Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1855-08-16

playing the violin. The spirits would frequent
y speak and sing through trumpet, respond
to all our questions and give us long address
Of character sublime in the highest degree.
But the most curious phenomenon was the
exhibition Of the spirits hand, the theory Of
which is that the spirit collects and cOnCenlra-
ses the surrounding elements around its hand
until il becomes gross enOugh 10 be pereepti-
bic to our mortal vision.
Spirits they say are possessed Of form and
recognize each other like mortals in this life {.
but our gross visual organs cannot behold them
because Of their highly sublimSted and refined
natures.
There was pencil lying on the table in the
centre of the room, a gentleman placed piece
Of paper on the table, the hand siezed the pen
Gil and wrote a communication in much less
time than any one can read the same number
Of words in print. II was written very plain
ly and duly punctuated. The hand seemed to
move with the rapidity Of Oflightning. The hand
passed around the room and clasped the right
hand Of every one 10 the room.
As to the cause Of the functions Of the hand,
the music, &c, The hypothesis Of its being
all tricksry is out Of the question entirely
The house is a small log cabin, short distance
from Koontz' residence, No garrst or secret
apartments, nor strange machinery except the
Retainer of Electricity, and that looks very
simple; but its operations as 1 have before re-
marked is not understood by any one, moi
even by Koontz himself who by the way is moi
learned man by any means.
Ifit be possible that the manifestations are
humbug,' have every reason to believe
that KOontz is humbugged himself hum
bugged more than any other man in christen
dom, because he has at all times a number o.
visitors lodging with him, annoying him will
a thousand questions and subiecting him
TO a great amount Of trouble. But says one
1T is all money making scheme Not at al
he could make something by charging TO
admission and he would be justi6abe in doinl
so until he is remunerated for his outays
which amount to over two hundred dollars
but be does not charge cent for admission
and, and some do not compensate him even fo
Lodging. So it seems to me it would be specu
lation over the left
To all who may read this communication
l would say, if you should wish to take plea
sure trip, or if business should call you nea
the vicinity Of Koontz's rooms do by al
means visit them-the visit will richly pay.
But there are some who cry 'humbug,' ami
won't investigate. Such there have Away
been, and perhaps always will be,-men who
because they can't comprehend the nature
philosophy, or mOdas Operandi of anything neV
are eternallY bawling 'humbug,' in order t.
rid themselves of the necessity of exploding
the thing by investigation and reason, or els
of acknowledging their ignorance Of its opera
tons, &c. The hue and cry Of 'humbug' won
do If spirit manifestations. as they are term
ed, are all trickery. why has it not long sine
been proven to be SO; II they are explainabl
by natural causes not connected witL the a
gency Of spirits. why has it not been explain
ed? Thousands cly humbug, who have nev
er investigated and declare they will not in
vestigate.
Before Spirit Rappings' we're heard O
many believed that spirits visited our earth
lowered around their friends. and administer
ed consolation in distress Well, the believer
in spiritual communications go but one ste
farther, and say that these spirits which hove
around us can and do converse with thei
friends in this rudmental sphere of existence
J. W.B.