100 years ago today in Spokane: Woman loses her life savings to ‘professional clairvoyant’

1n 1915, Professor Henry A. Wise set up shop in Coeur d’Alene as a professional clairvoyant, where he proceeded to do readings for a number of residents.

One of those was Mrs. Hannah Laline, who came to him following a family trauma. Prof. Wise told her to bring him all of her life savings – $800. She did so. He put it in an envelope and told her to tie the envelope around her neck.

He said that if she kept it there for three weeks, undisturbed, “great fortune would always follow her.” If she removed it, “ill fate would befall her.”

That night, Prof. Wise vanished from Coeur d’Alene, never to reappear. When Mrs. Laline opened up the envelope, it contained nothing but foolscap (paper).

Three years later, in 1918, Mrs. Laline was in the Yakima post office when she saw a face that startled her. She believed she recognized E.C. Wigley, a traveling salesman, as the long-departed Prof. Wise.

She notified police, who arrested Wigley. He denied being Prof. Wise, but police were holding him pending further investigation.

From the arts beat: A group of Spokane singers and musicians were quietly rehearsing a homegrown grand opera performance.

A chorus of 30 voices, several soloists and an orchestra of 40 musicians were preparing “Rigoletto” and Cavalleria Rusticana” for performances at an unspecified date under the direction of local conductor Enrico Tassetti. They had apparently been encouraged by the large audiences for recent touring opera performances.