, 1865-08-24


An Interesting case, involving the truth OF
Spirftualism, at least as practised by one Of its
mediums, Charles J. Colchester, Of Rochester,
is now on trial before the United States Dis
ttict Court ut Buffalo. Nj. Colchester, who
was doing business as a public medium for
MORALS seeking communication with the
spirit world, was waited upon by the United
States Tax Commissioner and informed that
he must take ont license as jugs1er under
The revenue oct, In order to be permitted to
continue his business. Colchester offered to
take ont license as "Spiritualist" or
medium for communication with the spirit
world, but insisted that he was not jurrler,
and that there was no slight Of hand involved
in his performances. As the act had made no
provision for licenses to spiritual mediums, as
such, Colchester's request could not BE- grant
cd, and as he refused 10 take out juggler's
license, he was Indicted for q violation of the
revenue law, in carrying on his business with
ont a license. -.
aThe point At ieene between the United states
and Colchester L., in The ~o.s of the t1dic.naeut
IN The yea. Of our Lord ope thousand eight bun.
dred tnd ffxty-fv and On divers days md tt1ues
I'D Gsy on ,nS as r. Tdt business I and
Idly snd rof re- and reward, periosm by slieht Of
hnnd~' This MI. Colchester den3ea.~ =
The question raised Is therefore whether
Mr. Colchester communes with the spirits or
humbngs his customers, and so fur as Mr..
Colchester represents spiritualists II stands as
an indictment against spisit.a1ism. The 4p,r-
ttualists arc divided in sentiment on the case,
some Of them welcoming it rs capital ad-
vcrtiscment and propagator Of the harmouial
philosophy, and Others announcing it as par
secution. A few possibly throw Colchester
overheard rs 4 personal humbug whose pre-
tensions In nc way involve epiritualism. The
number Of the latter will probably Increase il
The defendant loses his case.
All the mag1clans, sorcerers, prestIgiA.
tors md professors Of the tlack art generally
In The country, have been summoned as Wit
nease4, including Professor Anderson, the
FaEir OF Ava, Prot. Karl Kahr, Prof. MeAllis-
ter and others. .
The counsel for the prosecution IN opening
The case sald:'
"I I chow to ron that The performance OF the
spiritual control, can be perfor1ned and have been
performed hy men Eho can chow you how II Il
that It win be enough to establish the iact that be
whom g has Taught the vi of exhsbi3nS The Blood
SI prodnce to Won msn wio vii liz ths bc Sas
oTrd to teach them tbc nj Of music be ins1 w. ,,s
&c, u The dark circles. and to whom be has con
saw how they .wsie pfodaeed-meD 10 whom be
has confessed that he only assumed the name Of
medium because be conld make more money ont Of
III ,hs community shood b aaeaSed wish w39n ne n
gnrd to him, md that neither Religions belief nor
public Eood ronla .' IT, e outraged IN Compelling him
oiber purpoees,r
1ae .1la1 Is oela1e JURY, and thc sest-
mony LINUS lar not Fefy conclusive
The first witness. James Ropers. was n for-
mcr. partner or c1nploye OF Colchester, and
testifies that he had seen Colchester make the
rannirps with bss fnot and that Colchester
acknowledged to him that it WIS all humbug-
An a SAMPLE of how the business Is done we
w.. tha or,a.n.. ~ 1amos Conno,,,.
e1ve the evidence o. James tonneilS;
Took 10 dciend1nt't rooms si1 questions, each IN
ops verr sealed; defendant asked me to step into
being With me defendant sud myself wcnt In to-
gether, when Laid the envelopes on the tAhlc, be
und sitting oppoite each Other; defendant took
. piece Of paper The mime Of departed friend,
keeping my eyes On the envelopes Al the tiu,ei he
took the s.nvelopc and threw it through the
the table, and defendant a$xed me to pick
II I'd; drew 1t 10 mt With my cane, keeping my
eye III the lime on the envelopes the table; Ia
thc act Of taktng up the envelopes, raw MI. Col
knic; told hin to stop that; he laudled them ior
While then hnnded them back, saying neither my
tpfratf nor he own sfoula FespondT which
wss suppnE*ed h5 the Corrt); had no fnrthcr con.
yessatiGn With defendant, but he told me to call
rgatn, I never did
uA. f1EnEsa,s Er1prSrE, =
Va.i<r IL F1e.n;ao sspo,za. .rxun,urd b. u,. mr.,
ehes, thsEa ,nt a, " =, aoeses @ bsf sa C1
futton Hall out or rt,rfo1fr A. md hcsrd h. I'd
done come 1neer fi;nSs: uIc f,nrcc,, uasia,a ~ @
a sssed nv RS. % n NV tyelHps1 nsss mo
me vert ni,d eaW colcheaiar. M hrn,hesinIan
wus alloy cd to 90 INTO The inner <,ogn ..;th ,a
twitncss here dtxcibed tbe tahe md ,Tbcre hs and
defendant sa., similar to The evidence Of the pre-
oslour ofEy deceased friends ind throw them anona
lhe envelopes: lbe enyelotes were snch a. nse 10
pu! up prescriptions; named to him tN,o dead men
te asneT rei,cS :hc ,,,ner ~, IN tha for, #
peas, when defendant eajd be knew not whether be
could respond to NJ questions, as ,hc elements had
nesn s ~ 70 bun @ 9t atc defendant M tooS one
pcr, and tI,rew i 10 me; 1he antwer ma pertinent
aud applicable 10 thc questions; be went thronrh
the nhoc; some Of them were pertinent, but not
trrc: .scr0c we7r announced alphabetically, BY
rsp7dng: il one Of the questions required the
pc1ac or business Of one individual; told INC to
N1ite the names OF five SIX eight callings and
throw them On the table, and when he cane TO tho
right o1e itu these would he demens1Iaions wrote
ed 10 them Nth ny pencil and cot 10 1na1ltcsta-
ton; defendant aeked me il tue Word was written;
! eaid 1t Nas not; he then asked me how could
written; ut lie request Of defendant I nrcnared
another list When therr ups = Succession