Daily camera., 1897-07-27
THE DAILY CAMERA.

! Tom made a statement of his wrongs,
but Mr.. Strong brought proof that the
| claimant had been in an insane asylum
and testified that he had never been
wholly restored He even pleaded for
Toms release on that score. and was
praised in the papers for so doing. My
! brother was let off with a small fine, but
the wrong ranked in his mind, and for
the past Is years he has thought of
nothing but getting even with the man
who had wronged him.
"He has had no regular employment,
but has lived in sort of fhand-to-mouth
way in several cities in the east and
west. Most people thought his mind
impaired, but I believe he is as sensible
as he ever was. | have a small income,
and for five years-since my husband
died-he has lived with me. He has
been studying hypnotism for the last
two years, and experimenting on every
one who would allow it. At first I did
not object, because it seemed to keep
| him interested; but lately he has almost
! frightened me with his wonderful skill.
/ He can make people do anything he
wishes, and on Friday nights the neigh
! bors come in this parlor to hear him
/ talk and witness his experiments. They
always give him money, and so | could
not object, as it is now the only way he
has of earning anything.'
| "You say that of late he has fright
ened you with his experiments? said
Hendricks. would you mind telling
me the nature of some of the most OBJ
! jectionable"'
"He seems very fond of making his
hypnotized subjects imagine they arc
numbering some one, and they always
go through with it in such "a way that
it makes my blood run cold. He usually
! has a pillow, a chair. or some piece of
| furniture, to represent the man to be
killed. and then
Il think | know the process" inter
| rupted Hendricks, as if a thought had
suddenly come into his mind. "He would
stick llp a knife somewhere, and make
| his subject take it of his own accord
and stab the imaginary man."
Exactly
"Ile would, however, fail sometimes
said the detective; ''he would now and
| then be unable to control a subject?'
"Not if the person had ever been hyp-
| nctized before" replied the woman.
''Those people who had been under his
intluencemore than once would prompt
ly do his bidding a--.r.s.
81 presume he sometimes called his
make-beleve victims by the name of
Strong" Hendricks remarked. "It
would be natural, after all he has
borne"
eyes, quite frequently. Some of his
friends knew the name of the man who
had wronged him, and it became a sort
| of joke at the gatherings: but it was no
joke with Tom, and that is why hoped
he would not meet his old partner again.
Not long ago he heard somehow that
Strong was to be married to pretty
young lady, and it infurated him be-
yond description. Perhaps"
The woman paused and looked at
Hendricks suspiciously. She lowered
her head, and began nervously to stroke
the hair of the child Then she said,
abruptly:
Somehow, I trust you, sir. l have
heard so much of your kindness to
women that feel down in my heart that
you are sorry for me in spite of the
duty you have to perform; but | don't
want to say anything thoughtlessly
that would go against my brother. |
couldn't bear to think that"
The woman's eyes began to fill, and
Hendricks rose.
81 am, indeed, in full sympathy with
you, Mrs. Champney," he said. "You
have had a mighty big load to bear, and
if l can possibly make it lighter will
do So
81 thank you," replied the woman,
''but there is only one thing l can ask,
and l shall be grateful if you will do it
for me. | want to know the worst as
soon as possible. If-if you-arrest
him, please let me know at once where
can go and comfort him. Poor fellow!
he is not so very mach to blame. His
whole life was ruined by that mans act,
and if he did kill Mr.. Strong he hardly
knew what he was doing"
81 will keep you posted" said Hen
bricks; and he bowed and left the room.