Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-10-30
HaLY's ELECTRIC WOMAN.
Eusapia Pal dino Again StariIes TIC
Scientists.

lihc world has heard of Eusapia Paia-
uino by this time. TO those Interested In
th& phenomena of psychology the fat,
dGmpy Italian peasant woman has been
I, Heritable gold mine of surprises Jnbe-
lievers in the supernatural would almost
nc willing TO change their minds could
'hey see her perform the marvellous do
lnSs which within the past year have
conVuised cold. clear-headed men Of
science in all the great oenters of Eu-
rope She has been studied and analysed
over and over. but not one of these men
OF brains has been able to logically ac-
cunt FOR her mysterious powers. ii she
had lived hundred years ago she would
probably have been condemned TO the
stake as WITCH As II Is She IS the
greatest living puzzle before the eyes OF
the world today,
Her strange powers are easily de-
Scrlbei. but no explanation of their
source can be offered She possesses
some peculiar force in her body which is
potent enough TO move weighty objects
standing AT some distance from her. II rs
described as a species of electrical cur
rent; emanating from her body and tax
ing hold of the desired object and NOV
me the latter about as she wills. Her
force is not confined to single object ut
me same time. She can move Il dozen
room causing them TO fly through the air
1T the same instant. This has just been
demonstrated. and it adds a new chapter
to the already long list which the scien-
Some time ago k,usapia WAS taken TO
hgland. and she gave a number OF cX-
hihiuons in the presence of a number OF
English. French and German scientists,
who adopted a variety of precautions TO
detect her in any fraud. No fraud was
discovered but her doings were so re-
i1arkable and unnatural that some OF
the scientists. after yainiy attempting to
trace the causes of the phenomena. de-
cidcd that there must have been fraud,
end so stamped her as vulgar trickStcr.
Bur these accusations were 80 gronndless
If fact that little attention Was paid to
them, and the fame of he Italian woman
I 0day is greater than ever.
In Paris she has Just given an example
# her powers which is regarded as more
than any OF the others. be-
cause II shows the surprising energy of
the force she eXerts. heretofore she has
only attempted to move small things. like
causing letter weighing machine 70
i2OVe up and down. and humping the
keys of Il piano placed at some distance
from her.
In this last exhibition there were u
amber OF scientific men present. ana
lney adoptcd many precautions against
he exercise OF fraud or the introduction
# any outside agency. The Wife OF one
{ the scientists had dressed the peasant
woman IN "a tight-ilttinE gymnasium suit
10 guard against the possibility at her
prmins her wonders.
In the drawing room, where the tests
.!ere made. EuSapia WIS seated in Q light
-amb0o chair. entirely devoid of anything
Thich would conceal the smallest thing.
l'he peasant woman always fans into A
rance when giving her exhibitions and
when She had reached this stage one of
nc scientists got down on his knees on
DC iloer and held her legs firmly in lis
1nds. Another caught hold Of her hands
nd held them in Il tight grip. while an
'ther stood Immediately 1T the back of
he chair to watch for any suspicious
movement. a fourth stood right in front
her for the same purpose. and Others
were grouped around. eager 70 catch her
IN any deception.
Then the excitement began The trance
Ike sleep deepened. The first thing 10
fa@l he force of the woman was n heavy
rm-chair. placed in a recess OF the win
inW. 1t began to move about in spas
lodic jumps. ana then toy piano. stands
ne near. began to play. The heavy win
low curtain swelled out into the middle
# the room and twined itself about the
head of one of the watchers. The leg of
distant table pounded three times on
he floor. and the heavy armchair moved
}p and down. One OF the watchers felt
omething like a sharp blow in the small
II his back, and another. 4 bald headed
nan, cried out that something had hit
lim on the top of the head like the five
myers of i hand. Another was pinched
IN the right arm
MI this time he toy piano was clatttr-
ng away. the table leg was pounding on
he floor. and the arm chair was moving
'p and down. The sleep of the woman
ieemed TO grow deeper, and the noise
,reater Then came the strangest part
II the test. The window curtains broke
bose from The pole and came on Il table
car Euaa pia. Then the toy piano sailed
Trough the air, striking one Of the
watchers on the head and landing near
he curtains. While the piano was stll
n the mir Eusapia got up from the chair
md it started on fight through the air.
irSt backward and upward. and even
uaily landing in the lap of a man who
lad been sitting right in front of her.
This is regarded as the most remark
,be Of the many examples which the
yoman has given of her powers Her
history. aside from the strange force she
possesses, is simply told She was born
n Naples. forty-one years ago. of poor
parents. When eight years old her father
rad n strange effect upon her nerve.
which. in a measure, may account for
.ar powers. She became hysterical. and
vas often the victim of Authorizations,
eeing strange faces staring at her from
he walls and ceilings. Then she began
o fall into frances. and Spirtualists who
heard of her induced her to take part in
'eances when she was but IL years of age.
she tired of this after awhile. but when
2 years old she again came under the In
luence of a Spiritualst.
Now she has little or nothing to do with
Her strange powers first
md since then she has been in every
arge city of Europe at the invitation of
chemists. who have found in her a most
study.-Washingto Post.
L., 4 -.