The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1850-07-12

Visit OF Captain Try nders 20 the Rochester
Knockings.

siR--Iiasipg attended several exhibitions of the
Rochester Ladies and their mysterious knockings,
send you the suit Of the investigation and
of the given TO questions while present..
Ifyou think il sufficiently interesting you can pub
lsh it, WAS induced to visit them more from curl
osty than any OF her motive, or perhaps like many
others from desire to detect what believed hum
bug or imposition upon the credulity oftho public
generally was accompanied by friend, who made It
HE particular business TO watch every movement of
the lad.s and other persons in or about the room,
while was IN conversation with them or nerrogatiny
the Spirits and although great many wiseacres
have pretended that they have discovered human
agency ia The production OF these mysterious sounds
aDf eousin between The ladies with other persons
will csndidy state that although believe all the
not been ahlr to detect 10 The Slightest degree any
thing like cusiou between the ladies themselves, or
conn. cton with other persons have ever seen
them discopcrrted by any OF the many absurd and
complicated questions which have been put to them.
III Others bav discovered detected the trick they
sometime call it, why do they not inform the public in
what mar III, mposlious are SO successfully prac
would Ia considered u my duty TO expose them aud
am the public will be obliged to any person
who will publish AN exposition of the whole m after
am nee TO acknowledge that after all have wit
messed OF their mysterious knockings and their most
singulsr faculty answering majority of questions
with astonishing accuracy have not in the least
changed my opinions, or for moment doubted that
that either ol ctricy ventiloquism the agent
employed in producing the sounds; but this is only
my belief. which may be based upon false theory.
cannot positively assert that the sounds produced
by buntn agency, however strong my belief AMI
irresisibl. my own conclusions may be-. have con-
verted with many who have witnessed these mysteri-
ous operations aud they all appear to be asto
nished at The mysterious knockings than at the an
so with me 1 can readily believe that human in
geputy in this age Of wonderful discoveries andinven
tone, achieve almost anyt hing which would seem
impossible TO the uninitiated but the which
have been given TO questions put in the most varied
and complicated forms, have been positive, definite
and corr, ct that they appear mysterious to
than EVIL the knochpgs. The most profound guesser
that came from the land of wooden nutmegs
would not bar decent comparison with these In.
visible knockers in answering questions. And yet
upon some questions which have been put In
plain, straightforward manner they have given
answers very wide of the truth-and there's
sns ehe ". can sis sss and SGr
give the came correct answers to twenty quss-
tons IL the spirits give correct information about
deceased brother they ought to be able to give the
informs Of deceased sister II they tell
the age of deceased friend the disease Of which he
died, and he number of years since his death, they
certainly could give the correct to ques
tioHs upon similar subjects but this they sometimes
fail to do and these discrepancies In their answers Is
a most powerful (and In my mind aconclnsive) argu-
ment sgsintt the belief In supernatural agency in
answering questions. Leaving all to draw their own
conclusions about this matter, will say for myself
that cannot conjecture how they can possibly
give many definite and accurate answers to the
great majority OF questions which are daily put to
them and as Horn the inimitable Ethiopian delinea
ter, would raw = guv il up" have observed during
my visits that persons go there with the deter
mnation to set every Thing down wrong, whether an
have every thing correct, If answered ever
80 wide of truth This Is u ir on both sidss-let
their be fairly given as the spirit indicates
and then every one can draw their own copclusions
from the r,.ults paid little attention to such ex
tremes eitI- de ] shall give an impartial state
ment Of such answers 70 0uestions as were fairly
put and d. nctly au.arred, whether right or
wrong. The most cou-Jmmate ignoramus may
pronounce everything o. humbug which is be-
You'd the reach OF his shallow comprehension,
and there are men OF intehgenee who declam
this kind, rronouncing it all humbug, while their
minds in unpessen Mt state OF doubtfuluess
fb.v suIis ftevd mt TIA tn
,depounce n u hunbug before the world
So much for the puolic aud private opinions OF men
who talk for BuncOube; would be willing to pay
small sum. to have for publication the honest and
truthful feelings and opinions of all persons who have
mysterious operations. 1 am certain such private
opinions would form umusing contrast with their
believe this from admissions made to me in private
converstons by gentlemen. who said to me- (in dis
putting with th.m) that nothing short Of q super
natural agency could account Tor the wonderful de-
velop' ,pts they had witnessed have since learned
mstter a gross hunbug, which could easily be- de-
tectsd DO not pretend to deny that IL Is all the
work of human ingenuity but II certainly is not easily
detected or some person would have exposed II before
this time 1 acknowledge the corn fairly; i cannot
fathom the mystery; and can only say that IL these
ladies do humbug the public, they do II in the
moet sgr,eab., Ingenious. and amusing manner
and thai thy better calculated TO deceive the pub
lie than any persons haye ever met with. Mrs Fish,
the eldest Is agreeable and intelligent lady and
profound iessoner upon the subject of the influences
and sympathies the spirits Of our departed friends
and the bject Of their mission amongst st this
time Margaret Is about sixteen, and Cstharine the
youngest about fourteen years Of age they are both
pleasant and Ingenious young ladies' and appear to
De the perfection Of simplicity and srtlessness, at
least a. much so as Intelligent and beautiful young
ladies can be IL they humbug you, they do it in tho
most amusing and agreeable manner aud IL l. well
worth hve dollars instead Of one TO witness their
peror tact in eonfoundins all attempts TO dsconcert
ca detect the m besides experiencing the pleading i'm
prsssiops they leave upon every nnprejudioed mind
VIII now give brief sketch OF the manner OF put
ting qusttons and obtaining answers likewise tho
Quotations which were put In my presence, aud the
given II must be remembered that the ladies'
do not pretend 70 answer any other than ordinary
questions nor de they pretend 70 exercise controlling
Influence the spirir but they will assist you in
Prsuadipg the spirits 20 answer your questions. It,
however sometimes happens that the spirits prove
Of the ladies' indeed, there persons to when
the spirits viii not condescend to give single
rap There are slso individuals with whom they
will not. personally, hold conversation, but win
snlwcr their questions through second person This
a. In my opinion. the best way to put questions as
another per, putin the question you no,
beco likely TO give an indication whether the qdestons
feels interested In the aud who would hsvsa
kpoviedee OF the truth or ialsity OF the answers.
knock upon the table when requested, two distinct
knocks, which 10 an Affirmative answer. You must
ak, In audible voice, viii the spirit with
me or have a guardian sprit here nyou receive
two knocks upon the table thr floor, yse,
and then the spirts viii converss With you IL some
times hsp;sns that when the question is asked II the
sprits will converse with you, thai several rsps will
be given which 10 indication that several spirits
lect the most agreeable either The spirit OF your
deceased brother or sister II you prefer (~hieh Il
seldom the easel the spirit u deceased wife. 1t will
be necesfsry TOR you TO Der that too raps dis
tlncty 4 Affirmative OF any question put In
The proper way but many questions are put by per-
sons IN such unnteliigible manner that am not
az all .urprised at the occsso nal mistakes which
and then occur and which often provoke the spirits
20 such degree, that they Will sot answer question
evs Dor the Rochester ladies themselves. When this
hsppeps, We are obliged To content ourselves with
sosnds or they will sometimes play us TUNE TO make
mp for lost time, which e very Mind of tho spirits TO
say the least Of them Having aven . brief view OF \
the Of yereinC with he apirtts viii pox
give impartial account Of What Ithossht and
heard 10 the best Of knowledre aud belief trusting
that due allowance will be made for the excitement
naturally produced by tbese extraordinary perform
aud their consequent effect upon Of deli
aud the especially While in the pre-
-sence u several interesting and beautiful ladies.