The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-01
HYPNoTIsM BY TELEPHONE.
A Remarkable Experiment Reported
From Houston, Texas.

HOUSTON, Tex. March 31.-Hypnotlsm
by long distance telephone has been sue
cessfulIy tried between this place and
| Beaumont. distance of eighty-five miles.
! Prof. Lawrence II. Kenner made the ex-
pertinent, and the two subjects. immedi-
ately he spoke TO them over the phone.
| dropped into an absolute condition Of
| syncope. The tests are vouched for by
reputable physicians and citizens.
Prof. Kenner has contended that he was
able to h, pnotize subject at a distance.
| Notwithstanding the fact that his voice.
which is supposed to control the action
| OF the subject. would sound different
| over the telephone Prof. kenner was to
have been summoned as a witness in the
| Patrick Rice trial in New York City to
demonstrate that by hypnotic suggestion
| he could force the signature of a person
to any instrument. The confession of
! Valet Jones obviated the necessity Of his
presence.
Prof. Kenner left Houston on the a.
M train for Beaumont, accompanied by
two reputable citizens. who were to see
| that he did not communicate with the
| subjects. During the day the telephone
company placed two Instruments in
room at the fremont Hotel, and at $50
u II.
clans and twenty spectators assembled
to witness the test.
Shortly before o'clock several citizens
talked with friends in Beaumont and at
500 o'clock Prof. Kenner called up and
asked that the subjects be sent into the
room.
Walker and Gobel, the two subjects.
put the phone to their ears. They lis
tened attentively for a moment, and with
in three minutes fell over insensible. They
were placed on cots and the physicians
made an examination OF their conditions.
The pulses as taken by Drs. Ehrenwerth
and Boyd were as follows:
At G:0S o'clock Gobel's pulse was Id.
Walkers 130 At sos O'Clock Gobel's show
ed 156 and Walkers 40. By o'clock Co
bells pulse was 90 and Walkers 81.
The men were apparently enjoying a
calm sleep. The physicians used every
possible means to restore the men to
consciousness. They We're stood on their
head. cold water dashed upon them.
spirits of ammonia held under their nos
trils, and a hatpin was stuck through the
lip of Walker, but without effect.
The Southern Pacific Railroad officials
to aid the experiment stopped their eX-
press train at Beaumont, and at $50
o'clock Prof. kenner started back to
Houston. He reached there at S:l5 o'clock
and went to the room where his subjects
were.
Are you satisfed?" he asked of the
physicians.
When assured that they regarded his
experiment as a complete success he
snapped his fingers and said. Come,
boys. wake up
With a start both subjects opened their
eyes and gaZed at the crowd surrounding
them. They said they felt no i'll effects
from their unnatural sleep.
one of the peculiar features of the eX-
pertinent was that when DR.. Boyd stuck
hp through
while he was under hypnotic influence no
blood came from the wound, nor was
there any sign of where the pin had en-
tered the flesh.
Prof Kenner has given many exhibit
tons here, and his standing is vouched
for by the leading citizens OF the place
DIR. Ehrenwerth. who made an unsuc-
cesSful effort to arouse the subjects while F..
they Were in a hypnotic trance during
the experiment. said: Il took particular (
note of the fact that the pupils In the Z
eyes of both subjects were abnormally .
dilated. and, further, that no matter .
which position the head was placed in, .
the ball Of the eye remained IN exactly .
the same position, nioFIuE neither to the D.
right of the eye nor to the left. The whole
body felt clammy. in fact. much like .
that Of corpse Immediately after death.
| must confess that | was a tribe skep-
teal regarding Prof. Kenner's ability TO
hypnotic over the telephone. but | am
willing To admit now. after seeing with
my own eyes. that 1 am thoroughly con-
WINGED of kenucrs unusual power. An
other thing which | noticed was that the
hatpin stuck through the lip of Walker
left no mark whatever, and not a drop OF |
blood issued when the pin was withdrawn.
The phenomenon | cannot account for /
Taking Prof Kenner's experiment all in |
all. | consider it most remarkable ac-
The other physicians who were present
-Drs. Boyd, Beatty. Archer Hodges.
Smith. and Larendon-are among the best
known professional men of Houston.
They admit the success of the tests.
Prof. kenner had not seen the subjects |
upon whom he experimental for more |
han thirty-siX hours previous to the test,
and they had been at their places OF
Dusiness-at work-for more than ten
hours before being hypnotlzed.