READING THOUGHTS

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 97, 18 January 1921, Page 6

READING THOUGHTS

IS IT A SUBTLE CRAFT? PROSECUTION AT AUCKLAND By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, January 17. Three ."barges arising out of a thoughtreading performance at the Hippodrome Theatre. Auckland, on December 30, were preferred against Charles Louis Copeland ,professional entertainer, and his son, “Argus” Nathaniel Julius Copeland, in the Magistrate’s Court to-day. The charges were that accused did undertake to tell fortunes;, did pretend, from skill and knowledge in occult and crafty sciences, to discover where, and in what manner, any goods and chattels supposed to have been stolen or lost may be found; and, lastly, used a subtle craft to deceive and impose upon His Majesty’s subjects. All the charges were laid under the Justices of the Peace Act. The case had been mentioned in Christchurch some weeks ago, and an adjournment was granted in order that it -tight bo heard in Auckland. A statement of facts agreed upon by the parties, describing the performance at the theatre was put in. Counsel for the defence said there was no intention to deceive. The craft employed was hypnotism and suggestion, which could not be called a subtle craft with intent to deceive. Counsel quoted at leneth from works of psychology. Evidence as to the truth of a number of predictions made by “Argus” was given, and eventually the case was adjourned for a private demonstration before the Magistrate, police, and the Press;