The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1905-08-05
A struggle Of minds

/ THAT is what fhe management Of a
+ well known vaudeville house in Sc
attic tried 10 pun off the other day
when r. W. Tntum. "A mind reader.
/ starring at the house. sent q chai-
ienge 10 r. IL McEwen. who re-
+ Gently appeared At the Seattle the
+ alter Ia mystic feata.
Tatum sent McEwen a rather per-
/ sonaI challenge, and also distributed
+ circulars Of the same throughout the
/ city
or course, II was goo advertising.
f and on the day that Tatum g1ner-
oualy set for the great combat OF
mind reading and thought ieiepathy
! (Which was. according 10 his idea,
70 be pulled off IN his own baIiwiek)
a great crowd gathered at his thea
ter 70 see the fun
! But
Taturn bargained without his host
+ McEweu'e manager IA opens 10 be
i II 1. I.eavltt. an old-timc show man
I who knows anything and everything
about the profession, from doing
/ advance for one-Ting circus to
starring a $4,000 a month operate
Patti
/ I.eavitt also has an inexhaustihle
/ fund Of humor. and Saturday after
noon he sat himself down with pen
I In hand and sent Tatum the follow
+ lng rather aroIl reply.
p. w. Tatum. Esq star Theaier.
/ Seattle.
Dear sir: A dodger over your
+ name has been called 20 ny atten-
+ ton
In this dodger. as wen as a letter
addressed 20 Mr.. McEwen PERSONAL
f Is you insert what Is purported 20
+ be a challenge Of mind reading tests.
and challenge him 20 appear at the
star theater, in which YOU are ap-
pearing. on certain date. and say
sou VIII gladly hand over to him
the sum Of 400 II he succeeds in do
+ ing six things which you shall pro-
pose.
Il desire 70 state TO you that your
/ mnEnanimous offer does not bear
I the caruarks Of a man possessed OF
I either the dignity OF the profession
/ Air McEwen Is a member Of. nor
/ does % appear TO contain enough
| reason TO require an answer.
"Nor would l write this letter TO
you were Il not 10 suggest to you
/ that Ia promiscuously circulating
/ cheap dodgers about the streets 10
which Mr.. McEwen's name IL at
taehed. you are taking what I con-
/ slider TO be a liberty not altogether
within the province Of "A legitimate
professional whether he profess TO
be a mind reader or simply a con-
/ Juror
THAT Mr.. MeEwen should consent
20 appear at the theater IN which
you are hired 10 act. and thereby
help 10 swell the receipts OF your
genial and well meaning manager. is
a proposition not only ridiculous. but
impudent
That he should consent to allow
his name 20 become connected with
n ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS battle
Of mentality. heralded 20 the public
a la Barnum & Bailey. Is a PROPOSE
ton that even n gentleman with
your undertaking propensities
should realize is absurd.
presume ANfAA III MEAttfkE THIS
letter | am not doing credit 10 your
much heralded faculty OF mind
reading. One glimpse into my
thoughts would convince you that
your thirst for publicity will not be
aided by us
4 would suggest that YOU use
this wonderful mind-readinE power
o fyours on receipt OF this letter.
simply establish telepathlc COM
municatiOn with me. and / will be
glad 20 tell YOU just how seriously
We take your challenge and the
| origin Of the same. Yours truly.
II. L. LEAVGTT, Manager"
Upon receipt Of which Mr.. Tatum
will probably say mean things via
the mental telegraphy route to
Mcssrs. Loavitt and McEwon.