Evening star., 1922-12-17


not want to do it. He has no will. /
! made him write the letter"
A detective brought in the accom-
plice. He was a stout. clumsy fell
low, with a feshy nose and bleary
eyes, and he actually was a watch
maker.
Rafael Schermann, the little man OF
Jewish appearance who thus solved
the mystery Of the 100000 kronen
forgery in the Schottenring Bank. is
the most remarkable case of second
sight" that has come to the notice
of continental scientists in a genera
ton or two. The psychologists who
have examined him have returned the
unanimous verdict that his perform
ances are absolutely genuine. also
absolutely beyond rational explana-
| ton. These scientists are willing to
testify under oath as to his results,
but they confess they have no idea as
to how he achieves them.
n AFAEL SCHERMANN is the most
N astounding phenomenon of our
! time. He is not a handwriting eX-
pert in the accepted sense of the
term He is not scientific" he has
no system. But a persons hand
! writing seems to fire him with an un-
canny, supernatural second sight. He
seems to be able to search out with
deadly precision not only the charac-
ter of the persons whose writing he
may see, but also the unexpressed de-
sires and intentions which lie deep in
their minds.
When Schermann was in Zurich,
year or so ago, public interest was
aroused to the fever point by the
trial of a certain Frau Buchanan.
who was accused Of having poisoned
her husband. 1t was mystifying
case. Frau Buchanan was a mysti-
flying woman. The public prosecu-
tor, DR.. Brunner, asked Schermann to
pass an opinion on Frau Buchanan
handwriting. Schermann took one o!
the letters written by the woman and
read it swiftly.
This woman fears paragraphs" he
said. I'm her mind, as she wrote this.
was a dread of certain articles in the
penal code. You see here, clearly, "a
, suggestion of the mark we use /"
designate paragraphs. She IL afraid
of being arrested and punished for q
terrible crime she has committe'l.
Yes. There can be no doubt. She j.
guilty. She poisoned her husband
! DR. Brunner was hesitant and en-
barrassed.
/ II am sorry. sir he said. "That
letter l showed you was written thr,.
years ago. She was not even marriei
to Buchma IN then"
( Impossible. The woman who wro.,
/ this letter was married"
Married. yes. But to her FIRST hus-
"1s Herr Hanhardt living?"
mo. he isn't. He-I recall it now
I he died suddenly"
81 should like to meet Frau Buch-
! mann,' said the little wizard quietly.
Next day in Brunners Office Scher-
mann was introduced to the woman.
She bowed to him with perfect self
/ possession.
/ would you mind writing two sen
tences that 1 will dictate? asked
Schermann.
NO. certainly" she replied.
Schermann gave her paper and pen.
First, please write: I have poisoned
my husband She did so calmly
with perfectly steady hand. Nov,
write: L have not poisoned my hus-
band" She obeyed as before. And
sign your name"
Schermann took the paper and
studied it. Then he looked directly
at the woman.
You are the murderess. and you
will confess he said.
Frau Buchanan losts sher poise in
stantly. She sprang to her feet and
passionately denied the accusation.
Schermann bowed and left the Office.
He started that day for Vienna. On
his arrival there he found this tele-
gram: THE woman has confessed.
She poisoned both husbands"
| CCHERMANN is an insurance clerk
- by profession and was employed
as such by the Phoenix Insurance
Company OF Vienna His first case.
which established his fame as a
psychic expert of transcendentaI
power, grew out of a burglary in
leather factory. He was assigned to
| the job as loss appraiser. The
burglary was a most mysterious
affair. with apparently not a single
clue to work on. Schermann entered
the shop and looked it over. At once
he shuddered. People in the room
| were Mortified to see the whites Of
his eyes turn UP, his body convulse,
his knees tremble. He stood there
| in a trance for a few seconds; then
| he walked to the head of the firm,
who was watching from a corner.
'Mr. X" he said in a hoarse whis-
per. II know who committed the bur-
glary. Look at that young man near
the glass cabinet. He is one of your
employees. I can't tell the police, be-
cause there Is no evidence to convict
him. and II he denies the crime I'd be
liable for false prosecution. Bat
show me a piece Of his handwriting
and I'll tell you whether he will con-
fess or not
The manager was astonished and
incredulous, but he was willing to
try. He called the suspected clerk
into his Office and dictated to him a
few lines which he was to take down
in longhand. Schermann stood by
and watched the handwriting. Sud-
denly he spoke to the clerk.
You are the burglar" he said
calmly. And I know now that you
will confess. Now, come across
won't your
The young nan dropped his pen
stammered incoterently. sank into d
chair-and conf.ssed.