A CREDULOUS MAN.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143767, 16 April 1912, Page 7

A CREDULOUS MAN.

DECEIVED BY SPIRITUALISTS, “It is said that the depth of human credulity is unfathomable; but it really would seem that bottom has been touched in this case,” said Air. Bodkin recently at the South-Western Police Court, in opening the case ior the prosecution against a husband and wife who are alleged to have duped a solicitor by long-continued spiritualistic frauds. The defendants were George Hamilton Izard, 40, described as a proles-

sioual “punter” and writer, and Rhoda Emily Izard, of Albert Place, Battersea, who were charged with having obtained six £o Bank of England notes by fraud from Thomas Syms.

Counsel said the ease was the most remarkable one within his recollection, and a remarkable feature was that the man who was imposed on was a solicitor doing a considerable practice in London and Alauchester. “Mr. Syms became bankrupt in 1911, ami it was shown that he had misappropriated a client’s money. Ai the end ol last year he was charged with misappropriation, and pleaded guilty at the Central Criminal Court in January. The total deficiency in the bankruptcy was £3600; Syms was prosecuted for misappropriation of £9S9 ; and I am in a position to show that £285 went to the Izan’s.

AN ARDENT INQUIRER. '‘For about five years Syms had been what might bo described ns ;m ardent inquirer in regard to spiritualism and spiritualistic phenomena. Ho was ac(piainted some years ago with a lady who in him correspondence was called ‘M.L.O.’—‘My Loved One.’ There is no doubt that he was deeply attached to that Indy, and her death, in IBOG, affected him very greatly. It was from that date—April. 1006—that'Syms’ interest in spiritualism developed, and be ’desired to maintain his communication with her after death. He consulted a journal dealing with spiritualistic matters, and, through an advertisement, lie became acquainted with Airs. Izard. She advertised as a medium coming from Australia—a-country which is supposed to bo productive of the most accomplished media. “Mrs. Izard was then living in Brixton, and Syms met her at her house over and over again, and had what were called seances there. Ho introduced himself as a ‘seeker after truth.’ At these seances the medium went under the ‘control’ of a spirit, and began to assume the identity of the departed, the identity; of the medium being for the time being merged in that of the intangible spirit that possessed her. In that condition Mrs. Izard first introduced Syms to the spirit of a ‘Dr. AVohvorth,’ who was described as a former clergyman in the Church of England, and of whom Syms had never heard before. SPIRIT THAT FADED AWAY. “The seances were continued at the somewhat modest charge of os a seance, and Syms Became most confidential with Mrs. Izard with regard to ‘M.L.O.’ and his own family and personal affairs. After a little time the spirit of ‘Dr. Wolworth’ faded away and another controlling spirit was introduced. This was ‘Dr Reeves.’ who was described as a doctor cf medicine. Astounding as it seems. Syms believed that ‘Dr. Wolworth’ and ‘Dr. Reeves’ really did control the medium body of Mrs, Izard, and spoke to him. through her. To such an extent did he believe this that he wrote letters and received them from both of those spirits, but in the course of time ‘M.L.O.’ had so advanced into light as to bo able herself to communicate with him, and he used to write numerous letters to her through the agency of Mrs. Izard. This agency was afterwards called 'Mrs. Izard’s Post Office,’ and into that post office hundreds of letters went. So far did Syms believe that these communications did go to the people to whom they were addressed that on one occasion he actually enclosed to ‘M.L.O.,’ who he seemed to think maintained her interest in the fashions of the day, a Peter Robinson’s catalogue ” “OUR DEAR OLD POSTMAN.” So great was the correspondence, continued Mr. Bodkin, that it became necessary to employ a “spirit postman.” A Frenchman was appointed, to whom Mr. Syms used to refer as “our dear old postman.” He was said to have lost his head in the French Revolution. Afterwards the suggestion was made that a band of spirit workers should ho formed to reform persons who had not been very satisfactory members of society in this life before they reached the shore on the other side. There was to be a rescue spirit ship manned by a spirit crew, with a lieutenant, and Mr. Syms himself as “skipper.” For the purpose of .paying the crow, scores of postal orders had to bo remitted by Mr. Syms through tho “dear old postman.”— (Laughter.)

After a time bank notes were substituted. The first recorded date on which a bank note was sent was January 24, 1909, and this was remitted to Dr. Beeves, who had got on sufficiently good terms with Syms to ask for a small loan. Syms sent a £5 note enclosed in a letter to “M.L.0.” In acknowledging it, Dr. Beeves had written, “This is a rotten pen, and all the paper I can find here. In haste.—Dr. Beeves.” A melancholy feature of the case was that the defendants knew 7 that Syms was stealing his clients’ money to satisfy the infatuation they had twined round him. Once Syms appeared to have doubts, for in September, 1909, in a note to himself, be said that if be did not get help it would mean' ‘bankruptcy, public disgrace, the dock, and the cell; all because you relied on your spirit friend!}. You, Syms, will be the last great example of that monstrous superstition called modern spiritualism.” It was pathetic to note that two years and three months later he had experienced every one of these things. The six notes which formed the basis of the charge were sent on November 21, 1910, and were used in personal expenses by the defendants. Altogether about 500 letters had passed from one side to the other. Formal evidence having been given, the defendants,w ere .remanded.