Morning journal and courier., 1890-04-28
A DoubIe Existence.

London Standards Paris Correspondence
 The conduct of Gabrielle Bompard since her arrest and she knowledge of the circum- stances under which the murder of M. Gouffe was perpetrated, have given rise to a very interesting discussion ss to the possi- bility of any one exercising such an inAu- ence over another person as to make him or her irresponsible for the acts committed un- der that influence, even though those acts may be crimes. Though it is an ascertained fact that Gabrielle Bompard is good hyp- notic "subject," almost all the most eminent specialists who have expressed their opinion on the matter have declared che must be re- garded as perfectly resI oasible for her par ticipation in the crime she confessed. New ertheless, it has been pointed out that it ia perhaps possible person may be go thor oughly under the influence of another es to mechanically obey his dictates, even without being thrown into hypnotic sleep.
 In support of the theory that, under cer- tain circumstances, a pel5on apparently in possession of all his mental faculties may not ba resp sronsble for his acts, it is interesting to note a case recently observed by M. A. Proust, inspector general of the sanitary ser vice, and which is veritable example of double existence M. Emile K Is thirty years of age, the son of gentleman who may be called eccentric and addict,d to drink. His mother is a homeopathic subject
 His only brother is unintelligent. Emile re- ceived good education; and. though rather dull 6 boy, WEI successful at the competi- tive examinations of public schools. He studied medicine for several months, and then, abandoning it for law, obtained his de
 gree of barrister. He is affected with seri- ous hysteria, which manifests itself in him by unconeciousness, dIsturbanc of sensibili- ty and temporary paralyeis of the limbs. If only he looks fxedly at anything, or hears sudden violent noise, or experiences any strong and sudden emotion, he falls into a hypnotic sleep. One dey at a cafe, looking at mirror, he fell into this condition. His astonished companions took him to the Charlie hospital, where he wes restored to consciousness.
 On another occasion, when pleading in @ law court, and looking fxedly at the presid- ing judge, he stopped short and could not resume his pleading till ono of his fellow barristers, who knew his in6rmity, woke him from his trance. Some times he sud denly loses his memory. entirely forgetting his previous existence. In this new life which thus begins for him, and which has oa some occasions lasted several days, he is perfectly conscious of the acts he has ac- complished during this second existence. He is, so to say, quite distinct person from his previous self. He walks about, travels by railway, stays at hotels, eats, sleeps, pays visits, buys, gamblss, etc. When restored to his first condition he is entirely ignorant of what took place during the days just passed, when he was in the second condition.
 After violent dispute with his father-in- law, of which he has perfectly clear reool- lection. and which took place on the 23d of September, 1888, he is unconscious of what he did till the middle of October, when he found himself at Villars, in the Haute Marne. He then learned that he had been to the parish priest of Villars, who found l his conversation rather odd; that he had visited an uncle of his who lived in the neighborhood, and that there he had broken l many things, torn up be oks and manu- | scripts. contracted a debt of five hundred francs, and had been charged with swindling before the correctional court Of Vassy, and been condemned by default As another ex l ample of his double existence, I may men. tion that on May IT, 1889, he left . restau | rant in the Latin quarter of Paris, where h'
 had breakfasted, and two days later found | himself at Troyes. He had no idea of wha he had done in the interval. On returning home he perceived be had lost his great coal | and purse containing two hundred ant | twenty-six. francs. Being put into mes 1 merle sleep he wsJ able to indie ate where h' had left his property.
 It would. perhaps, be going too far to con 1 clude from the above example that there ar' many people in the world who may be con l sidered irresponsible for their acts unds 1 certain circumstances; but it would, never theless, tend to prove it is possible tha | some such persons may exist.