Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-08-15
TRILBY REPRODUCED
MISS HOWARD SUSTAINS THE
ROLE WITH EFFECT.
HYPNOTIZED BY HEREAFTER
She Becomes Completely Under His
influence and He Finds Himself
Later Unable to Restore Her to a
Normal Condiion-Sensati ton in
Society Circles.

Richtield Springs, \. Y, Aug. IL
Trlby's peculiar abseSSion by by
SVengal was reproduced here Friday
| night in 50 realistic a manner as 10
| throw this fashionable summer re-
| sort into a state Of nervous excite
| ment which, however, has been re-
| Guced somewhat since the results OBJ
tanned by a father over his only
! daughter have passed away success
) fully, leaving no serious impressions
George Du Maurier's pen portrayal of
the character and William Lackaye's
representation dWindle into insig-
nlhcance of themselves in the minds
OF those who saw the Involuntary
hypnotic influence exercised by Fred
erick S. Howard. vice president OF
the Fourteenth Street bank, of New
York city, over his pretty and accom-
plished daughter, Jennie Louise
In the presence of the assembled
beauty, wealth and fashion Of the
spa Trilby tableau was given as
part Of program arranged by the
guests of the Richfield hotels for the
benefit Of st. Joseph's Roman Catho-
lie church. The patronesses Of the
performance were Baroness De Bar
ros, Baroness Won Westernhagen, Mrs.
T. G. L. Grain, wife Of the ex-cham-
berlain of New York city; Mrs. P. j.
Kennedy, Mrs. Eugene M. Earle, Mrs
Fitzgerald and Mrs. Mather.
The role Of Trilby was assumed by
Miss Jennie Louise Howard. SyengaIi
was the part assigned to her father,
who accepted it only after the repeat
ed refusal Of r. l.. Crawford, VINO
had at first been urged II accept the
charact Fritz McGourkey, son oil
the late cashier of the Metropolitan
bank Of New York, took the part Lit
tie Billee, while Taffy and the laird
were the parts assigned w. J. Elias
and j. Lee Taller. During the dress
reheaSal in the afternoon it was no.
ticed that Miss Howard was unusual
ly attentive to her part and her father
still more So. He being a man of
strong intellectual force threw his
whole mind into the part, and so sue !
cessfuIIy carried out his character |
that it was noticed that his daughter |
seemed to be entirely and helpleSSly |
under his control, but it was general |
~ thought that she was only acting
her part
At the performance when the cur
tains were drawn aside upon the tab !
leau in the set piece its realism drew
forth uninterrupted plaudits from
those assembled in the little summer |
theater. But it was more realistic |
than it appeared to those in the |
auditorium. Mr.. Howard had again
thrown the entire force Of his energies
into the part, and Miss Howard had
herself so completely
to the rendition of her role that she
became completely hypnotized. Her
facial muscles became contracted, the
pupils Of her eyes were set and star |
ing and her body became rigid. She
was completely in the power of her
own father, and as susceptible to his
will as was Trilby to Svengali. This !
was not discerned. however, until |
after the curtain dropped. The spec !
tatOrS applauded her wonderful act
ing and commented on it as they left |
the theater. Upon the stage, how
ever, another scene was being enact
ed. Not knowing Of his hypnotic
power, Mr.. Howard, of course, knew
nothing Of how to break the spell !
which had overcome his daughter. /
Her distraught condition alarmed her
father and friends. Dr. Alfred Grain
was hastily summoned. The fright !,
ened participants in the tragic affair in
formed him as best they could in their !
excited condition what had befallen ,
the young girl. He finally succeeded, |
after much work, in breaking the spell |
which held her enthralled and re- !
stored her to her normal condition.
1t was then learned that Mr.. How !
ards influence over the will of his
daughter was due to the fact that
several years ago he practiced medi-
cine and was then able, by the ex-
ertiOn Of his will power, to anaesthe- i
tie his patients, although until Fri /
day night he was totally unaware
that he possessed any hypnotic power
to such a remarkable extent as he
had exercised during the tableau.
AN INFANTS RODY FOTND