A "spook" sat on the bench with Justice Prindiville. He made ghosts
walk and graveyards yawn.
The "spook" was Detective Clifton R. Wooldridge.
When Miss Sarah Nichols, "the ghost," Miss Jennie Nichols, "the trance
medium," and Mrs. Catherine Nichols, mother of the other two known as
the "overseer," appeared in court to answer to charges of obtaining
money by false pretenses through spiritualistic seances, Detective
Wooldridge crowded to the center of the stage.
He bore a great board, on which were tacked white shrouds, grinning
skulls and cross-bones, the costume of an Indian, and other
instruments of the medium's trade.
"For the benefit of the public at large," he said, addressing
the court, "I ask permission to expose the methods of these fake
spiritualists."
The permission was given, and "Spook" Wooldridge took the wool sack.
"SPOOK" WOOLDRIDGE DEMONSTRATES.
He lit the punk with which the mediums were wont to light up the
skull. He burned incense. He put on a white gown.
"This is Carrie's garment," he said, pointing to where "Ghost" Carrie,
twenty-four years old and buxom, stood.
He went through the whole performance, save the grease paint. He
started to daub his face with the stuff, which gave a ghostly hue,
when the justice interrupted:
"You needn't dirty your face, Friend Spook. You've scored your points
already." The "Spook" had, indeed.
Despite the exposures, many women and a few men who had come to hear
the cases, expressed their devotion to the persons arrested and to the
"cause."
They finally became so demonstrative that Justice Prindiville ordered
the court room cleared of the "devotees."
"This is not a matinee, a spiritualists' meeting or a circus," said
the Justice. "Let the devotees meet in the outer hall."
Fifty women, of all ages and many conditions of life, stood with
mouths wide open and eyes bulging as Wooldridge went through his
performance. They were the victims of the Nichols women.
Jennie Nichols and Sarah Nichols were fined $100 each.