Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-09-24
hypmOlism and Crime.
SUGGESTING CRIME TO A SUBJECT SHOWN TO BE
UNSAFE FOR THE sUGGRsTHR

UNSAFE FOR THE sUG0RSTHR
From the New York Sun.
The curious subject OF the connection actual or
possible, Of hypnotlsm with crime is attracting q
great deal Of serious Investigation In France The
latest announced results are those obtained by NJ.
Jules Legois. professor Of the faculty Of law at
Nancy. He has been endeavor1ng to discover
way In which to compel q person who has been
nypnotized, and who may have performed some
was 10 ny pnotic state, TO reveal the name Of the
person suggesting the deed. 1t had been found
impossible TO make subject reveal the suggester
his name be kept secret The successful attempts
70 bring about the same exposure by indirect
means are thus described:
A woman who was known to be hypnotic sub
lect was thrown into an artificial sleep and M.
Llegois suggested to her that upon awaking she
posed to have tnsulted her. She was directed TO
say, II questioned, that NJ. Liegois had never
spoken 10 her upon the subject, and that she did
inc Snootlng without any suggestion from any one
and entirely OF her own volitiOn. A revolver was
LAID near her and she was awakened. Monsieur 0.
the revolver and fired at him. She was then put to
sleep again and questioned She admitted the sho0t-
ing, out denied all suggestions and stoutly main-
will The Questioner then suggested to her that
when she saw the instigat0r OF the crime she
should s go TO sleep for two minutes then should
LOOK nxedly at him until 'That will do" was said,
and should then stand In front OF him and hold
out her skirts as though TO conceal him. She was
a"aAcucu anu M. LlegOlS came into the room. AT
once she apparently went TO sleep, In short time
awoke and, fastening her eyes on NJ. LiegOis, fol-
lowed him step by step about the room, and
finally, stopping In front OF him. spread out her
skirts
Another similar experiment was tried by Prof.
Bernheim on soldier who was induced to take q
nve-lranc piece under hypnotic suggestion and
tnen 10 swear that IL had never been suggested TO
MIN 10 take II, but that he did It or his own free
Will ne also, when again hypnotized, absolutely
refused 70 reveal the identity or tine suggesJer OF
the theft, but when told, upon seeing the sug-
gester, 10 step up to him and say: II am very
glad 10 see you. Please sing me the Marseillalse' !"
ne did so at once upon being reawakened. Put to
sleep again, he again denied that any suggestion
10 steal mad been made to him; but when told,
upon seeing the suggester, to go up to him and
say: Il remember you perfectly; 1t was you who
told me to steal, " he followed the direction.
Ihe practical result or the experiments Is to ap-
parentiy show that, while person obtaining hyp-
motto power over another and directing his victim
10 commit some crime, can at the same time by a
mere command, make sure that tine victim will
never reveal his name In answer to a direct Ques-
ton and Will assume personal responsibility tor
the crime, the suggester can never be sure that
his victim Will not expose the suggesters identity
In some Indirect Way. The power or the hypnO-
tlzer apparently extends further than to secure
the hterai obedience by the victim TO q certain
categorical direction.