The Washington herald., 1910-01-31
NEIGHBORS IN AWE
OF GIRL IN TRANCE
Ignorant Farmers Believe
Woman Is BeWitched.
HER REMARK SACRILEGIOUS
4 Settlement of French Canadians
Thrown Into State OF Intense Ex-
HOuse-Physicians Call 1t Case of
O-hypnOtism-THke To Asylum.

CharlottetOwn, Prince Edward Island,
Jan. 20-Tne French farmers OF New Zea-
land. a small settlement at the extreme
eastern end Of Prince Edward Island,
have been thrown into state Of intense
nervous excitement by a series Of super
natural phenomena surrounding young
woman named Chinene.
The ignorant farmers believe the girl
possessed Of a devil. and Rev. Father
Walker, Of ROllO Bay. the parish priest.
has been Importuned TO perform the cere-
mony of exorcism.
The Chlnene girl is about twenty years
old. Since the death OF her parents she
has been keeping house for her brothers.
farmers Of New Zealand. Several months
ago the eldest brother Informed his sister
that he intended 10 marry young woman
in the neighborhood. Miss Chinene. on
hearing the announcement. burst into
ft Of rage, and declared that she would
as soon have a devil in the family as that
girl"
Girl Heard ShricIkinE.
That night the household was aroused
by loud noises, which seemed TO come
from all parts of the house Then the
voice Of the girl shrieking in agony, was
heard from her room. The brother rushed
to the girls room. followed by other
members Of the family.
When they opened the door. they de-
clare they saw the young woman float
ing in the air several feet above her
bed She was talking incoherently, and
in language much different from that
used by her in ordinary conversation.
The girl finally sank back on her bed
and fell into a natural sleep. When she
awoke next morning she knew nothing
of the occurrence. Night after night the
same performance was repeated.
News of the happening leaked out
among the farmers. and they came to
believe that the girl, by her sacrilegious
remark concerning her prospective sister
in-law, had given herself over to the evil
one
The girl developed ClairvOyant powers.
and while In what seemed a hypnotic
trance she told her visitors how much
money they had with them. She was
also able to repeat the addresses and
contents Of letters in their pockets.
Unable to Aid Her.
Local doctors were called in to treat
the girl, but could do nothing. Next the
parish priests assistance was sought. but
earnest prayers seemed to be unavailing
Meanwhile, the excitement IN the neigh
borhoOd became so serious that Father
Walker issued a notice to parishioners
forbidding any further visits to the home
of the young woman.
Several physicians were summoned from
this city for consultation. Among them
was DR.. Peter Conroy, chief of STAFF of
the Charlottetown Hospital Mr.. Conrov
declares that in the Chinene girls case
nothing has happened which cannot be
explained by science. His personal
theory is that the young woman is an
autO-hypnotist with "obsessive infiu-
ences."
He also advanced the theory that by
involuntary hypnotism Miss Chinene Gre
ates delusions in the minds Of those
around her.
All efforts TO relieve Miss Chinene have
been unavailing. Her health has given
away under the strain, and she was
brought last week to the FaIconer Hos
pital for the Insane IN this city