The representative., 1901-06-06
HYPN0THm At RICHMOND
A Man Possessed OF the Art Suddenly
Loses His Power.

Loses His Power.
J. G. Dickerson had an experience few
days ago at Richmond, w. Va. with hypno-
tism that will in future deter him from ever
again placing himself In the hands of any
one that is credited with the possession OF
the dread power. The manipulation was r.
E. Acree, Jr.. and the experiment was made
in the grocery store kept by Samuel Kau-
feldt
Acree Is q young man, not more than %
or % years old. of rather slender build,
OF earnest and pleasant address, and is what
the women folks would call decidedly good
looking. The most striking feature about
him Is his wonderful dark brown eyes, The
general expression is soft and pleasing.
but at times, when discussing the subject
Of hypnotism, they light UP with an earn
estness that leaves little doubt Of their
strange power.
According to his own story he has made
no study Of the subject, beyond experiment.
I Ing with his friends and acquaintances and
in talking to a representative of the Wash
tngton Times today he said that the knowl-
edge OF his power was revealed to him
only about three months ago. He had seen
some experiments made in an amateur way
and he became convinced that he was pos
sessed of the power, and induced a young
lady friend to subject herself to the ex-
pertinent. He had not the slightest diff
Guilty. he says, in placing her completely
under the influence. and since then he has
practiced on great many subjects, as yet
meeting none who have been able to resist
It.
Among his friends and acquaintances his
strange power has become an interesting
topic, but among them was one who was
extremely skeptical. This was Samuel Kau-
feldt and having expressed the opinion
that the results obtained by Acree were due
to tricke7y, the hypnotist determined to
convince him.
Herman Crosby had frequently been sub
jected to the influence and apparently was
none the worse for It, but when they went
to Kaufeldt's store they found that unless
stranger was chosen as a subject the
grocer's skepticism could not be removed.
Young Dickerson, who lives on Marshall
street. close by, was in the store at the
time, and he volunteered to become the sub
ject, at the same time declaring that he did
not believe that anyone could obtain the
mastery over hisl will power to the extent
claimed by Acrees
He proved an easy subject. A few passes
with his hands. .the concentration of his
glowing brown orbs on those of Dickerson,
and the latter became as child In Acrees
! hands, doing just as he was told and re-
spending to the slightest suggestion of the
hypnotist. Acres had been manipulating
with Dickerson only a short time when.
strange thing happened. Herman Crosby
had been standing among the SPECTATORS
apparently fascinated with the movements
of Acree Suddenly he was seen to close
his eyes, draw a long breath and drop into
hot ASa A<o~ ~,
had succumbed to the wierd influence, and
this is the more mysterious in that Acree
devoting his entire time sto Dickerson had
never given the slightest thought to his
former subject. Fearing that some harm
might befall Crosby II left to himself,
Acree turned his attention to arousing him,
for the moment forgetting Dickerson.
The result was surprising. Dickerson
rose from the chair on which he had been
seated, and with his eyes wide open, he
stalked across the store as II he was walking
in his sleep. His eyes, while open, had the
sightless appearance noticeable in a SOM
nambulist. He asked for water and it was
given him. but he spat 1t out after tasting 1t
and declaring it was bitter became angry,
and when one OF his friends took hold of
him to lead him back to the chair he flung
him clear across the room with as little
effort as he would have used in throwing
paperweight.
Meanwhile, the youthful hypnoist had
succeeded in bringing Crosby around and he
again turned his attention to Dickerson.
He was frightened to discover, however,
that he had lost control of him and that
Dickerson would not respond to his sugges-
tions. He was becoming unruly. Just at
this time Policemen Hughes and Kuhn, Of
the First district station, happened along
and they were made acquainted with the
condition Of affairs by the now thoroughly
frightened young men. Acree. too. was
alarmed, although perhaps less SO than
any of the Others Policeman Hughes came
into the store. and with the assistance OF
several Of the young men succeeded in over
powering Dickerson, who by this time had
become unmanageable.
AS soon as the officers and the spectators
had succeeded in overpowering young Dick
crson Acree went to work on him again
and while for long and anxious time 1t
looked as IL his efforts would be unsuccess-
full, Dickerson at length became quieter and
finally dropped of into an apparent slumber,
when in response to the suggestion OF
the hypnotist he came back to his normal
candition. He was entirely ignorant OF what
had taken place, and, for that matter, is
today.
He Is engaged In the harness business
with his father at 1909 East Franklin street,
and when seen today declined to talk about
the matter and evidenced that the subject
was particularly disagreeable to him.
Acree is employed as a shipping clerk by,
the furniture house of Ryan, Smith & Tai
man, and when seen at the warehouse this
morning he evinced no disinclination to talk
en- the subject. He said that he did not
consider that his experiments were attended
with the possibilities of any dangerous con-
sequences, and in explaining the experience
with Dickerson, he said that had his atten-
tion not been distracted by the condition
of Crosby, causing him for the time being
to remove his inIluence from Dickerson, the
experiment weMld have been Just as success
full as any he had ever made In reply to q
question as toswhat use he intended devot
ing the strange spower that he seemed to
possess, he saidihe believed that he could
utilize it in the cure of young men VINO
were addicted to vicious habits, such as
drinking and ct9aret smoking. He said that
the thought ofrn1aking money out Of 1t had
never occurred 10 him and that the only
use to which Ah ever intended to put his
powers would betentirely philanthropic.
Hse ShGDcking Mistake.
Two brotheJt had the habit Of calling on
the same SosAk Side girl. One Of the
brothers, Geof&e was to take part in some
private theats6cAas and the girl had prom
ised to fix up ia shirt and a pair of shoes
for his costunnen The articles were to be
delivered to her on a certain evening.
Frank, the second brother. took 1t into
| his head to call on the girl that same even
/; ing. Frank knew nothing Of the arrange
ments George had made with her to help
him with his costume. He rang the bell
| asked the maid to tell the girl that Mr..
Allen had called, and sat down In the par
| lor.
The maid went upstairs and presently
returned, trying hard not to smile