Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1883-05-12
A sPIRITUALIsTIc FRAUD
Calls Little Rock InnOcents and
sktps for Memphis.
Little Rock Democrat, 10,

Some tins ago the Democrat pub
llished en- account of how Mrs. Saw.
yers rope ACT was exposed by one OF
our leading citizens, and afterward
how trial progressed before Judgs
Chamberlain's court in which she
and Major Burke we're prosecuted
tor obtaining money under false pre-
tense. During the trial q circular was
introduced as evidence published By
Harry 2. Morton, in which the ieats
OF Mrs. Sawyer were denounced as
fraudulent tricks, aud Mr.. Morton
exposed them at the Grand0perahouse
in this city. This occurred about
eighteen months ago, at which time
Mrs. Carrie Sawyer was in San Fran
cisco, where her feats had caused sev>
eral weak minded persons TO become
eranks upon spiritualism. The circu.
lar lost its weight as evidence, because
it could not be established that the
prisoner was the same Carrie Sawyer
referred to, although she hailed from
San Francisco.
The trial lasted more than two
weeks, and many strong believers in
Spiritualism became convinced that
she was being unduly prosecuted,
apd consequently became her devoted
friends. Many others who were anx>
ious to investigate the mysteries by
which we are surrounded, attended
her seances and regarded her as
woman oil superior powers, that was
such mystery that they could not
believe her guilty of the charge. The
trial was q peculiar one, in which the
evidence showed that her feats we're
wonderful, so much SO that SEINE of
our best citizens believed that they
had their origin in supernatural in
Auences. She held seanoes during
the progress of the trial with as much
success as before she was arrested,
complying with several tests that
we're proposed, and in each of these
she gained new friends. Judge
Chamberlain attended some of these
seances and was -plussed, and
when the trial closed he rendered a
peculiar decision, in which he found
Major Burke not guilty and bound
Mrs Sawyer over to await the action
of the Grand Jury under bond of
$50.
The bond was instantly made and a
class of thirty formed to attend seances
regularly, all of whom believed i'm.
phcitly in the woman's innocence.
She held a seance last Saturday evenS
ing, and during the day Major Burke
managed to borrow some money from
several friends, promising to retdrn it
during the week out of the proceeds
of the performances, which were al
ready arranged.
sunday night, by the assistance OF
a telegraph operator, the medium and
her business manager went to the
Union DEPOT, boarded the train and
sped for Memphis.
Their fight was detected Sunday
morning, and the Chief of Police un.
dertook to telegraph ahead OF them,
but the operator referred to threw
him off the track, and the party had
landed in Memphis before he learned
bis mistake He then telegrsphed
to that town, and learned that they
had taken their leave for parts I'm.
known.
During the last few days several let.
ters have been received from Chicago
and other points, written by lea ling
Spiritualists. denouncing Mrs. Carrie
NJ. Sawyer as a consummate fraud,
10 whom no confidence can be placed.
Major Burke has proven himself no
better.