Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-05-11
AN ELECTRIC WOMAN.
QUEER THINGS THAT SHE DOES AP'
PARENTLY WITHOUT EFFORT.
From the Memphis Avalanche.

the least wonderful. For severai
days past one of these ladies, Miss
Dixie Haygood, has been in the
city giving exhibitions OF her
power. A reporter of the Ara
ldnche yesterday, by invitation OF
the little lady, assembled with
several other gentlemen at the par
lor of the Clarendon Hotel, to test
these remarkable manifestations,
and discover, if possible, their
source and secret. Among the
gentlemen present we're Mr.. Law
renee Lamb, Mr.. Zeno Harris, MIR.
Henry Walsh and several others.
1t is needless to say that the
Araldnche man is skeptic on all
such matters, and does not believe
in ghosts, spirits, or anY other
supernatural phenomena, and IL
WAS his determination, as also that
of several of the other gentlemen
present, to detect if possible any
trickery or legerdemaln that might
be attempted.
Miss Haygood is of small stat
ure, compact mould, and appar-
emily muscular beyond most wo-
men, and weighs about 1O4 pounds
She has brown hair, blue or violet
eyes, and a pleasant expression OF
countenance, bat an air also OF
Grmness and decision OF character.
The first two tests, viz, drawing
gentleman easily around the room
by applying her hand to a chair or
an umbrella held by him, or the
third test of holdings a billiard cue
in her open palms at an angle OF
about 45 degrees with such firm
ness that strong man, or even
two strong men, could not force
the point to the floor, were certain
lv remarkable in a woman so small,
but might have been accomplished
BY a woman of very great physical
strength. Therefore the reporter
felt disappointed to some extent
and argued with Lis companions
that it was either a matter OF
sIelght or else remarkable devel'
opment of muscular power.
But the next tests we're different.
One of the gentlemen present was
requested to lift the lady by her
elbows. held taut at the waist.
This he did, but when told to try
it again utterly failed to raise her
an inch. Two strong men then
raised her by holding her elbows
on each side with the greatest ease,
but on attempting 1t again they
conld not raise her weight a partl'
Gle from the floor. This was
noser and was tried several times,
the party Offering many explana-
tions, bnt none at all satisfactory
The fact remained unexplained,
that she could at will allow herself
to be lifted as other people, and
Immediately thereafter bringing
into play such force without sp-
parent effort, that two strong men
could not move her 100 pounds OF
weight, try they ever so hard.
The next test was still more in
explicable. A chair was brought
an ordinary dining-room chair
and a gentleman weighing about
1870 pounds was placed IN it. AS
tride of his knees another gentle
man of about 145 pounds weight
was placed, and between the two q
third gentleman of at least loO
hounds was seated. All raised
their feet from the floor as the
chair was tilted back and held
balanced. The little lady then ap'
proached the back of the chair and
placed her open palms along the
arms or stafis supporting the
chairs back.
Observing the reporter narrowly
watching her, she requested him to
place his hand between her hand
and the chair to prove that no
pressure was exerted. This was
done, and only the lady's thumbs
touched the back of the chair.
Then. without an effort or the con-
traction of muscle, or the slight
est pressure on the reporters hand,
the chair and its living freight was
raised about fourteen inches from
the floor. The weight, including
the char, was at least 450 pounds,
and John L. Sullivan could not
have performed the ieat so easl-
ly accomplished by the little wo-
man.
This test was convincing, but
the next was no less so. Miss
Haygood stood on one foot and
holding a billiard cue horizontally
before her at half arms length,
three strong men essayed in vain
to push her, by throwing their COM
{ blned weight against the cue, from
neT DdlduCo VII Ono lOOb VI piOoo
her arms back to her chest. The
reporter offers no explanation of
these strange exhibitions Of hid
den force. He says the shapely
, womanly hands lift the three great
= strapplng fellows from the floor by
simply touching with open palms
his own hands placed on the char
back, and he saw the dainty No
% boot standing unmoved on the
floor with the combined weight oI
the same three Memphis gentle
u men thrown werfulIy and per