Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1851-06-19
The Rappers found cut.

II there is no perjury in the following affida-
VT, the facts set forth must be taken, we think
as full explanation of this marvel We find il
IN the Tribune, the editors of which are believ-
ers, and even now seem 10th to give up Ed.
Deposition Of Mrs. Norman Culver, taken al .Ar-
cadIa ". Y, .4puL II, 1851.
| Lam, by marriage, connection of the Fox
girls, their brother married my husbands sister.
The girls have been great deal at my house,
and for about two years was very sincere
believer in the rappings ;but some things which
! saw when was visiting the girls at Roches-
ter, made me suspect chat they were deeelging
] resolved to satisfy myself in some way sand
sometime afterward made proposition To-
Catherine to assist her in producing the mani
festations. | had a cousin visiting me from
Michigan, who was going to consult the spirits,
and told Catherine that if they intended to go
to Detroit, it would be great thing for them to
convince him; also told her, that if could
do anything to help her, would do it cheerfully
that should probably be able to answer all
the questions he would ask, and would do it if
she would tell how she made the raps. She said
as Margaretta was absent, she wanted somebody
to help her, and that if would become a med-
um, she would explain it all to me. She said
that when my cousin consulted the spirits,
must sit next to her, and touch her arm when
the right letter was called. did so, and was
able to answer nearly all the questions directly.
After had helped her in this way few times,
she revealed to me the secret. The raps are
produced with the toes. All the toes are used.
After nearly weeks practice, with Catharine
showing me how, could produce them perfect
ly myself At first it was very hard work to do
it. Catharine told me to warm my feet, or put
them in hot water, aud then it would be easier
work to rap; she said that she sometimes had
to warm her feet three or four times in the course
of an evening. | found that heating my feet
did enable me to rap great deal easier. have
sometimes produced hundred and fifty raps in
succession. can rap with all the toes on both
feet; it is most difficult to rap with the great
toe.
Catharlne told me how to manage to answer
the questions; she said it was generally easy
enough, to answer right if the one who ask
ed the questions called the alphabet; she said
the reason why they asked people to write down
several names on paper, and then point to them
till the spirit raped at the right one, was to give
them chance to watch the countenance and
motions Of the person, and that in that way they
could nearly always guess right She also ex-
planned how they held down and moved tables.
Mrs. Culver gave us some illustrations OF the
trcks-) She told me that all | should have to
do to make the raps heard on the table, would
be to put my foot against the bottom of the table
when raped and that when wished to make
the raps sound distant on the wall, must d.
rect my eyes earnestly to the spot where wish
ed them to be heard She said if could pu
, my foot against the bottom of the door, the rap
would be heard on the top of the door. Catha
, rine told me that when the committee held thei
ankles in Rochester, the Dutch servant giI
I raped with her knuckles, under the floor from
6 the cellar The girl was instructed to rap when
l ever she heard their voices calling the spirts.-
, Catharine showed me the manner in whic the
| made the sounds of saving and planning boards
/ (The whole trick was explained to us.) Whe
, | was at Rochester last January, Margaret
, told me that when people insisted on seeing he
: feet and toes, she could produce few raps wit
her knees and ankles.
: Elizabeth Fish, (Mrs. Fish's daughter,) VIII
: now lives with her father was the first one VIII
produced these raps. She accidentally discoV
q cred how to make them by playing with he
toes while in bed. Catharine told me that til
= reason why Elizabeth went away West to liv
y with her father was because she was too cor
, scientious to become a medium. The whole sc
cret was revealed to me, with the understandn
y that should practice as a medium when tn
girls were away. Calharne said that wheneve
. | practised had better have my little girl at tn
table with me, and make folks, believe that sh
> was the medium, for she said they would nc
y suspect so young child of any trick. After
had obtained the whole secret | plainly tol
Cotharine that my only object was to find out ho'
these tricks were done, and that should nevc
90 any farther in this imposition. Shewa yer
much frightened, and said that she believed tha
I. meant to tell of it, and expose them and if
q did, she would swear it was lie. She was S
% nervous and excited that had 10 sleep with he
l. that night When she was instructing me no
l.. hon r,Oht dpl
v. used to get in New York for fear somebod
Mt would detect them, and gave me the whole hi
,e tory of all the tricks they played upon the PEI
of pie there. She said that once Margaretta spoE
re aloud, and the whole people believed it was
n, spirit. Mas. NORMAN CULVER
k We hereby certify that Mrs. Culver is ore
the most reputable and intelligent ladies in Il
town of Arcadia. We were present when sf
:" made the disclosures contained in the above pt
n per we had heard the same before, and "
lis cheerfully bear testimony that there cannot |
III the slightest doubt of the truth Of the who
statement
G. G. PoMERoY, M. D.
uf Rev. d. S. CHASE.
m, have in my possession other depositions fro
n persons residing in Rochester, who have bee
1y confederates of the Fox girls in the apping bu
he iness, which in due time and form, will be mat
,el public. The reign of these impostors is near
'et at an end, and the few editors who have be-
rel the means of deceivng the public in relation
g their real character, will, trust, have their
To- ward in the deep indignation and scorn of tho
Ire whose credulity has been abused. II. BURR.
i'm Pittsburgh, May 20, 1851.