The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1858-12-30


George p Paine, the Spiritual Ned
isns, admits that he is "a hsna5qsg-
The srazor strop man" IN circle
hoso the p'seaonae,aas soere produced.
For long time Mr.. George p. Paine,
of Worcester, Mass, has been known
as powerful physical medium" and
his achievements in the line Of table
moving have converted hundreds of
people to Spiritualism, and been argu-
ments in the mouth of its believers.
His demonstrations were not in the
dark, like those of the Davenport boys,
but under full blaze of gas, or in
broad daylight. He has made tables
move apparently without human con-
tact, to the comfort OF believers and
the confounding of skeptics.
The Worcester Spy, of the goth of
October, contained an account of one
of his exhibitions, in which the table
was SO moved, and yankee Doodle"
raped on it in good style, in time with
the whistling of gentleman present
From time to time ''reliable mediums"
saw spirits lowering round Mr.. Paine,
and he was in fair way of becoming
lion among the Spiritualists.
Recently Mr.. Paine came to this
city, mainly for the purpose of con-
vincing Mr.. Coles, Il former medium,
who has recently concluded that physi-
cal manifestations are humbug. For
this purpose circle was held in Mr..
Paine's rooms, and Coles, with several
others, attended and were unable to
detect any deception. At second in
terview, however, he, with Mr.. Henry
Smith, the ''Razor Strop Man," and
Mr.. Henry Waters, of Worcester, de-
termlned to sift the matter to the bot.
tom. Mr.. Paine, on being requested to
change the position of the table, re-
fused, alleging that it would destroy
the conditions"
AT last a small hole in the floor, and
rentin the carpet was discovered in
proximity with the table legs. The
three gentlemen named proposed to
take up the carpet; but Mr.. Paine de.
INJURED and requested them to call the
next day. Mr.. Coles and his associ-
ates, however, determined not to yield
the point, and gave Mr.. Paine clearly
to understand that they would not
leave the room until they had taken up
the carpet.
Mr.. Paine finding that he could not
stave off the examination, finally ac-
knowledged that the whole thing was a
fraud; that he had cheated, not only
on this occasion, but from the begin.
ming; his wife and his most intimate
friends, as well as his numerous con.
verts having been the dupes of his pre-
meditated deception.
Mr.. Coles stated these facts in tho
Spiritual Conference on "Wednesday
evening, in the presence of Mr.. Paine
and, after he had concluded, the bogus
medium got up, publicly acknowledged
the fraud, and defended 1t on the ground
that the end justifies the means. He
believed that the great share of the re-
A., puted spiritual phenomena is sham, al
though he is of opinion that some Of
them are real. He stood commended
to his own conscience, and counted il
among his treasures in heaven that he
had charged nothing, although small
presents had from time to time fiowr
into his earthly Golfers; his labor ha6
been one of love. lie had resorted tt
deception in order to meet deception
and ultimately expose it.
Having defended his course, Mr.. p
exhibited a small piece of No. 2 wire
as the veritable apparatus by which
he had moved tables and converted
hundreds to Spiritualism.