The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-05-14
A BARE-FACED FRAUD.
Cheeky SWindlerS Cheat the Public
SpiritualiSm Not Exposed.
An Audience Fooled and the Money
Gone-A Farce at Turner Hall
Not on the Bills.

A man supposed to be named Parks"
came to the city recently and adver-
tised extensively that last night his
principal, DIR. De Forrest" would ''ex-
pose spiritualism" show how Anna
Eva Fay accomplished her cabinet
feats; do the same things in the pres
ence of the audience, and then explain
them, and show how they were done;
expose TyndaI, the mind reader; lay
bare the secret of Bishops work; dem
onstrate' how the Davenport brothers
fooled the people; explain and illustrate
the feats of Kennedy in mesmerism,
and that he would demonstrate con
clusively'' the methods of mediums and
show them all to be "a delusion and
SNARE
The agent canvassed the city well,
advertised by dodgers, in the press,
and with an emblazoned wagon and
much drum beating on the streets He
challenged local mediums to meet the
doctor on the stage and give tests by
slate-writing, table tipping or any
thing else. and the doctor would dupli
cate the feats and expose how they
were done. The announcement on the
black bordered circulars and dodgers
closed with the Invitation to everybody
TO come and have pleasant, comfort
able seance, one never to be forgotten;
come and be developed in one night.
The people, or some 300 of them.
came they had the seance; they were
not developed" and they Will never
forget it. The hall was we'll filled at
3. 1t was better filed at SID. At $50
the audience became restless. At SD
it became turbulent and muttered. At
$50 it grew angry, and at $40 it be-
came demOnstrative.
Then a pop-eyed young man with
four-in- hand tie and a crook cane
mounted the rostrum, braced himself
with a long draught of water, and an
nounced that Professor, no, L mean
Doctor De Forrest, has asked me to
come up here and say that the enter
tainment viii open by having the medi-
ums come up and take the stage first;
after them DR.. De Forrest would APP
pear" He added that Professor Adrian
Chester and DR.. Craig had accepted the
challenge, and he asked them to come
forward.
Then DR.. Craig put in an appearance.
He said he was a spiritualist. He did
not know De Forrest nor Chester. He
had accepted a challenge to defend
spiritualism, but he wanted TO know
what he was there for? He wanted the
other fellow to go on with his exposes
Then he began to talk against time
declaring that he believed the show to
be fraud, but he'd give the doctor a
chance on time. He announced HIM
self as the representative of the Ma
tiOnal Organization of Spiritualists" F.;
that he was in Sacramento for the three
months to serve the local group of the
belief, which holds regular open meet
ings in Firemen's Hall. He said he
was a believer in spiritual phenomena.
in the indestructibility of soul or mind,
and in the pure life here and hereafter
Generally he spoke Of the doctrines and
beliefs Of sincere spiritualists. He de-
clared that if spiritualism could be ex-
posed he wanted TO see 1t done, and
would pay part, or all of the expenses
of the feat. and thus rid his faith Of the
frauds and impostors who masquerade
in its name. He added that nine out
of ten Of so-called mediums are frauds
and bring reproach upon the creed or
faith.
When Craig had talked himself out
he called for De Forrest. There were
calls for Chester also. but neither APP
peared. 1t was then 800, and the au-
dience began to understand that it had
been swindled. A reporter of the Rec
ord Union went to the door and told
Box Office Clerk o. p. Dodge that the
people We're about to demand their
money back. Dodge replied he had
none in the box office: what had been
.
the agent on bills receipted for hall
rent. etc, which were shown in proof,
showing only So on hand. Mr.. Dodge
said he was simply employed as box
clerk, and knew nothing more about it.
He was told that he ought TO tell the
audience as much, which he did from
the stage, aided by Craig, who still held
the fort, amidst cries Of fraud and de-
mands for De Forrest.
Thereupon Dodge suggested that the
reporters guard one stage door While
he took the other for he believed De
Forrest would be unearthed. An entry
was then made by a dozen people into
the stage office. There, with his arms
folded, a tall, smooth faced man of
about 80 was found seated.
WAS he DR.. De Forrest?'
Il am"
why don't you come on?"
II will when my agent calls me-
Where is your agent?"
Il do not konw; he was here a mo-
ment ago"
To the next group that invaded the
room the fellow said he was not De
Forrest, and anxiously asked where De
Forrest was; correcting himself he
ra
BY this time the roars from the audi
forum were ominous and the self-ap-
pointed committee advised the pale
faced man of the room to come on the
stage for his personal saftety-and he
came.
The people quieted down. and the man
began to talk. He was white as a
sheet as he began. but gathered cour-
age and color as he recited the story
Of the Fox sisters; how Mesmer got
hold of Mesmerism, and then came
down to so-called mind-readng, which
he said was muscle or nerve reading
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