Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-09-12
WAS TT A sUICIDEf
A Question Still AEitating the Mind
of Washington Physician.

A Question still Axitatinx the Mind
of n Washington Physician.
An uptown physician appeared to have
a few minutes off, as writer for The
Star passed his office. and the writer went
In to ask him question.
'Tt isn't about a matter of health and
there isn't any money in 1t to you," he
said. with the confident air ora man who
knew he didn't have the price of a con-
srltation, but I've been a-reading a book,
and I want to know If the author is put
ting up job on the community or not"
What is the story?' inquired the disciple
of Galen or Aesculapius or whoever 1t was
that invented pills.
Its about a woman marrying man
to reform him and"
ut can't be done" interrupted the ply
stefan.
But it was In this case" insisted the.
writer. ''for the woman hypnotized him
and made a model meu of him."
"Um-um-er," hesitated the doctor. Il
never heard of that being tried, and 1t
might work"
do you believe 1t could be done? That's
what came to ask you about"
'If you have time to listen, I'll tell
you a story in illustration said the ply
stefan.
Bushels" replied the starrior. and sat
down forthwith.
MY story, while 1t illustrates" went on
the doctor, lis not case of reform ex-
actly. and it may not be case at all.
but believe 1t is, and am waiting to see
If time won't bring out the explanation.
About dozen years ago there was among
the usual winter contingent In Washing
ton a woman of great beauty and remark
able personal fascination. She was thirty
years of age, perhaps, and her husband
was a man of sixty and of a weak and
Facilitating character. though in robust
health. It happened, after a month of the
society round, that she was threatened
with pneumonia, and I was called in. My
services were required week or more,
and in that time learned that the domes-
tic life of the lady and her lord was not
the most rosy. 1 also learned that If 1t
had not been for his money she would
not have married him. though he was much
in love with her. They had been married
two years, and notwithstanding he was
the most obedient husband ever saw.
she would not be satisfied. The couple re-
maired here for four months. and 1 be-
came a friend of the family, so to speak.
and the wife did not hesitate to show her
dislike for her husband whenever she felt
that way. He. on the other hand. was
meekness and submission itself. In fact,
his manner toward her so impressed me
that began to suspect she exercised some
sort of a spell over him, and l set about
watching my new friends.
Il think she never suspected that Sus-
pected anything, for on one or two oc-
&c sions she talked to me about hypnotism.
and once she asked me to take her to an
the magnetic currents. If may be allowed
to so express It. l went with her, leaving
her husband at home with some friends Of
his. and during the evening 1 had an OPP
portunity Of watching her closely. By the
time the performance was over l was con-
WINGED that she knew a great deal more
about hypnot,sm than 1 did. at least in it's
practical workings. l wanted TO speak to
her about 1t, but feared might say a word
too much, and SO confined my remarks to
the subject in general. she asking more
questions than an ignorant school girl.
Several times later the subject came IN
between us. and 1 told her 1 thought she
| Lad the power and that l was good SUBJ
ject, and insisted on her trying it on me,
tut she threw up her lovely hands in horror
and assured me she wouldn't do such a
thing for the world. Just the same. I was
sare she was controlling every movement
| of her husband and was increasing her
Shortly after Lent the couple bade ME
goodbye and started for Europe, going
first to their home in the west to put into
shape certain papers OF his with reference
to his property and it's disposal in case of
accident. This had from the lady herself.
They sailed away. and after three months
on the continent, they came back to Amer
lea. That Is to say. the lady did: the hus-
band failing to do 50 by reason of having
walked overheard one night during half
gale that was prevailing. Nobody saw him
go over and the lady herself gave the
alarm hour after his disappear
ance. The story she told was to the effect
that he had left their room at midnight
saying he could not sleep and believed he
would 80 deck and see If anybody else
was in the same fix he was. The shock was
especially terrible because only half an
hour before she had told a gay party good
night in the cabin and retired. and few
of the later ones had seen him as he passed
through on his way above. OF course. that
was the end of him. for no ship could put
about and look for a passenger under such
circumstances after so lorg e. time lad
elapsed, and the widow was the object of
the deepest sympathy and whole foods Of
tears for the remaining two days Of the
voyage"
The physician paused to take breath.
did she do it?" asked The Star man,
rather aghast at the dreadful possibility.
That's what am waiting to find out"
replied the physician. "All his fortune
went to her: within a year she married the
man she wanted to marry. and he was
drowned two years afterward. and within
year 1 have received letter from her.
which to a man who was without suspicion
would not mean much, but which 20 one
who thinks as I do means a great deal"
who is she?' inquired the writer. as
guileless as an infant, and the physician
never said a word.