St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-04-02
Hrs. Barnard's Strange NAL
ady Resulting From a
Spirit Seanee.
MeSmePiZed Into Mysteries
by the Spiritua listie Do
ings Of Sunday.
Uneonseiously SheWas Placed
Under Influences Nearly
Fatal.
Medieal Remedies and a
Change Of Scene Alone
Saved Her Life.

Mrs. Catherine y. Barnard, a French
lady boarding with her husband at 5l2
Smith avenue, is suffering from most
peculiar nervous disorder. The facts in
the case have come to light as result
of Mrs. Barnard's being taken suddenly
i'll in the Drake block on Tuesday after
noon. The lady was waiting for the
elevator on the ground floor. Behind
her stood James Hills, a clerk IN Sew
enth street dry goods store. The latter
was startled by an ejaculation from Mrs.
Barnard, who had suddenly fallen
heavily TO the floor. Several people
gathered about the PROSTATE woman,
and she was conveyed to the open air in
a senseleSS condition. Vigorous treat
ment by the ladies who were passing at
the time of the occurrence brought Mrs.
Barnard back to temporary conscious
ness, and she told where she lived, ask
ing that 4 hack be called to take her
home. Subsequent inquiries by a rep
Tesentative of the GLOBE as to the lady's
condition revealed that her seizure was
not, as had been surmised, due to heart
trouble, but to an entirely different
cause. On Sunday evening last Mrs.
y
says, spirituaiiStic Seance at Udd Eel
lows hall. She was much impressed
by the lecture delivered on the
subjected of spiritualism by w. II.
Bach, who has been conducting the
deStineS of the SpiritualiStic flock in
st. Paul for some months past. Later
in the evening when so called mediums
began perSonating the spirits of de-
parted friends ofpeope in the audience
Mrs. Barnared who is of very nervous
temperament, was seized with horror
of the uncanny manifestations, and had
to leave the building. On reaching
the pavement she was sliced with what
was then regarded as falnting spell.
Later developments prove that it was
nothing of the sort. A cab was called
and friends took the lady home, she
being still uHcL nci0uS OH her arrival.
Mr.. Barnard IS out of the city. He is
the agent for Minnesota of the Chicago
Pastel Portrait company. Mrs. Barnard
became cOnciouS after being slapped
with wet towels by tie lady OF the
house. She refused 10 allow doctor to
be summoned. saying that she would
be all right in the morning. On Mon
day she seemed to have fully re
covered, but at II o'clock in the
morning Of that day she experienced
another sudden seizure. Tins lasted
an hour. Then there was a lucid
interval of two hours, after which the
lady again became unconscious. Re-
covering from this in less time than the
previous two fits, she again became un-
conscious at S o'clock, and remained 50
until nearly 9. Sleeping soundly
throughout the night, Mrs. Barnard
imagined the distressing symptoms had
departed, and 30 went out to attend to
!,
described placed her in helpless con
GiliOn. This time physician was called
who diagnosed the case as one Of simple
hySteria, and prescribed certain REM
euieS for use internally. SO far there
has been 20 recurrence OF the trouble.
and ii may be tlat the belief of the
patient in the efficacy of the potion has
orkcd the desired result. A cunversa-
ton held with Mrs. Barnard by Il GLOBE
reporter yesterday afternoon brought
out the peculiar character of her maiady.
Not at al" she said. III response to
question as TO whether She was was nysteri-
cally inclined.
since have been in ST. Paul, she coutin-
ned. Il have been feeling very UuWel We
lost our lttIle boy in Chicago three months
age nursed HIM through an illness OF two
months. ana became very nervous us a result
of the loss Of sleep and the worry of it all. |
never was hysterical, though. liz my life.
Il don't know what possessed me TO go to
that meeting on Sunday. | had never been
10 one before. ! was alone, and seeing the
announcement. | went up there with two
lady friends. Somehow when that medium
began talking with spirits and representing
people who are dead. strange feeling took
possession of me. / seemed tC be losing my
self, and became so frightened at the whole
proceedings that got up and left. As was
going down Sairs-l remember getting to the
bottcm-but farther than that have no rec
election. >
Did YOU experience any pain:''
No. Nothiug but the sensation have
described Ct being dragged out Of the world
against my will
Did you feel any i'll effects after your re-
3overy:"
None whatever. felt just as well as be-
FORE
do you still feel called upon to relapse
into the condition YOU describe:
No. i feel better now. l haven't had 4
seizure for twenty-four hours, and the dread
formerly had is not so great
Are you still receiving medical treat
ment:''
NO. The doctor was here last evening.
He advised change of scene, so am going to
Red Wing this evening. a lady friend will
20 with me. have relatives near Red Wing,
and shall feel more secure with Them
During her periods o. unconscious
ness Mrs. Barnard was incapable OF
holding a conversation, or Of under
standing any remark addressed to her
DIR. Martel when called upon by re-
porter yesterday afternoon said the
symptoms were those of meSmeriSm.
The patient had in all probability del
cate nervous organism, and had been
deeply impressed with the manifesto
lions seen at the meeting. 1t was an
established fact that a person of
that tendency could by concen-
TaiiOn OF the mind on particular
subject, or real or imaginary OBJECT, ac-
cOmplish the act of Self-mesmerism. In
This condition the patient would be in
capable of holding a conversation. In
the case, however. of mesmeIism by
another person, the subject was CON
trolied by. and could converse with, the
operator. In his opinion this was a case
in point. The best known remedy was
to mesmerise the lady, and while in that
state impress on her mind that she
would have no recurrence of the fits.
This method had been found useful in
similar cases. Mrs. Barnard left last
evening for Red Wing. accompanied by
l. I Ion Cl,o, n