Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1896-04-10
THE HYPNOTIC CLUB
a RESIDENT OF PORTLAND is THE
LEADER.
some Wives Influence Their Har-
bands in a Way to secure Ev-
idence for Divorce.

A few months ago there returned
from Europe the son of a wealthy resi-
dent, after having studied medicine in
London, Paris and Vienna, says the
Portland Telegram. While abroad the
hypnotic fad struck him very favor
| ably, and he became an enthusiastic
devotee to the science. He is firm be-
lever in hypnotic power, for good or
evil, and maintains most intelligently
and convincingly, from scientific
standpoint, that plea OF hypnotic in
f1uence, If well established, should be
accepted as a potent defense. This
young man, who, as vet, has not hung
| out shingle with an M. ID. at the end
OF his name, has, though succeeded in
gathering a large number of hypnotic
| disciples about him. His following
| does not fiaunt its belief in the science
into the public countenance, but, half
! shamefully, DISCUSSES 1t, as did the
spiritualists their faith half century
ago.
| A prominent lawyer, though, today
disclosed to a Telegram reporter the
fact that the young apostle or high
priest of the Portland hypnotic colony
a month ago organized "Hypnotic8
Club here, with a charter membership
of 200, but which now contains treble
| that number.
II am not a member of the Hypnotic
club, but became cognizant of its ex-
| istence in professional way" said
he Some of the best-known people in
the city are among it's membership
| and you would be surprised We're to
name some of them, but am forbidden
to do SO. These hypnotists are not all
young folk, but there are many middle
aged and old.
THE club was ostensibly formed for
the purpose of amusement and to make
| researches into the science, but its
/ mission has already taken a more ser
ious trend You know this is leap year.
and that In the long year it is maid
ems privilege to make proposals of mar
rage. / am informed that seven young
| women hypnotists have succeeded in
inducing an equal number of young
| men to accept them in marriage, the
| ceremonies to be performed within the
next few months. by exercising their
| hypnotic power l have the further as
surance that the seven young men al
| of marrying those young women till
they became spellbound through the
| medium Of this mysterious influence.
The girls no sooner popped than the
men acquiesced. These men will be
held in the bondage till the nuptial
| knot is tied-and then? They certain
ly can't be kept hypnotized the rest Of
| their lives"
How | became cogniZant of the ex-
istence of this club is particularly SN
rious. About a week ago a married
woman, quite well known here, but
| rather indiscreet, called at my Office to
begin divorce proceedings. 1 had al
ways believed that she was one of the
| most happily married women in town.
and her mission struck me as being
very strange. Her grounds We're in
fidelity, and / talked with her for up
wards of an hour During our CONVEX
sation the woman casually dropped
few remarks about hypnotism, and,
detecting that it was a fad of hers
led her on, till she unconsciously and
indisereetly took me into her confidence.
For the nonce / was her father confess
sor, and before she left my Office
knew as much about the Hypnotic club
of which she is a charter member as she
does. She further confessed to me that
it was she who influenced her husband
to the indiscreet act which she based
her plant for divorce upon. In addi-
ton she told me, mentioning their
names, that there are nine other women
in the club similarly scheniing to rid
themselves of what they deem undesir-
able husbands. but who in fact are ex-
ceptionally good men. L talked my
L. 7.
of public exposure. l fear that the per-
petuation of this organization and the
exercise of it's power may in time shat
ter and ruin the entire respectable So
cial fabric of this city,
Since Diminishing that scheming wife,
the lawyer referred to has made some
quiet Investigations with reference to
the status and aim of the Hypnotic
club. He has satisfied himself that the
majority of the members are not upon
evil bent; that a few only are so mind
ed, but those few are capable of work.
ing great harm. The organization has
operated upon a number of confirmed
drunkards in respectable walks of life,
and confirmed professional gamb-
lers, with astoundingly good results.
Hypnotism, If properly applied, will
displace the gold cures for drink, aud
will create an aversion to cards
He remarked that he knew of a score
of men. not having been absolutely
sober in the past five years, who have
been cured of their vitiated appetite by
the application of hypnotism. He
quoted also a number of men who, for
years. night after night, lost their time
and money at the poker table, who now
cannot bear to hear cards mentioned.
In the event the club confines itself
to this class of work it will prove bles-
sing to innumerable families here. But
so much cannot be expected from it.