The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1853-02-02

Yours Very truly,
HUDSON.
Spiritual COMMUNICATIONS
ence of Hon. ). Simmons.
The N. Y. Tribune publishes a letter from
Mrs. Sarah Helen Whitman, the poet, of Prov
idence r. l. which gives an account of the singu
lar experience of Hon James F. Simmons, fo mer
iy U. S. Senator, in the matter Of spiritual COM
mun;caiions. We copy from it the following
singular statement:
In the fall of 1850 several messages were tel
egraphed to Mrs. Simmons, through the electric
sound 8, purrorting to come from her step-son,
James D. Simmons, who died some weeks be-
fore in California. The messages were ealcula-
ted to stimulate curiosity, and lead 10 au attentive
observation of the phenomena. Mrs. S. having
heard that messages in the hand writing of the
deceased person. were sometimes written through
the same medium, asked if her son would give
her this evidence of his identity. She was in,
formed, through the sounds, that the attempt
should be made and was directed to place slip
of paper in q certain drawer at the house of the
medium. and to lay beside it her own pencil. which
1OSOocSNAe SSAS
passed, and although frequent inquiries were made
no writing was found on the paper. Mrs. Sim
mons happening to cali at the house day, ac-
companed by her husband, made tine usual nqui
ry, and received the usual answer. The drawer
had been opened not two hours before, and moth
ing in it but the pencil lying on the blank
paper. At the suggestion Of Mrs. s., however,
another investigation was made and on the paper
was now found few penciled hues resembling
the handwriting of the deceased, butnot so close
ly as to satisfy the mothers doubts. Mrs. Sim
mons handed the paper to her husband. He
,honght there was slight resemblance but should
probably not have remarked it Lad the writing
been casually presented to him. Had the sigma
ture been given, he could at once have decided on
the resemblance. He proposed if the spiri of his
son were indeed present, alphabetical commu-
nieations received through the sounds affirmed
him to be. that he should then and there afix his
signature to the suspicious document.
In order to facilitate the operation, Mr.. S. pac-
cd the closed points of a pair oil scissors In the
hand of the medium, and dropped hs peEci
through one of the rings or bows, the paper being
placed beneath. Her hand presently began tu
/ tremble and it was with difficulty thatshe could
retain her hold of the scissors. Mr.. Simmons
then took them into his own hand, and again drop
ped his pencil through The ring. 1t could mol
readilp be sustained in this position. After few
moments, it stood if firmly poised and perfectly
still. It then began slowly to move. Mr.. s. saw
the letters traced beneath his eyes. The w.rd'
JAMES D. SIMMONS were distinctly and deber-
Il n
le ofIis sous signature. But what Mr.. 3. lie
CARDS as the most astonishing part of this Tiracl'
is yet 10 be told.
Bending down to scrutinze the writing NOR,
closely. he obs erved just the last word was fin
ished that the top of the pencil leaned to the right
He thought it was about to slip through the ring
but, to his intimate astonshment, he saw the puin
slide slowly back along the word Simmons till i
rested over the letter 1, where it deliberately i'm
printed dot. This was a punctilio utterly un
thought of by him; he had not noticed the ommiss
ion, and therefore entirely unprepared for the
amendment. He suggested the experiment, ant
hitherto ithad kept pace only with his will or de
sire; but low will those who deny the agency o
| disen.hcdled spirits in these marvels ascribng al
to the blind sc,ion of electricity how will they dis
pose of this last Insignificant and curious fact
The only popularity observable in the writing wal
that the lines seemed sometimes slightly broken al
if the pencil had been fitted and then set dowr
again.
Another circumstanc am permitted TO relate
which is not readily 10 he accounted for on any
other theory than that of spiritual agency. Mr.
S. who had received particulars of his son'
death, until several months after his decease, pro
posing send for his remains, questioned the spir
its as to the manner in which the body had been
disposed of, and received very minute and cir
crmstantial account of the means which had beer
resorted to for its preservation, it being at the
time unbuiied.
| Improbable as some of these statements seem
ed, they were. after an interval of four months
confirmed, as literally true, by gentleman, ther
recently returned from California, who was witt
young Simmons at the period of his death. In
tending soon to return to San Francisco, he calet
on Mr.. Simmons to learn his wishes relative Il
the final depositation of his sons remains.
took down these particulars in writing. by per
mission of Mr. S. during his relation of the fact.
from persons of intelligence and veracty. but the,
could add nothing to the weight of that which
have just reported to you."
Senator Clemens has just received despatcl
} from Key West announcing Mr.. Kings arriva