Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-05-23
snirit Rappinga one Hundred years Ago.

Spirit Rappings one Hundred Years Ago.
The Ohio Slate Journal has been furnished with
| a copy of The Gentleman's Magazine and Hstor
lical Chronicle, for the year 1852, and wliichwas
Unpublished in London by D. Henry. In the num-
er "wednesday, January 18th, is the following
narrative, which shows that the idea ofispirits
commu nicating by,raps is not discovery ofthis
century.
Iii proper 10 observe, says the Journal, that
the next number of the Magazine contains an ex-
posure of the impesture. The spirit had agreed
to communicate at certain time, and several per-
sons had attended to witness the manifestation.
They found the girl in bed they required her to
hold her hands out OF bed. From that time, though
the spirit was solemnly called and duly admonsh-
ed, signs by knocks, scratches, &C., of its pres
ence could be procured. Itwas regarded as an
imposture and 50 reported. But to the narratives:
,.os fWEpsEsDAr, IS.
Between the hours OF II and II at night gen.
tleman was sent for to the house of one Parsons,
officiating parish clerkof ST. Sepulchre, in Cock
lane, near West Smithield, to be witness to the
noises and other extraordinary circumstances at
tending the supposed presence of spirit, that for
these two years past has been heard in the night,
to the great terror of the family. To throw some
light upon this very mysterious affair, shall be-
corner, published January %, the substance of
which IS as follows:
That IN 1853 one Mr.. K. employed an agent to
carry letter to young gentlewoman of reputa-
bic family in Norfolk, and to bring her up to Lon
don in a post chaise il she would be willing to
come; that she did not come, but Mr.. King being
Mt Greenwich, abe followed hun there directly,
and was received by him. after journey of 100
miles, performed in one day, with much tenderness.
After some short stay at Greenwich, where it was
thought necessary she should make will in his
favor, she was removed to a lodging near the
Mansion House; from thence 10 lodgings behind
st. Sepulchres church, and lastly, TO house in
Bartlett court, in the parish of Clerkenwel. Here
in 1760 she was taken i'll of the small pox, and on
or about the 3lst of January, her sister, who lived
reputably in Pail Mall, was first made acquainted
with her illness and place of residence, and being
oyeroyed to hear of her, went Immediately to see
her, and found her IN riway of doing WE'LL.
Next day she sent 10 her and received a favorable
| account of her; but ON the morning following word
was brought that her sister was dead. She died
February 1850, and was buried two or three days
after at the church of ST. John, Clerkenwell. her
sister attending the funeral who was surprised at
| not seeing plate on the collin, and expressed
that surprise to Mr.. Brown after the funeral was
over, 1amenting, at the same time, that she had
not been permitted to see her sisters corpse, the
coffin being screwed down before she came. She
added that K. had married one of her sisters and
had ruined the other, who was buried by the uame
Oh, as appears by the parish register. BY
the will already nentoned,5 K. had availed him
self of her fortune 10 the prejudice of her brother
and sisters, who lived nperiect harmony until
this unhappy affair happened. Such is the
count given by Mr.. Brown, of Amen corner. A
worthy clergyman, however, who attended her
several times and who administered to her the
last comforts of his junction, declares that tile
small pox with which she was seized was of the
continent sort; and that the gentlemen of the fac
ulty who attended her had pronounced herirrecoY-
erable some days before her death. y.
lis, however, the ghost of this person that
1aln f0 If
child about IL years old, who lay with the decas-
ed in the absence of hersupposed husband, when
hewa in the country alta wedding about two
| years ago, and thenitwas that the knocking was
rst heard, to the great terror of this child; she
frequently crying out that she might not be taken
away, Soon after this woman died, whose appa
rition is now supposed to appear the same child,
and in answer to the question put TO her on
Tuesday night, What was the occasion of the first
knocking, &C., before she died2 answered, That
it was the spirit OF her sister, the first wife of Mr..
X, who was husband TO them both. -
Having now sufficiently prepared the reader, we
shall proceed in our narrative. The gentleman
already said to have been sent for, attend ed, and
found the child in bed, and the spirit being at
hand, several questions were put to it by the
father, which TO avoid REPETITION, we shall relate
hereafter. The gentleman not caring 10 pronounce
too hastily upon what appeared to him extraordi-
nary, got some friends together, among whom were
two or three clergymen, about twenty other per-
sons and two negroes, and sat up another night.
tSSAA'SASh6AAhg
clothes, &C., and being satisfied that there YVES
no visible appearance of deceit, the child, withits
sister, was put INTO bed, which was found to
shake extremely by the gentleman who had pia-
ced himself at the foot of it. - -,
1 Among Others, the following questions were
asked: Whether her disturbance was occasioned
Iby any iil-treatment from K? Yes. Whether
she was brought to an untmely end by poisonI
Yes. In what was the poison administered, beer
or puIlf Purl. How, long before her d. ath
Three hours. Is the person called Carrots able to
|give any information about the poisoni Whether
she was KS wife sister2 Yes. Whethet shs
than X. was concerned in the poisoning? No.
Whether she could yisibly appear 10 any onef
Yes. Whether she would do so? Yes. Whether
she could go out of that house? Yes. Whether
she would follow the child everywhere2 Yes.
i Whether she was pleased in being asked ques-
tions3 Yes. Whether it eased her minds Yes.
/ Here mysterious noise, compared 10 the fut-
tering of wings ronnd the room, was heard. j How
long before her death did she tell Carrots Cher ser
lyants) that she was poisioned? One hour. Here
Carrots, who was admitted to be one of the COM
pany oil Tuesday night, asserted that the gdeceas-
ed had not told SO, she being at that time speech
less.l How long did Carrots live with her2 Three
OF four days. Carrots attested the truth of this
| Whether II the accused should be taken up he
would coniess2 Yes. Whether she should be
| ut ease il the man was hangedl Yes. How long
itweuld be before he would be executed? Three
years. How many clergymen were in the room2
Three. How many negoes? Two Whether she
could distinguish the person of any one in the
Toom7 Yes. vs. neither the color of watch held up
by one ofthe clergywas white2 Answered black.
Crhe watch was in black shaggreen case.) at
| what time she would depart in the moInng2 At
four o. lock. Accordingly at this hour the noise
removed to the tWheatshea6 a public house. at a
distance of ayfewi doors, in the bedchamber of my
landlord and landlady, TO the great alright and
| terror of them both. ~ 80 - Fs.s $50,
Such is the manner Of interrogating the spirit;
the answer is given by knocking or scratching.
An affirmative is one knock; negative two. Dis
pleasure IS expressedby scratching.
As the imposter will probably be soon discover
ed, let this ortdetail suffice to show the tenden