MOTHER'S HYPNOTISM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15664, 18 July 1914, Page 2 (Supplement)

MOTHER'S HYPNOTISM.

SONS STAY IN BED FOR YEARS. Mks. John Bennett, of Gloversville, New Jersey, who for many years h;id kept her three grown-up sons to their beds by hypnotism, hau been removed to an asylum at ttica. On several occasions during the past few years the police authorities vainly attempted to remove the sons from the custody of their mother. The young men, though perfectly able-bodied and in good health, had been hypnotised by Mrs. Bennett into the belief that they were very ill and would die if they got up, and declined to leave their beds. The sons are George, aged 35, kept in bed 11 years; Ward, 28, kept in bed « years; and Frank, 27, kept ill bed nine years. Local physicians express a doubt as to whether the sons can be made to leave their beds, as they appear to remain indefinitely under the spell of their mother's power. Their father, who works on bis farm and who is under the same influence, but in a minor degreo, declares that they need not get up if they do not want to. Mr. and Mrs. Bennett have both worked hard for years to provide the young men wiw> food and other necessaries, and as they were not a public charge and harmed no one there was no way to remove them . from their beds. , Quito recently Mrs. Bennett confronted.. ; ~ with a gun a physician who had been sen* .. to examine- her. She threatened to snoot;, him for trespassing. : ' : V.- '■'•■■•