IN PRIVATE

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 83, 8 April 1922, Page 5

IN PRIVATE

TALK WITH A SPIRITUALIST

CASE AGAINST JONATHAN PAGE

ADJOURNED TILL MONDAY,

TRe evidence for the prosecution in the case in which Jonathan Page, head of a Spiritualist Church in Wellington, had to answer several charges alleging that he had undertaken to tell fortunes and had used "certain subtle means, to wit, simulated Spiritualism, to deceive, and.impose," was concluded in the Magistrate's Court yesterday afternoon.. An adjournment until Monday afternoon was then granted Nin order to give Mr. A. 13. Sievwright, who appeared for the defendant, an opportunity of looking through the evidence.

Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., was 'on the Bench, and Sub-Inspector M'Namara conducted the case for the police.

Continuing his evidence yesterday afternoon, Constable William Robert Murray said that at the meeting at the hall in Kent-terrace, Page, addressing a man in the audience, said: "You have a son four years old." "No," replied the man, "my son is two years old." Page then said: "Well, he is four years old as far as his head is concerned. You will have to watch him very carefully. Don't constrain him too much. Keep him as a child as much as possible. Lefc him eat what he likes, and don't force food upon him. Don't send him to school when he is five or six years of age. Keep him as a child. He will need all the attention you can give him." To a young woman, Page said: "You are thinking of booking a passage out of New Zealand." The girl said: "I don't know. I wasn't thinking about it." Page said that she would go all right. The witness also detailed several other conversations arising from Page s action in picking up articles from the table. At one time a woman said to him in reply to a question: "I don t remember," and Page became annoyed. He said: "Of course, you don't remember. I,would probably forget my wife's name was Annie if I was so busy talking to the person on either side of me." (Laughter.)

A PRIVATE INTERVIEW.

The meeting closed at 9.45 p.m., and the witness then made an appointment i to see Page at his private residence cm Friday morning, 24th March. On thai day he went to No. 1, Home-street, and was admitted-by the defendant. Witness was shown into, a room, and Page asked to be excused for a few moments. He returned in about two minutes and took a chair about a yard in front of witness. Page said: "Now, to anything that I say is'true I want you to say 'yes,' and to .anything that is not true say 'no.'" After a pause Page said:"Let me see. Now give me your watch." (Laughter.) Witness said that Page placed his hands to his head and shuddered perceptibly. He then said: "Peggy, Nellie, George." The S&b-Inspector: "Did any of these spirits answer the call?" 1 Witness: "No." He told Page that he could not recall any relatives with these names. " Are you sure?" said the defendant. Witness said he then told Page that he had an aunt who went to America thirty years ago, but that he did not know much about her. " Then he went on different lines," said the witness. "He asked me if the. watch was my own, and if I had had it long. I told him that it had been a life-long possession. Then Page said: ' Years ago, when you were but a child, a great sorrow befell your home. It was the passing out of one who, I believe, was your father. Your mother is experiencing great "difficulty and great sorrow. In fact, she has passed through a veritable Gethsemane, but her future is more calm and peaceful. Happiness and peace are in store for her. You yourself have passed through much and varied experiences. You have spent much time in. travel, and as you look back upon the past you are amazed at the many and varied experiences of your life.' You could write a book, and a Ye>'y interesting book, on what has happened. You are fond of writing, and if you had followed the literary profession you would have made a. great man of yourself. If you had gone in for journalism you would have made a - great success. You are 'a good organiser, and would do well in business. You should be your own master, and would make a success *as such rather than working for others. I would advise you to go on your own. The next two years may see changes in your life, a/id it will be more, settled than it has been in the past. You may go to the other side. You will go home all right, but will return to this land. I believe this to be* the land of your future, and I can see you settling down. I see a good woman mate sharing your life with you, and being a .great help and happiness to you. Now, are there any questions you would like to ask?' " | " REMAIN WHERE YOU ARE." ! Witness said that he asked about a position in Fiji, but the defendant ad- [ vised him to remain in his present pmt. The Sub-Inspector: " -Very sound advice." (Laughter.) i Witness added that the defendant told him that he possessed a large amount of adaptability, and-»that he would do well anywhere. The fee chargeti by Page was ss. To Mr. Sievwright: During the whole time he and Page were the only persons I in the room.

Mr. Sievwright/i " Did you not say ' A labourer is worthy of hi»hire,' and place 5s on the table?"—'-'No, I deny that."

" What name did you give Mr. Page?"—" Murray."

" Prior to going to his house, had you seen the secretary of the organisation?" —"• Well, one Sunday night I got into conversation with an elderly gentleman, who said that he used to be secretary of the association."

• " I take jt that you are not a spiritualist?"—"l am not professing spiritualism, nor am I condemning the creed." In reply to further questions, the witness said that to all appearances Page was in earnest, and believed what he said to be the truth. What happened at the meeting did not strengthen his Belief in spiritualism. If was rather to the contrary. Constable Frank Hayhurst gave evidence in corroboratjon" of the previous witness in respect to the meeting on 22nrl March. He also described a visit to the defendant's house on the morning of Saturday, 25th March. Page told him that he had something to do with the Government and mixed with -Government officials. Page added that the witness had two serious illnesses, and that one of these had a serious effect on his nerves. He had been trying to find out the scope of his ambitions. "Yon have had v lot In do with the country," added Page, "but the city is the place where your ambitions lead you. You will leave the country with success, and if this does not, happen in about sight months' time live in Hops. At Ilia ond of eight months your affairs will be settled. You will get m it were a. new.

lease of life. . . . You must be very cautious of the other sex. They are the only that will have' power to prevent your success. You may see many, but be careful. They are mostly immoral."

To Mr. Sievwright: The order of the service at the meeting was as follows: Hymn, prayer, speech by JTr. Fabling, reading by Page, and another hymn. Generally the service was solemnly carTied out, although there were jokes in between.

This closed the case for the police, and the Magistrate intimated that the hoaxing would be resumed at 2.15 o'clock on Monday afternoon.