SPIRITUALISTS ON TRIAL

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 10971, 10 June 1903, Page 6

SPIRITUALISTS ON TRIAL

Remarkable Prosecution tri Berlin.

I, At the Berlin Criminal Court to-morrow^ Anna Rothe, the so-called "flower medium," will be tried.. for pretending that she has connections with "the other world." The trial attracts widespread attfention in Germany, because some of the patronesses of the -medium belong to the very best society of the capital. Thousands of cards of admission tp the trial have been issued, and many more applications had to be refused, \ Anna Ilothe, the- defendant, can lay no claim to either beauty or -accomplishments. She began at? a fortune teller, bat rapidly developed into a» "medium," claiming to be in direct, communication with the spirits , of certain more or Itfsg famous men and women whose names belong to history. A teacher of languages named Jentsch, who ■was present at one 01 the seances, was so struck with the financial possibilities of the scheme that' he offered to become her impresario ,and increase the business. Jentsch soo,n succeeded in enlisting the,< support of highly-connected ladies; some of whom are well known at Court, and arranged seances at which from three" to twenty shilling 3 admission was paid. A hymn and a prayer would introduce the performance. Then suddenly the room was darkened and the medium fell into a trance. In this .state, she.plaimed, she could compel her friends in the spirit' world-^Lu'ther, Mbltke,, Napoleon 1 , and others — tcv answer any' question put to them. She certainly had an answer ready ■**> every At the close of the seance a shower of flowers, oranges, bric-a-brac, and the .like •wtmld descend upon the audience. These JitHe souvenirs were reverently cherished, and brought high prices from the devotees of spiritualism. The,, fame of >the greaV "flower medium" 'spread, throughout the country, &nd Jentseh thought of touring the principal cities of Gernjany with her "show." Misfortune, however, overtook the fmir. Qne evening two ;uribelievers found their way in to the 'seance, and when flower's and bric-a-brac began, to fall they, suddenly took hold of the medium, turned the lights on, and .revealed the whole primitive apparatus for the performance of the spirit tricks to the astonished audience. . -

Hidden in the medium's clothes' were found 153 flowers, four oranges, and other little souvenirs supposed i;o have been sent from the other world,' but "really bousrht at some Berlin shop. . The two unbelievers turned out to be police officials, and) they ' arrested the medium. Though she begged and prayed, the spirits came riot to .her assistance. If they do not materialise at her trial it will undoubtedly go ill with her.

B^EaRLIN, March 22,