Some of those who came had visited once or twice before, such as: the stage actress, Merle Maddern (niece of the novelist Jack London), 44; the philanthropist, Ellen Dunlop Hopkins, the founder of the New York School of Applied Design for Women; the Manchurian author, Princess Der Ling; Countess Castelli (twice); and the radio personality E. W. Burrill, who paid a return visit to see Baba.1
A noted neurologist and poet Dr. Frederick Peterson, 72, was a visitor on the 28th, along with Dr. Henry Knight Miller, who had founded a popular psychology magazine focusing on self-help.
The photographer Arnold Genthe came to the hotel on both days and photographed Baba on the 28th.2 The three portraits he took of Baba (and one of Ali) turned out well and Baba's lovers cherished them as a permanent reminder of his visit to New York.
On the evening of Saturday the 28th of November 1931, Baba returned to Harmon arriving at eleven o'clock. (Jean drove Malcolm in a second car with the luggage.) Eileen Burns came to Harmon at noon the next day with Beatrice Graham and stayed for three hours. She returned alone on the 30th. Norina and Stokes saw Baba on the 1st of December.
A day or two later, Baba asked to be driven to Sing Sing Prison in the town of Ossining, three and a half miles away.3 They left Harmon at ten at night. Baba indicated that he wanted to make inner contact with a man in the prison who would do future work for him. Their car drove all around the prison as Baba gazed at the walls and threw kisses.
Having the car stopped by the entrance gate, Baba said, "I will show you how I work." He was silent for a while then said, "There is a man in this prison who is my [spiritual] agent. He is doing good work for me. When I speak, I will free him."
Baba's mood became sad as they drove directly back to Harmon.
He remarked, "It is not important for me to go physically into Sing Sing, as I have already made contact with him."
He also commented, "There are some inside the prison who are good and innocent of the charges [for which they've been imprisoned]."
When they arrived back at the retreat, Baba had a snack of coffee, cheese and biscuits.
Footnotes
- 1.Rano Gayley, destined to become one of Meher Baba's closest women disciples, had attended the School of Applied Design from 1924 to 1928.
- 2.Arnold Genthe was well known for his "naturally posed" portraits, his photographs of the San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and his studies of the work of Isadora Duncan and Anna Pavlova.
- 3.Sing Sing Correctional Facility is one of the oldest penitentiaries in America, established in 1828.