The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-02-12
MOFFATT THE CONJUROR.
The Strange Career of n Mind Reader
and Sword Swallower, Who Died in
Idaho,

The death is announced of Herr
| Moffat, the celebrated second-sight
reader and conjurer. at Bozeman.
Idaho, in the act of swallowing a
sword, which severed his jugular vein.
and the conjurer bled 10 death in a
! few minutes.
Herr Motfat or Francis Morcll, was
resident of ST. Louis. aud there his
wonderful talent, which has made him
the peer of any and led him before the
crowned heads OF Europe and Asia,
was developed He was a very pecu-
liar boy in youth. and was considered
a crank. He lived alone with his wild
owed mother, supporting her by work
ing in a stove factory here. His spare
moments he spent in the study of
magic. and the attic of his humble lit
tie home was transformed iuto chem
ical shop. When he was years old
one day he suddenly burst into an ul-
controlable fit Of laughter. His mother
asked him what pleased him so much
The boy replied that he saw his father
(whO was then living but not at honey
running rapidly down the mountain
side trying to oyertake a jug of whisky
which he had let fall. The iug rolled
part of the way down the decIivity, but
was caught by the old man before he
got 10 the bottom. When the father
reached home he confirmed the whole
story to the great surprise of all. After
this the boy excited much talk in the
ncighborhood in which he lived. About
two years later the Morrells were yis-
tied by friend named Robert Vinton.
with other relatives or acquaintances
from Philadelphia. who came TO test
the lads miraculous power, asked him
various questions, and among other
things, inquired what was then going
on at his (Vinton's) home in Philadel-
phia.
The boy described the house. which
he had never seen, stated that it was
built partly OF brick aud partly of
stone, that there was Il lake in front of
the house. which had recently been
drained, and concluded with descrip-
ton of the people in The house. and of
two persons, Il man and a woman, who
were sitting on the porch.
When Finton reached his home in
Philadelphia he inquired who bad been
at his home at the day and hour he had
held the conversation with young Nor
rcI. He learned that there had been
IA shower of rain at the time and that
the people who were fishing in the lake
had run to the house to escape the
rain. The persons who were on the
porch had been faithfully described,
even TO the color of their hair and
eyes. In short, every detail given by
the boy was proven to be accurate.
He became involved in IA quarrel
once with Young man named Tur-
ner. Turner WAS TO call on Young
lady, and being met on his way by the
young mind-reader. Morrell, who was
himself in love with the same Young
lady. they spoke 10 each other and
passed on. Young Morrell sat down
on Il stump and. bowing his head, con-
ducted his mind to tie parlor in which
his rival and the young lady were con-
versing. In the course of the young
mans call he proposed and was re-
jecteA. This made Morrell happy.
Meeting Turner on the street next day,
he tantalized him about his rejection
by the Young lady the night preceding.
Words were exchanged, and MorrcIl
drew a pistol. but friends standing by
interpoSvd, and no harm came of the
quarrel. But Morre!I fell into intenl-
perate habits and lost his good name.
His habit, when asked to exercise his
faculty OF sccoud-sight seeing, was to
hold his head downward after closing
his eyes. After waiting for some time,
apparently in deep thought, he would
declare what he saw il his visions. He
was sometimes found alone in the
fields. sitting on Il stump and crying.
On being asked the cause of his grief
lie said lie saw great numbers OF men
engaged in killing each oticr. AL
though be had never up to th;t, time
seen ship, Il battle or cannon, he
described military and naval battles
during the War of the Rebellion as if
he were an on-iooker.
After the war. when he was about
"A years Of age. another gentleman
from Philadelphia, who had heard
much OF him. became Interested, be-
lieving him To he possessed of noble
gift and exhibited his wonderful
power over the United States. drawing
immense crowds in all the large cities.
While in St. Louis. in 1873, he was
asked 10y IL man in one of the many
throngS that came to see him: Nv hat
he was doing with that pocketbook"
eliminating that the young fellow had
stolen iD. Nothing. You're the
man who has stolen it, " was the reply,
and upon being searched by police
man who was present, the man was
found to have Il pockctbooh with sey-
eral hundred dollars in it, which was
Immediately identified by gentle
man present as his The man was ar
rested and found TO be Black Hal,
noted confidence man and pick pocket.
In 1879 lie began a tour Of the Old
World which lasted seven years, where
he has since returned. exhibiting hini-
self over the country. His death yos-
terday recalled many incidents which
were related 10y the older citizens OF
this city. His life was strange and
checkerel onr.-CJr G 05c- DtMocrdt.