A PALMIST FINED.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11571, 30 April 1903, Page 2

A PALMIST FINED.

Madam Ziilah was charged at the Police Court yesterday with having practised, on April 6th, a certain subtle craft, to wit, palmistry, with the object of imposing on and deceiving his 'Majesty's subjects. Mr lloban appeared for the accused. Detective Quirke stated that oa the evening of the day in question he visited the defendant's house on the East BeltHe told her he wished to have his hand read, find was asked inside. Tho accused told him she would read ihis character only. She informed him that he had very contradictory hands, one denoting impulse, and the other strength of will. Taking tho medium, he waa strong-willed and the heart line showed generosity, and ■he was not married, but his marriage lines showed an early attachment, with perhaps a disappointment. Another line showed a marriage late in life. Hie life lines were peculiar ; one showed an early termination, and the other that 'he would live to be about seventy years. Taking the medium she would say he would live to be about (•sixty. He was philosophic, and would have a successful financial venture with a fair man and «. dark man later on. Defendant next asked if witness would line to nsk any questions, but he replied that ho was quite satisfied. She said that her fee wiis half a crown, and witness paid it. Cross-examined: As witness did not believe in palmistry he was not deceived. Some of the information given him was true. Detective Ward stated that he accompanied the last witness on his visit to the palmist. Mr Hoban suibmitted that there was no deception. He quoted a ensa in which it had been held tha-t there was no offence, so long aa the palmist believed what she was saying, and the interviewer was not imposed upon. Reading of the lines of the hand was now studied professionally, and in fact it was connected with astrology. He urged that the case should be dismissed. If tho Bench thought fit', he would put Madam Ziilah into the box, but «he could only say that she believed in her power of reading character by the hand. Tho Bench convicted the accused and fined her 5s and costs. Mr Hoban asked that a second charge should be dismissed. Ohicf-Detective Chrystal urged that the police had received a great many complaints about these people. The detectives had seen ten wrrmen vit>it a (single house in half an hour, nnd fee was in every case half a crown. Many family troubles were caused by the practice, and the police were determined to put it down. The second case was dismissed, Mr W. H. Cooper, J.P., strongly cautioning the defendant, however, that she would meet with no leniency on a future occasion.