"HIGH PRIEST OF MEDIUMS."

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19724, 14 September 1929, Page 18

"HIGH PRIEST OF MEDIUMS."

. " ■ £4 A DAY IN FEES. (fROlt OTTR OWN COBBSS?OXDEKT.) LONDON, August 9. Joseph. • Isherwood, alias Professor Amrak. 33, described as a lecturer, was charged on a warrant at West London Police Court yesterday with professing to tell fortunes at Redclrffe square, South Kensington, on July 31st and August 2nd. Mr C. M. Melville, for the police, said that two policewomen called at the flat which defendant had occupied for a few weeks and had their fortunes told by crystal. They were told tire usual rubbish, but one bad feature in the case was that one of the women, who had told defendant that she was a single woman, was adyised by defendant to purchase a book of his which" taught women how to lure men.

Isherwood also tried to persuade the women to buy some stones, supposed to be magnetised, at prices ranging from 18s to sgns. There were other features in the case which showed that the man was a charlatan, and entries in his diary proved that over a period of five davs he drew 20 guineas in fees. Detective-Sergeant Campion, said that Isherwood came to this country from India six weeks ago, and according to a poster he had had printed he claimed to be "high priest of prophetic mediums." He had been convicted . in the United States, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand of fortune-telling, and there was no doubt that for some time he had been earning his livelihood in that way. Isherwood told the Magistrate that he did not know he was doing anything illegal in this country, because each client whom .he interviewed signed 'a paper acknowledging that she had not gone to have her fortune told, and that he did not profess to tell fortunes. Accused said that he was a lecturer on theosophy, spiritualism, and reincarnation, and that he had lost £l5O since he had been in London on lectures he had given at the Aeolian Hall and the Central Hall, 'Westminster. Mr Marshall (the Magistrate) -observed that it was clear that Isherwood wa3 a Ihoroughly unscrupulous person, -ready to take money from women in any way that he.could. He imposed a fine of £SO and 5 guineas costs.