Year: 1879

Tho Murderer and his Victim.


The San Francisco Chronicle publishes
an interview with q noted physician of
that city who is the possessor of pecu-
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 laxer justice
in San Francisco. had been but few
months in the city, and had become
moderately established in my practice.
Early one morning was called to at
tend man who had attained some
prominence as speculator and operator
in real estate. He had been discovered
lying upon the floor of his lodgings in a
dying condition 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 were evidences of a desperate
struggle having occurred before the un-
fortunate man yielded to his fate. He
was entirely unconscious in the spas
modic gasps of death, and he breathed
his last in a very few moments after I
reached the spot. As his last breath
went out / became conscious of a new
and mysterious presence, and my mind
seemed to pass under the control Of
superior mental power. I yielded pas
sive obedience to the influence, and i'm
mediately the scene of death struggle
passed before my mental view. Itseem-
ed for an instant as if I was myself. en-
deavoring to ward off murderous at
tack. With one hand my assailant held
asufocating grip upon my throat, while,
with the other, he plunged the deadly
knife again and again into my body. I
saw his clenched teeth, and his fierce,
cruel eyes cleaning into mine with the
malignity Of a demon. Such were the
force and horror of the impression that l
staggered and fell. as if in faint. The
bystanders, who were Injured to sanglin-
ary scenes, supposed that / had been
overcome by the spectacle of the murder
ed man, and their comments were any
thing but complimentary to my nerve
and experience as u physician. But the
cool and cereful manner in which I sub
sequently performed the autopsy dissi-s
pated what might have been fatal sus-
picion cast upon my professional capaci-
ty. found the marks of clenched fin
gers upon the throat of the murdered
man. I knew that had beheld and ex-
perienced the incidents of his death
struggle precisely as they. were impress
ed upon my own mind. The stout,
burly man of my vision. full whiskered,
with red shirt, slouched hat, and a
black kerchief tied loosely about his
neck, and that fierce, fiendish glow of
countenance, I could never forget. But
I did not recognize the man, and in those
days suspicion was not safe, based even
upon better foundation than the preten-
sions of a soothsayer. l did not care to
hazard either my life or my professional
reputation in a manner that could ac-
complish no good purpose.


"Years after the occurrence, in the
early part of the '60s, was returning
from trip to the East, when I 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. Acquaintance
were speedily made, and the usual So
cialty on shipboard was cultivated.
One evening we were seated at a game
of whist, and the gentleman I specially
refer to had taken hand as my partner.
I was leading out suit, and incidental
" looked across the table to catch an in
spiration from the countenance OF my
partner. Instantly q spell came upon
me. The features of the gentleman as
sumed malignant expression; his full
gray beard was restored to sable hue;
he had on slouch hat, black handker-
chief, red shirt-it was the horrible in
carnation 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 accosted
me with cordial salutation. Have
we not met beforep' he inquired. Just
as YOU were taken ill last evening /
Sc med to catch sudden glimpse Of IA
miliarity in your countenance.' l do
not know I replied: were you in San
Francisco in SIP 'Yes-not as l recol-
lect,' he again stammered. I was look.
ing in his face again his features seemed
again to gather that horrible distortion
Of malignity; it held me as the fascina-
ton of a serpent, and with desperate
effort I turned away and hurried from
his presence. No explanation was asked
or made on either side. I have met the
gentleman often since-a wealthy and
respected person-but there seems to be
a repulsive force between US, and Of mu-
tual accord we keep aloof. Do we know
each Others mindsp I cannot tell"


TiffIn Glory Ahnnt the ZnluS