Creative Editing
Chapter 7
Exercise 7
7. Reread the section in this chapter on sensitivity and good taste. Then copy edit the following story, paying particular attention to stereotypical images:
Relatives of a Gypsy family with strong ties to Kansas City allegedly have stolen about one million dollars in at least 7 states over the last several years by defrauding dozens of fortune telling customers according to police, prosecuters, and lawyers.
At least 16 relatives of the Marks family, a klan of Gypsy fortunetellers that has for decades had roots in the Metropolitan area, have been found guilty or face charges in connextion with the alleged scams.
Officials are quick to add, however that not all people named Marks are gypsies, nor are all of the estimated 2 dozen Marks gypsies in the metropolitan area involved in fortunetelling fraud. Furthermore, only a small per centage of gypsies in the country are engaged in criminal activities officials said. Only 5 family members in this area have faced such criminal charges in recent years.
Police and prosecutors in several of the seven states where Marks family members have been charged have traded information, only to learn that the same persons allegedly had conducted similar skams in other locations.
Repeated attempts to contract Marks family members alleged to have been involved in criminal activities were unsucessful.
This year two Marks have been found guilty in Jackson County Circuit court of felony stealing charges, and another relative pleaded guilty in Jan. to a theft charge in Wyandote county.
Three family members, including one already serving a prison term, were indicted Friday by the Jackson County grande jury on charges of stealing over $150.00 by deceit. Det. William Cosgrove, of the Kansas City police department fraud unit, says that case involved alleged promises by fortunetellers to restore a local womans eyesite and to cure her of cancer.
Honest fortunetellers do exist, according to Terry Getsay, a national authority on gypsies who works as a intelligence analyst for the Illinois Dept. of Law Enforcement. "Most just provide a service, he said.
But fortunetelling also is the common denominator among those Marks relatives accused by prosecuters of playing the bujo, a centuries old confidence game that usually victimizes the elderly or those with emotional problems.
And even when the perpetrators are caught, the victims do not necesarily win.
"We've got two convictions (of fortunetellers in Jackson County), and those victims haven't got a dime back said Det. David Parker of the police fraud unit.
Mr. Getsay said the conviction and imprisonment of a gypsy fortuneteller is a rare occurrence. "The likelihood of restitution, probation or dismissal or reduction of the charges are much greater than imprisonment he said.
In the bujo, the fortunteller, after reading palms or Tarot cards, tells the client that the future holds evil. Slight of hand tricks, such as removing a clump of hair from a newly-broken egg, are used as "evidence" that a client is possessed by an evil spirit.
The fortuneteller then says she must have all the victim's money -- the root of all evil -- so it can be cleansed and the evil removed.
Some fortunetellers say the money will be used to buy special candles. Others say it will be burned or buried in a grave yard. Nearly always, however, the fortune teller promises to return the money, or even to double or triple the amount, once the evil has been exorcised.
Instead officials say, the victim frequently sees neither the money nor the fortune teller again. "This," Detective Cosgrove said, "is more than just palm reading.
| BACK TO PREVIOUS EXERCISE |