The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-10-25
FATALITY OF A NAME
A STRANGE INCIDENT WHICH SUG-
GESTS MENTAL TELEPATHY.

1t Is vouched For by Member of Chica-
go's Health Departmental "Pipe Story
Which Has Broken Down the Rules and
Made Its Way Into Print.
Writers Of fiction have no monopoly
If the strange or supernatural There
are things taking place every day in
Chicago which are as 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 unexplainable
happenings are called in journalistic cir
eles, are at discount. Were it not for
this the following incident, which can
be verified by the word of several repu-
table men, would long ago have re-
ceived the space and attention it merits
instead of being consigned to the waste
basket as the 'pipe dream" of an opium
devotee:
One cold wintry night not SO long
ago DIR. L. r. 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 a stranger of diffident manner en-
tered His clothes and jewelry marked
him person Of MEANS but he seemed
downhearted and worried, and when
he asked permission of the clerk to sit
=, = @4y14 TNr Nk4 III
companions at once sized him up as
man who had been out ON spree, was
without ready cash to pay for 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, would like to explain
my presence here and why sit up in
the office in preference to taking a bed.
In the first place, let me assure you it
is not a matter of money" drawing out
a goodly sized roll of bills, "l'or some
years my father, who i; q resident of
New York, has had trolble with his
family and has been a wanderer. He
was at one time worth considerable
money, but this has been lost, and a
number of letters which I have of late
received from him show me he is de-
spondent This afternoon got letter
from him, dated i'll Detroit, saying he
would arrive in Chicago tonight, take a
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
pistol with him, with which he would
send bullet through his brain. Father
had no idea I would get this letter to-
day, as have been out of town, and it
was only an unexpected case Of sickness
in my family which brought me back.
am sitting up here to intercept him
when he comes in and prevent the sui
eide which he contemplates. Fortunate
ly 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 i'll having re-
ceived his fathers letter in time and
rendered their services in any way in
which they might be desired. Two or
three times an effort was made to find
out the mans name, but he parried the
questions On the ground that, as his fav
ther's plans would be frustrated, he did
not care to have his identity disclosed.
"You may, however, call me Melchior,
as it is awkward to address a man with
out name, and Melchior is as good as
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 or
perhaps have happily changed his mind.
The occurrence was so much out of the
ordinary that Or, Potter and his friends
sat up for an hour or more talking it
over. AT l o'clock they went to bed
and few minutes later the night clerk
retired, leaving an assistant who had
not heard the story III charge Of the
Office. About 1.S0 i'll came an old gen.
tleman with travelling bag in hand,
who registered as George G. Mel
chior," and was assigned to a room.
In the morning the chambermaid re-
ported strong smell of gas on that
floor. The door of the ne ler's room
was broken in, and he was found dead,
with pistol in his right hand and q
bullet WounQ 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 mans 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.
81 don't understand how father could
have registered rs Melchior, for it is
not his name. and l only used it last
night to conceal our own, the stranger
said "It must have been case of
mental telepathy. "
On reaching the room Wharo the body
lay a much more peculiar episode oc-
cured. The moment the young man
saw the face of the corpse he said:
That's not father. l never saw this
man before. He is not lnCwu to me. b"
Nor was he. A search of the dead
mars effects brought out papers prov
ing his identity as George g. Melchior
and giving reasons for suicide somewhat
similar to those advanced by the yuung
stranger when ha was telling his story
the night before. Within a week DR..
Potter heard from the young man, who
said his father was alive and well, hav-
ing recovered from his despoUdoney and