The New York World of Feb. 1st. exposes the whole scheme in the following up-and-up manner:
Members of the Boston Theosophical Society have taken much satisfaction in exposing the wicked wiles of one “Vidya Nyaika,” alias Eli Clinton Ohmart, who, in partnership with Prof. Hiram Erastus Butler, has been asking for funds to establish an Esoteric College in the Rocky Mountains. Mr. Ohmart turned out to be a gentleman with a record, and his exposers made things very unpleasant for him when they brought him face to face with it. It is stated by Prof. Butler himself that a great deal of money has come in for the scheme, and more is hoped for.
This is just what we said in our March editorial. And now, when all that had to be exposed has been so dealt with in the United States, we can only wonder at the animus displayed by the Religio-Philosophical Journal of Chicago against us. We see by a letter published in it, March 23 ultimo, from the President of the “Boston T. S.,” Mr. J. Ransom Bridge, that “it (the Journal) states that it is informed by those who claim to know that . . . . . Madame Blavatsky is determined to ruin Butler” (!?). When “those who claim to know” can also prove that Madame Blavatsky had heard Butler’s name mentioned before the end of last year, or even knew of his existence, then their “claim to know” would have acquired at least one leg to stand upon.
The “Butler” exposé followed almost immediately our first acquaintance with the pretensions of this virtuous person, as the President of our Boston T. S. well knows. Such being the case, the anonymous he who “claims to know,” must not feel hurt, or take offence, if we now publicly state that his information against us is either a deliberate and malicious falsehood, or a soap-bubble gossip. In every case the respected literary veteran, called the R. P. Journal, ought to show more discretion than to be ever repeating unverified cackle, when not deliberate calumny, against a person who has always wished it success, as it has now done for years. We stand for truth, but wish the ruin of no man.—Ed. [H.P.B.]