The Rock Island Argus., 1883-12-01
BAGGING A SP00K.
How the Chicago Police Exposes
Come Bogus MateriaEzations.
The Spirit Of an Oriental Prince
Proves to BE of Very SOlid
Substance and Is
"Runin.S

CHICAGO, Dec. IA spiritualistic seanca
was exposed at 81 West Madison street by the
police, and DR.. J. Matthew Shea, ghost, and
George Mostow. bouncer as their respective
NAMES and yocations are given, were trans
ported from alleged realms of shade to eel!
at the Desplaines street police station.
Numerous complaints have been made 70
Capt. Bohiiel1, of the Third precinct, that o
me,iimn at s. West Madison street was Great
ing great annoyance in that vicinity, and
it was agreed to suppress his demonstrations.
Capt Bonfield visited the place last week,
and from knowledge of the surroundings
thus gained perfected his arrangements,
Difficulty was experienced in gaining admis
sion, owing to the caution exercised by the
alleged medium and his accompices, but
through the influences of spiritualist three
seats were secured for the evening, Lieut.
Hubbard and Officers Wheeler and Early EN-
ployed these to gain admission, and Officers
O'Day and Keller followed them.
All were in citizens dress, while officers
Beck aud Mitchell in uniform guarded the
exterior They also had a women and the
person who gained for them the tickets for
admission in league with them in the interior.
The officers found room of contracted di-
mensions. In the foreground stood cabinet
or closet from whose depths emerged the
spirits and in the interval of space between
the cabinet and three rows of chairs for the
spectators, assumed the various shapes
Behind the chairs, which seat about thirty
five persons, and at the further extremity of
the room was a baize curtain, back of
which a lamp burning dinly.
This was operated by Mrs. Matthew Wander
burg, the woman of the house, and con-
federate of the medium. The room was
well filled with devotees of spiritualism,
The officers allowed several shapes to come
and 60 but when at length an Oriental
prince advanced a few PAGES from the cabinet
the signal for action was given. The front
row of spectators was composed of women
| and these had been requested to Join hands
The female confederate of the officers was
Of this number, and releasing her grasp
upon those beside her she formed breech
through which Lieut. Hubbard sprang and
overcame the ghost rot, however, until the
latter had been divesteI of its princely habili
ments, shirt, and und
| At the first move of the officers, Mrs. Van
derburg turned ont the hsht The contin
~ency had been forestalled, and the light from
Owo dark lanterns was afforded by th
officers. Mostow, who had played no impor
tant part in the evenings performance
rushed to the assistance Of Shea and seize,
Lieut. Hubbard, but was dragged off by al
officer.
| Chairs were overthrown, women screamed
officers and men shouted, and for a tim
chaos prevailed. When at length quiet wa
restored Shea and Mostow were prisoners
The former personated the ghost. He wa
wrapped in a white robe ornamented wit
soarfs of tarlatan, a white patriarchal baarC
and wig, saTmomted with gilt-paper crow
and plumes Other paraphernalia was dis
covered, and masks wigs, whistles, and othe
devices employed in representing men anC
birds, together with the prisoners, were takel
to the station.
The doctor, as he called himself, sat groan
ing in a corner of the station, his coat-colla
turned up to protect his neck and breast
which had been laii bare in the struggle.
appearance he is about 40 years old stout
with mustache and imperial He was eiu
Gated, it is said, for the Romish priesthood
He said, through Mostow, that he knew notl
ing of the occurrence till heregained conscious
cess, when he found several stalwart polio,
men upon him. Together they denied a
knowledge of the accoutrements foun1 OF
the doctor and in the cabinet, and though
they must have been thrown in by the cor
spirators Shea was booked for obtain n
money under false pretcnses. A simila
charge was preferred against Mostow. an
also one for assault with intent to do bodil
injury. Later in the evening John Sullivan
a saloon keeper baiied them out.