REALL News - Vol 06 No 07 - 1998

Magazine Overview

This issue of the magazine, titled "Greta Alexander's Legacy: An Objective Look at Her Claims," published in September 1998, focuses on a critical examination of the psychic abilities and media portrayal of Greta Alexander, a prominent figure in Central Illinois who passed away at age 66.

Greta Alexander's Legacy: An Objective Look at Her Claims

Authored by David Bloomberg, the article delves into the life and claims of Greta Alexander, who was known as a "psychic" and later preferred the term "parapsychologist." Alexander achieved considerable media attention through numerous articles, radio shows, and TV appearances. The author notes that even an article in the State Journal-Register discussing her death presented her claims as fact, written by what appeared to be a believer.

The central question posed by the article is whether Alexander's abilities were as ascribed to her, particularly regarding claims of "100 percent accuracy." The author aims to provide an objective study of the facts, drawing heavily on Ward Lucas's chapter "A Product of the Media: Greta Alexander" from the book "Psychic Sleuths," edited by Joe Nickell.

Media and Self-Promotion

Lucas's analysis suggests that Alexander was largely a product of the media, adept at self-promotion. She actively sought media attention when she claimed to have "solved a crime," ensuring widespread coverage. The media's tendency to report on "deviant behavior" or stories that deviate from the norm made psychic claims newsworthy. However, the article posits that a reporter seeking truth would look beyond sensational surface facts to uncover conclusive evidence, a step often not taken when reporting on psychics.

The Mary Cousett Case

A significant portion of the article scrutinizes the Mary Cousett murder case. Despite media reports highlighting Alexander's supposed success in locating the body, an objective examination by Lucas revealed questionable accuracy. The police had already narrowed down the search area, and the body was found within hours in that pre-determined location, not in the area Alexander circled on a map. While some predictions, like a "man with a bad hand" finding the body and the initial "S" being important, were later retrofitted to fit the facts (Officer Steve Trew had an injured finger and his initial was "S"), many other predictions were vague, unverifiable, or outright wrong. These included claims about Grabner's farm, tree cuttings, a bumpy road, and a missing leg or head, none of which corresponded to the actual scene.

The article categorizes psychic predictions into five types: extremely general statements, self-fulfilling prophecies, occasional wild guesses, false statements that can be modified, and unverifiable statements. The Cousett case exemplified how vague predictions could be interpreted to fit the circumstances after the fact, and how media coverage amplified the few perceived hits while ignoring the numerous misses.

The Carpenter Disappearance Case

Another case examined is the disappearance of Rex Carpenter. Alexander provided numerous predictions, including that he was alive, near a dead-end road, and that a horse with four white feet was important. While Carpenter was eventually found alive, the article argues that Alexander's predictions were not instrumental in his discovery. The "gold flowers" were interpreted from the color of harvested bean fields, and the "ravine" was seen as a furrow. The clicking sound was attributed to oil wells, and a distant church steeple was used to fulfill a prediction about a church. Carpenter's son dismissed the media's exaggeration and stated that psychics were of no use.

The Robert Lucas Case

The article also touches upon the disappearance of Robert Lucas. Alexander predicted he was dead and in the Embarras River. However, his body was found months later, significantly far from the river and his abandoned car. The author questions whether Lucas might have been found alive if the police had followed logical search patterns near his car instead of relying on Alexander's predictions.

Analysis of Psychic Phenomena

Bloomberg categorizes "psychics" into two types: those who fool others and those who fool themselves. He notes that while Alexander was described by many as a kind person and even supported a charitable organization, her abilities never stood up to objective review. The article highlights the media's tendency to report on successful predictions while ignoring failures, which benefits the psychic through free advertising and income. The practice of offering "free" services to police was seen as a strategy to gain media coverage.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are the unreliability of psychic claims, the significant role of media in shaping public perception, and the importance of critical thinking and objective scrutiny when evaluating extraordinary claims. The editorial stance is clearly skeptical, advocating for a rigorous examination of evidence and a cautious approach to accepting psychic phenomena at face value. The article concludes by emphasizing that while Greta Alexander is gone, others will make similar claims, and it is crucial to expose them if they are found to be wrong, unlike Alexander's claims, which were often accepted without sufficient verification.