Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-07
SPIRIT PHOTOS
SHOWN IN COURT
LIKENESS OF WIFE APPEARS
IN PICTURE
FIGHT OVER WILL OF SMITH
CONTINUES
Strong Effort Being Made by Some of
the Beneficiarics to Prove
Testator of Sound
Mind

Alleged Spiritualist mediums whose
claims to part of the estate of the late
Richard Crawford Smith are being
contested by Smiths relatives in Judge
Rives' court began introducing evil
dence yesterday in an effort to prove
that Smith was in his right nina and
was not subject to undue influence at
the time two codicils in which they are
named as benehclaries were MADE.
That Smith was a believer in mani
festations purporting to come from the
spirit land" was SHOWN by the con-
testants before they rested their case,
nearly a score of so-called spirit pno-
tographs being introduced for that
purpose. These pictures are likenesses
of Smith, taken in the ordinary way,
while dimly outlined faces OF sup
posed spirits are also shown on the
pictures.
One of these faces, that of an at
tractive young woman, was believed by
Smith, according to previous testl-
mony, to be that of his spirit wife, WHO
it was represented, died 1000 years ago.
Another face is that of an old man
who was represented as Smiths ia
ther.
Exposed by Garrison
The manner in which these and sim
liar photographs are taken, by means
of prepored plates, was exposed by
Bishop S. Garrison while a witness last
week. William G. Bradshaw, named
in the codiciis as one OF the executors,
testified he knew nothing concerning
the Photographs and that they had
never been the subject of discussion
between himself and Smith.
Before closing their case Attorneys
J. Cassat Davis and Bradner Lee also
placed in evidence one OF Smiths note
books, in which were jotted down his
philosophical musings after his alleged
acceptance of the doctrines of Spiritu-
alism as taught by his associates.
Among these memoranda are the fol-
lowing:
do not mediate while crossing the
stl eet."
DO not shut your eyes while cross
ing the street"
"a people may be making money
and yet be on the road to destruction
"Our life is one continual dark
seance; our heart beats on in the dark
chamber walled in by our ribs and
flesh"
Names and addresses of alleged me
diums are also found in the book, espe-
cial attention being paid to the name OF
Mrs. Maude Freitag. 1922 South Hope
street, where, it Is said, Smith attended
numerous seances.
J. l.. OldTh anu w iillrih VI IL
said they had been members of circles
when Smith was present, and told OF
the manifestations occurring during the
seances, including rappings, trumpet
talking and the receiving of messages
by those present.
Darkness Necessary
The necessity of darkness, as an ad-
junot to the successful carrying on OF
a seance was explained by Mr.. Clark,
who said a fruitless effort was made to
induce the spirits to talk through
trumpet placed in well-lighted room.
William G. Bradshaw, who with John
Cunningham is named in the codicils
to the will as executor, said he was
surprised when he learned that Mrs.
Dora Barnett, alleged medium, had
been bequeathed $4,000. ''I understood
Smith was to give her $1,000 when he
sold his property" said the witness,
"and when l spoke to him about his
bequest of $4,000 he said his relatives
were wealthy and that he believed the
money would be more beneficial to Mrs.
Barnett than to his own people"
The hearing was continued until 10
o'clock Thursday.