New-York tribune., 1904-10-02
OCCULTISM IN FRANCE.
Frauds Practised By Spirit Medi-
ans on Clients.


It might have been thought that recent dis
closures OF frauds perpetrated upon unsuspect-
ing persons by so-called spirit mediums would
have brought Occultism as profession into dis
repute and spoiled the trade for its professors
But this IS by no means the case There is, OF
course, in the Latin race a strong strain OF
superstition, which makes is members more
susceptible 70 the influence OF anything Pur-
porting 10 SAVIOR Of the supernatural than
either branch OF the AEglo-Saxon race, for in
stance. And certainly. in the teeth Of most ad-
verse circumstances, Nine Christrnann, the sor-
ceress OF Versailles" must be congratulated on
the strength Of the faith she has managed 70
inspire In her votaries.
Standing on independent ground. entirely
apart from that occupied by Christian Science.
It is as q faith healer that Nine Christnann
has come before the public Her methods are
extremely simple; uasnet!zed water appears 70
De the principal. if rot the only. medium en-
pIoyed. The inquest upon the body of the VIC
tim Of this treatrueut-fOT Nine. Christuanc
numbers one martyr in the ranks Of her fol-
lowers-goes To prove that. without the disease
from which Nine. Barbaur was suffering, death
must have ensued from insufficient uourish-
nenc.
The deceased woman Nine. Barbaut, was the
wife or cook in one Of the large establishments
OF Paris Early in the spring Nine. Barbaut.
who was thirty-tvo years old. fell III with 4
FORM Of dropsy. and her mother, Nine Fleury.
then living az Versailles. fetched her from her
husbands house and placed her with Nine
Chr.stmann in whose medical skill she had
and indeed stiI has-eutire faith. In the first
week Of August Barbaut. a reservist, was called
up 10 do his months military service. and he
repaired to Versailles to take leave 0f his wife.
He was at once introduced into room where
his wife vas lying cold and tnanimate her
hands crossed upon her breast Nine Christ
mann explained the condition or the patient 20
be one OF renewal" and assured the alarmed
husband that n a very short time his vile
would be restored to perfect health. To the
ordinary beaoIder there is nothing particularly
convincing about the exterior OF the 'sorceress,"
her commonplace features and recsdins chin
being b,- 70 means calculated 10 inspire con-
fdence IN her divina inspiration. She however.
quite convinced Barbaut OF her occult powers.
and he departed 20 Falaise, 20 Join his regiment.
without any nissivi1ss-
But Nine B1rbaut had 4 sister whose faith
IN occuItisrr was less ro5usJ han that OF her
mother and brother-ln-law. and she, in her turn,
came 10 Versailles to inquire after the sick
woman. on being refused adrlirta7ce by Nine
Ch-isrrnann she applied 70 the police, with the
result mat me dead voman's body was removed
made The medical evidences proved chat death
had already occurred when rhs husband visited
his vile. and during the three weeks that had
ar,nsad since that event Nine. Chrtstuarn. ex-
r,asza,ise and so-ceress had bathed the body in
powerful antiseptics several times q day. plac-
ia- fresh linen and burning the Old IN this way
sre had to some extent arrested decomposition
o.sh the other tenants % the house IN which
these lugubrt0rs dolngs were taking place had
several times complained TO the concierge Of the
,1r,pIea SAINT s1neus which pervaded the staircase
Both husband and mother objected strongly 70
The uo=--Inorten examination. as being likely TO
-e-ard tha process Of ''rerewat' promised BY the
...o-cersss" and confidently expected by both
relatives.
The odd thing about IL is that Nine Christ
mann does not appear - have made any money
out of her cures Her papers show that she has
attempted 10 work By correspondence also. but
not To- Iucre. On the contrary, she has in many
instances shown herself 10 be generous 70 the
moor and suffering. II proceedings are taken
AGAINST her it win be or the charge OF prac-
risip- medicine without license. but az pres
sr+ her mental condition IS being inquired into.
she calls herself the daughter OF Christ and
appears TO be uucn in earnest
Another spirit, recently raised In Paris, that OF
dead husband. has shown a good deal OF Wit
His widow. wishing 70 marry again apP-Ieu 70
medium and asked her 70 communicate with
her late husband. TO md out whather or not he
objected 70 the woular's rerlarriage- The Ini-
+i7f EXPENSES OF the affair cost the woman $50
francs. and brought her the information that ths
dead man was. for his sins. then actually in he'll.
BY the orders Of the medium a note for 1000
francs. together with some jewelry formerly
worn by the dead man. was placed in vase
and covered with veil Then. enjoining upon
the widow to spend the night in prayer. and 20
burn lavender and sugar in the morning. the
medium took her leave OF the client, informing
her that the answer TO her inquiry would be
found in the place in which the money had been
deuosited. The following day the widow.
cordlngIy. JrembHagly opened the goblet and
looked for the promised message She found a
sliD OF paper containing these words Il wish
nv successor joy. II re Is still willing to have
YOU after this exhibition OF your folly"
GLIB