The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1906-01-16
GHOST ADVICE
COST HIN $3.50
Visits to Medium Prove an
Expensive Indulgence.
TAKES MAGIC POWDERS
Victim Brings Suit Against Medium
for Working Confidence
Game.

CHICAGO, III, Jan. l6.-If you heard
the ghost of King Humbert talking
through a big tin horn in the dark and
telling you to take a magic powder and
be cured of your ills and then later the
ghost of your child told you your sick
ness could be fought only by hanging in
your room a lilac bough from Michigan
what would you do? But, better still.
what would you think if the same child
spirit told you to place a mortgage on
your home and give the money TO a
elAATvoyant in whose house you had
heard the spooky messages?
Whatever the average person would
90, King Humbert and the child and the
tin horn and the lilac bough swept Otto
Wick 2SI3 Forty-frst court. clear of his
feet. He told about IL yesterday when
he appeared in the court of Justice IN
derwood To prosecute Julia Auer. alias
Julia Felix Labriola, 24i4 ThiTty-eighth
street. whom he accused of working a
confidence game in which he was loser
10 the extent Of $3.50.
Wick. who is an invalid, took the
witness stand and testified that last
June his wife heard that he could be
cured il he visited Mrs. LabTiola, me
dunn. AT first he refused TO accompany
his wife 10 the place but later agreed
Il went 10 the house in Thirty-eishth
street" said Wick. I was met by this
woman pointing AT the defendant. l
was taken into a small room in which
were three chairs, a large tin horn and
some clothes
Then he described how. after the horn
was taken apart 10 show there was no
mechanical device concealed In II, IT
was again placed together, the curtain
. 4 a ii
box was started and solemn selection
PLAYED. Then from the depths of the
horn came the single word;
Come" The tone was deep and sono-
Tous.
Placing her fingers on her lips. Mrs.
Labriola walked 10 the horn and said;
Hello there; l am here
Then she motioned TO Wick, and he
walked over to the horn and heard:
Hello. there, man.
Hello" Wick testified he replied.
Hello man." came from the horn.
you are sick but if yOu do what l shall
tell you you will recover"
Whose voice is that?' l asked the
woman. turning to her, said Wick.
"and she replied That is the voice or
my control, King HumbeTt.
Wick then said ne was given magic
powders To relieve his suherings. These,
he said, had no effect on his aiiment.
Al another visit TO the house Child's
voice spoke through the horn,
Whose voice is that2' Mrs. Wick
asked.
why. that is your boys voice" was
why do you deny me- mother?"
asked the voice from the horn. Their,
Wick testified. the childs voice said:
You must go TO the Michigan farm
and bring back q bough from a lilac
hush there and han" II in your room.
In il you will find relief from your SUI
feTinES"
Wick protested he had no money,
though he owned two houses in C1ica-
go. Mrs Labriola, he said, kindly Of
fered to pay his fare 10 the farm and
back again. He agreed, and in July
they went to the farm in Michigan
owned by Mrs. Labriola. He cut
buugh from a lilac bush and took the
first train for Chicago.
"A another visit 10 listen to the horn
Wick declared he was ordered by his
child" to purchase the farm. When he
objected the voice came from the horn:
Father. YOU must keep your home in
Chicago and buy the farm in Michi-
gan
Then the mans voice appeared 10
come from the horn. All" said the
clairvoyant, here is King Humbert
again"
You must mortgage one OF your
houses in Chicago" said the voice. "A
church is going TO be built on one of
your lots and you will realize enough
on the sale to take up the mortgage"
The first farm was TO be sold to him
for 1000. When he had agreed to pur-
chase the first farm he was induced TO
purchase another ten-aCTe tract adiOin
ing for $3.50 Finally, he said, he mort
gagged his property and paid Mrs. La
bTiola 1915 for the farm, giving a mort
gage for the remainder of the money.
BY agreement the next hearing was
set for Monday at II o'clock in the
morning.