Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-03-03
WILLING TO LEAVE CITY

gypsies will be remanded to the county |
prison Testimony was heard only in the |
case of Lizzie Steve. 1011 South street |
Policemen Taylor and Burns testified that |
they paid twenty five cents to her for which |
they were told that they would live to he
old men.
Counsel representing the prisoners asked
that they be not held for court The law
yers assured that II the prisonrs were held
for a further hearing, they would see that
they left the city by next wednesday. TO
this the representatives of the Chamber of
Commerce agreed. A complaint was lodged
against the gypsy fortune tellers last wee"
nesday.
The cellrooms prior to the hearing were
turned into a typical nursery. The gypsI
seeresses brought along their infants and
children. All night after their arraign-
/. ment in the night court. where they were
held in $500 hail for today's hearing, they
screamed, yelled and shouted words in
strange tongue.
GYPSY MAID BITES HER FINGER
NJ Martinoff, 461 North Ninth street re-
puted head Of one of the factions, appeared
In the corridor of Central station. In his
hand he held a bunch of bills OF different
denominations He called for lawyers TO
aid him There was a rush among the
'runners' for the police court lawyers to
obtain cases. In many instances run
ners' almost came to blows. The police
were kept busy in clearing the corridor
Angry gypsy maidens cursed the detectives
One of them bit her finger several times
She kept biting her finger in. the lace OF
q uniformed policeman. Some of the run
ners" who have handled gypsy cases be
fore said that it was death threat OF
Gypses to bite their fingers,
ENFORCED BY EVENING LEDGER
The arrest of these swarthy-skinned
poothsayers Ii considered most important
from a standpoint of public welfare
The EVENING LEDGER revealed the exist
ence of these women, exposed their lllesal
doings and insanitary methods Of living
and asked the police to take action. The
police replied that there was no law by
which they could be reached Then this
newspaper published the law for two days
and again called upon the police TO act
The police hedged again. saying that the
soothss yers we're not violating the law in-
asmuch as they were not making prophe-
ces as to the future Of the "dupes' who
walked into their 'palmlstry and phren-
ology nets"
1t was shown that these palmstry parlors
were made breeding spots for disease by
: the jnsanitary living methods of the sooth
eayers In nearly all Of the 'phrenology
dens" conditions were worse than those
existing in carelessly kept dog Kennel
Garbage and other refuse were allowed to
Tester on the floors, and frequently families
of six and seven persons including small
children, slept on mattresses spread on the
floor The sinister influence which these
fortune-telltng gypSleS had on inc domestic
lives of their dupes was clearly shown For
example, male customers were told that
their wives were untrue to them, and the
soothsayers whispered into the ears OF
women dupes that they had better watch
3 out for certain blonde" who had wormed
herself into the graces of the husband,
Not satisfied with opening palmistry par
1ors, the gypsles instituted system or
house-to-house canvassing, ringing doorbells
and practicing their wles upon housewives
The gypses made i point to gain admit
tance TO homes and thefts were often re-
ported to the police after such visits The
police acted after a clear case had been
built up by the EVENING LEDGER.
INVASION OF POLICE
Twenty policemen and detectives. led by
Captain Mills and Kenny and Lieutenants
Van Horn and Pluckenfelder, swooped down
upon the studios of the >dark-skinned
.'seeresses" last night bundhpg eighteen
of the women of the tribe into patrol
wagons and hustllng them off to the city
Hall The Hlairvoyants were taken COM
pletely by surprise No gift of prophecy
told them OF their impending danger
No palm reading, no greasy cards no
Z Z crystal sphere warned them to beware Of
the strange husky men in blue coats who
would cross their paths in the night time
= and take them riding in a wagon to big
gray stone building, in which are rooms
barred with iron gratings.
The 'prophetesses' were taken to Night
3 Court, where Magistrate Pennock. amid the
eaualling of the babies and the protests OF
the women, held the prisoners in $400 bal
{. ZACH for a further hearing today. Indig'
nant at the summary abduction" of theil
4 women-and sources of income-the mer
or the tribe followed on the heels OF thu
I police 10 the door of Night Court To thu
number OF thirty-five. they trooped into CitJ
Hall. where they kept the police busy 'shoo
ing them away, They were led by the
chief. NJ Martinoff. who said he lived a
= tlef North Ninth street
Es/ HAVE BECOME BOLD
The aypsies. according TO the police, hav
4scome bold during the last few days Il
<heir quest for money. Instead Of charging
nat rate for revealing the future, the
<1beedled threatened and begged thei
nafrons for money Their feverish haste 70
'I' {ucre. the police said. was due TO the fac
>hnt the warm-weather wandering OF tn
NJ nkranee. olive-skinned people, which is I
a k&xin soon. necessitates a great amount Q
S{lnr stock. animals. equipment and pro
lcrn 70 this end the tribe has collecte
go nofonty-nve horses and 10