PRISONERS MESMERIC GLANCES.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 60, 21 August 1907, Page 4

PRISONERS MESMERIC GLANCES.

THt JURY HYPNOTISED. An extraordinary illness lias attacked a number of men summoned as jurymen ' at Chicago in the trial of Herman Biliik j t'or the murder of "he Vzral family, it is declared that Itillik is able to mes- ! nierise the jurymen from the dock, and the physicians confess themselves at a loss to account for the symptoms manifested by the affected jurors on any other hypothesis. Biliik was a professional fortune-teller, hypnotist, and physic healer, and his trial opened on June 28. On that day, after glances from the prisoner, two of the jurymen accepteTT by the Public Prosecutor fell completely prostrated, and the trial was adjourned. When the court opened two other accepted jurors rushed in the jury box in a condition bordering on hysteria, and begged to be released from the case. A third, who appeared to be very ill, was unable to answer questions put by the judge. He eventually said he felt giddy. The puzzled finally told the juryman that he was excused, and as he attempted to leave the jury box ho fell on the floor, and lay at full length in front of the dock. Biliik smiled grimly. He smiled again when the two following talesmen betrayed great agitation, and begged to be excused. The Public Prosecutor declares that Biliik U able to exert powerful influence over all persons subject to hypnotism. The lielief is general that he is hypnotising all the talesmen possible in order to prevent the empanelling of a jury