FORETOLD FUTURE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19041, 15 June 1936, Page 13

FORETOLD FUTURE

HERBALIST FINED £3O

DETECTIVE AT A LECTURE

A Press Association message from Wei lington recorded that Joseph Isherwo.id, (escribed as a magnetic healer and herbalist, Had been fined £3O on fortunetelling charges by Mr. E. 1). Mosley. 01. Accused, who was stated to lri-> '.ecu convicted and fined £l5O in 1916 for pretences in connection with Serbs, only recently returned to New Zealand.

Giving evidence in the case on WW. isosday Detective-Sergeant Revell said accused came to New Zealand in January, 1936. He advertised his presence' .<y notices in newspapers, and engaged i.' suite of rooms. He had conducted emi-privale and private meetings, and iiad also been holding public meetings in various parts of the city. On the night of May 31, witness conMimed, he attended a lecture given by moused. There were between 200 and 'CO persons present. Accused informed the audience that he was in direct eoninunieation with spirits, who would deliver the lecture through him. He then went into a trance and delivered a- lecture' on "The Beyond." Admission was by means of a. collection at the door, which was attended' to by accused's lady secretary.

During the evening, went on the detective-sergeant, accused answered numerous questions, some being about relatives who had died. He would explain that he was in (ouch with the deceased, who was sending a reply to the message, and he invariably gave the reply in a suitable verse of poetry; Quite a number of questions were asked by people who wanted to know whether certain business ventures would be successful or not, or about a proposed purchase of property. "FORETELLING FUTURE' 1

Tn each case accused told the questioners what, he thought, about the propositions, fie also advised several people to see him privately. Accused had told him that, only opinions were expressed, but from his observations witness was satisfied that every (pieslion answered on the night, of Slay 31, with the exception.of those'relating to deceased persons, amounted to foretell ing future events. Addressing the Court, • Defective-Ser-geant Revell said that, in view of complaints made to the Police Department arrangements had been made for a number of members of the force to visit the rooms of accused. Accused ; held him self out as a herbalist, and bud issued a notice with the following statement in it: ".I. islierwood, herbalist,' Specialises in the treatment ol aslhma, rheumatism, insomnia,, piles, nervous debility, anaemia, kidney and stomach trouble, and feminine weaknesses, Oven 1 COO different herbs in stock. Special herbs for rejuvenation from India." PLEA dl'' GUTI/I'Y

Detective-Sergeant Revell said, (hat accused had charged private visitors 10s 6d and ss, and 2s 6d and 2s for semi-private parties. Counsel for accused' said that accused pleaded guilty to 'five charges. He hail been carrying on in a similar manner in other countries, and so far as the lec-

lures were concerned they had been considered unobjectionable. The magistrate said that men of the stamp of accused had great influence with the, female sex. and the community had to be protected from their impositions. A line would be inflicted that would make accused remember that lie must keep within the bounds of the Jaw.