The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-28

The DARK DAYscF 1S55-SPIRITUAIrsM AND
THE MURDER 'CAEENDAR--There is net much
doubt that in point of morals ct the North and
East we are retrogradiDg. We build great
clippers and astonishing bridges, but in the
arts we are behind the old Greeks in the
gyaces We sadly need missionaries; wild In
dian ia more polite, more generous, more civil
lizcd than many New York politician in
morals we have examples Of deformity almost
as gross as those of the lowest South See Island
ers; and futare historians will write that we
arc more ssperstitious and bigotted than the
most insane worshipper Of Brahma--the most
profound aevotee of Johanna Southcote, or the
most ardent disciple of witch hanging, Quaker
| whipping Cotton Mather.
The criminal calendar Of eighteen hundred
and fifty five will substantiate great deal of
what we have said. The Mormons at Utah
| the Free Lovers in New York aud Wisconsin
the insane asylums filed with mauiacs on the
| subject of spiritualism-the general tenden-
dency on the part Of large portion Of our
infatuated people to run after any thing that
is new, however absurd it may be, and the
readiness of certain presses, such as the Tri-
| Iune to sustain novel doctrines without any
regard to their foundation or tendency, is fur
Their evidence that, although we may be 'smart
people in the making of revolvers and patent
| pitchforks, we are in some respects the great
est mass of fools that ever lived in any age Of
! the world
| There is NO. so much talk nowadays about
the spiritual humbug; but we hear OF it fire.
quently through its effects. About four months
ago Kentuckian, who had emigrated to Cali
fornia, became impressed with the ided that he
was a medium. He was person of fair cha
racter, respectable connections, and some edu-
cation lie took up the doctrine Of "aAinities"
and formed a connection with young woman,
(also partially insane on the subject of spirit
ualism,) whom he afterwards murdered He was
executed, after having made full confession.
In Paris, recently, we hear OF the death of one
Of the most notorious of New York courtezans
No turnout on Broadway equalled her's--no
liveries were more tasteful--no horses more
spirited-no coupe more neat and distinga9. Her
house was the resort Of statesmen, politicians,
merchants, and all sorts of people. She was
as notorious as Broadway itself.
After numerous adventures, which we shall
not DETAIL this woman formed the acauain-
lance of q shrewl old French woman who pre-
tended to be spiritual medium. The courte-
ian got up "circles'' at her house, which
we're attended by numerous respectable PEG.
pie, SO called. She was pronounced q
"sceing medium" and strange things
we're said to transpire in mysterious
room which was reserved entirely for the
"circle." The chief priestess was the old
French woman, who persuaded the usually
quick witted courtezsn that she nigh. thus
obtain title OF nobility. The spirits had iu-
formed the old woman that barber near Bond
street the old woman's reputcd heir,) was an
illegitimste son Of the King OF Denmark. Tae
courtezen believed this story. and married the
barber. She sold all her property, amounting
to twenty thousand dollars or more, and then
went abroad TO look for the large titIc and
estates which her husband was to have as the
gilt of his Majesty of Denmark. The party
went to Hamburg where the poor deuded
victim was persuaded by the "spirits' that
che was encieiae, and that the King would settle
q large sum on her child and make her a
countess She believed everything and on!y
awoke from her dreams when her new husband
walked off with all her funds, leaving her
entirely destitute, in debt, and in a foreign
land. The remainder of the story is not quite
clear, but it is stated that the deserted womin
found her way to Paris, and there died mser-
ably in public hospital.
We might multiply these cases to an almost
indefinite extent There is not an insane asy-
lum in the country that does not contain one
or more victims of this delusion, and their
insanity is generally incurable. In New Ia
ven, Connecticut, last week, o most horrible
murder was committed by the dupes of an old
woman, who prcteDds that she is one raised
from the dead, and who hssquite q large circle
Of followers. The scene was more horrible
than any that tfanspired ia Massachusetts,
during the dark days of the Salem witchcraft
delusion. A man named Mathews, it seems,
was blndfolded, bound and murdered by the
New Haven maniacs, on the ground that
he was possessed by On evil spirit that
must be cast out. His sister blindfolded
him and tied his hands. One woman
testified at the inquest that she be-
lieved in the divinity Of Mrs. Wakemln,
the Trophetess) II believe" said this wit
ness, Abigail Stables by name, CHAT Judgment
would come ii Mrs. Wakeman should die; Ma
thews (ihe dead man) was driving away her
spirit with his evil powers" She also swore
that Mathews tasted three days in order to
siarvc ont the evil spirit 1t further appeared
that the murdered man was persuaded that IL
he offered himself up IA a sacrifice the Mile
mum would come, and that he consented. He
was frat knocked down with n cllb, his skull
fractured, and his throat cat. Ten o. twelve
people were in the house they all heard his
cries, but made no efforts TO help him. All
this trapspired in the nineteenth century, in