PRISONER'S MESMERIC GLANCES.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XXXII, Issue 8901, 22 August 1907, Page 1

PRISONER'S MESMERIC GLANCES.

An extraordinary illness has attacked a number of men snmmonee as jurymen at Chicago in the trial ol Herman Billik for the murder oi the Vizral family. It is declared that Billik is able to mesmerise the ' jurymen from the dock, aud the physicians confess themselves at a loss to account for the symptoms manifested by the affected jurors on other hypothesis. Billik was a professional fortune-toller, hypnotist, and physic healer, and his trial opened on June Brh. On that day, after glances from the prisoner, twe of the jurymen accepted by the Public Prosecutor, fell completely prostrated, and the trial was adjourned. When the Court opened two orhcr accepted jurymen rushed into tho jury box in a. condition bordering on hysteria, and begged to bo released from the case. A third, who appeared to be very ill, was unable to ~ answer questions put by tho judge. He eventually said that he felt giddy. Tho puzzled judge finally told the juryman that he was excused, and as ho attempted to leave the jury box he fell on the floor, and lay at full length in front of tho dock." Billik smiled grimly. Ho smiled again when the two following talesmen betrayed great agitation, and begged to be excused. The Public Prosecutor declares that Billik is able to exert powerful influence over all persons subject to hypnotism. The belief is general that lie is hypnotising all the talesmen possible in order to prevent the empanelling of a jury.