The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-10
MENTAL SCIENCE CURE.
One Noted "HeaIer" Denied the Use of
the Mails.

Post.
The Postofice Department yesterday
issued a fraud order against Mrs. Helen
Wilmans, wife OF Colonel Charles c. Post,
an author, OF Seabreeze, the home temple
Of mental science in Florida, for operating
through the mails a scheme for obtaining
money alleged to be by false pretenses.
Mrs. Wilmans. or. more correctly, Mrs.
Post, claimed power 10 heal any disease
or affiction. including poverty, by a method
OF concentrating her thought on the pa
tient taking treatment, and for such service
solicited remittances Of 50 a week or SO a
month. Evidence gained by the postofice
officials showed that a large number Of per-
sons had applied to her and paid money
for the extension of her alleged thought
power to their specific cases.
To these persons she had sent instructions
to the effect that they should set apart fiji
teen minutes each day in which to forget
other matters and permit he healing
thought which she sent to her patients TO
enter their bodies and renew them. During
the hearing before the postal authorities for
five days ending Friday evidence was ad-
duced showing that while certain persons
CT the name Of Dayton were acting as chief
clerks for Mrs. Wilmans, she herself
opened the mails, took out the money, and
without carefully reading the mail, handed
the letters back to the clerks to be an
swered with certain stereotyped letters.
Further evidence was offered and not dis
puted showing that Mrs. Wilmans, in adj
dition TO promising to send thoughts TO
patients at certain hours during the day
does considerable literary work and book
writing.
The postal authorities. granting the wom-
an was energetic and capable OF much
effort, thought she could certainly not find
II possible TO even make a pretense OF
sending specific and individual thoughts
to all her patients on account of the linn
tied number of hours in a day. To this
evidence she replied that she could think
Of LOCO at a time as easily as of one.
Without in any manner inquiring into the
merits OF the so-called mental science,
however, except so far as deception was
IN fact imposed upon the sick and unfOr-
tunate who were induced to take this treat
ment, the postal officials came to the con-
clusion that the scheme was a fraud.
The case was one of the most interesting
which the legal branch of the PostOftice
Department has handled for some time.
Many prominent men have come from
Florida in connection with the case, in
GLIDING members of the congressional dele
cation. Governor Jennings, of Flodida;
Senator Mallory, Colonel Post, Col. Otis o..
Green, attorney for the mental scientists,
and many other prominent citizens of
Florida have been here several days
watching the progress of the case, which
is one of national interest 10 all persons
connected with thought transference teach
ings.
Mrs. Wilmans, as she is known in these
transactions; her husband, Colonel Post,
ana Charles +. Burgman, her ~sOn-in-law,
were arrested at their home at Seabreeze
on Aug. % last by a deputy marshal, on
information sworn out by Fred ID. Peer,
a pOstoffice inspector for that district, on
the charge of fraudulent use of the mails.
1t is alleged against Colonel Post and Mr..
Burgman that on May 10 last they con-
spired to commit an Offense against the
United States by mailing at the Seabreeze
pOstOfice a large number of pamphlets en-
titled 1.-The Highest Power of All" Free
DOM, a Journal of Realistic Idealism," and
a large number of instructions to Pa
tents" all of which contained advertise
ments pertaining to the alleged fraudulent
scheme. After the arrests had been made
a number of subpoenas were served and the
accused were taken to Jacksonville to
await hearing. On the following day they
were each released In the sum of $1,000 for
further hearing. They will probably have
q trial this month.