davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
By William T. Ellis
The Religious Rambler

O. OMETHING big has happened in
- France, aside from the fighting
with the Germans. Religion is
forgetting its denominational lines.
Also it is losing most of the things that
ear-marked it as religion, in the popu-
lar conception, such as preaching, aver
sion to tobacco and theatres, and a
general aloofness from this wicked
world. Just as in some of the regi-
ments one cannot tell millionaire
private from his chauffeur or his wash
woman's son, SO in the big religious
work that is going on here it is i'm
possible to distinguish preacher
from business man or an actor.
Recently was riding in big Amer
lean car behind the lines. "Gee, look
at the Packardl" cried the soldiers,
with all the American youths interest
in the mates of machines-and with
me we're five others, all except N.Y.
self being in the Y. M. C. A. uniform.
Nobody goes into the army area with
out q uniform except the occasional
joy-riding "Commission," that has come
over here to Investigate" something
or other.
Those five men typify the manner
in which religious work is being done
in France. One was Pittsburgh mill
ionaire, a member of the War Work
Council Of the Y. M. C. A. He was
heading a group sent over to study the
efficiency of the service. His COM
panion was the head of college for
women. and a speaker of repute, who
has been addressing the soldiers. An
other man was an actor, touring to in
spect the equipment of the Y. M. C. A.
huts for theatrical performances, as
he is bringing over a company. The
fourth man was Toledo college pro-
fessor, who is the assistant director Of
the educational work that is being
undertaken in the camps by the Y. M.
c. A. The fifth man was a Chicago
advertising expert, who is connected
with the Paris Office, and manages the
entertainment circuit Of the army
work. The chauffeur also wore Y. M.
G. A. uniform, for this enterprise calls
for diversity of services.
Whatever the Young Mems Christian
Association may be at home, it is some
thing quito distinctive in the American
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

posts. He is good mixer, fond Of
the sporting chance which he takes
with the shells and with the vicissi-
tudes of getting supplies forward. One
man, who barely sQueaked into the
work, because he was only favored
son of the idle rich and had few of
the Y. M. c. A. virtues or special
ef1ciencies to commend him, has
proved such success that when it
was proposed to remove him from his
1ront-llne position, where he carries
packs of supplies into the trenches on
MS back, to another hut where there
was desperate need of help, the COM
manding officer declared that the SOL
dlers would bayonet any official who
trleo to steal their "Y" secretarv!
vCollege professors have been q con.
splcuous success. l ran across the Har-
ward professor of geology out amid the
mud of an engineers camp. Onlv
eeo'ogist could do justice to that mud
Here was this Harvard scholar, as
genial a hail-fellow with all the bows
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

oupes - misnamed Soldiers? How
many young women were taken from
France and Belgium as servants bv
your officers-and what happened to
them? How many nuns did YOUR soI.
dlers ravish in old Louvain How
many thousand women have YOUR sol.
diers made unwilling mothers? Untold
that to US! How many enemies have
your soldiers crucified know "of If
one! How many boats carrying inno-
cent passengers away from sinking
steamers have your submarines shot to
pieces? We must have these figures
to make your inventory complete and
TO fully awake those among US who in
their sleep still murmur. Peace. peace
at any price--my life, my wife's virtue.
my daughters innocence-just peace,
peace Give us all particulars. thou
whose name will be written for all time
on the annals of history as the worlds
greatest degenerate!"
Yet we are still told by men placed in
position Of authority that now is not
the time to discuss universal training
OF our boys and young men which viii
make the world safe against the hell
ishness that's Potsdams!
How long. Lord, how long. before
common sense will come to all this
people as q shield ' ''
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

when German was too freely spoken,
pointed out the "nasty fellow from the
District Attorneys office" who had done
the arresting, and made herself so
pleasing to the defendants friends that
we may be sure whatever happens to
Hill Mrs. Schaeffer will not be the
loser; and if she did not owl-blast the
plaintiff it was not because she has not
the power, you may be sure.
Hill was convicted and put under the
observation of the probation officer.
Hill has past; has been bricklayer,
a coachman, rigger, but was always
possessed of occult powers" which he
developed by long study, even as you
and l may if we would only consent to
take the treatment. "Spurits" speak to
him in long-distance phone voices
sometimes in foreign languages, in
which case they always bring an inter-
prefer. He was positive before the
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
1omPletlng the Kaiser's Inventory of Spoils

increase over those of the campaign
against France in 1S70-'71."
How certain types conform in their
racial characteristics! Bill Skies count.
ing his stealngs in London cellar.
Black Barney. Of Michigan fame a gem
Grafton ago, counting the proceeds Of
his highwaymanship in the cave along
Lake Superior; the arch-criminal Of
them all from out his lair in Potsdam
goes them one better and has printed
an inventory Of what he has got awav
with! "'
One reads on with interest-confession
OF criminals are of great value to de-
cent society-"From Belgium old paint
'ngs to the value of 100000 pesetas"
how really efficient to use the COIN
age OF the country to which this con-
fession goes!-"Total amount exacted
from Belgium 12o,o71,35o pesetas"-
this from land laid waste in great
part by the barbarian hosts of him IN
Potsdam! Also this of stealing from
babies savings banks-a crime looked
upon as ths lowest in all criminal
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

army. Here it is the agency named by
the government to take care of the rec
reational interests of the soldiers.
Whatever they need, outside of strictly
military lines, is supposed to be sup
piled by the "Y," as it is colloouiallv
called. The canteen also has been
turned over to it by the army; and this
is run. OF course, without profit.
This work is, therefore, not entirelv
or even largely, religious, in the con-
ventional significance of that word. II
is not at all sectarian. This is not a
Protestant enterprise. Up to the pres
ent, the first service held every Sum-
day, in most huts, and frequently on
weekdays also, is the mass for the
Catholic boys. 1t is common for huts
to hold Catholic. Jewish and Protest.
ant services on the forenoon of the
same day. The workers are of all
faiths.
Also they are of all walks Of life
and OF both sexes. Some of the most
dlfficult and dangerous work is that
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
Anyway, 1t Is Not
The Spirits Fault

A type like this seems scarcely clever
enough to be harmful. but the District
Attorney is set on preparedness, and is
going to get every one of them before
the casualty lists grow much longer.
Consequently, at all spiritualistic
meetings of the last two weeks a very
pious atmosphere, with little reference
to the khaki and no private sittings,
has been the rule. Evidence against
them, however, is coming in, often
anonymously, from people who have
been advised by them; or more often
from people-unbelievers testify
that friends of theirs have been fooled
as in the case of young bakeshop pro-
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

for protesting to be able to tell where
lost jewelry could be found, has thrown
the mediums and their controls" into
quite furry Mr.. Hill is the leader,
or pastor, of the "Church of Advanced
Thought" at 20 West Ninety-frst
Street, and when the District Attorney
put two of his very clever women de-
tectives on his trail he was doomed
man, for he is not the first that has
been brought to bay
The detectives went several times
to his "pay-as-you-ent church-50
cents, please-received some very con-
soling messages about sons at the
front, neither having a chick or a
child; advice about lost jewelry, re-
garding which the law is most explicit;
more consol.ng messages about we'd
ding wells hanging over their heads,
marked we'll his methods and swore
out warrant against him, arresting
him ct subsequent meeting.
Mr.. Hill Goes
Of" Slightly
The Hill meetings were conducted in
blaze of electricity, with no pretence
of wirepulling. Wirepulling went out
OF fashion some years ago, assisted out
by the police. Mr.. Hill "goes off"
slightly, closes his eyes, rubs his fore
head and indicates by various grim
aces that the control is in possession.
The audience has previously laid
trinkets or flowers on the table, and
through these the messages are trans
mitted. 1t sounds like harmless non
sense, but no stone is left unturned to
get your money. Success engineering
and mental healing are a few other
names for the same cult. Mr.. Hill will
give you series Of treatments, charg-
ing from 81 up per treatment. But all
attempts to separate you from any
large amount of money is a matter of
the most tactful engineering of your
friendship with him. It is more, 1 am
bound to say, that considerate manner
in which friends separate each other
from their money than any gross
tradesman spirit-or you get value re-
ceived, The spirit in control promising
to protect your friends at the front
- When policeman arose in the midst
OF Mr.. Hills prophesying and served a
warrant on him there was a moment of
wild disorder before an exceedingly
genteel person, who had just declared.
IN answer to question, that she had
never laid eyes on Mr.. Hill before. got
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

crates among the huts. visiting with
the men by day and addressing meet
ings at night. His everyday vestments
are uniform, and the fact that he 10
bishop means deal less to the bovs
Than that he is a good scout" Na+-
urally, on Sundays. the bishop admin
ls'ers the communion at least once
Tor the soldiers show a desire for tho
sacrament greater than they DISPLAY
AZ home. Recently, after the first !. rra
action in which the Americans ,var.
independently engaged, the bishop held
two communion services for the men
on Sunday morning-and in the sfte--
noon he sold cigarettes and CANDY over
The counter Of the "Y." And everv-
body who knows the conditions her.
oeileves that the latter action was alsn
Christian ministry.
These Y. M. C. A. men eat f,rth..
20 the front than even the corre.non
gents. Three have been wounded I'm,
or ,or' .nu one woman worker has boen
kliled by shell fire. It ia almost -
daily experience for the drivers of ~
trucks to pass through the fire zona mo
anu notlced that the Red Triangle m
one OF these trucks had been dented
Dy shrapnel. These men carry ras
masks as naturally and inevitably as
s4 s.e COWBOYS used to carry pistols. A
equipment. e'
Az this quickly becomes a matter Of
course On the front above Toul 7
nave met repeatedly a business NAV
OF Columbus, Ohio, who has left E h;s
store and banks and other interests
and Is out here in the fire zone VOL
ing night and day upon the task of o~-
ganlzing and directing the business
END OF supplying the soldiers with ths
th thhcloentais which can be got only
s. smrIugn the ~" 1t is the hardest
80 80 .niS man mas ever done, but
never mas ne enjoyed anything more
One Family
Finds Its Work
In one of the base cities, where thers
are many American troops. there - y
western physician, with his two adu,+
daughters., who are running Y M
y. "A. cafe and concert hall for tn.
men at his own charge. Few Amer;'
can families, outside Of actual mil
tary service, are doing SO much for
the cause as he. Aux
ers are now in France. Sevar+,, e.
per cent of them have "made GOOD ""
but as many more, beyond draft ace.
are needed. They have to stand in r.
stead OF mother and father and HOME
and church to an entire army Of bovs,
Copyright, 1919. by thu r,,. r.r,,..,
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
They Prophesy Great
German Victories

In Germany the mothers and sweet
hearts are no more inclined at thfa
time than the British are to place an
unoue reliance on reason. Hence .
Hourishing spiritualism there, and o.
long. as the mediums continue y
prophesy great German victories they
more than serve the states purpose,
The control in Germany, speaking
through the mediums, is under no delu'|
sion about the war; he knows its every
phase, and its outcome is A B ~
MN. horoscopes are with them, 81
with the English, numerous; but horc1
scopes OF the same crowned head sur s
Ter sea change from crossing tneY
Shannel and invariably indicate Y
deutschland uber Alles-while IN Ems,
land even the horoscope Of Ferdinand
ol Bulgaria inevitably winds up witaI
Britannia still ruling the waves.
Given the consoling optimism OF sne
spirits, what more natural than to sesl
In 1t immense possibilities for proPa,,l
ganda, and when Venice was invaded
by the German agents, who popped ~
everywhere in Italy last summer, spins;l
uallsm-the spirit prophesying SIeHI
austrian successes-sociaiism ana pss
iflsm had equal shares Of their ss.i
tention. Italy is fertile ground 1e!
any mystic influence. The evil eye ~
no myth there. and every shrinsf
in Italy is piled high with votivs one.
ings, such as tiny gold legs or ss
efigies of all sorts, placed there II
avert some specially dreaded disastes.
AS for the rumor that "voudoossI
has its followers in Germany, ina. :.
not so hard to believe, for voudoon;. 4.
would naturally claim worshiPpers
war time, because the snake ~ wnls
the Omnipotent Ruler Of the univenY
is personified has the power OF mak'n
charms that ward off bullsts-alsc ~
reviving dead bodies. We kneu ~
that only recently Father Vaugnn ~
Cardinal Bourne, in London, hass ~
to condemn the practice Of soxeeW
England.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
By Daniel Louis Hanson
of The Vigilantes
1 LAST the mask-though trans

A 1 LAST the mask-though trans
~ parent to civilization for four
years past - has been thrown
aside and the Kaiser comes out boldly
IN his true character that of the
worlds arch-burglar. In the document
approved of by him-for the figures
used are from the German govern
ment's statistics - circulated in Spain
ard translated by our State DEPART
ment, we are told just how much he
and his dupes have looted from the
stricken inhabitants of Picardy and
Flanders during these four years past:
about $1,000 watches, 1900 umbrellas.
1875 silver spoons, 1912 embroideries
and women's handkerchiefs, 8,O76 pieces
underwear" ETC., etc.
The anointed-by his God, not by
civilizations chief Dsity-burelar. lust
after enumerating "523,oo0 bottles Of
champagne" congratulates himself bv
stating: "These figures show a large
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

done by the truck drivers and ware
house men. They must get supplies
up to the front. and quite commonly
they go as far forward as the ammuni-
tlon camions. The soldier wants his
cigarettes and chocolate and other
extras as ardently as he wants cart
ridges. In a pon-drinking army it is
important thai the men have the
sweets that they crave, and the con-
fectionery business of the association
Is on a wholesale scale. Little huts
sell thousands of francs worth of to-
bacco and sweets in a single week.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

are dead. Familiar comrades are about
them, and they are bewildered as to
the place until their comrades tell
them they are dead"
Reese is we'll known as an enter
tainer, but if you want him for an
evenings performance don't ask him as
a fortune teller, for he is truly high
er manifestation of the genius.
To the woman detective who caused
his arrest he said that to avert some
evil that threatened her he would have
to have s38 for each letter in her name,
"Clara," two AS considered as one. I'm
mediate action was necessary for her
safety, and he quite wept over the
alternative.
These women detectives really are
very courageous in going after them,
though the mediums find it the easier
part not to resist authority, but to
serve their sentence or pay their fine
and again make readjustment of their
practices within the law, thus keeping
their hold on their clientele.
In recent arrest the medium told
the detective she had something on her
understanding important-to be
done, but that she must act quickly
Whereupon, having an Irish wit, the
detective said: "In that case had bet
ter arrest you Immediately"
Among other interesting mediums
who are no strangers to the law is
Monsco, leader of the First German
Spiritualist Church, meeting every Sun.
day at Pabst's Circle. Monsco revels in
the pitch dark seance, and uses trum-
pets, phosphorus and many Of tho old
gags. His control often is an Indian
chief, white Face" who addresses
Monsco as little Turtle"
Monsco is German or thereabouts
and has large following. What these
mediums do by day besides spend their
money is one of their mysteries. The
new Stacker law has a special clause
for fortune tellers." Perhaps that is
why William Lake, celebrity among
them, is now selling frankfurters at
Coney Island.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

prietor in Brooklyn, who wouldn't ap-
pear for anything in the world against
Mrs. Schaeffer because the "spirits
wouldn't like it," And anyway, "It's
the spirits that advised her to take the
dance hall-not Mrs. Schaeffer-and it
was not the spirits fault if the people
wouldn't come to dance''
There is scarcely an accredited
spiritualist who has not been on trial
and not one who has not gone back to
his old tricks. Burt Reese, really
brilliant clairvoyant, is one of the few
that are of any interest to the Society
Of Psychical Research, though they con-
stantly advertise in their magazine,
christensen" medium working
blindfolded who has been "run in" a
dozen or more times.
Burt Reese is a German, and up to
the time of our entry into the war was
German sympathizer. He is an edu-
Gated man and has a trick of rare
cleverness. A woman detective who
had private seance with him told me
she wrote a question on a piece of
paper and burned it immediately-all
the time being quite alone in the room
yet he could tell her exactly what
was on the paper.
After his conviction he gave Judge
Rosalsky such brilliant demonstra-
tion of his gifts that the conviction
was reversed. He is one of the few
that have had descriptions from the
dead of what it feels like to die on the
field Of battle.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

as any professional drummer, having
avowedly the time of his life. He does
everything, from the selling of cigar
cites to lecturing upon science, and he
is overfowing with enthusiasm over it..
Another professor, this time theo-
logian from a Western PENNSYLVANIA
seminary, was selling tobacco and other
desirables to marines, down by lit
tie pond in Southern France. An
other professor of philosophy from
New England, whom I met at a naval
aviation base, is called dad" by the
boys, and his present specialties are
the boxing bouts he arranges in his
"Y" and the brass band he is organ
ling.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
Call the Bishop
A Good Scout

The Protestant Episcopal bishop Of
Erie, Penn, is having the time Of his
life over here among the soldiers. He
Is one of those who have made good as
speaker to the soldiers. and he itin-
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
They Have Always
Money for Bail

All the spiritualists are worf;ng thus
in the open, pushed there by the Dis
trict Attorney, who since the begin
ming Of the war. with its increased pos
sibil.ties of mu' ting the public in this
line, is determined to put the spirits
to rout. No easy matter, this. 1t is
such good money that the spiritualists
are not going to give up without a
f~ht. Then their adherents are as
faithful as they are foolish and refuse
to give them away. So one day the
mediums are in court and the next day
proceeding with their meetings, moth
ing daunted. They can always raise
money for bail and arc never without
we'll dressed, influential followers. It
was not Ike this when they travelled
up and down tho road In a covered
!.
ihe case rf John Hill, recently tried
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
How 1t Feels
To Be Dead

"a profound sleep follows the fatal
blow when the earth rises and hits
them. The soldiers feel no pain, but
sleep and rest up for a long time after
death. Often feeling of vengeance on
their slayer is their first sensation;
oftener they do not even know they
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02

up and offered bail for him. So there
was busy week for his congregation
between the magistrates court and the
regular meetings, where business as
usual was conducted. All the mediums
in town went to the trial, which means,
let me tell you, collection of very
pretty and nicely dressed women, a
sprinkling of our colored population
and generous half of Germans-a
"soft" lot of middle-aged respectables.
Mrs. Schaefer
Introduces Olga
During this trial Mrs. Schaeffer,
very colorful splash in the spiritual
istic world, took the opportunity to in
troduce herself to larger public. Mrs.
Schaeffer is medium with only one
trick in her bag, this being her niece,
Miss Olga Neidlinger, who operates at
the Church of Natures Divine Revela.
tions, 902 West End Avenue, and who
has the gift--"a natural born medium"
Hence, Mrs. Schaeffer declares all other
mediums, with their tricks and their
darkened rooms, to be takers, and is
willing to tell the District Attorney
anything he wants to know about such
tricksters, and in the same breath to
prove Olga's gifts by trial perform
ance in the District Attorneys Office.
Notwithst tanding, at one of her own
open meetings this week she took up
collection for zone of our members who
is on trial"; also collection to send
herself to Buffalo next month to the
General Assembly of Spiritualists:
also-just a collection. She believes
firmly in Olga. Olga is plump young
German Jewess, and would probably
make a very nice telephone girl if she
could get rid of Mrs. Schaeffer.
AT their meetings Olga is possessed
by the spirit of William jefferson AL
lcn' known as "Willum." Willum has
been her control for the last five years,
Wlllum processes to be five years old
and talks baby talk. "Give pity towers
a dink," says Willum out loud in meet
ing. And the general impression. after
an evening of this, is that Willum has
overstated his age
She Put the Sh! Sh!
On the German
Mrs. Schaeffer, smiling insidiously.
presided like a witch at the Hill trial:
led the applause when Hill stated the
tenets of his religion, led the sh! sh!
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
A British Commander
Asks a Question

Once in a while we run across
phrase in the writing Of some one ID
England or France that shows in i
flash the degree of seriousness with
which they have received the war
When commander is on the evs
OF being attacked or Of attacking can
he count upon being supported by sn]
Omnipotent Being" SirFrancis Young
husband asks in 1.-The Atlantic Month.
ly." and considers it earnestly fof
three or four pages. The same ps-
thetic lack of humor, the Same pas
sionate inquiry seems to iniict them
IN their recent craze for spirituslism.
In antebellum London there was al !
ways a procession of sandwich mon to
be met in Oxford Street, advertising
the Baroness or the Countess some
body or other-crystal gazer or clair
voyant-which tribe multiplied at d
furious rate during the first year Of
the war with the demands for infor-|
nation as to when the war would end
about 'uterned husbands, advice about
marrying again when ones husband
was among the missing and demands
for horoscopes of every crowned head,
IN Europe, until the law reached out
a long arm and made it q years inn
prlsonment for fortune telling.
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
The Prince Carried
His Treasure With Him

Prince Rangi Salada is another
menace to the peace Of mind of the
police. Harlem was his stamping
ground-Harlem and Brooklyn seem to
be peculiarly sympathetic" and he
carries it off with grand manner
charging SIS for public sittings. and was
New-York tribune., 1918-06-02
A Harvard Professor
In the Mud of France

In the present article, however, I
want merely to indicate the sort of
Americans who make up this staff of
more than 1900 workers. Naturally.
they are Of all types. 1t has been
round, for example, that the wealthy
cluoman makes first-class worker.
especially for advanced and lonely