Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1920-01-16
VICTIM OF APHASIA
WOOS ART, STARS,
LAW AND MEDICINE

LAW AND MEDICINE
MYSTERY MAN ASTOUND SCIEN.
FISTS WITH PkOfOU UND
KNOWLEDGE.
Professor K" Dimiy Recalls Oxford
--Belieted to Have Come from
Mississippi.
Fragments Of memory intermittent
ly revived through conversations with
men Of letters, are revealing in the
forlorn person Of man believed to be
o graduate Of Oxford University, one
Of the strsngest cases of aphasia that
has come to the attention of medical
men in this section, says the Philadel-
phia Public Ledger. The victim is
now being harbored by the pev. T. J..
Benzelef, rector Of St. Andrews Epis-
copal Church, Lambrtville' N. J.
The victim Of the peculiar malady--
q man about sixty years old and bear
ing every evidence Of refinement-has
revealed an astonishing knowledge Of
medicine. law. astronomy. architecture
and kindred subjects. He is an ac-
conaplished musiiian and has on sew
eral occasions played the organ for
services conducted by his host.
The man Of mystery. who has been
dubbed Professor x" by residence of
the little community where he is be-
ing sheltered was found destitute at
AMoore's station three miles from Lam
bertville Dectmber I'd. His clothing,
Of good quality was threadbare and
his appearance disheveled.
helitveing him to be an ordinary
tramp, Mayor Theodore Balderson, of
Lambertville, to whom he was taken,
provided him with lodging in the city
Jail. That night the stranger drew a
picture Of building which resembled
the New Jersey insane asylum at
Trenton 10 closely that inquiry was
made at the institution to ascertain
whether he had escaped from there.
He had not.
Thstsday Mayor Balderson gave the
scitys Euest cAffArc 70 Trenton, for
which place he departed. But the
Trcnton pplies, By whom he was pick
ed ap shortly itter his arrival, on
hearing the lAsrS story sent him back
to IApltsttyille. he returned to the
jail and xeeil eyked Ter lodgings.
The fpg&NjAg day he Waa visited
4 m illie Hatch ~ Lewis. G.
q y = 28a31R him. IA
1 ti66 Nete xStounded by Els
kH0Mfedge of medicine and surgery
They realized ct once that their
strange patient was no ordinary
tramp.
URsble to Fix His Identity.
Although unable to fix his identity
or to recall any incident Of his past,
the man Of mistery talked with facile
ease on any subject pertaining to the
arts and sciences. He was visited by
physicians, lawyers and clergymen, all
Of whom departed, impressed with the
profundity Of his knowledge.
Attracted to the mysterious man the
Rev. Mr.. Benzeley invited him to live
in the pastorate where he has made,
his home since the latter par tot De-
cember. With the passage Of time and
the opportunity Of converse or sub
jects with which he was familiar the
claoud that obscures his memory has
been partially dispelled and he has re-
counted vagrant recollections that
have assisted in establishing the cir
cumstances Of his past. Doctor Rem
zeley said last night Of his mysterious
guests:
He has described Magdalene Col
lege at Oxford in conversation with
me so vividly and minutely that ! am
convinced there is no doubt he has
spent an extended period at that IA
nous English institution Of learning.
He could not recall what building he
was describing but the perturbation
rang so true that feel sure his i'm
preston could not have been gathered
from any casual visit.
Hes . Musician, loo
"He has told physicians here things
they had forgotten. His knowledge
Of medicine, surgery and research
work is espevially profound ,and he
appears thoroughly conversant with
any subject pertaining to the arts,
sciences or thelogy. Besides he is a
consummate, musician.
HE appears to have dim recol-
lection Of Mississippi and intermit-
tently recalls in q vaSue way a form
er association with Professor Huxley,
the great English scientist. From
these revelations l have developed a
that he is possibly Of Mississippi. birth
and was ducated at Oxford. In this
belief Isfhave written to DR.. Mercer
Green, co-adjutor bishop of Mississ-
ippi, requesting that An effort be made
there to aid in establishing his iden-
tity.
Improves in Health.
Since taking UP his residence with
the minister, the mental cloud that
withholds recollection has. not only
ben riven in places, but notable i'm
provement has been marked in his
physical condition.
professor X" is a man of distin-
guished appearance. The tattered
beard that enmeshed his featurs when
he was found wandering near tho sta
ton has given place to an inimarulu .e I
pointed Van Dyke. He is slight in
stature. about FIVE feet, six inches tall
and weighs about l35 ponds.
Seahd IN the parlor Of the rectory
Ia8 tlkht. LIE inysts gus character
talked tyefiy with A reporter for tbs
PHRlic IHdear MtD WhFned by Pr,