The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-01-14
CLAIMS he WAS
1 HYPNOTIzED.
Palmer Says wife Had Strange
Influence Over Hin.
IN AFOG WHEN ne WAS WED.
Mrs. Palmer Says All lsw Is Sort Of
hypnuilsm Her Power No Greater Than
That Of 0ihsT Women.

Chicago, Jan. 1.-THE strangely unus-
ual grounds N. c. Palmer gives the Cali
ifornia courts for granting him a divorce
from his young wife are largely to tho
effect that she has Hypnotic spell"
over him and that under the influence of
il he married her. to his subsequent
grief.
Mrs. Palmer has left Oakland. Cal. her
home. pending the settlement OF the case
and is now in Chicago She was former
ly Mrs. Fannie Stockton. member of tho
First Congregations church. But II was
said that she cast a spell over the Rev.
c. o. Brown. the pastor. So she was ex-
PEELED from that church.
She is still young. she dresses richly,
and is a charming conversationalist. Her
convincing manner leads many to believe
that she is a much-abused woman. She
says her husband talks absurd nonsense
in accusing her OF hypnotzing him. un-
less love may he considered hypnotic
state.
And most persans of mature years and
wide experience believe love is at least a
madness that makes men and women
rather irresponsible" she says
SHE CALLS UPON HIM.
N. c. Palmer went TO California from
New York In 1896, TO so into business A
friend introduced him 10 Mrs Fanny
Stockton. They became good friends. but
he did not see very much of her He
store and stayed half hour talking to
him. AS the weeks passed those calls
became frequent.
Palmer says he felt that the woman
was gaining some strange" influence
over him lie felt an inexplicable desire
10 please her But Whatever The spell
was, IL required FIVE months for the So
called sorceress TO be able to lead her
victim to the marriage altar. ais is
Palmers story OF that event:
Five months after locating in Oakland
/ was sitting I'm my Office one afternoon
| when Mrs. Stockton and another woman
| who lived I'm Oakland entered. After a
| cordial greeting Mrs. Stockton said 10 me,
| with easy assurance:
| You and 1 are to be married today
"Within an hour from this strange visit
| / had been married To Mrs Stockton be-
! hypnotic fog during the ceremony. re-
| member participating in II mechanically,
| but cannot recall the Incidents any more
| graphically than man can remember
| the details OF nightmare
II was informed afterward by an ac-
| quaintance that the justice and others
| in the room had remarked my lethareic
condition and commented upon its
! strangeness."
HYPNOTIC FOG CONTINUES.
The young widow had forgotten to pro-
vide herself with wedding ring, but tho
| ceremony was performed without the gold
| symbol, and the party went 20 a restau-
rant TO rartake of an impromptu bridal
supper. Palmer declares that he must
/ have been like a skeleton at this feast for
he was still in the hypnotic fog.
After the supper the bride and her
| companion went to San Francisco. The
! bridegroom began then to realize that he
| had taken n serious step
| lie resolved TO make the best of the
| situation, however, and provided a home
| in Oakland. The bride found the small
city too dull, and she made frequent
visits TO San Francisco, often staying
| several days at time. She spent money
| lavishly and dressed extravagantly, Pal
| mer says.
Palmer declares that his wife continued
/ TO cast over him the terrible spell that
had made II impossible 20 free himself
| from her. lie says she told him she was
| born with hypnotic power and that she
| had learned 10 use 1t to her own best ad-
vantage. Born poor she went into .
| printing office TO learn 10 set type.
I In her work She happoned % meet
| young Stockton, musician. composer
Of great promise, and the possessor OF q
| considerable income She married him.
| and It is said she ruled him completely
| for several years.
! Then, Palmer declares. she weakened
Stockton's will. and made him so unhap-
py that he began 90 drink He lost oil his
money. and his wife obtained divorce
from him short time before she fig
| ured I'm the church sensation.