Litchfield enquirer., 1865-11-30


 my sake, but for that of my family, I ask your clemency j; and then think of the awkward po- sition should be in, a tall man stopping to receive kick from Waterbury editor, but if you insist upon doing me bodily harm, please do it in an honorable pugulistic manner about my head, and not like Balam' express betray your long ca ed proclivities with aa uuceremo nioua i editorial kick. .-s.t,.- BALL PLAYER
 1 THE BERKSHIRE COURIER has report of a very interesting performance that was did at Great Burlington few days ago. .
 Professor J. W. Caldwell, and Laura V. Ellis the child medium,' girl of twelve years of age. have been giving exhibitions in the towns of western Massachusetts of late which they call " wonderful physical manifestations They were at Town Hall in this village on Monday evening, Oct. 23d, and by their clever tricks created deal of curiosity. The wrists ofthe 'cbild medium were tied together behind her with strip of cotton cloth leaving few inch es play between them, and after taking seat in little cabi1et or wardrobe, another strip of cloth was used to tie into that connecting her wrists, and an iron ring fastened into the back of the cabinet few inches above her seat. While thus to all appearances securely tied, numerous feats were performed inside, when the door was closed, such as tying and untying strip of cloth around her neck or waist; ta- king ring and placing iton any of her fingers or in her mouth or ear, at the pleasure of the committee, who were selected from the au- dience to see that there was was DO deception about it. A bell placed in the mediums lap was rung; drum played upon with a drum. stick, and then with fingers, and the sides of the cabinet were vigorously pounded with a stick The spirit of man named Blake who got shotted' at the first battle of Bull Run, was the invisible power by which these tricks were accomplished. As the matter occasioned considerable speculation, it was proposed to invite the cabilistic Caldwell to repeat the pug zling performance. He consented to do so and accordingly appeared at Town Hall again on Wednesday evening, Nov. lst. Prof Cad we'll prefaced the performance with speech, which for blasphemy, deism, and damnable heresies, we have hever heared equaled. Af ter Caldwell had concluded, MT. Ellis and his daughter, Laura the child medium, appeared on the stage. Caldwell desired that commit. ftee of two be selected from the audience tc see that Snere was no rrickery abuut it, and offered to pay a liberal sum to anybody who could discover the least deception. Dr. W. H Parks and James K. Parker were chosen com mittee. The strip of cloth was then tied about the wrists of the little girl, and she was tied to the cabinet as previously stated, and the 'won- derful manifestations commenced. A strip of white cotton cloth was frequently tied and un- tied from the mediums neck. While preten- ding to examine the knots on her hands MT. Parker, who had come prepared, slyly rubbed some lampblack upon her fingers. The strip of clean bleached cotton, was closely examined by Dr. Parks, who passed it to to Mr. Ellis to be tied about his daughters neck. The door was closed Blake was requested to unite the ! strip and place it in the smedium's' lap. Blake agreeing to do so, 8 few seconds passed, when Blake said come in,' and the strip was lying in her lap as desired, but as Dr. Parks exam ined the cloth, lol and behold traces of the child mediums' blackened fingers were dis tinctly visible upon it A ring was then placed in the 'mediuns' lap, and the bewildering Blake was requested to place it in the me dium's' ear. The door was closed, and soon the ring was heard to drop upon the floor of the cabinet. Blake said he wouldn't do it. The door was openod, and the little girl, evil dently forgetting herself. said to her father in a low tone, as he was finding the ring. 'Fath- CT, I couldn't make it stay in my ear |: it drop ped out Dr. Parks heard that remark, and on publicly stating it, the audience were more hilarious than before. Other experiments were suggested as tests, but Caldwell and Ellis refused to try them, on the plea of taking up time and varying from the programme. At the close, the audience fully concurred with the report OI tue cOmulltt6c tuot tue mduilcSta- tions' were produced by the girl, but how they were done was still as great mystery as ever. It was deemed wholly impossible for the me- dium to remove her hands from the bands which held them, and it was not until the next day, that the secret was discovered. AL bert Dean, a lad in the employ of Prindle & Tebey, jewellers, hearing an account of the diff ferent tricks performed, although not having witnessed them, placed his hands behind him a moment, and thinking how the feats were accomplished, said he believed he could do them himself. His hands were accordingly tied exactly as were the child medium's,' and he performed the very same tricks that she had done, without any difficulty whatever. The whole secret lies in this; in slipping the arm little soay into tie 6andages, instead of withdrawing the hands from them, as every body would, at first, suppose absolutely neces sary. te g+s.i5 sss, sv ..-,, ..sss4..s, s5.. n1 6 government, in order to preserve the neutrality of the United States. with respect to those engaged in the existing war in Mexi-