The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-07-14
SPIRITUAL JUGREERY.
Curious Case OF spirisaaI Deception In
Ne

New Orleans.
from the NetO Orleans Republican, JulUB
The following singular statement was given as
testimony IN civil court last winter, aud as the
case iell through there IL was taken to the
Fourth District Recorders Court, wnere il is
now pending. We are Of the belief that the
nall has not yet been divulged, but this is suf-
nclent Tor the present. When the rea1er has
bnlshed be VIII lament with us that tue fool
killer either has not been this way for long
time or has lost much of his ancient acute.
ness:-
Frederika Kern, formerly Widow Rub, now
wife of Charles Klar, residing on Fourth street,
in the Fourth District, city of New Orleans,
who, being duly sworn, depos1d and said that
one Frances Willis, alias -, about the yelr
1862 obtained the confidence OF deponent by
her artfuly representing herself as pious
woman, in direct converse with the Holy Ghost
aud as showing the path to eternal salvation
and to heaven; that drpnnent some time after
this, conhding in said Frances Willis, purchas ed
IN the Cemetery NO. /, on Washington street.
and contracted ut the same time with the then
sexton, Simpson, TO erect faulty tomb thereon
ior deIonent wherein Afterwards she caused
TO be deposited the remains of John Rub her
deceased husband; OF Peter Rub, her son,
and those of the deceased children of her
daughter, wife of DR.. KaJhman; that in part
payment depOnent gave said sexton vault
winch she owned ia said cemetery and whence
she removed the remains of II 10 to the new
tomb; she further paid, after effecting the con-
tract, to the sexton, Simpson, $500 in cash.
with the bargain that at the completion of the
price OF the two lots (Nos. 267 and 26S), with
The tomb erected thereon amounted to 5000
aud the vault gwen in payment was valued at
$40. That when sad balance became due your
petitioner was very SICK, aud fully rep5sng
confidence IN the integrity of the before men.
tloreo Frances Willis and III Mrs. Leldinger,
sister OF deponent, now deceased, she entrusted
to said paries the sum OF $3.50 TO be paid to
Simpson, the sexton aforesaid, TO extiDguish the
debt incurred by the purchase of the lots
aforesaid and for the tomb thereon.
lv of tor fhn Of H.,
at that time had tull control over deponenps
mind, seriously informed ueponeat that 1t was
the VIII of the Divine Spirit that the remains OF
a deCea-ed husband OF said Willis should be
deposIed in the tomb Aforesaid, and thus OBJ.
tail ed deponent's consent thereto.
That at the death OF Peter Rub, deponent's
son, winch occurred November 8, 1868, the SAID
Frances Willis by her art persuaded depone ut
tDat the Divine Spirit commanded her to hand
over To her gold wa ch OF the estate OF said
deceased, to be ioI young son of said Willis,
WHO she said is predPs lined to become a great
prophet. and thus sald Frances Willis obtained
saln watch.
That IN July, 1866, Mrs. Leidinger, on her
death bed, knowing that she was about TO die,
to atone Tor her siIs, openly confessed that
Frances Willis and he self had committed
gro-s i1auds on depOnent i'll regard to some
property whcreon deponent resides, and about
the lots and tomb aforesaid and commanded and
eXhOrted her descendants not to attempt to
take anv advantage OF the fraud or to clam any
ownership III the lots and tOmbs aforesaid, but
TO have the title corrected
That in May, 1865, deponen', with her hus-
band, examined the title book OF Cemetery No.
l OF Washington street, and found that lots and
tomb aforesaid, stand in the name of Frances
Willis and Mrs. Lerd'nger, as Wners, and that
by the fraud of said Frances Willis and the peni-
tent deceased Leiiluger, and that said Frances
Willis persists III her fraud to the prejudice of
depouent, who therefore Charged SAID Frances
Willis with embezzlement, aud with obtaining
property under false prctenses, and with being
accessory 10 the emoezzlement and fraud con-
tessed by the pPnitent Mrs. Lednger a'ore>aid
1t IS asceIta,ned that much other property
real estate, Obtalned through the same
splrit, Accused Is queer looking body, and If
she cannot call spirits from the vasty deep can
do some strange hnauciering.