The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1912-07-31
AMAZING TRANCE fEATS
BY COUNTRY GIRL ARE
DEEP PUZZLE TO EXPERTS
Sings Songs She Never Learned
and Sees Happenings Hun
dreds of Miles Away.
ALSO REVEALS SECRETS
Twenty-Year-Old Bessie Stew
art Composes Music, But She
is Not Musician.
dreds of Miles Away.
ALSO REVEALS SECRETS
BY WILLIAM A. FEATHER.

WELLSNlLLE, MO, July -
came several hundred miles 10 talk
TO an unassuming little country girl
and find out whether the marvellous
stories told of her are true. For II
they are. she is probably the most
wonderful girl in America. And
this is what discovered
Bessie Stewart sees in the dark as
we'll as in the light.
She dances as gra, efully as
Genee, though she has never prac-
ticed dancing.
She delivers lectures and recites
poems that she has merely heard or
read
She composes excellent music,
though she has only the rudimcnts
of a musical education.
She sings songs that she has never
learned.
She tells her friends the secret of
records Of their lives.
She describes events taking place
hundreds of miles away
Miss Bessie is the 20-year-old
daughter OF Charles Stewart, farm
er living five miles southwest of this
village These strange things are
done while she is in state of trance
which physicians are unable To eX-
plain. During the past year she has
often fallen into thts-sta.e, rema n
ing in IL from two days 20 a week.
She seems transformed into another
person-in fact, she acts the part
OF several persons
She thinks herself man at
times" said her father "She takes
long steps, deepens her voice, affects
mannish airs, smokes and swedrs
She will fill my pipe with tobacco,
strike a match and puff away with
entire unconcern.
Her last serious attack came at
the time Of the Titanic disaster. She
was depressed by the horror. was
astounded one evening to hear her
singing an improvsed dirge and
playing a perfect accompaniment on
the organ
She declared one evening she was
going to ball She dressed herself
In party gown, came into the par
Tor, took off her opera cloak, held
out her arms to an imaginary part
ner and waltzed about with absolute
grace.
One night she recited Bob Tay-
lor's lecture, Castles in Air., with
out missing a single word. When
she recovered from her trance she
knew scarcely a single line Of 1t.
"A neighbor died one night. She
told us about IL before the news was
brought TO the house
Time and again she has read the
newspapers and magazines outdoors
in the evening, often aloud, when |
could not see my hand six inches in
front Of my face. We have watched
her reading b ylamplight and have
urned of the light but she has con
inued to turn the pages of her book
Il regular intervals"
Bessie is a tall slender girl. with
brown hair, a high white forehead
md touch of pink i'm her cheeks. |
'he looks strong and healthy. Her
RANGES do not seem to have affected
Ter general health She feels no bad |
fleets from smoking.
She became III through over-work |
" AL hoN nv W., npl mai SCHOOL,
where she attended classes 19O9-1O. |
he then left home TO teach in Waco. |
'ex
On her return she began to reveal |
hese strange powers.
DR.. T. Fl Hughes. nerve SPECIALIST
( st. Louis, Mo. says her brain is
ormal but that her nervous system
) disordered. He attributes the |
rouble to mental overwork. Tie |
ase was recently discussed at Mis-
ouri physicians institute at Kansas
ity. Or. r. II. Winars, OF Mexico. |
To-, who had attended her, read a
aper on her case.
only clairvoy ancy, an unexplain- !
bic phenomenon. can make her acts
ossible." DR. Winans told me
by clairvoyancy is meant ability
D see things not disco 'nable by thc
enses."
Normally she is a quiet, sensitive
irl who talks little, does not know
ow to dance. can play the organ
My slightly and sings fairly well.