New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-24

,-srs swing from the windows Of some Of the
--o-- exclusive Office buildings. In many win
5ovrs n The lodging house district the hand is
rsirted on the windows in daubs Of white. The
tenement district does not escape and huge
hands crudely cut out % paper are shown in the
windows or pasted ID on TIE doors. Even I'm the
exclusive Back Bav district there are two or
.h-ae modest signs OF gold in which the hand
figures
The hand IS the sign - the ralust. 5GSr as
huge gold tooth signifies Tho dentist = great
rrdes KEY a loclsrlith. and the pestIe and
mortar the drug store. Wherever Tho sign 81 the
hand IS hung out ore may Re sure the building
shelters a paln,ist. and that readings more or
less clever and surprising. can re had FOR
rrfce That The hands are 50 prevalent all over
Boston is the best sort Of indication Of the re-
rrarkable extent 81 the palnlistr-- craze.
II New-York the signs Of the hand would rot
cause remark To- Nevv-Yorkers reveI in hum
bug In Chicago one would expect them TO
colonize. 1o- the Windy city embraces every
sort Of fraud. But in Boston Well. one has been
Jed from the cradle to expect better things from
Fos-or'
The PIANIST does seem out Of place in 4 city
that claims early and late 20 he the centre OF a5
vanced civilization I'm America. one can hardly
credit p people that has more societies fer the
fostering Of the sdeaI life fl its various iuterpre-
tations and phases. than Il has fraternal lodges.
OF giving ear 20 such soph.stry: not only giving
ear 70 IT, but holding our hands for readings.
ard spending its good money for it.
There are between two hundred and two hun
drel and hfty palmists. astrolcgers and life
reading mediums Of various sorts now operating
IN Boston. Il is impossible to get at the exact
number. for The city does not recognize their
presence officially. They have 10 pay no license.
end are not even required TO register at Police
Headquarters. The estimate just given IS that OF
q Headquarters detective. who keeps a fatherly
eye on these particular members Of the ancient
Society Of Getting Something for Nothing.
Row much would you say Boston spent each
year 20 hear the old story Of head line and life
line and heart line and in endeavoring TO figure
combinations OF the planets under which they
were born?" Tribune reporter asked this same
authority.
Easily more than 100000" he replied. after
figuring industriously for a few minutes There
are several palunists in Boston who make from
5000 70 5000 year. and one who probably
reaches higher figure. They are patronized
by wealthy and fashionable women largely. and
from 81 to So is charged for a reading There
sre scores who take in from $500 70 $1,000
year easily. These are the palnists Of the we'll
TODD working classes. the sort you viii find out
On fremont and Pleasant SITS. The palmists OF
the tenements. who viii read for anything they
can get-10 l. or 20 cents-probably average 81
day each.
In estimating Boston's palnlistry expendi-
-ures AZ 100000 4 year. I am not taking into
consideration the large sums Of money which
clever palnists set from their victims some
investment excuse or other. or the even larger
SUMS which the people lose by following the silly
a.Tile which the 'fakirs' give them Few COM
plants Of palmistry swindIes reach the police.
IN .he last year there have been none involving
large sums Yet I am satisfied that their illegal
gEtus are as large their skill in quieting those
no lose"
Boston IS not always going 20 be the bed Of
ro-rS for palnistry ard the allied arts that
g. is today. Judge William H Il. Emnons the
So strenuous and efficient refo-uer who has
CT been a. the Head Of the Boston Police Com
mission. has noticed the signs Of the hand. \
lat of them VIII come down IN q hurry when he
terms his attention 20 them.
when 1 took charge OF the police helm" said
Judge Enmons % a Tribune reporter the other
day. 4 decided 10 take up one thing at a time
and finish with it before beginning another cru
saGe. It is the only way TO do 4 clean fob
Acting that principle. We started ia on
drunkenness and made il unsafe for a man 10
drink tee much and attempt TO carry It on the
streets. TIE boxing clubs rext received our
4
Few wen directed raids convinced the gamblers
that -hev co1:I 40; do business in Boston. The
same Instrument closed The smoking pa~lors.
instrument C evil peculiar % Boston. OF late
The massage i.avIo-z have had our attention.
end another guise for prostitution has been
'asen away. Druggists who sell Hquor Illegally
Gie next. on the lis. and are only waiting
Tor action by ;he state Board q Pharmacy to
begin a. crusade against fher.
The turn OF the palrlists and 'fakirs' OF that
sort is surely coming. As vet We have made no
Investigate, but I am satisfied that there is
need 81 oaa We win make them change their
mind about Boston being "a desirable place for
their operations"
The great majority % the palmists IN the
''Ts-h' are women. IS arc nearly all The clairvoy
autS. trance mediums and card readers. Most
~ the 2strolorars are learned looking old men.
who claim 10 work on strictly scientific lines.
Thei- neat brass signs are to he found at the
doors ~ exclusive apartments ard Office build
fnrs with no more display than the name plates
q reputable physicians who surround them
Every age and condition OF woman. almost.
ca be found in ,he palniSts' ranks. There
are dear ole grandmothers who stamnner and
stumble and forget their often repeated for
rnulas Of the past and future. There are giddy
youur things who learned their art from Il
manual II palmistry which can he had AZ any
second hand book shop fer ~ cents. This sort
are hest al reading the masculine palm, and
their smiles are much more convincing than
their forecasts Then there ara clever women
whose bluffs al the past ard future really
seem 70 ring true. StiH another type is the gypsy
paIuiss. % which there are several colonies IN
different parts 81 the city They are largely