Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1888-04-12
CAPTURED A GHOST.
Chicago Detectives Make an Interest
ing Capture.
A Couple of Frauds Who Have Deceiy.
ed Many People are Brought
20 Grief.

CH1oAGo.-Two mediums, known as the
Bangs sisters, whose materialistic sean
ces have been commented on a good deal
have been arrested and locked up, charg-
ed with conducting an entertainment
without license and obtaining money
under false pretenses. The women, who
are young and good looking, claim to
have been in the medium business since
they were small children. Recently thew
were before the prominent notice of the
people by the acts of John Jestram, a
wealthy German. Jestram was q friend
of August Spies, and is said on several
occasions TO have received spirit com
munications from h N through the
medium of the Bangs sisters, at whose
seances he was regular attendant. His
mind finally became affected by constant
breeding over the spirit manifesto
tions," and a week ago it was found nee
essary to place him in the hosp ital fol-
the insane. 1t appears that n F. Tref
ney, of Englevooe, who is spiritualist
made
COMPLAINT TO THE POLICE,
three weeks ago that the Bang sisters
seances were frauds, and a detective was
detailed TO attend them regularly, and al
the first good chance expose and arrest
them, warrants having been sworn on
on the charges nam-d above. The cas-,
OF Jestram served to hasten the exposure
Last Sunday night the detective accom-
panied by brother officer and the com
plainant Trafney, were on hand at III,
opening of the seance. After the usua
Introduction and the examination of the
cabinet by two regular attendants the
lights were turned very low, several fig
ures, purporting to be spirits, made their
appearance, one after another and com
municated with the audience. Finally
there appeared the spirit of Russian
princess, clad in royal robes. The sigma
was given and Trefney sprang forward
and seized the spook by the arms The
two detectives rushed to his aid and some
one else lit the gas. The spook made
furious resistance, striking out right and
left, and tried to throw off its snroud and
wig. 81 have a warrant for you, MAY
Bangs" said Detective Tyrrell, and JUS
then
LIGHT MASK SHE WORE
fell off, disclosing her well known feat
ures. A roll of something concealed IN
der her shroud fell to the floor, and Mrs
Bangs, mother of the sisters seized it and
ran. Tyrrell pursued her and caught hel
hiding it behind the window curtains. Il
was roll of batting used probably to
make wigs and boards in the cabinet, SC
threatening did the sisters and severa
male attendants of the seance become
that the officers were compelled TO use
| their revolvers to clear the room. Suisse
quently q search revealed a satchel filled
with white muslin shrouds and the like
three sets of whiskers of different hues
five Rhiskers, mustaches and a grea
variety of makeup material, such as j;
used by actors. They also found that IL
the cabinet was curtain that ran up the
center of it, making Two com partments
and also a side entrance which admitted
the spirit operator behind the curtain
where, by the way, all the changes of cos
tune were made. The cabinet, satche
and the sisters were then loaded into {
patrol wagon and taken to the station
and locked up.