The Durham daily globe. (Durham, N.C.) 1889-1894, 1894-07-28
A HYPNOTIC CRIME.

Ill II III Win Il stock season, worked
on 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 i'll seaside
lodgings. We fellows had a smoking
billiard room for our amusement, the
girls had a bOudOir for their gossip, and
the married ladies kindly looked after
the COnsumable properties and the pro-
pricties. 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-thc Senorita Alcida Vclasqucz.
She was my especial favOrite, too, but
| mustn't 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 brOthcr-in-law admired her
just Il little too much. He was most DO
lite and attentive to his wife, but every
now and again l caught him looking at
Alcida with more admiration in his i'm
prcssiyc eyes than was good for him or
for the object Of it either.
One evening after the performance at
the thcater, the ladies having retired for
the night, we gentlemen adjourned to
the smoking room for weeds and Whis-
ky. There the desultOry talk somehow
vccrcd round to hypnotism and such
phenomena, whereOn most Of US, being
ignorant of the subject, cxpatiated with
force and y%olubility.
Hatherleigh, however, who had been
a mcdico before he became a hummer,
spoke about it as IL having authority,
and we were all astOnishCd, though |
was by no means convinced by the ar
guments he advanced and the evidence
he adduced i'll support Of the theory of
hypnotic suggestion, especially i'll its re-
latiOn to crime.
But do you mean to say" said in
credulously, "that if you suggest a crime
to a hypnotized subject he will commit
it,
"Certainly," Hatherleigh replied.
"When III 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, " l re-
turned, but for my part l doubt if there
is any such thing as hypnotism at all.
You may possibly obtain influence over
wcakmindcd persons and by working
on their crcdulOus imaginatiOns effect
cures Of nervous disorders, but-well, |
should like to see the man who could
hypnotic me-
"WoUId you:' Hathcrlcigh inquired,
with a smile that was half a sheer.
"What do You say to allowing me to
make the cXp"rim"nt:'
GOA, I'm game, if you're w~illing!'
l rctortcd rather warmly.
Every well, - said my relative coolly.
"When shall we begin:'
"NOw,' | answered boldly.
'Thanks," said Hathcrlcigh, with
another sarcastic smile. "Now, gen
misunderstanding to the others-"may
l ask you to leave Us alone for n few
minutcs?'
For answer the fellows went solemn
" out of the room, adjuring me TO bear
up and promising me a really hand
some funeral should the experiment
prove fatal. As for me, | now felt
pretty much as a man feels when he's
going to have n tooth Out "NOw, Sir
Doubtful" said my brother in-law,
"just throw away your cigar and look
me full i'll the face
l did SO. Looking up into the mans
face, l began to realize that it was a Sc
rious matter for him, and that it might
be serious for mo also. For a moment
l felt inclined to withdraw, for Hather-
leigh looked as though he really did
possess the power he claimed, but OBJ
stinucy and pride OverCame fear, and ]
said Carelcsslv, Go on with your hyp'
nothing"
Il have already commenced, he re
piled, fixing his eyes on mine.
| had expected him to make passes
with his hands and perform all that sort
of mummcrv, but he sat quite still,
looking me quietly i'll the ace. For
time l fcarleS>ly returned his gaze bat
suddenly all my surroundings seemed tC
fade away, and l saw nothing but
pair of fiery eyes which seemed TO burn
into nv soul. l tried to shut my Owl
ewes 10 the sight, but III vain. Those
terrible ewes grew larger and larger
until they seemed TO I'LL the limits OF
space. and then l awoke to find hather
leigh regarding me with an anxiou:
but satisfied look. The other fellow:
had returned, and they began asklne
me all sorts Of questions. But l hae
nothing TO tell. l had no unpleasant
| feeling. Iseemed 70 have been DOING
that was all. The clock, too, showed
that the experiment had lasted but
few minutes. Well, l asked Hather
leigh, how have you succeeded:
Beyond my most sanguine exPecta
tons, he replied, with deep meaning
In his tone. How do you feel:'
''Oh. pretty WELL, l answered. -.
N,--- I'd