Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-12-07
A FREAK OF MEMORY
Hiding Place of Lost Document
Revealed in a Dream

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University, and formerly professor
at Washington and Lee University,
some years ago contributed to the
Louisiana Journal OF Education
an article under the caption, "A
Freak of Memory" The occur.
renee was narrated by Mr.. George
NJ. Harrison Of Stanton as having
taken place in his own practice,
and is given as follows by Colonel
Johnston:
"The present duty OF the psy-
chologist is to accumulate well au-
thenticated data. Amy fact which
throws light on the actual opera
tions of the faculties has it's place
and value. The short story now
given of the trial of a lawsuit in
Staunton, Va, illustrates curious
freak CT memory. Mr.. George M.
Harrison,a highly esteemed lawyer
of that town. was retained by Mr..
John Wyatt. to defend a suit
brought against him by the execu-
tor of Col. George Baylor, to
revive a Judgment. 1t seems that
Colonel Baylor had brought suit
against Mr.. Wyatt as surety of
another party and obtained a
Judgment nearly twenty years be-
fore. After Colonel Baylor's death
his executor found this judgment
among the records Of the court
and with no evidence of its hav-
ing been paid. Mr.. Wyatt assured
him that the debt had been paid,
and that Colonel Baylor, if alive.
would acquit him of it.
"Mr. Wyatt had been teller OF
the bank, and in good circumstan.
ces, but losses in the war and
other causes would now have made
this debt with interest and cost
amounting to $3.50 Or $500 in all,
an embarrassment to him. He was
a venerable man, an elder in the
Presbyterian Church, and Of un-
Improbable Integrity. His own
testimony could not be admitted
as evidence of payment, however,
and various causes rendered it i'm
probable whether he could find
any other. His papers had been
raided and scattered during the
war, a food had injured and des-
troyed Others, and lastly fire had
swept away many of the remain
der. On these grounds continuan-
ces were twice granted by the
court, and once more by the in
diligence of Colonel Baylor's exc
cutor, to enable Mr.. Wyatt to
search for and discover some evil
dence of payment. Delays having
been exhausted the case at last
came up for trial before Judge
Mclaughlin. The attorney for
the plaintiff stated his case, and
in reply Mr.Harrison, after narrat-
ing the facts as herein before
given, and stating how this matter
had weighed upon his clients
mind, added this singular MARIA
tive.
"'He said that q lew days
before his client had come to him
and told him that that morning be
had dream in which he saw in
the vault of the old bank, where
he had served many years as teller,
lying on the shelf covered with
dust an old wallet that he recog'
nized as his. He seemed TO ava
ken at this moment, sga in great
excitement went down to the bank
before breakfast, and after much
difficulty succeeded in opening the
old vault which had long been dis
used. There were the old bank
books heaped up in disarray and
covered with dust. Mr.. Wyatt
turned his attention at once TO the
shelf of his drsam-anG there to
his Amusement he fauld lying just
in the position his dream had dis
closed il, the long.lost and forget
zen wallet covered with the dust
of many years. He opened it and
found papers in it which he began
to turn over, and the third paper
he laid his hand upon was this,
said Mr.. Harrison, taking from
his pocket what proved to be the
original execution on the old tudg-
ment in favor of Colonel baylor
against Mr.. Wyatt on the back OF
which was a statement of the debt,
and the receipt Of Colonel Baylor
in full at the bottom. And now
said Mr.. Harrison, Il hold here in
nv hand that document, the evi.
dence of the payment of this debt.
By this time the bar and the au-
dience were breathless with ex-
citement. Let ME see it., exclaim-
ed the Judge, who was leaning for
ward, as he stretched forth his
hand. 1t was passed to bin. 1T
Is true, he said, the debt is paid.
Give Judgment in favor OF the
defendant.
"The good old defendant fairly
broke down before the congratula-
tions of the bar and bystanders,a!l
of whom were not only glad to see