The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-07-31
A ONCE FAMOUS MEDIUM
STIR SIZE MADE AT ONE TIME IN
BRIDGEPORT.


BRIDGEPORT.
Created n Panic Among Factory People
In Is7O-Prsdicted a Fatal Explosion
at the Cartridge Works, and 1T De-
curred-Goodwin stoddard's Novel
Defense.
The Bridgeport Standard says of
Lottie Fowler, believed to have been
the once famous medium of that name,
who died Saturday at the insane asylum
at Blackwell's Island, New York, where
she had been under treatment for some
months:
She was the woman who was tried In
the city court of Bridgeport, in Decem-
Der, 1870, on the charge of being a for
tune teller.
miss Fowler came TO Bridgeport
late In November of 1870, and established
herself at the Atlantic hotel. She was
a strikingly handsome woman, and
when she advertised and announced
herself to be business clairvoyant
and test medium she found many cal
1ers. Among her patrons were num-
Der of young women employed in the
factory of the Union Metallic Cartridge
company. To them she said that soon
an explosion would take place at the
works and that life would be lost by it.
''The women spread the information
among their shopmates, with the result
that there was almost panic at the
factory. As means of ending the con-
IIo1el,s sal q road
some of the women operatives who
were responsible for the state of affairs.
"The panic spread beyond the works,
and the people of the East Side We're in
an excited frame of mind for several
days. A complaint against Miss Fowler
was lodged with Captain John Rylands
then at the head of the police depart
ment, and he warned her to leave the
city. She laughed at the order, and
stayed on.
captain Rylands's warning was de-
livered to the clairvoyant on the even
ing of November "a. One week later
there was an explosion in the illuminate
mixing room at the works of the Cart
ridge company, and by it Achile
Zajotti, the chemist, lost his life.
1.-THE explosion was considered by
Miss Fowler and her friends to be her
vindication, and it apparently was so
considered by the authorities, for a
warrant for her arrest was issued and
was served by Captain Rylands on the
evening of December 2. The clairvoy-
ant at once retained Goodwin Stoddard,
then a young and rising attorney, to
defend her, and he gave bail for her ap-
pearance in court. The trial took place
on December 5 before Judge Bullock,
then judge of the city court.
Thirteen witnesses testified for the
state They described their interviews
with the woman, all of which tended to
show that she pretended to anticipate
the future.
"Mr. Stoddard offered in defence Of |
his client the testimony of six expert
witnesses, all of whom testified that
they had had proof of the existence of
the science of clairvoyance or animal
Mr.. Stoddard argued that
the statute under which the prosecution
was brought was enacted before test
mediums We're known and that it could
not apply to his client.
"Before deciding on so important a
matter Judge Bullock devoted four days
to its consideration. On December 10
~ NNo
he acquitted the prisoner, holding that
she did not come within the terms Of
the statute
after leaving Bridgeport Miss Fow-
Ter went abroad. In 1874 she predicted
an injury to the Prince of Wales and
the death of his coachman. These oc-
CURED soon after the prediction. In
1880 she was at st. Petersburg, and
there predicted the assassination of
Alexander II. The, crime was COM
mitted six days after the date announced
by the clairvoyant The uneentmental
Russians took the fulfilment of the
to be absolute proof of con-
nection between Miss Fowler and the
Nihiists, and she was expelled from the t
empire.
miss Fowler's right name Is believed
% have been Charlotte Connolly. She
was born in Boston SO years ago. She t
irst gained prominence in Bridgeport Y
md of late years was known as a Spir- {
tualist." {