The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-12-25
spirftualism Expored.


SpirftuaIism EXPOSED.
THE MANIFESTATIONS PRONOUNCED ALL BUMBu0
BY ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL MEDIUMS.
Mr. f. A. Sothern, the actor, publishes In the Scotch
papers the following revelations OF his experience
spiritual medium In Now York
There is article in the Spiritual Magazine in which
am referred TO- should not dream of noticing any
article in any such publication had not found respect
able and rational journals such yours reproducing
~ ,s crsa anu
tries well to myself to notice remarks and
on my conduct when find them transferred 70 their
columns Had they not been excavacd from the gloomy
obscurty OF their original they might have
attracted my observation and certainly would have
Possibly II may thought that am doing this spirit
ual publication service by bringing II into notice
do not think when you prosecute pickpotket you
go before the bench matter Of public duty the pick
pocket certainly brought into public prominence for
the time but i s only that he may Dc the more eneu
pect will be perverted 10 belief in sPritualism by
reading exposition Of the mis- statements Of spiritual
Now for the article. The main count in the iDd,ct
ment against mo Is thus stated
few party OF .p!r,uai.,. n New York com
Tor The production Of spiritual phenomsna One Of the
y n mos! D.E.iia medium %;1
CIRCLE" they created much interest that
sSamS, s., period
actor
The factor named stuart Is now better known as .ths
actor named sothern" Following suaicently Industrious
my profession. and only resumed my own by tho ad
vice Of friend Tho party Of spiritualists was not
would have been none the worse II Il had been but in
reality composed OF twelve gentlemen Of b,sh po
a common curiosity and interest," Joined in thorough
practical and exhaustive Investigation Of the pheno
anil n II tyuA. In n
found false and in the latter case at least, resolved
in due time to expose IT, For more than two yeas we
had weekly meetings Al those, by practice wc had
succeeded in producing not only all the wonderful
manifestations OF the professional "media but other
effects still moro startling We simply tried o. repro
the appearances the results which hnd heard
OF, and read OF, and scen-and We succeeded Pushing
70 @ eas mos than
those presented at any Of tho 'sprtual sesaoean An
American gentleman and myself took the part q the
'meda and tho rest OF tho company assisted and do
not hesitate 10 say that osafd anything attempted
sceompishsd BY Home o. ae Davsnpovss, or any u
Not the least OF our discoveries that the whole
thing . myth We did al that tho sprtuaists did,
need OF recourse 70 nnSence had 10 had
tho power 70 command them. We commenced our
stascs IN spirit OF legitimate Investigation; We con-
tinued them for the sake Of tho amusement thcy eavo
ourselves and fricnds We became famous In small
way We had to start engagement book and 70 make
and waited for their turn. We got inso larger limo u
business than any Of the professional exhibitors and
We didnT charge snytSine We soos 10 money drecsy
or Indirectly. Our entertainment, being fFeA VA lbs
~ouna az o
a our own expense, u may Be understood that Tho
Miracle Circle much favored and warmly encours
aged The indulgence OF our love OF fun cost some
money but yielded us an immensity Of pleasure. To
speak coloquially u was an extensive but expensive
'se We did put peps under the table and get sgna-
lures Of SHAKESPEARE and Gsrck ana other valuable auto
graphs; we did produce spirit hands and spirit
made our pp'p audieSo. " really believe they ava"
which was quito sufficient for our purpose
startling enough, In all conscience, aud made
our visitors believe In their reality. How we succeeded
in doing this-how made some OF the most intelli
felt what they only fancied they and fe--how
produced results the Of which apparent
wa did things which must have seemed 70 be- and what
OF visitors believed 20 be, supernatural and
mraculous-l do nod intend to explain We DID them,
how did them do not feel disposed 10 declare but
have not the slightest hesitation In saying that did
not do them by spiritual agencies Yet professional and
paid media came and and themselves avo~ed
our superior power "thc sprtsln
have been told by many scientific persons-even In
this city where an, rcsiding--,hai sm won
dcrful Psychologist II s extremely pleasant and very
nattcrins TO bo told that Perhaps wonderful
psychologist"-Ih hope am but doubt H. Az all
even-whatever psychological quasi spiritual powers
may possess-I have never exhibited them In public
have never made money by displaying them; have re-
cognzed the difference between performing an Interest
ing and amusing deuson To entertain myself and rri
vate company and swindling the public by taking gum
cas- from people Tor showing tn"m a.
festatons fcais which could perform by physical aud
mechanical forces OF my
l do not know the Messrs Davenport; never saw
them but once when paid bfteon sbillings. be-
licve and away powerfully impressed with the
victon that either their supporters and believers
mad or that was and yet with comfortable belief In
my own sanity had nothing TO do with their memora-
bic exposures in England and France.
The object OF this writer IN the Spiritual Ho1s-
zine has been 70 represent me NJ having
bbited spiritual manfcstatons' IN America, and
having exposed them here I have stated, ! hope
clearly, that did produce all the ''mapifessaons''
and did exhibit them, but they not spiritual
and did not exhibit them In public, for money [
therefore consider myself free from che impuaons Of
having obtained money under false prcencee encouraged
Idle sperions, orperperated blasphemous burlesques
Of sacred things ! look upon every spiritusist ~
either an impostor m IDIOT regard every spiritual
exhibitor who makes money by his exhibitions ~
. swindler The things that thsss people DO are noe
done by spiritual or supernatural mesna ! know
that; have proved H. have done al that they can
DO, and moro fhs Assoyy Of "spirrfsaiisw' ~ o9
country aud ~ Ansrtco ~ o. Ae ons AaHd, cArssacs
smescsiity cordrty terror " az szpc~a!urch 49,
ssyfd.lssscs and iyysibses; ard A cAr n fTas3 -
tNputsse chsoansrv end osapAeuow M4Gdy 90 no
say that there are nos things In heavyr AID eern
than are dreamed Of In philosophy bot 90 ~ shee
- the rcsu Of such prsctlcsi investgAsten rpiris-
uasm" ~ believs fsw other mon have ne0e, mus
honestly and fcaressy denounce u a. wsesrL 60
d fn0yv o.d In s>os0dk DVIHkBM