The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1880-08-04
lanaee a fruit store, and afterwards

manage fruit store, and afterwards
stimulated his ambition to study
medicine. She studied with him, and
they graduated together at the Gin
clnuati Eclectic Medical Institute.
They practiced together at Two or
three places in Ohio, and iu one town
were proprietors OF some electr" thcr-
NAL baths Even then he was given
to theories and vagaries, and his Wit'e's
practical good sense helped keep him
level. Finally her health failed, and
she came to Duluth, in this State, to
recruit; She still practiced and sup
ported herself, but he followed after a
while. She led in the next move,
too. which took them to Hudson, Wis
cnusia. There they lived until the
separation three years ago. The sep
aration was amicable, but accounts
differ as to the cause The lady's
story is that he made life burden to
her with his pet theory that hea!th
was to be secured by abstinence from
food and his attempts to enforce it
upon her. The doctors friends say
it was because she was active, ener-
getic, independent, ambitious of ac-
quiriug wealth and professional dis
tiuction, while he was phlegrnatlc, in.
doleut and Indifferent given to vaga
ries and theories, yet wilful enough to
control her with his notions. What
ever the cause, the separation took
place in 1877, and probably opened to
DR.. Tanner the path to his present
fame. Released from the balancing,
guiding influence that had kept hun
generally withiu the bounds of ordI:
pary rational conduct, he surrendered
himself to his theories, and CON-
ueuced experimenting with his ston-
ach. He made his first fast after he
had ceased to live with his wife ln
Hudson and come to Minneapolis, but
before the formal divorce was declared.
He made this fast in the company
aud under the supervision Of Dr..
Meyer and DR.. Putnam, his partners
10 practice nominally, though his
practice was never large enough to
be burden to him. Dr.. Meyer, who
watched him closely, is certain that
he honestly abstained from food for
forty-two days. Both these doctors,
who are the only persons here who
seem 10 have known Tanner with any
approach to intimacy, thiak he is an
honest enthusiast little crazy, but
not in the least fraud with an iu-
ordinate craving for uotoriety, strong
will, and phleguatic habit Of body,
which enables him to reduce the ac-
tiyity of vital actions at will. None
of Tanners friends here talk any
spiritualistic Gonsense, but explain his
feat on purely physical grounds. His
ex-wife, as we'll as the doctors, believe
that he will succeed in his present at
tempt. She has great confidence in
his energy and perseverance, where bis
theories are concerned, though she
has apparently very little respect f"r
bis efficiency in the practical affairs Of
life. It is pretty certain, it DIR. Tan
per does succeed, he will seek to re-
alize in some way upon the notorlety
he has gained, probably by lecturlng.
After his last fast he made some ten
5ative ventures into the field Of public
favor through the newspapers, but he
hadn't capital enough Of fame to start
with, aud had to fall back upon keep
ing Turkish bath. He will do bet,
ter after his present success.