Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-08
A so. CALLED MEDIUM
Great Excitement at Spiritualists' Gath
ering Last Night
Proceedings in the Police Court To.
day-Released ON Bail to APP
pear Tomorrow.

Patrick Jules Wallace, an alleged spir-
itual medium, was arrested last night by
Detective Rhodes and locked up at No. q
station on the charge of being a suspicious
character. At the time of the arrest Wal
lace was giving manifestations of tests
before the Washington Society of Seekers
After Spiritual Truth. at Typographical
Temple. While the so-called tests were in
course of operation, a young man arose
and denounced Wallace for having publicly
insulted him at a previous meeting. Mr..
Fairchild, president of the society. told the
young man to put his grievance in writ
ing and it would be considered by the So
ciety. The spiritualists objected to any in
terruption Of their meeting. At this juno
ture Detective Rhodes came to the front.
and there was considerable confusion, many
of the audience showing a disposition to
interfere. Detectives Carter. Boardman.
Wheeler and Detective Sergeant Perry
came to the rescue. Rhodes laid hands on
Wallace. but this only increased the excite
ment. The crowd seemed determined to
rescue the prisoner, and IL was a hard
struggle to get Wallace to the patrol wagon.
One of the incidents of the journey from
the platform to the pavement was the at
tempt of the medium to pass package
of letters to a Mrs. Whitman. The lady
secured the bundle of missives and was
making OF with IL, when Detective Ser
geant Perry and Mr.. Frank Austin of the
police telegraph service interfered with
her plans. She resisted strongly. Mean
while, Mr.. Fairchild had been endeavoring
to make himself heard from the platform.
1t is said, in denunciation of the officers
OF the law The medium was at last land
ed Then his lodgings at No. 937 h street
northwest were searched, but nothing OF
Importance was found.
Wallace Is a fine-looking man. and at
one time was a drug clerk in New York
city, where, IL is said, he was known, not
as Patrick Jules Wallace, but as Pat Ryan
From this he entered the variety show bust
ness, and at San Diego, Cal, re-entered
the drug trade. After period he went
west and embarked in business as a spiritu-
alistic medium. He is charged with having
obtained money by fraudulent methods in
number of cities, having. it is claimed,
victimized many people in the name of
spiritualism. He was last conspicuous in
ST. Louis, and, 1t is claimed. was forced,
with his partner. to leave that city. The
next thing heard of Wallace was in WASH
ington. The raid by the detectives fol-
lowed.
At Police Headquarters.
Wallace was taken to police headquarters,
where he gave his name as Patrick Jules
Wallace; age thirty-one years: married;
born in Ireland, and a spiritualstic me-
dunn by occupation. On his person was
found a purse containing HAS in change
and three pawn tickets for jewelry deposited
at Fulton's loan office, a gold watch and
chain and number Of papers and letters
In an envelope was found a black false
mustache and imperial. The letters the
police claim, clearly evidence the fraudu-
lent character of the man and his alleged
manifestations. Wallace stated that he
was never known as Pat Ryan; that for
the past four years he had been a medium
and that formerly he had been an actor
with Dion Boucicault and other companies
He denied any wrong doing here or any,
where else, and asserted that he was the
victim Of police and newspaper persecution
In the Police Court.
The man was locked up for the night at
the sixth precinct, and this morning was
charged before Judge Kimball. In the Po-
lice Court, with vagrancy and with being a
suspicious character. AS he appeared in
court he presented quite a clerical cut,
dressed in black, with large white tie.
smooth. round. full face and stout
Prosecuting Attorney Pugh. after stating
man, asked for a continuance of the case
until tomorrow morning, requesting that
he be put under bonds of $500
Attorney Fleming appeared for the pris-
oner, and objected to a continuance of the
case, stating that Wallace was ready for
trial, and anxious that the case be at once
heard. He claimed that his client had been
arrested under circumstances not at An
creditable to the police department and
had been made the subject OF false AMI
sensational newspaper reports. The bonds
asked for exceeded the penalty 500 bonds
which could be inflicted in case of conyic-
ton, and he asked that they be reduced.
Judge Kimball granted the continuance
requested, and placed the bond at 500,
which was subsequently furnished.