The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-08-29
From the .New York Tribune.
"THE MYSTERIOUS RAPPiNGS.n

chester, after stay here Of some weeks
during which they freely subjected The
mysterious influence by which they seem
TO be accompanied TO every reasonable tes,
and to the keen and critical scrutiny Of the
hundreds who have chosen to visit them OF
whom they have have been invited TO Wis.
1t. The rooms which they occupied at tic
hotel have been repeatedly searched and
scrutinized; they have been taken withou,
an hours notice into houses they have nev
er before entered; they have been all un.
consciously placed on glass surface con-
cealed under the carpet, in order to interrupt
electric vibrations they have been disrobed
by a Committee Of Ladies' appointed with
on, notice, and insisting that neither of them
should leave the room until an investiga.
ton had been made, &c. &c. YET we believe
no one 70 this moment pretends that he has
detected either of them in producing or
causing the 'Rappings,' nor do we think
any OF their contemners has invented a
plausible theory, to account for the produc-
ton of these sounds, nor the singular ii,teFl-
igence which Certainly al times) has seem
ed to be manifested through them.
Some ten or twelve days since, they
gave up their rooms at the hotel, and devoted
the remainder Of their sejaurn here to visit
several families to which they had been in
vited bv persons interested in the subject,
and snhjeciing the singular influence to n
closer and calmer examination than could
be given 10 it at hotel aud before casual
companies Of strangers, drawn together by
vague curiosity, more rational interest, or
predetermined and invincble hostility
Our own dwelling was among those they
thus visited, not merely submitting to but
courting The fullest and keenest enquiry
with regard to the alleged manifestations
from The spiritworld by which they were
attended. We devoted what lime we could
spare from our duties out Of three DAYS to
this subject, and j. would be the basest
not to say that we are convinced
beyond = doubt oftaeir perfect integrity and
good faith IN the premises. Whatever
may be the origin or the cause Of the rap
pings the Indies in whose presence they
pGGpE Do got .make~ them. We tested this
Their conduct and bearing is as unlike
that Of deceivers as possible; and we think
no one acquainted with them could believe
them ut all c'pable Of engaging in SO dar-
ing. impious and shameful juggle as this
would he if they caused the sounds. And
il is not possible that snch jnggie should
have been perpetrated in public yet escape
detection. A juggler performs one feat
quickly and hurrIes on TO another; no does
not devote weeks after weeks to dning the
same thing over and over deliberately, in
fall view Of hundreds who ST, beside or con
fronting him in broad day light, not TO en-
iny bui TO detect his trick. A deceiver
naturally avoids conversation ON the sub
iect Of his knaverv, hut these ladies' con
verse freely and fully with regard to the
origin of these 'Rappings' in their dwelling
Years ago, the various sensations thev
caused, the neighboring excitement created
in the process of the devolopments-wha
they have seen. heard and experienced from
first to last. Ifall were false, they could no,
fail to have involved themselves ere this in
a lab, rinth Of blasting contradictions, as
each separately gives accounts of the most
occurrences at This or that time.
Persons foolish enough so To commit them
selves without reserve or caution could no,
have deferred thorough sell-exposure
single week.
Ofcourse, a variety of opinions of so
strange matter would naturally be formed
by the various persons who have visited
them. and we presume those who have
merely run in to their room for on hour or
so and listened, among huddle Of stran-
gers, TO medley Of questions-not al! ad-
hitting Of very profitable answers-put to
certain invisible in,eligences and answer
ed by 'Rappings' or singular noises on the
floor, table, &C. as the alphabet was called
over or otherwise, would naturally GO away
perhaps puzzled, probably disguised, rarely
convinced. II is hardly possible that a
matter ostensibiy so grave could be present.
ed under circumstances less favorable to
conviction. Bat ofthosc who have enjoyed
proper opportunities for full investigation
we believe that fully three -iourths are con-
viaced, as we are. that these singular sounds
and seeming manifestations are not produc-
ed BY Mrs. Fox and her daughters, nor By
any human being connected with them.
How they are caused, and whence
they proceed arc questions which open
much wider field Of inquiry, with whose
way y.marks we do not profess TO be familiar
He must be well acquainted with the area
pa of the universe who shall presume dog
mntcally todecide that these manifestations
are natural or super natural. The ladies
saw that ,hey are informed that this is bn,
the beginning of a new-era or economy, IN
which spirits clothed in flesh are to be mere
closely and palpably connected with those
which hive pu, on immortali,y-that the
manifestations have already appeared IN
many other families and are destined to be
.,ct:I a II a. n,