Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-08-23

lOOOs
L set eyes upon the man I knew there was
something about him I couldn't quite make
out. He did it all. Have you heard sir,
how he came to the gate?"
Mr.. Murray was, in general, reticent
man. It was not his way to express decided
opinions in the presence of authorities, or
indeed Of any one else. Mr.. Paley. who
knew his man, eyed him with curiosity.
"What was there odd about that?"
"Why, instead of the constable bringing
him, it was him who brought the constable.
When they opened the gate there was him
with the policeman over his shoulder"
In spite of Mr.. Murray's evident earnest
ness, there were some of his hearers who
were unable to repress smile.
"Do you mean that the constable was
drunk?"
''That's the queer part of it. It was
John Mitchell. I've known him for two
and-twenty years. I never knew him have
glass too much before. saw him soon
afterward-he was all right then. He said
he had only had three halfpInts. He was
quite himself till he got near the gate, when
all OF sudden heswent queer all over"
Possibly the ale was drugged," suggest
ed the doctor.
81 don't know nothing about that, but 1
do know that the same hand that played
that trick was the same hand that played
the tricks with the cells"
Consider moment what you are saving.
Murray. How are 800 locks to be tampered
with in the middle of the night By a man
who is himself prisoner? One
moment. But even that is moth
ing compared to the feat of carry
ing 300 men fast asleep in bed-bed and all
through 300 closed doors, under the very
noses of the officers ON guard-think of do
ing all that single-handed"
sit was witohcraft."
When the chief warder said this Major
Hardinge exploded.
"Witchcraftl The idea of the chief
warder of an English prison talking about
witchcraft at this time of day! It's quite
time you were superanuated, SIR"
''The man, Markell, certainly bewitched
me-" (.
"Bewitched your As the Major faced
the chaplain he seemed to find it difficult 10
OF idea you mean to convey by saying he
bewitched you?"
II will explain so far as I am able. ("
The chaplain paused to collect his
thoughts All eyes were fixed upon him.
81 intended to say something to the men
touching the events of yesterday and this
morning. As came down to the altsr-rail
was conscious OF a curious sensation-as
though was being fascinated by terrible
gaze which was burning into my brain. I
managed to pronounce the first few words.
Involuntarily looking round, I met the
eyes of the man Markell. The instant I did
30 I was conscious that something had
passed from him to me, something that
made my tongue his slave. Against my
will my tongue uttered the words you
heard. Struggling with all my might I
momentarily regained the exercise of my
own will. It was only for moment, for in
an instant he had mastered me again.
Although I continued to struggle, my
tongue uttered the words he bade it
utter, until suppose my efforts to repel
his dominion brought on a kind of fit.
That he laid on a spell am assured"
There was a pause when the chaplain
ceased. That he had made what he snp-
posed to be plain and simple statement of
facts was evident. But then the facts were
ones. 1t was the doctor who
broke the silence.
"Suppose we have the man in here. so
that we can put him through his facings?"
The governor stroked his beard.
"What are you going to say to him? You
can hardly charge him with witchcraft. He
is here because he has been pretending to
magic powers"
The doctor started.
"Nol Is that SO? Then I fancy we
have the case In q nutshell. The man is
what old-lashioned people used to call
mesmerist-hypnotism they call it nova
DAYS and all sorts of things"
"But mesmerism won't explain the cellsl'
"I'm not so bure Of that-at any rate, it
would explain the policeman who was sud
denly taken queer. Let's have the man in
here"
"The whole thing is balderdash," said
hs i..a 4aiqs as a HaIpo OF ssaRPaSaa aaa maa
to hear such stuff talked in an English
prison of to-day"
"At least there will be no harm in our
Mr.. Markell. Murray, see
that they send him here" The chief
warder departed to do the governors bid
ding. Mr.. Paley turned to the chaplain.
According to you, Mr.. Hewett, we are
subjecting ourselves to some personal risk
by bringing him here. Is that so?'
"You may smile, Mr.. Paley, but you may
find it no laughing matter alter all. There
are more things in heaven and earth than
are dreamt of in mans philosophy.
"You don't mean to say" burst out the
Major, "that you, a man OF education, a
chaplain of an English prison,
believe in witchcraft?"
"It is not q question of belief-it Is a
question of fact. That the man cast on me
. spell, am well assured. Take care that
be does not do the same to you"
The governor smiled. The doctor
laughed. The enormity of the suggestion
kept the Major tongue-tied till Markell ap-
peared.