The Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1850-1852, 1850-07-04
TIE KNOCKING SPIRITS OF
ROCHESTER,.

ROCHESTER,.
Tie Rochester spirits have come TO
New York, and are there collecting "a
great deal VI mammon, in single dollars,
from the crcdulous people Of that
shrewd city. The ladies have brought
the ghosts 10 good market. A trade
in "knocks" Is step or two beyond the
traditional trading ingenuity Of the
Yankee race.
Mrs. Fox and her three daughters
arc those who carry the ghostx about.
Onc Of the daughters is marie wo-
man, exercising great authority over tho
other two The former is about thirty
years old, shor, and stout, and looking
like one who could regulate and carry
on system like that Of the knocking
spirits the two others arc simple, good
looking country girls, apparently no, rs
aa fat Of their business rs their senior
sister. The old lady sits in the room
and looks bcnevolently on, nt the agree
able doings in which her offspring are
engagcd-mercly as a spectator US a
memUcr OI TIE company.
Several newspaper editors have gone
10 see the ladies, and hcar the ghosts.
Willis, of the Home Journal went. and
other rhrewd fellows, but, On coming
away. they only shrugged up their
shoulders, and said they were satisfied; ;
but could not exactly explain, with
what. There is evidently good
ed sort Of feeling abroad with regard to
the sex Of the spirit-leaders. People
shrink from calling mother and her
three daughters impossors. The idea
Of such a degradation on the part of a
whole family, united by such tender and
holy ties, is repugnant TO the general
feeling. For our part, VIC have as much
delicate consideration towards all per-
sons and things deserving il, as others,
and yet, we DO think this wandering
family is going about practising a deccp-
ton upon the public for the purpose Of
making money. God help us, VIC can
arrive at no other conclusion.
T's true. It's pity; pity lis, 'us true.
Every report we have read, brings us
! to one conviction-even those which,
seemed most favorablc---for some ra-
son or other--as 10 the pretcntions OF
these nomadic spirits. These spirits
boggie. and give wrong answers, and
will give none at all, at times. Spirits
as arc spirits-suck as we used to b.
cognizant of, and hear all about, in oul
happy "rcign Of terror "-tcnerally
know everthing--no boggIing with them
We do not understand spirits that make
mistakes, and false guesses--like mere
bodies.
Two sharp gentlemen visited the Ia.
diee lately, in a company Of 6ftcen, ant
one Of them has written an account o
the interview, in small room at Lar
nuns Hotel, broadway. The three
daughters were sitting close together OF
q sofa, near al oval table, covered viii
a cloth the eompsuy were grosped u
the other side Of the table.
The cslIoquial duties Of the spirit
are quite simple-ns simple as the par
of Snug in the lion, which was no,hin
but roaring gi-the ghost part IS nothing
but knocking. A knock is "yes "
, and no knocks ut xll, a"no." Moth
ing could be simpler, or more s,eno
graphic. For instance, the qucs'ione
J says he wishes 10 he truly inforne
/ where a friend Of his lost his lfe-bu
r he mutt mention more places than on
: --one of which is tho true one. Ili
I, omniscieni spirit is expected TO knoc
= when the latter is mentioned. 80 Of u
question: they are s"ggestire Or aAe'
I aa,it~-so to speak. Ibi, part a ih
r business is very simple bas Why 'hre
o ladies should be necessary TO the pu
1 ting Of the questions, and the undel
i standing Of the knocks. is what pass
z our own simplicity. il puts US in min
2 Of the huge man who required five q
n dinary mor,als to hold hun in ccmuic
8 conversa,ion.
o In the case We menlion. the gbos
. opened With a serie. Of ,humis, Al
J. getting along merrily, when one OF 1t
sharp genilsu,en suddenly thrust his j
K aui.iiosial head uuder ,h. ,abie--a no
C of interrogation in each eye, and Ii
y ten,ng devil in each car! Tho sp'ri
9, Immediately stopped they we're d.
l. cus,ed with such behavior, and icll bs'
,e upon condition of siicace. The
,e was some difficulty here but the go
le people who had paid their dollars to be
" "knocls,"--said this man had no rig
IL 10 antvnt the spirits, and 20 his he
T. was kept above Loard, Penorcs. T
- narrsior here put some qsesstons,
ri which the snswcrs we're no answcss
A. all Y.iiing In the matter, the eid'
" lady assured the bs&,ed iuterrosai
ss shsi he ksd guardian ansch in he ros
--(csr Of them-which eoas0sed him
n lissie snAer his disappointment.
Ne She theu asked II asyhcdy prese
q. hzd frwsds iost u s<z- ODe had, =