The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-11-19
WELTMER DECISION
OF MUCH INTEREST
Regarded of Considerable Impor-
tance in Defining the Status
of "Fraud Orders"
ATTITUDE OF DEPARTMENT.
Postal Official Says That the Ques-
ton of the Merits of the
Treatment Was Not
Considered.


lith St and PennsylVanla Ave.
Washington. Nov. 1S.--''The opinion of the
Supreme c urt in the case of the American
School Of Magnetic Healing of Nevada, Mo-.
VS.. J. NJ. McAnulty seems TO be of consid-
cradle Importance as defining the status of
fraud orders as issued by the Postmaster
General. although 1 nave not as yet seen the
opinion handed down by Mr.. Justice Peck
ham, said Acting Assistant Attorney Gen.
eral Christiancy Of the Post Office Depart
ment to-day.
But" Mr.. Christiancy continued. "the
impression which seems so general in the
morning press that in the consideration of
this case the efficacy of either mental or
magnetic healing. or Christian science. was
brought in question by the department is
erroneous. The Post Office Department
would not undertake or attempt to pass
upon the merits of any of these methods of
healing diseases any more than it would as-
sumo to say which of the various schools
Of medicine is to be preferred over other
schools or that the theory advanced by any
such school is false and misleading. The
fraud order in question was issued on en-
tirely different grounds.
FRAUD ORDERS.
while by law the Postmaster General
is granted authority to issue fraud orders on
evidence satisfactory to himself that a per-
son or concern Is operating through the
mails q scheme devised for obtaining money
under false and fraudulent pretenses, the
duty of reviewing the evidence submitted in
the individual cases is assigned 70 the head
of this office. and the records of this office
show conclusively that the question of
whether or not Christian science or mental
science principles are proper did not enter
the case.
Here is a memorandum of the facts pre-
scented to the Postmaster General. with the
recommendation of this office for the issu-
ance of the fraud Order" and he presented
a four-page typewriter memorandum.
This memorandum shows that the Amer
lean School of Magnetic Healing. S. A.
Weltmer president, j. II. Kelly secretary,
and J. H. Kelly. all of Nevada. Mo-, had
been formally advised to show cause why
a fraud order should not be issued against
them and that they appeared with their
attorneys before Harrison J. Barrett, then
Acting Assistant Attorney General for the
Post Office Department. May ~, Ii and L,
1900. Inspectors reports and other evidence
were produced by the Government and oral
eviden : and atidayits were presented by
the defendants.
SUMMARY OF CASE
Summing up the case this memorandum
states:
Under the name of the American School
Of Magnetic Healing numerous advertise
ment5 were inserted in papers throug aoue
relieve poverty upon the payment OF Ger
tain fees, no matter what the distance be-
tween the patient and the healer, by means
of what is termed absent treatment. 1t
seems that Professor Weltmer had evolved
certain theories that thought dominates the
body and that II an agreement were formed
between two minds. the one becoming pas
sive to the other, and a suggestion along
the line of the cure to be effected or the
object to be accomplished Is given by the
positive mind and accepted by the passive.
the thought of the passive will put Into op
eraticn certain forces which will eradi-
Nofn dicao q q from tho hhdv nr nnpnmntiGh
the object sought.
1.-The question before the department IN
the investigation of the complaints Of vari-
GUS parties was not as to the truth or
soundness of this doctrine. but as to wheth-
er or not the mails were being used under
the names mentioned for obtaining MONEY
by means of false and fraudulent pretenses.
representations and promises by practicing
this absent treatment"
WELTMER'S INDUCEMENTS.
Going further into the case. we find"
ducement made in all the advertisements
and circulars was that. for the sum Of IS
sumo the duties OF the positive mind and
devote fifteen minutes per day to. special
thought for the patient remitting him the
theory denominated 'weltmerism.' to ef-
But it appeared that the incoming fees
amounted to about 81. 5N per day, which
made it an utter impossibility for Mr.. Welt
mer to devote fifteen minutes special
d deenght Of 20 ca eaSh pe ent his d promis ss.H or for
some other reason. Professor Weltmer took
himself to Manitou Springs for long vaca-
tons, and during other periods of time was
lecturing throughout the country. paying no
attention to his absent treatment business.
but was depending entirely upon eighty
typewriters and the business manager. none
of whom made any professions of ability,
to take his place. to receive and bank the
money and to send encouraging letters to
patients, which were designed to nave the
patient continue the treatment and remit
further fees.
"It was shown at the hearing that Pro-
fessor Weltmer never saw the letters from
his many patients or made any effort TO
see them or to know their names or to do
his part in carrying out the theory adj
vanced by him and for which his patients
We're paving. A fraud order was there
fore recommended, which recommendation
was concurred in by the Gen.