Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-12-17

From tie NV York Tribune.
Singular Revelations, - Commu nica-
tions with Spirits in Western New
York.
Knowing that the public mind in various
locations, in Western New York. has been
somewhat agita,ed on account OF certain
sounds. called by some "myslerious." we
shall offer no apology for making the fol-
lowing plain statement Of facts in regard
1 to our knowledge Of the matter.
| The sounds we're first heard about two
years since. and have not yet ceased, but
seem to be.spreading from oneRlace to an
other ard gradually claiming the attention
of The public mind. When first heard.
they were manifested by simple hollow,
sounding rap upon the floor Of house..
This rappng was continued every night,
| for q long time and finally commenced in
the day lime. II was at first entirely un-
Intelligble 10 the inhabitants of the houses.
Al length little girl SAID, "Now do as
| do." and snapped her fingers three times.
She was answered by three raps. On re.
pea,iug ii she found that it invariably re-
peated the number she made herself. An
other person said, .'now count ten," and
ii was done. Nov count the age Of"
- Zone Of the children It was done
correctly. Another was tried with like
success. AS, il began to display signs of
intelligence the family became alarmed
and the females oil left the house al night.
The neighbors were called in but there
<,f tho Eho
element became intense, and at one time.
il is said. nearly or quite 5000 persons as
sembled TO discover from whence the sounds
proceeded. The house was thoroughly ex-
amineda from garret to cellar. but. while
the sounds continued no one ever discover
ed the operator. Al length 1t was discov-
cred thai every time question was put
that required an affirmative. a rap was
heard--ior a negaiive-no sound.
The question was put, '.Are you spir
it4o The answer was by rapping-.hree
raps. By this means they found it purpor
ted to be the spirit Of a man. Many expe-
dents were resored't 10 by which TO find cut
The name Of the maa-. whose spirit was
making these manifestations. AT length a
s.ran ger asked, ..tf | will call the alpha.
bet, beginning with A. will you rap when
come to the frs, letter IN his name?"-
The answer was affirmative. He then
commenced "A, B. c." when he came to
C, there was rap. Again he went on.
aud it fnpped at H.. and in that way he
spelled out the name OF Charles Rasme.-
As before stated, these sounds have, from
tha, time been heard in various families in
that place and the cities Of Auburn and
Rochester and various places in the coun-
try. Although confined to this rapping
sound, the mode of communication has
gradually improved so that many very CO.
rious and astonishing sentences have been
spelled by the use. of the alphabet. 1t no
longer purporIs 10 be the spirit of one man
or person, but when an individual makes
the inquiry .who isit that wishes TO COM
municaie with me-" they will generally get
the name Of some friend or rela,ive-a
Mother, Father, Sister or Brother who has
passed from visible existence. Many per-
sons have made the trial and have had
names spelled out 10 them of their friends,
unknown to any person present. Slran-
gers have tried the experiment and had
their names spelled out before any person
present knew !, or where they came from.
In each family where the sounds appear.
there seems tosbe some one or fwo. whose
presence is necessary to insure commnni-
cations freely. Generally we find that
these persons are susceptible of magnetic
Influences and Clairvoyant, although we
have. heard it where there were none that
had ever been magnetized or were known
10 be ciairvoyant. In the family OF Mr..
Granger Of Rochester = citizen well
known there-the Communications could be
had with any two OF the family previous TO
any of them being placed under the mag
netic influence, but after daughter was
magnetized and became clairvoyant, no
communication could be had without her
presence. No person had ever been mag
nafized-in the family where it first appear
ed.
: We first became acquainted with these
manifestations about one year since. and
we have taken every opportunity to discov-
ef, If possible, what it is. We have be-
come convinced that these three facls there
is no disputing, viz: The sounds-lhe in.
teligence, and the absence Of any collu.
sion or deception in the matter.
Some two weeks since we were in COM
2any with some persons who were getting
commanications from this invisible commu-
,nicalon when a message VAS spelled out TO
us 10 the import thai The matter should be
made more pubic-ihat the time had arriv-
ed'for the people to investigate the whole
aff.ir--thaf it WAS q thing which will ult-
saiately become known to all men. and that
we should immediately take measures to
have ii investigated. The directions were
then mlnutely given by these spirits, as
they purport 10 be, and which we are will
ing TO believe, until we have as much proof
to the contrary as Ii required to bring US TO
this conclusion. These directions will ap.
pear IN the following history, as they were
fully and strictly followed. The great OBJ.
ject was 10. start Investigation and clear
those, who had been hearing it for The las.
two years, from the inputalion Of fraud and
deception.
! Accordingly on the evening Of Novem-
ber. ID. aslecture was delivered in Corlnthi.