The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-03
The Original "LOrd DundrearYo O
SpiEituaiism.


CURIOUS LETTER FROM MR.. soTHHRN.
Mr.. d. A. sothern, who has made reputation
by his representation of the character of Lord
Dundreory, writes a long letter to a Glasgow
paper, In which he gives the following hits of
his personal history
There is an article in the Spiritual Magazine
in which / am referred to. The main count in
the indictment against me is thus stated
I "A few years ago a party OF spirtualists in New
York composed cniehY Of actors and actresses, held
regular stngs for the production of spiritual phe-
nomena. One OF the members of this circle was an
most powerful medium The manifestations
witnessed at these were wonderful as to
!" The Miracle Circle" They created so much
interest that it considered a special privilege
to be admitted TO this magic chamber. Mr. Stuart
at that period was better known as Stuart the
magnetism, or mago-worker, than Stuart the actor
'"The actor named Stuart is now better
known as the actor named Sothern.' Folio W
I ing sufficiently ilustrious precedents, l used an
assumed name when entered on my profession,
and only resumed my own by the advice of my
friend Mr.. James Wallack. The party of spirit
ualists' was not composed chiefly of actors and
actresses II would have been none the worse
J if it had been; but in reality it was composed of
twelve gentlemen of high position in their re-
spectlve professions, who, actuated bv q com
mon curiosity and interest, joined in a
thorough practical and exhaustive investga
ton OF the phenomena of 'spiritualism.' We
were quite ready for either result-to believe it
the latter case at least resolved in due time to
Il expose it. For more than two years we had
Il weekly meetings. At these by practice, we had
succeeded in producing not only all the wonder
tul manifestations of the professional media,
but other effects still more startling. We simply
tried to reproduce the appearances and the re-
: suits which we had heard OF, and seen-and we
succeeded. Pushing our practice and expert
ments further, we attained the capacity to exc
cute feats much more remarkable than those
presented at any of the spiritual sednces.' An
Av,an = N,nlg kNf
the 'media;' the rest of the company assisted;
n and / do not hesitate 10 say that we outdid
everything attempted or accomplished by Home,
Or the Davenports, or an OF the other more no.
torious spiritual exhibitors.
''Not the least of our iscoveries was that the
whole thing was myth. We did all that the
spirituasts did, and more but we were our own
agents. and had no need of recourse to super
natural influences, had we the power to COM
nand them. We commenced our SednceS in q
spirit of legitimate investigation: we continued
" them for the sake of the amusement they gave
ourselves and our friends. We became famous
n in small way. We had to start an engagement
Il book, and to make appointments. People came
from all parts of America, and waited for their
turn. We got into larger line of business than
"a any of the professional exhibitors, and we we're
extensively patronized. The only difference
" was we didn't charge anything. We took no
money directly or indirectly. Our entertain
ment, being free, was literally supported and
when add that the evenings invariably wound
up with Jolly little supper, given solely at our
III own expense it may be understood that The
Miracle Circle was much favored and warmly
encouraged. The indulgence of our love of fun
81 cost us some money but yielded us an immen-
81 sity of pleasure. To speak colloquially, il was
an extensive SELL We did put pens under the
4 table, and get signatures OF Shakespeare and
Garrick, aud other valuable autographs we did
produce spirit-hands and spirit-torms; people
did float in the air-at least we made our audi.
ence really believe they did, which was quite
sufficient for our purpose and theirs. We eX-
hibted phenomena which were startling enough
in all conscience, and we made our visitors be-
lieve in their reality. How we succeeded in
doing this-how we made some of the most in
telligent men in America believe that they really
saw and felt what they only fancied they saw
and telt-how we produced results, the causes of
Al which we're not apparent to the physical senses
of the spectators-how, in fine, we did things
~ which must have seemed to be, and what many
- OF our visitors believed to be, supernatural and
r. mIraculous-I do not intend to explain. We did
II them; how We did them do not feel any motive
10 declare; bur have not the slightest hesita-
# tion in saying that we did not do them by spirit
ual agencies. Yet professional and paid media
81 came and saw, and themselves avowed our supe-
n nor power over the spirits
"The object of this writer in the
a Spiritual Magazine has been to represent me as
having exhibited spiritual manifestations in
America, and having exposed them here. !
n have stated, hope clearly, that did produce
u all the manifestations and did exhibit them,
but they we're not SPIRITUAL and l did not eX
"A hibit them in public nor for money. l there
fore consider myself Tree rom the lmputalions
of having obtained money under false pre-.
= tenses encouraged idle superstihons, or per
Il petrated blasphemous burlesques Of sacred
II things"