The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-11-02
LOTOS MOTHER WARDS HERE
SHALL THE ELEVEN TINY GU.
BANS BE ALLOWED TO LAND:
Vino Boys From : 70 10 Years Old and
Two Girls. y and 10. Destined for
Katherine TtnKley's Homestead.

htOWcSteoO.
Eleven tiny Cubans who arrived at New
York on the steamship Orizaba early yes
terday morning slept at Ellis Island last
hght, being detained there until the board
Of inquiry OF the immigration Office shall
determine whether they should be admitted
70 the United States.
The children came here destined for
Katherine Tingley's Homestead" Of the
Universal Brotherhood" at Point Iona.
near San Diego, Cal. They were in Gus.
tody of DR.. Gertrude Won Pelt. now Mrs.
TinRley's superintendent Of child education
at Point Iona, formerly a satellite OF tie
planetary dignitaries Of theosophy who
centred at LA Madison avenue. when Claude
Falls Wright and Ernest Hargrove were
in the theosophical band wagon.
Word had reached the Society for the
Prevention Of cruelty TO Children that
there had been demonstration at Santiago
lie Cuba. where the children came from.
against the proselytiznR efforts of Mrs.
Tingley's cult, which led to the deportation
offIuban children from their native island;
and also that not all Americans were satis-
fled that the general We flare Of the children,
morally and otherwise would he properly
conserved If they were permitted to re
taken to Mrs. Iingley's headquarters in
California.
As a consequence. the Children's society
had laid the matter before immigration
Commissioner William Williams. who or
dered the temporary detention OF the small
Cubans, and the president OF the society.
Vernon NJ. Davis. went before the board
Of inquiry Yesterday afternoon to assist
the board in ascertaining whether the
children should properly be permitted to
enter the country as wards Of Mrs Ting
leys institution.
The small immigrants, who in sensa-
tional announcements had been made to
appear as young Cuban girls just under
the age of 10, are little more than infants
and nine of them are boys. The ages OF
the lot run from years TO 10. The two
girls are sisters, aged and 10. The board
Of inquiry listened to the statements of
Mr.. Davis and of an attorney for Mrs.
Tingley's Brotherhood and heard state
nents Of the children themselves and testi-
Inony from DR. Won Pet and Mr.. and Mrs
A. &. Spalding.
The board withheld decision announcing
that its decision would be made known
to-day. II was the belief at Ellis Island
that If the children are admitted. II will
BE- due 0mo;t wholly to the testimony
OF Mr.. and Mrs. SpaldinR. who in their
statements to the board made themselves
in way sponsors for Mrs. Tingley and
what they did not hesitate to pronounce
her excellent school. where one Of their
sons Is being educated
The children, IL was said on the ship
had been more or less sick on the voyage
and were clad In the thin Cuban clothes
which Dr. Won Pelt r. enforced with heavier
ones on the approach TO New York, even
L.. -, - l..
coming up the bay. They were met by
Agents Agnew and Barley OF the Gerry
society and by Oluf Tyburg, an engineer
of527West Twenty second street Manhattan
and e62 Bedford avenue, Brooklyn, who
was accompanied by two men and two
women. One of the women was his sister
The identity of the theirs was not made
known. The boarding officer, however,
already had orders 10 detain the Cubans
at Ellis island.
Mrs. Tingey's lawyer said that the chill
dren were to be instructed in the usual
courses Of education at Point Iona and
that the system OF instruction there had
he approval Of the California Superin-
dren who were questioned said that they
we're going to California to study English
because their mammas or papas had COM
handed them to do 40. They expected
to 90 back to Cuba and to work after five
wears. One said that he expected to be-
come doctor and wanted to be an Ameri-
can.
They had no money. Their parents
had given them their clothes. except where
Mrs Won Pelt had given these. Misc Won
Pelt they knew not by name but as the
Sehora'
Mr.. Davis told the board that his society
felt compelled to ask the board to make as
full an inquiry as possible into the
methods by which the children had been
secured, and also into the capacity Of the
institution conducted by Mrs. Tingley to
take care of them so that they should not
become public charges, either now or later,
and in relate as well to their moral and
physical welfare.
He said that his society was impelled TO
this course the more because of an ex-
perience it had had with Mrs. Tingley
who, in 1897. had endeavored to establish
children's schools in New York under the
name Of Lotus Bud Circles" She had
sought the approval Of the Children's
Society. but Commodore Gerry, after in
vestigation, had been compelled to inform
her that the society must withhold it's APP
he compelled to interfere with her II she
sought to carry out her Lotus Bud" ideas
here whereupon Mrs, Tingley had lief,
New York and since had established herself
in California.
DR.. Won Pelt testified that the children
under her care at Mrs, Tingley's homestead
II the Universal Brotherhood were in
Structed in the English branches and were
taught the Golden kue, aUhOugn sne uiO
not designate her teachings by that name
She said that she brought thirty-five chill
dren from Santiago last year. A member
Of the board said that those thirty-five did
not enter by the port Of New York.
She said that Mrs. Tingley had the in
dorsement Of President Mckinley, but
she was not able to tell Mr. Davis that she
had seen Mr.. McKinley's Enforcement in
writing Mrs. Spalding later, however,
said that she had seen the letters in W hich
through the words Of Gen. Joe Wheeler
President Mckinley had Endorsed Mrs
Tingley, and had said that she should have
his approval in mission to the Philip
pines, which. however, Mrs. Spalding said
was never undertaken
DR.. Won Pct said that Mrs. Tingley wat
sometimes called -the Lotus Mother.
From her decisions there was no appeal iT
her colony although no one was compelled
to obey her" The persons there knew
enough, she said, to recognize the wisdom
IF Mrs Tingley's suggestions. One per
son might have been expelled last year fol
ambition" she was not sure.
Dr. Won Pelt received tho moneys paid
In for her department, that Of child in
struction. but she could not tell how mucf
they amounted to. There were perhaps
$50 children there. and something like iO'
men, aged from II to 65, and as many
nv Mt