The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1909-01-14
FhLSE 81 SSP||RITlj!ALIoT
Dl)f'EE:;S) DRESDEN
Summons Eesr Dr.. Eombastus
and Extracts $1Gi 600 from
His Followers.
HAD PHILOSOPHERS STONE"
Spirit Knew How TO Turn Baser
Metals into Gold - Factory"
Seize the Alleged SCint!Icr.

Dresden, Saxony-The highly in
tellectual citizens of this capital de-
light to call it the Athens of the
Elbo. Nevertheless, Dresden is
known ali over Germany as the
abode of an extraordinary number
of faddists, spiritualists, theosophist,
telepathists-all the ISIS. And as if
to prove how narrow is the line be-
tween wisdom and folly and that the
brainy people of Desdcn are easily
duped sDiritualist medium Herr
Bergman was arrested the other
day charged with sHindling his con-
fiJing followers out CT no less a SUM
than s161,C0O
BerGmanr, al one time manager
of q porcelain factory, turned his
acute Sind ID affairs less earthly and
summoned from the vast deep a
spirit, Herr DR.. Bent stUs,' who
knew the secret CT the philosophers
stone," who could tfansr.ute the
'}aser metals into gcif
First the crafty Ees:.tann had to
assemble the areiu1ous clie4tele 20
ho-a he into .ased t@@ cola making
3as1bastus. So GurlHs several 3ears
ocrgn1aEn at arounl hiEn q number
g women AMI men al Of consi:era-
0:e means, all veil educated, all seek
'ug to lift the i1:irenetr2 bic veil that
Il as the unknown
AS soon as he thought everything
was ripe for his Undertaking Berg
mann announced to his followers
that he was about to buili factory
where lead iron ani copper would
be changed INFO the precious metal.
He collected his dupes at a great
scance, AMI after some mysterious
formalities summoned the spirit Of
Herr DR.. BON bastus-Ven named
& shade wholly unknown to those
present, but which asserted that the
new works" were to be called after
his name, and now was the time to
begin the building.
The innocents present handed out
their thousand-mark notes and Berg
mann opened banking account.
Every week there was a seance,
and at one Of them Bergman in
was the spirit of a great physician
who lived 500 years ago and knew
all about turning ordinary metal into
gold. Rich bakers and butchers,
taiiors and shoe manufacturers in a
big way Of business joined the fra
ternity; even several Government Of
ficiaIs handed in their names and
their thousand marks.
Bombastus was summoned night
ly, and the gist of his communica-
tions was give" And they gave
until finally Bergman had $4,000
In bank, besides considerable sum
with which to begin the works"
He kept all the wires in his own
hands and he and Bombastus and an
other worthy learned in the stars.
who professed to know the exact
hour when the cornerstone of the
works" was to be laid, agreed to
share the plunder.
Besides the seances there were
prayer meetings, at which Bergman,
dressed as high priest" stood be-
fore an elaborate altar and went
through various mummeries of his
own invention. One Of his disciples
gave him in one sum 500, 900.
There were no small contributions,
as Bergman said his works" must
have solid foundations.
And now the Saxon police are ex-
amining into this gigantic and bare
faced fraud and Dresden citizens are
beginning to ask whether their city
still deserves the name of Athens
on the EIbe.'