The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-05-24
THE LITTLE WONDER
Annie May Abbott MyStifeS an Audi
ence With Her Powers.
SHE LIFTS SIX MEN AT ONCE
And Performs Many Other Re-
markable Feats-Is II Hypno-
tism, Magnetism. Nerve or
What - She's Wonderful.

Butte, May 2S.-Annie May Abbott,
who for want of a better description is
termed the little electric magnet, de-
lighted, perplexed, amused, mystified
and dumbfounded fair sized audience
at the Auditorium tonight with an ex-
hibition of her mysterious powers
Just how she does IL is a mystery that
she herself cannot solve. but she sets
all of the laws of gravitation at de-
nance, conquers the strongest muscles
and makes strong men as weak as a
sick kitten, seemingly transferring all
OF their strength to her own fragile
form. That little 9S-pound woman
can lift six men clear off the floor and
resist their combined physical force in
test of strength seems incredible. and
yet Miss Abbott successfully accom-
plishes these feats. together with a
number of others that are equally mys-
tifying. Thomas A. Edison believes
that electricity is at the bottom of IL
all; DIR. william A. Hammond and
Doctor Chariot think ii is hypnotism
Doctor Koch, the German scientist,
says that IL is nerve force; a prom
inent medical journal pronounces il
magnetism, and other noted scientists
don't know what they think. She is
certainly a wonderful woman and her
performance is practically without
criticism, and people can simply look
at IL and wonder, and they will keep
wondering until science gets far
enough advanced to satisfactorily ac-
count for her wonderful powers. To-
nights exhibition was witnessed at
close range, and participated in by a
committee consisting of Frank Cor
bett, Nj. l.. Wines, p. A. Largely, p. w.
Irvine, Doctor McCrimmon, J. H. vi
III.
burn, Hamilton Walker, f. S. Larned
and Professor Bennett.
Miss Abbott's first feat consisted of
chasing a number of the committeeman
around the stage against their will.
Messrs. Wines and Irvine and several
Others each grasped a chair in turn and
held it firmly against their chests. The
little magnet then placed one of her
hands against the chair and ran them
around the stage at will in spite of
their resistance. She then held up a
billiard cue and leaned backwards on
one heel. Five men pushed against the
cue with all their strength, but were
unable to force IL either backward or
downward. one member of the COM
mittee sat down on a chair another sat
across his knees, and four more laid
down between them. Miss Abbott sim
ply placed her hands against the legs
of the chair and lifted the chair and
Its six occupants clear off the floor. In
order to show that she used no pres
sure Mr. Walked and DIR. McCrimmon
placed their hands against the chair
legs with an egg in each palm. She
/. placed her hands over them and the
chair went again in the air, and yet
there was not enough pressure eXerted
to break the eggs.
Messrs. Vivion, Wines, Corbett, Du-
gan, Irvine and several others tried to
lift the little wonder by placing their
hands under her arms. but although
they pulled and struggled and exerted
force enough to lift two ordinary wom-
en- of her size and weight, they were
unable to move her from the floor She
could not have been any more immov-
able If her feet had been of iron and
bolted to the floor. A long table was
next set up on an end in such a po-
sition that a child could easily push it
over. DIR. McCrimmon and Mr.. Corbett
placed one hand against the top of the
table and she placed her hands over
theirs. The other nine members of the
committee were strung out behind her
with their hands on each others Shout
ders and with the hands of the first
man against her shoulders. At a given
signal they all pushed together, but the
table did not move and the hands that
were under Miss Abbott's felt no pres
sure. Three attempts were made to
push her and the table forward, with
the same result.
men took firm hold of IL, while Mr.
Dugan was seated on top of it. BY
simply placing her hand against the
pole Miss Abbott lifted the whole
works clear off the floor and carried
IT around the stage. DR. Blackburn
had his hand between hers and the pole
and felt no pressure.
Perhaps her most wonderful feat was
accomplished with a 10-year-old boy
who was selected at random from the
audience, and whom she did not touch
He was sent about half way down one
of the aisles, and Frank Beck was sta
toned behind. Mr.. Beck took hold of
the boys elbows and lifted him three
feet from the floor with ease. Miss
Abbott then commanded the youngster
TO Keep his feet on the floor and Mr.
Beck was unable to move him The
same feat was tried with other chill
dren and Mr.. Wines was the only mem
Der of the committee who was able to
move them after Miss Abbott had
talked to them for a few minutes Mr..
Wines baffled Miss Abbott in two or
three instances. but in the others he
was equally as susceptible as the 9TH
ers to her strange influence. 1t is pos
sible that hypnotism may have had
something to do with three or four of
Miss Abbott's feats, but in the others
II is impossible that that power could
n a la a.sN