Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 January 1898 — Great Mind Reading Test. [ARTICLE]

Great Mind Reading Test.

Prof. Boone, Mind Reader and Hypnotist Performs A Wonderful Feat. • ? Monday afternoon witnessed the performance of a wonderful mind reading feat in Rensselaer, one of the most remarkable and successful ever performed in the state, probably. A 'committee of six citizens, namely Dr, E. C. English, Leslie Clark, J. W. Childers, Co. Supt. Hamilton, J. P. Hammond and G. E. Marshall, put an envelope addressed to A. F. Long, the druggist, into Mr. Hamilton’s lock box, at the post-office. No one but the committee and Postmaster Honan knew which box the letter was in and to whom it was addressed. The committee then got into a carriage and drove up Washington street to Division, up Division to Susan, west on Susan to Weston, north to Elm, east to Main, and then to Hersh man’s store, near the depot. Entering the store they hid the key to the box in which the letter was under the lid of a new cook stove, in the store No one except the members of the .committee saw where the key was hidden. The committee then drove back to Ellis & Murray’s where two of them thickly blindfolded Prof. Boone, who was awaiting them there. He was blinded beyond the least possibility of seeing. He also had a copper wire tightly around his forehead, with the two ends reaching out behind several feet. The entire party, including Prof. Boone, then got into the carriage, and the Prof, took the lines and drove On each side sat a member of the committee with a hand holding his wrist. The other four members of the committee, in - the rear seats, effch held a strand of the copper wire, around Boone’s head. The latter insisted that all

of the committee should concentrate their minds on the route hewas to drive, and when they met a team, to think about turning out. He drove rather rapidly and followed the route previously taken by the committee with remarkable accuracy; although on two occasions, he drove partly past corners where he should have turned before he seemed to realize that he had reached the turning place. On reaching Hershman’s store he stopped directly in front, without any suggestion from those with him. All got out, and after standing a moment with two of the committee holding his wrists, and making a few spasmodic motions that bent him nearly to the ground, he rushed headlong into the store, and in scarcely more time than it takes to relate the facts, he located and found the key. It should be explained that on nearing the place, the Prof, insisted on all members of the committee thinking steadily of the key and its location. The carriage was then turned around and the Prof, drove rapidly, by the usual route, back down town. One balk occurred at the Catholic church, where a team wdth lumber occupied all the passable street and a turn was made on to Susan street. A member of the committee turned the team back into the right street, and the Prof, then drove very rapidly down to the post office, nearly in front of which he stopped. Here the same performance as when he found the key. He stopped a minute on the side walk, then rushed headlong into the postoffice, with the committee with him, and though the room was packed with people, he quickly reached the box where the letter was, took out the letter, went out to the sidewalk, spelled out the nafhe on the- -letter, all this time thickly blind-folded, then headed straigk* to Mr. Long’s store, went in, gave him the letter and told

him he was in the drug business. All of which things, just as he had previously agreed to do, before beginning the test. The members of the committee ell believe that it was a fair, square case of mind reading, and in no sense a fraud or deception. During the performance of the entire feat, Mr. Boone seemed to’ be in a high state of ueryous tension and excitement, as no'doubt he was.