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

L
and Edwin Jones. 49,. So, IS 90
On the following evening the Committee
reported IN substance, assIolIows:s That
without the knowledge Of the persons in
whose presence the manifestations are
made, the Committee selected the Hall of
the Sons Of Temperance for the invesliga-
stion-that the sound on the floor near wnere
the two ladies stood was heard as distinctly
AS at other places; and that part of the
Commi,tee heard the rappng on the wall
behind lhem-that number OF questions
were asked which were answered not alto
gether right nor altogether wrong-that in
The afternoon they went to the house of
private citizen and whils there the sounds
were heard on the outside (apparently) Of
lhe front door, after they had entered, and
on the door of closet. BY placing the
hand upon the door, there was a sensible
jar felt when the rapping was heard. One
OF the Committee placed one Of his hands
upon the teet Of the ladies' and the other
on the floor. and though the feet were not
moved. there was distinct jar on the floor.
On the pavement and on the ground .he
same sound was heard;-a kind of double
rap Us f stroke and rebound were dis
lnguishable. When the ladies were sepa
rated al distance no sound was heard:
but when third person was interposed be-
tween them The sounds were heard. The
ladies seemed ready 10 give every opportu-
nity To- ihe Committee 10 investigate the
cause fully, and would submit 10 a thorough
Investigation by -commIl,ee OF ladies if
desired. they all agreed that the sounds
we're heard. but they entirely failed 10 dis
eoper any means by tokich it could be done
And after this report and some discussion
on the subject, the audience selected another
Commitlee composed OF the following per-
sons. Doctor y. FL. Lnpgworlhy. lion.
! Frederick Whitlesey, D. Z. McCaisum,
William Fisher, of Rochester, and Hon.
A. P. Hascal. of Leroy. Al The next lec-
ture this Commilee reported that they
went into The investigation at the Office OF
Chancellor Whiulesey, and they heard the
sound. on the floor, on the wall and door,
that the ladies were placed in different po-
silions and, like the other Committee they
were wholly unable. to tell from what the
sounds proceeded or how 1t was made-,hnt
DR.. Langworlhy made observations with
stelhescope to ascertain whether there was
any movement OF The lungs, and found not
the least difference when the sounds were
! made: and that there was no kind Of prob
! ability Of their being made by ventrio-
quism as some had supposed-und they
could mol have been made by machinery.
| Again, after this report, another com.
niuee was formed. from persons who had
opposed in the meeting all pretensions TO
there being anything bu: trick.
This COMMITTEE was composed of DR..
E P. Lsngwortly. DR.. J. Gates, VIM.
Fhzburgh, ESQ.,, w. L.. Burtis and l..
Kenyan. fhis committee met at the rooms
| of DR.. Gatesat The Rochester House, and
| appointed .Commt.e of ladies who ook
the young women into a room. disrobed
them and examined their persons and
clothing 10 be sure that there was no fixture
about lhem thai could produce the sounds.
When satisfied on this point the Commute
| of Ladies tried some other experiments and
gave The young ladies the following cersif-
ieate: ..-~-.--s
.When they were standing on pillows
with handkerchief tied around The bottom
of their dress, tight to their ankles we all
heard the rnpping on the wall and floor
distinctly" ..s 81 ...s..... ..g
=. (signed)
MRS. STONE. MRS. J. GATES,
! MISS Nj. P. LAWRENCE.
In The evening the committee, through
their chairman, DR.. Langwor:hy, made
very full report of their examinations du-
ring the day. They reported that 'hey had
| excluded all friends Of the two ladies from
the committee room and had the examina-
tion only in the presence otihs committee
OF gentlemen, and ladies chosen by them.
Notwithstanding all this precauiion ali
these sounds were heard when the ladies
stood on large feather pillows without shoes
and in various other positions. both on the
floor and ON tie wail-that a number OF
questions were asked, which, when ans
wered were generally correct Each mem
ber Of the committee reported separately.
agreeing and corrobating the first state
ments. s..-.
Thus by three days of the strictest scru-
tiny By means Of intelligence. candor aud
science, were the persons in whose pres
ence these sounds were heard acquitted OF
all fraud.
On Friday evening, after the lecture.
three of the committee, viz: Hon. A. P.
Hascall, d. G.. M'Callum. and William
Fisher, repaired 10 the house of a citizen.
aud pursued here Investigations still farth-
e.. There were nearly score Of persons
present. The members of the committee
wrote many questions on paper. of which
none Of the persons present knew The pur-
port, and they were answered correctly.
At times they would ask mentally, and
would receive The answers correctly, and
they were fully satisfied that there was
something present msnifesling an intell.
gence beyond the persons visible.
One of the committee tried the expert
ment of standing the ladies on glass. and
failed to get any sounds. but the same was
subsequently, tried in the presence OF
large number of persons, and the sounds
we're as loud and distinct as before, on the
| floor as usual. .-..-.....
Such are the facts. so far as the public
proceedings are concerned. (Which is but a
small part Of these strange occurrences.)
with the committees reports greatly con-
| densed ..s ...
| Thus the matter. stands at present, and