The Case begun.-- Mr. Pinkerton makes a preliminary
Investigation at Rochester.-- Mrs. Winslow, Trance
Medium.-- A Ride to Port Charlotte.-- Harcout as a
Barnacle.-- Much married.-- Mr. Pinkerton visits the
Mediums.-- Drops in at a Washington Hall Meeting.-- Sees
the naughty Woman.-- And returns to New York convinced
that the Spiritualistic Adventuress is a Woman of
remarkable Ability.
As the interview related in the previous chapter occurred on Friday, and
I could not attend to the matter at once, I was obliged to wait until
the following Sunday evening, when I quietly took the western-bound
express, which brought me to Rochester the following noon, where I
engaged rooms at the Brackett House under an assumed name, and
immediately began a preliminary examination on my own account, having
directed my New York Superintendent to inform either Lyon or Harcout, in
the event of their calling at the agency, that I could not be seen
regarding their matter for a few days, as I had suddenly been called
South on important business.
My object in doing this was to look over the ground at Rochester myself,
and get an unbiased idea of the whole matter, so that I could properly
proceed with the work, being satisfied that this was the only way to
secure a basis to operate upon, as I was sure that I had not got at the
bottom facts in the late interview. I invariably insist on having all
the facts, and always take measures to secure them before any decided
move is made.
As a rule, however, in cases of this kind, it is almost impossible to
secure what the detective absolutely needs from the parties from whom
the information should come; as it is a principle of human nature
possessed by us all, to be very frank about our merits, and quite
careful about mentioning anything that might be construed into either a
lack of judgment or principle.
I found that the New York papers were already publishing specials
concerning the matter, with solemn editorials regarding the perfidy of
man, the constancy of woman, and the general cussedness of both; and
that at Rochester the knowledge of the commencement of the suit had just
got into the papers, and consequently, into everybody's mouth; and was
creating a great sensation, as Lyon was known to the whole city as one
of its richest citizens, "though a little off on Spiritualism lately,"
as the talk went; and Mrs. Winslow had also become quite notorious from
her magnificent figure and winning manner, her equally notorious
mediumistic powers, and through her prominent connection with the more
_material_ believers in spiritual phenomena; or, to be plain, that vast
majority of so-called spiritualists whose only visible means of support
are in excellently humbugging their brethren or sisters, or any other
portion of the gullible world with whom they come in contact.
Nearly every Rochester paper contained the advertisement of Mrs.
Winslow, trance medium, and I concluded that either the lady had been
unusually successful in her trance business, or that her levies upon
Lyon had been remunerative--perhaps both--to pay for such extensive
advertising.
After dinner I took a stroll and found that the lady occupied very
luxurious apartments on South St. Paul street, near Meech's Opera-house,
a location well adapted for her business. I also ordered a carriage and
drove out to Port Charlotte--a magnificent drive through a lovely
country dotted with fine farm-houses and the splendid suburban
residences of wealthy Rochester citizens--and, as a casual stranger,
inspected Lyon's warehouses and elevators, the largest and most
expensive at the Port, returning to the Brackett House in time to eat a
hearty supper.
After supper, without any effort, and without disclosing my identity, I
got into conversation with the genial landlord of the house, who gave
me--as a part of my entertainment, I presume--a rich account of Lyon's
business relations, and particularly of his personal habits, painted in
entirely different colors than by the blarneying tongue of Harcout; and
also spoke of the latter as "a d----d barnacle," who had in some
unexplainable way fastened himself upon Lyon and was living like a
prince off the "old fool," as he called him. He also told me
confidentially that he believed Mrs. Winslow to be a woman of
questionable character; as, when she first came to the city, she had
stopped at his hotel, and had advertised her mediumistic powers so
largely that it had brought a class of men there whom he thought, from
his personal knowledge of their habits, to be more interested in
inquiries into the mysteries of the _present_ than of the hereafter,
until he had become so anxious as to the reputation of his house that he
had informed the lady of the preference of her absence to her company;
whereupon she had raised such a storm about his ears that he was only
too glad to compromise by letting her go, bag and baggage, without
paying her bill, which was a large one and of a month's standing.
I also gained from him the opinion that she had been married a
half-dozen times, or as often as had suited her convenience; and that he
had only a day or so previous conversed with a gentleman from some part
of the West, who had told him that somebody in Rochester had assisted
her in procuring her a divorce from her husband. I made a note of all
these points after I had retired to my room, and felt quite satisfied
with the day's work.
The next day, with a gentleman at the hotel with whom I had become
acquainted, representing myself as a person of means who might possibly
make an investment at Rochester, I visited Lyon's mills, and
incidentally became quite well informed as to his financial and social
standing.
The latter was a little peculiar. His wife, a most estimable lady, had
died a few years previous, and it appeared that during her life the Lyon
family were among the aristocrats of the city; but at her death, and
Lyon's subsequent dabbling in Spiritualism, they had been gradually
dropped from the visiting lists, and nothing remained of the former home
circle save a gaunt, grim mother-in-law, who vainly waged war against
the loose habits, laxity of morals, and general degeneracy that had come
with the new order of things.
I also secured the addresses of all the professional mediums,
fortune-tellers, and astrologers of the city, and during that day and
the next visited their rooms, claiming to be a devoted believer in
Spiritualism, having my fortune told at various places, and picking up a
good deal of information regarding the fascinating Mrs. Winslow, which
tended to prove her a remarkably talented woman, capable of not only
attending to her mediumistic duties, but also of carrying on litigation
of various kinds in different parts of the country. My investigations
also showed that these different "doctors" and "doctresses," claiming to
perform almost miraculous cures and their ability to foretell the fates
of others through the aid of this supernatural spirit-power, were quite
like other people in their bickerings and jealousies, and, as a rule,
they gave each other quite as bad names as the public generally gave
them; and that Mrs. Winslow could not have been considered exactly the
pink of perfection if judged even by those of her own persuasion, as one
vaguely hinted at her having played the same game on other parties.
Another was sure she had been a camp-follower during the war. Another
assured me that she had similar suits at Louisville, Cincinnati, and St.
Louis. Still another was quite certain that she was only a common
woman. Altogether, according to these reports, which were easily enough
secured, as her case against Lyon was the engrossing subject of the hour
at Rochester, it appeared that the ravishing Mrs. Winslow held her
place, such as it was, in the world more through her supreme will power,
and the respect through fear she unconsciously inspired in others, than
through any of the tenderer graces or a superabundance of personal
purity.
From cautious inquiries and the wonderful amount of street, saloon, and
hotel talk which the affair was causing, I also ascertained that Mrs.
Winslow had made her appearance in Rochester some years before; some
said from the east, and some from the West, but the preponderance of
evidence indicated that it had been from the West; that she had at once
allied herself with the spiritualists of the city, and Lyon had first
met or seen her at one of their seances or lectures; that he had at once
yielded to her charms, and begun visiting her for "advice," as it was
sarcastically reported, continuing the visits with such frequency and
regularity as to hasten the death of his wife, after which event he had
given his new affinity nearly his entire attention until she had come to
be commonly considered as his mistress; that she had frequently boasted
among her friends that she was to become Lyon's wife, and was even by
some called Mrs. Lyon, to which pleasant designation she made no murmur;
that she had made a common practice of visiting Lyon at his offices in
the Arcade, where she had been treated with considerable deference and
respect by his employees; and that during this period Mrs. Winslow had
made several trips to the West, evidently at Lyon's instigation, and
through his financial aid.
I found also that she was as truly a believer in the farces others of
her profession enacted for her benefit as she was in the mediumistic
power she had persuaded herself that she possessed, and was consequently
a regular attendant at all the meetings and seances held in the city;
and as there was one to be held that evening at Washington Hall, I
decided to attend for the purpose of getting a good view of the lady
with whom, for a time, we should be obliged to keep close company.
Accordingly, at half-past seven o'clock I found the hall, which is but a
few blocks above the bridge on Main Street, and after purchasing a
ticket of a sleek, long-haired individual with deft fingers and a
restless eye, passed into the room, where there was already quite a
number of the faithful, all bearing unmistakable evidences of either
their peculiar faith, or the character of their business.
As the exercises of the evening had not yet begun, those present were
gathered about the hall excitedly discussing the great sensation of the
hour, which was particularly interesting to them, as the parties to it
were both of their number, and from what I could gather they were about
evenly divided in their opinion as to the merits of the case--the male
portion of the assemblage warmly espousing the cause of Mrs. Winslow,
and the female portion as eagerly sympathizing with "poor dear Mr.
Lyon," and roundly condemning the naughty woman who had ensnared him and
was so relentlessly pursuing him.
I was sure the naughty woman had now arrived, as there was a sudden
twisting of necks and buzzing of "That's her--that's her!" "There's Mrs.
Winslow!" and "Yes, that's Mrs. Lyon!" and the females that had given
Mrs. Winslow such a bad reputation a few moments before, now pressed
around her with sympathizing inquiries and loud protestations of regard,
quite like other ladies under similar circumstances. But the lady
appeared to be quite unconcerned as to their good or ill feeling towards
her, and swept up the aisle with a regal air, taking a seat so near me
and in such a position that I was able to make a perfect study of her
while apparently only absorbed in the wonderful revelation that fell
from the trance-speaker's lips.
She appeared to be a lady of about thirty five years of age, and of a
very commanding appearance. She was not a beautiful woman, but there was
an indescribable something about her entire face and figure that was
strangely attractive. It was both the dignity of self-conscious power
and the peculiar attractiveness of a majestically formed woman. It could
not be said that there was a single beautiful feature about her face,
though it attracted and held every observer. Her head was large, well
formed, and covered with a wavy mass of black hair marvelous in its
richness of color and luxuriance. Her complexion was a clear, wax-like
white, singularly contrasting with her hair, delicately arching
eyebrows, and long, dark lashes, which heavily shaded great gray eyes
that were sometimes touched with a shading of blue, and occasionally
glowed with a light as keen, glittering, and cold as might flash from a
diamond or a dagger's point, which seemed to work in sympathy with the
rapid movement of her thin nostrils, and the swift shuttles of crimson
and paleness that darted over her curled upper lip, which,
notwithstanding this singularity, touched the full, pouting lower one
with a hint of wild and riotous blood.
Although Mrs. Winslow was a woman who, being met in the better circles
of society, would have wonderfully interested every one with whom she
came in contact, in the circle within which she moved, and which,
unconsciously, seemed to be far beneath her, she surely commanded a
certain kind of respect, with a touch of fear, perhaps; and in any
circle of life was undoubtedly one in whom the ambition for power was
only equalled by the remorseless way with which she would wield it after
it had been gained.
Not once during the whole evening did she by any movement of her person
or motion of her features give any further indication of her character;
and I could only leave the hall and return to my hotel, and from thence
immediately to New York, with the thorough conviction that Mrs. Winslow
was a remarkably shrewd woman; had systematically fastened herself upon
Lyon with the view of becoming his wife, or compelling him to divide his
immense wealth with her; would give us plenty to attend to, and had
easily gained a wonderful power over Lyon; which, even after her
repeated piracies upon him, and the evident knowledge he possessed of
her villainous character, was yet strong upon him.