The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-06-28
Grandson Gives The Times
Complete Details of
Mans Life.
HAS NO EXPLANATION
HIMSELF TO OFFER
Since Awakening He Cannot Ac-
count for Own Actions"
Says Doctor.
By THEODORE H TILLER.

H
( NEW YORK, June 2S.-.As close as
he was in all other money matters we
/ are today unable to explain why my
. grandfather turned over more than
$4,000 10 a woman who became his
supposed spirit messenger Since bis
awakening. Mr. Hurd, tee, is without
an explanation Of his own actions"
Dr. Lee NJ Hurd, Of this city, grand
son Of Fenton J. Hurd. until recently
a citizen Of Washington. made the
. above statement today 10 a reDresen-
tative OF The Washington Times in
. discussing the suit fled by him TO re-
. cover large sums from Mrs. Laura P
Cramer, Of Washington, who II is al
legged, essayed the part Of a medium
and persuaded the elder Hurd. a man
or eighty-nine years. TO make various
payments 70 her.
DR. Hurd- recently appointed corse-ve-
Tor Of the OcroEenarian's estate. The lat
ter having been adju5eEed .iuca1z 1Ie.-'
tells an absorbing life story Of Feuc1n
j. Hur6, whole last years are now 20
be marked by one Of the most unusual
. legal BATTLES ever waced in the District
+ OF Columbia
Talks Of Her Infueu,a.
/ The story was furnished exclusively
/ 70 The Washington Times II furnishes
I a true insight into AIr. TEurd-z interest
+ Ing career and clothes v-itb addHI5asI
! human interest any legal PROCEEDINGS
! that may hereafter take place in cor
/ nect-cu with his attempt 10 -ee7f- a
I part Of his fortune According 10 DE-
4 flurc, the influence Of Mrs C-aua--
f with whom che aged man resided fr
1 N5SIlne-CC for a number o. years has
been gradually Increasing since the
death of his wife More recently tr.
/ venerable man had become so attached
/ 10 Mrs CraUer and her care OF him ia
Z his dsCli1E DAYS that he fre-reI Ike
/ a child Il separated from her.
Members Of his family knew thar my
I grandfather was greatly Influenced bv-
4 Mrs Cramer,' said Dr. Hurd TODAY
( I'VE did not realize. however. thar her
] influence was so great. nor that il had
/ anything 90 do with the subject OF
i spir-tUalis-n or her supposed super
4 natural powers
Expected Him to Pay Board.
/ We sUuised. OF course. tlat the
I cid gentleman uiEEr Doe payinz AIRS.
! Crauer. n a fairly liberal vav- for
4 his room i1 her apartments ana her
: attention % him We had no idea.
. however. that he had been receiving
spirit messages from his dead wife
I Mary for years, and that these mes
sases had been followed by the nay
meEt OF large sums OF money to Ms
I Cramer.
1 Occasionally, my grandfather has
/ spent few weeks with US at Green
I wich. Conn MIS- Crame- has accom-
/ panied him sometimes. for of late years
/ he had grown SO that he acted Ike q
/ spoiled child If kept away from her.
+ During these visits 10 us. however. there
+ vas no hint that his fortune was being
+ 5issjpated. or that ne had received mes
/ sases relating TO money matters from
. the other world
Becomes Suddenly III.
Last March the AGED man became
+ suddenly i'll I went 20 Washington
after him and removed him 20 Green
wIch. A casual examination of bis ac-
/ counts showed NE thar thousands cf
/ dollars We're missing. We buew thar he
/ had spent nothing on himself. Airs. -
/ Crarler had frequently written me that
/ he was most pelurioUs. and that she
I was unable 20 persuade him 10 CIoJhe
( himsrlf properly
Il began 10 make inquiries about his
/ affairs For aswhiIe he was tacicurn.
/ He seemed disinclined 10 make any ex-
PLANTATION Like every man he hated to
admit that he had made away wi-l
thousands Of dollars for which he had
nothing 20 show. that be acted uu0Q
messages from another world. which
messages he was just beginning 20 be-
ieye We're serious
Tells About It.
Finally he agreed 90 tell us about il.
At that time his recovery. seemed doubt
ful He told me that Airs. Crauer had
for many years been bringing him sDi-ir
communications from his dead wife. q
woman 70 whom IN life he was devot-
edly attached and who was familiar
with his business affairs Sometimes.
he saii, these messages came when ne
asked for them; again there would be
a voluntary desire on the part of the
spirits 20 speak, and Mrs Cramer
oblis ingly would offciate as a medium
and hand him the message
Il understand that Mrs. Cramer did
not even employ the usual slate writfn-
methods Of connecting The living with
the dead The messages were written
on ordinary paper, and were handed
over TO my grandfather in such form
He does say, however. that the medium
went into a short trance in order 70 oh
tain them the seanCe being held in q
room at Mrs Cramer-s apartments.
knowing the fact THAI he was ac-
cuStomed ten years or more ago 10 at
tend regular seanees n Washington and