New-York tribune., 1903-04-08
APPEAL FOR MISS MoLLIE FANcHER.
The Remarkable Sufferer in Brooklyn Lacks
Adequate Support.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: The truth erunciated in Cowper'S familiar
line.
God moves in A mysterious way
has never been strfkingly Illustrated than by
the nfe history of Miss MoIlie Fancher. For near
ly forty years she has been bedridden at her
home. in Brooklyn. the result OF injuries to her
spine. sustained when a schoolgirl. FIRST by being
thrown from a horse and subsequently, BY fall
ing when leaving streetcar. and being dragged
along the road for a considerable distance before
she could be rescued
These accidents were not remarkable m them
selves. but the resulting symptoms of spiral and
brain diseases have been most extraordinary and
phenomenal Many OF your readers douDtioss
acquainted with the wonderful subSegueut Develop
ment Of her case. il has been rehearsed fire.
quently In the press of greater Nevy-Y Ork and
bSen made the subject Of an elaborate monograph
by Judge Daily. Of Brooklyn. who for years was
personally cognizant Of the pheuomen1 no de-
scribed- Often he watched by her bedside as the
unfortunate passed. by commissions from
one state OF consciousness TO another. tn each Gf
which she seemed to have entered upon a new
phase Of existence. and during the continuance OF
which she would be entirely obivious of having
experienced any Of the others After evening
of such suffering she would return to her usual
condition
Miss Fancher was. at one period Of her illness.
clairvoyant whose powers not only equaned but
exceeded those OF many who profess TO enjoy this
peculiar clearnesS Of vision and make living By
their profession Although then able TO duplicate
many OF the feats of professional mediums" she
had not the slightest belief in SpirtuaIsm and Is
said have incurred the enrnity OF members OF
that sect on this account She had a strong dis
like for making display of these abnormal phe-
nomena. and steadfastIy refused enter upon the
path her Spirtualist advisers would have her tread.
While many OF these symptoms have now passed
away, Miss Fancher still remains the patient vic
tim OF physical ills that would have driven many
with less well balanced minds and with less faith
in the goodness and wisdom of the Father of All
to suicide or into an insane asylum
Miss Fancher is exceptionally brave. a woman OF
great common sense and a strong will. possessing
an amount of endurance that is simply astound-
ing A visitor to her sckroom will have many Of
his ideas regarding fnvaIds overthrow Instead
Of an emaciated. sufferer. with her physical
the patient plump in face and figure. bright and
Miss Fancher is now passing on from middle life
who. thanks to happier lot. have never expert
enced them, would be appalling. Fortunately.
though at present sightless she is enabled TO sew
read and write through mysterious process
that she cannot herself explain In spite OF this.
and the other few aIeviatiCns OF her lot that are
hers. the Angel Of Death would be a welcome
while she has outIived all her immediate relatives
and many Of her friends. Among the former may
latter. for many years. was her housekeeper and
personal attendant When she passed away her
merchant in whose business Miss Fancher had
small interest and who passed at her side every
hour that he could possibly snatch from other and
necessary occupations. About year ago he too.
entered the spirit world. and his loss seemed to
affect his invalid friend far powerfully than
any merely physical pang that she had been called
During the last winter the scarcity Of coal added
to Miss Fancher's burden. as, liz consequence of
her inability to procure any. she caught cold was
troubled with the grip and kindred maladies.
The object of the writer of this COmmur iCat1On
is to call renewed attention to Miss FancherS
Many who have read her story in years gone BY
and the matter has thus faded frcm their minds
Unfortunately. this poor sufferer is still very much
alive, and under conditions heartrendng
ever. Some OF her symptoms have changed. but
the disease remains as IL ever has been, the de-
spair OF the medical fraternity
/ am writing without her knowledge, but can
say the best authority that she is Indifferent to
the ObOlus of the casual visitor who may be in
spired by mOiety of real sympathy. but whom a
morbid curiosity has been mainly instrumental in
drawing to her bedside
What Miss Fancher needs at present Is not the
inefficient efforts OF SpasmOdic charity, but have
instituted in her behalf systematic movement
that shall result in th1 collection OF lump sum.
the interest which will give her comfortable
income during the remainder of her painful life.
other aTTar cement made by which she Will be
able to pay of the mortgage on her house, ana
effectuafly keep the wolf from the door Whether
this needed amount shall be raised by the general
public or contributed by a few and women
Of wealth. willing to make thank Offering Tor
their freedom from the physical ills by when Miss
Fancher is afflicted. is now be decided.
In nv opinion those who may be interested IN
the cannot do better than communicate with
Thomas 5. Townsend, of No 2t West Fifty-Ssc-
ond-st., the creator of THE Townsend Library Of
the Civil War" now owned by Columbia Cniver-
sity Mr. Townsend is OF Miss Faucher'S old
est and most devoted friends and his knOwiedSe
of the facts would make his advice valuable
j. HENRY HAGER
Livingston. Staten Island April Z. 1903