Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-10-29
A HYPNOTIC CRIME.

1t happened in this way. We of the
Capital Comedy company, having one
summer months vacation, decided to
fill it in with a stock season, worked
Oh the joint stock system at Bleaching
ton. We extended the commonwealth
principle from the stage to the home
and took a furnished house, wherein we
all resided with more comfort and at
less expense than is possible in seaside
lodgings. We fellows had smoking
billiard room for our amusement, the
girls had boudoir for their gossip, and
the married ladies kindly looked after
the consumable properties and the pro-
prieties. And very good company we
voted ourselves.
My sister We're and her husband, Ed
mond Hatherleigh, We're in the ''crowd,
and their special favorite was a young
Spanish girl, who had taken to the
boards-the Senorita Alcida Velasquez.
She was my especial favorite, too, but
I mustn It anticipate.
Being seriously in love with the fair
Spaniard-who was dark, by the bye
my jealous eyes noted all things affect
ing her in any way, and it seemed to
me that my brother law admired her
just little too much. He was most po-
lite and attentive to his wife, but every
now and again caught him looking at
Alcida with more admiration in his i'm
pressive eyes than was good for him or
for the object Of it either.
One evening after the performance at
the theater, the ladies having retired for
the night, we gentlemen adjourned to
the smoking room for weeds and whis-
ky. There the desultory talk somehow
veered round to hypnotism and such
phenomena, whereon most Of US, being
ignorant of the subject, expatiated with
force and volubility.
Hatherleigh, however, who had been
a medico before he became a hummer,
spoke about it as one having authority,
and we were all astonished, though I
was by no means convinced by the ar
guments he advanced and the evidence
he adduced in support Of the theory Of
hypnotic suggestion, especially in its re-
lation to crime.
''But do you mean to say" said in
credulously, "that if you suggest crime
to hypnotized subject he will commit
it,"
Certainly" Hatherleigh replied.
"When in practice, I hypnotized several
patients and by suggestion relieved many
of them Of diseases which had hitherto
been considered incurable. "
$50 you have frequently said," re-
turned, "but for my part doubt if there
is any such thing as hypnotism at all.
You may possibly obtain influence over
weakminded persons and by working
on their credulo0s imaginations effect
cures Of nervous disorders, but-well, l
should like to see the man who could
hypnotize mel"
Would you?" Hatherleigh inquired,
with a smile that was half a sheer.
"What do you say to allowing me to
make the experiment.
ooh, I'm game, if you're willing!"
I retorted rather warmly.
Every well, said my relative coolly.
"When shall we begin?'
"Now," answered boldly. ...
"Thanks," said Hatherleigh, with
another sarcastic smile. 'Now, gem
misunderstanding to the others-"may
ask you to leave us alone for a few
minutes?"
For answer the fellows went solemn
ly out of the room, adjuring me to bear
up and promising me q really hand
some funeral should the experiment
prove fatal As for me, I now felt
pretty much as man feels when he s
going to have tooth out. "Now, Sir
Doubtful" said my brother n-law,
"just throw away your cigar and look
me full in the face
did so. Looking up into the mans
face, I began to realize that it was a Sc
rious matter for him, and that it might
he serious for me also. For moment
/ felt inclined to withdraw, for Hather-
leigh looked rs though he really did
possess the power he claimed, but OBJ
stinacy and pride overcame fear, and I
said carelessly, $50 OH with your hyp-
nothing"
II have already commenced, he re.
piled, fixing his eyes on mine.
I had expected him to make passes
with his hands and perform all that sort
of mummery, but he sat quite still,
looking me quietly in the face. For a
time fearlessly returned his gaze, but
suddenly all my surroundings seemed to
fade away, and I saw nothing but a
pair of fiery eyes watch seemed to burn
into my SOUL I tried to shut my own
eyes to the sight, but in vain. Those
terrible eyes grew larger and larger
until they seemed to I'll the limits Of
space, and then / awok8 to find Hather-
leigh regarding me with all anxious
but satisfied look The other fellows
had returned, and they began asking
me all sorts Of questions. But I had
nothing to tell I had no unpleasant
feeling. Iseemed to have been dozing-
that was all. The clock, too, showed
that the experiment. had lasted but q
few minutes. "Well," asked Hather-
leigh, chow have you succeeded"
Beyond my most sanguine expecta.
tions, :" he replied, with deep meaning
in his tone. How do you feel?'
'Oh, pretty we'll, )" answered. II
don't want to hurt your feelings, Ed
mond, but I don't feel hypnotized a
bit"
UNoY Well. we shall see. y he said