The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-02-23
YOUNG GIRL IS AN
AUTO-HYPKOT|ST
Simple Farmers of Prince Ed.
ward Island Thought Her
Possessed By Devil
ODD SUPERNATURAL PHENOMENA
Nocturnal Fits Follow Strenuous
Objection to a Sister-in-Law-Whols
Region Hypnotized, Doctor Thinks
island Wrought Up.

Charlottetown, p. f. l. - The
French farmers Of New Zealand, q
small settlement at the extreme east
ern end of Prince Edward Island,
have been thrown into state of in.
tense nervous excitement by series
of supernatural phenomena surround
ing a young woman named Chinene.
The ignorant farmers believe the girl
is possessed of a devil, and the Rev.
Father Walker Of Rollo Bay, the par
ish priest. has been importuned to
perform the ceremony OF exorcism
once resorted to for the purpose OF
curing those possessed Of devils.
The girl is about 90 years old.
Since the death of her parents she
has been keeping house for her broth
ers. small farmers OF New Zealand.
Several months ago the eldest brother
informed his sister that he intended
to marry young woman in the neigh
borhood. Miss Chinene Immediately
burst into At OF rage and declared
that she would as soon have devil
in the family as that girl"
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 shriekins
in agony, was heard from her room.
The brother, fearing his sister was
being murdered. rushed to the girls
room, followed by other members Of
the family. When they opened the
door, they declare. they saw the young
woman floating 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 the next morning she said
she knew nothing of the occurrences.
Night after night the same perform
ance was repeated.
News Of the happenings soon leak
ed out among the farmers and these
simple people came to believe that
the girl by her sacrilegious remark
concerning her prospective sister-in-
law had given herself over to the evil
enc. The girl developed clairvoyant
powers while in What seemed like
hypnotic trance and told her visitors
how much money they had with them.
She was also able to repeat the ad-
dresses and contents Of letters in
their pockets, or at least she per-
suaded them that she could.
The local doctors were called in to
treat the girl, but they could do moth
hn aric tof-
ance was sought, but earnest prayers
seemed to be unavailing. The excite
ment in the neighborhood became so
intense that Father Walker issued a
notice to parishioners forbidding any
further visits to the home OF the
young woman.
Several physicians were finally
summoned from this city for consulta-
tion. Among them was DR.. Peter Con.
roy, chief of staff at the Charlottetown
Hospital DR.. Conroy declares that
there is nothing in the case which
cannot be explained by science. His
theory is that the young woman is an
auto-hypnotist with "obsessive inhu.
ences."
He also advances the theory that
by involuntary hypnotism she creates
delusions in the minds OF those around
her
All efforts to relieve Miss Chinene
having been unavailing, her health
has given way under the strain and
she was brought to the FslconeT Hos
pital for the Insane in this city. Medi-
ical attention will there be given her
with a view to Kidding her OF the
strange conditions which have been
affecting her.