Rensselaer Union and Jasper Republican, Volume 8, Number 27, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 March 1876 — A Very Mysterious Case. [ARTICLE]

A Very Mysterious Case.

One of the most singular cases which has ever been ventilated through the public press has recently come to my notice. The circumstances are almost too singular tor belief, and were it not that their truth is vouched for by numerous representative men of this section, among them a prominent minister of the gospel, would be considered, ag almost top extravagant for even the most fertile imwdnatlon. The following are the facts of tqgcase, and a wonderful tale they tell: Mr. William Hutchison is a well-to-do farmer, residing about a mile from Springfield, Erie County, Pa. Duringthe greater part of his life—he is sow taHhe vicinity of fifty years of &gd=~he has resided there, and has raised quite a large family of children. He was always a remarkably healthy man, never was troubled with any disorder whatever, except those incident to childhood, and is a devout Christian and well respected by all who know him. One winter’s evening, eighteen years ago, he was suddenly seized with violent convulsions. His violence was such that it required the united strength of five men to hold him. His contortions Trraßcle in his body seemed to writhe and twist, his linibs and arms were flung around convulsively, his face was contorted to a hideous degree, and, as one of my informants said, he “would assume all manner of shapes, actually tying himself into a knot, until it seemed that every hone in his body must break,” These convulsions lasted nearly two hours, and finally passed off, leaving the victim in a state of unfeigned bewilderment. He stated that he was conscious during the whole time, but had no control over"himself. He experienced no pain, and after they had left him felt perfectly natural. , The affair occasioned considerable comment, and was regarded as a most remarkable incident. The general astonishment was largely increased, however, when the following evening, at the same hour and in the same manner, the gentleman was again attacked. The same involuntary exercises were gone through with, and after two hours had elapsed the victim arose, feeling, if possible, nfrre bewildered than ever. But the end was not yet. The next night and the next, and every night for upward of two weeks, Mr. Hutchison found himself compelled to conduct himself in this extraordinary manner. Physicians . were called in, hut all in vain: they could net grasp the case, and their remedies were alike useless. Chloroform produced no more effect upon him than so much water. Morphine, taken internally and injected into the blood, proved ns useless as the" chloroform. They even plied him with liquor and made him dead drunk, but as soon as the hour arrived for his “visitation” the effects of the liquor disappeared, and after “ convulsing” for the usual time he would emerge a sober man. The case was whoUy incomprehensible, and long after the disease left him was the talk of the town. The remainder of the winter Mr. Hutchison was entirely free from these strange attacks, and during the following summer pursued his avocation as a fanner in peace, with nothing to distort) him in re. garcl to the affair except in the way of nnpleasant reminiscences. i The anniversary of his first attack approached and finally arrived. It was not necessary for Mr. Hutchison to look through an almanac to see whether it was the anniversary. He was reminded in a more forcible way by a sudden return of his dread malady. The same performance was given as the year previous, and after the spasms had passed Mr. Hutchison began to wonder what kind of a man he was, anvhow. He laughed and joked over the matter, and spoke of putting his strange visitations to advantage by joining some circus. These attacks lasted the same period as the year before, coming every evening at the same hour and remaining with him for nearly two hours, and then they left him as suddenly as before. The following year Mr. Hutcliison was again attacked, and for'two weeks indulged in these mysterious gymnastics. He began to grow tired of it. There yvas too much sameness about the manner and time of conducting these ceremonies. He went to a medical institute in Cleveland and there submitted himself to the watchful care of sixty physicians, who all witnessed one of liis “ turns” at the same tinle. The stupendous knowledge and ponderous brains of these men of many pills when all piled together failed tothrow any light upon the subjectfSnd Mr. Hutchison passed his time in tumbling around and making an involuntary fool of himselt two hours each day, and the rest of his waking hours in wondering what he did it for. The years slipped by, but brought him no relief. Each succeeding anniversary saw a return of his disease, if. disease it can be called. No remedies could be found to act on him during his “ struggles.” Being of a humorous turn of mind he suggested that they put a rope around his neck, ?ud, when the attack came on, string him up and leave him hang an hour or two, and sec if that wouldn’t stop it; but, singularly enough, they declined to try the experiment. As a last resort, and being possessed of ample means, Mr. Hutchison concluded to travel, to visit foreign countries, and endeavor to shake it on in that manner. He visited England, made a tour of Europe, went to the West Indies, to Australia—in fact, everywhere —but it constantly pursued him, making its annual visits with a punctuality which exceeds that of an officeholder drawing luspay. Hefound.that different climates produced a change in the date of its appearance, but none in its duration or severity. In despair he returned home and has since resided on his farm, a distance of fourteen miles from the place from which I write, and there he lives now. The sum and substance of the whole is this: Here is a man, healthy, hearty and stout, who was suddenly taken with convulsions on the 14th ot November, 1858, which lasted until on or about the 28th. Every year, for eighteen years, he has been similarly attacked. Medicines are of no avail whatever. ‘ He la as healthy and strong as ever, and eniirely well, with the exception of these attacks. His convulsions are terrible to witness; nothing like them has ever before been seen, and perhaps never will. He experiences no pain while they are Upon him, is perfectly conscious all the time, knows what is going on, but cannot prevent it. I repeat that this mysterious story is true in every detail. The people of Spring, field are personally conversant with the facts, and I am privileged to refer to numerous persons of this locality, some of whom have witnessed Mr. Hutchison’s contortions when the? “spirit was at work,” in corroboration. There can be

no possible doubt as to the authenticity of the tala, incredible though it may appear to many. —Springborougn (Pa.) Cor. If. Y. llsrald. ,