New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-07-26
GRIMES ON KNOCKlNGS
No. ".

do you account for the phenomena OF the knock
ipps1 First Row are the noises madel Second,
BY what means do they sometimes answer ques-
tior. correctly In regard to the manner in which
the noises are made,
Vovy ,hall We reason but from what we hnowp
We must consider that the very existence OF the
whole deception depends upon the conceaIment OF
the means by which the noises are produced, and
there are, therefore, the strongest possible induce
merits for both collision and ingenuity to avoid ex
posure, especially while the hoax is fruitful
iource of revenue. | have witnessed three exit
billions Of the kLockings, BY three different sets OF
performers and | can speak as witness IN regard
10 tv o of them, that know precisely their minus
oDeraHdi In the trstinstance extorted COMES
sion from the chief SHY and an exposure OF the
conceded machinery. See my lid. letter OF July
O. In the secord case, there was probably no
machinery to expose, but the rapping was so awk.
wnrdly done that no confession was necessary l
actually saw one person rap the table with his ln-
fer when he thought did not notice him
In regard TO the third case at Barnums Hotel
ouly remained about hour TO witness It, bat that
wss quite sufficient TO .sEtisty me-lst That the
roses ore made by means which are conce aled be-
heath the fr0cks Of the performers. %. That sew
ersl peuons who pretend 10 be impartial inqlirors
are employed 81 cOniederates Sd. That they can
produce noises under circumstances Ia which
a
board in my hand they make noise on it.
4th That their whole success depends upon that
reEpect for the female sex which prevents an ex-
animation Of their persons. 9Th. Tnat whenever
they submit to be examined by ladies' they have
ccbiederatee 70 make the noises for them Ia other
pats of the room. 9th. That when they are so rig
idly scrutinized that deception is impossible, the
SPIRITS" refuIe TO rap at all and the company is
told that if they have not gotten their dollars worth
it cannot he helped for the spirits are beyond hu
man control
On the occasion to which refer the ladies' sc at
cd themselves upon the sofa and drew the table 20
ward them one leaned forward upon the table,
with her heels under the sofa another put her feet
and dress in contact with the legs OF the table; a
third sat at the end Of the sofa, free from the table
There now rspping heard. Where or course
il under the sos-ag ainst the table and on the
floor-un6er the ladies' end no where ess. Whsn
the ladies' stood in the floor, Elk feet from the table,
they failed to raise the spirits that could rap the ia
bic or the sofa-yet they raped the hoor coatnu-
ally but al ways under thems elves Surely It needs
no spirit but that Of mechanical ingenuity TO per
form such simple trick successfully, when modes
~ and decency forbid investigation. One young
man. while was present, put bic head under the
table when he heard the noise there, and peePsi
about like Tom OF Coventry with leuda6le de.
sire for information concerning the hidden things Ji
the Spiritual Word. But nis thirst for knowledge
carried hin so far that Mrs Fish turned upon him
and poured fourth torrent OF eloquent indignation,
the energy Of Wb.ch would have done honor " Mrs
Kemble as Lsdy Macbeth
The next question is, by what means do they
answer quesilous correctly | answer, by deny
rg that they answer better han any one else.
TEey never answered me correctly IN a single in
stance But am told that IN some cases they
have answered. truly, when no human being kne|
what answer 10 make. deny thar they have ever
done So except in cases where II can be explained
es an accidental coincidence. Among so ma ~
lie ~ aEp il 4
| ed that they Will occasionally gueBs Alright; any
! shrevd person could do the same. Macy OF the
ouestions are OF such nature that there Is nearly
| as great probsbillty-On tue lottery princlple-h
| guessing right as wrong. l know that they nave
| 0srsded the statements of various persons before
! he public to prove that they have used the al.
| pbabet in their peculiar manner, and actually
speled out the names Of persons known only
tothe in Cuirer o. gentleman declared that be ask
I'd fifty questions, end they were Gil answered COO
| rectly though no one but himself knew anything
| If the matter. Another gentleman Is tod that be
| bss lost so many children, aud their names and
| aee, are given to hm correctly. | can easily ia
derstsud that some honest but credul0us and weak
| minded persons may be led 70 suppose that Mrs.
Fish is a stranger to them and their family affairs.
| bile through her con'ederates she has learner
their whole history, aud Is thus enabled 70 astonsn
them by her spiritual rappings But cannot un'
der,taDd that she can succeed withoutsuch assist
| ance. II any man declares that these women have
| answered bis mental questions, by the alphabet
| correctly without COLLISION or deception do not
hesitate to ssy that he has been hoaxed' or sna'
DC is guilty OF dellberate fAsehOod am sorry
10 say that / have known several persons who
GENERALLY speak the truth but who thought 1t no
ham on this subject 70 astoush their friends with
wonders that had no foundation IN reality. naA'
asoseep many others v hose credulity was prollii
in marvellous stories. They do not mean 10 tell In
furious fasehoods, but they seem incapable OF con
lining themselves b the regions OF reality. /
wish 10 avoid the necessity OF pointing to parIlcu al
rersopsl instances Of Misrepresentation on Thu,
.ntiect and will, therefore, endeavor to acc lm
pish ny object by proposing method oy ~alct
The spirits can be proved to be as deh;lent In per
ccn,ive mowers 81 shy of their cred llOus worship
osr. thus will write down % questions the true
sn.uers 10 which will be yes or no | will number
IL ouestiops and call them by their numbers, ant
= ~ will give three Gurths Of the answers cor
res,ly will engage that they shall receive slOO
AIN | will write down the names Of "a citizen.
a Nev.York and seal the paper, and II they wiz
he the alpb abet, give me one of the names, vii
engage that they shall receive $500
| a.. Pi.h protests that her own mind has nOtn
g.; 40 do with the rsppiug bat that the spirits per
od3ve for themselves, and rap Tor themselves Tue
20 r. surace. Take a door, aud cover It WIZ
: "a and stDfing, and then let the raps o'
$ ta 4 ON ia woody flores, even when sue Is II
Dor,sct uithit: or let me hold PLAIN doot up an'
d "a iet that be raped. Write down list o
. shu Is. snd move your pence, in the usual name
/ Flom one name to another, and let her rap to-
iom az" then place yourself where neither she no
one cen xh: : aud where so y0 %sn
J. - !, xou will not get the same answer You WI
. ca ~, The ,pirits see with mortal eyes whe
Il they see al all j. stanley CRIMES
a P.s-since writing the preceding have been IL
: dncsd to make some experiments which led to t.
o following suggest'ons
o Sound is an effect produced on the mind BY ce
tain vibrations Of the air. When rap Is made al
II ON dog or table the vibration. instead of process