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ORDINANCE NO
AN ORDINANCE REPEALING CHAPTER 28(SEC-
TIONS 28.1 THRU 28-5) AND SECTION 30440,
AND DELETING CERTAIN CLASSIFICATIONS
CONTAINED IN CHAPTER 30, ARTICLE III,
SEC. 30-28 OP THE COD OF THE CITY OP
MIAMI, FLORIDA, AND ENACTING A NEW SEC-
TION 30-20 OP SAID CODE PROHIBITING ANY
PERSON PROM ENGAGING IN BUSINtSS PRACTICING,
PERFORMING OR HOLDING HIMSELF OU1 TO THE
PUBLIC FOR A PEE OR COMPENSATION (1) AS
A PERSON ABLE TO TELL FORTUNES; OR, (2)
AS A PERSON ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS
OR GIVE ADVICE ON PERSONAL MATTERS, OR
TO EXORCISE, INPLUENCE OR AFFECT EVIL
SPIRITS OR CURSES, BY CLAIMED OR PRETENDED
USE OF OCCULT POWERS, FACULTIES OR FORCES,
CLAIRVOYANCE MEDIUMSHIP, SPIRITUALISM
SEERSHIP, ASTROLOGY, PALMISTRY, NECROMANCY,
PHRENOLOGY, NUMEROLOGY, CRYSTAL GAZING,
CARD READING, TALISMANS, CHARMS, POTIONS,
MAGNETICISM OR MAGNETIZED ARTICLES OR
SUBSTANCES, ORIENTAL MYSTERIES OR MAGIC
OF ANY KIND OR NATURE, OR BY ANY MEANS OR
ANYTHING OF A SIMILAR NATURE; EXCLUDING
CERTAIN RELIGIOUS, NEWSPAPER AND AMUSEMENT
ACTIVITIES FROM THE APPLICATION HEREOF;
PROVIDING A PENALTY; REPEALING ALL
ORDINANCES, CODE SECTIONS OR PARTS THEREOF
IN CONFLICT, INSOFAR AS THEY ARE IN CONFLICT;
AND CONTAINING A SEVERABILITY PROVISION.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MIAMI,
FLORIDA:
Section 1. Section 30-20 of the Code of the City of Miami,
Florida, which is quoted, as follows, is hereby repealed:
Sec, 30-20. Fortunetellers, palmist, clairvoyants,
hypnotists, etc.
It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in
the business of fortuneteller, card reader. palmist,
clairvoyant, hypnotist, spiritualist, phrenologist,
crystal gazer, psychoanalyst or any other similar
business in the city without first having filed an
application for a business license on the prescribed
form with the director of finance, which shall
include the address where the applicant operated
such business or a similar business during the past
two years, and without first having been photographed
and fingerprinted by the police department, No
license shall be issued until the applicant has pro=
vided the director of finance with the report and
recommendation of the record of the applicant by
the chief of police,
Section 2. A new Section 30-20 of the Code of the
City of Miami, Florida is hereby enacted as follows:
Sec. 3O-20. Certain NPec4patiot"1g prohilited :
It shall be unlawful for any person to 5_
engage in business, practice, perform or hold
himself out to the public, for a fee or com-
pensation (l) as a person able to tell fortunes
(fortune teller), or, (2) as a person able to
answer questions or give advice on personal
matters, or to exorcise, influence or affect
evil spirits or curses; by claimed or pre-
tended use of occult powers, faculties or
forces, clairvoyance, mediumship, spiritual-
ism, seership, astrology, palmistry, necromancy,
phrenology, numerology, crystal gazing, card
reading► talismans., charms, potions, magneticistn
or magnetized articles or substances, oriental
mysteries or magic of any kind or nature, or by
any means or anything of a similar nature
No City of Miami occupational license or
permit shall be issued to any person to engage
in such •occupations.
The provisions of this section shall not
be construed to apply to (1) the customary
religious activities of churches and ecclesi-
astical or denominational organizations or
established physical places for worship at which
non-profit religious services and activities
are regularly conducted or carried on or to
individuals functioning under the official
jurisdiction thereof, or (2) a person who en-
gages in the conductor activities described
in the first paragraph of this section as a part
of a show or exhibition solely for the purpose
of entertainment or amusement, or (3) newspapers
or other publications accorded mailing privileges
by the United States Government.
-2.
Section 3. Chapter 28 (Section 28-1 thru 28.5)
of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida, are hereby repealed and the
following classifications contained in 'Chapter 30, Article M.
Schedule of License Taxes, Section 30-28 of said code are hereby
deleted:
Clairvoyants, fortunetellers, horoscopists,
hypnotists, lecturers, minerologists,
naturists, palmists, phrenologists, physical
correctionists, physical culturists, physical
therapists, physicaltopathists, physiotherapists,
sun culturists, ostrologists, dietetists, and
dietitians.
Section 4. Any person violating the provisions of Section 2,
of this ordinance shall be fined or imprisoned, or both fined and
imprisoned in accordance with Sections 3.(aa) of the Charter of the
City of Miami (Chapter 10847, Acts of Florida, 1925, as amended)
and Section 1-6 of the Code of the City of Miami, Florida.
Section 5. All ordinances, code sections or.parts thereof in
conflict herewith, insofar as they are in conflict, are hereby
repealed.
Section 6 If any section, sentence, clause, phrase, or word
of this ordinance is for any reason held or declared to be un-
constitutional, inoperative or void, such holding or invalidity
shall not affect the remaining portions of this ordinance; and it
shall be construed to have been the intent of The Commission of
the City of Miami to pass this ordinance without such unconstitutional,
invalid, or inoperative part therein; and the remainder of this
ordinance, after the exclusion of such part or parts shall be deemed
and held to be valid as if such parts had not been included therein,
.3.
PANED ON RST RBADTNO BY TtTlit ONLY thin 24th day of Fobruagx,
1977.
PASSED AND ADOPTED ON SECOND AND FINAL READING BY TITLE ONLY
eh a 16 day of MARCH__
PREPARED AND APPROVED BY:
S. R. STEthE 2, Asst. y Attorney
HIM
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Athilltiuttheit Seri that the said MIAMI Real*
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in said Dade Catihtt Maids, end that the tale hove
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lipit hit hitatoto 6 been continuously published if
said Dade COunty letide. each day faxteot Satuiday.
Sunday and Legal Holidays) and het been entered 00
sleond Clete Mail 'flatter et the post office in Mahn,
In said Dade COurity..Floikide, tat a period Of one year
nett pfeCedint the Mit publication of the attached
cagy of adyenlisentent; ano avflant turthio telt* OW
the hes neither peld net pfbMited any person, 'WM
Or Cotperation any dittount, rebate. commission of
Wend jpP the purpose of aeeeting this advettleetrietif
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titt 1fl ntAillt -0AI* tin•titt.ififitiliA
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Alt Infrtraled *fit ink' tinileo flint on ill() it'll) (int i,t Mer41,
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AittIciAt itt St(". 10-2R Tits '05* uP t11t!
tit t ATAMI. PLORIOA. ANt! P.NAotiNc; A NIMP
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SoN PttoNt ACT' riNt
IltIttVORNIM; ttt ItoLDINo 14IMAk5.t4 mit TO TN%
putttic ron A PIi 011 *(1,4101:,NSATION'. Afil A
PSItmoSt &Nit IT) TRI.L Proittl'N't:S; on. )9) AS A
PrAigioINT .tIti.111 ANSWP.11 011.:STIONS405OIVItI
At)Virt.; ox Pt.,ItsoNAL MATTKAS, olt To EXoneittn,
INPIA:P.XcE on APPtItt tATI. SPiRITS Ott 17VttSt:Ro
TA' tt..11Ntt5) Oft Pitt4.TEN1iP:1! oP
poWERS. 1Ac11111414 t)R ronmg. clAInVOYANOte
Mt:IA t:749t1IP, SPittlt tiALISM ASTI101,011Y,
SAt !Witty . X ta:tt. oAl Axt.t, rilittN• ym.)(1V. NI MIMI..
(AMOY, tiAZiNo, CARO Its.‘1INr1. T.41.04
MANS, CliAltNIS. POTIONS, MAnNr.tIt-it*N1 OR • MAtal)
SSTISttl) Metter:ES Ott 'fli'llSTAXrIttl.
NITStitIttSti Ott MArite or ANY IONO Ott NATtlitg,
oit 111* ANNltEANS Ott .1NVTII1Nri OF A
NATURt: EXtIA1)1NO CiirtTAIN RE1.)(iiot*ft.
PAtIkR ANT) A1tiSK,N1INT AcTIVITigs rito!t TH14!
APPLICATION t111t13ni Itnr A PENALTY t
rtt14;AT.1NO Att. ORDINANC1.114, COON APr•rtoM%nfl
PARTS 1i1t11105 i oNPUCT, /NAnt`Att AS
ARE IX ritxtri,1(1% AEU coNTAIXINT; SEvir,ItAtItto
ITV PttoVidioN.
CITY PI.E/Ilt
rtoillearnn ,if till. out 1,.0 on slut 23 ony 107t. 312:i
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H0tht1RM L1J MEMBERS OF
�'EI ITY COI,NISSIOt`i
... i.
GEORGL V, 1<i OX, JR.
', City Attorney
..
January 19, 1977
Fortune Telling, etc,;
Proposed ordinance prohibit t g
Lisa Williams v. Cit of Miami,
Dat1fe C;out.trjrCzrc. Crt. r; 4-34717
Arthur Drinkwater v. City of
Miami.. Dade County Circ t Crt
.�r`1-3422
As a result of the ruling in the Drinkwater case, the amount of the
City of Miami license fee for an astrologer was reduced from
$1,385 to $424. In the Williams case, Williams is demanding that
the license amount for a palmist be likewise reduced from $1,385
to $424. Previous to the Drinkwater case, the license amounts for
all fortune telling type licenses (fortune telling, palmist, mind
reader, astrologer, etc.) were $1,385 each.
Palmists, etc. now say they are astrologers and obtain the $424
astrologer license instead of the $1,385 palmist, etc, license.
As the Williams case proceeded along its way to final disposition,
research revealed that in most .juri_sciictions (including Now York
and California) , fortune tellini and similar endeavors are declared
illegal by legislative enactment.
In addition, while the Williams c a;;c was being litigated, Linda
Stanton (also known as "Senora P,entri_z") , licensed as a Palmist by
the City_ of: Miami, was arrested for illegally taking $ 2_0,000
:Cromone orier customers, Sgt. Fred Postal of our Police Department
worked on this case and obtained a conviction of Stanton for grand
larceny involving this incident. The att_achea copies of newspaper
articles tell of this occurrence and other incidences involving
fortune telling cases. Sgt. Postelstates that there are many more
of these incidences, but because of embarrassment or for other
reason the victims simply do not: proceed criminally against the
fortune teller, etc. involved.
The City has stated to the court in the Williams case that a study
of this overall situation was iti progress leading to the possible
passage of an ordinance correctin" the present: state of the various
sections of the Miami Code which relate to this subject (Sections
28-1 thru 5, 30-20 and the applicable 1i.cen .e classification titles
in 30- 25) .
A hearing is scheduled on I'ricirty, rebruary 4, 1977, before the Hon-
orable '1'i;c:,2i i A. Testa, at t•:hic:r it is considered that it: would be
l)c`ilrlfAcia to (and, hopefully, c'c`?c.`i ive of) the C ity's case to
present. this or+:1inai1.^.C':`. as ha:%1:7!'.S passer! on first, readinq by tho
City of Miami City Commission.
HONORAttE MEMBERS OF
THE CITY COMMISSION
January 19, 1977
Page 2
Based upon our research of the law regarding this type of activity
and because of the actual and current: incidences of crime in the
Miami area _ involving fortune tellers, etc., it is the recommenda-
tion of the Law Department that, instead of continually attempting
to justify the amounts charged for these licenses in court, an
ordinance be passed snaking it unlawful to engage in the fortune
telling, etc: business in the City of Miami.
Only 5 or 6 licenses are issued annually for this type of activity.
As stated above, now all categories of this type of business
purchase the lower priced astrologers license (5424) instead of
the higher priced $1,385 fortune tellers, palmist, etc. license,
There was a former State Statute which provided for the licensing
of fortune tellers, etc , but this statute c•ias repealed in 1967.
Thus, there no longer is an impediment to the passage of this pro-
hibitory ordinance on conflict grounds (Board of County Commissioners
of Dade County v. Boswell, Fla. 1967, 167 So.2d 866.)
Accordingly, the accompanying proposed ordinance is respectfully
submitted for possible passage.
GFK : SRS : eb
Attachment
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'Standing nude in his bathroom.
Joe Sanci:t:z iw.ute :the 'names ct
. Ns family .on two ,eggs and rubbed
Ahem xarcfuliy lover his body.
Later, he bought a live white
,thicken, withdrew his $20;000 in .
savings and took them and the
eggs — to a gypsy palm reader,
;police said.
The :paint reader had :told him tits
$20,000 tivas —evil" ,and was the
cause ,of his health ,and .domestic
problems, police said.
She :oia him she -would kill the
chicken, put The money under its
wing, bury :t in an attempt to
"cleanse" it and, hopef::lty, make
all acts probla s :disappear, police
said. -
l3ut the only thing that disap-
peared was Sanchez' money. And
the problem he we: t to cure is
;low overshadowed by the prob-
lems that "care" created.
For .Jose Sanciwz, that $20,000
was the val.ie of h:s life — a life
he had spent NvorLinp, scve.n days a
week, 16 hours a day at .a little
grocery tic had laboriously saved
uP Au buy.
Now the 40-year-old Sanchez,
who qU t school • fter the third
grade to go to work, says he will
sell :his small grocery .and try to
put his life back torcther.
"The money was :for them (his
wife and son)," he says. "I will
keep on -working.
The incident, bizarre yet dcvas- .
Rating to Sanchez — has resulted in
.the .arrest of the palm reader on a •
charge of grand larceny.
The 35-year-old palm reader..
Venezuelan -born Linda,Stanton
.(.known professionally as Senora
Beatriz), could not be reached Jor
,comment. Tier husband.Chuck
Stanton. said she would have "no
comment" on the charge but added.
"No such thing happened."
Sanchez says that all he knows
is that the last time be saw his
$20 000 it was tucked under the
wing of a ,dead chicken.
•
•
Jose
•
S
;it.acui Ntws Staff Photo by KA1.11Y WILLLNS
Sanchez feels his trip to palmist was a holdup
.As be served custo:grit at his
small wood frame grocery. "he tried
to explain how it all started.
"I had health problems, family
problems •and twenty other
things," he said.
lie said he "was desperate"
tivhen, last February, "I found an
ad in Diario Las Americas" about
Senora Ltca riz and tier -p ::'--s as a
healer. adviser and sluices a'ist
Sanchez. r re igio• s :ra-:. said he
normally wouldn't have ^clieved
"in those things," but, acting tout of
•_...-._-•• •.
frustration and growing dcspera-
lion. he called Senora L'eatriz. got
an appointment and was told the
consultation would cost him $5.
At the first meeting. police said.
Sanchez told the paint reader about
his problems and was told it v.•ould
cost him $1.200 to help him solve
thne paim reads. police Said. had
impressed Sanchez by telling him
— correctly — that his son Jose Jr.
w s .iv'^.:•c.
The following days, Sanchez re-
turned and gave the woman. ;600,
police said.
The palm reader told him he had.
been working so hard to carat
money that he was neglecting his
fancily and health, police said.
"She said my money was jinxed.
that my problem was not medical
but rather a curse from the
money.. Sanchez said.
At the cnd of the session. he
said, the woman "sent me home to,
Continuedon 4A, col..4
r'.
•
•
00
if
tit.
Of
rig
lis
. W' Q,
'grocer says fon'
is
ebhtinuetl Inn IA St
1•
tub two egos ovrt my burly (after day
w;titing his harm niul that elf his r ----
wife and son on them)." Ile added:
"She asked the to teturrt with
the eggs and a live chicken. She
asked Inc to bring my n►orey,"
.That Was on a Friday. Over the
weekend, Sanchez followed the in,
structions Closely: He bought the
chicken and tubbed the eggs over
his body. Then, on Monday, he
went to two separate; banks and
withdrew S10,000 he had saved up
in each account, picked Up the
chicken and the eggs and hpadEd
back to the palm Leader, police
said., • - '
When he got to Senora 13eatriz'
office -in a small shopping -office
complex at 1756 SW Sth St., he
said she took the chicken from him
and killed it while twirling it in the
air 'over my head." He said the
Woman told him "she was going to
bury the money tinder a Wing." •
Then she cracked open the two
eggs and a trace of blood supposed-
ly appeared in one of them, police
said. Sanchez told police the palm
reader said the blood was an indi-
Cation that some of the "evil was
'coming out.'
The gypsy put the money tinder
• the dead chicken's wing and said
she would bury it later, Sanchez •
told police,
. "She said to come back in two
- or three days to get the (cleansed)
but money and (she woad) tell the
was what I had to do with it and where
to put it," Sanchez said.
an When he returned, he said, the
and palm reader told him "it was ton
ent soon and if we got it out all Nye
atd, would find was dirt and blond."
Sanchez :said he finally became
lit.. suspicious and told•.pcfice every-
crc- thing that had happened.'
. Miami (Detective Fred Postel said
nod Sanchez had also r;teen told his
gym.. money could tioti to asrtes if the
urd , curse couldn't,he> lifted.
.972 Police said' Mrs. Stanton admit-
est., ted recciv`ng S605 from Sanchez,
h, a but denied getting the S20,000. At
lied a preliminary hearing recently,
.eat Judge Richard Hickey bound her
over to Circuit Court for trial.
ert- Sanchez — who said, "It has
ope been difficult for' people to believe"
ich — took a lie detector test which
sed showed he was telling the truth.
vid Police verified that the S20,000 had
been withdrawn from his savings.
see In a soft voice, the small, slight-
m}, lyebuilt man described how his
!Tay
.problems may be only beginning.
the First, it means divorce because
and my Wife thinks 1 took the money
out to hide it in order to get a di-
d„ vorce," he said, adding; that he
,Ar. hasn't been able to get her to 1111'
Live derstand that he was trying to
live solve his problems, that he did it
t. all for her. , ,
m• "The money was for them (his
of wife and son)," added Sanchez,
ad who has been married for l0 yeas.
keh Sanchez has not had an easy
nd life- At the age of 12, he went to
le. Work for his uncle, who operated a
fruit market, For the first six years
nt he worked he didn't draw any
ri- 'I elt years ugo, he left his native
It Cuba, went to Spain and later ,,'i
n- l;retect to the Upited States. tic
r- Canto to Miami, worked in restau.
Cants i!rld sawed his mon,�y,
Ile t,truggird And saved $ ,Oar►,
which he used as a down payment
r,rl his grocery store, in the central
p.:;t of the city. iv v.'nr -.'•rt 34 .t',,1
lt,'bou s 4 ti,ty, t•,t•rpitt{; the stile•
;Veil f'Vf ry .d :y t,f the \',9•e4.
In Zit :months, he said, lap v:as
ghle to raycift the :rem:.;tint
.-,ea,G! inor tf.ake on the ,troc(,ry,
store ;And the #': c'ilr1-t;v.
i
•
Fte returned that same
money and the eggs. Alter rabbit
over his back, site put therm la a h
zing and broke ti er,.. Boehmke said..
"She then said to give her the money{
Geehtnke said. "She put it ino the middle° f
the handkerchief), then took: another SW
from her pocketbook and threw that ire.
"She said she had to bury this quid
the cemetery. She said tax come' baek. wit
my wife left."
When he and his wire returned the pat
reader "handed us a jar with rose! pet3f5`il
Water,- i.oe`.mke said..
"She said when my wire WS% taking
shower or bat:' to sprinkle, some off the co
tents of the jar over her,. that is wflg maJ
my vile sweet."
They tried it for a couple*; -a day
Doe hi ;.. said. Gut suddenly he Si.' '',M.WI
ttt1 hi Tr.. "1 can't Cake this. Idsgene1
far."
A bit later he said, she went toil ue wl
her parents. She has since filedt for divot,
tic added.
' r haven't slept (much.)• ' he said.: "The
nervous wreck. I had to borrow 400`fcon
loan compar..yto pay bills." honest her,
Mrs. Stanton. reached by p
fice', said she did .'t recall Boehmke,. •
sy rose
By BILL GJ£BRE
Wain' News Repar:R
Following the instructions• of the gypsy
palm reader to the letter. ohs Bochmke.
trying to save his _marriage, faithfully
?oared the water and rose petals over his
wife as she showered. He die so for several
nights in a row.
It didn't work. His five-year marriage s
about to break up. and Uocltmkc, 27, au op-
tical technican, is in debt alter paying the
palm reader $450.
Bochmke's story is the second unusua!
tale involving the palm reader. Senora Be-
triz, whose real name is Linda Stanton.
Recently Miami police accused her of
grand larceny after a 43 ar-old grocer.
Jose Sanchez, charged the he lost $20:200
following her advice.
That charge has notpre:cnted Mrs. Stan-
ton from c rt,auing to operate her busiress.
hough L. Bill Ansley. head of the count_:
police department's license bureau: sad he
will recommend that the county commission
suspend her license until the grand lareery
charges settled.
Mrs. Stanton. who has an office on .. c
second floor o' a small 'com-
plex at 1755 SW 8th St.. needs both_ county
and city licenses to operate '
'The palm reader
$350 to?n wke my
the curse. MNy °wife
:'roper ui expression
worth it. I love my
said it would take -'
wife happy and lift
looked at me with a
I figured it would be
wife.'
EY
y i
' BochrrAior. pre •much police are
row inveat•ga..nb began in mid -February
when his ll ante and his sister-in-law
went to .. _ _-a i:en"67...
• When his %vire returned. foch,nkc said.
• the to!d H:-" that p :m reader said there
was "an e I curs en her fa fly.
\n arg r,t folfo•.ced and Soci:mice's
wife ever.tuaily left to stay with her par-
errs. The 'a'ov: to week she asked him to
aceomT . •~r to S 'ra i.eatriz
The' pa:nt reader„ :ed about the evil
curse on his wife s family and said' it would
take 8350 'n make my wife' happy and Iift
the curse,'`-+eehtax_ said.
"My wife looked at me"' with a hopeful
expression. Boehmke said. adding. ' t figured
it would be worth it. I love my wile:'
i?oehm a said he returned alone the next
day with a check for $150 arid Mrs St nth:.
• told him she would "have to make some-
thing special from the peals or some dying
' roses:'
liochmke said the paint reader 'asked me
haw much money t had in the bank. add-
ing. " I said $400. She said she needed $900
in $50 bills and two eggs froth my refrgera-
lloehmke said he couldn't get $900' but
agreed to bring back $300.
1#y Et)i4'A 1115CFTAtiAN
Nnt.Nd Sr.'',
The maigiic of rr onev tnuttipi+in;.gro«ing.and
turning into stacks of St0O hills -•- dazzled two lonely
South Beach widows into eagerly taking their $ i1,11D11
life savings to a gypsy fortune teller who has Mani
ished, police said Saturday. • • • • - - •
"One word, greed, explains it ate" Miami. Beach
Detective Sgt. Robert Bishop said Saturday.
"They are not stupid woo ten. When they came to
their senses, they realizedthat tnnney doesn't grow
that way. But they got caught up in the mumbo jumbo
gypsy jargon." . • . ,
Annie Wilson, 48, k;nocvn as Rev. Witsori, is being
sought ort a grand larceneetvarrant. She operated a le-
Bally licensed bisirrezis
hnti •tie: for l months, epeee eatd : iiifCSO:V• ;}
POLICE believethere, are other
ictims, • • • 1
' "There could be two or 52," Sgt
.emaye ;•
t•: 4,
• 1
ttJ-er•
•
¢,,,_ FROM PAGE 1 D
.y
Bishop said, "I, know there are 'sewed shut, the victim said, w 35
more.' . • $1 hills.
"1 saw poor people come up and The victim has a. heart condition•
dump hundreds on her table," one "I will die," she said, "i1 rely
of the two known victims said Sat- ' friend!; and my t•clatives find out.
t►rday. E I'ttt igft with $500 to my name."
"I•tow soul! people be that watt- { She talc.! police she also € ave
ble?" Miami Bach Cuuttcilmaa Rev. 1Vileon $5,400 to help her
Leonard Weinstein said. with "probletns of n perso:,al na•
Rev. Wilson and her family van- • - tires..
!shed during the early muroing f "She was using hie like. o
hours last. Monday --• still Owing ', shrink," Sgt. Bishop explained.
Weinstein, their landlord, two
months rent. -- • THE SECOND vlciirn cashed in
THEY were always delinquent. certificates of deposit totaling SO, -
"THEY , 000. "That represents lifetime 5'V-
Several times I sent them t'lrce•day fine l," Bistro!+ :old.
notices sod I had to file a couple at The money, hi S10'•3 n',0s, was to
lawsuits but they always seemed to . double, Those Lilts too, shalt% to
get current at the last minute," •
sin^les instead.
said Weinstein who collects .rents She threatens suicide if neigh -
for the out-of-town owner. , .. • bars in the 400-unit apartment
Fortune telling, Weinstein said, • house where she lives find' out.
should be banned or more. tightly • "She thinks she'll be a laughing
controlled.
One of. Rev., Wilson's sictiraa`�•
sixty years old, a college graduate''
and a widow for 20 years — said'•
Saturday: "I'm not so bright. I'm
quite stupid. I've haven't eater. or
slept ha two days."
Two days ago Sgt. kiishop'es-
corted her to her safety deposit
box at Vashington Federal Savings
and Loan, after warning her. what
she would find.
HER $3,500 In $100 bills was to
grow to $35,000, s he Said.
Instead it shrank — MI they found
In the cloth bag the gypsy tram
Tore to Page 58 Co,t
stock,' Bishop said.
Both victims initially visited Rev.
Wilson for $5 palm readings. police
said. Rev. Wilson advertised, dis-
tributed leaflets and posted two
large shuns on the building reading
'Palen Reader" and "Rev. Wilson."
She multiplied money for both to
demonstrate her magical powers,
police said.
"I GAVE her $20 and $100 and
size made them doebte," the first
victim said. The gypsy told her, she
ssid, not to open the handkerchief
in which the"magical" $20 was
wrapped. But on a trip to visit rela-
tives in New York, she wanted to
spend the $«0. She unwrapped it,
"There were two $,Os," she said,
She hurried back to 1tliami Beach
3vhere the magic was later repeat-
t% ,! with a $1u0 bill. Rev. 'Nilson
her to keep hoth, she said.
Tend, it R'as her savInga.
The second woman was told to
e.-fir itev. %V lson a $50 ;bill wrap,
ttr nand a tomato, police said,
T,he gypsy wrapped the S50 .in a
hrldiserchief and .gave it to the
woman, To prove !tar tragic, she
rtjsh4f� he tornat, under" her fo' t
and displayed a dead crab she said
• was inside, police said.
THE WOMAN later unwrappd;
the handkerchief and found rive
$50 bills. She began casting ie. sav-
ings certificates.
After pacing a cloth bag sup-
posedly
containing her $43,000 in t
'her safety deposit box to -"grow, ,;
she became worried. "She suddenly
realized .something wasn't light,'
l3ishup said, and called police.
The money had shrunk and Rev,
Wilson's iipstairs apartment was,
empty. The gypsy, her husband Ar-
chie, two sons, Jaughter,in►-law
find I0-year-old daughter had VIM*
fished. There were signs of hasty
packing, police said,
The other victims found the
a,partrnent empty. Neighbors told
tier the gypsies were gone, police
had been there and a woman ha01
been swindled ct t cof . io4 -Of
money,
With growing horror, ehe #,
f;..ed she too had beei3 biikl,. . -
Ar.c%
16/ kk Ill 1 -
StAl ttAGUNt ititj Socret Sic k Ithhert Now.,
Wand 13 main* Offer; of bigger jobs in Washington and
York. ile'd illiS3 Sritalt Horida's golf courses That gypiy
Nithist accused tttipping off ttvo tvidows for' more than
Sai,001? had A $1,000-a-S-ear fortune telling. licety,o
the city of Miami teach, and an arrest record dating lack 20
l'ears• The MettO tottittiission had refused liPr a county licim,f!
Atter checking her background „ Mario Petit, Miami i'.Iayor
Mfttlrie0 reer64% secretary at Mule industries and recently
Stk itetted to the city payrolls was placed on that payruU start-
ing Oct, 1 — 19 day before the City C01711T111M1 a ppro‘ erl
her appointMent. Confronted with the conflicting,date... ['erre
tid he'd pay Ms. Petit for that time out of his tw.ri pot kr.t
The U.S. attorney's office and the state attorn,.$y's oftice are
investigating a local police department v:ltere it's p.portrct that
a top official is involved in a tar theft ring and that another
mentber of the department belongs to a Mafia family ,..
Woman shopper tried to pay for a few trinkets in Flagler
Street 'Woolworth's with a S100 bill bill. The Clerk said it
looked phony and went to call police, The Woman, who'd said
she bought them in Chile, hurriedly departed, leaving three
bogus bills behind
By tDNA tteCliANAN
•
"r1
LH ortune
3y EDNA BUCHANAN
• HOrata Staff writto
The gypsy fortune teller whose
Money .magic •e-- S100 bills
and growing into crisp
green stacks — dazzled two lonely
r1iarni Beach widows into eagerly
turning over their 851,900 He sav-
ings, has been jailod in Montreal
Nlerribers of the Mortreal fraud
detail arrested Annie 'Wilson. -V:),
Thursday. based on twin grand tar=
ceny warrants obtained 11.•
13each police.
"It's just a matter ryl extradition
now," 1iamiIleach Detective Sgt.
Robert Hishr.‘p said. -We're looking
forward to ha•.'ing her back — to
stand trial."
MRS. 1, VILSON, also known as
ReV. 'Wilson. operated a city li-
censed business, as a palm reader
for several years at 220S
Ave. She had a record of arrests
dating back 20 years.
She and her family vanished in
darkness last month — still owing
Miarai Beach Councilman I.r.tonard
Weinstein, their landlord, two
months rent.
•
Ikr
tea -I. if-V".'Nemi,
111 1-;1 r
Two rip-offs of widows, who
originally visited Mrs. Wilson for a
S5 palm reading and quickly be-
came convinced the gypsy could
make S100 bills multiply with her
magic raurnbo jumbo. quickly came
to light.
One gave the gypsy S3.500
which was to grow to S:15,000
white se%vect inside a cloth hair in a
sefety depo.it hox. Si!S' dgave
S5.1r,l) 10 help her •vith
personal pro'n!enrs, sle_, said.
The other cashed in certificates
of deposit totaling S13,000. It to4).
tV3S into a bag which was
switched, police said, before tieing
placed into a safety clepo..it box.
INSTEAD of the money growne
— it shrank. Whea opened, the
bags contair.ed $1 bills instead of
SIOUs.
Sgt. Nihon believed there mOit
be many more victims.
One has been found so far. a
woman who admitted giving Mrs.
Wilson $4100 in the hopes it would
grow. She is reluctant to prosecute,
police said.
One of the victims said that dur-
ing her many Visits to the gypsy
she saw "poor people corne up and
dump hundreds of dollars on her
table."
Sgt. Bishop's investigation led
him to believe the family might
head to New York, Orlando, New
Orleans or Montreal. He sent pho-
tos, fin and summaries of
the swindles to !ice in all four
The family vanisIied, police said.
in an overdue rental car. The rental
car saes found al,Nitt.cloned in New
York state just across a bridge
from the Canadian border. Mrs.
Wilson arlesIvc1 a short time
lit cr.
Mrs. Wilson's husband. Archie,
wanted on auto charges, eluded po-
lice.
XSgt. Ilishop notified the victims ,
riday that Mrs. Wilson is in custo.47
dy.
"They were surprised and
happy," Bishop said. "They sound-
ed excited.** They also asked about
recovering their money xvhich, po-
lice told them from the start, is
doubtful.