The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-05-08

1iseonni mane 10 those Wio advertise ~ use
The stratford Mystery.
lThe New York Sun, Of the 2ahs publishes second long
editorial account Of the wonderful phenomena said have
recently occurred in the family of Rev. Mr. Plslps Of
Satiord, Connecticut embracing the testimony of another
witness represented to be gentleman Of high rpzpectaby
as written by himself We publish both for the rs~ou tlaf
they viii be read bieped Introducing ts
of their correspondent, the editors Of the Sun say:l
| There IL nothing at which the educa.sd mind
more instnctively revol'7 than the idea that an
| inanma's object can be made to move or change
| its POSITION without the application of physical
/ force in some known way, and it is not therefore
surprising that cannot believe in the possibility
/ of such thing, until compelled TO do so by the
nnm'stakable evidence of our own senses. Thou
sands OF unmpeachabe witnesses may testify TO IT,
and yet, wfiie we have charity enough to allow
that they think they speak the truth, we do not and
cannot fully realize that the facts would bear ont
their statement if witnessed by ourselves. But
every one cannot thus be satlsledthere is not suf
ficient opportunity TO admit that they should The
4 great me IS of the community are inevitably left to
the evidence of others, and must judge each for
himself of the subsf imitation Of the fact and Of the
motive of the witnesses TO conspire together with
i deliberate intention TO deceive.
The appearance of the phenomena at Stratford
i is not entirely unique. Besides those reported in
public prints as having occurred at Roches' ~ and
Auburn, other cases. not less remarkable have been
i observed in several other places within the past
| two months. They are probably TO be accounted
| as the effect of some unknown combination as yet
peculiar TO the localities affected Among the many
/ inexplieabe things fully proved TO have taken
place during the writer's stay in the family the fol-
| lowing occurred Immediately in bis presence, and
their circumslanial relation will prove satisfac-
tory as would an accumulation of incidents Of
| similar nature.
rhe account, given by the respectable gentleman aboy
mentioned then follows;1
Having been absent during the afternoon and
evening of Thursday last, l found, on entering the
house, that DR.. Phelps had retired, and that The
1 nthar af SI.v IL. -
| doing So After reaching my own room, he sent a
| message to say that he would like a few moments
| conversation with me at his bedside, on a matter
irrelevant TO this narrative. Before reached his
room, some article, fallen thrown there had al
tracted the attention of the other members OF the
| family, SO that found them assembled together
and with them a lady friend who, from curiosity
and by invitation, was also to pass the night in the
house. The subject OF our conversation not being
private, they all became seated, and partially
| gagged in it. The bedstead was low, and OF the
ordinary pattern known as French mahogany
One side of il was against the wall, between the
doors to the hall and TO the hall bedroom and the
other parallel with the mantelpie the opposite
| side of the room from which it was distant about
eight feet. The chimney being large, a recess Of
some considerable size isforned on the further side
of the 9m, exactly opposite the door from the hall
which opens near the head of the bed. In this re-
cess was placed cot bed, the side of which was
against the door to clothes closet and the head Of
which was in the farthest end Of the recess.
! The boy, heretofore spoken Of, had slept in this
cot-bed since the illness consequent upon his fright
described in the article published in the Sun Of
Tuesday Of last week, and he was then in be,
y there, and apparently asleep ! was seated by tn
e front side and the foot OF DR.. Phelps's bed
!, and he was resting his elbow while conversng
I, The lady spoken Of seated with her back t
the hall door and Ito mel partially behind the hea
! OF the bed, facing the mantelpieee. Mrs. Phelp
and her daughter were seated at my left, and some
| what farther back-our three positions forming al
angle OF about 13j degrees with the front side o
| the bed, and all the persons present forming al
irregular part OF circle, having the mantel piec,
| as its centre. The smaller children and the ser
wants had retired some time previously.
While our conversation was quietly proceeding
there seemed to be general start of all present
1 the boy 1nstantaneously sitting up in bed. | wa:
then looking at the carpet, line parallel to the
front side Of the bed and of the mantel-p piece, and
turned toward the mantel-p piece, when l caught
sight OF matchbox, about four inches long by
three WIDE within an inch of the floor if not upon
| it. heard noise corresponding to what would
be expected from heavy iron box OF that size fall
ing from about the height of the mantelpiece and
at the same time saw the box slide toward the bed
and directly away from the mantelpiece, about four
inches, while the lid flew open, and some matches
bounded out upon the floor
| The place where the box struck was upon piece
of oicoth spread between the bed and the mantel-
piece, and about half way between those objects.
II was also within three four feet of where sat
| and OF those in the room; | was as near or the
| nearest of any to the centre of the mante- piece.
I The lady Immediately remarked that she had no.
lced the box, instant before, upon the mantel-
piece, and that she had it little distance
from the floor, falling apparently, from the manel-
piece. So as to notice the effect, asked the boy
how he managed to slip it off so nicely. He denied
, | any agency IN the matter, with expression o.
innocence which defed the closest scrutiny STATING
that he was asleep and that the noise frightened
. | him. For moment no one moved, and | busted
myself IN an unsuccessful effort to study outa plan
: | whereby any in the room could produce the
/ elect had Witnessed. The lady present then
q picked up the Matches and replaced the box upon
the shelf, where she said she had previously
! it. The next morning | was surprised, on exam
e | inng the box, to find it was made of tin, and
! | painted black; and made several experiments to
j if | could produce such sound from il as had
ID heard the previous evening. The only approach to
| that sound was made by striking the box to the
le floor while held it firmly in my hand, and that
il as Judged, not sufficiently like it to be mis-
y taken for it, Notwithstanding the time which had
!. elapsed since the occurrence.
Ie A few moments after that event, and while all
of the persons present occupied their former posi-
tions the boy sat up in his bed as suddenly a.
before, excaiming, "They have set the bed on fire.
e and while he uttered the words, discovered ,
I | bright flame the cot bed, close to the close
4 door. The fame was about eighteen inches long
e and flashed up little more than foot in height
J. | sprang instantly to the spot and saw piece O
printed paper loosely rolled and twisted up, abou
| three inches In diameter, every part OF which wa
i on FIRE. and presented that peculiar bright yelloy
appearance to be where similar paper whiol
has been subjected to great heat, has suddenl
n broken out into flame.
4 pushed the bed about six inches from the close
Il door, as far the recess would permit and III
\ burning paper fell TO the floor Following it wit
my right hand, | tried to draw, or rather scrape
out into the room with my fingers, so that coul
get at it to smother it, and at the same time
reached forward with my left hand for the bols.e
,t The paper was far consumed, however, as
r part and scatter between my fingers, and $
y crowded the bolster down where il was. la thi
way extnguished such parts Of the flame sill
existed but only recovered one piece of the paper
and that badly seorched. 1t was about the size o
dollar, and proved to be part ot the Derry
n journal, newspaper corresponding IN size 10 1h'
I roll had seen,
=, | then examined the bed-covering closely, on
e could not discover that il burned or scorchet
u in the least. When first placed my head owe
the flame, thought smelled h.sie sulphur, a.
" though the paper had been lighted by trichol
e match, but subsequent reflection convnces me tina
rt il was a smell which had proceeded from the pre-
he vously scattered matches, had passed direct
~ over The spot where they had been THROWN and tn
smell was not more than would be discovered unde
: such circumstance. There was smoke to b