The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-08-01
A Magnetic Man,
A MAINE WONDER WHO PERFORMS Still
GREATER rEATs THAN THE NOW CEI.-
EBRATED GIRL IRON GEORGIA.

John Downs, of Auburn, Maine,
possesses q power that is much more
extraordinary than the Hurst girls,
even If there be no deception about
the latter. Downs is known rs the be-
witched blacksmith. Fifteen years
ago he had Just become aware that the
exercise of his power was involuntary
and he was in great distress Of mind
over its possible consequences, having
just had painful demonstration of
what might occur from it's presence.
He was not a particularly strong man
himself, but by touching others he
seemed to endow them with extraordi
nary strength. This singular power he
was able not only TO confer on hn
man beings, but he could infuse ami
mails with it, remember once seeing
a team stalled in road leading to
Auburn. They were attach Il to
heavy load and The forewheels of the
wagon ran into deep rut, and the
horses were unable to pull them out
The driver was about to remove por-
ton of the load, when Downs chanced
to be driving by. He stopped, and,
telling the driver to leave the load as
it was alighted. lie rubbed each horse
on the head and neck, and almost in
stantly they became nervous and rest
less. Downs told the driver to start
them up. He did so, and the horses
hauled the load out of the rut with the
greatest case, and went off at such
gait that the driver found difficulty in
controlling them, Boys who were
barely able to lit the heavy sledge
hammers in Downs blacksmith shop
had only to receive the power from the
the bewitched blacksmith's touch
to swing them with the ease of
old Vulcan himself, This singular
strength given to others would remain
in force from ten minutes to half an
hour, and in passing away left the sub
ject weak and depressed, and some.
times quite i'll. For this reason Downs
finally refused to make subjects of any
one. He was possessed, also, of great
mesmeric power, and with this he fur
nished no end of amusement to his
friends. Every day he had some Que
running on the most foolish of errands,
or performing all sorts of odd monkey
shines. On one occasion a stern digni-
fed and greatly to be feared clergy
man of the place defied the blacksmith
to place him under the influence of his
alleged magic spell In FIVE minutes
time Downs had despatched the cler-
gyman to tobacconist's, long dis
tance away, for clay pipe and five
cents worth of tobacco, with which he
returned as meekly as the most obedi-
ent errand boy.
Downs finally ceased exercising this
power also, and had not subjected any
one to it for more than year. Charles
Woodward, a well-known business
man OF Auburn, and great friend of
the bewitched blacksmith's, the two
having been in the army together, re-
turned home from long absence from
town about that time. Downs went
to his place of business to see him. He
shook hands with him heartily, and
threw one arm about Woodward's
neck. This was on a Thursday fore
noon. Soon after Downs went out
Woodward began to dance and sing
and manifest an exuberauce of spirits
that astonished his associates. Although
man of steady and very regular hab
its he did not go home all Thursday
night, and did not put in an appear
ance until late Friday morning. He
boarded with man named Edwin
Blake. Blake thought that Wood
ward, singular as it seemed, was cele-
brating his return home. Blake learn
ed that Woodward had been around
town smashing things generally. Whrn
he returned to his boarding house
Blake got him to go to bed and sent
for physician. People called to see
Woodward, and he astounded many of
them by telling numerous family aud
business secrets CT theirs which he had
no possible means of becoming ac-
quainted with. The physician said
Woodward was suffering from hyster-
ia, and advised that he be rubbed with
strong mustard water. Blake undertook
the task He had rubbed Woodward
but short time when he was seized
with strange nervous twitching and
contraction of the muscles. At the
same time Woodward came to his sen-
ses. Blake took up the singing and
dancing, and acted as Woodward had
been doing for two days. Besides that,
he became possessed of most wonder
tul strength and it required four strong
men to manage him. To this was add
ed the still more remarkable power of
telling what the intentions of any one
of his attendants was and what he
was thinking about, making it impossi-
BILE for them to use strategic measures
in dealing with him.
1t was not until Woodward was re.
stored to his senses that it was known
that Downs had been to see him. II
was then at once believed that he had
been under the influence of the be.
wltched blacksmith, and that this had
been transmitted to Blake. Downs
was sent for, to see if he could not re.
move the spell he had inspired. He
visited Blake at once, and by rubbing
him soon restored him to himself. Fol
the first time in his life, as he said a,
the time, Downs himself felt the inhu
ence of the power, or what ever i,
might be called, as he removed it from
Blake. and for several minutes he
could restrain himself with only the ex,
ercise of his will TO the utmost He
said that he felt depressed and nervou,
ever since his visit to Woodward or
Thursday, and had not been able to
account for it. There was no thought
of mesmerism in his mind when hi
greeted Woodward on that day. HI
said then that he would never shake
hands or touch any one again if h,
could help it. l have never seen hin
since | left there, and had almost
forgotten the bewitched blacksmith mn
til the performances of the Georgis
III