New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-08-03
DIR. EEL ON SPTRITUALISM


gg Of Insane Hospital superintendent this city, which
nuoh inquiry public and private has been made wll be
IN, a ~ % asossp ar ~ %a,bjns or Of
which no report had been made by eiges Of several
bers They considered that the Whole subject was then 100
immature snd 40 much connected 10 the pu6ic iud with the
than announced generally among the topics discussed by The
cir basis being much in certain do nestle e1pef'
euce-it bought beet 10 present bre summary Of me lead
ing facts aud conclusions. iooSion Noui''i
DR.. Bel commenced by expressing bis surprise in
finding last year that at so large meeting OF persons
whose lives spent in investigating the reciprocal
influences of mind and body, scarcely single member
had given a moments attention TO a topic directly IN
lis path which, whether regarded as merely an ep.
Genie mental delusion, or as new psychoiogIcal
n cnce was producing such momentous effects upon
lie world. 1t was said to number over two mil
lions of believers had an ended Literature, talented
PERIODICAL press III many FORMS and had certainly taken
fast hold on many minds OF soberness ana power. lie
was well aware how easily il turned 10 rlii ule
m that there were many who would be ready TO ask
wien they saw hospital directors seriously discussing
tie spiritual phenomena, gas c@fot'et Psos Gus
tO6CSl
But if there was any class of men who had duties
in this direction il was those of speciality. Our
reports contain the record of many cases OF insani
said to have been produced 10y IT, II was important,
whether true or false mixed that It's precise depth,
length and should be studied out As Is we'll
known mystery always loses its terrific character when
boldly met and opened TO the light of MONDAY
Dr. Bel remarked that on his return home rom our
meeting al Washington he had peculiar wish TO verify
his previous observations what technically kno sn
as the physical manifestations OF this new science lie
could Dot pretend 10 doubt his repeated personal
observations, addressed 10 his sight hearing ana
touch and separated, he believed, from any possl-
biitv OF error or collUslve fraud Yet the ofcr by
Professor Henry, Of a large sum to any person who
would make OF his tables move an the Smithsonian
institution and the obvious increduy of many of the
brethren had induced the desire again to see some
full ard unoQuivocal experiments in table n0rtRg.
An opportunity was not long wanting. Ga The oc-
casion OF the visit OF well known gentleman ion-
connected with the insane, and who never had seen
any of these phenomena at the Asylum, Dr.. Bell IN
Wit, him TO 20 10 family where medium OF consid-
cradle power visiting. The family was one OF the
most respectable of the vicinity the head OF II 9ens
gentleman intTusted with millions OF dollars of other
PEOPLES money, as the financial manager Of large
barking institution lie and his wife mad Tor some
vears been perfectly convinced OF tue spiritual charac
Ter of these manifestations. The medium was young
lady of eighteen or twenty of very slight figure, weigh
ing eighty ninety pounds aud had discovered herself
to be medium while visit to these distant rela-
tives family from character and position more en-
iroly beyond tie suspicion of even wlnking al aayhog
like fraud irTeguOry, does not exist IN the world.
They were 30 fortunate TO find the medium at home,
ard tie circle made OF the i've persons men,
toned The ordinary manifestations OF raps, beating
of musical tunes ana responses 10 mental ahd spoken
| questions, were very completely presented, as
vel as the movemei Is of the table under the mere
contact ofhngtn ends. Finding that things appeared
aNorublc 10 full exhibition OF what ne Wl-utu
10 see as eyirCed by the very ace movements OF the
table under contact, DR.. Bell proposed trying the
grand Htb crUcis OF the ply steal manesta-
uous-thc movement of the table without any human
contact direct or indirect. He permitted to AZ
range hings to suit himself, and began by opening
tie table more widely aud inserting TIVE movable IA Ole
leaves which increased the length from abou; SIX 10
perhaps nine or ten feet This he felt also gave him
6n opportunity 10 aud usse all Yres aud mechan-
ism concealed or az least TO S6r pos lively Gs 20
their neu-t N'siencc. The table solid structure
Of black-walnui, with SIX carved legs-;he whole OF
such a weight that when the cas'ors were oil IN tue
ri bt Ire for motion he could just start II by the full
Grasp OF the thumb and fingers OF both hands.
The rersoIs stood on the SIDES of the table, three
and two. and back from lis edge about eighteen
inches As d.. Bell Is some SIX feet two inches IN
Liaht be aycrred that &c had d.h!c lly in seeag
Ireea tie table and the persons Of al present. Inc
hands we're raised il al about tic same hight Of
foot and half -.
Atarequtst the table commenced i.s mo on, WI D
rnofefctc sutcd occasionally hguug, and tlen gliding
an a foo. or TWO az once. Il seemed IS i It's motion
yould have been continuous, ne hands above L mad
followed along parl P9ss4.
On reacliug The folding doors dividirE on me " D
parors and which oQen, it rose over an ron rod
On Wiich tie door Tu ks trayersed, and wnch p)-
oc.cd half or three quarters Of an inch a'oVe me
level Of the carpet Il then entered the other paror
8uo W,nt Us whole length untI i came near The per
gsss a. lie end--a G, ner table havlnr been pushed
aside by Of the party 70 allow ~ free course.
At request for they during tbs time spoke as u