The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-08-13
A Psych o logical Phenomenon.

from inc CulcaSo 1Ilpuue, huSuos'
The dividing line between nature and
the supernatural is in some places very
obscure. A young gentleman Of the
name off. R. Brown, a resident OF Red
Oak, Iowa. aged twenty-ons years
called at the Tribune Office, yesterday,
in company with ex, Senator Woodland,
of this city, and a gentleman from
Whiteside county. Mr.. Brown was
introduced as one possessing remarks
BILE psychological powers, of which the
assembled editors were invited to make
a test. We were informed that if any
person would 60 to another part of the
building and deposit any article whatso-
ever in a secret place, Mr.. Brown, be-
ing blindfolded, would take the person
by the hand and lead him directly to
the place, the only condition being that
the person depositing the article
should keep his mind intently fixed
upon it. One of the gentlemen
OF the Tribune thereupon went into
an adjoining room, closed the door, and
placed coin inside a volume OF the Pc.
land Credit Mobilier report, and covered
this volume with several other books.
Returning, Mr.. Brown, having hand
kerchief tightly bound over his eyes,
took this gentleman by the left hand,
held the hand for moment against
his own (Mr. Brown's) head, and then
walked against the door of the adjoin-
ing room. The door being opened, he
marched against one OF the glass doors
of bookcase having a dozen or more
similar openings. This door being
opened, he placed the hand of the gen.
tleman, who had secreted the coin, on
the Poland Credit Mobilier report, and
said, There it u.s." He did not claim
to know what the thing was, but he
knew where the place wac.
Several experiments similar to the
foregoing were tried, with the invariable
result that Mr.. Brown, by placing the
hand OF the experimental on his own
forehead, was enabled to walk directly
to the place where the object had been
placed. 1t was also ascertained that if
a person should merely fix his thoughts
on any object in the building, Mr..
Brown would 90 directly to it, having
first placed the individuals hand on his
own head. The only explanation Mr..
B. can give OF his own powers is, that
when the hand is placed on his head,
he sees a light leading to the object Of
which that person is thinking. He does
not pretend to read anybodys thoughts
in any other way than this.
1t is fortunate that Mr.. Brown wa.
born in the nineteenth century instead
OF the seventeenth, else he would have
been burned for q witch. As it is prob.
able that he will give some public ex.
hibitions OF his powers, we turn him
over to the scientists" That there is
no humbug in this case, we are fully
persuaded. The experiments to which
he submitted in the office of the Trtbun.
in the presence OF half a dozen extreme
ly skeptical experimentists, seem tc
prove the existence of ply sico-psycholcl
ic iorce, 10 which the name tt "anima
magnetism" is most commonly applied
The existence OF such force has lont
been suspected, but the conditions o.
its operations are 30 rare. and the mean
OF verifying the testimony concerning i
are so unsystematized, that it has NJ
scientific basis or recognition whatever
AS starting.point tor some we'll su
thenticated Information upon the SUBJ
iect, we suggest that the medical pro-
fossion of Chicago appoint com mitte'
whose testimony would be universally
accepted, to hold a "seance" with Mr.
Brown, and report the facts.