The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-01-18

fol calamity sill. II the ,EsecnEiFe, In
performing hiA constitutional duty Of.
bringing chose persona before The bar
Of justice. 70 sesEsg foF shqiF er.nee
should violate the plain meEnipe o.
the Constitution. Or Infringe, ih the
least patticuiar, The lIvihg SPlsit iet'
that Instrument. 10 1obF7ois9G alii ,ais
"a have the honor 10 be most respset.,
fully; JAMES sPEED, Any GsHIlo
The Original "Lora sppndtsasg''Ge on
.-..,,. spIritualisu.:.ff .,;.
CURIOUS LETTER Taox xs. so+HfHy.
Mr.. E. A. Sothorn, who has made o
reputation By his representation of the
character Of Lord DundfeaFy, writeso
a long letter TO, . Glasgow spaperJin
which he gives the following bits ot
bis, personal history:bsroo o,.g..1 Ia
"there Is an article In The Spiritual
Magazine IN which ] am referred 70. .--
The main cohnt in the indictment o.
Kainst me il thas stateds sbci4gq lasGI
4"'A tsw years ago . party of fapirit;,
ualists ip New York, composed chief,
" Of actors and actresses, held regular
sittings for the production Of spiritual
phenomenaj One Of the tDembers of
this circle was an actor named Stuart
who wasrecognised by all as q. most
powerful medium. The manifesto:
tons witnessed at these seances were
SO wonderful AZ give to these mees9
ings the distinguishing titlc Of tho,
"MiracIe, Circle" They created 30
much interest that II was considered o
special privilege 10 be admitted to
this magic chamber Mr.. Stuart at
that period was better known asStuart
the magnetizer, or magic-ssorkersthah
Stuart the actor, ,9gjo1 9'lhwQiq.b or
The actor named Stuart Is now,
better known as the actor named
Sothern. Following sufficiently. illus.
triou5 prece ients, 1 Used an assum-
ed name when | entered on my pro-
fession, and l only resumed my own
by the advice ofmy ,frisnds Mr.. James
WaIIack. The party of spiritualista''
was not composed chiefly Of actors
and actresses II would have been &
none the worse if had been; but, In I
reality, it was composed Of twelve
gentlemen of high position 10 their
res spective professions, who, actuated
| by q common curiosity and interest,
Joined in athorongh. practical and ex-
haustiye investigation Of the phenom-
ena of .spiritnaIism, We were quito
ready for either result---to believe |:
If 1t were true; 10 reject it, II found
false; and. In the latter ease, l, ct least,
resolved in due time 10 expose it. For
more than two years, we had weekly
meetings. At these, by practice, We
had succeeded in producing not only
all the wonderful manifestations Of
the professional media but other ef-
fects still more startling. We simply
tried to reproduce the appearances
and the results which We had heard
of, and secn-and we succeeded
Pushing our practices and expert
mcnts further, we attained the capac-
ity to execute feats much more remark .
able than those presented at any of
the spiritual seances. An American
gentleman ard myself took the part of
the media; the rest Of the company
assisted; and do not hesitate to say
that we outdid everything ever at
tempted or accomplished BY Home, or
the Davenports, or any OF the other
more notorious spiritual exhibitors.
"Not the least Of our discoveries
was that the whole thing was myth.
We did all that the spiritualists did,
and more; but We we're our own
agents and had no need of recourse
to supernatural influences, had We had
the power to command them. We
commenced our seances in spirit Of
Legitimate investigation; we continued
them for the sake of the amusement
they gave ourselves and our friends
We BECAME famous in small way
We had to start an engagement book,
and 10 mako appointments. People
came from all parts Of America, and
waited for their turn. We got into a
larger line OF business than any Of the
professional exhibitors, and We were
extensively Patronzed. The only diff.
terence was. we didn't charge any
thing. We took no money directly or
Indirectly. Our entertainment being
free was literally supported;a and when
EIadd that the evenings invariably
wound M with q Jolly little supper,
given solely at our own expense, it
NAV be understood that The Miracle
Circle was much favored and warm
ily encouraged. Tho indulgence. of
our love of fun cost us some money,
but Welded us an immensity of pleas
ure. To speak coltoquially, it was an
expensive but extensive SELL We
did put pens under the table and got
signatures of Shakespeare and Garrick,
and other valu lble autographs, we did
produce spirit-hands and spirit-forms:
neople did float in tho air--at least, we
made our audience really believe they
did, which was quite sufficient for our
purpose and theirs. We exhibited
phcnomena which were startling
enough in all conscience, and we mado
our visitors believe in their reality
How VIC succeeded in doing this-how
we made some of the most intelligent
men in America believe that they real
Ily saw and felt what they only fancied
they saw and felt-how we prod'Eod
results, the causes Of which were :not
apparent 10 the physical senses Of the
spectators-how, in fine, we did things