Published by Blavatsky Study Center.  Online Edition copyright 2003.


"Cheiro" on William Q. Judge and Katherine A. Tingley

[Reprinted from Mysteries and Romances of the World's Greatest Occultists by "Cheiro"
(Count Louis Hamon, a noted palmist and astrologer), London:  Herbert Jenkins, 1935, pp. 185-187.] 


Cheiro. . . I was living in New York, when, one afternoon William Q. Judge, accompanied by a remarkably handsome woman appeared in my waiting room and requested an interview.

As no names of my consultants were ever asked or given, I had no means of knowing that the man who entered was even then the duly appointed head of the Theosophical Society in America.

I was, however, much struck by his magnetic dominant personality and pleased him by stating that at that period of his life he had reached the climax of whatever his ambition was; but I added whatever the honour might be it would be of short duration, as "you have already reached the last chapter of your life."

The effect of my words on the heavily built man before me was decidedly startling.   He fell back in his chair in a dead swoon.

Helped by my secretary and the lady who accompanied him, after five or ten minutes we got him back to himself, and then to my amazement, instead of leaving at once he insisted on my examining the lady's hands.

"She is a year younger than I am," he said.  "What do you see for her future?"

"The year we are in (1896) will be one of the most important of her life," I answered.  "If it should be that this lady is in any way associated with whatever your work is, she will take your place and carry on that work to even greater success that you could do.  She will also live to a very great age."

I was so struck by the woman's strong personality that I asked if I might make some impressions of her hands.  She willingly assented and signed the copies "Katherine A. Tingley, 30th May, 1896."

It was then the man said, "It may interest you, 'Cherio,' to know that I am William Q. Judge and that you have predicted for this lady that she is destined to follow me as the head of the Theosophical Society of New York.  I congratulate our Society on your choice, but hope that your prediction regarding me may be wrong."

A few months later William Q. Judge died suddenly from a heart attack, and in the same year Katherine A. Tingley succeeded him as President of the Society.

. . . . The last time I saw Mrs. Tingley was when she came to lecture in London in the winter of 1927-28.  She was then in her seventy-fifth year and apparently in excellent health.  She died two years later in Sweden, from the effects of an automobile accident. . .


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"William Q. Judge and Katherine Tingley" series of articles