The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1880-05-06
whom has husband who also belongs
to the UYnSY marty.


to the gypsy party,
The Deputy Sheriff, who has been
tracking the gypsies for nearly two
months, says that in January last they
had camp near Princeton, Ind, and
that the gypsy women did a thriving
business in the town telling fortunes,
creating much interest among the vii
lage residents by the information they
gave about their respective histories.
The gypsy camp was pitched near a
large flour mill owned by Mr.. Jessop
and his partner, Mr.. Colt. Mr.. Jessop
dropped into the company of the nomads
one day to see how they lived. The
gypsy mother pretended that she was
filled with strange feeling as soon as
she saw him, and that she could tell his
future history for him if he would allow
her to study his hand. She bent over
his palm, traced out its lines with her
long, finger. and began to mutter to her.
self, and to meant a jibberish that the
rich mill owner did not understand.
Then she said that there was a great
event overhanging him in which money
was concerned, but she could not divine
what it was.
She then sank into trance, and when
she recovered she said that that she could
not succeed in her undertaking unless
she could have in her hands large sum
the prophecy would come to her. She
hastened to assure Mr. Jessop that she
did not want the money for herself, but
simply desired to handle it in his pres
ence, while she was silmmoning her ia
miliar spirits to her aid. When asked
how much she needed, she sank into an
other trance, and on awakening said that
the sum must not be less than $1,000,
but the more the better. Mr.. Jessop
could not at once produce the money,
and when he was assured that the
amount would not be taken out of his
sight, he arranged to get it and meet
her again. A few days later he called
upon the gypsy with $2, $50 in bills done
up in packages and bound with paper
slips. He placed the moneyin her hand
and she counted it carefully to see If
there was enough to summon the, good
spirits Of prophecy. Then she spread
out the packages before her, made Signs,
rocked her body, and drew circle about
it. Next she dropped, into a trance.
When she recovered she said that the
mill owner was to become fabulously
rich in an easy way, and that she would
have to give him two more sittings be-
fore she could tell him all, but that the
third time it would be, all revealed. She
tied the money up in a red handkerchief
in his presence and told him that it must
be put carefully, away in his safe, and
that between her visits it must not be :
touched or spoken of, else the spell then
working would be broken, She said
that no one but herself must handle the
money until she had robbed the future of
its secret.
The next time she called at his office
they locked the door. and she took the
package of money, which had not been
disturbed, and again began her incanta-
'tions and mystic signs. She was about
to repeat some words which she said
would bring her nearer to the secret,
when she suddenly started, exclaiming:
% What is that?'' as though she heard
noise Mr.. Jessop arose and looked
around, but saw nothing. The gypsy
continued to work with the package in
her hand, and at length said that she
was almost ready to reveal TO Mr. Jessop (,
a startling and fortunate event in his
near future, but that it would require
one more meeting. He told her that he
must have the money by February 10,
as he needed it in his business. She
assured him that the spell would be over
by that time, but warned him that in the
mean time he must not touch the pack
age or tell any one what was going on,
He promised and urged her to make
their next meeting soon. y She fixed q
date within a week, but before the time
arrived there was a fire of doubtful origin
in the village, and some of Mr.. Jessop's
property was destroyed, while more of
it had such a narrow escape that his
seances with the gipsy were put out of
his mind. He soon learned, however,
that at about the time of the fire the
gypsy band disappeared. Then heywent q
to his safe, united the red handkerchief
about the package, and, instead Of his
money, laid bare a pile of paper cut in
slips the size of bank notes and bound
with strips of paper. He waited some
days before revealing his foolishness to
his neighbors, and then he informed
Sheriff William l.. Hargraye Of his loss.
Deputy Sheriff Tingle at once started in
pursuit, and tracked the gypsy camp to
Evansville, and thence to Pittsburg, to
Baltimore, and to Newark, where their
effects were seized. Then he traced them
to 80 Hicks street, Brooklyn, where,.
with Detective Rail and Private Detective
Mcconnell, he yesterday morning ar
rested them. The gypsy chief was sick
with pneumonia, as were his daughters.
but the old woman was vivacious, and
seemed ready to tell the fortunes of the
detectives and the Deputy Sheriff The
room was searched, and 81, ,29O, sup
posed to be part of the stolen money,
was found in bureau drawer. 1t was
turned over to the property clerk at Po-
lice Headquarters pending examination.
Justice Walsh sent the gypsies to Ray
Inond street Jail to await the arrival of
the rich mill owner of Princeton, and
Sheriff Hargrave with a requisition. The
Deputy Sheriff followed three bands of
gypsies in New Jersey before getting the
right one. ~ .iiToI p