Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1904-03-07
PROBERT T.
RECEIVED
SHOCK
BY Getting too Close
to the Brush on
the Dynamo
Claimed This Accident Caused
Mental Alteration and
Made Him lrreS-
pOnsibIe

In Arthur c. Probert, the vanished
Dayton banker mentally unbalanced?
This question is raised by a Port.
zann woman who had a slight acquaint'
ance with the man during his sojourn
an this city. The card which he then
presented, aflxed TO his name the
symbolic letters denotlng that he is q
graduate Of some medical institution,
with both the degrees OF doctor Of
medicines and doctor Of surgery, and
aieslgnates his occupation as president
and treasurer Of St. Luke's Hospital,
OF Niles, Mich. capitalized at $iOOs
900. In conversation with this woman
Probert related a narrowing expert
once OF which he claimed to have been
the victim.
Connected with the Niles Hospital
ne said. was a large electric plant
one day, while Identified with the In
stlhtlon, he was In the power plant
standing too near one OF the dynamoes
and was struck by the rapidly revolv.
ing brush OF the machine. He was
knocked to the floor and picked up
Tor dead.
Surgeons were unable to determine
whether death had actually occurred
for time, and then believed there
was still life In the pulseloss body.
For days he lay In a condition that
medical science had not defined, due
to some OF the unexplained mysteries
of electrical power. After the lapse of
several days, however. he revived and
resumed his usual duties
EleetrolysIs Of the BraInf
The suggestion of this Portland ac.
qualntanoe ~ that the electrical cur.
rent may have so affected his nervous
system as to result IN mental derange-
ment coupled with the severe physi-
cal srock of electrocutiOn.
AZ the time Probert proposed the
establishment OF a bank In Portland
ne Is said to have made his head.
quarters In an ONCE In the Dehum
bnllding. the head OF which oashed n
Chicago draft for him that was pro.
tostcdl However, the amount waa
made good In some way, other by
later collection or by Mr., Probert
himself
Educated a college man, whose con
nection with numerous enterprises
AMI contact with tho world has given
polish and ease OF manner that Is saij
by persons OF his acquaintance to b'
positively captivating. he Is mar
who could gain the confidence OF per
sons more dubious OF reposing OK
oessiye faith In men than the deposl
tors OF the Dayton bank
With the announced intention %
making the hank which he propose.
establishing In Portland oentra
financial Institution for Northwestern
miners no sought and gained member
ship In the Oregon Miners Assocla
tion To acQualntancos formed ther
ne stated that Marshall Field. OF Chi
oago; United States Senator spooney
MT Weyerhausor the lumherman
and other equally distinguished 6nan
clew would be m0mbers OF It's directo
rate aud stockholders
Lleutensnts Of Industry
The freedom OF which he handieI
about the names of prominent car
tnina OF industry was as easy as thI
representations made OF his own d
nanclal standing Incidentally Il Is al
50 related that he was something O
a spender ana Is Peputed to hay,
lavished a few hundred during
sinele evening, when the mood anl
opportunity met
hNi Ia one cherished expectation N
Was disappointed. Il Is said when ap
plioation VAS made for membership q
the Commercial Clubs splendid room
in me Chamber OF Commerce building
by local gontleman Who had been
NNANNN ~ hAN "NN"Nh AhANNNNNf an
who supposed that his standing war
ranted snch courtesy hut by a.
time his application vas made ther
had been whispered something cou
cenins she record of a past ne ,ha
closed she doors securely against him
AZ least As a member
~rhe description Published OF Pr
bert was not a good one. said g MAJ
Who knew him we'll "He q q man VII
would impress a person because O
belng upusaally dark. his hair AM
beard. nov sireaked With gray, ar
ln,ensely black where ago has no
plared lts touch. ana no has q pono
tlsilng eve black I lbinki bul q mA,