4 
TRANSACTIONS OF THE TEXAS ACADEMY OF SCIENCE. 
Cumberland I have often repeated with friends, who could not detect 
how thejr were done. 
Not till there is at least one instance of “ thought transference ” or 
“ mind reading” that is above all suspicion of fraud on the part of the 
operators, and of errors and self-deception on the part of the observers, 
is there to be found in these practices an} r confirmation of the view that 
the phenomena of hypnotism are to be ascribed to the possession of unique 
powers by the hypnotist. 
The purpose of the present paper is to describe certain phenomena of 
hypnotism that arose under somewhat peculiar circumstances, and to 
further relate how they were reproduced under conditions, such that, 
judging by some of the theories already noticed, we would deem them 
impossible. This account is given in hopes that it may throw some light 
upon the problem as presented in Mr. Gurney’s criticism. 
In the September (1892) number of the Review of Revieios Mr. Stead 
described a performance given by Phyllis Bently before a number of 
European monarchs. This performance, we are told by the editor, “ touches 
one phase of that vaguely apprehended psychic force which begins to 
manifest itself in so many suggestive ways to the aroused spirit of in¬ 
quiry.” It is quite evident that Mr. Stead and Mr. Shaw had no idea 
that they were extolling the cleverness of an impostor. Such was really 
the case. Yet, I am disposed to think that their estimate of the value of 
this performance was correct. When rightly understood it does throw 
light upon some obscure mental processes. 
My attention was first directed to this subject by witnessing a perform¬ 
ance almost identical with that described b} r Mr. Stead. For some years 
one calling herself “Annie Abbott, the Georgia Magnet,” has attracted 
considerable notice in America, and has also gained some notoriety in 
Europe, as is shown by the following letter from Andrew D. White, 
Minister to Russia. In reply to certain inquiries, Dr. White writes from 
St. Petersburg: “ Miss Abbott certainly did attract much attention in 
various capitals of Europe. I was present at one of her performances 
given here last winter, and can testify that the audience was large and 
brilliant, and was, I think, as much surprised as myself at the things she 
did. That you are right in your general manner of accounting for her 
feats I am very much disposed to believe, and you would render a great 
service by giving to the world a careful study of the subject.” 
The opinion that I had expressed to him was that her feats were ac¬ 
complished by a clever combination of imposture and hypnotism. In 
my investigations I did not rest satisfied till I had reproduced every im¬ 
portant feature of the original. Time would fail me to describe the 
whole in detail. My object being, not the exposure of an impostor, but 
a contribution to our knowledge of the conditions under which hypnotism 
