Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1850-05-17
The Stafford Phenomena.
From the New-York Sun.

The story that the "mystery'' was discovered
AMI cleared up by brother of Dr. Phelps, was
first started publicly by Bridgeport paper. So
far from this being the case, the brother alluded
to, assisted by another gentleman who accompa-
MED him, after a careful examination satisfied
himself perfectly that no human being had any
agency in the phenomena, and also that they
could not be accounted for by any known science
or art.
There are not less than dozen different places
in the States of Newly York. Connecticut. New
Jersey, Pennsylvania and Ohio where within a
few weeks, phenomena similar 10 that at STRAIT
ford are said to have occurred, and, from appear
ances, the evidence that they really do occur will,
after making the most liberal allowances for i'm
agnation and vague rumor, be most abundant.
In some places the phenomena seem to be pro-
duced by the will or wish of persons present
frequently at the suggestion of strangers--and
If SO, we may hope that their cause, and modus
operand, will speedily be discovered.
"MYsTERIoUs KXocKINGs. The party from
Rochester, in whose presence the spiritual knock
Ings have been manifested, is in town. at the Del
avan House. 1t consists of a mother and three
daughters, the eldest about % or "a years of
age; the next II or Is, and the youngest per-
haps ii. There are, says the Wing of Troy,
and communicate very freely in reference to the
whole history of the "knockings" from their
commencement, so for as they profess to know
any thing of them.
The Wing gives accounts of answers to in
qurles which it says were correct, and it chal
lenges those who call the affair ga humbug" TO
try the depth of their brains in solving it,
The Express of this city, speaks of an inter-
view and describes the 'rappings" as "lond and
light as if raped by different objects, growing
often quite bosterous and continued. Seated
around table We distinctly felt the vibration
caused by the "rappings" against the table be-
meath our feet against our chair, and in several
other places" 1t rejects the idea of trick on the
part of the girls, says that answers rendered to
questions were correct and defes solution of
the mystery. Albany Atlas.
Relative TO these rappings of the 10Th century,
the Editor ofthe Cleveland Piaindealer, who had
an interview with the rBPpers, says.
"There is now great excitement throughout
New York and New England on the subject of
these knockngs. Some burlesque and ridicule
but many are aoitated seriously. There are
some very intelligent persons who witness these
demonstrations, and falling to account for them,
predict new principle in life is about to be dew
elvoped, more wonderful than animal magnetism,
Mesmerism, or even Clairvoyance as practised
and believed by many. Biology, or the science
of "mental impressions cannot explain 1t. Met
aphysics is entirely at fault in accounting for it,
1t is seen, heard, felt, but not understood. So
far all is matter of fact. AS reason snd phil
osophy have nothing to do with il, no one can be-
live without the occular demonstration, the pal
pable evidence of his senses. No human testi-
mony can establish such belief any more than
the doctrine of the resurrection could be estab-
lished by the testimony of the Apostles TO the
satisfaction of the unbelieving Jews. 1t was
easier in those days TO believe that twelve men
would lie, than that Christ shonld rise from the
dead 1t is much easier in this age of reasoning
to believe that all these knockings and slight
seeings are so many decisions, than that mortals
can hold converse with beings in the spirit land.