The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1868-04-25 00:00:00

ACTION AGAINST A "SPIRITUALIST."

In the Vice-Chancellor's Court, in London, the
hearing of the suit, "Lyon v. Home," which has been I
anticipated with much curiosity, commenced on ,
Monday. It is instituted by a lady named Lyon, the
widow of a deceased merchant, against the well-known
table-turner, table-rapper, andso-called "spiritualist,"
Daniel Douglas Home, who now calls himself Daniel
Home Lyon, and claims to be a spiritual medium, ;
with power to evoke the spirits of deceased persons, to ,
compel the restoration of monies and securities kir
money to the amount of £60,000, which the plaintiff
gave to him and transferred for his benefit, when, as
she alleges, she was subject to great influence and ;
ascendancy by him, owing to her belief at the time in ;
Jib s pretended spiritual powers. Mr. James, Q.C.,
opened the case by reading from the bill of complaint
the substance of the plaintiff's case, and an affidavit of
the plaintiff in substantiation of it.
The plaintiff, Mrs. Lyon, is a lady advanced in life, whose
husband died in 1859, leaving her the absolute control over
a large fortune. She alleges in her affidavit that before !
dying her husband Informed her that he believed a change •
would come in Seven years from his death, and that they !
would meet. This she interpreted to mean that she would :
die in IWO, but in that 3 ear her view, on the point changed, !
in consequence of information received by her from a female
photographer in Westhourne grove, te whom she had gone
to have a photograph of her deceased husband copied. The
photographer toil her that death was unnecessary in order .
to meet him, and directed her to become a spiritualist. She ;
also lent airs. Lyon books on the art of spiritualism, and !
directed her attention to the great bead medium, Mr. Home,
who had just opened an Athenamm, at Sloane-street, for '
the encouragement of the belief. Mrs. Lyon was also
advised to become a subscriber to the institution. She im-
mediately wrote to the defendant Home for • prospectus !
and particulars of the Athenfeam, and offered to pay a sub-
scription. Mr. Home having sent her no reply, she stated
that, on the Srui ol October, 186 e, she went to 72, Sloane.
street, where the Athenfeum was, aml where Mr. Home
resided. She was shown upstairs into a room where Mr.
Home was sittiog in c mipans with a table, which, directly !
after the plaintiff had atated the case, began, with praise-
worthy seal, to rap a message. Home said at once that
"this was a can for the alphabet." Up to that time the
plaintiff was ignorant that messages arrived from Write
through medium only, and that an arrangement haul been
come to between the invisible world and the visible table ;
that one rap should Manny the negative, three raps the
, affirmative, and flee rates a call for the alphabet. The mottles
oyerandi by the alphabet was that on each letter beteg
pointed out or uttered the spirit rapped when he had got the
letter he wanted, and en somewhat painfully the oracle was
delivered. Home then, by means of the alphabet applied
orally, developed the following message from the spirit of the
deceased Mr. Lyon own beloved Jane,—l am Charles,
your beloved husband, I lire to bless you, stay mon prreinue
darling, lass e'mlhyomsslmrspe. / lone, love lore you." The spirit
further added, "1 hare no power to sp,ak snore; but I trill
never leave you more, nty own darling." The plaintiff, who was
greatly cheered and comforted by this precious intelligence,
propomul to reward Mr. Home by a handsome subscription,
but having no cheque with her, she postponed the donation
till a second Interview, when amongst other things the spirit,
interpreted by Home, informed her, "Hone, lane, love you.
Be very calm. I trill touch you" These interviews appear
to have been worth to Mr Homo or his A thennium, the sums
of Lee and L5O. The plaintiff had no child by the deceased
spirit, but this omission wan rectified at • third Interview
between II ome and the plaintiff at the plaintiffs house. The
spirit then with ilonie's assistance communicated the tidings,
lme Daniel, meaning preeumably the modern prophet,
"he sit,, be your son ; he is my son—therefore yours." The
table then ecstatically kicked up its less, and the spirit con-
tinued, "I NM happy, happy. In a little time I will make
myself visible to you. 0, do not say that the light of other
days is go ov. lam with you," or words to that effect. The
affect of this intelliger, en was overwhelming. The defendant,
Home, further informed her that it was the will of the spirit
that she should adopt him Ia her son, that a friend of
Home's named Hall should be sent for, mot that she should
produce stock receipts for the sum of about £24,01:30. Under
the influence of Home's spiritual powers and ascendancy,
she went on the 10th of October, 1050, to the Bank of Eng- ,
land, and there transferred the sum of £24,000 stack to Home. '
Shortly after this, Home, at another *kited interview,
assnred her that it was the spirit's will that she should des-
troy her existing will sad make another will bequeathing
everything she possessed to Home, and that a 1/r. ilawkaley
and a Mr. Ruder were to be the attesting witnesses. The
will to this effeat was soon afterwards prepared for the de-
fendant by William Martin Wilkinson, a solicitor of Lincolii's-
Inn• Field., and was executed by the plaintiff, and attested
by Mr. 'Wilkinson and Mr. Hall The plaintiff's property
is Bald to be worth nearly £150,000. It is not surprising
that, on the strength of these spiritual communication..
Home enrolled a deed on the Srd of December, 1842, by
which he rommed the name of Lyon. On the 10th of the
same December the plaintiff was amain induced to go to the
Bank and transfer to Home 516,7 W more stock. On the
12th. of December she executed a deed poll prepared by
W ilkinson, and not approved by any solicitor OU her be-
half. This deed recited her intention to transfer the
above sums of stock for the absolute benefit of Home,
and she did thereby, is order to "remove all doubts, sus-
picions, and controversies, irrevocably declare that such
gift was made of her own free will and pleasure, and
without any influence or control" by the defendant Home.
On the 19th of January, 1.417, soother deed was executed
by her, also prepared by Wilkinson, and also not approved
of by any solicitor on her behalf. By this deed, which was
made between her and Wilkinson, after a recital that she
was entitled to £30,000, then out en mortgage, and that it
was her intention to niake further provision for her adopted
son, she thereby declared that she had of her free will
and pleasure, and without any influence, control, or inter-
ference by him, determined absolutely and irrevocaluly to
settle the said sum for lila benefit, retaining the interest only
duritig her life. The deed then contained a settlement of
the money and the securities for the same for Home's bene-
fit, and • proviso and declaration by tho plaintiff that such
settlement was absolete and irrevocable, and should not be
disputed by her or her representatives, and that what was
thereby settled should be in addition to previous gifts. On
the 21st of February, 1667, she was again induced to go to
the Bank and transfer £2,290 stock to Home's name. flu the
lath March, 1867, Home or Lyon soul out £20,000 stock, and
advanced it to Wilkinson, or others, on certain mortgage
securities.
The bill then concludes with a charge that the plain-
tiff diecovered she had been imposed upon, and that
the gifts haul been made under the spiritual influence
of the defendant, and submits that she is entitled to
have the gifts net aside. The bill prays that the gifts
may be declared void, and for a re-transfer of the funds
and a re-transfer and assignment of all securities for
the same, and for a writ of ne extol riga°. This
writ having been granted, all the monies and securities
in question have been brought into court. There it,
therefore, a certainty that the subject matter of the
contest is in safety whilst the contest is pending.