The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-06-24
ALL OVER SPIRITS
MRS. ROONEY, A sPIRITUALIST1O
MEDIUM, TRIED FOR INSANITY.
lively Seauce HeId in the Probate Cour:
Yesterd.y Ate rnoon-A About Sixty Men,
Women and Children Heard Words
From the LivinG-Lswyers Doing Mos,
of the Talking, Assisted by Nicholas
Rooney, Husband and Father to Annie
Mrs. Rooney IL Suins for a Divorce, and
Rooney Charges Her With Being Insane

There were about &ixty materiaiized
spirits at the probate court yesterday, in
Guiding Judge McCariass. Mrs. Matte
J. Rooney, c.airvoyant, clairaudient
and a genuine Cd all-round spiritualist
medium, was on trial for insanity. There
eeems to have been lots Of trouble re-
Gently in the Rooney family-Little Annie
Included-because Of the spirits.
Nicholas Rooney, hucband Of Martha.
and father Of Annie, besides three other
young children whose names were not
mentioned, was the first witress to be pu.
on the stand. Nicholas is janitor for the
A. O. L. ". lodge and is something OF
hypnotist, though he claimed yesterday
that he had not practiced the profession
for two years He was ably defended by
Col. Rohrbaugh, wilhelm Rooney had
employed Jim Corey and Judge Tucker.
Judge Tucker is said to be the only spir-
1tualistic lawyer in the city. Objections
were in order most Of the time and kept
Judge Haylnaker busy sustaining and
pverruling.
Mrs. Rooney was given an order by
the district court recently which forbade
Rooney to come near her or her house.
She is now suing MIN for q divorce. He
said yesterday that the trouble all arose
because she Associated with some wO-
men who he did not approve OF. He said
that Mrs. Rooney claimed that he was
going to kill her and that he kept razor
under his pillow. This he denied. When
urder the influence of the spirits she
had told him that she saw him IN a
hearse surrounded by the A. o. L. w.
AS he had been -siok and besides is a del
icate looking man. this statement did nor
have tendency 10 cheer him up. He said
that he often had to rub her TO get her
out from ore of her spasms or when in
a comatose condition. This, he says, hap
pened about every day.
When he said that the children told
him that she was going TO do away with
Serse.f, the youngsters all got their
mouths in the shape OF a capital 90"
: WAS she controlled by and particular
spiritg'
Yes, dN WIZ ld4hcu
Englis hand gave the name Of White
Swan"
when anybody needed reprinand-
ing he came"
This same Indiaz told him on three DIFF
ferent occasions where he could find
money hid. He went where ne told him
TO go and found it. The amounts were
so cents, % cents and 10 cents.
He said that before she began giving
public readings she was the best poor
mans wife in Wichita. At first he en-
coJtaged her in the business, but Of late
he tried to get her 70 stop.
He got ratified on the stard under a ire
rife lcross-examination. When asked
how much he had made In the past six
months he said about $12S. On cross ex-
animation It was brought out that Mrs.
Rooney did washing and also or three
occasions helped him to sweep out the A.
o. q. w. hall.
The trial was continued until this morn
ing at o'c.ock. When Mrs. Rooney takes
The stand there will probably be some
Interesting information brought out.
Those who heard the first half of the pro-
ceedings had a good laugh. and those
who go today will have a chance 10 fan
themselves and indulge il all kinds of
mirth and humor.