The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-01-24
Prom the New York Despatch .
The "Spirits" on their Muscle.

enport Family, at 1876 Broadway, in compa-
ny with sixteen other members of the press.
None others were admitted, and we were all
present, by special invitation extended to
the press, to test the so.called esprit mani
festations," which we did, to the best of our
ability. We propose to briefly state what
was done by the "invisible powers" and by
ourselves.
At first, we were told by Mr.. Davenport
and his agent, Mr.. Coles, that the reason, as
given Ivy the "spirts," why the manifesto
tons could not be produced by daylight or
gaslight, was two-fold- first, the well-known
chemical effect of light, as illustrated in tax.
ing the daguerrotype; second, the coEcen-
tration of the sight of the excited spectators
at the point of manifestation, has such pos
tive and magnetic effect as to dispense the
ETHEREAL medium, or PARTICLES of matter,
through which the "sprits'' operate. But
they said the "spirits" sometimes gave very
good manifestations by light, and we would
therefore begin with a eight CIRCLE" So a
common extension table. which we all ex-
amined, was drawn out, and nine of US, be-
sides the mediums, were seated round it
A small opening was made at the window,
by drawing aside the curtain, which gave us
dim twilight, SO that we could distinctly
see each other, and detect the slightest mo-
ton OF any one of our number. A guitar, a
banJo, tambourine, bell, violin and
trumpet were placed under the table, against
which we all sat so as to touch the chest
We all took hold of hands, resting them on
the table, drew our feet under our chairs. as
did the mediums, and then touched our knees
together all round, so that we could detect
any motion of our neighhor's legs on either
side. 1t will be seen there were four of our
number thus in contact with the two boy
mediums, at the hands and at the knees
One end of the table was left yacant-tbat is
no one sat at it. We were cautioned to
keep silence, when all the rest retired from
the room, at the usual entrance. And, we
will add, that all Of U.s., previous to sitting
down, carefully examined the room--saw
that the doors were bolted. the windows se-
cure, and that there were no traps or trap
pings. nor any one concealed in it.
Soon. a slight vibration of the guitar or
banjo was heard; then kind ofrattling, and
sound resembling the drawing of some.
thing along the floor by rat. These gradu.
ally grow louder and frequent, till the bell be.
gan otring and nearly or quite all the instru-
ments seemed to be in motion. We distinct.
ly heard the keys snap. and the strings vi.
brate as if some one were turning them up.
The tambourine was shook and beaten. the
tpumpet danced, and the instruments thump.
ed against the table and the knees of the com.
pany. Then the guitar was repeatedly poked
out from under the vacant end of the table,
so that half of the body was distinctly visible
to all This was done repeatedly; and the
gentleman sitting nearest to it, took hold of
it, when it was drawn back with force
which he said made it difficult for him to re-
tain his hold. The necks of the stringed
instruments were poked up in sight between
the different members of the company, and
we personally, as we'll as others, put our
hand under the table and had different in.
struments placed in it. Raps, ola peculiar
sound, were heard on the table, of various
points, and at various times, and BY means
OF these and the alphabet, 1aaay questions
asked by the company and the mediums were
answered. After thus satisfying ourselves
that none ofthese things were performed by
the physical power of the mediums, nor Of
any ofthe company, we broke up the circle
and prepared for dark sitting. We ex.
aNiped the carpet under the table, but could
discover no cut in it, nor any indication of o
trap door. There was no mach inery, no,
any indication machinery, about the table.
For the dark circle, all the leaves of the
table but one, which was left in the centre
were taken out. 1t was then closed up,
showed into the centre Of the room, and the
two boys seated at it, facing each other
We had our choice,to lock Mr.. Davenport
and MIR. Coles out of the room, leaving us a.
lone with the boys, or to keep them in, and
place guard over them. Preferring to
know where they were, we kept them in the
room, and took turns, two by two, in hold.
ing them when the light was extinguished
often making them speak, SO that all NIGH
know they were safe in their allotted places
Before the light was extingaished, the
strings we're observed 10 be pulled out oil
the guitars lyiag on the table. Having ta.
ken fair survey of everything, we all took
our seats back against the wall, some on
each side of the room, and took hold OIL
hands, SO that no one could get up and play
tricks without the concurrence of those sit.
ting on his right and left. We did this, mol
because doubling the honesty Of any Of our
own number, but to make ourselves positive
sly sure, as fas as possible. The light was
then turned of. Soon the instruments were
sounded. the bell rang, &c. We also heard
what we all conceived to be the stringing
up and tuning Of the guitar A light was
called for, By means of the alphabet; andon
examination, we found that. amid the shlack-
ness of darkness which filled the room, the
guitar had absolutely been striang up, within