HYPNOTISM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 7182, 5 June 1891, Page 1

HYPNOTISM.

AN EXTEAOBDINABY STOEY. A New York telegram in The Times states that the following extraordinary story, dated from Mier, Mexico, a town of one thousand five hundred inhabitants, on the Bio Grande, one hundred and fifty miles from its mouth, is published by the Sunday Times. A mysterious individual, who gave the name of Francisco Perez, arrived at Mier, and put up at the chief hotel of the town. Nothing unusual was noticed about the guest until at dinner on the second day one of the waiters went about the dining-room removing all the bottles of wine in front of the persons who were dining, bringing them all to the table where Perez sat. The guests were extremely angry, and called up the proprietor, who asked the waiter why he had taken the wine. He replied that Perez had ordered him to do bo, but Perez, turning ghastly white, denied that he had told the waiter anything ofjfthe kind. The latter, being disbelieved, was immediately dismissed. During the afternoon of the same day one of the guests at the hotel presented Perez with a magnificent watch, while a barman gave him a revolver. The next day presents began to pour in upon Perez, among them being a handsome bouquet with the name of a lady attached to it. The friends of the lady, learning the circumstances, demanded an explanation why she had given such a present to a perfect stranger, and she explained that the man in poßsing her had asked her to send him the flowerß. Then, bursting into tears, she declared that she did not know why she had sent them. Other persons who had made presenta to Perez also stated that they had been asked by him for the articles given, and that they had found it impossible to resist the request. It was believed that Perez was possessed by the devil, and a number of citizens resolved to lynch him by tying a stone to his neck and drowning him in the Bio Grande. Others, however, objected to this, and it was finally resolved that a Committee of ten should wait upon Perez and warn him that he would be killed unleßS he left the town. Perez was greatly alarmed, and explained that he was a viotim of involuntary hypnotism. He etated that he was twenty-seven years of age, and a native of New Mexico. He had been trained for the priesthood for several years in Eome, and while abroad had practised hypnotism, with which he had made marvellous successes. In consequence of this it had become a passion with him, and he could not resist practising his gift upon those about him. The Committee permitted Perez to leave the