The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1878-11-29

Marvellous Condition ~ Twelve Years
without food-flsr supernatural Powers
Of Vision.
prom the iiuiraio N. ~ couricr.l
The interest that has been aroused re-
| Gently in this city in the remarkable
case Of Miss Mollie Fancher, will in
sure an eager perusal for the following
| letter from DIR. West, Principal OF
, Brooklyn Heights Seminary, which we
are kindly permitted TO publish. II was
written 70 a lady OF this city in answer
10 inquiries AS 70 the facts OF Miss Fam
cher's condition:
BRookLyx. Oct. s.-DEAR MADAM: You
request me 10 write q brief sketch Of Miss
Mollie Fancher, in answer Of the many In
quiries which have doubtless been made BY
those who have examined the beautiful
specimens OF her needlework which have
been sent 10 your loan exhibition, which
were wrought during most extraordinary
illness Of more than twelve years. duration.
To give any thing like an adequate account
OF this remarkable girl would require q
treatise. This can not attempt.
Miss Mary j. Fancher was born in Attle-
bourgh, Mass, Aug, IL, 1S4S, and was edu-
Gated At the Brooklyn Heights Seminary
under my care. She was q sweet girl OF
delicate organization and nervous tempera-
ment, and was highly esteemed for her pleas
ing manners and gentle disposition. She
was an excellent scholar. excelling In bellies
letters studies; but her delicate health led
to her removal from school = short time be-
fore the graduation OF her class In 1854. For
three years lost sight Of her, till learned
from Brooklyn paper Of her singular con-
dition whichresulted from a remarkable ac-
cident.
Her aunt soon after called and invited me
to visit = Moliie," as she Is Familiarity called.
did so March 4, 1867; and from that time
n the L have l.aon N int nm yfaff
or OF the family. ] have kept journal OF
my visits and noted all that was important
which came under my observation. / have
used all the sagacify possess to detect any
fraud or collusion; but l have never seen
any thing to excite my suspicion or my con-
fidence in her integrity. She Is a lovely
Christian girl and shrinks from any public
exhibition OF herself. Spiritualists and Gu
rlOsity seekers have sought access to her,but
have failed. The power Of discriminating
character ISIS great, that she y rarely ever
imposed upon.
The facts 10 which attention is called can
be fully verified. They are a. follows:
May 10. lssi-she was thrown from horse
and severely injured
June :. lss5-In attempting 70 leave a street
car, her skirt caught and she was dragged for
block over the pavement
Feb. ?, ls;J-She was taken seriously in.
Her nervous system was completely derane-
ed. Her mead and feet coming together. She
would roll like hoop. She would
also stand on her toes and spin like q
top. Several persons were required TO pre-
self
Feb. :, lss6-she went into 4 trance and was
to all appearance dead
Fen. l-she lost her eyesight.
Feb. ls-She lost her speech.
Feb. la-she lost her hearing.
FEB. s2-She saw, spoke. and heard for half
ties
Feb. 2s--she lost the sense OF sound.
Feb. 24-The fingers closed.
Feb. 25--The jaws locked.
Feb. 26-The legs took triple twist.
March THE spasins wer. violent.
May 20. 1s66-She asked for food, ate a small
piece Of cracker, and took a teaspoonful of
punch-it being the first food she had taken
IN seven weeks. and was able 10 retain on her
May u, Isx-She was shocked BY thunder
and again lost her speech.
May y, is6d-She went into a rigid trance at
~ O'Clock, which lasted till II 80 a. IN. the
next day. She then passed into 4 relaxed
trance till June /.
June ?. observation-disclosures was forced BY a
pump into her stomach which threw her into
commissions She was unconscious and dead
~ sick with nausea. and suffered intensely
till sunday evening, June ;, when her throat
ishment or utter asound.
These items are taken from the diary OF
Mollie's aunt, who made daily record Of
her condition. l have copied but few Of
them to show the beginning Of herremarka-
BILE illness.
My first visit, as I have said, was March 4,
1861. i found her lying on her right side
with her right arm folded under her head.
Her fingers were clenched in the palm OF her
hand, her thumb lying parallel with them.
The thumb and fingers Of the left hand were
n similar position. The right hand and
rm were paraIy zed, as was her body gem
rally, excepting her left arm. She was In
trance, sighed and seemed to be in pain. \
he remained In this trance till the Sth, a
horter time than usual at this period OF
her Illness Her frances often lasting from
10 TO II days.
find my letter Is growing so large must
c0ndense my journal observations and neg
lect any chronological order.
will speak OF her mental and physical
condition.
First, her physical: For IL years or more
she has lain In one position on her right side. \
For nine years she was paralyzed, her mus
cles only relaxing under the influence OF \
chIor0form. For the last three years she has
been In new condition-thc limp instead
Of the rigid: Her muscles are. 80 relaxed
that her limbs can be moved without the aid
Of chloroform. While passing into this state
her sunerings were intense. For days II \
did not seem possible that she could live.
Her eyes were open and staring. For nine
years they had been closed. Now they were
open and never closing day nor night. They
were sightless. She could swallow, but take
no food; even the odor OF 1t was offensive.
During this twelve years illness there have
been times when she had not the use Of any
Of her senses. For many days together she
has been TO all appearance dead. The slight X
est pulse could not be dctected-there was
no evidence Of respiration. Her limbs were
Is cold A. ice, and had there not been some
warmth about her heart she would have
been buried. During all these years she has
virtually lived without food. Water, the
juice OF fruits and other liquids have been
introduced into her mouth, but scarcely any
OF them ever make their way 10 her stom-
ach. So sensitive has this organ become IL Y
will not retain any thing within t. In the
early part OF her Illness 1t collapsed, so that
by placing the hand In the cavity her spinal \
column can be felt. There was no room for \
food. Her fhronf wao reid ~ a sfick gu,.l-