Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1895-05-02
A STARTLING ASSERTION.
BY HERBEET rLowERpnw.

ho was u nttlo taken abaclx when he
saw that DR.. Macpherson had quietly
entered the room as he spoke for the
great brain specialist generally man.
ages to take a considerable disccnot
Off the worth of the superstitious ma
Jor's scientific assertions. On this oc-
casion, however, Macpherson happened
TO agree with him to some extent
The direct power of the brain is a
subject which needs investigating,
he said. The pity is that the science
Is at present almost entirely in the
hands OF charlatans. Now, met a
man once who could kill person
simply by willing it, his own brain
controlling and paralyzing that of his
victim; at any rate, that is the power
he claimed for himself. Unfortunately,
he was killed before had an oppor-
tunity of verifying his claim to any ex-
tent. But l am interrupting you, ma
jor."
bennett was more anxious than any
OF us to hear of case which seemed to
illustrate what he had been saving,
and very remarkable story the doc
tor told us.
II met Prof. Lyas'-as he called
himself-on board an American liner"
he began. my brother had become
engaged to New York lady travelling
in Europe, and as her people were
anxious that the wedding should take
place ut her home, we were all going
across to the states. / had been want
ing holiday, and Robin, my brother,
was anxious that should officiate as
his best'man, so managed to join the
party going across. 1t was on the Sec
ond day out that this Lyas began talk
Ing at dinner OF his wonderful power
twill, and he offered to convince any
skeptical persons by operating upon
them. He would not kill them out
right, he said, kindly, but if the proper
conditions were observed he would,
by simply looking into the sub
jects eyes, suspend for moment the
action of the heart, and take them
as near death as was expedient for an
experiment. | volunteered instantly,
md the professor was making arrange.
ments for the public display of his
power when, to everybody's surprise, a
lady also expressed her willingness to
undergo the experiment. She was a
quiet-looling little woman of thirty
or SO, who was travelling alone, was
told afterwards, to join her hus.
band in the states, and her offer
surprised me all the more when
observed from her face that she was
evidently of highly excitable and
hysterical nature. The passengers
generally seemed in favor of the lady
undergoing the test instead of me.
Finally the professor decided to try his
will-power upon us both in turn, and
we adjourned to the deck for the ex
pertinent. Unfortunately it was de-
cided to take Mrs. Maple, the quiet
little lady, first. The professor sat in
deck-chair facing her, at the distance
of few feet, and fixed his remarkably
piercing little black eyes on her face
We gathered round in quite state OF
excitement, which became indescrib'
able when in less than five minutes
the lady turned white and tainted.
hurried up at once to attend to her
and applied the usual restoratives, but
it was quite long time before she re-
gained consciousness. She seemed tc
be in state of catalepsy, and the pas.
sengers were in fearful state, think
ing that they had helped to kill her.
They were relieved when l came up
from her cabin, to which the professor
had helped me to carry her, with the
announcement that she was well on
the way to recovery; but when ex.
pressed my willingness to subject my
self to the experiment they rose in a
body to protest against it, and the cap.
tain put an end to the matter by abso-
lutcly refusing to let another trial OF
the kind take place on his vessel. was
amused to see how thoroughly the pro-
fessor's feat had impressed everybody
on board, and noticed general inclina
ton among the passengers to give him
awide berth and avoid his eye. For my
own part should have been more sat
isfied with his performance if l haC
been the subject, and, since there wa:
no chance of another public trial O.
his power, determined to ask I.yas tC
give mo private one in my cabin. Be
fore l had an opportunity of asking
him, however, my views with re
gard to the professor underwent {
change. | had been considering hin
simply charlatan. My brother in
formed me that he was blackguard
1t seemed that he had been prosecuting
Miss Gavin, my sister-in-law elect
with unpleasant attentions. They hat
met casually year before in New
York, and the fellow was presuminl
now upon their slight acquaintance t.
make violent love to the lady, in spit
of her unconcealed dislike for him, ant
the fact that she was about to MARI,
my brother. Robin was furious, o
course, and asked me to be present a
the interview he was intending to hav'
with his fancee's prosecutor.
II was quite willing.
"'l will run up on ueck ana Ietcl
him down now, If you will wait here
said, and we can have him all to our
selves while we give him a bit of ou
minds.
~ strolled up on deck to look for tn
professor, but as it was pretty dark
had some difficulty in finding him. A
last, however, caught sight Of hin
leaning over the taffrail, talking to
lady. When found that the lady wa
Miss Gavin, l felt no hesitation in in
terruptlng the conversation, which
knew must be distasteful to her. AS
was about to do so, however, my atten
ton was arrested by something the vii
lain was saying, and am not in tn
least ashamed to confess that = -,
without disturbing him tce' s,,....
more of it. The profes
traction was SINGULAR 81.
and, although he was s.
In whisper, could &
L. .~sI Has %bs