Evening journal., 1918-01-10
DEFENDED HIM. ELF.
Gets JAIL SEHTEHCE
"fsyChologist' Who Got
WOman's MO9ey is Re-
fused Appeal
Spirits" FIGURE IN
Film FLAW" CANE

Although not a lawyer, but knowing
something about law Thomas Drew.
who termed himself mental scien-
tist," and claimed the power Of bong
able 90 read persons minds, conducted
his own defense when placed on trial
before Judges Conrad and Hoisel i'm
Court OF General Sessions yesterday
afternoon on a charge of larceny by
trick Of $40 from Mrs Marcel ma Powell
After hearing lastng about two
hours, consumed mostly by Drew re-
peatedly examining Witnesses on dues-
tons irrelevant 10 the issue and his in
e.stence upon making statements IN his
own behalf when the witnesses answer
did not suit him, he was found guilty
by a jury which required but fifteen
minutes TO reach a decision. lis sem
tence, pronounced by Judge Conrad.
was two years and six months I'm tho
workhousc That he pay so restitution
money 10 Mrs. Marcelna Powell. the
prosecuting Witnesses, and that he pay
the costs of prosecution. Lashes We're
not imposed because Of his age.
The trial from its start especially
when Drew cr0ss-oXamined the Wit
D..
his knowledge of counsers rights i'm
cross-eXamlning being not very broad.
ON many occasions he was rebuked boy
the judges for his persistence in asking
questions not bearing on the charge on
several occasions he even attempted TO
denouncc the prosecution for suppress
ing him In his defense. but he was not
permitted 20 give voice TO any extent
along this line
Against Drew there were two addi-
tional charges-obiainng money under
false pretcnses and practicing witch
craft. These charges were retired after
bis conviction on The larceny charge
The defendant was ON the alert for
any trace OF Attorney General Rein
hardt or Deputy Attorney General Green
ovcrstepping the proper methods of ex-
aminlng the witnesses. Few 0i his pro-
icsls were viewed fav0rably by the
court Tie declined 90 engage a lawyer.
insisting upon representing himself
81 stand mute. Drew answered.
when he was arraigned on Che three
different charges, and pleas of not
guilty were entered by the court. After
a jury had been drawn and when the
customary question was put TO him by
the court whether he had any obiec-
tions 60 any of the twelve men, he
asked if any of them We're railroad
men and If they had any objection to
scientists. To this Judge Conrad in
formed him that "a juror would not be
disqualified on these grounds.
Addressing the jury, Deputy Attorney
General Green told of The circum-
stances which led up TO Drew's arrest,
Then Drew went 30 the stand
You are In trouble and not getting
as many ro0mers as you desire" he
Faid he told Mrs Powell but predicted
that on a certain day she would get "a
large number OF rOOmers TO relieve her
trouble"
Drew then told her of gold writing
and lucky SEAL" which he proposed TO
give her, aud sold her some small
cubes OF incense, or some other like
matter, for seven dollars These cubes
he burned in the house "io drive away
bad spirits She paid him 50 at the
time and the remaining - later
Several days later NE brought her
the 'lucky seal on which she was To-
place $40, and this was 90 Doe put in an
envelope with certain verses from The
Bible. Mrs Powell consented 10 this
and Drew carefully showed her how tO
fold the bin and place 70 Ina the en-
yelope, which she did. But when she
opened the envelope few days later.
In the place of the bin there was a piece
of paper, the exact size of O. $40 bin.
Mrs Powell, ON the stand told OF her
experience with Drew.
10 was brought out that Drew had
told Mrs Powell that "he saw She spirit
of her grandfather urging her 90 take
her money out of the bank as 10 was
going 90 fail" he told her of his men
tal picture Of her grandfather standing
and pointing az the bank, which sig
nalized It's failure.
When Drew was permitted TO go or
the stand. be said:
"rhat $40, which IS $40 that never
was, was not $40; 10 was only S2
told her TO keep 10 in her bosom. as
that was the safest place 90 keep
money cfler she told me that a rail-
road conductor always got her money.
He declared that he is a mental
scientist and that in reading Mrs
Powelrs mind he found her TO De a
paranoia, which he explained as be-
EnIrEN nnWHnlFWnM