MONEY AT SEANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22505, 25 February 1935, Page 12

MONEY AT SEANCE

"SPIRIT COMMANDS" '"' ; ' v ' '■' BANKNOTES HANDLED THEFT ALLEGATION MADE Seances at which "spirits" were alleged to have demanded sums of money figured largely in a case before Mr F. H. Levien, Styl., in the Te Kuiti Magistrate's Court last week (says the correspondent of the New Zealand Herald), when Martha Omipi, otherwise Oririeby, a Maori woman, was charged with stealing £3B 6s from an Indian, Parhbu Govind, tailor, of Otorohanga. She was committed to the Supreme Court at Hamilton for trial. .. The magistrate, after hearing a resume of the evidence, decided that the Supreme Court could best deal with the " case. The accused pleaded not guilty. Govind stated that on December 23 he, his wife and the accused were present at hie house, sitting around a wooden box, on which their hands rested. The box began to move, and he ; believed it was Martha Ormsby's spirit ' which* was causing this. Then the "spirit" told him to draw £4O from the bank and to give the accused, her aunt, Mrs Walter Ormsby, and Govbjd's wife 'y £lO each, keeping £lO for hintfeelf. • MONEY DRAWN FROM BANK; The next day another, meeting was held, Mrs Walter Ormsby also being present. The request was repeated, and Govind went out, drew the money from the bank and distributed' it. The "spirit" had said that if they wentitov the races they would win over £7O $ each. ." On the next night, after the races, when Govind • had, lost his money, another meeting was held. The "spirit" asked witness to put £lO on a handkerchief in a suitcase. This he. did, pushing the case under a bed as requested by the " spirit." On January 4 the "spirit" asked for £5 to.be put in the suitcase. The money was borrowed and the request complied with. However, Govind, becoming suspicious, locked the suitcase and took the number of the notes. SUITCASE UNLOCKED. The next day the accused was very ill. She said they would have to consult the " spirit" as to'what was wrong. A ; meeting was held at which the " spirit": asked why witness had locked the; suitcase and witness then unlocked the : case. ■ .;■-,•;''• ."'■'■ On January 9 the "spirit" asked for another £lO to be placed on the suitcase, and on January 15 £2O was demanded, otherwise, the "spirit" said,; Govind's three-year-old' child would die" within three hours. Witness had only. : £3 6s, but he gave this. \ < Witness said the "spirit?' hadpromised he would get. the money back, but he had not recovered any of it. The ■ " spirit" always spoke through ... Martha Ormsby in the Maori language, and this was translated to him. When the accused returned from t Te Araho -she;»■ brought back a small branch by which the " spirit" was to be transferred from ; her to Govind. as it was tired of speaking through a woman. ' ■ x MONEY FOR RACES. Mary Te Tahi 1 . wife of Govind, corroborated his evidence in detail. She. ; said she understood Maori well an! could follow Martha Ormsby when the accused was speaking for the " spirit "r in Maori. The " spirit " said whoever touched the suitcase containing the. money would be paralysed, and witness was frightened;' , . ':', -:.• .Vjw'iy': Detective C- P- Belton. and Constable. G. Fry gave evidence of the arrest of the accused at Kopaki as a result of ■■■■] a complaint by Govind. In a state- " merit to the police she admitted'that,', after drinking beer together, she arii Mr and Mrs Govind had consulted the " spirit," which said they were to obtain £lO each. At the next meeting the "spirit" said they were to spend £10,; - each at the races. The accused lost, that'vj surn.' ...■''■'■ •The accused briefly reviewed the oth-'* seances in her statement. At no time did she child would die ~' if £2O were not forthcoming. She was - : l sorry for having taken, the money,, but ' the box, she maintained, did indve. In a footnote, the accused said she had not done this for five years and did not intend to do it again. In reply to the magistrate, Detective ; Belton said he understood the £lO obtained by Mrs Walter Armsby had \ not been returned to Govind.