Los Angeles herald., 1907-10-09
CHIEF GRHLS
PALM READER
FORTUNE TELLER's LICENSE is
REVOKED
"FLiMFLAMMEp" MAN OF $40,
SAYS KERN
Upon Recommendation of Head of
Police Department, Mrs. j. H.
Renfroe Loses Right
to Operate

Summary action was taken yesterday
by the police commissioners concerning
q complaint against the fortune teller
who for some time has been holding forth
on the ground floor of the Golden Wes
hotel on South Main street.
Mrs. j. h. Renfroe got her permit from
the board August 13, though at the time
a complaint was on file that the woman
had lunged her fist through the crown o.
mans hat. This she denied at tn'
time.
A visitor from Columbia, New, who al
legged that he was parted from $40 golt
piece, laid his woes before the board anc
the commissioners promptly revoked the
permit.
At the suggestion of Commissioner
II. B. Woodhill the police will also put
her under surveillance.
The sworn statement of ]. s. Peterson
the victim, is as follows:
Parted from Gold Piece
Sunday morning, October 6, 1907, /
went into the fortune tellers place at
the Golden West hotel, between Win
ston and Fourth streets, east side of
Main street.
A woman came to the door and
asked me if wanted my fortune told.
went in and sat down at a table
and she produced pack of cards, ran
through them several times and cut
the cards as told.
Then she read my hand. This lasted
only a few minutes.
Then l was ready to go and laid
a $50 gold piece on the table.
She asked me to sit down again and
she would tell me some more, but 1t
would cost me So more.
At this point l asked for my change,
and she told me had given here only
81 and asked me for 81 more.
/ told her that I had given her $40
and she showed me a silver dollar and
told me had given her that.
Sends Man to Saloon
Then she claimed that she was a
medium and that she could see that l
had given the $40 to the saloonkeeper,
and that If 1 would go back 20 the
Bismarck 1 would get my $40 back,
and to come back and pay her 81,
which she trusted me for.
1 know positively that I was bum
koed out of $20-a $40 gold piece-by
this palmist.
Chief Edward Kern wrote to the board:
"On August 13 permit for palmistry
license. at 412 South Main street, was
granted Mrs. Renfroe. 1 forward here
with affidavit of one ]. S. Peterson, from
which it appears that on the 9Th instant
this woman flinflammed him out of the
change for $40 gold piece.
Investigation by officers indicates
fhat his complaint is well founded, and
discloses other information concerning
the character and actions of the woman,
showing that she is not the proper per-
son to hold such a permit.
'As she was warned at the time of
the investigation of the application of the
limitations on the conduct of such places,
her permit should be revoked, and so
recommend"
This was done.
Mrs. Renfroe retained counsel last night
and said that she believed she had been
unfairly dealt with by the board In not
having had an opportunity to make de-
tense.
She claims that the only man who could
have made such charges was fellow
who while drunk entered her place Sun
day morning. She insisted that he handed
her 81 only and that she advised him to
go to the saloon where he had last visited
and demand change there If he had $40
gold piece, as he claims he did.