May 1922 – Business was booming at the First Spiritualist Church of New York on West 7th Street. For a two-dollar “membership fee.” one could join in the nightly seances presided over by the Reverend William R. Thompson and the spirit of “Little Eva.” Between the casualties of the Great War and Spanish Flu pandemic, there seemed to be an overabundance of lost loved ones just waiting to converse from the afterlife.
Unfortunately, these seances turned out to be just the tip of the iceberg for scamming the grieving and gullible. After several people turned up at the local precinct, reporting the loss of their life savings, Detective Sargent Genevieve McLaughlin decided to investigate.
She and two of her male colleagues arrived at the two-story brownstone the following night. Each paid their two dollars, entered a well- lit room and joined fourteen others in singing “We Shall Meet on That Beautiful Shore.” As they reached the Amen, all the lights went out except for one partially hidden behind a dark curtain. After a second or two, a filmy apparition appeared to be floating by the curtain. “Ah,” exclaimed the Reverend Thompson. “We have with us the spirit of Little Eva. Do not go close to the curtain. A touch would kill the spirit of Little Eva.”
There was silence for a moment before the “spirit” asked if anyone present had a deceased relative?
Thinking fast, Genevieve spoke up:
“Is that you Aunt Jemima?”
“Yes,” a higher pitched voice warbled. “Are you alone or have you got your husband Bob with you?”
Smoothly, the policewoman turned to one of the other detectives and took him by the arm. She asked if she could bring “Bob” closer so the spirit could get a good look. “Aunt Jemima” agreed, telling “Bob” that he looked well. At that McLaughlin tore down the black curtain, wrapping up a very corporeal “Little Eva” in its folds.
When the spirit of “Little Eva” finally untangled herself, it proved to be the reverend’s wife barefoot and dressed all in white with a veil over her face.
While the detectives took the reverend and his furious wife into custody, Officer Genevieve McLaughlin turned to the remaining congregation. Looking over the shocked faces, she realized that most were desperate for a sign from someone they dearly missed. She paused for a moment before deciding to forgo the standard bureau lecture on con artists and the spirit world.
Clearing her throat, Genevieve gently advised the group to use caution in any of their future dealings with the afterlife and wished them a good night.