Weekly national intelligencer., 1853-01-15
RAPPINGs, INSANITY, AND SUICIDE.
FROM THE sxw YORK EVENING MIRROR.

EVENING MIRROR.
Our morning contemporaries largely occupied with
the testimony taken before the Coroner Jury yesterday
in the of Martin Langdon, whose death by suicide
Monday week. has been already chroncled The prin-
cpal witness the wife the deceased who testified
that he had not been well for three four weeks pre-
vousy his illness arising chiefly from pain and disorder
in the head, brought by mental excitement first
caused and afterwards kept up by his introduction and
connc1on with certain circles Of rappers in this city
The deceased printer by profession and up the
time he became deuded by the roppers was strong
minded He had, prior to his acquaintance with these
rappng humbugs lost child circumstance which ap-
to have been turned to great by the opera
tors his creduity. We extract paragraph from Mrs
Langdon's testimony
For the last ten months the deceased has been con-
stany reading what he called spiritual papers he read
the Spiritual Telegraph, and also the Mountain Cove
Journals the first paper is published in this city, the
Journal is published believe in Lafayette county vir
gnia he did belong to the Methodist church. but since
he began to read these particular papers his mind seemed
wholly absorbed in them he in the habit OF going
attend the spiritual circles in New York for the last
months for three four weeks previous to his decease
he the circles very frequently during this latter
period he visited them twice week circle meeting
held at Mrs Fishs in Seventh avenue, another
at Mrs Clacklsys in Sixth avenue another Mrs
Rikers in Tenth avenue; all of these ladies have hus
bands living; my husband told me that at Mrs. Fishs
circle each person attending the meeting paid one dollar
= n
each night Of meeting
Mrs. Langdon goes on to say that she induced to
attend of these rappng meetings where she
husband magnetised, and adds:
81 then away, for frightened; after got into
the street. he he deccased said his head felt very bad
made afraid that Mrs. Cackley said there were so
spirits in the she said that when her hand moved
the spirits that moved it, straight home
Csckley told the company that she medium and
the spirits manifested themselves through her. About
weeks previous this meeting the told that Mrs.
Cackley and Mrs Riker said he should st
ut his own house night and this would prepare him
become seeing medium he did nearly night
he would not allow speak to him during this time did
not do but minded my work. he pursued this until
within three four days Of the time which he his
throat"
TO the stand is but continuation of the picture Of deusos
and nfatuaton by which victim has been hurried
violently from the world TO bear witness trust In
soberer realm, against the and cdesroyng
list Of unarcs suicides caused by the rappng
hundreds the victims being in the main persons Of peculiar
and i'll balanced organizations with cracked brains and
troubled with disorders the sort Of people
who commissions at mpmeengs and be
verted every week in the year by ranting revival
In deciding that his death consequence
Of these appings the cooner jury recommended that the
which he had attended be end to by the grand
jury.
we doubt If this is the way reach the evil Beyond
question the internal rappngs make lunacs and do
but the thing largely done BY various religious excite
ments here and there During the reign Of Merism our
asyums eemng with craxed by ridiculous
idea hundreds Of might be cited year OF
settled and suicide in consequences OF the
mind on religious or spiritual topics,
The death Of THOMAS s. HAnBLrs, the proprietor Of
the Bowery Theatre, New York. his residence
about hapast 10 o'clock Saturday night from brain
fever which attacked him on Monday. The announce
men of the event made from the stre of the theatre
during the performance, when the curtain st once