Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1899-08-31
NEW VOL. 34.--NO. 43.

wrought temperament, and he wished
it might end, for the sake of the poor
fellow in the chair before him, who
looked as if touched by death.
He is even now nearby" whis-
pered the hypnotist, "and is struggling
terribly to free himself from my will.
I do not know what manner of man
he is physically, but he has powerful
mind, though not of a highly interlect-
ual order. Secrete me, and see to him
when he enters.
The earnestness of the speaker
strongly impressed the Inspector, and
he wondered if it all really meant any
thing. He ordered a screen placed
before the hypnotist, who now, with
eyes dilated and hands clinched, was
gasping for breath, while bits of foam
fecked his lips. He was surely un-
dergoing a terrible mental struggle.
Hark A shutiling, halting, uneasy
step is heard in the hallway. A thrill
shook the detectives frame. Could 1t
be that, after all, this thing was true ?
Bah impossible. The steps draw
nearer, however. The visitor was
quivering and twisting Pitiably. A
hand scrapes against the door. 1t
seems to play about the knob, as If
fearful of touching it, yet forced to do
so by an irresistible power.
Grasp the knob, turn it, and en-
ter, murmurs the hypnotist.
The hands finally rest on the knob,
which slowly turns. Instantly the oc-
cupants of the room, with the exceP-
ton of the stranger, spring to their
feet, with nerves tense and faces white
with excitement in spite of their long
experience with criminals.
The door opens, and there enters
man of medium height, but Of burly
frame, with haggard face, bloodshot
eyes, and an air of abstraction. He
holds back as if conscious of something
against his welfare. He bore the
marks Of hard usage, and was evident
ly of lower class, though his head was
of fine shape.
The hypnotist seemed to be making
"a supreme effort, ghastly in its inten-
sity.
advance and speak, he command
ed, feebly.
Unwillingly, but surely, impelled
by the unseen force, the new conner
approached the desk.
"Cap'n, said he in a husky, strained
voice, a done it. "
what, my man ?" inquired the In
spector, who, though still wondering
at this marvellous denouement, had re-
gained his professional instinct and
was again the alert official,
"The Force murder" blurted out
the fellow, "and l come to give my
self up. l don't know what's the
matter with me sence yestiddy. l
warn't a-goin to surrender, but my
God somethin' made me do it.
He was Immediately surrounded,
disarmed, and manacled, when the
hypnotist staggered from behind the
screen. Placing himself in front Of
the prisoner, he made a few passes
before his face and then fell senseless
to the floor. With the release Of the
terrible power all the brutality of the
murderer's nature asserted itself, and
he shouted:
What the devils this? ? How did l
git yere?" And realizing that he was
caught, struggled fercely to free him
self from the grasp Of the officers.
Finding it impossible to break from
them, he burst into the most violent
oaths and taunts, crying loudly:
you've got me, amt yer? Butye
didn't ketch me. Yer had to waitfor
me to walk in yere like l was asleep
to clap the darbies onto me. Yer
dogs Yer never would atook me,
for there's not man on the force
could handle me. -
Thus shouting and struggling, be
was hurried out and off to prison to
await the doom he so richly deserved.
A schoolmaster in village school