>  I believe Mr. DuPont is still alive and in an institution for the
>mentally impaired.  He was tried for murder and I believe found not quilty
>on the basis of insanity and confined to an institution.  Yes, his
>collection, or part of it, is at the DMNH.  Possibly Tim Pearce, Curator
>of Malacology at the DMNH can give more details about the collection.
>
>  My rememberances about the above instance is  a bit sketchy, if there is
>a factual error, hopefully someone will correct it.
>
>Charlie
>***************************************************************************
***
>Charlie Sturm, Jr
>Research Associate - Section of Invertebrate Zoology
>                     Carnegie Museum of Natural History
>Assistant Professor - Family Medicine
>
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