The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-20
The History of a Humbug.

We publish to-day wonderfully interest
ing history OF the invention Of tho humbug
OF Thcosophy. Its related by Prof. ELLIOTT
CoUES OF tic Smithsonian Institution at
Washington, an ornithologist OF distinction,
who at one time was deceived by Nine.
ShAvATsKYs prctensions, but since has
discovered her for tho impostor she is.
This woman is by birth Russian subject,
and is now about 90 years Of age, though she
looks and prctends TO be much older. She is
fat. gross, of abominable habits, an tntolerabln
temper, swearing like pirate and smoking
like chimney, Of restless energy and end
less craft. Worry little is known OF her early
days, when she was Mile. HAHN, except that
sho was married to the Russian whose ramo
shu still bears, though she soon left him and
entered upon her career OF adventure with
out preserving any prejudices SO lar us mat
rinony is concerned.
In other words, her morals may be theo-
sophie but they are BAL. Since she lost her
youth she has been living by her
wits, sharpencd by much experience OF
travel and the friction Of many years of vag-
abondage. Her profession, so far as she has
had any stated employment, has been as
Russian spy. AS such, Prof. CoUEs tells
us, sho came to New York In 1873, and in that
capacity shc subsequently went to India
with Col. OLcoTT as her faithful attendant.
Tho device OF theoSophy was simply con-
trved by her as cover for her real designs.
This confirms tho theory OF her impos-
ture which was advanced after she had been
exposed by an Investigating committee of
the London Society for Psychical Research
hat III
beyond doubt that, with Nine. CoULoMD,
French woman, as confederate, and with
the assistance OF the mechanical ingenuity
OF NJ. CoULoMB she kept up pretended cor
rcspondence with n supernatural kooT
HooMI, decelving her dupes by the baldest
jugglery. Tho old witch, according to Prof.
CoUEs, was doing it all for no other purpose
than to kick up dust to hide her po-
litical intrigues. But she was not 80 sharp
as she thought; the Russian Government
stopped her pay. and she was driven to
using her theosophical imposture Itself as
q means Of making living. AS to OLCoTT,
who began his career in the secret service
OF our own War Department. Prof. COUEs
seems to think that he Is not the wholly
guileless and gullible fool he appears, at
least not now. Poor fellow, he Is In BLAvAT-
sKYs clutches and he cannot escape, though
he has found her out as harrtdan and
humbug. Accordingly he is perforce a
humbug himself.
1t Is q wonderful story how this crafty
Tartar entrapped this shrewd Yankee so
that for fifteen years they have together
played their game OF humbugging people
into believing that they are the prophets OF
q new religion founded on Asiatic wis
dom. Of which they are both to-
tally ignorant. Their trickery has been
exposed with scientific completeness and
exactitude, and yet their impudence is in no
wise lessened. They keep straight faces and
go on with their humbug, cheered and en-
couraged, Of course, by the folly OF men and
women who take them seriously.
Prof. CoUEs's narrative in form and sub
stance makes capital reading