Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1859-05-06
A Spiritual Contest.

A Spiritual Contest.
The Boston Courier speaks as follows
Of recent trial of skill between Mr.. BLY,,
a famous MEDIUM Detective" and Mrs.
Coan, one Of the most distinguished me-
diums in the country, in Boston. last
week.
The announcement that Mrs. Coan.
"the celebrated rapping Test Medium
and Mr.. BLY,, the detective Medium"
were 10 meet for a trial Of skill at the
Melodeon last night, drew together
large audience. At eight o'clock Mr..
BLY, appeared upon the platform and
addressed the multitude, saying he be-
lieved that all the manifestations usual
y attributed to the influence Of spirits
we're caused consciously or unconscious
ly, by the "mediums' themselves-that
he had been referred to Mrs. Coan as one
Of the most prominent and respectable Of
her class-that he had held ar interview
with her-and that she had consented to
meet him. snd to try her powers in the
production of the manifestations referred
to. When she had concluded her exper
iments, he should perform the same feats,
and, as he expected, more satisfactorily.
He then retired, and Mrs. Coan made
her appearance. She stated to the au
dlence that her manifest ations" might or
nigh, not be produced by departed spir-
iii; if they We're so made, they would be
done better than Mr.. BLY, could d, them;
that she desired to have a committee of
three fair persons chosen by the Assem- :
bly,, and Il. at if they, after comparing the
results of the evenings experiments
should decide that her efforts were less
successful than those Of Mr.. Bly,, she
should be willing to renounce her belief
in the theory of spirtism.
The committee was chosen after some
delay, consisting Of three persons. each
declaring that while he was no spiritual
ist he had no strong prejudice or bias
either for or against the doctrine to be
tested.
The ballot test was the one appli, d.
and. first, the committee wrote on slips
of paper the names of some deceased
friends or acquain'ances, folded the slips
carefully, and laid them before Mrs. Co
an. She commenced her manife stations
by asking Of the table if any spirits were
present, to which question she gained a
response of three raps. Then. inclining
her ear towards the place whence came
the sound, she inquired if the spirits
would inform her as t. the name in :
scribed on any Of the slips of paper; 81
lence. sisnifying refusal. followed. A
second lot of ball>ts were prepared. and
the same result followed similar opera
ticns. Then papers were circulated
among the audience and large numbe.
Of names were written. The ballots once
more prepared, the spirits condescended
to write the name contained in one OF
them. The slip of paper was then un,
folded, and the name there inscribed was
seen to be the same as the one written
BY the spirit. 1t was unfortunate that
the paper on which it was written. though
apparently similar to that furnished by
Mrs. Coan, and used by the commit tee,
was yet good deal crumpled and worn,
as if it had been carried in pocket. and
that the person who wrote tho name
could not be found in the house. Again
the three raps were heard, as Mis-. Coan
took in her hand the ballots, one by one,
and another name was written, and writ.
ten correctly; this time the writer was
found and proved to be lady. addicted
to spirisism. who said she was quite un-
acq tainted with Mrs. Cosn. but who
had prepared her ballot at home and
brought it with her. for what reason il
was not stated. So far the experiments
were not entirely satisfactory. 1t was
then agreed that the b.llo.s should be
carefully folded. and enclosed in outside
wra appers; this was done while Mrs. Co.
an left the stage; when she returned and
asked the spirits 70 wrte aaothcr name.
they with one consent. = fused. Shs