The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-26
ASHES NEXT HER HEART
MARY SMITH WORE THEM IN A
SACK BECAUSE DOCTORS"
TOLD HER so
WARNER BROS. GOT THE $500
Now the Police and Mrs. Smith Are
Looking for the Warner Bros,
Who Said They Were
Physicians.

A case Of fraud almost without parallel
in the history of frauds was unearthed
yesterday. A poor woman is the victim,
and not until yesterday did she know
that she had been duped.
The swindler was man who adver-
tised as magnetic healer, and he also
cures in mysterious ways, such as
clairvoyant or trance medium often
claims to make. He was one of two
brothers who opened up an office at $50
Cedar street, and advertised quite heav-
lily in several newspapers, particularly
in those printed in the German language.
They worked under the name Of Warner
Bros. which is thought to be an as
sumed name. They advertised to cure
such ailments as regular medical prac-
titioners claim to be incurable, and in
the enumeration of those diseases
woman by the name of Mary Smith found
the very disease with which her only
son was afflicted, and she determined to
investigate the treatment.
She called at their office and explained
her sons affiiction. The doctor assured
her that he was troubled with the dis
ease known as 'spastic paralysis" and
charge the sum of $500. They said that
$50 of this must be paid in advance, and
that the balance must be paid inside OF
a month To guarantee the cure the doc
tors gave the lady q promissory note for
$500, to be forfeited at the end of the
months treatment if a cure was not eff
fected.
The lady mustered up the necessary
money, which exhausted nearly every
thing she owned, in order to maintain it,
and on July 8 she, with her son, went
to the office to have him take his initial
treatment. They explained that the first
step they would take would be to burn
$50 III paper money, and that the ashes
Of this be placed in little bag and hung
over the mothers heart. This sum they
demanded from her ana she gave it to
them. One of the men went into an adj
joining room and in a few minutes re-
turned with the ashes Of some paper in
a little sack and which the mother wore
according to directions. This was the
first treatment, and the mother was ask
ed to report in week and bring the boy
with her so they could note the progress
of the case.
When they returned the men told her
that the boy had shown an Improvement,
but that the other treatment must be re-
sorted to at once, so as to accomplish
the cure in the time agreed upon. Be
fore they would go ahead with the case
they demanded the remainder Of the fee,
$780, which she paid.
They then, it is said, gave her instruc-
tons to follow for the remaining three
weeks. Among other things she was to
pray at regular intervals for the boys
complete recovery. She followed out their
instructions, she says, to the letter, but
as time went on and there was no great
change in the boys condition, she began
to suspect that all was not right, and not
before she consulted her regular family
physician did she really believe that She
had been sWindled a
She called once more on the doctor and
found that there was no one there. Then
she went to her lawyer for advice, and
he assured her that she had been victim
lied by a couple Of bad men. He advised.
her to go to the county attorney and have.
a warrant issued for their arrest which,
she did yesterday afternoon.
The police are determined upon pushing
the matter, and they have in their hands,
enough evidence to convict the criminals
f caught. The woman met number of
people yesterday who assured her that
they would aid her substantially in bring.
ing the men to justice. No clue has been
obtained to their whereabouts, but it
was learned yesterday afternoon that men
answering their description were being
Swallowed by the police at Minneapolis
They have been missing from the city for
over a. week