National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1876-04-18
A MAGNIFICENT -SWINDLER.
a FEMALE FRAUD EXPOSED
SIiTitIafStiC flal Presentation fUlmaSkei
GENTLEEMMA COMES TOGRIEF
0doriferous Flowers in False Pockets
sflRT COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE DEAD
VANISH QUICKLY INTO THIN AIR
GENTLEEMMA COMES TOGRIEF
0doriferous Flowers in False Pockets
sFlRIT COMMUNICATIONS FROM THE DEAD
VANISH QUICKLY INTO THIN AIR

During the past few years Mrs. Emma Powell
has been operating quite successfully as "test
medium" on the average minds Of the eredulous
Spiritualists in Philadelphia. The indicating
centre of this cheat is known Circle hail. corner
of Fourth and Vine streets, where from time to
time many of the wonder-seekers of the Centen-
NAL city pass away dull care very agreeably on
Sunday nights The late "hard times'' started
the adventurous Emma out in search Of new and
more verdant fields for practicing the mystic
art" Her guiding spirit some six weeks ago
evidently without much forethsught) directed
her sOutherly, Baltimore being the first point.
Here she quite successfully duped all who came
within the overpowering influence of her control
ling spirits. Not feeling that the Monumental
city a field Of sufficient Importance for one
endowed with such heavenly gifts, she next made
a raid on the Nations Capital, assisted by man
whose real name is Knapp, claiming to be cousin
Of the celebrated divine, Elder Knapp, a theo-
Logan Of great eminence and character among
the Baptists in by gone days. This man acted as
Mrs. Powell's business agent, (accomplicc, SCI
On arriving in this city the gifted lady, with her
saInted manager who is endowed with a very
smooth and pous tongue, opened their first unique
floral seanee at Mrs. Chase's, on Eleventh street.
On this occasion great interest was manifested
by all present in the apparent grandeur of her
most wonderful presentation of Flowers from
the sixteenth sphere of the angel world, and,
strange TO say, glaring as the swndle was, many
"tOOk..stOck' in this unblushing fraud, and be-
came very loud in their glowing praise Of this
shameless.imposters mediumistic power.
Thfsecond and third seances took place at the
residence OfProfessor Branagd, "a gentleman we'll
known for his intelligence and integrfty,) III
Ninth. street, where quito 4 large number of
Spiritualists and other
CULTIVATED PERSONS
ecngregated to witness the gentle Emma's Floral
Offerings the most touching and marvellous Of
all spritualstic phenomenon. The audience was
composed of some of Washingtons best citizens.
Some were very credulous, others very skeptieal,
and all quite DESTROYS Of getting at the truth con-
nccted with her pretentiOus powers. Onthc even
ing,of the third seanee an effort was made to have
the gifted lady and her associate investigator
by some Of the party, but this movement was
overruled. Hence. seeing that seeking after
light under such difficulties was useless, further
efforts were abandoned, and the ''show" opened
as usual, and became an apparents success in the
estimation of some Of the "moon- gaZers,'' who
love TO go It blind, instead Of demanding test
ditions, which would preclude the possibility Of
fraud and deception.
Several persons present dissented from the gen.
eral opinion regarding the mediums honesty, and
expressed themselves quite freely in reference to
spTif oF TsaIotte Dshmsn 1 H Se 5be
senters was DIR. L. V. Wright, who always takes
lively interest in solving the tricks of such CON-
mercial SPECTATORS in human credullty as Mrs.
Emma Powell and those of her ilk. Only few
years since this gentleman did good work in this
line Of business by exposing the pretentious spirit
Lincoln hall, and thinking Mrs. Powell needed
looking after, he set n trap and secured his game
as the reader Will soon see. The lady medium was
invited TO be present at the Doctors residence on
Tuesday evening, when he also invited some fifteen
ladies and gentlemen of sprightly intelligence,
who were most experienced in detecting rogues Of
Emma's stripe, also ready to aid the Doctor in
carrying out his plan to preclude fraud either by
m mH Dr.. Knapp. DR.. Wright had every.
thing arranged in advance, so that cheating either
by writing or by the production OF spirit flowers,
On eiamIning this angelic deceiver Mrs Wright
discovered the odors Of delicious flowers, not usu
ally found in the locality examined. The me;
iun'' played well the little game Of bluff. and
thereby prevented a thorough examination; hence
the exact place from whence emanated the sweet
doubt After the brief examination Emma was
ushered into the parlor, where DIR. Wright and
friends were anxiously waiting the commencement
of those angelic ceremonies which had been SO
highly Endorsed by some of her psychological dew
Otces who attended the magnificent floral presen-
being new Complete. each person took Seats as
signed them, the medium joining hands with
lady and gentleman on either side, with the gas
dimly burning. In few moments the spirit guides
took possession of the charming impostOr-a
woman of about fifty years Of age, with n coarse,
animal-like physique-and entertained the rcli-
giously
INCLINED WITH PRAYER,
after which character-reading and fortune-t cling
was INDUCED in to an alarming extent'by Gall
Spurtyhiem, Comb and other great seers, who
evidently enjoyed the sublime pleasure Of en-
lightning US mortals who are still cropping In the
'.byways" of this miserable mundane sphere OF
fraud and deception. After leaving this trail Of
inspiration the medium informed her manager
that she desired the gas to be entirely out that
the spirits might bring their beautiful 'horal Of
ferings." After anNiOusly waiting nearly three
81 ,-a{aa fha ffn.I In
formed the friends present that "Mena," the
sweet little fower-girl was not present and could
not come, owing to uniayorable conditions,
when DIR. Knapp, her manager, in a very subdued
voice. told the anxious medium that "Mena" was
probably still the search after those sweet to-
kens Of love and purity which all good souls so
At this iuncture the party became impatient
and turned up the gas. and to the establishment
OF all present DIR. Wright denounced the woman
as a trickster and fraud, after examining some
poetry purpOrting TO come from the spirit OF Alice
Cary while the medium was entraneed. The doc
tors statement produced some conformation, but
the medium still remained tranquil until he with
others insisted that she
DIsGoRGE THE CONTENTS OF A FALSE POCKET,
which contained spirit flowers in great profusion.
She resisted, but 1t was of no avail, SO out came
the false pocket and the sweet-scented lilies,
roses pinks, heliotrOpes, cameias, violets Johnny
iump-up and eXOtics that are commonly found
in all well-regulated floral establishments.
Thus vanishes in thin air the pretentions OF
another spiritual fraud Let all others of her ilk
take warning, as Washington is very unhealthy
place for spiritual mountebanks. This persistent
fraud not being satisfied with the fearful show
ing up at the residence Of DR.. Wright, above
stated, had the audaeityto make another attempt
TO cheat her best friends, where she was being
entertained. DIR. Wright was informed OF the
projected seance, and went again fer the cunning
deceiyer, and in about fifteen minutes after enter.
ing the house found the spiritual flowers secreted
under a what not" in the corner Of the room,
directly behind the mediums chair. She left
town the next day.
Egg Rolling.
This custom among the boys and girls has be-