James H. Longden

James H. Longden
Born	3 May 1858(1858-05-03) Yates City, Knox Co., Illinois
Died	3 October 1934 (76) Los Angeles, California
Alma mater	Chicago College of Law, Lake Forest University (LL.B., 1895)
Spouse(s)	Ella Mae Potter (m. 1881); Henrietta F. Tapley Walton (m. 1914)

James Henry Longden (May 3, 1858 - October 3, 1934) was an American lawyer and travelling insurance agent, briefly associated with James Armstrong and his diploma mill racket in Chicago, Illinois prior to his relocation to California, where he became involved in certain Spiritualist establishments, including the National Independent Temple of Spiritual Science and National Independent Spiritualist Association. Longden was infamously employed as an attorney by Norman Lee Freeman and numerous other North Carolinians pressing claims against the Mark Hopkins estate, claims that were first filed in the California courts over forty-five years after Hopkins had passed away.

As a California attorney, Longden called himself Judge Longden, claiming he was a former judge on the United States Circuit Court of Appeals at Illinois; however, there are no judicial records that support such claims.

Press Coverage

Garden City Law School at Chicago, Illinois (1897)

Incorporated in March 1897, Longden's school was exposed by the Chicago Tribune as a diploma mill that was selling diplomas for $20, using local lawyers' names without their permission, in September 1897; it was shuttered by Longden shortly thereafter.

• "LAX WITH DIPLOMAS. Garden City Law and Independent Medical Schools. THEY HAVE QUEER WAYS. How They Make 'Lawful' Physicians and Lawyers. EASY PATHWAY TO THE BAR.", Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL): 42, 5 Sep. 1897, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/349865594/ 
• "HE OWNS TO FRAUD. J. H. Longden of Law School Fame Takes Abject Oath. CLEARS BALDWIN'S NAME. Garden City 'College' Man Apologizes for Deception. SEES THE TRIBUNE EXPOSE.", Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL): 5, 8 Sep. 1897, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/349866538/ 
• "END A BOGUS SCHOOL. Attorneys Bring Garden City Law School Men to Terms. AGREE TO QUIT BUSINESS. President Admits He Used Their Names Unlawfully. SIGNS A FULL RETRACTION.", Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL): 12, 10 Sep. 1897, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/349867385/ 

The Traveling Agent Game in California (1909-'11)

• "ACCIDENT INSURANCE IS GONE. Authorities Are Searching for James H. Longden, Who Is Thought to Have Taken Letter.", Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA): 3, 12 Dec. 1909, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380142416/ 
• "WAS ACCUSED OF TAKING LETTER - JAMES H. LONGDON, WHO PASSED BAD CHECK, HAD A PREVIOUS BAD RECORD.", Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, CA): 2, 6 Aug. 1910, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/616491066/ 
• "WOMEN ARE HIS VICTIMS. Police Withhold Names of Needy Persons Who Entrusted Their Savings to Alleged Attorney.", Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA): 5, 13 Feb. 1911, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380234381/, "J. H. Longden, charged with fraud in a 'traveling agent' game, returned $20 to a woman who confronted him in the City Jail yesterday and demanded her money back. He refunded $20 to a woman Saturday night, and when the account of his arrest was printed in The Times the detective bureau was not large enough to hold others who claimed they had been his victims and demanded their money. The police are not disclosing the identity of Longden's alleged victims because the majority are women in very needy circumstances. A complaint charging false pretenses will be asked of by the District Attorney Tuesday morning against Longden. The detectives have the stubs of about twenty-five receipts given different persons who left him $20 on deposit for the outfits with which they expected to go on the road to appoint agents for an eastern publishing house whih Longden claimed to represent. In a message to the police, this house repudiated Longden and declared that he had been dismissed for dishonesty." 
• "MAN AND WOMAN ARE ARRESTED AS SWINDLERS - Couple Profess to Represent Eastern House and Hire Many Agents - Victor F. Sutherland Exposes Deceit and Raid on the Office Follows - Pseudo Employers Jailed - Woman Accused Swindler - Mrs. Henrietta F. Walton, under arrest as alleged swindler, and Victor F. Sutherland, who exposed her. Below is James H. Longden, her associate, who posed as her husband.", San Francisco Call (San Franciso, CA): 1, 20 June 1911, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/82698053 
• "WOMAN AND COMPANION CONVICTED OF SWINDLING. Henrietta F. Walton and J. H. Longdon Will Be Sentenced by Police Judge Tomorrow.", San Francisco Chronicle (San Francisco, CA): 64, 25 June 1911, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/27390812/ 
• "MAN AND WIFE SENTENCED. Former Gets Six Months and Latter Fined $50 for Agent Swindle.", San Francisco Examiner (San Francisco, CA): 1, 27 June 1911, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/457495135/, "James H. Longden was sentenced to six months in the county jail yesterday by Police Judge Deasy after he had been convicted of obtaining money under false pretenses. Henrietta Walton, arrested and convicted at the same time, was fined $50. The couple were accused of having swindled more than 100 persons out of $20 each by representing that they were agents for an Eastern mail order house and selling sub-agents exclusive territory." 
• "FRAUD COSTS LONGDON SIX MONTHS IN JAIL - Woman Companion Has Alternative of $50 Fine", San Francisco Call (San Francisco, CA): 4, 27 June 1911, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/82699052/, "Convicted several days ago of having fleeces a number of patrons out of various sums of money, James H. Longdon was sentenced to six months in the county jail yesterday by Judge Deasy, and Mrs. Henrietta F. Waldon was given the alternative of paying a fine of $50 or spending 25 days in prison. Longdon and the woman were arrested in the Muirhead building a week ago. Longdon was arrested a short time ago in Los Angeles on a charge of fraud and escaped prosecution by repaying the persons from whom he had taken money. He is said to be wanted in Phoenix, Ariz., for the same offense." 

Spiritualist Affiliations and Incorporations (1913-'17)

• Society of Occult Thought (1913)
  • "OCCIDENTAL PARK", Highland Park News-Herald (Highland Park, CA): 3, 16 Aug. 1913, https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=HPNHJ19130816.2.26.1&srpos=1, "At a meeting held in Odd Fellows’ Hall, Sunday, Mr. James H. Longden of Lincoln avenue, was elected president of the Society of Occult Thought." 
• National Independent Temple of Spiritual Science (1914)
  • "SPIRITS UNITED TO DODGE FEES? Union Formed With 'Mother Church' Here. Will Ask Abolition of City License System. War Declared Between New and Old Organizations.", Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA): 24, 24 May 1914, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/380279138/, "To remove seances from the zone of licensed occupations and thus evade the dollar-a-day license imposed upon 'mediums' and mystics of all shades and inclinations, the National Independent Temple of Spiritual Science is being launched in Los Angeles. The move is to circumvent the city's policy of keeping all dealers in spooks, specters and spirits under official surveillance." 
• Church of Spiritual Creation (1917)
  • "CHURCH OF SPIRITUALIST CREATION", Los Angeles Evening Express (Los Angeles, CA): 11, 3 Mar. 1917, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/608021151/, "612 West 57th St. Dr. James H. Longden, Pastor. Rev. Henrietta F. Longden, Assistant Pastor. Special services, 8 p m, Sunday. Evening, Dr. Longden will speak on Was Jesus a Medium — What Proofs Have We That He Was? Good music. Followed by messages by A. D. Petrie. All welcome. Skeptics specially invited." 
• National Independent Spiritualist Association (1917)
  • "In the articles of the National Independent Spiritualist Association, the names of the directors of the new organization appear as follows: James H. Longden, Harry J. Stevens, G. W. Evans, Henrietta F. Longden, James H. Curtis, B. S. Roach, Joe B. Rhodes, Mrs. Jennie McHenry, Mrs. Elizabeth Francis and Mrs. Parmelia Daugherty."