Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1895-09-10
FATALITY OF A NAME
A STRANGE INCIDENT WHICH SuG-
GESTS MENTAL TetePATHY.

IA STRANGE INCIDENT WHICH SuG-
eESTs MENTAL TeLePATHY.
II II vouched For by Member Of Chica-
go's Health Departmental "Iipe Story"
which Has Broken Down this Rules and
Made Its Way Into Print.
Writers Of fiction have no monopoly
Of the strange or supernatural There
are things taking place every day in
Chicago which are rs devoid OF rational
explanation as the mysterious coinings
Of the novelist's brain. Newspaper
men hear of them, but in the rush for
cold, hard facts, demanded both by city
editors and newspaper readers, the pipe
stories," as queer and uDexplainable
happenings are called in journalistic cir
cles, are at discount. We're il not for
this the following incident, which can
be verified by the word Of several repu-
table men, would long ago have re-
ceivei the space and attention 1t merits
instead Of being consigned to the waste
basket as the ''pipe dream" VI an opium
devotee:
One cold wintry night not SO long
ago DR.. L. T. Potter, now connected
with the Chicago health department.
and number Of his companions were
sitting in the Office OF the Oakland hotel,
at Drexel and Oakwood boulevards.
when stranger Of difiident manner en-
tered His clothes and jewelry marked
him person Of means, but he seemed
downhearted and worried, and when
he asked permission Of He clerk to sit
in the office awhile. DIR. Potter and his
| conipanions at once sized him up rs n
man who had been out on spree, was
without ready cash to pay for u bed.
and took this means Of getting refuge
| from the winters blasts. The stranger,
who was young and intelligent, grew
uncomfortable under the i'll disguised
scrutiny Of the crowd and finally said:
Gentlemen, I would like TO explain
my presence here and why l sit up in
the Office in preference TO taking bed.
In the first place, let mo assure you IL
is not matter Of money, drawing out
a goodly sized roll Of biNs For some
years my father, who is resident OF
New York, has had trouble with his
family and has been wanderer. He
was at one time worth considerable
money, but this has been lost, and
number Of letters which have Of late
received from him show me he Is de-
spondent This afternoon got letter
from him, dated in Detroit, saying he
would arrive in Chicago tonight, take q
room at this hotel and end his life by
turning on the gas He added that in
the event Of the gas failing he had a
pistol with him. with which he would
send bullet through his brain. Father
had 10 idea would get this letter to-
day. as have been ont Of town. and 1t
was only an unexpected case OF sickness
In my family which brought me back.
l am sitting up here 20 intercept him
when he comes in and prevent the sui
eide which he contemplates Fortunate
" have means enough for both and
can relieve his anxiety in this respect. "
DR.. Potter and his friends We're at
once interested They congratulated the
stranger on his good luck in having re-
ceived his fathers letter in time and
rendered their services in any way III
which they might be desired Two or
three times an effort was made to find
ont the mans name, but he parried the
questions on the ground that, rs his IA
thers plans would be frustrated, he did
not care to have his identity disclosed.
"You may, however, call me Melchior,
as 1t is awkward TO address a man with
out name, and Melchior is rs good rs
anything. barring the right one The
evening sped along, and about midnight
the stranger. being assured no more
trains would arrive before morning,
took his departure, saying he thought
his father must have been detained OF
perhaps have happily changed his mind.
The occurrence was s0lnuch out OF the
ordinary that DR.. Potter and his friends
sat up for an hour or more talking 1t
over. At O'Clock they went to bed.
and few minutes later the night clerk
retired, leaving an assistant who had
not heard the story in charge OF the
Office About l.30 in came an old gen.
tleman with u travelling bag n hand.
who registered as George G. Mel
chior," and was assigned to room.
In the morning the chambermaid re-
ported q strong smell Of gas ON that |
floor. The door of the newcomers room |
was broken In, and he was found dead,
with pistol in his right hand and a
bullet wound in his head. he had |
turned ON the gas and then shot him
self. BY this time everybody in the |
house had heard the story and OF the |
young man s visit the night before, and |
all were positive that the old gentleman
who had killed himself was his father.
The afternoon papers had report OF |
the suicide and before night the young |
man was back at the house asking to |
see the body.
~ don't understand how father couh |
have registered as 'MelchiSr. for it is
not his name. and l only dsed it last
night to conceal our OWL" the stranger |
said. 1T must have been case OF |
mental telepathy.
On reaching the room where the body |
lay much more peculiar episode &C.
Cured. The moment the young man
saw the face Of the corpse he said:
That's not father. never saw this
man before. He is not known to me-
Nor was he. A search Of the dead
mans effects brought out papers prov
ing his identity as George 9. Melchior
and giving reasons for suicide somewhat
similar to those advanced by the young |
stranger when he was telling his story |
the night before. Within week DIR.
Potter heard from the young man, who |
said his father was alive and well, hav-
ing recovered from his despondency and
abandoned his intention Of taking his
life, but the mystery Of how a man
giving the same name should appear at
the hotel selected by the strangers
father, ON the same night, and commit
suicide in the same manner outlined by |
him has never been explained. Chicago
Tribune.