Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1900-04-12
THURM0NT, Frederick County, Maryland Thursday April T. |900
FEAR OF HYPNOTISNI
IT GIVES A SINGLE YOUNG MAN
ANXIETY,
He Is Afraid He Is Going to Be Mar
ried in Spite of Himself, and So He
Gives the License Clerk a Timely
Warninu.

SivCS tHc IiSSuoo NtCTN 1HiSiy
Warning.
Lowell Putnam is in q predicamcnt.
He is afraid he is going to be mar.
ricd. He doesn't want to be married
yet he is fearful that he will awaken
some morning and find wife among
his possessions. He believes that q
certain young woman has set her cap
for him and will carry her desire into
effect by hypnotizing him.
Putnam called at the marriage IL
cense office yesterday and explained
matters, partially. He did not go i'll
to many details, but he wanted it thor
oughly understood that if he called at
the Courthouse, and asked for H.
cense to wed it was to be refused. He
said he did not want license and il
he came for one it would be evident
that he was under the hypnotic intlu-
ence of the young woman who accom-
panied him.
These rather peculiar remarks led n
member of the Republic staff to ask
Mr. Putnam for an explanation. Mr..
Putnam was at his home, 1121 North
Leonard avenue, and he received the
reporter in a room whose walls were
literally covered with guitars, mando-
Inns and violins. They were hung in
racks which extended from the cell
ing to the floor, and scattered about
on tables and chairs were other instru-
ments. Piles of music lay upon the
mantle shelf and filled the bookcase.
Mr.. Putnam explained the array with
the remark that he played a little
I, x1,n Il NV, 1,n tk.
credited with being a professional mu-
sician. He became Ill at ease when the
subject of his visit to the marriage H.
cense office was broached and said
that hypnotism had caused him Il great
deal of trouble and notoricty which. he
said, he was anxious to avoid in the
future. After time, however. he con
sentcd to say little about the case.
"Somc time ago | met young wo-
man who has since manifested an un-
usual interest in me. | did not mind
this at first because she is refined and
pretty. But week or two ago | dis
covered she was in love with me and
wished to marry me. Perhaps she did
not say so in so many words, but |
interpreted what she did say and her
actions correctly, l know.
the power she had over me. foil wed
her mcrest suggestion without being
able to tell why-cxccpt that it was
hypnotism Sometimes these suggcS-
tions were spoken. sometimes not. At
any rate, | obcycd them
1t was remarked that perhaps Mr..
Putnam, because OF his previous ex-
pcricnce with hypnotists was an I'M
hn
woman was simply experimenting up
on him. Mr.. Putnam shook his head.
mo; she has an object am not 60
ing to tell you how found out it was
her intention to marry me, but it was
in Il way that leaves no doubt in my
mind as to her intentions. She has re-
solved upon it, and my trip t. the Ii
cenSe office was simply fr m own
protection. have no objections to Tie
young woman personally. but | do not
intend to marry her if | can help it,
Il know from what | have done at
her suggestion that it would be an
easy matter for her to come here some
mroning, place me in her power and
compel me to obtain a license, and
marry her. While in hypnotic state
my actions do not betray the fact to
would refuse to marry us. | know
what is going on, but am powerless to
break away from the influence VIII .ch
this young lady cXertS over me.
Il explained matters at the license
office fully, and told the man | saw
there not to give me license under
any condition whatever. | told him
that if | did apply l might plead ever
I'd fpy ha nd n M,
any reward if he would issue it, but
he must not listen to me, as would
be In hypnotic state if applied for
the paper.
"Of course, if the girl learns of this
for do not think she understands
the complete control she has over me.
she will probably try and get me under
her control and take me to some other
city for the purpose of marrying me-
For that reason have taken other pre-
cantions ct which do not care to
speak"
Mr.. Putnam refused to give the
name of the pretty young woman who
is trying to hypnotic him. and his
brother Joseph. who is employed in Il
Washington avenue wholesale house,
said he could not imagine who she
might be. In fact, he was surprised to
hear of the affair, he said. He claimed
to know Of no one whose actions m ght
lead his brother to believe she w S
trying to marry him.
Mr.. Putnam is about 80 years old.
He received considerable advertising
few years ago when hypnotist and
spirtualiSt left town rather suddenly
after interesting number of young
persons in his work. The occasion of
his departure was tragedy in which
the son Of one of the best known fam
ilies in town figured.-St. Louis Repub-