Twenty Years a Detective in the Wickedest City in the WorldWooldridge, Clifton R. (Clifton Rodman)
History
Twenty Years a Detective in the Wickedest City in the World
Wooldridge, Clifton R. (Clifton Rodman)
Crime -- Illinois -- Chicago; Police -- Illinois -- Chicago
Then the books are closed, the soothsayer tells his customer what
her name is (he is not often absolutely accurate in that part of
the game), and then he begins to talk about the past and future in
such a rambling, comprehensive way that he is almost sure to hit
upon, directly or indirectly, the questions she has in mind. If he
is too far off the trail he asks the woman from time to time if she
understands him, and from her replies and questions gets a further
clew as to just which three questions she had selected from the lists.
Then the rest is simple.
SPOOKS RAIDED.
DETECTIVES WOOLDRIDGE AND BARRY DESCEND ON A WEST SIDE MEDIUM'S PLACE.
Lively Fight Before the Officers Succeed in Making
Arrests--One of the Number Set Upon and Severely Beaten
Before Aided--Spectators at the Seance Take Part and the
Row Becomes General--Search of the Premises Reveals a
Systematic Plan to Deceive--Anger of the Dupes Turns to
Chagrin at the Revelations Made by the Police.
September 2, 1906, Catherine Nichols, Sarah Nichols and Jennie
Nichols, 186 Sebor street, fake exponents of materialization of
spirits and general "spook" grafters, were arrested, the seances
raided and the game closed, by Detectives Wooldridge and Barry.
The scene of the raid was a brick building at 184 Sebor street, which
is just east of Halsted and a block south of Harrison street.
The medium arrested was Miss Jennie Nichols, who, with her mother,
Mrs. Catherine Nichols, and her sister, Sarah, had been gleaning a
harvest of dollars from guillible residents, mostly of the West Side
of the city, during the last two years. The establishment of the
Nichols family occupies parts of two buildings, the mother and her two
daughters living at 186 Sebor street, next door to 184. On the second
floor of the latter address was located the hall which they used for
their public seances.
PLANS ARE WELL LAID.
The raid was made on the authority of a warrant which was applied
for by Miss Muriel Miller, a young woman who was induced by the
blandishments of other mediums to come to Chicago from her home in
Portland, Ore. Miss Miller, who is employed in a barber shop in Clark
street, is slightly deaf. She became interested in Spiritualism, and
thus came in touch with the Nichols' outfit.
[Illustration: "SPIRIT PICTURES" OF WOMEN HELD AS BOGUS MEDIUMS, AND
SCENE SHOWING FIGHT BETWEEN PUGILISTIC SPOOKS AND DETECTIVES.
CATHERINE NICHOLS, JENNIE NICHOLS]
She had written to another Chicago medium, and received letters in
answer signed "Professor Venazo."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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