The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 7, 1896, Page 16

16 FRANCISCO CALL, TUESDAY, APRIL 7, 1896. POSTMASTER BELL TALKS OF GHOSTS, The Carson City Gentleman Recites the Loss of His Coin. WORKING THE SCHEME. The Nevada Citizen Had Implicit Faith in His Spirit Friend Rodman. LETTERS OFFERED IN EVIDENCE Professor Van de Vere Seemed to Enjoy the Recital of His Wonder- ful Powers. George H. Bell, ex-Postmaster of Carson City, toid in Judge Low’s court yesterday how Professor Eugene and Professor Van de Vere, through the connivance of sun- dry “spirits,” succeeded in obtaining from him something like $1100. It was an intensely dramatic recital, in which ghosts and creations of the other world formed an important part. His Honor, Judge Low, felt himself getting under the “‘spell” ana at 5 o’clock found it necessary to postpone further bearing of the case until Wednesday. When the session ended spooks ot the | Van de Vere-Eugene creation were ata | discount. Bell was irtroduced to at least three wraiths from the other world as tne result of his sixty days’ intercourse with | the two noted clairvoyants, but just how many more De Vere and Eugene may huve had up their sleeves will not be known until the trial is over. The spirit of Rodman, the Postmaster’s dead friend, acting in conjunction with the Kentucky article traveling under the name of Rye, seems to have been the | cause of the Carson City gentleman’s troubles. The 2ombination put all sorts of veculiar ideas into Bell’s head, and when he reached San Francisco Van de | Vere had an easy time of it. Eugene was, of course, cognizant of all these little mental frailties, inciuding the spirit busi- ness, and 1t was therefore an easy matter for him to play on the credulity of the | new-made spiritualistic convert. | When Bell had told the court all about | the spirits he dropped back to earth in a | very commonplace way. True, a spirit cansed this descent, but such an every- | day affair as a hen roost did not seem io jibe well with a ghost in good stand- | ing. Nevertheless Bell told how some unseen influence had caused his friend Jaqua. the postal clerk, to| design a chicken-coop for him, though just | what he was to do with it was not quite | clear. In any event he took the chicken- coop, and for a time treasured it, but later | consigned it to the flames. This apparent | defiance of the ‘‘unseen” was due to the | wishes of his spirit friend Rodman. The case against Van de Vere was first called. The defendant proved to be a tall, slimly built young man of perhaps 30, with red cheeks and blonde whiskers. During Bell’s recital of how he lost the $1100, Van de Vere smiled and blushed, and at times laughed outright. He evi- dently did not take any great amount of stock in the spirits he had conjured up for | the postmaster's benefit. Bell began his | statement by telling of the numerous visits he had paid the clairvoyants, | “February 23, he said, “I called on | Van de Vere and he told me that some- thing of importanze was to happen. The next day I called agaia and he said that an evil spirit was about me and it would require $100 to remove it. I drew $125 from the Hibernia Bank, paying Van de | Vere the sum demanded. | “He told me that he would begin work right away. Isaw him the next day and he informed me that it would require ad- ditional influence to remove this evil | spirit. He suggested Professor Eugene and we went to see him. The latter told | me that he must have $200 for his part of the work, all of which I paid. unday, March 1, I again called on Van de Vere. He then told me= that about the year 1700 one James Bell of Scotland died, leaving an estate worth £13,000,000, of which I was thelawful heir. He said I must be very quiet and secret about it.” The witness then related how Van de | Vere had told him that Choate & Co. of | New York would manage his interests on this side, while Sir Charles Russell would | perform a similar duty in Scotland. investigate the titles, and Van de Vere | suggested one Charles A. Hodson of Chi- | cago. This gentleman would cross the | briny deep for the paltry sum of $2000 cash down. Bell did not have this amount. In fact his American possessions at that time, outside of a lame mare, amounted in cash to $%00. He parted with this sum, | Eugene loaning him $300 and Van de | Vere putting up the balance. The wit- ness admitted that he was compellea to borrow money in order to get back home. Bell said he believed in Van de Vere, Eu- gene and the spirits, and for that reason it did not oceur to him to ask for a Teceipt for his coin. He returned to Carson City a trusting, faithful spiritualist, and from that time on Van de Vere never gave him cause to doubt. In fact the clairvoyant NEW TO-DAY. v, or Children’s Skin ecalp, and hair, nothing in the whole world is 0 ~leansing, purifying, and beautifying as CUTICURA SOAP prrest and sweetest for toflet, bath, and nursery. For distressing facial eruptions, irritations of scalp, dry, thin. and fulling hair, red, rough fings, inflammations, and simple baby rashes and biemishes, it is wonderful. Bold throughout the Sale greater than the com- Dined sales of all other skin sosps. FOTTER DRUG AND Crurx. Cos le Props.. Boston, U 8. A. . @@~ * How to Purify aud Beautify Baby's Skin," fres. | theumatism has leit you. | greatest troubles will be past. It | ! was necessary, however, to have some one | ** PROF. VAN DE VERE, A CHICKEN Coup Black-and-White Illustrations of Ex-Postmaster Bell’s Testimony in Judge Low’s Court Yesterday. wrote him several letters, the first reading | as follows: SaN Fraxcisco, March 20, 1896. Dear Brother: 1 will begin working on the | matter immediately. Have received no com- | munications of importance. The attorney was to leave on the 18th for London. He will write meas soon as he arrives, which will be in eight or ten days. Everstning is all right, so Rod | says. Kindly tell me in your next letter the | nature in detail of the charges that have been preterred by R. C. Riggs. We are bound to succeed, brother. can stop us. Yours, fraternally Nothing CHARLE! < DE VERE. A few days after the clairvoyant told the Postmaster that Sir Charles Russell would | probably want to see him in the fall. The letter containing this pleasing news reads: | SAN FRANCISCO, CAL., March 23, 189 Mr. George Bell, Carson City, DEAR BroTHER: Have received your last two letters. | Am glad your health is good and that the Yes, burn the plans of the chicken-coops. I think Sir Charles will want to see you, but probably not before fall. I don’t want you to Teceive any messages from Rod, except through | me. He might give Jaqua & message, but nothing of importance. Besides, a partially | developed medium seldom interprets & mes- sage right, and much error might arise in this manner. Be careful to keep thisto yourself, | as it might interfere with your getting the $10,000 if Jaqua thought you doubted his mediumistic powers. We will make that fellow Riggs sick before | we get through with him. He1s doing the talking now, but later on when ke finds that you are one of the richest men in the world he will take his hat off to you. I will use my strongest influence on him, and we are bound | totriumph. Right always does. Rod says to be temperate and careful for a | couple of months at least, after which your He also says that t ere are many good things about the Memy 1 site, but not to bother with it at ¢« @t seen Eugene and he tells me that ! *da letter from you and asks me to as he i 100 busy to write. Ay awalting those pictures. N * wiil bave no trouble in raising that 300 . istof April as I haveseveral large billy & = -t o the 3d. It makes no dif- ference about the other until we get the estate. Will let you know as soon as I hear from the attorney. Am sorry your mare went lame, but you will have a dozen if you want them in a year's time. Fraternally yours, CHARLES VAN DE VERE. Bix days laier Van de Vere told his Car- son City friend that the Chicago attorney had reached England. He knew because “Rod,” the spirit, had told him. The letter read as follows: BAN FrANCISCO, March 29, 1896. George H. Bell, Esq.—DEAR BROTHER: The attorney is in England. Have not heard from him yet, as it takes two weeks for a reply. But Rod told me so yesterday that he was there. He made no communications of any importance except relating to the estate. Am anxiously awaiting a letter from the attorney, but I know already of his beginning to collect evidence. Hoping to hear from you often, I am, fraternally yours, CHARLES VAN DE VERE. The witness then told how he had come to the City on Friday of last week and, without any formality, demandea of Vau de Vere the cein paid him. On cross-examination Be'l ‘said be met Jaqua, the vostal clerk, twelve years ago. It was this gentlemran who haa initiated Iheo him into the mysteries of spiritu- alism. It was through Jaqua' that he first learned of chicken - coops and such thing. Jfagua had simply held the pencil, and the missive being from the other world had done the rest. He said that on the strength of these nnearned millions he had made several subscriptions to churches which he now saw no oppor- tunity to meet. Bell also said that he had written a letter to Van de Vere on March 20, in which he had made use of this expression: ‘1t has kind of got into my mind that Sir Charles Russell may want me in Scotland this year.” The examination wiil be continued to- MOrfOW morning. l WHAT IS THE CABBALAZ Comes to Town to Explain, Its Prophets Have Universal Knowl- edge and Powers Attributed to the Mahatmas. Professor Naphtaly Herz Imber. who claims to be the only apostle, or at least the chief apostle of the “Cabbala,” isin the City for the purpose of explaining what the Cabbalajis. The professor is & Hebrew, and rather a striking figure to look at, wearing his black hair a la Paderewski. He is some- what undersized, swarthy of face, with black, mellow eyes. Claiming the power living as hard as anybody, and refuses to exert his powers for the making of money. “I am an exponent of the Cabbala,” he says, “which stands for happiness and self-satisfaction. There are those who have more money than I have; there are those who have renown and official honors that I have not, but I have that which none of hese things can buy—the happiness of a consciousness of the truth. I might practice medicine, or at least the art of healing the sick, and I have been urged to do so for the immense fortune that they tell me there is in it. for me if I will, but I will not. I might work the tricks of the spiritualists and medinms, but it is all claptrap, and I would have none of it. “No, my mission in life is to do good through-the dissemination of the know: edge of the truth. Iam nota theosophist. | I am opposed to theosophy, as it is a mis- | conception of the truth. Theosophy quotes from the Cabbala, the Cabbala | quotes from nothing—it is the fountain- | head. Mme. Blavatsky was misled—will- | Professor Naphtaly Herz Imber | fully or otherwise, I do not know—but she | failed in her effort to secure the truth. ’ *‘What is the Cabbala, and how do its ‘ teachings differ from those of theosophy? Well, in a word the Cabbala is truth. | Pilate asked Christ what was truth. did not answer. But truth is that which | no science, no philosophy, can controvert. | The preacher, the vriest, the rabui, the | theosophist—all of them accept the Cab- | bala when they know it. | found in no books. The dying Cabbalist— | the Cabbalist who believes his work to be done—imparts it to some other known to i him to be ready to receive it. | Professor Imber professes by the aid of | the Cabbala, the truth within him, to be | possessed of universal knowledge—that 13 | to say, to know all things upon demand. | For instance, he says he could go to any | strange land and talk and write the lan- knowledge of it. He says he wrote an ex- | pose of the Koch lymph at the time when | medical men believed in it most. wrote for the New York Medical Record | the history of the lymph, its composition |and a statement of the fact that it had | been used 2000 years before, that it had | been a failure then and would be a failure now. He said that article checked the | enthusiasm for the Iymph and ultimately killed it. The article was copied in the medical journals of the entire world. | Dr. Schrader of the Medical Record asked him why he did not practice medi- cine. His answer was that he did not | have a diploma and was not a doctor. In_like manner, with no knowledge of music, he yet wrote for musical journals | on the science of music and about ancient | annotation. He will lecture to-night at the Temple Emanu-El on “What is the Cabbala?"’ Professor Napthaley Henry Imber, Apostle of “the Cabbala,” Possessed of Uni- versal Knowledge Through 1ts Instrumentality. He | s | Its teachings are | He | PITTSBURG JACK SURE ENOUGH Gillis and Kline Swear That He Was the Dead Burglar. POLICE THEORIES FAIL. Captain Lees Heard Some Inter- esting News in Court Yesterday Morning. THE “CALL'S” STORY PROVED. A Gang of Criminals Brought to Light by Detective Kline’s Dis- closures. Captain Lees met with signal failure yes- terday morning when he tried to prove that the burglar killed by Butler Miller was not Piitsburg Jack. THE CALL first published the story, and it was vigorously denied by the head of the detective bureau, who had nothing to go on except a theory. In order to prove that the article in THE CALL was a misstatement, he had Harry Kline and Charles Giilis summoned before Police Judge Low yesterday morning to swear to what they knew about the dead burglar. Gillis declared that he met Pittsburg Jack in Illinois eight years ago, and was with Jack when he had his arm tattooed. He knew Jack in Missouri, where he was known as Clark and Dougherty. After hearing of the burglary Gillis went to the Morgue and identified the deaa man as Pittsburg Jack. His identification was positive, and there was not the slightest possibility of a mistake. Captain Lees asked Gillis where he got the information as to the details of the burglary, and Gillis replied that William H. Stewart, alias “Muddy Bill,”” had told him that on the night of the burglary Hayes and Reilly were not at their usnal haunt at 37 Clay street. He also got some information from Frank Marion, alias “The Kid.” Gillis said also that a man named Lob Wilson had told him that Hayes was a stoolpigeon, and had it not been for Reilly, Hayes would not have been sus- pected. Gillis visited Reilly last Tuesday and had a long conversation with him, in which Reilly said he was anxious to get out of town, and that there was an oppor- tunity of burglarizine Young’s drugstore on the corner of Howard and Langdon streets, but that he would not need to do it if he could get some money from his mother. In pursuance of this conversa- tion, Riley made an appointment to meet Gillis that evening at Howard and Sev- enth streets, but the appointment was not kept. Gillis added that he was acquainted with | Patsy Lynch, Reilly’s chum, and that Lynch was not a saint. After this statement, so damaging to the theory of the detectives, Captain Lees asked Kline and Gillis whether they did not wish to swear to complaints charging Reilly and Hayes with burglary. They replied that as they were neither paid de- tectives nor public prosecutors they did not wish to swear to complaints against any one. Reilly was then taken into Captain Lees office, where he made the following state- ment: Statement of E. J. 8. Reilly, alias “Handsome Reilly,” maae to Captain I. W. Lees, April 6, in the presence of Detectives Gibson and Wren: ““Toronto Slim” came up to my house last Tuesday afternoon. My mother went to the door, and he asked for Frank Reilly. I went | of the Mahatmas, he says he works for his | #age of the people without any previous | down to the door, and when I first saw him I did not know him until he grinned, and then Irecognized him, and we went out on the front porch and talked for about an hour of old times. Imet Slim in Oakland about five years ago. He has the name of being a safecracker and an all around thug and hasdone time in the East- ern penitentiaries. He tried to kill a couple of men on his way to Los Angeles one time, so I am told. After taiking on the porch he in- vited me over to the saloon to have a drink and threw down a half-dollar and hought two rounds of beer. He wanted to know if I could put him on to some place where he could crack a safe or hold some one up. Itold him I had changed and did not do that kind of work and 1 made an engagement to meet him the follow- ing Saturday night at7:30, butdid not. He said him and his partner, *‘Reckless Jim,” wanted to know of some safe to crack or some one to hold up. Inever saw him agsin until I met him in court this morning He never mentioned & word to me about Young's drugstore, or me to him. It is justa few ddors from me, and it is not likely I would hold up & place a few doors from where I live. This is all the conversation I had with Slim in regard to this matter. E.J. S. REILLY, Witnesses to signature. Bubscribed and sworn to before me this 6th day of April, A. D. 1896. HARRY PIPER, Deputy County Clerk. Architect Reilly, however, does not re- quire any credentiais of good character from the police. His own affidavit, pub- lished here, describes the character of an architect that he is. He hobnobs and drinks with a man whom he knows to be a burglar, and who, according to Architect Reilly’s affidavit, has called on him for the purpose not of drawing plans for a Nob Hill residence, but for the purpose of assisting him in the burglary of a drugstore. Burg- lars are not in the habit of asking respect- able architects to join them in their mid- night raids, but either Gillis or Reilly must have been an exception to the gen- eral rule. ‘What does Architect Reilly say to this infamous proposition? He accepts the burglar’s beer and mildly but virtuously replies. Here is his answer in his own affidavit: He wanted to know if I could put him on to some place where he could crack a safe or hold some one up. ITOLD HIM IHAD CHANGED and did not do that kind of work,and I made an engagement to meet him the following Satur- day night at 7:30, but did not. Another respectable witness is William H. Stewart, poetically aliased ‘“Muddy Bill.” Bill hastens to remove any unfavorable impression which might be created on account of his nickname by remarking, *I once fell in the mud and that is why they call me ‘Muddy Bill.’”” 'Muddy says that he met Toronto Slim a week ago last Sunday night in a saloon where two glasses of beer are sold for 5 cents. Slim was with Shorty Solomon. Muddy introduced himself to Slim with the remark that he (“Muddy”) had been on the road (a tramp) for five years. He denies haviug told Toronto Slim that Reilly and Hayes were not around the saloon on the night of the Franklin bur- glary. : Harry T. Marion, alias “the Kid,” is another respectable witness for the police. He tells that Slim was a safe-cracker, and that he (the Kid) directed Slim to Hand- some Reilly’s house. The respectable Kid proceeds: Slim alsotold me that he was a “Peter man’* (safe-cracker), and that he had been in the pen- itentiary one-half his life. He asked meif I knew what kind of a fellow “Handsome Reilly” was. I told him that he was a good fellow, that he was pretty good with bis fists, and I told him I thought he had a lot of grit. He asked me if I knew whether Reilly was & “‘Peter man” or not. I told him I didnot. I told him I would introduce him to Reilly. Slim represented to me that Solomon was & sure-thing man and a short-card gambler, This exhausts the list of the witnesses for the police. It looks as though the theory that Butler Miller killed the burg- lar after having enticed him into the | house would not fit. It has been suggested as an experiment ! worth trying “to pinch’ one of the gang | and see whether he would not “squeal.” | Criminals have been known to do that | kind of thing occasionally. | One fact has been officially determined in the matter, and that is that THE CALL’s story was correct and that the man in the Morgue was Pittsburg Jack. Gillis stated afterward that the star on | the dead burglar’s right arm was tatooed | in his presence in Carlynville, Il1., in 1889, Pittsburg Jack left Jefferson City, Mo., in 1885, and went to Illinois. whence he drifted out We: FOR A THREE-CENT FARE The Ashbury Heights Citizens Are After the Market-’ Street Company. The Park Depot With Its High Fence at Haight-Street Entrance Must Go. The Ashbury Heights and Stanyan Street | Improvement Club held an important | meeting at the residence of F. W. M. | Lange last evening. The business was redhot from start to finish, showing | that the peopie of ihat locality | are for improvement in earnest. A committee was appointed to wait upon the Park Commissioners to | obtain some information reearding the | depot of the railway line running to the | beach. The structure in question is situ- | ated on Stanyan street, near the Haight- sireet entrance to the park. Itisan un- signtly pile occupying a portion of the | park and the high picket fence that sur- | rounds the structure occupies the sidewalk of the street. | The Park and Ocean road pays the nom- inal sum of §100 per vear for the franchise through Golden Gate Park without the | building, which the company has pre- | empted without tne shghtest authority. | The property bhas grown to be extremely valuable and the railroad gets a number of | blocks of it rent free. | “We wish to know,” said George T.| Gaden, a prominent member of the club, | last evening, *‘why & portion of the City’s park should be donated to the Market- street Railway Company. We also want to know why that corporation should annex a part of the City’s side- | walk for its private purpose and put a fence around it. Generally when people occupy City property, they pay rent, but it seems that Mr. Vining | sometimes overlooks that little matter. | We instructed the committee to talk | to that gentleman on the subject also.”’ | Another committee was selected to wait | upon the railway officials regarding the 3- | cent fare proposition. The Ashbury | Heights Club is determined to strike now at the nicket fare and keep it up until | there is a streelcar fare reduction all | over the City. They will also re- quest the Market-street Company to run its cars in that locality all day, instead of a few hours during the morning and even- | ing. Thereisa suit pending against the company calling for the forfeiture of the franchise on Carl and other streets in that vicinity, and the people in that neighboz- hood are determined that the case shall be rushed to a conclusion. —_————— Y. L. I. Entertainment To-Morrow. To-morrow evening, the Sth inst., Young Ladies’ Institute No. 3 will present to the public a grand Easter entertainment, compris- ing musical and literary numoers; also living ictures, under the able management of John P Honmman, representing some. of the st famous pictures of world-renowned artists. Some of the best professional talent in the City has been procured for the occasion, and the voung ladies are sparing neither time mnor trouble to achieve a successful result. e A Farewell Concert. S. Homer Henley, the bass-barytone, who is to join the Tavary Grand Opera Company, is to be tendered a farewell benefit in Native Sons’ Hall thisevening. Mr. Henley will sing “The Creole Lover's Song! ‘“Ama,” “Tristes Amours,” from ‘Galatea” and “Toreador” from “Carmen.” He will be assisted by Bernard Mol- lenhauer, violin virtuoso, Sigismund Martinez, pianist, and a number of well-known artists. = e Never put off till to-morrow what can just as well be put off till the day after to- IOIrow. — + o Ladies’ Southern ties, $1 45, all shades, every | toe. Ryan & Ryan, 10 Mongomery avenue, * | NEW TO-DAY. It’s New! Anew Folding Bed on new principles; warranted not to shut you up. Solid Oak, bevel plate mirror —a piece of furniture to be proud of. Our **750 Mission-street price’” on it will surprise you. Come in and look at it—it's worth seeing. INDIANAPOLIS FURNITURE CO. 750 Mission St LEVIN BROS,, LEADING GROCERS. Special for This Wegk! CORN STARCH. Kingstord’s Oswego (1-1b package). 4 for 350 Duryea's (1-Ib package). . 4 for 25¢ Niagara (1-Ib package) . 4 for 260 Regular price, 10c each. GLOSS STARCH. 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