New-York tribune., 1878-11-25
AN UNCONQUERABLE SPIRIT.

THE STRANGE LIFE OF MISS FANCHER.
GRL's TERRIBLE ACCIDENT THIRTEEN YEARS AGO
HER PARTIAL PARALYSIS AND BLINDNESS. AND
MARVELLOUS CLAIRvoYANr FACULTY.
From time to time during the past ten years
newspaper accounts nave appeared OF Miss Mary j.
Faucher, who has lived In her aunts residence
at Gatesave. aud Downlng-st.. Brooklyn. almost
without food since 1865. and for considerable
part OF the time in rance-ike condition. Miss Faneher
herself and her relatives however have never been will
ling until recently that anything should be pub
sbcd in regard TO the case, and consequently
OF the stories that have been published
he regarded altogether accurate
An effort was made Il few years ago to have commits
sion OF physicians and scientific men appointed TO IN
vestigate the ease which is regarded an extraord
nary one either Of the opposition OF Miss
Fancher her friends the plan was abandoned
Miss Fancher, however has kept diary OF the events
and experiences of each day of her prolonged sickness
and her physicians ard others have made extensive
notes upon the case, but these will probably not be
given 20 the public until after her death
Miss Fancher is now thirty-One years Of age. When
eighteen after leaving Brooklyn Heights Semi
nary, account Of her health, she thrown while
riding horseback and broke several OF her
ribs soon after recovering from this injury
she met with serious accident While alghung
from street her dress caught the step aud she
was thrown down and dragged a long distance. She
badly bruised and her spine seriously
injured. she was carried 10 the reSucnce ot
her aunt, Mrs Crosby at DO8ningst. and Gates-ave.
where she has lain in bed in position She has
been visited by many physicians ccrgymen, and scien-
tlhc men, who have become interested IN the case
No one has taken deeper interest in the matter than
Professor Charles +. West, OF the Brooklyn Heights
Seminary. He said last night that many OF the aI-
paren,y Incredible statements in reference 10 Miss
Fancher He had watched her closely TO see
whether he could detect fraud or cous on but he
had not been able to discover any He had visited her
every week for eleven and had made notes II her
condition He did not believe that she had taken
nuch food in that time person would eat at an or
binary meal She had been partially parayzed and
Totally blind during much Of that time, and
yet she had done the most delicate work in
wax flowers, embroidery. etc For nine years she
lay in parayzed condition. her muscles only relaxing
when under the influence OF chOroform Her right arm
was thrown up behind her head and she WAS compelled
this time she would frequently go into frances.
and sometimes renamed IN them ten twelve,
rigid condition and her muscles became flexible.
FOr days." Professor West continued, she has been
apparently dead DurinL all these years she has 'r-
tuaIy lived without food She has not been able to
partake OF anything solid but she has swallowed some
fruit Juices and water Her Inind IL most remarkable
She undoubtedly has the power oi second slght |
and can see as vel what Is going on mi,e
away al what taxes place IN her room |
She never makes a mistake. Night and oay |
for work She never sleeps and only rests IN her frances
When she out OF the rlgd condition whch lasted
curing the interval, and began to talk about |
events events that occurred before her sickness began
had never ans thing OF that kind before her sick
ness. she rarely works from models. but makes her
own designs The shape Of any Hover or leaf that she
WISHES 20 see she call before her mind
Dr. Tet speir Miss tsnshGrs @ G PaySelap @ saG mat
regard the case, although he mad been familiar
Tdsiiiydiy %5sm that that Miss Miss Eancher had lived WGh
out food for thirteen years, because he bad not
been with her all tue tme but he knew that she had
eaten very little. Once he made experiment by gyng
her an cmetc and II showed that there was no food in
ach hut II was rejected. Dr. Speir added that he |
never believed that Miss Fancher attempted any de-
fsP.oP am M n RoS@+t @ ne Omission, Of No X Iansoapacc,
said that he had seen Miss fancher many times,
but he had never detected auy deception on
her part lie not believer IN the su-
pcrnaual, yet he had seen her write upon slate the
contents Of letter received py meuDtr Oh ne family
from RuHaio which bad apparently never been opened
The Rey Dr. Joseph T. Duryea was j9nnd last night
in the CassOn Avenue Piesbyteiiau Church, OF which
he Is the pastor He said that there was no question in
regard To the of Miss Fancner lie had
been familiar vita the eleven years, and the
facts weIe as well ascertained and trust
GSn'ny GS and Us Huxley based their theories lie had
alluded TO the case once In lecture which ne delivered
scribe H fully fear his hearers would think that be
gas WITH Miss Fancher which convinced bun Of
her powers ~ second sight The first time he met
that he cand not see her. She said that he
was DR.. Duryea When asked how sue knew. she re-
phi that she had seen him before at the gate talking
with her aunt described some marked peculiarues
I'm ms dress. He had talked with Mrs. Crosby about
three weeks be fore, aud IS Fanches description
perfectly correct Dr. Duryea said that he mad studied
tha ca - and convinced that there deception
Jobn d. Townsend Il of Miss Faucher's friends in
this city He visited ut his home IN West Tnrty-
fourti-st. last night and asked II the accounts
ma gie pub NJ Miss FanChers life correct. He
Piled Yes they all true and not one quarter OF
he marvellous stories that might be told Oi that
have been related. have known her Tor several years.
aItnough have her Ornn or ten months past
Oyiny To business do you that marble Tyre there |
on The manel-pece covered with white flowers ana
leaves Sine fashioned those flowers and leaves without
any assistance, and arranged them tasteuy on the Tyre
"A, Won see. She also makes shawls and other things
from woeted, telling toe color of the yarn by touch
Iux pieces OF IL TO her lips. | remember once |
having portrait In an OvercOat gOcket when called
10 Sc, hrr She told Of itS existence in ny pOck0t
and fithfuy described the person depicted She has
also for,tol NY coming to see her when ! my |
way from New-YOrk tO BrOokvn" IL was learned sub
sequently, from other friends OF the afflicted |
y,nJu. that the mOuey she obtains from sell !
ing wax flowers, wOrsted work ana lace, is her |
main support. Friends have aided her with money dur |
ing the past years somewhat said warm friend Of
hers Last night: (" II there person who de !
serves a penson annuity, regular allU vance
OF money, is that heroic womdn.' The Rev Dr. :.
Iraeneug Prime who has been quoted rs one OF the Wit
nrse OF Miss Fauchers deeds Of late stated yesterday
that he had not her for seven years past anu tat
no ,Itd mot remember thiug about his visit.