The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-08-08
SEYMOUR'S LONG TRANCE.
STRANGE CASE OF TEE PRBoNER
IN BINGHAMTON HOSPITAL.


IN BLN9HAMToN HOSPITAL.
ssr.s Are nrciinea 70 Believe mat ne Mas
Bcen mypsotisea ~ ATS vStrs-ue mad =
watkins spell vesterday, bat Again nap~ea
Into = Decp s,oep-The Physicians Puruied.
BMeHAMroN, Aug. Tone Of the strangest
GASES that has attracted the attention OF physi-
clans here 10 that Of George Seymour. who was
removed on Thursday 70 the City Hospital.
Some interesting features have developed In
the case since then. and some Arc inclined 10
believe that Seymour has been hypnotlzed BY
his wife. II 10 Known that, contrary TO
tho rules, Mrs. Seymour, who has boen confined
In tho woman's ward OF the Broomo County
Jail, has been allowed to visit her husband In
his coll.
sho Is q beautiful brunette, with ~lustrous
black eyes fringod by long dark lashea. Her
eyes arc dreamy in ropose, but flashing when
she Is excited. She 10 q natural-born actress,
and when she went to Liveryman Cafferty's
stables, several weeks ago, tears filed her eyes
as she told OF the poor, sick mother she was
going TO visit In Lestershire. Melted BY these
evidences OF sorrow, and perhaps fascinated By
the flashing eyes and long lashes, Lverymen
CafYcrty readily consented to let her have the
horse ana carriage.
On the following day the rig had not come
back. and then Mr.. Cafferty forgot all about the
dark eyes. He oven forgot tho romans tears.
He notified the police and they put detectives
on the woman's track. And q nice dance she
gave them clear across the State. They finally
located her in OgdensburR. She was with her
husband. and they arrested husband and wife.
The pair had been welded only a few months at
that time, and tho arrest came like a dark cloud
across what was practically their honey
moon. They were brought back. and when
locked UP were put in separate cells.
When tho Jail officials refused to lot the
tears which had been so effective in Liveryman
Canerty's case were again called into play, and,
under promise .9In ss,o OF so CT ICY, Mrs Mrs. 81, Seymour ESnI, was vas
Vvept. Soon after these visits seymour began to
get drowsy, and the case since then has been an
interesting one for the physicians. They say 1t
is a rare case, nothing like 1t having ever come
under their obs, ~rvation.
began to complain that he did not feel well. He
was apparently in good health when brought to
wake him up. At first his drowsiness oxlited
no interest. These conditions became more
pronounced h1wsssr; and he would sink into
intervals. and then only after the most heroic
measures had been employed. During these
sleeps he occupied O bunk in his cell. About
interest among the medical fraternity here. He
sank into u sleep from which IL was impossible
Piled aL0''' n'H . "e'
At first It was supposed he was shamming.
Dr.. White of the State Hospital, who has the
doubled Drained - girl in charge, was one OF the
physicia 9ns cal called ed in ,n to see g seiymoar;i They
and by other we'll known means tried Co stir
Seymour to a realization Of the fact that he was
surrounded by people who took a deep interest
in him. But Seymour would not wake up. To
the few who were permitted to see him he APP
closed, he breathed naturally, and he had q
natural color in his face.
the same name as the sleeper, took care that he
Jared well. He gave him milk in which eggs
ment In his mouth and swallowed 1t. but he APP
peared to be unconscious OF the fact The tests
applied to him we're Of a kind no waking man
had watched his case for some timo without q
clue as to the reason Of his condition. Just be-
Physician Seymour that last season he travelled
with a hypnotist for forty.two weeks as a pro-
into a hypnotic state every day. except Sun.
days. and was subjected to the various tests
with which people arc familiar who have seen
Prof. Mar OF Canada.
Mrs. Seymour says that. she did not know her
married him. Dr.. Seymour has tried to hyp.
notize the sleeper in his cell to see II he could
him but, he could make no Impression. on him.
Several days ago seymour,s color began to
1t was then decided TO take him to the City Hos
pitaI. In speaking Of the case DR.. Seymour s i'd:
IL think the man Is in some kind Of a hyp-
tain. 1t Is one Of the notwithstanding cases that
has come under my observation. The theory Is
that during the forty-two weeks that s. seymour
was a professional hypnotic subject he became
80 accustomed TO gong into the hypnotic trance
that he Is now able to go into one without the
aid OF q hypnotist. This 10 what Is called auto
hypnotisn. How long he will continue in that
state 1t is impossible to tell. l have known of
Quinn, a cataleptic a. the State Hospital, slept
for twenty-five months. He died soon after no
awoke. Seymour is not a cata!eptic. do not
apprehond any danger in he present case, but
every precaution has been taken and the case
will be carefully watched.
At about l O'Clock this morning a slight i'm.
provement was noticed in Seymour's condition.
His eyes twitched and he seemed to be trying to
open them. Once, as an experiment, he was
asked a question and he whispered a faint
yes" At noon to-day his eyes opened, and
once or twice they followed wonaeringly a
lighted lamp held before him. To all questions,
however, he had but one answer and that was
Mother" Once the physician asked him IL he
felt any pain. A dazed expression came over
him, but his only reply was Mother" He
swallowed nourishment in a mechanical
way. apparently unconscious Of what he was do
found lumber. DIR. Hills, one OF the attending
physicians, said to day:
~ believe the man was conscious to-day. In
my opinion he could hear what was being said
about him, although he did nor seem at all times
to comprehend what was being said. Whether
he will awake now or not l cannot say. II no
does his awakening will be only preliminary to
n longer sleep than before. 1t Is a peculiar case,
and Iintend to watch 1t carefully. It is differ
emit from anything that has come under my OBJ
servation in my fifty years OF practice"