The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-12-11

naughter Of Joseph NJ. BriGgs an engt.
near employed ON tina Eau ClaiIa (Wis.
consin) water works, and Alma Leonard,
the IA yeRr cid daughter OF prosperous
lumberman are the ones whom they
charge that DR.. G. W. Plckin. middle
aged man who advertlsas himself as q
vltopathie nhyaioIan aud his 20 year old
son Asigat Piekin. with hypnotising and
aiding IN criminal assaulting OF them.
Miss Briggs declared under oath that
sha frat fell under the influence OF the
Pickens as she was riding by their home
on Water street on her bicycle. She heard
call "Hsliol" and looking around espled
DR." Plckln, man Of medium size, with
heavy hair and beard Of Iron gray. seated
beside his front door. Near him hung
cage containing large green and yellow
parrot. As she reached the next corner
she felt an Impulse dIreatlng her to pass
the house again. SO she rode around the
block anil was soon opposite the "ylto.
path" Once mora came the cry Hello"
Enthusiastically from the parrot. Miss
Briggs gave brisk "Hellol" In reply and
rode on.
A second time and third time the
queer influence brought her back into
Water street and past the house where
DIR" Plckln still sat with his parrot. She
wanted to ride away from the neighbor.
hood, but had no effective will to do SO
until after the fifth circuit of the block.
During the next few hours the incident
slipped from her mind, but after che
went to bed q strange power kept her
sleepless. She felt an almost uncontroi.
liable wish to revisit the Ptckin house.
Immediately alter breakfast she did leave
home and hurry to Water street. where
she found the ''vitopsth sitting as though
he had not moved since tina day before.
She did not know him. but began to cbas
with him as though he had boon q friend
for years. For week she repeated her
Waits daily, never entering Plckin's house,
but standing before the front door near
the parrots cage. In this manner she
met the doctors sou. Asigal. who persuad-
ed her to teach him music.
She found that her friend Alma Leonard
was also making daily trips to the "vlto.
phatic Institute" as DR.. Pickin called his
modest frame dwelling. They then tell
OF taking q trip to Chippewa Falls against
their wishes, but were compelled by some
strange influence, they could not resist
to go. There they met two strange men
who tried to entice them Into house.
Edna had no more strange adventurous
until August 3lsG. the day on which she
was to stand examination for admlttance
to the Eau Claire High School. Her
mother made her dress with unusual caro-
and started her of with many injunetions
to do her best. Asigal Plckin mot her
near the school house and invited her to
accompany him to the West Side Park.
She at first refused but went afterwards.
Asigal kept her there until noon and then
sent her home with warning to her
mother that she had passed the examine
ton satisfactorily.
On September 4th, the same thing was
repeated. only young Piokin took
her to his fathers house. where she met the
''vitopath." two brothers named Etei bee
and young fellow who was addressed as
Macinillon. She played and sang for the
company, longing oil the while to go
home. She tried to ask the Eterbees to
taEe her away. but could not make the
words come. When tho Eterbeas left she
lost every vestsge II will power and &C.
companled the Pickens to a deserted 10.
cality called Little Niagara" and remain.
oil there all night, submitting to the bru.
tallty OF both men. She was found In the
morning by a polioem nm in a sad. pitiabie
plight Tho girl herself was dazed and
idiotic she was put to bod under the care
of DR.. Parker.
But the strangest part of the whole at .
fair was that The girl remained In cata-
leptlc state for some three days her Dyes
remained contracted and irresponsiye to
tho brightest flashes OF light her complete
loss OF the power OF speech could hardly
be accounted for by any OF the injuries
abe had seemed to have received. The
doctors first theory was that thu girl had
bhen drugged, but AZ hour after hour
ELAPSED without the slightest change in
her. he began to suspect that the girl was
the subject of hypnotic influence Dr..
Herbert Flint of Chicago, who has made
careful study OF all those mental and
physical phsnomena generally classed as
hypnotic, happened to he in Eau Claire
and wns called into consultations.
As soon as DR.. Flint saw tho girl he de
ciared that she was In a cataleptle state,
consequent upon the subsection to tns
will OF another. DR.. Flint, with tho con.
sont OF the parents, resorted To tho doubt
ful and somewhat dangerous expedlen
oil counter influence, making his own will
the now hypnotic agent.
Tho experiment was partially success
full Edna emerged from her catalepli,
state and told partial story of her out
rage. but still rested under the spell OF
hypnotic suggestion that forbade her t,
mention names The police and Docto
Flint soon traced the matter to tho Pick
ms and coolly told hsigal that the full
record OF his holnous oiTsnse was at hand
Aslgsl confessed that no had bsen practtc.
Ing meemerlsm and had chosen Edna
BiKgs asa subject. lis stoutly denied all
completely In the outrage.
He was brought face to face with the
girl md stefnly commanded TO diasipatt
the spell. He refused for ii tlma denyina
his power, but little by little fell under
the superior hypnotic influence of thu
thoroughly determined DR.. Flint. Asiga
was hspnot!Zing Eina and being hyT
notified in turn by nr. Flint. Aslg al an.
Edna regain!ng their normal state sim
utaneousy. Tue girl told Inc whole G
her dreadful tale
, Asigal covered under tho Indignant
gas OF the physicians and of District At
torney frowiey. who had been called {
witness the hypnotic combat. Tho Pick
ina were arrested on Nov. 26. and will
have trial. This IS ono OF the stranges
tales that has come undsr our notice. an
We give our readsrs ths benefit OF the ia
. as published In one OF tho Now York p.
peTs.