Clients who entered the shop found themselves in a dimly lit, curtained-off area. At some point, Boland, as Master X, would emerge from behind the curtain. He would usually be wearing his favorite regalia—a bright yellow tunic covered by a striking scarlet cape—ready to perform his spiritual act. Writing in the Richmond News Leader in 1946, reporter (and later editor) James J. Kilpatrick wrote that when dressed for work, Boland “looked like Orson Welles made up to play Othello.” Beyond that, nobody really knew quite what to make of the man, and that was part of Boland’s strange charm. “He always told me that he was no more than a spiritual adviser,” says William Robinson, age 91, who would later become a neighbor of Boland’s in Hanover County. “But people said he was many things.” Robinson recalls a friend describing Master X as “a conjurer” with venal intentions, adding: “He’ll mess up your mind in a minute.”
If Boland messed with heads, he apparently did so in an engaging way, because by all accounts he was popular. Boland, who died at age 58, counseled thousands of Richmond-area residents—both black and white—during his life, though he had no formal qualifications. Says Ray Tyson, a pilot who knew Boland, “He was an easy guy to talk to. He seemed to make friends easily.” Richmond newspaper reporters certainly found Boland fascinating, especially when he would call and intone in his deep voice, “This is Master X.” What followed was usually some zany tale that would wind up in the newspaper.
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