The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-04-05
Mediums Arrested.

CHICAGO, April 2 Especial. / The
mediums known as the Bangs sisters,
whose materialiStic seances have been
commented on good deal lately, were
arrested last night aud locked up,
charged with conducting an entertain
ment without license and obtaining
money under false pretense The wO-
men, who are young and good looking,
claim to have been in the medium bus
mess since they were small children.
Recently they were brought prOmi-
nently before public notice through the
freaks of Henry Jestram, a wealthy
photographer of this city. Jestram
was an Old-time friend of August
Spies, the anarchist, and since the
latter's execution he has claimed on
several occasions to have received
spirit communication from him through
the medium of the Bangs sisters, at
whose seanceS he was regular attend
ant. His mind finally became afflicted
by constant brOoding over spirit mani
festatiOns" and a week ago it was
found necessary to place him in a de-
tentiOn hospital for the insane. 1t
appears that d. f. Trefny, of Engle,
wood, who is aspiritualist, made a com
plant to the police three weeks ago
that the Bangs sisters seances were
Frauds and a detective was detailed to
attend them regularly and at
the first good chance expose
and arrest them. Warrants have
been sworn out, on the charges named
above. The case of Jestram served to
hasten the exposure. Last night de-
tective, accompanied by brother Off
Ger, and the complainant, Trefny, were
on hand at the opening seance. After
the usual Introductory and eXamina-
tion Of the cabinet by two regular at
tendants, the lights turned down low,
and several figures purporting to be
spirits, made their appearance Que af
ter another, and communicated with
the audience. Finally there appeared
the spirit of a Russian Princess. clad in
royal robes. The signal was given
and Trefny sprang forward and
siezed the spoOk by the arms. The two
detectives rushed to his aid and some
one else lit the gas. The spook made
a furious resistance, striking out right
and left and tried to throw off it's
olllOuNl anu WY. utNC a WdlldDI lOl
you, May Bangs" said Detective
Tyrral!, and just then the light
mask she wore fell off disclosing her
well known features. A roll of some
thing concealed under the shroud fel
to the floor and Mrs. Banks, mother of
the sisters seized it and ran. Tyrrell
pursued her and caught her hiding it
behind a window curtain. 1t was a
roll of batting, used probably to make
wigs and boards in the Cabinet So
threatening did the sisters and several
male attendants of the seance become
that the officers were compelled to
draw their revolvers the clear the room
A search revealed satchel filled with
white muslin shrouds, and the like,
three sets of whiskers of different hues,
five wigs, mustaches and a great varie-
ty of makeup material such as is used
by actors. They also found that in the
cabinet was a curtain that ran up, the
center of it making two compartments
and also side entrance which admit
ted the first operator behind the cur
tain, whereby all changes of costume
were made. The cabinet satchel andl
sisters were then loaded into patrol
wagon and taken to the station and
locked up.