Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-06-16
Seeing without Ewes. ,

BY bills posted about town, we see that
Mr.. and Mrs. Loomis, from Philadelphia,
accompanied by their daughter, Miss Mar
tha Loomis, an independent Clairvoyant
are to give an entertainment at the Disci-
ple's Church this evening. Miss L., while
in the mesmeric state, with her eyes closely
bandagsd, sees to read letters and written
instruments, though enclosed within envel-
opes and their contents unknown to any one
present, to tell the time of day, to describe
persons in the room, denoting their dress,
&C., &c. During the past week she has
been astonishing the people of Cleveland
with an exhibition of her wonderful power.
At one of these exhibitions committee from
among the by-standers was chosen, who
made the following report, which we find
published in the Herald: Es.. IL
INDEPENDENT CLA1RvoYANcE. IT h g
undersigned, Committee appointed by
the meeting at Empire Hall, Saturday
evening, June 7th, TO scrutinize and test
| the experiments in independent clairvoy-
ance, to be gwen by Miss MARTHA Looms,
and who were by vote of the meeting in>
| structed to report the result in writing,
would say
That after Miss Loomis had been thrown
| into the mesmeric sleep, by her father, he
| retired from the stage and preserved entire
silence until the experiments were ended.
The Committee then proceeded to band.
age the eyes Of the clairvoyant in the fol.
lowing manner: A silk glove partially
folded, (the enos hanging down )was placed
in the socket Of each eye. Over and
round these handkerchief, with folds
about four inches in width was tightly
drawn, below the nose and around the ends
Of the gloves tape was tied, and also
around and near the upper edge of the
handkerchief, about one inch above the
eyebrows. In this condition she was ex-
amined by the committee, who are unani'
mously Of the opinion that it was perfectly
impossible for her to see with her eyes,
The following among other experiments
were then given. She read with perfect
accuracy, paragraphs in newspapers; tele-
graphic dispatches; notes in writing;
business cards; denomination and names oi
bank notes; and in short everything that
was given her. She told the color Of the
cards, one being green and the type with
! which another was printed red-the latter,
, the business card Of New York House
She told the time by two watches (varyine
few minutes) with perfect accuracy
She described the dress and appearance oi
various persons in the audience with exac
} minuteness. In short in every experimen
she was entirely successful.
The Committee. then again examined
, the bandages and found them in no way
, changed. They were then removed; Mr.
Loomis came forward and by few passe
restored the young lady to her natura
' state.
5 In reading, Miss Loomis placed the oh
!. jects above the eye e-brows, and about hal
or three -fourlhs of on inch from the fore
head.
J. In describing persons she lowered he
r head until the eye brows we're about in
). line with the upper part of the body OF tn
! person described.
We offer no explanation ofthese remark
' able phenomenon. We have stated IN
+ simple facts, and in reference TO these ther
. can be no dispute.
Nj. C. YOUNGLOVE, !
e 81 WILLIAM SLADE Jr. Com
THOMAS BROWN, ~
o' SAM'L. G. ARMOR,
Cleveland, June O, 1851. '