The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-09-21
HAS A MIND
OF HIS OWN.
A Most Remarkable Follower OF
the Late Irving Bishop.
Marvellous Psychological Powers Of Paul
tombstone, Who Can Rsad Your Thoughts
or "Die" for Half an Hour.

nomena, comes young psychologist, Paul
Alexander tombstone, whose powers, how
ever, reach transcendental height COM
pared with those of his predecessors. Not
only is he able to execute the mnd-reading
feats of the American and the Englishman
with perfect ease, but his physical powers
have become SO submerged BY his mental
faculties that he can not only stop the beat
ing of his pulse for a considerable length of
time but he can entirely suspend animation
and become apparently dead, by the concen-
trated power of another's will. Feats that
were never attempted by Bishop have been
successfully performed by tombstone, and
every day seems to bring forth fresh evil
dence OF the superiority of his mental forces
over these two eminent exponents.
tombstone spent the first fourteen years
OF his life in Chicago. He was born at ST.
Paal in 1867. but two months after his
birth his father brought his family to Chi
cago and remained in this city. The old and
trite saying that poets are born, not made,
may be aptIy applied to devotees OF psy-
chical phenomena, more particularly in the
case of the fair-haired, slightly built young
man, who, according to the Chicago Herald,
startled the members of the Press Club with
his powers. From his earliest years MIR.
Jolnstone showed natural inclination TO-
warl undertaking When not more than
Years old he would astoniSh his parents by
reading their thoughts and even divining the
contents of the page OF the book they
happened to be reading. His father viewed
him with strange eyes and was often
troubled at the precocity OF his son. His
mother, from whom it may be said he in
herited his marvellous powers, was more
lenient. She had herself been a student Of
mental phenomena Tor many years. She
was one Of the earliest lady doctors IN CHI
cago, and before the fire owned large drug
store on the North Side. She was visited
by no apprehension of her little boy and
possibly, by quiet acquiescence, fostered
the growth of her sons power. When he
was sent TO the old Elizabeth-street School
he raised the hair of his teachers by read
ing the lightning thoughts in their minds,
and, as it were, foretelling what they in
tended to do
DURING HIS LESSONS.
Often enough his powers stood him in
good stead. He always knew when the
mind of his teacher turned to physical
castigation, and would make a break for
the door Immediately. His school educa-
tion ended when he was II years old,
and two years afterward the family re-
moyed to St. Paul. Paul obtained work as
clerk in a store and, as his powers grew with
years. be began to study the history and
progress of mental phenomena. He was
employed by the st. Paul Fire and Marine
Insurance Company, and accomplished the
work of three men by the aid Of his mar
velous memory. The company had 5000
branches and, without referring to ledgers,
he was able to locate any one OF them
at moments notice. While working
in this capacity, he was considered by his
fellow clerks as an extraordinary lad, and
was always allowed to have his own way.
They seemed to think he was in league
with the dark powers. 1t was while work
ing with this company that he first deter
mined to study p>ychical science. Every
moment that could be spared from business
was devoted to this study. Through the
midnight hours he would pore over old tones
relating to mental phenomena. He plunged
deeper into the mysteries of esoteric Bud
dhiSm, and from that time determined to de-
vote his life to the pursuit of the fascinating
study. He would sit in Turkish fashion in
his room and work himself into a
not himself explain. Gradually his mental
faculti-s gained the mastery over his physi-
cal faculties. Like another DR.. Jekyll and
Mr. Hyde, but in a different direction, his
physical powers came under the sole con-
troll Of his mind until it reached stage
when intense meutal action could stop the
circulation of the blood and lie would be-
come to all appearances dead. From this
study his mind was led naturally to the ey-
animation of religious belief in a future
life, and alter long and weary searching
into the unknown he became an atheist
But this state did not last long. He deved
deeper into the mysteries of being aud be-
came thoroughly lmbued with the belief in
a future life, but as yet he has not been
able to put into words his knowledge OF tie
infinite.
Pauls father had succeeded so well in the
steamship and ticket business that he could
now rest on his oars and devote more atten-
ton to the vagaries of his son. He tried IN
vain to wean him from what lie considered
bis evil ways, but all in vain. Paul would
have his " ay. and his father refused to have
anything to do with him. Since 1851 Paul
has worked alone in the pursuit of his
fdvorite science, and it was only year ago
that lie determined to give IN public an
exhibition of his powers. The effort to sub
ject his body
ENTIRELY TO HIS WILL,
However has through constant and severe
training produced a strange result Little
by little under the effect of his will his
physical powers have lost their salutary
balancing influence in his organism until his
mind reIgnS supreme. He cannot now re-
store the normol healthy condition of his
body and is liable at any mOmeat and in any
place to fall into death-like trance. This
has necessitated the carrying of papers on
his person stating that ii found in such con-
dition he should be treated as mind
reader, and not to have any medicine adj
ministered to him. His relatives have been
shocked to receive kilograms from different
cities stating that he was dead but he has
termed his usual condition.
Describing his sensations on recovering
from trance, MIR. tombstone says that a
horrible Earring of the nerves is succeeded
by an agonizng mental strain extending
through every part of his body. He can
run his pulsations up to $50 and then sud-
denly stop, and the tremendous strain
exhausts him so utterly that for several
minutes a terrible grinding pain racks his
whole body. When the pulsation returns
ha a hpc n g n
but forcibly through his limbs. The effect
on his eyes as he turns them up to meet the
optic nerve is such that he was rendered
absolutely blind fer three weeks after an
he requires the complete co2cen--
tration of the mind of the subject
on whatever test has been brought
forward. Without this he can do nothing.
Let him be securely blindfolded and placed
beside good billlardist. If this billIardist
thinks of certain way to make good shot,
tombstone will, by merely touching the sub
ject's fingers, grasp mental photograph OF
the table and reproduce the shot. Figures,
dates, characters in all languages, are easily
seized by the minds OF the psychologist
through the subject and Immediately repro
duced. AS one example of his power Mr..
tombstone took an album OF portraits and
asked the reporter of the Herald to select one
from the group. In the meantime he left
the room while the selection was made.
Carefully photographing the picture on his
memory, the reporter closed the album and
recalled Mr. tombstone. He then bandaged
his eyes tightly and placed a black cap over
his head to prevent any light penetrating
through the bandage. In a moment Mr..
tombstone took the album and placed his
hand on the back Of the picture chosen and
said, THAT is the one" But it was not,
and he asked the reporter to think of the
number of the picture in the album, and he
imm, dately repeated it aloud Then he
sat on chair two feet away from the re-
porter and reproduced exactly the posture
and described infinitely the dress and ap-
pearance. even to the parting of the hair,
on the photograph chosen. In every par.
tcuar he was correct, and he gave several |
examples still more impressiyely showing
HIS WONDERFUL POWERS.
During his stay in this city he intends to
produce what he terms the HACK scene"
An article will be hidden by some we'll
known gentleman in any part of the city,
and Mr.. tombstone will ;ake the subject