Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1891-09-10
MATCH MAKING SPOOKS.
Did They Tell Mrs. Hopkins
to Wed Searles !?
A SPIRIT MESSAGE ON A SLATE

searlea Blushed When He Read the Sen.
timensal Instructions. but the widow
Insisted Upon Knowing Whist They
Were--xoung Hopkins Wants Half
NEw York, Sept. 10--It has been fire
quently stated. since Timothy Hopkins
first determined TO contest his foster
mothers viii, that he would claim undue
influence, and offer to prove the unsouno
mental condition Of Mrs Hopkins Searle,
at the time she disinherlted him Family
gossips have unfolded the plan Of cam
paign- II appears that the influence
which the obscure paperhanger is said e
have exerted was similar to that of tht
high spook priestess, Ann O'Delia Dis
Debaru whom she led Lawyer Luther r.
Marsh q pretty lively dance.
It is generally understood that Mr.
Searles is an apostle OF spiritualism
When he went TO San Francisco IL is said
he found the old lady deeply engrossed in
he mysteries Of spiritualism. At her
house were the two sons OF DR.. Crook,
who in jest amused Mrs. Hopkins by pre-
tending TO converse with the invisible in
habitants OF spookland. These conferences
began to take on a serious aspect, for Mrs
Hopkins became a devout beiov er, &C
when Mr. Searles proclaimed himself an
apostle Of the faith he was invited to join
their evening circle In the drawing room
Row Tim Got the House.
Spirit rappings and slate writing were
produced by the paperhanger aud the old
lady became enraptured when he sum
moned the spirits OF her departed friends
and transmitted messages from them to
her. One Of the Crook boys tells this
story:
The gift Of house TO Timothy Hop
kins came about in peculiar way. Mrs
Hopkins-Searles aud myself were seated At
the seance table one night when suddenly
she asked the spirit Of my father il she
should deed the Menlo park residence to
her son Timothy at once or wait until il
was owned by the state.
Seatles heard the question, and quick as
flash ! saw that he wanted a negative
answer
Huntington a Believer, Too.
Answers always come by the table tip.
ping, and l determined It should be in
favor of Tim. It then became question
Of muscle between Searles and myself, but
was too much for him, and in spite OF his
Efforts to bold the table down tipped it.
AS soon as this answer was given Searlus
proposed TO close the seance for the even.
ing. From that time on Watched Searles
IN his Efforts TO influence Mrs Hopkins |
and when he had carried his point he found |
an excuse for sending me away. G. i.
Huntington knew all about this. and be. |
heve he too, was believer in spiritualism |
at one time y
Spirits Told Her TO Marry.
An old friend Of the Hopkins famil,
says il has been generally known for sew.
eral years that Mrs Hopkins-Searles was
q iirm believer in spiritualism and Ia Mr.
Searle's power 70 communicate with the
dead. Il have frequently heard said
this gentleman, that it was through
spiritualistic communication that Mrs
Hopkins married Mr. Seares, and that the
same influence is what caused the adopted
son to be disinherited.
AS the story goes, there was spirit writ.
ing going on in Mrs. Hopkins drawing l
room one night Mr.. Searles was the
medium. When the slate was opened he /
was the first 70 read the message IL was an
injunction from spirtland that Mr. Searles
should marry Mrs. Hopkins. OF course
Mr.. Searles was greatly embarrassed and
he started TO rub out the writing, but Mrs.
Hopkins snatched the slate aud quickly
scanned the message.
IL was not long after that Mr.. Searles.
IN the presence Of several friends put his
arm afiectionately around Mrs Hopkins
and kissed her, while she in return an 1
nounced him as her afisnced husband
what Timothy win Claim.
Timothy Hopkins has furnished him
self with afhdavits concerning his foster /
mothers spiritualistic tendencies, and he /
Will endeayor to convince the Massachu /
sets courts that Mr.. Sesrles obtained al /
eolute control over the old lady by fraudu /
lent spirit manifestations. II will also De |
commended that Seares used the Same in J
Huence TO keep him out Of his rightful |
inheritance. Timothy Hopkins will also 1
try to prove that during her last illness |
Mrs Hopkins Searles was isolated from /
her friends and relations, and that Mr. !
Searles stood guard over her day and night |
until she died
This spiritualistic phase Of her life, and |
and the fact that she was brought under |
its control by Mr. Searles, is the basis Of |
the charge Of undue influence Il will also |
be urged that, as Mrs. Hopkins became So |
Sasily converted in her old age, it should |
be proof positive she was Of unsound mind |
ne Wanted Half the Estate.
Timothy Hopkins and Searles have had
conference looking to a settlement
They did not, however come to terms, foI
Mr.. Hopkins demanded an equal share OF
the estate and would listen to no other
proposition.
He left Mr.. Searles and joined Joseph
n. Choate at the lRtter's country house ia
Stockbridge, Mass, where he will remain
until the case is called Ia the probate
court at Salem on Sept 80
Hopkins has refused to take s., 25O, 900
from Mr.. Searles and stop a contest
Il is said that MIR. Hopkins has signed
an agreement to pay his attorneys one
fourth Of the amount the courts award
him. AS the lowest value Of the estate il
$50 900 and Mr. Hopkins expects to get
one-half Of it, Messrs. Choate, Endicott,
Wilson, Boalt and Burley will have 81 5OO,-
900 to divide il they win.