The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-08-13

lett, SatlSned. Motifs explanation, as
related by those who heard it, was
that the apparition being developed
from himself. whatever happened to
it would be transferred to Mott The |
local papers fought out the matter,
some claiming Mott had been unmask-
ed; others that his explanation was
convincing to candid mind. A skep-
tic said:
THE funny part OF it was that when
the incident spread over the country
it strengthened Mott"
| His Friends to the Rescue.
| All this time Mott was attracting
more wealthy and influential patrons.
! He had numerous offers of assistance
| If he would move to large city.
Finally, at the urgent solicitation OF
! a former congressman, it is said. he
agreed to go to Kansas City. For
while his star continued in the as
cendant. People crowded his rooms.
begging to see their dead. Then his
ghostly friends seemed to turn their
backs on him; they came no longer
at his call. He was arrested, charged
| with obtaining money under false pre-
lenses. Judge Edward Mckee was re-
tanned by the defendant. Mckee
saw where he could knock the case
out Of the law. But his client in
sisted that he meet the issue square
ly on his power to raise the souls
of the dead The attorney protested.
You will get no witnesses"
You will see,' said Mott.
He handed his attorney list of
people so high up that it dumfounded
him. And they all went to Memphis.
i from north. east. south and west, to
give their dispositions for the middle
man between the living and the dead
After the formal question each wit
ness for the defendant was asked.
DO you know whether or not Har-
yey Mott possesses the power OF pro-
ducing disembodied spirits?"
YES, sir, I know he does
. How do you know it?'
;. And in each case the answer, or
one equally emphatic, was given:
"By the same sense that I know |
:, am sitting here, that I know the sun
= rises and that If open my eyes
shall see."
THE court discharged him." said
Judge Mckee. ION the ground that the
: people went to him doubling, or be
: lieving he was fraud, and handed
= over their money with understanding
!, eyes.
r. The Kansas City experience ended
IS Motifs career as ghost producer
n He died here, and his body was taken
e. to Memphis for interment, SO that
W should his own spirit take notion
e to wander 1t would be amid the en-
r vironments OF his earthly glory.
al "Harve Mott was sincere, honest
man, and in no sense Of the word was
" he a charlatan," says Albert H. Pit
IS kin, real estate man OF Memphis
N HE was an early friend of our family
ID My father, Horace c., thought grea
e. deal of the young man, and gave hin
a. place as clerk in his store unit
h. Harve fought with all his strength
ye against the spirits. but they took con
o troll of him and made him do thei
Nv bidding. On moonshiny nights I hav,
ne been with Harve when the chin;
$" would begin rafting, the chairs woul,
IF. move about and the pictures drop from
I'd the wall. Harve would be frightene,
RS almost out OF his senses. On sucl
to occasions he could only secure relic
- by placing himself in obedience to tn
re spirits wishes, and allowing them t
appear and talk through him. H
D., was not an educated man. Must
ar was as Greek to him, and yet whe
on under control he would sit at tn
ms piano and play and play some of tn
most exquisite selections ever heart
Had he wished he might have becom
independtly wealthy, but he never d.
manded money for what he did. c
re course, some made voluntary contr
gs buttons. AS to that dye--that an
,or line Harding simply brushed pas
me the phantom and threw 1t directly O
TT. Mr.. Mott, deliberately. That's a
pie there is to that"