The morning call., 1891-06-19
WAS SHE HYPNOTIZED +?
The Strange Story of Ella Wilson
of Los GatOs.
Acting Under the Mesmeric influence Of an
Unknown Woman She Starved in City
Lodging House.

Miss Ella Wilson of Los Gatos has met
with an experience that is not only novel
but startling in its nature, and which is
mystery to all concerned. She claims that
she has been under the hypnotic influence
OF a woman of the town in which she lives,
and that while in that condition she was
led to take part in a most peculiar adj
venture.
The young lady left home little more
than two weeks ago, and after jOurneying
as far as San Jose, left the train and walked
to the broad-gauge depvt, whence she
came to San Francisco by the way of Niles.
On her arrival she went to the lodging
house kept by Mrs. o. L. Gray, at 13l
Montgomery street, and after being as
signed to a room retired at once. Here,
according 10 her own story, she remained
for five days without a bite 10 eat and at
the end of that time she awakened to
realization OF her situation.
REPRINTED AT LAST.
She then wrote a long letter to her father,
and sent it to the PoStoffice by a messenger
boy. The letter was quite naturally relief
to her anxious parents, who in the mean
time had remained in doubt as to her
whereabouts and the result was that the
Crowley. The latter went at once to the
house kept by Mrs. Gray, found Miss Will
son in Room 10. and, fearing to take chances,
had her removed at once 70 the female ward
in the City and County Hospital. Here the
young woman remained until one week ago
to-day, when her sister and brother came
for her and took her back to her Los Gatos
home.
On her arrival at home Miss Wilson was
found to be in most strange condition.
She was pale and emaciated. and her fingers
were so wasted away that the rings which
she wore would not remain upon her hands.
This, she explained, was due to the fact
that during five entire days of her strange
absence from home she had not tasted a
bite of fOod and in addition to this she had
been in a state of complete unconscious
ness, so far as her surroundings were con-
cened. She claims that she was labOring
under the mesmeric or hypnotic influence Of
a woman in Los GatOS, whose name she re-
fuses to diYulge, and that it was at the insti-
CATION of this woman that she was induced
to come to San Francisco.
UNDER COMPLETE CONTROL.
The woman in question, she claims, eXer-
ciseS the most complete control over her
movements, and she 1t was who advised her
to come here, and directed her how to- find
Mrs. GTay's street and number. She is
positive in her statement, moreover, that
there was no man in the case, and that her
actions were que entirely 10 TIE strange ln-
huence of the unknown woman.
The Mrs. Gray in question at one time
conducted the w. G. L. u. Lunch-h0use IN
Los GatoS, and was looked upon, and still is
for that matter, as a woman of good char
aeter. She admits that Miss Wilson came
to her house and was assigned to Room 15
as claimed, but denies all knowledge OF her
movements while in the city.
. l only know" she said last night, " that
Miss Wilson came here, secured room.
and was takeE away. As there is no reSlau-
rant in connection with the house, aud as l
keep 10 table, l cannot say where she ate,
and know nothing of her story"