The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-06
MYSTERIES OF HYPa0TISM
Concluded from Page l.

as the physical senses are concerned.
The senses refuse to act. and the sub
1ect Is utterly unconscious of pain. Sur
gical operations can be performed on
the subject. while in this state. but his
mental faculties are not properly un-
der the control Of the operator. In the
third degree al! the faculties become
responsive to the mesmeric influence.
The subject Is for the time being COM
pletely, or nearly, irresponsible. He
sees. hears. feels and thinks only as
permitted or directed by the mesmeric
operator. In this last, o. somnambu-
listic degree. all previously mentioned
phenomena may be exhibited. and In
addition the psyche vision, or clair
voyance.
This third is that into which I
throw Mrs. Baldwin. but do not mere
ly use the methods ordinarily in vogue.
Or course II Is necessary for me to pos
sess great powers Of mental concentra-
ton and a strong magnetic gaze. as
must be the case with every hypnotist.
BY magnetic gaze is meant that posi-
tive power In the human eye of COM
manding others, or rendering 1t I'M
possible for one to look you in the eye
and lie without iiinching. l resort to
corporeal contact and passes. I also
employ certain methods acquired from
you understand. Then again l act DIFF
ferently according to the physical and
mental condition Of my wife at the
time. Mrs. Baldwin Is a remarkably
good clairvoyant subject. There are
great many persons who cannot be
brought to the clairvoyant state. That
does not prove though that there Is no
such thing as clairvoyance. Thousands
of persons deny the existence of 1t.
This denial is based upon ignorance.
The skeptic may doubt because he has
never seen an exhibition Of clairvoy-
ance, or because he has seen sham
seance or whatever you wish to call 1t.
and Is disguised. The investigator
should bear in mind that good things
are often counterfeited. The testimony
Of many scientific experts, however, Is
to the effect that there Is such thing
as clairvoyance, or pyscho-graphic
force.
DON'T DENY TRICKERY.
IT will say that possibly some of the
work that Mrs. Baldwin and do in this
part OF our performance may be the re-
suit of trickery, but l refuse either to
commit myself to argue the point. I'll
say this much, however. If Mrs. Bald
win, when in hypnotic trance, told me
not to take certain train, or to do q
certain thing because of the fatal con-
sequences that would result, l would
not presume to do 1t. In Australia,
some time ago, she fell upon her knees
before me and begged that l would not
take u boat upon which all of our goods
were packed. as 1t would go down that
night with all on board. My wife and
changed our plans and went by rail.
This was before I was myself fully dis
abused to skepticism, yet l consented.
told our property man what Mrs.
Baldwin had said and advised him not
to take the boat. He scoffed, laughed
and insisted upon going. The next day
the announcement come that the steam
err had gone down with every soul on
board. A newspaper man had heard
Mrs. Baldwin ask me not to go, and
the papers for the next week were full
OF 1t. Oh, you may smile. It's a fact,
though"
"Rut mind, I do not claim that all of
her dream portrayals are perfectly ac-
curste, or that, when dealing with the
future, her prophecies are infallible.
They are not. In eight cases out of
ten they are correct though. Neither
do understand the matter fully But
my theory Is that she Is able when In
this hypnotic, or somnabuistlc state,
| to read the mind of one who so wills,
and then intuitively draw conclusion
that is more accurate than the man
| himself would naturally form. Be that
| as 1t may, the facts still remain"
"Oh. come now. II this were all true
| what in the name of time is the use of
your working like horse on the road
| when you might go into financial deals
| and roll in wealth. You said yourself
that the thing you are after Is money.
You're not the first one who has
| asked that question. l don't wonder al
| 1t either. But the fact Is my wife and
don't know enough Of the subject with
which we are dealing to carry on sue
| cessful opera tiOns of that scrt. It's just
| about this way. Mrs. Baldwin can not
read the thoughts of any one who does
not put his mind in an acauiescent OF
sympathetic state. Did you ever see
| man who was ready to let out any Sc.
crets that he thought it to his advan-
tage to keep? No. neither did l. There
| in is lust the trouble"