The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-04-20

The court Of appeals in Paris has
been the scene OF o most curious
and remarkable spectacle Ayoang
Ean named Diaicr was lately arrest
ed for an offence in tbc Champs hly-
sees and sentenced 10 three months
imprisonment IN prison he was
examined by Drs AOact and Mex
net. twO uelikn0wn specialist IN
mental diseases, who reported tAat
he lived in . state OF constant SOM
nambulism, the attacks Of which
can be provoked at viii. The case
was heard on appeal, and the judges
were about TO withdraw TO consider
their verdict when the doctors offer
cd to confirm tie statements made
in their repe by practical expert
ments on tIe spot. The bench con-
sented, and then occurred the fol
lowing painful scene, described by
The Paris correspondent Of the Lon
don Slondmd: DR.. Mottet followed
By the magistrates and the prisoner,
retired into side room. Here, by
the usual mode of rapid passes Of
the hands before his eyes and a
strong, fixed gaze, the unhappy sub
ject was mesnerized. Didier was
then left in charge Of two Of the mu-
nicipal guards on service, the doc
tors and the judges returned 70 the
court, and the door &c t.lc room was
shut. DR.. Mottet now called the
prisoner by his name. The next
second a fearful noise was heard. ID
came from the.sick young man. \
few minutes before a touch OF the
finger would have almost knocked
him over, so feeble and emaciated
was he. Now, under the influence
Of magnetism lie was ike a raging
lion. Upsetting the guards who held
him by the wrists, he rushed at tne
door, broke it open, and, knocking
down everybody in his way, ran up
to DR.. MCttet. Here he suddenly
stopped, and fixing his eyes 0n his
mesmerizer trenblcd from head to
foot in a manner terrible 70 see.
Shricks of horror ran through the
court. The doctor then set to work.
"UEdress YOURSELF he said to the
prisoner. In a second Didier strip
ped himself OF nearly all his gar
meuts. Dress yourself again, said
the doctOr,and again the prisoner
obeyed with the same lightning "a
pidity. The experiment appeared
DR.. Mottet then awoke
his subject by blowing on his face,
Didisr fell to the ground as ii shot
The docter, however. soon brought
him round again. Why did you
yourself before these gentle
men ?" asked DR.. Mottet that was
very improper" Didier, gazing with
vacant astonisment. replied what
l undressed myself? Impossible"
And the young man clung to the
doctor for protection like child.
The bench, however, was not con-
and appeared to look upon
the whole affair as q comedy. Dr.
Nesnot, in his turn, row operated on
.hc prisoner. Having mesmerized
him he ordered him to write from
memory q letter addressed to him
while in prison. Didier replied
Cannot, because I am in prison.
fhe doctor insisted, whereupon the
,ata table and wrote
sord for word, the letter in question,
a single mistake. While he
vas writing i DR.. Mettet took q long
needle out OF his instrument-cese
md plunged it into the young mans
neck, but he felt nothing. BT this
line, however, the bench had seen
snough of these painful experiments,
lnd some OF the audience crying
lut, 'Assez! assez !" the sitting came
to an end. The court, considering
he prisoner was not responsible for
his acts, quashed the verdict of the
lower court, and the unhappy man
Tas discharged.