The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1868-08-28

On Saturday night last fellow call
ing himself DIR. Jackson gave what he
advertised as spiritual seance and con-
cert at the court house, but what other
people, including some protested spir-
itualists, called an unmitigated humbug.
| This is the same fellow who was ex-
posed at Lawrence a few weeks ago,
by means of dark lantern, and who
was branded as humbug in the papers
of that city. He was also exposed in
his jugglery tricks at Junction City.
We did not see the fore part of his per-
| fOrmances at the court house, but only
arrived i'll time to hear lot of illiterate
trash sung in a nasal twang, about ''spir-
itual mejums," the different grades of
spiritual life" etc., together with some
"machine poetry" and some 'whanga-
doodle" singing. OF all the humbugs
we ever witnessed this was the flattest
one. An attempt was made to pull his
curtain down by some one in the audi
ence during his musical instrument per-
Torrance. Jackson was evidently "up
to snuff" and was on the lookout for
such attempts at exposure. The attempt
was so far successful, however, as to re-
veal him in the act of suddenly drop
ping the instrument which he pretend
ed was played without his touching it.
AT the close of the performance some
fifteen or twenty of the audience gath
cred around jackson and demanded
their money, on the ground of being
humbugged. He was told many un
pleasant things. Some who demanded
their money were spiritualists. Some
threats were made good humoredly, and
such words as "eggs" and "raiV were
heard. Jackson kept cool and good ma
tured. After parleying half an hour
the matter was compromised by his
agreeing to give free exhibition on
Monday night, and if the persons were
not satisfied with that he was to return
the money to those who demanded it.
Jackson started home with our fellow
citizen F. A. COwles, who lives over on
the NeOsho and now comes a perform
ance on the part of some of the boys
which we regret to record and which
we cannot characterize as otherwise
than disgraceful on their part. They
followed him out of town and pelted
him with eggs. This was an exhibition
of the mob spirit which we regret to
see ON any occasion, and no excuse can
be given in extenuation of such con-
duct. That the performance was an
outrageous humbug we will agree, but
if the law could not reach the perform
er he should have been permitted to go
in peace. People can set it down as a
rule that any performance of this char
acter where the essential condition to
its success is a curtain" or clark
room" is humbug. If these ''seance"
chaps could really and honestly perform
the ''tricks" which they advertise, they
would do it without the aid of a curtain
or dark room, therefore the people
ought not to have expected anything
else than humbug, and consoled them
selves that this one only cost them fifty
cents and let it go at that. They had
no right to treat Jackson as they did,
and we hope never to have to record
such conduct on the part of our boys
again.
We are informed by one of the spir-
itualists of the vicinity that they did
not, in any way, endorse jackson as q
true medium, and several of them, at
least, believe him ''sell."
jackson was offered, by persons in
the audience, considerable sums of mon
ey to take of, in their presence, pair
of handouts, but of course the 'tcondi-
tons" were not right and he declined.
The last seen of Jackson he was max
ing across the prairie in the direction of
Ottawa. He didn't wait till Monday
night.