The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1901-06-13
CONFIDENCED.
The Gypsies Encamped
Near This City Be
witch MelroSe.

witch M0ITOSGs
During the past two weeks there has
been encamped east of the city large
band OF Gypsies, and while the men OF
the party have been trading horses,
the women have been telling fortunes
and healing all manner of diseases,
and doing large business at it. too.
But it was at Melrose that they struck
it richest. A few days ago they re-
moved their camp to Westport and
have been working these towns from
there. One day last week, says the
Melrose Beacon, a woman of the band
called on Mrs. Mike Atkinson and
asked her to tell her fortune. This
being agreeable, the Gypsy demanded
that Mrs. Atkinson cover the palm OF
her hand with nine pieces OF silver.
Nine silver dimes were produced, but
they were not large enough. Then
nine quarters followed. Still too
small. At last nine silver dollars were
stacked up in the palm of Mrs. As
hand, and the ''the queen, OF the tribe"
Immediately got down to business
and fine stroke of business twas too.
She told Mrs Atkinson that she had
a child very ill with kidney disease
(which was true) and NO one on earth
could save the child's life but the
Gypsy herself. She said that the
mother had large sum of money, but
it had a deep and lasting curse upon
it and she could do nothing for the
child until this money was placed In
her hands, when the curse would oe re-
moved. the child restored to health
and the money returned, after remain
ing in the ''planet" for nine days.
How E.-s. Atkinson could have been
persuaded to give up her money is
mystery, but she did 60 to the Bank
of N orth America and draw out Sl,Oe"
on deposit there and turn it over to the
Gypsy. Then Mrs. Atkinson became
uneasy about her money, the story
leaked out, and on Sunday Sheriff
Schilplin was notified. He started In
pursuit and on Monday rounded up
the tribe at Willard. And it is here
the sheriff did a pretty piece OF bluff
work. He had a warrant for the
woman only and she had only $50 OF
the money. But Fred didn't propose
to leave that roll, SO he proceeded to
arrest, or said he would arrest the
whole gang, when one of the men
handed over $780, The sheriff wanted
the rest, but they all swore that was
every dollar they had. He started for
town with the woman and her child,
telling the men if that money wasn't
forthcoming he would be back in an
hour and arrest the whole lot. Fred
was very much surprised to find one OF
the Gypsies in town with the money
about as quick as he was.
AS soon as the arrest was known,
quite number of our citizens made
rush for the sheriff and poured into his
ears doleiul tale of how the Gypsies
had 'hypnotized" them and succeeded
in separating them from sums ranging
from SO to $1,000. Most of the victims
were women who seem to have gone
daft under the mystic influence OF these
strange people. Some of them have
told of their losses, while others are
ashamed to admit their weakness.
Securing a warrant the sheriff returned
to Westport and arrested two more OF
the women accused of obtaining under
false pretenses 1924 from Mrs. Hon.
and S47 Of Mrs. Spieker of Melrose,
and took them to st. Cloud. The Gyp-
sizes are willing to return the money
and there will be no prosecutions. 1t
would seem that the Gypsies have the
best of it as a matter of law. The mon
ey was handed over to them voluntarily
to he returned after nine days of charm
working and the time had not expired
when the arrests were made. D. G.
VanCarnp was retained by the Gypsies
but he does not think the cases will get
into court. The mystery is how intel
ligent people could be prevailed upon
to place such large sums of money in
such strange hands.