The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-05-25
HAS Fitted AWAY.
DR.. Souder, Hypnotist, Theosophist
and General Fakist.
SHE WAS A VICIOUS CREATURE.

Mrs Emma ChrIstOnerSOn Tells n
Tale OF Cruelty About Her-Mndame
SOuder Arrested
DR.. o. Souder, clairvoyant hypnotist,
massage doctor and fortune teller, has
left Topeka and a host of confiding
women who are now, though poorer and
sadder, somewhat wiser.
For the past few weeks "Dr." Souder
had rooms in the Keith block and sold to
unsuspecting and too credulous persons
the stories of their past and future for
any sum the customer happened to have
or could spare. She did a thriving bust
ness and would doubtless have still been
fattening her pocket hook at the expense
of the trusting pOpulace, had it not been
for one bad break she made and its dis
covery by Mrs. Emma Christofferson
who was in her employ for a short time.
DR.. Souder was made much of during
her stay here by number of people.
Among many others who came to
madame's parlors for advice and comfort
one day was Mrs. Christofferson, who had
with her her little boy Arthur of years.
She came to seek the madame's aid in
reuniting herself and husband, who
have been separated for some time
through no fault of hers. Yes, madame
could do this and, although the hus-
bands whereabouts were unknown, she
could reunite them for the pitiful sum of
$12 or would refund the money. Mrs.
in the private family of Mrs. Wright on
Norris street for 81 week and paying
the board of her little son at the resi-
dence of w. f. File at Eighth and Nor
ris avenue. She had managed to save a
little. however, and in the assurance that
her husband would be returned to
her she willingly paid madame
the money and left. Madame, how
ever, had fallen in love with little Arthur
and decided to adopt him. After plead
ings on the part of the doctor and tears
on the part of the mother the transfer
was legally made before Probate Judge
Elliott and little Arthur became the
adopted son of the clairvOyant. Oles
Souder promised that the child should be
well educated. This was a month ago
and soon stories came to the ears of Mrs.
ChKistOffersOn that her little son was
being mistreated and she resolved to find
out, and if the reports were true to take
her child away. Accordingly, during
one of the madame's illnesses she be-
came her nurse and the tale of cruelty
and temper and double life she discov-
cred will sound strange to the as yet dis
illusioned admirers of the doctors an
gelic disposition.
a JOURNAL reporter saw the boy last
evening and was shown cruel burn on
his right hand. "She burned me-" said
he in answer to the reporters questions;
''with the curling iron because 1 couldn't
spell the words" This was two weeks
ago and the wound looks now as though
it might have then been burned to the
bone.
"What else did she dor"
"She whipped me on the sore hand
with a slipper because 1 couldn't spell
and because l cried, she was afraid
somebody might hear and to make me
stop threw me on the bed and smothered
me with pillow and choked me'' The
mother was crying by this time and told
the reporter through her tears how
the boy still bore great black and blue
marks on his person from Mrs. Souder's
whippings. In bathing him one time
she got the water too warm and because
he cried about it. she pushed him back
into the water, although his skin was
purple when he was taken out.
All this and much more Mrs. Christof-
fersOn discovered while she was pretend
ing to be madame's friend for the sake
of recovering her husband, and on Mon
day when madame announced to her that
she had taken pay in promising to do a
great many things, she would not
be able to and that her spirit
friends had told her she had better
leave the city that night, Mrs Christof-
ferson resolved to apply the law. DR..
Souder was accordingly arrested by Con-
stable Ed Davis a writ from Justice
Furry's court, and on Tuesday was taken
before the probate judge and the articles
of adoption annulled, Mrs. Christofferson
paying the costs and the madame set
Ting the IS nurse bill the mother held
against her. Nothing could profitabIy
be done, however, about the $12 Mrs
Souder had taken to bring back the hus-
band. After the child was released the
charges against Mrs. Souder were with
drawn and she was allowed to go.
DR.. Souder claims to be the sixth wife
of Prof. Herbert L. Flint, the hypnotist,
and is rather small though well pro-
portioned blonde. When She left here
she said she going to Lawrence to
treat patient, and would be back in a
few days.