Fortune telling

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3196, 21 September 1917, Page 7

Fortune telling

TEN PROFESSIONALS IN COURT CRYSTAL GAZING The police recently caused a raid, to made on premises where' fortune-tell-ing was engaged in, and yesterday ten fortune-tellers were charged in the Magistrate's 'Court, before Mr. S. E. ilt'Carthy, S.M., with breaches of tho law. Mrs. Clara Sinclair, 13 Jessie Street, .pleaded not guilty to the oharge,. She '.was not represented by counsel. Ivy Eileen Annie Campbell,. assistant Tpolice matron,- Auckland, stated that in Company with Miss Grant, assistant police .Wellington, she went to the •.house, of. the defendant in Jessie Street. jiShe was asked to take off her gloves, and the defendfiflt, looking at the hand, 'told the .witness she would live to a great age that she 1 tvouldi have two Blight illnesses; that she would make a good nurse and a clairvoyante. Mrs. Sinclair then read the crystal. She asked [witness, to. .put .her hand on a block .of glass,- and after-a few minutes the defendant took the crystal and said she could- see several colours, and professed to read what the colours indicated.' Sho also said she could see a-field of corn ,wider- at the back than at the. front, arid said' that witness w-ould ultimately have:plenty. .Mrs. Sinclair.told witness that .the latter's brother would return from the. war, but that he had a. long time to" go : Tjefore he finished .-his .bit,, land that he would have an illness. Mrs. Sinclair also'cut.the cards. -AVitness paid' ss. for. the reading, Jean Grant, assistant police matron, [Wellington,- gave corroborative evidence. Plain-clothes. Constable Black testified ■to - seeine the- two witnesses;. visit the premises. . . • . ". .. . Mrs.. Sinclair, in giving evidence, said she ■: never told fortunes'.or divined the future. The- law. allowed her to read character, and to tell her clients of their virtues and rices so that, they might raise themselves. The law' permitted her ' to- give lier services for charity and caiv mivals,. bazaars, etc., and she. wanted to iknowwhy she-could'not do'the.same in ter private'home for a living; Was tliero one law. for the organisations and another .for--herself? " She-.declined'to saythat she would not continue in the business, and admitted th,at she was previously before the Court on a similar charge: .-.The Magistrate said, that a breach of •the law Sad been committed, 'and imposed a, fine of: and costs, in default .one month's'. imprisonment.' Fourteen •days were allowed in which to find tho money. A: Character Reader. ■

Mrs: Ada.Biggins, 66 Abel"Smith Street, Jor'whom:Mr.-P.-W. Jackson appeared, was -also "charged, with .-, fortune-telling. The same witnesses as in. the previous j pase'gave evidence, .and on similar lines. ; Hr. Jackson, for the : defence,.. stated' that Mrs. Biggins enjoyed a high, character:' She was a member ofthe-Spiritual-ists' Association, a test medium and. clairvoyante. She did not profess to tell fortunes or to divine the future.. She claimed to have the power of seeing into the, •minds of people and reading their character; She possessed private means; and was -not dependent upon what 6he made out of . character-reading.Mr. -'Jackson then.went on'.to deal with the legal aspect of the case, and .contended that the .evidence was. not. corroborated;' — The Magistrate held that the evidence lhad been corroborated, and the evidence given bv the two female witnesses was true. He held that the defendant: was a fortune-teller, . whatever she. might c.".1l (herself. There, was the old adage, "A Irose by - any. other name would smell as sweet." .. A fine of £5 and costs, in default one (month's .imprisonment, was imposed, and fourteen days was allowed in -which to (pay the money.

Eight Plead Guilty. Madame De Alma, 10 Garrett Street, Madame Lemar, 75 Thorndon Quay, and Mrs. Rosalie "Steimmaim pleaded guilty, and were each fined £5 and costs, in default one 'month's imprisonment. Time •■was allowed in each case in which to find the money. , . Mrs. Margaret M'Roberts (Madame (Azucena), Mrs. Ida Robinson (Madame {King), 87 Vivian Street, Madame Le Vine, 130 Lambton Quay, and Madame Milliard, Room No. 3 Boulcott Chambers, Boulcott Street, who also pleaded guilty, were each fined J23 and costs, in default 21 days' imprisonment. Mrs. Louise Douglas, 110 Abel Smith Street, for whom Mr. C.' W. Tringham appeared, pleaded guilty. Mr; Tringham said that defendant had taken down'her sign, and withdrawn her advertisements, and had decided to give up business. She was fined J>l and costs, in default seven days' imprisonment.