The evening world., 1894-05-21
THINKS he IS SPIRIT.
Reincarnation Beliefs of Lawyer
Stephens Aired in Court
Miss McFeeIy, Whom He Had Ar
rested, Tells the Story.
She Says He Claimed to Possess a
Prophets Soul.

Miss Florence McFeely sat a prisoner
In the Yorkville Police Court this morn
ing, charged with the larceny of $40
worth of wearing apparel from the house
of II. Clay Stephens, lawyer, $50 West
Eightieth street.
Lawyer Stephens in his complaint said
that the robbery was committed in No
vember last, when the prisoner was a
domestic in his family. He had been
looking for her ever since, but emily
located her last night at a spiritualistic
seance in Carnegie Hall, where he had
her arrested.
Miss Carrie Twigg was the medium,
and the detective who had been called
In watched the proceedings up to a
point where the oracle took a watch
from a man and said that she could
tell by feeling the instrument that its
owner was a journalist of great merit
n ought to be running n great New
York daily. Then he approached Miss
Merely, and after a moments con-
versation led her out.
This morning, in court. Miss Merely
told an Evening World" reporter that
she was not a domestic, but had been a
guest and seamstress with Mrs. Ste
phens., She says that she did not steal
the clothing mentioned, but that 1t
was loaned to her. She says that she
T Er;ds Mrs: Stephens a postal card
TTlday r evenln{ {be te lonnsa he art, fhas t shs
week. Miss Merely says that she has
been Ill almost all the time since last
November.
THE trouble is all due to Mr.. Ste
phens's eccentricities." said she. He
Is a relncarnationist. Mrs. Stephens
does not go that far, nor do /. We both
believe in a life beyond this and the
Ahihtv nf CniritS IN fafnrn IN this nnrth
with manifestations of their existence in
Spirit land"
Miss Merely then went on to say
that Lawyer Stephens believed himself
to be the reincarnated spirit of the
Prophet Isaiah. and fancied that his
seven-year-old son Victor was Jonathan
the beloved friend of DAVID. He ad'
various feminine names out of Scripture
He quarrelled with his wife over her
scepticism. Miss McFeely, sided witt
the wife, and Lawyer Stephens ordered
her from the house.
When she went away Mrs. Stephens
gave her the clothing, which she is ac-
that the lawyer Is so far gone in spir-
itualism that he will lie abed for twelve
hours at n stretch, clapping his hands
and making weird noises.
Lawyer Stephens had not appeared in
court long after the case had been set
for hearing.
Lawyer Stephens and his wife, with
u irienu, MISS augusta Nnite, VINO lVes
In the same house with Stephens. APP
peared before Justice Feitner later
Miss White said that Mrs. McFeelN
took SIS from her grip while she was
i'll.
Lawyer stephens's wife then took thu
stand. but instead of supporting Mrs
Merely, she claimed that the latter
stole the dress.
Justice Feitner decided to parole Mrs
Merely, and told Mrs. Stephens anc
Miss White to make out an affidavit
and If the evidence supported 1t, h,
would issue n warrant.
Mrs. McFeely refused to make pub
lie her address. She told the detectiv,
that she was living with some friend
and did not want to disgrace them. Sh'
gave her address to the detective anC
told him any time he wanted her sh'
would come Immediately. She promised
to return the dress in a few days.