The New York herald., 1922-05-13
Then Order Congregation
Out as They Hold Man
and Three Women.
CHIROPODIST SURPRISED
He Thinks Mediums Are Real
Until His Wife Is Taken
to Court.

Two detectives and policewoman
attached to the Fourth Inspection dis
trict raided a Spiritualist seance OF
the First Spiritualist Church Of New
York" at 2S2 West Seventieth street,
last night and arrested four persons.
charged them with disorderly con-
duct in operating fake seances for
which So admission was charged.
Those arrested are Eva Thompson,
30 of 113 Market street, Evansville.
Ohio, also known as Little Eva"
medium: her husband, who describes
himself as the Rev. William r. Thomp-
SON. Mrs. Anna Hartman, A, wife of
Dr. j. L. Hartman, a chiropodist. who
occupies the first floor of the building
where the seance was held, and Miss
Alice Moriarty, 40, of 35 Hawthorne
street Brooklyn. referred to in cards
as secretary of the First Spiritualist
Church"
pay ~ as Church Members.
Detectives william Haake and An
drew Mclaughlin and Policewoman
Genevieve Mclaughlin eased into the
room where the seance was to be held.
They paid s2 thereby becoming mem
bers of the church." and got by the
guard at the door without difficulty.
The room was well lighted. Thompson,
who was directing the party, handed
out slips bearing the song I'VE Shall
Meet on That Beautiful Shore" All
seng, the detectives joining in Justify.
Then all the lights. except one small
light behind dark curtain at one
erd of the room, went out. In moment
a filmy looking apparition was seen on
the opposite side of the curtain, between
the curtain and the light.
"Ah" exclaimed Thompson, rubbing
his hands. 1--WE have with US the
spirit of Little Eva. Do not go close
to the curtain. A touch would kill the
spirit of Little Eva
There was silence for moment. Then
the spirit mumbled something and
added:
Has any person here deceased rela-
tive or friend?"
Little Eva" AS "Aunt Jemima.'
whereupon Policewoman Mclaughlin
asked
us that you, Aunt Jemima? ?"
Yes" replied voice. Are you alone
or have you got your husband. Bob.
with your
The policewoman turned to Detective
Andrew Mclaughlin, who Is no relative
of hers, and said:
Here's Bob. Step up. Bob.
Mclaughlin appeared nervous and
afraid. so the policewoman took him by
the arm and helped him a few steps
toward the curtain. Then the spirit Of
Little Eva" went on.
You are going to be very successful
in your next undertaking and anything
you do now will bring you a good re-
ward. You look we'll, Bob
Pounces on Spirit.
The policewoman then appealed to
Thompson for permission to have Bob"
move a little closer to the spirit. Thomp.
son said It, would b. all right. Nc
Laughlin leaped toward the spirit.
tearing down the black curtain. Tho
spirit was wrapped up in the curtain
and wiggled about violently McLaugh-
lin. however. turned it over to the po-
licewoman and to Detective Haake
while he arrested Thompson, Miss
Moriarty and Miss Hartman and ad-
vised the fourteen of the "congre2a ton
to leave. as the show was over.
When the spirit of Little Eva"
was untangled from the curtain it
proved to be Mrs. Thompson. She was
dressed in white, with a white veil
over her face. and was barefoot Tn.
police also confiscatei small piano
that could be played by electricity.
Hartman, the chiropodist. was on the
first floor when he heard that his wife
was mixed up with the affair. He ap-
peared genuinely disappointed. He said
the Thompsons had lived there about
a month and had got quite a substantial
following among persons interested in
spiritualism. Hartman said he thought
they were the real thing"
In Night Court before Magistrate
Oberwagcr the prisoners asked for an
adjournment. IL was granted and they
were held in $1,000 bail each for a hear
ing May 16.