Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-07-11
Woman Declares Her
Husband Was
Fleeced
Seeks Assistance Of the
Police to Find
Wanderer
Mrs. C. l.. Reeves Tells Captain AubIe
PitiabIe Tale of Family Destroyed
by Vaccinations of
Mediums

One more nappy nome rulneu ny sPhie
ualists.
One more man drawn away from wife
and family and separted from large sums
of money by the smooth, oily tales told
him by a fake medium and false prophet
to whom money was of more value than
self respect, honor or good name
c. l.. Reeves, during the last twelve
years employed in the street department
of Los Angeles, according to his wife. mas
left his pretty little home at 1910 west
Twelfth street, and his wife and children
are mourning him as lost.
Reeves left his home June 2y, and since
that time no word of his whereabouts has
reached his wife. Before leaving Mrs
Reeves says her husband drew from Los
Angeles bank $1,000 which he had deposited
there. She says he also made over deeds
for all the property he owned, one orange
ranch and several pieces of city property,
and gave it to his sister, Mrs. Clara Ber-
ritt of Los Angeles.
The property is valued at $500, and is all
that is left of large fortune formerly
owned by Reeves, but which went to
spiritualists and fake mediums who told
him wondrous tales from the spirit land
at so many dollars per tale.
Fascinated by Spookists
The grasp these takers held on the mind
of Reeves, according to his wife ana tne
police, who have investigated the affair'
was not to the mans liking, but despite
his many efforts he was never able to
east off their influence and remain away
from their meetings Night after night he
would leave his comfortable little cottage
and visit the homes of members of the
spiritualistic colony. There, sitting awed
in the darkness, he would watch them
perform seemingly marvellous tricks and
believe it was visitors from the spirit land
that were doing the stunts.
He would await eagerly until the mo-
ment arrived when his spirit guide would
bring him message" from the other
world. Six years ago these messages dealt
with oil and oil wells. In them he was
told where to prospect for oil and of the
wonderful sums he would make by follow
ing the directions given him by his spirit
friends He was also advised to purchase
stock in certain oil companies-in which
the spiritualistic takers were Interested
until a great portion of his life's savings
were expended in this manner and his
fortune dwindled to but small sum.
Goes Back to Spookers
Then Reeves succeeded in drawing away
from his false friends. For nearly year
he was true and loving husband, pass
ing his time evenings with his wife and
family and stunning spookists and all
their kind.
Then one night he was tempted and fell.
A visitor invited him to accompany him
to a house of a so-called medium, and in
a weak moment Reeves consented. Dur
ing the meeting his old belief returned to
him, and since that night three years ago
he has been a constant attendant at
seances and has passed the greater por-
tion of his time in the company of spirit
ualists
. Month after month, according to his
Awife, Reeves would withhold a large part
of his salary This money went into the
p pockets of the spritualists. Week after
week money was drawn from his bank ac-
Aount to be placed to the credit of his
Reged friends
Sben he began to remain away from
Ne and not call there at supper hour.
his wife learned that he was con-
attendant at the homes of the fake
iums and that all the time he could
away from his work was devoted to
Leaves His Home
hen on June 30 he disappeared from
Bme and, so far as known, from the city.
pr days his wife searched his former
llnts, but was unable to learn anything
ich would give her a clew to his
Esent whereabouts. Yesterday Mrs.
rReeves decided to report the matter to the
police. Calling at the central station she
4 gained the attention of Capt. Walter
Auble and told him her story.
Il have been married to Mr. Reeves six
years." she said "I am his second
wife, his first wife having died several
Rsyears before our marriage. He has
aughter 2l years of age, but she is now
Nisiting in the east.
MY husbands parents do not like me-
Sand l believe they know where nv hus-
band is, His employers visited them and
asked if they knew where he had gone to
and If he intended to return to work, but
they refused to give any information.
Shortly before / was married to Mr..
Reeves / learned he was a believer in
spiritualism and was frequent visitor at
the home of Mrs. Liscomb, a medium In
pos Angeles. ! met this woman several
mes and she tried to prevail upon me to
tend her classes. Irefused, but my hus-
mo continued to attend. / do not know
hre this woman lives or what her first
fne is, but know she has a following in
y'IIos Angeles.
Dreams of Fortune
'.Soan after our marriage / found this
woman and her companions were getting
all my husbands money. l attempted to
show him that he was being defrauded,
hi he could not see 1t and continued at
ding their meetings until they have
led control of nearly all his money.
hen one day he found that he was a
BILE and that his so-called friends
takers of the worst sort. For sew
tcon,inucd on Page ive.'