Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1849-12-06

with this reflection: it is not wonderful that our
fathers believed in wnchcraft.
Singular observation-disclosures
cations with Spirits in Wes-
ern New York.
From tho New York Tribune.
Knowing that the public mind, in various To-
caiues in Western New York, has been some
what agijuled on account Of certain sonnGs call
ed by some "mysterious," We snail offer no
apology for maxim! the following plain statement
Of facts in regard to our knowledge OF The maller
The sounds we're first heard about two years
since, and have not yet ceased but seem Ia be
spreading from place to place, and gradually
claiming the attention OF the public snnd.--
When first heard, they were manifested by
simple, hollow sounding rap upon the floor Of the
house. This rappmg was continued every
right, for long time, and finally commenced in
The day time. 1t was at first entirely unnlcl-
gible to the inhabitants OF the house
At length a little glr sad Now do as d."
and snapped her finger three times. She was
answered by tn raps. On repeating it sho
found that 1t Invariably repeated the number she
made herself Another ptson said now count
tcn,' and 1t was done. Now count the age OF
-(une OF The childreu.) 1t was done currect-
ly. Another was tried with llgo success. AZ
1t began 10 display signs Of intelligence the fame
lily became alarmed aud the females left The
house at night The neighbors we're called IN
Oul there was 10 cessation OF the sounds. The
excitement became Intense, and at one time, it
is SAID, nearly. or quite 300 persons assembled to
d scuver from whence Tue sounds proceeded.--
! The house was thoroughly examined from gar
ret 10 cellar but while the sounds proceeded no
one ever discovered the opestor. At length 1t
was discovered that every tune a question was
put that required an Affirmative answer, u rap
was hcard--iur negative, no sound.
The question was put he YOU spirit " Tie
answer was by rappng three rapS. by this
means they found that 1t purponed 10 be the
spirit Of II man. Many eXpeGients were resored
to by which TO find out the name of the Man
whose spirit was making these manifestations.
Al length stranger asked If | will call the al
| phabet, bcgiuning with a, will you rap When
come To the first letter ofhls name The answer
was IN the affirmative. lie then commenced A,
b. c. when he came to &, there was rap.--
! Again he went on, and il raped at H. ana III
that way he spelled out the name of Charles
| Rasne. As before stated, these sounds have
tIom that time been heard ~ various families in
that place, and the cities Of Auburn and Roch-
ester, and various places in the country. AL
though confined 10 the rapplng sound, the mode
OF communication has gradually improved so that
many very curious and astonishing sentences
have been spelled by the use of lhe alphabet.
1t no longer pu5ports 10 be the spirit of one man
or person, but when an individual makes the en-
| qnlrY who Is it that wishes to communicate with
ne they viii generally get the name oil some
| friend or relative Mother, Father Sister or
| Brother who have passed from visible existence.
Many persons have made Inc trial aud have had
names spelled cut 10 then of their friends, uH-
known 10 any persons present. Strangers have
! tired the experiment, and had their names spelled
cut before any Lcrson present knew It or where
they come FROM.
| In each family where the sounds appear, there
seems 10 be soue one or Two, whose pres-
ence is necessary TO insure communications
freely. Generally we fad tnat these persons ara
susceptible 10 magnetic Influences aud clair
vuyunt, although we have heard il where there
were none that had ever ueeu magnetzed, or
were known TO be claryoy0nt. In the tluily Of
Mr. Granger Ut Kochester-a citl2en well Known
there the communications could be had with
any two Of the family previous to any Of them
being placed under The magnetic influence, but
after daughter was magneuZed and became
claryoyunt, 10 communication could be had eX-
cept IN her presence. No person had ever been
nugnetzed IN the family where II first appeared.
We first btcame acquainted with these mlni-
festatuns about une year since, and we have
taken every opportunity TO discover what 1t
Is We have become convinced that these three
idcts there Is no dsputing, VIZ: Tue sounds The
Intelligence and the absence Of any COLLISION
or deception In the matter.
Some two weeks since we were ia company
with some persons vino were getting commune
cations from this invisible cOmmnncator when
a message was spelled 10 to tie import that
the mater should be made more puulIc-t that
The tine had arrived for The people to inyesti-
gale the whole attair-lhat 1t was thing WHICH
Will ultimately become known to all men, and
that we should take immediate measures to hav
II investigated. The directions were then mi
nulely gwen by these spirits us :hey pprport
TO be, aud which we ire willing 10 believe
are, until we huve as much proof to The contrary
as it required TO bring us 10 this conclusion.--
| These directions will appear IN the following
history us they we're fully and strictly followed
| The great object was To start Investigation and
clear those v no lad been hearing II tor the last
Two years from the liquidation OF fraud ana de-
cepuon.
/ Accordingly on the evening of Nov. IA, lee
ture was delivered in Coutthan Hall in the
city OF Rochester aud Il full story of the rise
and progress OF these strange manifestations CIV
en-. During the relation ct these facts, the
sounds were distinctly heard by the persons In
The hail.
Aller the lecture, n committee vas chosen by
the audience, composed OF The following persons
"A. ]. Comb, Daniel Marsh, Nathaniel Clark,
ESQ.,, A. Judson and Edwin Jones.
| On the following evening The Committee re-
ported III substance, as follows; That without
the knowledge OF the persons IN whose presence
the manifestations ATE made, The committee Sc
lecled the Hail OF the Sous OF Temperance for
the Investigation that Tho sound on the floor
near where the twoyoung ladies stood was heard
as distinctly as al other places, and that part OF
the committee heard III applng On the wall be-
hind Ihem-hat number OF questions were ask
ed which were answered NOT altogether right nor
altogether wrOng--hat IN the afternoon they
went 10 The house OF private citizen, aud while
there the sounds were heurd apparently on the
front door, alter they had entered aud on the
door of a closet. BY placing the hand upon the