HOW MEDIUMS OBTAIN INFORMATION
We read in the newspapers of some payroll bandit who holds up the
paymaster of a big concern and steals thousands of dollars, or of
burglars entering homes and stores and breaking open safes and taking
valuable loot, but these cases which we read of are nothing in
comparison to some of the news which never reaches our ears, news of
mediums who, because resourceful in obtaining information have made
millions of dollars; blood money made at the cost of torture to the
souls of their victims.
Suppose a medium comes to your town. He advertises a private seance.
Like the average person you are curious and wish to be told things
about yourself which you honestly believe no one in the world knows not
even your most intimate friend. Perhaps you would like to learn some
facts about a business deal, or know what is to be the outcome of a
love affair, or it may be that you seek the comfort and solace that one
is hungry for after the death of a near one. You go to this medium and
are astounded by the things which are told you about yourself.
I do not claim that I can explain all the methods used by mediums
to obtain this knowledge. A reader might attend a seance where the
medium would use altogether different means to get the facts, but I am
familiar with a great many of the methods of these human vultures. I
think though that it is an insult to that scavenger of scavengers to
compare such human beings to him but there is, to my mind, no other fit
comparison.
The stock-in-trade of these frauds is the amount of knowledge they can
obtain. It is invaluable and they will stop at nothing to gain it. They
will tabulate the death notices in the newspapers; index the births
and follow up the engagement and marriage notices; employ young men to
attend social affairs and mix intimately with the guests, particularly
the women.
It is seldom that one of these mediums will see a person the day he
calls but will postpone the seance from a day or two to a week or more.
As the person leaves the building he is followed by one of the medium’s
confederates who gathers enough information about him to make the
medium’s powers convincing when the seance is held.
It is a common occurrence for mediums of this stamp to hunt through
the court records of property and mortgages. Cases have been known
where they have employed men to read proof sheets in the press rooms of
newspapers to find material with which to “foretell” events at seances.
They frequently tap telephone wires. It is customary for these mediums
to search letter boxes, steam open the letters, and make copies for
future use. They have been known to buy the old letters sold to paper
mills by big concerns, one useful letter, out of a ton of rubbish,
being enough to pay them a great profit. It is also a common thing for
mediums to “plant” assistants as waiters in restaurants for the purpose
of overhearing conversation, especially in restaurants of the better
class, business clubs, and luncheon clubs, where men of note freely
discuss their plans and secrets, and in the “gilded lobster palaces” of
Broadway and many hotel cabarets in other towns there are men who check
and tabulate the good spenders and who in one way or another, usually
when the victims are under the influence of drink, get into their
confidence and secure information which is sold for money.
My attention was called to a case where it was said that a medium
“planted” clerks in a Metropolitan hotel who would open, read, and
re-seal the letters of guests. The medium was also able to get girls at
the switchboard who intercepted messages and made a typewritten record
of telephone conversations for him.
In many apartment houses the elevator boys, superintendents and
servants are bribed to make a daily report of the inside happenings of
the house. Most of the mediums work in the dark and many of them have
employed expert pickpockets who cleverly take from the sitters’ pockets
letters, names, memorandums, etc., while they are being interviewed.
These are passed to the medium who tells the sitter more or less of
their contents. Having served their purpose they are returned to the
pockets of the sitter who, none the wiser, goes out to help spread
reports of the medium’s wonderful ability. Mediums’ campaigns are
planned a long time ahead. They make trips on steamers gathering,
tabulating and indexing for future reference the information to be
overheard in the intimate stories and morsels of scandals exchanged in
the smoking rooms, card rooms, and ladies’ salons.
A man in a confidential moment told some very intimate secrets of
his business to a chance traveling acquaintance while they sat in
the smoking compartment of a Pullman car. Unfortunately for him this
acquaintance belonged to an unscrupulous gang of mediums who used the
information to blackmail him. These gangs of clairvoyant blackmailers
will stop at nothing. They will move into the apartment house in which
their victim lives and watch his habits. When sure of ample time they
will break into his rooms, not to steal valuables, but information
which nets them far more than the small amount of diamonds and cash
which they might snatch. If it is possible to steal the records of
great political parties how much easier to steal the secret papers
of a family. If you doubt that information leaks out look up some
of the cases that have been brought to the attention of the courts;
cases where papers from secret organizations were missing; where the
most intimate documents have been given publicity. Such information
is far more difficult to obtain than the records of the dead. The Bar
Association protects its reputation by weeding out lawyers who prey
on clients but it cannot so easily discover a dishonest employee in a
lawyer’s office who takes advantage of information which he knows to be
sacred and secret.
Mediums are especially desirous of keeping in touch with disgruntled
employees. There is no limit to what they will do. They have been
known to arrange for the employment of accomplices as domestics and
chauffeurs in families where they were particularly anxious to get
information and have frequently had dictagraphs placed in homes by fake
or disloyal servants and after a month or so of tabulating secrets and
information were prepared for a seance at which the sitters could only
account for the amazing things told them by believing the medium had
occult aid. The result was an unqualified confidence in the mediumistic
powers which in the end cost the sitters an exorbitant sum.
I heard of a medium who employed a quiet couple for the express
purpose of attending funerals, mixing with the mourners, and gathering
information which was eventually turned into gold, and what is known as
a “sure-fire” method is to dress some little woman demurely and place
her in the reception room where she greets the visitors, telling them
her troubles and naturally receiving their confidences in return.
I have even known of two cases in which these human wolves, apparently
out of the kindness of their hearts, sent girls to a young ladies’
seminary where they were able to wheedle from their roommates secrets
which caused the loss of several fortunes.
One of the biggest scoops and one that is talked of in hushed tones
even among the fraud fraternity is that of an old-time circus grafter
who, having been cleaned out in Wall Street, was at his wits’ ends to
make a living. One evening, tired and weary from a day’s unsuccessful
efforts to find honest employment, he overheard his two daughters
discussing a bit of scandal they had listened to in the hairdressing
parlor where they were employed and which compromised a prominent
society woman’s name. The old man pricked up his ears, recognized
the possibilities, and a very short time after invested what little
capital he had and all he could borrow in a beauty parlor and with the
information it furnished him through the aid of his wife and daughters
he was able to set himself up as a medium, the venture yielding
handsomely the first year.
A most novel method of obtaining information was devised by a man who
decided after listening to the conversation in a Turkish bath to open
one himself. Most of his attendants were accomplices and while the
patrons were enjoying the bath their clothes were searched, letters
opened and signatures traced. The end of the first year found him
enjoying a country home in an aristocratic neighborhood.
During one of my engagements in Berlin, Germany, I made the
acquaintance of the foreman of a safe factory who told me that he made
a duplicate key[117] for every safe which passed through his hands and
that he sold these keys to mediums but with the express understanding
that there should be nothing stolen. The mediums assured him that all
they wanted was an opportunity to read the mail and private papers
which the safes contained.
I have known of a number of cases in which the medium used a drug
addict to secure information giving the poor tortured creature his
necessary drug only in return for facts he wanted, knowing that when
the addict was suffering for the drug’s stimulus he would stop at
nothing to secure it.
In small towns “Bible sellers” have sometimes been employed who were
able to get exact dates, names, and birth places which were eventually
used in some form. Men employed by mediums to gather information are
often disguised as agents. One in particular I know of who goes from
house to house trying to sell typewriters and washing machines on the
installment plan. Even if he does not make a sale he can at least
engage the lady of the house in conversation, drawing on her sympathy
by telling of the trials and tribulations of a canvasser and a pitiful
tale of how he was driven to such work and in return usually receiving
the particulars of some similar case among her friends or relatives.
Information which is carefully saved for use in the future.
It has been necessary for the United States Government to assign
special men to break up a band of fake census enumerators, which, going
from neighborhood to neighborhood, secures complete family histories
which are later sold to mediums for large sums of money.
One of the most interesting cases I have heard of lately is that of a
young man who was greatly in debt and sought the advice of a medium.
The medium offered to pay his debts if he in return would take a
position which the medium would secure for him in the Bureau of Records
and in addition to his work furnish the medium with copies of certain
documents. Fear of his debts becoming known to his parents forced him
to accept the offer and the medium got the desired data but before an
improper use could be made of it the young man’s conscience led him to
make a clean breast of the whole affair to the police and a gigantic
fraud was “nipped in the bud.”
The most dastardly and unscrupulous methods that I ever heard of,
methods almost beyond belief, were those used by a medium who made
arrangements with a ring of “white slavers” by which he paid them
a certain specified sum for any information which the “girls” in
their “houses” were able to secure. In addition he also established
a number of places where, under the direction of a woman, the girls
drew out many secrets which would never have been told under any other
circumstances.
One thing which makes the work of these mediums easier is the fact that
many people tell things about themselves without realizing it. I have
known people to deny emphatically that they had made certain statements
or mentioned certain things in a seance although I had personally heard
them say those very things not more than twenty minutes before. Under
the excitement of the moment their subconscious mind[118] speaks while
their conscious mind forgets. This does not escape the medium who takes
advantage of everything which it is possible to.
An incident related to me by the late Harry Kellar shows in a striking
way what can be done with information the possession of which is not
suspected nor its source accounted for by the victim. He had met in
Hong Kong a troupe of travelling players, known as the “Loftus Troupe”
which was featuring Jefferson De Angelus. Among these players was
one, Jim Mass, who, during a discussion of Spiritualism scoffed at
anyone’s belief in it. Kellar told him to visit his hotel the following
night and he would be given a seance. Mass did and Kellar pretended
to go into a deep trance rolling his eyes and imitating all the other
effects. While in the trance he told Mass his history from the time he
ran away from Newark, N. J., relating his trials and tribulations and
his efforts to make a success on the stage up to the time when a young
lady committed suicide in San Francisco because of his jealousy. Then
Kellar turned to him and said:
“What is your name?”
“Jim Mass,” was the answer.
“That is not your right name,” Kellar retorted, “your right name is
James Cropsey!”
“It is a lie,” said Mass.
“No, it is not a lie, for I see before me your name. I see that your
father has just died of a broken heart because of your behaviour. I see
your mother writing you a letter to that effect, begging you to come
home and be her son again. I see the grave of your father and on the
tombstone is inscribed, ‘James Cropsey.’”
Kellar came out of the trance and Mass sprang up exclaiming:
“My God, you have told me things that only the Almighty and I know!”
Kellar claimed to Mass that he did not know anything which had
transpired in the trance. The following day a letter came from Mass’
mother telling him of the death of his father. This fully convinced
him that Kellar had strong mediumistic powers, and to such an extent
that when they met a few days later and Kellar told him that it was
all a fake, Mass refused to believe it.
[Illustration: KELLAR AND HOUDINI]
Kellar explained to me that while in Manila a few weeks previous he had
met an American traveller who, while they were discussing the different
theatrical companies in the Orient, had told him all the incidents he
had repeated to Mass in the supposed trance. This traveller had written
home to Mass’ mother telling her of her son’s whereabouts and therefore
Kellar felt fairly safe in saying that a letter would arrive in a few
days, but in spite of Kellar’s confession Mass continued to believe
firmly that he was a genuine psychic.
Mediums have been known after gaining the sitter’s confidence
sufficiently, to advise, through a Spirit, the purchase of certain
stocks, bonds, or “swamp lands,” and a certain group which I know has
made over a million dollars by this system. One of the keenest and most
unscrupulous of this class, a man who at present is abroad waiting for
things to blow over, had a method which gained him a huge fortune. He
would acquire the confidence of a widow whose husband had not been dead
long and for months he would search into her private affairs without
her knowledge. Then he would arrange for a meeting with her at which he
would mention casually that he was a Spiritualist and that she could
find solace and comfort in Spiritualism. At an impromptu seance he
would tell her so many things of a most intimate character that she
would be convinced. After a series of seances he would materialize
and manifest what was supposedly the Spirit of her husband who would
tell her to turn over certain property and deeds to this medium who
would take care of them in a business-like manner. Invariably the poor
deluded widow would surrender to his machinations and that would be
the last she would ever hear of medium or money.
At a time when it was a British society fad to delve into the affairs
of the beyond a house of clairvoyance was opened in London’s most
exclusive section, the fashionable West End. It was exquisitely
furnished and the interior decorating was the show work of a well-known
firm. Though known as “Madame ----” the proprietor was in reality the
daughter of an English aristocrat. She had formed a partnership with
a man known to society as “Sir ----” and thought of as being simply a
“man about town,” but was in reality the head of a desperate band of
the underworld.
A rich clientele soon became accustomed to a rule which required
sittings to be arranged for at least a week in advance which gave
Madame ---- plenty of time for her confederates to investigate the
client’s affairs. After several sittings the Madame would tell her
client that she was exhausted but could reveal more if allowed to enter
the atmosphere of the home and come in personal contact with some of
the intimate belongings of the client. This hint invariably secured
the desired invitation. Once a guest in the client’s home, she went
from room to room selecting various things and finally suggesting,
at the psychological moment, that she be shown all of the client’s
jewelry. While this was being brought out Madame ---- supposedly went
into a trance but was in reality watching closely to see where the
jewelry was kept. Back in her own home again she at once got in touch
with Sir ---- giving him such detailed information about the client’s
house that it was easy for him to plan its successful robbery by his
men, while the victims never suspected how their secret hiding places
had been discovered. It only took the pair five years to acquire a
fortune of three million dollars by these methods. Then Scotland Yard
became suspicious of their actions and in a search for a more congenial
climate they came to America and began working their system in New York.
Sir ---- learned through underworld channels of a rich eccentric who
would have nothing to do with banks and safe deposit vaults but kept
all his money and valuables in his home where he boasted so many
burglar alarms and other protective devices as to practically dare
thieves to rob him. After making sure that this man had very strong
Spiritualistic tendencies Madame ---- wrote him a letter in which
she told him that she had been requested by the spirit of his dead
brother to get into communication with him. An interview followed and
then a seance at which the brother’s spirit was claimed to have been
materialized. The man was so convinced that he had received a message
from his brother that the instructions to safeguard his money and
valuables by placing them in a certain bank were followed implicitly
even to the extent of taking them to the president (?) of the bank at
his home instead of going to the bank with them. It is needless to say
that the “bank president” was none other than Sir ----. This exploit
netted them about four hundred thousand dollars. Not long after they
appeared in Paris. Madame ---- proceeded to dupe a jeweler out of a
quantity of valuable jewels and with Sir ---- succeeded in escaping to
Germany where they tried to repeat the performance but were arrested.
The majority of the people who are fleeced do not blame the medium but
really believe that the Spirit of their departed one prescribed the
loss and that the medium simply acted as an agent. It is only when
the mediums fall out; when there ceases to be “honor among thieves”
that the cases are brought to the attention of the police. Although I
realize that it would be difficult to enforce, there should be a law to
prevent these frauds, for as the result of investigation I know that
this particular line has netted many millions of dollars from unwary,
trusting, and believing people. An end ought to be put to it.