The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-01-25


From the New York Mercury.
Among the passengers by the steamer
for Liverpool yesterday was a lady
whose history is certainly one of the
most remarkable, if not the most incredi-
BILE, on record. 1t is thus related:
Some years since ship carpenter at
Sunderland, England, turned lecturer.
His name was Anthony j. Oliver, and
the subject of his lecture was "Mesmer-
ism" He was great reader, and an
extraordinary mesmeric operator, and
when he made his first appearance In
public, his Manifestations OF the odylio
force astonished his audiences. His
progress through the townssot the north
| of England was one continued harvest of
| shekels.
Old and young of both sexes-doctors,
lawyers, clergymen, and SCIENTISTS
went to scott at, but were spellbound by
his mesmeric power. Among others in
Newcastle, Miss Jennie Robson as q
profound admirer of Mr.. Oliver. So
great was the influence over her, that by
The force OF his will he could, at the dis
tance of a mile or over, induce the mes
meric sleep, and compel her to proceed
to him. This extraordinary fact was
demonstrated in the presence of COM
mittee Of scientific experts. On one OF
|
feet in height, and iell head-foremost to
the ground. She was taken UP sense
Hess, and medical attendance was sum
mond, but in vain. She lay for six weeks
in a condition bordering upon death.
just here it may be we'll to digress tor u
moment. MIR. Oliver afterwards studied
medicine in the Newcastle College OF
Medicine.
After the war in these United States,
he, with a number ofhs English friends,
settled in Virginia. Every newspaper
reader remembers his tragic end. He
betrayed an aristocratio VirginianIs
daughter, and her father shot Ouyer in
cold blood. When Miss Robson recov-
cred her consciousness she was blind
and deaf, and she continued SO tor five or
six weeks. The sense of hearing re-
turned suddenly, but sight returned
more gradually, but i'll the end perfectly.
The most extraordinary feature oi the
case, however, was the fact that she had
lost all recollection of her former life.
She did not know letter OF the alpha
bet, and she could not play an air Oh the
pianC-lorte. Her iatner and mother
were strangers to her. Her pet dog was
angrily thrust away. She was ignorant
! of The use OF knives and forks. hhe was
simply a newborn infant with this dii-
ference, that sne could acquire knoWi-
edge rapidly.
Her education was commenced anew.
Arithmetic, history, ge9Si apu!, EIehcn,
and music were eagerly studied, and "a
new circle of friends was gradually
formed. Here again lheie was an aD-
norman iaSlugoushess. ne tilehos ol
ner FORMER sen were oiS tateial, ana Il
young gentleman VINO haa loVeu her,
ana Whon sne hau lrealea win cfuel re-
! icu'e, suuaehlt pecathc hel ptliHe laFol-
lte. LII soon became known tlat Mf.
george henderson ah4 MISS Jehllie ho!-
son were engaged: Inc young mans
parents consutteu w. Glpp, tne Doctor
consulted Df' f0rpes WlhsloW, ana the
young people were advised TO postpone
the nup,lals. Parental opposition pre-
cipltated the unlon. "A runaway match
| made them mau and vile Ill May, 1856.
| At the birLh of their first son, the poor
mother remained unconscious lor' six
weeks. Similar symptoms followed tne'
birth Of daughter in 1850. One morn!ng
she awoke in her former natural state,
without any intimation from memory or
CONSCIOUSNESS that any thing uusual had
Iried lie were to her as though they hau
never BEEN She suieked Win rage when
liner husband approached, She desi.-
mated her children s'som.b pdy's little
Orats,v The house was strange to her.
| Sne did not recoguize her own dresses or
her own handwriting. She took up lite
again at the precise point where she had
left when sne fell into the me ,ineric
slumbef. and tried TO scale the garden
wall. Existence with her husband WAS
upbearabie, and she was taken back w
liner mother. Parental interference re.
suited in judicial separation between
tue husband and wife. -....
Miss Jennie Robson, as she agair
called herself. was annuyed by any ref
ereuce to her abnormal Individuality
and her parents welded to her entreatie.
to leave the town and reside in tn,
south of England. Near Darmoutn sh
gained all her former health and spirits
Possessing a graceful form and IA p4ett,
lace, she soon became the locus OF mas
culine admiration, and finally a wea til,
Young laImer offered his hand. Per,
Robson, in spite of Jennle's tears ant
entreaties, insisted tnat Frederick Hoot
should ue informed Of her previous men
tai arrangement and marriage. Ia,
poor fellow was too deeply in love T.
| lear consequences. Then new oil
stacle arose in legal form. Her hus
:, band heard other intended marriage, an,
: threatened Frederick Hood and Jenni
: with "proceedings" if the match was con
a eunnn,oted IVhnrdunnn Mr Hnnd will