Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-11-29
FORTUNE TEtLER'S TIPS
COST EDITOR S35,5OO
New Yorker Admits in Divorce
Suit He Gave Secress His
Wife's Stock.

New York. Nov. 29.-For priceless les
xons" received from Mime. 2. Mildred
Parma and for business ventures with
her cost Albert Houghton Pratt former
lv an editor of the Houghton- Miitiin
Company publishing house, S35,5oo, he
says.
Pratt has fully admitted to supreme
Court .Justice Davis, at the trial OF the
suit for divorce brought against him by
katherine Sloan Pratt that he had turn
ed over Mime Parma, between Novcm-
Der, 1915, and the latter part OF l9l''
his entire holdings in the publishing con
Germ amounting TO more than S2S,uOo N
addition he said he gave the secress sf,5oo
realized on his wifes holdings OF stocks
and bonds The recipient of these iavors
is named as correspondent.
Mr.. Pratt identified numerous cheeks
ranging from 500 to $4,000 which
either he or Nine Parma had drawn
at various times to make up the amount
mentioned. He also recognized checks ag-
rreeating Sl63 admittedly spent upon her
Tor theatrical amusement between feh,
rIarv and MAY. 1917. lie frankly stated
that he saw TO II that Nine. farma hau
flowers ''lnoSt of the time.
The rent for her apartments III n New
York hotel was paid from the proceeds
nf the business in which they were inter
rsted. 1T was m expression OF grati-
tudc To her for what She was dong.
Questioned about his business relations
with Mime. Parma the witness SAID that
after cndeavorug 10 sell various art col
Iections for her he became interested III
an opinion on an Improvement IN an au-
tomobic but this did not pan out.
Later he said he invested $1,000 or more
with his alleged partner IN medlcinal
bath" manufactured by Nine Mercdlth'
nf London. He sold four of these baths,
one for 1000 and the rest for $4,000
apiecc. He invested $1,000 IN II Tor the
use Of himself and family His profits
from this venture he estimated at $500.
Mr.. Pratt admitted that he went on
automobile tours with the sccrCss To
T,pncrsville. Boston, Albany and Ihlla-
oelphia. During their stops III these critics
he said thcv occupied connecting rooms
Ia hotels.
Referring 10 the sum IN stocks and
bonds he cot from his wife, Pratt eX-
plained that = board manipulated hy Nine
Parma suggested that if Mrs Pratt want
cd 10 help In that way she could he ot
assistance To them.
The suggestion came added the wit
ness. from father, who was never 50
much alive in his life The elder fratt
had been dead at that time for several
years.
Asked il he would be surprised to learn
that he had not contributed to the sup
mort Of his wife and child since July, 1917,
Mr. Pratt replied: II don't think anything
would surprise me.
In 1916 the defendant said he became
charmed" with Nine. Parma 5 phiioso-
phv. and year later took up his resi-
dencc in her bungalow at Atlantic High
lands. There. hc said, he wrote the m
PRODUCTION to her hook My Tossic With
the Devil, by O. lIcnry's Ghost
He also conducted a page each month
in the Azoth Magazine under nc ttie
"Torchbearcr He has begun Two
>ccnarios intended TO illustrate the prmci-
pics OF occult philosophy.
One OF the cardinal teachings oi the
latter as cxpounded bv Mime. Parma, he
added, was that thoughts are thingS,
Il had never known this before, he
cxnlaincd. "and il opened UP new mcn-
I'll vista for me The idea is that every
time YOU think vou create something deh-
nltc and that j; Is therefore, exceed
Inclv jmporfant to guard one thoughts
and think only things that would create
beauty and things that are worth while
10 do this lie thought hat i i ncceS-
sary TO develop ,haractcr by develop
ing - po>t.iNcncss and courage ana
wcrfhlinc,@ II. all way>
Mr., Pratt testified that shortly before
she went 10 California, ~ the carly part
tf tbi. wear. her husband brought % hor
m alleged mcss4cc from his deceased
{a,her. which he told hcr had been oh
tanned hl Mime Parma
The communication from the Other
world read
June ? 1915 Vital X IS the target
cf whispering enemies VINO sap her
strength Tell her 70 make plans to %
west February Shc viii in that way
NOR easily sever links
M wlscst thought Is that shc Will
have her life saved h1 going loIl her e
mil. with gentlencss. bnt as thoroughly
a. possible The source OF her life. II i wise
g. take INTO the basket Al birds p ght
NV suggestion ], that ] dludr With
tou, letting you rest 10 peace ami har-
I,ony and enable you q demonstrate
Non can return ia her doubled
Mn Pratt said She thought the pair
wanted her to work her father Alfred
j. Sloan wealthy cgaT manufacturer, for
money and then drop nm
Captain Herfuth Harry St. John who
SAID he is engaged in hospital work al
s~ecaucus, \. ] told in 4 soft yoicc oi
acting Is Il caterer in Mime. Parma :
House OF the Be- King A>-ociation al
her bungalow III Atlantic highlands He
was student at hc foot of the seer
css. H had Travelled with Mr. Pratt
bur Lad never borrowed money from
nm. He referred to he So-raiied "a
cred Room in the bungalow a. ''th'
sanctum sanctorum Of Nine Parma, th'
room where she concentrated best.