Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1905-04-06
DAILY PAPERS FAKES.
SpirituaIsts Impose on Editors or
Editors Write Sensational
Yarns.

Several leading Iowa dailies as
well as Omaha and Chicago dailies
during the past week, have had sen.
sational articles about certain Mrs
Baker, spiritualist medium. coming
to Audubon and locating and digging
up the body OF Frank Richardson.
The following from the Des Moines
News OF last Saturday is fair sam
pie of those articles:
Mrs A II. Baker, Des Mones spiritualist
has partially cleared II deep mystery in the
town Of Audubon, sby finding the remains OF
Frank II. richardson, Il prominent farmer who
disappeared mysterously from his home six
years sgo
Three weeks ago Mrs. Baker met Richard
sons brother at social function in Des
Moines. Richardson spoke incidentally OF his
brothers disappearance, and Mrs. Baker claim
cd she could clear up the mystery by getting
the spirit OF the dead man before her.
Four or five days latter she went to Audi
bon at richardson request, and without the
knowledge of the other relatives.
Two days after her arrival the remains of
the missing man were found buried beneath
the roots Of tree on the farm which he had
formerly owned. Mrs. Baker claims the credit
for tine discovery.
In and around Audubon nothing but the
peculiar discovery is being discussed. IL is
the sensation OF the hour. Old murder theories
are now being revived, and il is said that au-
were long since abandoned.
II have nothing to say about the matter. -
said Mrs. Baker, further than what have
already said 1 volunteered to attempt to
solve the M ystery, and have started To-
ed the remains and caused them To be ex
huned 1he bones We're lying between two
roots Of Il tree which stood not far from Mr..
Richardson's house In my own mind | am
confident that II terrible crime has been com
mitted, and later believe | shall be able to
furnish the authorities something on which to
work. am resting now but shall return To
Audubon in u few days
Mrs. Raker lives in n family hotel in Des
Moines, and she expects TO remain there for
several days. She disclaims being in any man
ner identified wit local spiritualists, hut says
She knows many of them, and that they are
with her eyed remarkable power.
the disappearance of Richardson was an
affair which cansed intense excitement in the
vicinity of Audubon, and was talked
II widely throughout the state.
This wOnld he important, ii true. IL
mas little fact in il, but much fiction,
and the important statement IN II is
wholly false. We have investigated
he matter and find the facts To be
lbout as follows:
Some weeks ago when Hi Menden- |
lall was in Des Moines he met Mrs. |
Baker, who was telling of some of her |
,ast achievements of iindidg hidden |
treasures when Mr. Mendenhall told her |
IF Richardson's disappearance eight |
ears ago last fall, that ne was wealthy |
md that there was supposed to be |
ome lost money in that case, etc. |
She thereupOn proposed to come mere |
md locate the body and the treasure. |
She came about two weeks ago. n
week ago last Saturday evening she
Ldvertiscd with small bills that she |
would lecture ON SpirltuallSm ut II
lalI here in town, that she was IL niece |
If Gen. ROb't. T.. Lee, etc, but SO
ew went to hear her that she did not |
ecture much. The following Monday |
he went with Mr.. and Mrs. Menden
nall to the GunniSon farm One-fourth |
nile west of Fiscus store This farm |
vas owned by Frank Richardson at
he time of his disappearance. by |
appointment Mr.. Richardson brother
Who lives near there, and a nephew, |
net them at the Gunnison place. Mrs. |
Baker went into "a trance, and located |
me spot where she said the body was |
,uried four and One-half feet down |
ind another spot near tree where |
he said the money was buried two |
md a half feet down. Digging was |
lone at both points deeper than she |
lad directed. She then said she |
bought earth had been washed in and |
deposited above them since burial, and |
wo or three feet deeper would have |
o be gone. 1t was then nearly night |
nd the digging was abandoned.
We understand that before Mrs. |
Baker left here she said at the depot |
hat few bones of Richardson body |
we're dug up under her direction. If
he News interview is correct it seems
he concluded by the time she got to
)es Moines that she had found the
Whole skeleton. AS she found no
zones, nor any sign of any, the charac-
er of the fabrication she and the daily |
,apers are putting out, can be realized.
such statements travel faster than the
ruth. They are sensational, and at
ract attention. They make many who
ire not established in their opinions,
believe that there is something in
Gleason Bros. sell fresh fruits and
Il, "A oil Il y.fI