U.S. SENATOR’S HOBBIES

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29102, 14 January 1960, Page 5

U.S. SENATOR’S HOBBIES

Mind Control And Magic

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, January 13. An American with a witch doctor’s curse on his head landed in New Zealand for a sightseeing day trip today- A former United States senator, Montgomery Fletcher Crowe, of Pennsylvania, who arrived in the liner Mariposa at Auckland, indulges in magic and mentalism (mind control) as a hobby. In Africa he once saw a witchdoctor performing simple tricks in a market. So he set up in opposition and showed the crowd how he could make a cane and glass “float” under his hand. ‘‘The trick is to hold the object in place with a finger of the other hand which seems to be merely gripping the wrist,” explained Mr Crowe.

“But the witch doctor pointed his finger at me and offered a calf to anyone who would kill me. Fortunately they liked my tricks and I lived. But then the witchdoctor spat out the curse.” With what effect? he was asked. “I’m not sure, but later my wife and I had to cut short our visit,” said Mr Crowe. “I got a bad attack of shingles and she had severe nose bleed.” Mr Crowe has sat in with voodoo doctors of Haiti and Africa, swamis and yogis of India, and lamas of Tibet in his hobby hunt for such people. In his youth he worked his way through college with conjuring tricks. But here he is just interested in the countryside, although he would like to meet a local magic expert. He and his wife leave in the liner again tonight and disembark in Sydney.