Year: 1879

9po' oy eAe sOluleTS, anu MS 'OrQefS were
promptly obeyed.


STRANGE IF TRUE.
! Doctor has a Remarkable Mental Vision
The Murderer and his Victim. -,


The San Francisco Ch1i.o,n,,iele publishes
an interview with noted physician OF
that city who is the possessor of a pccu.
liar order of mental power, in which he
relates the following experience:


1T was in the fall of 1851, in the days
Of primitive morality and laxar Justice II
San Francisco. had been but a few
months in the city and had become mod
erately established in my practice. Ear.
ly one morning I was called to attend a
man who had: attained some prominence
as speculator and operator in real estate.
He had been discovered lying On the floor
OF his lodgings in a dying con dition from
half dozen knife wounds, the horrible
instrument of his death still remaining
where it had last been thrust into his
body to the hilt, penetrating through the
right lung. There was evidence of a
desperate struggle having occurred be-
lore the unfortunate man yielded to his
fate. He was entirely unconscious in the
spasmodic gasp Of death, and he hrcathed
his last in very few moments after
reached the spot. As his last breath
went out became conscious, Of new
and mysterious presence, and my m1nu
seemed to pass under the control of a
superior mental power. yielded pas
slve obedience to the influence, and i'm
medlately the scene of a death struggle
passed before my mental view. 1t seem
ed for an instant as if was myself en-
deavorlng to ward off a murdcrous at
tack. With one hand my assailant held
a suffocating grip upon my throat, while,
with the other, he plunged the deadly
knife again and a again into my body. I
saw his clenched teeth, and his fierce,
cruel eyes cleaning into mine with the
malignity Of demon. Such were the
force and horror Of the impression that
staggered and fell, as if in a faint. The
bystanders, who were injured toasanguin-
ary scenes, supposed that had been
overcome by the spectacle of the murder
ell man, and their comments were ANY,
thing but complimentary to my nerve
and experience as IL physician. But the
cool and careful manner in which I sub
sequently performed the autopsy dissi-
pated what might have been a fatal sus-
plcion cast upon my professional capaci-
ty. found the marks of clenched fin
gers upon the throat of the murdered
man. knew that I had bchcld and cx-
pcricnccd the insidents of his death
struggle precisely as they were impress
ed upon my own mind. The stout, bur
ly man OF my vision, full whiskcred,
with a red shirt, slouched hat, and a
black kercl'ief tied loosely about his
neck, and that fierce, liendish glow Of
countenance, I could never forget. But
did not recognize the man, and in those
days suspicion was not safe, based even
upon better foundation than the pretcn-
sions OF a soothsayer. did not care 10
hazard either my life or my professional
reputation in IL manner that could ac-
complish no good purpose.


"Years after the occurrence, in the
early part Of the COS, l was returning
from trip to the East, when l met a
gentleman on the steamer on the way up
from Panama. He came aboard at one
OF the Mexican ports, accompanied by
one Or two Others. Acquaintances were
speedily made, and the usual socially on
shipboard was cultivated. One evening
we were seated at a game of whist, and
the gentleman l specially refer to had
taken hand as my partner. I was lead
ing out suit. and incidentally looked
across the table to catch an inspiration
from the countenancc Of my partner. In
stantly a spell came upon me- The fca-
lures Of the gentleman assumed malig-
nant expression; his full gray beard was
restored to a sable hue; he had on a
slouch hat, black handkerchief, a red
shirt-lt was the horrible incarnation of
my vision, standing beside the murdered
man. The shock overcame me, and
reeled limp and helpless from my chair.
A glass OF water revived me. And a
disposition to sudden attacks of
vertigo was the explanation I gave to
the sympathizing group. The following
morning the gentleman approached me
while leaning upon the rail and accostcd
me with cordial salution. Have we
not met before?' he inquired. Just as
you were taken i'll last evening l seemed
to catch sudden glimpse of familiarity
IN your countcnance.' Il do not know I
replied; were you in San Francisco in
'51? 'Yes-not as rccollcct,' he again
stammered. I was looking in his face
again; his features seemed again to gath
er that horrible distortion Of malignity ::
it held me as the fascination Of a serpent,
and with desperate effort turned away
and hurried from his presence. No cx-
PLANTATION was asked or made on either
side. have met the gentleman often
sincc-a wealthy and respected person
but there seems to be a arepulsive force be-
tween us, and Of mutual accord we keep
aloof. Do We know each Others minds?
/ cannot tell.'