The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1900-01-26
81 .
FEAR OF HYPNOTISM
1T 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 Timely
Warning.
Lowell Putnam Is In a predicament.
He is afraid he is going to be mar
ried. He doesn't want to be married
yet he is fearful that he will awaken
some morning and find a wife among
his possessions. He believes that n
certain young woman has set her cap
for him and will carry her desire into
effect by hypnotizlng him.
! Putnam called at the marriage IL
cense office yesterday and explained
matters. partially. He did not 20 IN
to many details. but he wanted 1t thor
Oughly understood that If he called at
the Courthouse, and asked for Ii
cense TO wed 1t was to be refused. He
! said he did not want a license and if
he came for one ii would be evident
that he was under the hypnotic infiu-
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, 1i21 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 10 the floor, and scattered about
on tables and chairs were other instru-
mcntS. 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
sometimes. In the directory he is ac-
credited with being a professional mu-
sician. He became ill at ease when the
subject of his visit to the marriage IL
cense office was preached and said
that hypnotism had caused him great
deal of trouble and notoriety which, he
said. he was anxious to avoid in the
future. After a time however, he con
scented to say little about the case.
"Some time ago l met young wo-
man who has since manifested an I'M
usual interest in me. l 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 l
interpreted what she did say and her
actions correctly, know.
"Then | realized for the first time
the power she had over me. | followed
her merest suggestion without being
able to tell why-eXcept that it was
hypnotism Sometimes these sugges-
tons were spoken. sometimes not. At
any rate, | obeyed them"
1t was remarked that perhaps Mr..
Putnam, because of his previous eX-
perience with hypnotists was an I'M
USUALLY good subject, and the young
woman was simply experimenting up
on him. Mr.. Putnam shook his head.
mo; she has an object | am not go
ing to tell you how found out it was
her intention to marry me. but it was
in way that leaves no doubt in my
mind as to her intentions. She has re-
solved upon 1t, and my trip t. the H.
cense office was simply for my own
protection. | have no objections to the
young woman personally, but do not
intend to marry her If | can help it,
Il know from what l have done at
her suggestion that it would be an
easy matter for her 10 come here some
mroning. place me in her power and
compel me to obtain n license, and
marry her. While in n hypnotic state
my actions do not betray the fact to
any one, and, therefore. no preacher
would refuse TO marry us. | know
what is going on, but am powerless to
break away from the influence which
this young lady eXerts over me.
81 explained matters ut 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 | might plead ever
so hard for the license and offer him
any reward If he would issue it. but
he must not listen to me, as | would
be in n 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-
| cautions of 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 IA
| 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 might
/ lead his brother to believe she was
| trying to marry him.
Mr.. Putnam is about 80 years old.
| He received considerable advertising
few years ago when a hypnotist and
| spiritualist 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 thn hest lnnun fn m