Killed by Spiritualism

Waihi Daily Telegraph, Volume IV, Issue 1065, 12 August 1904, Page 2

Killed by Spiritualism

Exciting Seances Lead to Disease and Death

Asotiikr extraordinary case of alleged fraud by a fomalo spiritualistic medium, accompanied by amazing credulity on tho part of her client, will shortly occupy the attonlion of tho Versailles Law Courts (telegraphed die Paris correspondent of tho" Daily Mail" on June 14th). On tho (loath of her husband, a musician in limssols, at tho ond of 1901, Mmo, Ohappiiis, a lady of sovontytouo, came to livo at Manly noar Paris, Sho was a fervtnispirituali'jl, and continued to top up relations with Mmo. Martin, who routed a cottsge closo to her friend's moro suurptuous villa,

From tho moment of bor nvtiva! upon tho sooiio, it is alleged, sho obtained com-* ploto nwstevy over tho old lady. On one occasion Mmo. Chappius desired lo present lior Into husband s pi«no to one of her noices, but iho medium, il is stntod, porsonating tlio Into M. Chappins at a seance, declared that ho still continued to perfect lti'usolf in music in tlio other world, and that nightly his specptral fmgors drew harmony from his beloved instrument. Tho widow passed tho nijjht in listening for Iho music in vain, but from that moment' M Clmppins' began to ask for presents for tho medium from his wifo, nil of which werofjivou, Then, according (o tho indictment, came the Gnal stroko of audacity, " You must limid over yovr homo to Mine. M.'irtin," snid M. Chappuis, speaking through tho former's inotitli, "us a gift," This command was duly carried out before a notary, and snbaeqiiontly tho modium was made the widow's universal legatee Aflor this" M. Chappuis" at ovory soauco called inoro loudly on hit, widow to join him, and the medium is declared to have shakon her by the arm with tho words, "Como,couie." The poor old lady, who suffered from heart disease, became worse and worse from the efl'eots of such exciting ECC110?, and at length died suddenly one morning last December. The most mysterious part of the affair is that not only did Mme Chappuis dio of s peculiar internal rupture, as predicted by Iho medium, but alio had evidently known tbodato of her death, as ovorything was arranged up to tho last minute, Tho charge brought against tho medium, Bays tlio Matin, is merely that of obtaining uiouoy by (also pretences.