The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-08-15
SPIRIT KNOCKINGS.

Mr.. J. Stanley Grimes, a very intelligent and
observing gentleman, veIsant in animal magnet
ism, is engaged in the andable task OF exposing
the "spirIt knockings," which for such length
Of time, have disturbed the credulous people OF
Gotham. The N. York Tribune contains several
Of his articles, in which he shows up the ladies'
that conduct the exhibitions in their most inapo.
nng colors. We give the conclusion Of one Of
these contributions in which he fully expose
the operator:
| SIN the course Of the conversation one of the
company mentioned that the hostess was clair
| yoyant subject and when mesmeriZed she could
look into the spfi'-world and hold converse with
its inhabitants. Therefore proposed 10 mesmer-
ize her and try her powers Aiter some hesita-
tion she consented and was soon apparently "a
sleep. asked her il she was asleep. She said
yes asked her If she could look into The spirit
world She said yes A great many questions
were now put TO her, most Of which she answ cred
with great ingenuity. But it was evident 10 tne
that the whole performance was a deception. |
requested the company TO leave the room few
moments TO give me an opportunity TO make in
cuiries concerning some important private mat
tiers which wished 10 be kept secret. As soon
as the company were gone said TO the pretended
sleeper-sI did not wishto expose 10 you the COM
pany nor injare your feelings, but mesmersm IS
a subject that am familiar with and of course
you cannot deceive me-now, it, you will own
up to me frankly will not expose you 10 the COM
pany nor 10 the citizens, but il you do not shall
explain the whole farce, not Only in private but
in my public lectures. l will admit that you
have performed your part with wonderful adroit-
ness and skill--but don't carry the joke any fur
iberv After a moments silence she acknowl-
edged that it was all deception--that she was not
| susceptible 10 the mesmeric influence to any de-
gree--ihat the knockings were made by various
mechanca al tricks and by the aid Of three con!ed-
crates. one of whom was young woman who
| lived at the next house and the other two were
| Young men, her cousins-the knocking in the
middle of the floor was caused by aboard under
the floor poised like lever and so arranged that
when she stood near the window she could step
| upon peg which was connected with one end OF
| the lever and cause the other end to rise and
knock against the middle OF the floor.
The knocking on The table was produced in
| several ways, sometimes by one OF the conede-
rates, who had his hand or foot under the table,
| hui in most instances il was done by deception
which is similar to.hat often rractised by ventrio-
quists; thus, the company all sitting or standing
around the table, expecting a sound TO proceed
from il, will most of them believe that the sound
actually does proceed from the table, although
in reality il is produced by the rapping OF finger
against chair several feet from me taoie II Inc
leading persons present were shrewd, sAeptica
and manifested disposition 10 scrutinlze the pro-
ceedings too closely, the plan was for the spirits
10 refuse 10 answer until they were gone and then
places supplied by auditors Of a more eredulous
character. l asked the @ woman what induced he
first to attempt such deception. She said shs
had become acquainted with the women who prac'
| tlced the same deception in Rochester, and hal
learned the ant from them. On her return hons
she tried her own skill, and succeeded perfectly
| Her success astonished no one as much as her
self She declared that the credulity of SO man,
sensible people was 10 her matter OF amazeinen'
She had no idea at first Of deceiving any one, ex'
cept her own family circle, and intended aite'
having amused herself sufficiently. to explain te
them how it was done; but the very first expert.
ment reused the whole neishborhood, and in Z
few days she could not explain without disgrace
anil she was, therefore, obliged to keep up the
farce as we'll as she could"