The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-02
MISS FANCHER'S POWER.
BROOKLYN's WONDER COMING TO
TIE FRONT AGAIN.

The Second Sight, Which Astopished
and Puzzled the Scientific World
Thirteen Years Ago, Is Returning,
After Lying Dormant for Years.
From the Ne,o York Advertiser.
After being in allegiance for nearly nine
years, the marvellous power of second sight.
or clairvoyance, is coming back TO Miss
Mary j. Fancher Of Brooklyn, whose Won
derful case startled the scientific aud
theological world thirteen years ago.
Scientists ard theOlogians are still guessing
and theorizing over the manifestations Of a
communication with the other or spirit
world, made by Mollie Fancher, which were
so wonderful, that the closest investigation
by the shrewdest men failed to discover
ny trickery.
The first indication that the strange
power was returning TO Miss Fancher was
when her attendant, an intelligent French
woman entered her room a couple Of weeks
ago, and while arranging the covers of the
bed that Miss Fancher has occupied for
twenty-six years, was startled by the re-
mark: u hear Prof. Vests terrible
cough. He is coming to see me-" The
French woman had heard no cough, and
hurried downstairs TO see the professor. He
was not there, and she had just about con-
cluded that Miss Mollie was "a victim of
deluslon, when the door opened and Prof.
West walked in. As he entered the
store on the ground floor he was coughing
violently.
The French woman was puzzled. She
had heard vague rumors OF this wonderful
power OF second sight, but as she hal never
seon it manifested had been skeptical. But
here was verification and an illustration
OF those powers before her eyes. No one
knew that Prof. Vest was coming 70 see
Miss MoIlie on that day. He had not antici-
pated 1T himself, and had gone on the m
pulse OF the moment.&The French woman
asked for an explanation, but received none.
Miss MOllie is as sensitive and as averse to
discussion Of the subject to-day as she was
thirteen years ago, when manifestations of
her occult power were constant.
Since the accident that preceded the de-
velopment Of her power she has lived with
her aunt, Mrs. Crosby. This lady died
about two years ago. A modest income
that had served to support Miss MOllie and
! Mrs. CROSBY lapsed, and Miss Fancher was
confronted with the dilemma Of earning a
livelihood or becoming an object of charity.
She instantly chose the former.
Her home, at the corner OF Gates avenue
and Downing street, was remodeled under
her directions. The ground floor was con-
verted into handsome store and stocked
with fancy work. A young woman was
Installed as storekeeper, but the business
was directed III every detail by Miss
! Fancher. She has prospered.
The loss OF Niles Faucher's power Of second
| sight was cotucldent with a strange change
IN her physical condition. This was about
nine years ago. For seventeen years she
was SAID to have lived on less nutriment
than henlthy person would have consumed
in week. For thirteen years not parti-
| cal of solid food had entered her stomach
In fact, her stomach and intostines had
snrlveled up and virtually disappeared, and
all abdominal functions ceased. Then she
began to crave the juice Of fruits, and oc-
casionllly the broth of mutton or beef
! These she seemed to sassimilate, aud the
functions OF the body were resumed. In
| short time she began to gain flesh, and from
mere skeleton she rapidly assumed the
| proportions of q woman Of robust health
As Miss Faucher's physical condition inns
| proved, her spirit which had been a war;
derer for years, staid with the physical
! body and her clairvoyant power left her.
At the same time her mental faculties be-
came keener, and, in brief, she assumed the
normal condition of O bright, brainy
woman. The return of her powers OF sec
| ond sight Is psychological mystery that
will appeal to the scientific world as the
original display Of those powers did fifteen
years ago.
Her right arm, which for seventeen years
had been as rigidly fixed in a bent position
behind her head as though carved in stone.
gradually relaxed, and became normal and
useful as in childhood. Although Miss
Fancher is now AZ years old, the
! physical beauty of her body from the waist
| up IS perfect. Her bust, arms and neck are
only comparable to those Of Mrs. Langtry
in her palmiest days, when she 0as the
! flower OF the Isle of Jersey and knew not
the Prince of Wales set of England and the
! Freddie Gebhardt set of America
| 1t is limited that with the access Of flesh
and beauty came the vanity that's beauti-
! full woman's portion. Certain it is that Miss
! Fancher developed fondness for photogra-
| ply, and in recent years she has had many
| photographs taken. Some show her reclin-
ing on bed, which, by the way, is ouri-
Gus structure, with depression in the midi
die, made for her many years ago. and
others depict her lying on sofa. In all of
these pictures her beautifully rounded
arm is bare and conspicuous. Her eyes are
! closed, as she is still nearly blind. Her face
! Is round and plump, and the skin, though
| pale, is exquisitely pink and soft as velvet.
| Her black hair has been cut short in recent
! years, and makes a frame of ourls for the
sadly, sweetly pretty face.
She was removed to Mrs. Crosby's house,
where it was found that her spine had been
| injured. In a short time she became blind,
| deaf and speeches. She had freQueut
| spasms, from which she would drift into the
trance state. One day she recovered all her
lost senses for half an hour, and then lost
them again and went into a trance that
| lasted, with brief intervals for nine years
AT these intervals the only sense that re-
manned to her was of speech. The desire
! for food disappeared completely, and dur
! ing those years she did not consume a pound
of even liquid nourishment. Frequently
she was dead to all outward appearances.
| The body would be cold and rigid and only
a stethoscope could detect the action of the
heart. At times she was cheerful, viva
cious, intelligent and entertaining, and the
next hour she would be, to all appearance,
dead.
Her power Of second sight was disclosed
after coming out of one of her long frances
| She told her aunt Of the movements of
absent friends. At first these revelations
were Thought to be simply the imaginings
Of n diseased mind. But later they were
| confirmed by the testimony Of the absent
ones. After that she was more closely
watched. At times she would start up in
bed as though shocked by an electric bat
| terry. Her body would become rigid, some
| times in a sitting position, with her hand
pointed heavenward, and again with the
hand outstretched, as if invoking silence.
Her face was that of a corpse, sometimes
smiling, sometimes set with stare of hor-
rOr. In this frozen state Of trance she would
tell OF the movements of distant people and
of what she saw in farawaY countries