TELLING OF FORTUNES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20355, 9 September 1929, Page 12

TELLING OF FORTUNES.

FINE OF FIFTY POUNDS.

A MUCH-TRAVELLED LECTURER.

[trom our own correspondent.]

LONDON. M\s. 9,

Joseph Isherwood, alias Professor Amrak, aged 33, described as a lecturer, was charged on a warrant at West London Police Court yesterday with professing to tell fortunes at Redcliffe Square, South Kensington. Mr. C. M. Melville, for tho polico, said tli.vt two policewomen called at the flat which defendant occupied and had their fortunes told by crystal. They were told tho usual rubbish, but one bad featuro in th° caso was that ono of tho women, who had told defendant that sho was a single woman, was advised by defendant to purchase a book of his which taught women how to lure men.

Isherwood also tried to persuade tho women to buy some stones, supposed to bo magnetised, at prices ranging from 18s to five guineas. There wero other features in the caso which showed that the man was a charlatan, and entries in his diary proved that in fivo days ho drew 20 guineas in fees. Detcctivo-Scrgcant Campion said that Isherwood came to this country from India six weeks ago, and according to a poster ho had had printed he claimed to bo a 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 somo time ho had been earning his livelihood iu that way. Isherwood told the magistrate that ho did not know he was doing anything illegal in this country, because each client whom ho interviewed signed a paper acknowledging that she had not gone to havo her fortune told, and that ho did not profess to tell fortunes.

Accused said that ho was a lecturer on theosophy, spiritualism and reincarnation, and that lie had lost £l5O since ho had been in London on lectures he had given.

Mr. Marshall, the magistrate, observed that it was clear that Isherwood was a thoroughly unscrupulous person, ready to take money from women in any way that he could. Ho imposed a lino of £SO and five guineas costs.