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

Miss Florence McFeely sat n prisoner
in tho 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
domestic in his family. He had been
looking for her ever since, but only
located her last night at a spiritualistic
seance in Carnegie Hail. where he had
her arrested.
Miss Carrie Twigg was the medium.
and the detective who had been called
In watched the proceedings up to n
point where the oracle took a watch
from man and said that she could
tell by feeling the instrument that It's
owner was IA journalist of great merit
and ought to be running n great New
York daily. Then he approached Miss
Merely, and after n moments con-
Versation led her out.
This morning, In court. Miss Merely
told an Evening World' reporter that
she was not n domestic, but had been a
guest and seamstress with Mrs Ste
phens., She says that she did not steal
the clothing mentioned, but that it
was loaned to her She says that she
wrote Mrs. Stephens II postal card
would return the loaned articles this
week Miss McFeely says that she has
been III almost all the time since last
November.
The trouble is all due to Mr.. Ste
phens's .eccentricitics," said she. He
Is reincarnationlst. Mrs. stephens
does not go that far, nor do ]. We both
believe in life beyond this and the
ability of SIlritG to this
with manifestaiions of their existence In
spirit land
Miss McFeely then went on to say
that Lawyer stephens believed himself
10 be the reincarnated spirit of the
Prophet Isaiah. and fancicd that his
seven-ycar-old son Victor was Jonathan.
dressed his wife and the defendant by
various feminine names out of Scripture.
lie annrrelled with his wife over her
the wife, and Lawyer Stephens ordered
her from the house.
When she went away Mrs. stephens
cused OF stealing Miss McF,ely adds
that the lawyer is SO far gone In spir-
itualism that he will lie abed for twelve
hours at a 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
n friend, Miss Augusta White, who lives
In the same house with Stephens. ap-
pearcd before Justice Fcitncr later.
Miss White said that Mrs McFcclv
took $l5 from her grip while she was
i'll.
Lawyer Stephens's wife then took the
stand. but instead of supporting Mrs.
McFccly. she claimed that the latter
stole the dress.
Justice Feitner decided to parole Mrs.
McFcely, and told Mrs. stephens and
| Miss White to make out an affidavit
and II the evidence supported II, lie
would ISSUE warrant.
Mrs. McFeely refused to make pub
| lie her address. She told the detective
that she was living with some friends
and did not want to disgrace them. She
gave her address to the detective and
| told him any time he wanted her she
| would come Immediately. She promised
to return the dress in few days.