Orangeburg news and times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1875-1877, 1876-07-15
SWAPPING SOULS.
A'MARTELLOU!S STORY
THE IMMORTAL BODIES OF Two MEN,
DYINa At .Opros1TE PoRr1oNs OF
THE G1oBE, SEEK DIFFERENT
EARTHLY HABIrATIoNs.

\ F..
Members of the Melico-Lcgal
Society of New York are astounded
at the present time by the following
remarkable events, the intelligence of
which has just reached them:
BY the direction ofthe Emperor Of
Russia, a scientific investigation is
now going OH into the most astound-
ing case of metempsychosis, or
wandering of the human soul from
one body into another, that has ever
been known to the world. The inst
ance referred to is vouchcd for by the
Medical Weekly Journal Of St. Peters,
burg, by newspaper printed Mt New
Westminster, British Columbia, ly
the imperial governor Of Orenburg,
by Professor Orlow, Of st. Petersburg,
and by several gentlemen Of New
York, to whom Orlow told the strange
story about nine months ago, and who
themselves had an opportunity to see
:and converse with the two men whose
souls are alleged to have been so
'miraculously interchanged.
I'm September, 1874, in Orenburg.
Runsia, there lay sick with typhoid
fever wealGhy,Jew by the name Of
Abraham Chhrkoy, native of the
place, known to everybody, married.
and father of several children. On
the 22d day OF that month lie seemed
80 be dying. At midnight he suffered
greatly, and the physician pronoun-
ced him in the agonies Of death.
A number Of Jews were called in,
as is customary, prayers were said
wax candles lit, the witean,l children
We're .serre;si x weep;auye h. cir i
bereavement, when .,,l!enly the sick
anan COVE /. tremendous jerk, hcavcd
81 deep sigh, began to breathe freely,
upelcd his eyes and locked With
:nmnzemelft at the deings Of the people
;,,rdrltd hi4i, ssna then fell asleep.
':rlte bANsicias, anssounccd that now all
1ihmger Was over. lie skpt through
zhe night, but What sssppencd i'll the
snorning was n.oss wonderful. When
s,e awoke he refused to recognize
either his wife or children, aud push
ed them away in anger when they
came near him. Besides, he spoke II
language none could understand.
previously he had known only cor
auptcd mixture Of German and He
brew, and some little Russian, but
now when addressed he seemed not to
understand word. In week he was
well enough to leave the bed, but
utterly refused to wear his customary
clothes. The physicians unanimously
pronounced him insane. In appear
ance he had not changed. He WAS
the same tall, lean man, with dark
curling locks Of hair, long black beard
and dark, furrowcd line across his
forehead. Yet he spoke an unintclli-
gible language, refused to know his
family, and even his father and
mother appeared as perfect strangers
to him, by chance one day lie be-
held himself i'll q mirror, and fear
ful shrek escaped his lips. lie touch
ed and pulled at his long, Oriental
nose, lie felt his long, black curls, his
flowing black beard, and with n
scream he fell to the floor as in n
swoon. The case caused great excite
ment, and n full report was made to
the medical section Of the Ministry OF
the Interior Of St. Petersburg. The
order went out to Orcnburg to send
the jew and his family, his parents
and the other Witnesses Mt once to St,
Petersburg, to be examined by the
medical faculty. Tho exam nation
wns conducted by Professor Orlow,
one Of the most learned mon of Russia.
The astonishment Of the professor may
be imagined, when he found that his
illiterats jew from Orcnburg spoke
pure, idiematic English with huoncy
and even with some elegance, that lie
wrote it dramatically and orthogra.