The Portland daily press., 1899-09-21
TRAPPED BY
A HYPNOTIST.
How Hypnotist Brought a MUIR
derer to Justice.
BY JAMES erDDY rRAYLoR.

SSccSsSSsSsscSSSSzSSSScSSS
Inspector Burnham thrummed the desk
with the tips of his fingers and pondered
over the fallibility OF things human, for
the Force murder was now nearly three
quarters Of year old, and its perpetra-
tor was still at large.
The atrocious nature of the deed had
inspired the public and the police alike
with horror, and the entire machinery of
the great detective bureau had been set
In operation to effect the capture of the
guilty man. Not a clew had been left,
however, by the murderer and though
the best men of the inspectors force had
been ceaselessly engaged on the case
their efforts had proved unsuccessful.
As the days and weeks slipped by and
the criminal remained free the indigna-
ton of the public found vent in frequent
communications to the daily press. where
In suggestions, sarcastic and otherwise,
were offered the bureau as to the conduct
of its business and paragraphs and car
toons innumerable were graciously con-
tributed by the news writers themselves.
In addition to these attentions the in
spector was besicged with callers who
unfailinsly had positive clews as to the
NhNiNNbOIto Va tiS tuSlllNGy ElllN OIL
which were run down, but every effort
met the one result. Nothing. absolutely
nothing, could be discovered of the MUIR
derer's hiding place. He had disappear
ed as completely as If the earth had
swallowed him.
Quite naturally, under successive fail
ures, the bureau became pervaded with
an air of gloom, and attempts to twit the
officers met with scant appreciation. The
department, stung by the taunts shower
ed upon i, offered large reward, which
had been augmented by the family of the
victim, but despite the intense interest
in the crime and many false alarms no
one had been able to make legitimate
claim for the tempting sum. Gradually,
In the rapidly changing affairs of a great
city, the murder came to be lost sight of
by the public, or, if remembered, to be
put in the calendar of those criminal
mysteries which occasionally battle the
most skillful of man hunters.
Thus the months passed on, until, as
has been said, nearly nine had gone since
the discovery of the fearfully mutilated
victim had caused a thrill Of horror to
run through all.
The great detectives thoughts reverted
to the crime on this particular morning,
and he was chatting under the failure of
his men in the case, when the door of his
Office was slowly opened and a tall,
slightly built, dark complexioned man of
perhaps 40 entered the room with slow
and somewhat uncertain step. An air of
intense abstraction possessed him as he
approached the official. Having reached
the desk, he said in measured tones:
Il desire to see the inspector"
Il am at your service, sir" replied that
Individual.
The visitor looked at him steadily, yet
with seemingly unhxed gaze, and con-
tinued:
Il have come with important informa-
tion concerning the Force murder"
The inspector started slightly and smil-
ed. 1t was, then, to be the same old sto-
ry of positive clew, though considerably
belated. He nevertheless said politely:
"Please be seated, sir, and tell me
what you know of that crime"
The stranger accepted the invitation
and, after a moment of silence, said with
out preface:
''The murderer is found"
The official leaped to his feet.
.'Found!' he echoed. when? By
whom? For Gods sake, man, tell me
quickly. Where is he now?' he asked
excitedly.
Il do not know precisely" replied the
informant, answering the last question.
The inspector looked steadily at the
man, who had never for a moment lost
his preoccupied air, and a suspicion
dawned upon him that his caller was
mentally irresponsible. Even SO, he would
humor him.
why. then" he asked sharply, do
you make such a statement about a mat
ter in which you must know the bureau
is greatly concernedY'
"Listen!" calmly said the stranger 81,
with all others, was shocked beyond
measure by the brutality of that crime,
and l, with all others, trusted in the skill
Of our detectives to bring the murderer
to justice. Apparently, he must possess
either unusual intelligence or craftiness
to have escaped the nets your men spread
for him. That he did so, however, 1t is
needless for me to add. When, there
fore, found that your efforts were futile
determined, in the interest of humanity,
TO devote myself to his apprehension"
de paused, and the inspector. now thor
oughly interested, silently motioned his
assistants to draw near. The visitor,
with eyes closed. seemed to be uncon-
scious of his surroundings. The officials
voice aroused him.
proceed, sir.''
"You are aware, of course" the
stranger dreamily asked, "of the exist
enee of hypnotism."
"Oh, yes" answered the great detect
I've, at DE same time glancing significant.
ly at his men and tapping his forehead
with his forefnger.
II am an adept in the science" contin-
ued the visitor slowly, "of which recent
investigations have shown there are sew
eral degrees possess the mower in the