Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-09

The Strange Career Of the High Priestess Of
TheOsOphy.

Tho Strange Career OF the High Priestess Of
Theosophy.
The death Of Madame Helena Petrovna Bla-
vatsky, the head of the Theosophical Society, is
announced in the cablegrams from London
this morning. Madame Blavatsky has been
somewhat spectacular figure before the world
for many years. According to the point of view
from which her biographers regard her. she
will be written up either as wise teacher or as
charlatan. The greater number of those
identified with the theosophical movement
speak Of her as a learned woman who has de-
voted herself unselfishly, sacrificing ease and
fortune, to advance the cause of knowledge.
On the other hand there are theosophists,
notably Dr. Elliott Coues of this city, who have
denounced her as a humbug. Recent criticisms
of her by DIR. Coues resulted in the institution
of a libel suit against the latter. The Blavatsky
theOs0phists. of which there is a branch in this
city, attribute DR.. Coues attitude to his I'M
willingness to be in any way subordinate to the
gifted woman.
Whatever view is taken Of her, Mme Bla-
vatsky has been an interesting figure. She was
born in EkaterinOslow, in the south of Russip,
July 80, 1880, and was, therefore, nearly sixty
one years old. On her fathers side she was
the daughter of Col. Peter Hahn, and the
granddaughter Of Gen. Alexis Hahn Won Rot
tenstern Hahn, a noble Mecklenburg family,
which settled in Russia On her mothers side she
was the daughter Of Helene Fadeef and grand
daughter OF Privy Councillor Andrew Padeef,
and as such was connected with ono of the
noblest families in the empire. She herself
was the widow of Councillor of State Nicephore
Blavatsky, late vice governor Of the province
Of Erivan.
According to accounts of her relatives
strange psychic phenomena occurred to her
even in her infancy and when young girl she
manifested powers as q spiritual medium"
oh into
marriage with Gen. Blavatsky, an old man, and
to escape from the bonds Of marriage, irksome
to her, she ran away and became a veritable
wanderer, visiting in her journeys every
part OF the world and devoting herself, rs
she claimed, to acquiring occult knowledge. She
spent much time in India and Thibet studying
what is called esoteric Buddhism. To her
work there is due her establishment Of the
Theosophical Society. Since then she has de-
voted herself, and, her friends say, has
furtherance of the theosophical cause,
claiming only to be the chosen agent of higher
powers. She has written much. Madame Bla-
vatsky was in this country in 1875 and, together
with Col. Henry Olcott. established the Theo-
sophical Society. She then went with Col. o.
colt to India and established headquarters at
Adjar, whence she ruled the theosophical world
few years ago she moved to London and has
since resided there.
Madame Blsvatsky claimed to be in commu-
nlcauon with certain mysterious seers who dwelt
in Thibet, called Mahatinas, and to have re-
ceived through their aid occult knowledge
and to have been endowed with occult powers.
About five years ago O Frenchman named
Coulomb and his wife, who had lived with
Madame Blavatsky, published what purported
to be an exposure of jugglery practiced by
Nine. Blavatsky by means Of secret cabinets
and other paraphernalia to sustain her claim to
occult power.
The London Society for Psychical Research
sent out a member to investigate her and his
report was confirmatory Of the statement that
she was humbug. Nine. Blavatsky was
charged also with being q Russian spy
and cloaking her true employment by
means of this veil Of mystery. On the contrary
her friends have constantly contended that the
alleged Coulonb exposure was the result of q
wicked conspiracy to ruin Mme Blavatsky and
that the psychical research society's agent was
himself gulled BY persons inimical to the high