Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-04-08
G0THAM'S GOSSIP.
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METROPOLIS.
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Correspondence Of tho Richmond D,sp,,cO

-.
The fact that the millionaire LAWYER r
this city, Luther =. Marsh. once Mari
ner Of Daniel Webster. has in his seven
tieth year. and with manifestly isilin
mental powers. become the dupe Of
female swindler named Diss Deba,
otherwise big Kentucky Ann" VIII
calls herself a spiritualistic medium. an
that he has been exchanging his res
estate for her wrctched daubs which 81
calls spirit pictures, recalls the equal
curious fact that a considerable numlr
Of so-called talented lawyers OF No
York are also dupes of spiritualiic
frauds.
These men are shrewd enough a
rule to conceal their humihsting tel
lectuai degradation, we'll kuowingshat
the hard common sense OF the Tople
would otherwise deprive them ofheir
practice. They attend the seams Sc
cretly, and listen dehghtedly the
humbug Of coarse-minded and inorant
women engaged in the busineS9f thus
obtaining money under false prtences.
Sometimes a Judge takes privte sit
tings.
Hundreds Of wealthy person in New
York are the dupes OF fortne-tellers
and spiritualistic manlfestatios. They
believe in astroloey and the aaryellous
powers OF the seventh son ola seventh
daughter.
The female swndler Diss Debar, or
Big kentucky Ann, has defrnded. II we
NAV take her OWL word. a god many of
these credulous people OF wealth who
decidedly have mre money chan intelii-
gence or education. There re thousands
OF parrepuS in sew lOrs who are the
natural prey OF the adroitswindler deal
ing in the miraculous. These nOUrc0uT
riches are ignuant ana supersttious
they have suddeIly riseI from circum-
stances in every way Inferior or COM
mOnplace, and twill take several gene
rations TO transform such families into
anything like useul or creditable mem
berS OF society.
One of the curDus facts of New York
business life is tat many persons are
governed in their commercial ventures
10y the advice of he "spirlts. y One Of
the most talente, men OF the Cotton
Exchange used tCsay I'm going to
buy cotton. Tb spirits tell me 1t Is
going up; or, "Im going short. |
had q communication from the spirits
last night TO the dect that the market IS
going down" lie failed once or twice,
bat finally the spirits seemed to give the
right "tip, and low he Is rich. In the
summer | see himat Saratoga. He stops
at one Of the bes hotels. drives fine
equipsge out to tn lake every pleasant
afternoon, and hi. winter life IN New
York is in the mist of luxurious and
cultured surroundings. He has hue
head. a broad broy, is the author OF a
valuable book, the materials for which
cost him 81, 600 TO collect, and he is well
versed in literature Rd science. NOone
is more deeply read u the works of Her
bert Spencer and offers of the modern
school OF philosopher; no one is more
acute as a TeasOner OnmOst subjects that
engage the reflective mind. And yet he
has been known to MAZE remarks abOut
the spirits and their knowledge Of the
future course Of the coson market that
have made bis friends tare with min
Cled amazement and regret. Such men
of standing and und0ubbd intelligence
on most subjects are invaluable to the
spiritualistic sharpers.
There was a crank broler on the old
Naval-Stores Exchange Who when the
transactions in rosin and spirits Of tur-
pentine Jagged on dull Day would mes
merize the brokers. They would stretch
out stiff as boards in moci obedience 70
his wonderful powers, and others would
supplicate the mesmerizer IN tones OF
mock agony not TO harm the subject.
in gracious acquicscence to teir plead
ings he would give a lordly map OF his
fingers. and the subject would come out
of his so-called trance end weakly ex-
press q desire 10 have ihe mesmerlZer
stand bottle of wint at Delmonlco s
as slight return for having submitted
himself to his dreaded powers.
GRAIN AND STOCKS.
There are operatorsn grain and stocks
who are influenced ~ the spirits, as IS
we'll known. The question therefore
arises. Are such mm sane ? is Marsh
the LAWYER really saIe, or are any OF the
epeculators who take tips from
spirits On this question of decisions
AS celebrated a medical authority as DR..
William Hammond says: Decisions
AL. not test for insanity, as most law
vers and many physicians believe. II
they were one hat of the world would
be irving to put the other hall N iunatlc
asvlums. They nay be present with
out coexistent insanity. 10 be ndlca-
tive Of insanity a de,uslon must
be in regard to a matter OF tact
and contrary 70 the customary mode
O. thought Of tie individual. Thus q
believer in spiritualism is not necessarily
insane because he sees and converses
with the spirit of Benjamin Franklin,
for his delusiOn IS not capable OF PROOF
or disproof. and 1t IS q part OF his men-
tslity 10 believe in the existence oil
sfirlts and in the possibility OF eyohng
them so as 10 see them and talk with
them. But If a non-believer in spiritual
i,m should imagine that he was IN the
habit Of seeing Franklin's spirit ana OF
conversing with 1t, it would be good
evidence Of insanity"
Commodore Vanderbilt was the dupe
q fortune-tellers aud spiritualists though
any one else would have found 1t dithcult
10 swlpdle him. He was cOarse-mlnded
man with no education except that
acquired IN business life, which was very
little.
sYBARITEs OF NEW YORK.
"Think Of William K. Vanderbilt pay
ing his chief cook $4,000 year, said
wealthy banker and broker the other day
Things are blue down here. The
strikes, the hammering OF the Gould
stocks, the falling of in the Granger
earnings, the rather blue outlook foi
those new Reading bonds, and number
OF other adverse influences, tend to keep
the public out Of Wall street, and they
will not come back until things look
decidedly brighter. or until the Stock
Exchange at least tries 10 purify the
financial atmosphere by creating
an independent auditor who shall eX-
anime the reports Of railroad companies
and point out the ialsehoods for the
.....,s,c, o,5 bcboof az inyQgtOrs and