Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-06-08
GIRL HYPNOTIZED
Prof. Franz Zedeler Cast Spell
Over Florence FrIestat, Her
Mother Declares.
IS BENT ON MARRYING HER
Induces Her to Run Away From
Home and Join Him at
Dubuque.

That Prof. Franz Zedeler. the violin
list, exercised hypnotic influence over
her daughter Florence and caused her
to run away from her home and join
him at Dubuque Is the belief Of Mrs.
Frank w Friestat. 25O3 Eighth ave
nue.. Mrs. Friestat and Florence ar
rived home from Dubuque, where Ze-
deler and the girl were arrested after
they had made an unsuccessful at
tempt To procure marriage license.
Zedeler was released. there being no
criminal charge on which he could be
prose cuted.
FLORENCE seemingly was under a
spell during the greater part of the
winter and spring" said Mrs. Friestat
today. she is only u girl. not Vet Is.
and the fact that Zedeler was her
teacher brought him in contact with
her often enough to impress her with
his devotion for her. ] have learned
that he had employed two women
spiritualists and a man hypnotist in
Rock Island and Davenport, to whom
he sent Florence. in his cndcavor to
induce her to run away from home
and marry him. He had been in Du-
huque since last Thursday. The plan
was for Florence to leave here the
day following.
Leaves In Her Old Clothes.
she made two attempts to run away
before she succeeded finally. She left
Saturday. after assisting in the house
work, and took only her old clothes.
/edclerwaS stoppingat nice boarding
house in Dubuque and had engaged
quarters for Florence. The woman in
charge of the place told me that in
stantly She realized that there was
something wrong. and she took Flor
encc under her care, and advised her
/edcler did not mean the girl any
harm. Undoubtedly he is in love with
her, and is anxious to make her his
wife. But beth my husband and |
are determined it shall not be, at any
rate as long as Florence is under age
OF course, when she reaches her 18th
wear. and still wishes to marry her
teacher. we will be helpless to prevent
her from doing 50. | am satisfied.
however. when she remains away from
him for Il time She viii walcn to the
folly of one If her tender years marry
ing man nearly twice her age.
Romance Begins In School
There has been a great deal of
scandalous gossip involving my daugh-
ter. and | am glad Of the opportunity
of telling the whole story. As you al
ready know. Florence was violin pu-
pill at Augustaua college of Zcdclcr.
1. 8,
divorce from him in Chicago on the
grounds of adultery. The suit was
based on his relations. not with my
daughter. hut with woman in Kan
Sas. Mrs ZcdeIer was given the Gus
tody of the two children. When the
family broke up ZedeIer was taken in
as boarder at our house. All the
while. as | now see, he was seeking to
win the love of FlCrence. He proposed
Il concert tour for himself and my son
and daughter. When the plans were
all completed / informed him ! would
accompany Florence on the trip. He
objected and the tour was abandoned.
Refused Girls Hand in Marriage.
Later he asked permission to mar
~ Florence and he was refused. Fin
ally he was told it would better suit
Us if he would find a boarding place
elsewhere. He carried on terribly over
this, and we were not surprised when
we found the girl had run away to
meet him in another city
ZcdeIer has a wide reputation as a
yiolinist. He has been dismissed from
the faculty of Augustana conserva-
tory by the board Of directors.