Morning journal and courier., 1883-03-12
SINGLE COPIES THREE CENTS.
Monday, March 1a, 1883.
WIGGINs AND HIS DUPEs

1 WIGGINS AND HIS DUPES.
 Wiggins has already been talked about too
 much, and would not be worth further notice
 were it not for the hope that statement of his absurdities, to use mild term for what many are disposed to call downright villainy, may be useful.
 Some time ago Wiggins arose and predict ed great storm for February 9. It did not l come, but his failure made no impression on his adamantine 'tcheek" Three or four days after February 9 he was interviewed and cheerfully and metaphorically remarked,
 s'March will more than give me sunshine for the cloud that have wreathed by careless ness about my brow" He then began to predict with greater vigor than ever. The storm which he had arranged for March g was to be sthe greatest storm of the cen tury," as great storm as had evsr occurred upon the earth or could possibly occur, etc., etc. Untaught by his previous failures and impressed by his confident tone and immense audacity, people in various parts of the couu- try began to prepare for the dangerous tenn pest. The Gloucester fishing fleet did not go out. People intending to make voyages upon the Atlantic postponed them. It is estimated that the business loss caused by apprehension of the storm will exceed a million dollars Various persons went crazy with fear. Dock owners at Halifax caused goods to be moved, and in other places precautions were taken to avoid loss by the expected tidal wave which was to bring devastation Even the Onondaga Indians caught the scare and with marked sagacity tied their houses with large ropes to trees and fences.
 Wiggins great storm did not come. There were storms in various parts of he country, but they were the ordinary disturbances which occur in March. But Wiggins is not yet disgusted with himself. or if he is has decided not to show it. He is reported as greatly pleased'' at the result of all the iu- telligence received concerning the storm, and claims that his prediction so far has been verified along as much of it's course as has been heard from. The simple truth, as statement from the Signal Service bureau puts it, is that neither in character, develop ment, effect nor scope has the storm been at all like that which Wiggins predicted.
 So much for Wiggins, who is unquestiona- ably fraud and richly deserves punishment. DuG 1t euOQ1O U6 T0N6ulUoE6O dHO u0At1Ou6u that credulous public is what makes it pos sible for such frauds to exist and flourish The willingness, yea, eagerness, of people to be humbugged is astonishing. In vain is the snare spread in the sight of any bird, but the human race is not as wise about snares as the birds are. People will believe almost any thing that is asserted with sufficient noise and persistency. Especially are they given to an unreasoning acceptance of predictions which work upon their fears What the peo- pie need is more of the philosophy which made itself apparent in the replies of Theo- dore Parker and Ralph Waldo Emerson to 'tcrank" who fired at them the startling in- formation that the world was coming to an end that very night. Parker said My good man, that doesn't concern me live in Boston," and Emerson replied sI am glad of it man will get along better without it"