The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-17
SKEPTICs EXPOSE
A BOGUS SPIRIT 81 B
DouBTERs FALL UPON A
sssPooK'' AT sEANCE.
Soul of Sailor Man Turns Out to Be
. a Woman-St. Paul Party Lays Bare
Deception and Yanks It into the
Limeli ght of Publicity.

5 Five skeptica1 st Paul men, armed
with pocket searchlights and other MAJ
terial contriyances tending to the con-
fusion of spirits, invaded the sacred
precincts of a parlor spirit seance in
Southeast Minneapolis last night, to
the great confusion of the supposedly
ethereal but decidedly materialistic
row in the home. of Mr.. and Mrs. G.
Amundson, 1925, Sixth street Sc. It
was supposed to be a private seance for
the faithful only, and while the star
spirit, supposed to be the soul of one
Bob Kelly, a-sai1or person, who went to
Davy Jones' locker some fifteen cen
turtles ago, was doing "a fagmaking
stunt in the middle Of the darkened
room, the audience, all but the con-
spirators, followed in breathless ave.
At "a prearranged signal, the con
spirators charged on the spirit Of B.
Kelly. and pinned it to the floor. An
other division bore down on Mr.. Amund-
son, who acted as general manager of
the seance and cabinet tender for the
spirits. There was no doubt concern-
ing Mr.. Amundson, butt the spirit: of
Bob was found to be not q spirit, but
the decidedly. real MRS. Amun dson,
robed in black tights, her charms fur
ther disguised and etherializedSb by yards
and men. swore as the deception was
laid bare with electric searchlights.
The spirit of Bob begged and i'm
plored as the faithful Of a feW%moments
ago crowded about, shrieking invectixes
and demanding vengeance. The royal
keeper Of the cabinet also begged and
| implored, but to no avail. II
Confession Extorted. Il
A confession was wrung from the
pair by the former worshipers, who
demanding the immediate return Of al
/ they had poured into the spirit strong
box. After taking the entrance fees
they began a search Of the house fol
spoil, finally finding a bankbook~ol
a Minneapolis bank showing as"deposi
of $500. With the Kelly spirit out, .:
business for at least one night, and pu
to bed because Of hard usage in tn
rough house following the expose, tn
raiders appointed a guard to maintain
connection between Mr.. Amundson an
the handbook until morning and bank
ing hours should arrive. ~
/ The Amundsons, when seen today lad
mitted freely that there had been a.
expose. and attributed it to spiteworl
on the part Of other spiritualists.
Mrs. Amundson announced that tn
attack on her was particularly bruta
and that she was not only pounded bu
even cut. Mr.. Amundson said:
) HThere. were sixteen in the party
, All were from st. Paul. The leader
were. DR.. w. W. Schiffman, a dentist
and G.. Torkelson, carriagemaker, VIII
| were present with their families. Otl
ers present were Mrs. Julia Childs an
her daughter, Sidney Harper, a black
1ox
blacksmith named. Buerman;% an
/. others. <s~., s.'i@ .s1
} cdr Schiffman and Mr.. Torkelso
r were the leaders and led the attacl
, They stayed on guard here all nigh
| with another man [ do not know, an
l went to the bank with me this morn
= ing to take the $500 I had there.
; is all spite work
Mrs. Amundson substantiated tt
statement Of her husband. ,~---'~ s"@-1
- Both admitted that they had bee
! giving regular seances twice a wee
q and other manifestations from time
:. but deny that they have been gettir
q rich. Amundson is painter by trad
3 Both profess to be Spiritualists, but a
j. not. affiliated with any Spiritualist Q
g ganization.- The business will ,beS 60
8 tinued and seance will be held tomo
j row evening at which time N
Amundson says all in connect ion wi
last nj GIFTS affair will 5be1@expfaine
f They offered the following ssign'
i statement to their patrons: 80 4S.
il s"We were exposed Monday nigf
e April 16, at our home, 1l25 Sixth sire
II Sc. Hereafter we win give ,exhil
u lions Of flower naturalization, sla
le and letter-writing as formerly pc
S. formed by us. ~
1t 's-Mr. and Mrs: Amundson.
1t rPublic invited. - r.