Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-11
BY BESSIE BEATTY

ROBERT A. ttaZel, VINO lauRnlnRly
terms himself spiritualistic mysta-
gogue, because he is the possessor of
an abundance of knowledge of the
ways and methods of the takers, con-
sented to reveal to me a little of his
lore. as he reveals 1t today to Herald
readers.
Mr.. Hazel has been in close touch
with mediums of many kinds for
twelve years, and he has even learned
some tricks which they have not been
able to fathom. 1t has been his delight
to fool those who fool others, and in
some of the large eastern cities, where
the mediums have a "spook trust"
Mr.. Hazel's head would bring a good
price.
In Cleveland, Ohio, he was instru-
mental in stirring up lot of unpleas-
antness for the takers, and they have
not even q grain of love in their hearts
for him. About three-fourths Of the
people doing business in that city have
found it more pleasant and healthful
to move to other climes, and thus
Cleveland people no longer contribute
to the support of graft as they once
did.
| Mr.. Hazel sees no reason why foolish
girls sorrowing widows and credulous
men in Los Angeles should part with
their hard-earned money for some
thing which they do not get, and he
believes that when they are sufficiently
convinced Of the fraud that is being
practiced upon them the takers will
seek for some other stamping ground.
Fakers in a Combine
That there Is q close combination
between the various takers has been
proved in other cities and by our in
vestigations in. Los Angeles. 1t is also
true that these takers are not above
f"knocking' each other, as the letter
which appears in this issue of The
Herald will demonstrate.
This letter was written by Laura
Hyland to. Mr. Hale. president of the
Anti-faker society after. Laura Hyland
had been exposed and decided to retire
\ from active, business. : In it the
speaks Of Elsie Reynolds in terms
| which would indicate that Mrs Rey-
nolds and Laura Hyland We're not on
as good terms as when the letter pub
lllished in last Sundays Herald was
written by Mrs. Reynolds to Mrs. Hy-
Iland The secrets which Mrs. Rey-
nolds disclosed in this letter are evil
IDENTIFY no longer regarded as sacred
by Mrs Hyland, and the letter is an
other step in the proving of Elsie Rey-
nolds fake of the worst kind.
Mr.. Hazel has exposed many of her
ilk. but he says that few have used
such crude methods.
81 cannot see how Elsie Reynolds
could fool a child three years Old"
said Mr, Hazel. 'I have met mediums
and been in seances where 1 could
hardly believe the things l saw to be
fakes, and yet knew that they must
be. have gone to these same seances
two or three times before I discovered
how the takers hid their trickery, but
any one with even average under
standing should be able to see through
Mrs. Reynolds clumsy manipulations.
Work Is Crude
"I have seen many platform mediums
work in Los Angeles and / have not
seen anyone who is even good, to say
nothing of being clever. To anyone
who has seen much of their work
their methods are simple in the eX-
treme and they lack the latest para
phernalia
"There are three firms in eastern
cities manufacturing fake sprituallstic
paraphernalia, and they do thriving
business
"Some 'first-class' mediums manu-
facture their own paraphernalia and
guard their secrets carefully. Almost
every medium has one particular trick
which he originates, and for this he
always manufactures his own neces-
sary working apparatus, that no one
else may discover the trick.
Most of the mechanical tricks now
being used by spirit mediums have
been invented by such magicians as
Hermann and Kellar The magician is
usually more clever than the spirit me-
dium. Kellar, who has used the rope
test and does not claim any power
other than his own wits, is the only
man who can stand any rope test.
Numerous mediums have tried it, but
sooner or later they have failed.
Victims Rarely squeaI
"The great graft in spiritualism is
the developing circle. Mediums charge
from so cents to S. for a sitting, and
they also sell magnetized slates paper
and charms TO help along the develop
ing. Charms can be bought at any
price from 81 to $780, according to the
amount OF money the medium thinks
his victim is fool enough to pay.
when a victim discovers that he
has been fooled he is quite apt TO
pocket his sorrow and say nothing
about it, not wishing it known that he
was so weak as to be taken in by such
transparent fraud This trait of hu-
man nature is counted on by the me-
diums and 1t is seldom that the victim
squeals and resorts to law.
THE medium processes to take vic
tim and make medium out of him.
The sitter usually stays with II until
he gets tired or the medium leaves
town, but he is no nearer being real
medium than he was when he started, |
A much easier method would be to
write for a catalogue to one of the |
magical houses, and learn 1t all in fif- |
teen minutes.
"rhe manufacturer of spirltualistic |
paraphernalla realizes that there is a |
demand for his goods, and thus they |
come high A single slate with a sill |
cate pad can be bought for 50. and a |
dauble slate with sliding end costs s2.75 |
Spirit rapping hands also come high, |
considering they are nothing more or
less than an ordinary plaster of paris |
hand. They sell from IS TO $S.
capital of $50, and he may spend many |
thousands II he feels so inclined. For a ]