STORY OF HYPNOTISM.

Evening Star, Issue 10808, 17 December 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

STORY OF HYPNOTISM.

A WIFE'S STRANGE THEFT.

An occasional correspondent of the ' Daily Mail,' in Paris, reports a curious case of somnambulism which has just ocourml at Alfortville. Kecently, M. Antojne Cliehy, a gentleman living on his means, and possessed of considerable proyverty, found that a package containing £2,400 worth of bonds had been stolen from bis bedroom. He informed the police, who, to their own and M, Clichy's great astonisliment, were unable to And any trace of the entrance of tlio thief or thieves. Three days later M. Cliehy was obliged to take liis wife, who had for some time past been suffering from nervous prostration, to the Salpetriere Hospital, and the doctor there, in view of the state of abnormal agitation and excitement in which Mdme. Cliehy was, asked her husband whether anything had oocurred during the last few days to account for her condition. M. Cliehy told the doctor of his loss, adding that hjs wife had taken the matter even more ia heart than he himself had done. The d,oci>or, a firm believer in hypnotism, immediately hypnotised Mdme. Cliehy, and drew from her the extraordinary oenfessjon that she herself had stolen the bonds, which she had buried under aoherry tree in their own garden. This had been done early in the morning, while her hußband was at the hairdresser's. M. Cliehy immediately went home, found traces of reoent disturbance of the soil, and a few incites from the surface discovered his bonds intact. He went to the hospital, found his wife in bed there totally unconsoious of the revelations she, h%£ and informed her that the honds had own recovered in their entirety, Mdme, Cdichy was delighted at the news. She is now much better, and is {(bspfcitejy unaware of the identity of the thief-.