Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1863-10-20

The DAvsxrosr Boys.-Curiositv

The DAvsxPosr Boys.-Curiosity Ie
us Saturday evening TO 60 10 Island Cit
Hall TO witssss the spiritnal manifest,
lions said 70 b Performed 10 the pre-,
ence OF these young men. We euiere
the hall fortified With incredulity, bn
our faith somewhat failed us before tn
tests presented. We were nouplussed
and heard and saw usay woadsrfh
things never dreamed Of" il sny philos
oPby Of which we have any aequaint-
ance OF knowledge.
We cspdidly admit that W do not nm
deEstand the manilestations we witness
ed on the evening ators- aid, aad casso
attsmpt an explanation OF them. The
persoos connected with the exhibition %.
pear to Be honest and siueers in What
they say and do. They invite criticism
and the most rigid and thorough exam.
instion Of Ill the movements couDeeted
with the exhibition. Whether the work
Of spirits, ofjugRlsry, or the devil. they
allow the audience to select committee
to 60 upon the stage TO examine for
themselves. All three Of tie persons
connected with the performances a.sist
the committee 10 their labors instead OF
trying to throw mystery about the sing-
ular phenomena.
% Saturday evening two persons
we're selected by the audience, one of
whom was the writer, 10 examine and
report relative to these snifcstatione.-
They entered upon their duties with
desire to find out the mystery, aud
probe the thing to the bottom. The
two Davenport boys we're tied in the
cat,uet made for the purpose, similar 10
size aud appearance to large wardrobe.
The committee, after tying them and ex
amining everv part Of the cabinet, de-
clared to the audience that they could
discover no machinery by which the
boys could be enabled to do tho things
which took place within the said cabi-
net. The cabinet used had three doors
Ia front ; in the centre Of one is . small
hole diamond shape. When the COM
mit:ee had tied the boys hands and
feet as fast as their ingenuity and
strength would allow, the doors were
closed, and Immediately raps were made
inside, the ringing Of bells. and music
on the violin. accompanied by the guitar
and tamborire, and 10 the meantime
hands we're thrust through the aperture
in the door, and 10 the midst Of all
these manifestations the doors few open
and exhibited the boys tied AZ fast a.
ever.
Cne of the committee was smut up
with tho boys, and during the time he
was in the cabinet with them be declares
that he could not detect any movement
on the part Of the boys while these man.
were going on. Hands we're
pressed over bis face, he was grasped |
tightly BY the arms, he was thumped on !
the head repeatedly, pinched in the eide
and other wise expo.imemted upon. All
this time he had hand on each Of ,he |
boys to detectaoy movement they might
make, but Zone whatever was discover
e.. His request that the guitar might
be carried over his head from ore end OF
The cabinet to the other 40 Immediately
with, at the came time giving
put its music. lie also asked them to
pr % their hands over his face, which
was immediately done. One Of the
hands was small one aud very soft
The 'piri,s readily complied with every
request he made.
We cannot account for these mani
estat:ons, and any theory presented to
explain these things requires = great
IL ! Of taith or creduli.y, whether the
'piritusl Of ono Of the boys themselves,
'r the psychological one Of science.-
Each 10 hard to believe. Let every per-
ION 60 and see and decide for himself,
Ind at the same time We would caution
persons against jumping at conclusions,
,r being carried away into skeptical or
uperstitious notions. Let the public
'eceive these manifestations as they
would any other entertainment wherein
hey get their moneys worth, and let
hem pass without excitement or pnz
ling their brains too much about the
'ationale Of the pheuomena.-Rock Is.
and Union.