The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1869-02-12

I
He is Searched by a Committee
Knife Found In His Shoe and Bop
Around His Body.-Ha is Tie
Around the Wrists, aud the Spirit
Fail to Unite Him-He Owns up, an
] Takes a Back Seat.
For several weeks so-called spirif
ual medium, calling himself G. "
jackson, has been holding ''seances"
this city, and giving exhibitions Of val
ious kinds of miracles His principe
feat was having himself firmly bouni
by the wrists, throwing himself into
'trance," and entering dark cabinei
from which he would emerge j
la few moments, with his hands free
He claimed that he was united b
spiritual agency" and a great man,
people were simple enough to belieV
his assertions.
j Shortly after Jackson commenced op
erations here, Hartz, the illusionist
commenced his performances as a ma
gician. Hartz, being thoroughly post
ed in all manner of sleight-of-han,
tricks, declared that there was som
Juggling about Jackson's rope perform
ance, and challenged the Spiritualist t,
a trial of skill. Jackson accepted, and
a few nights ago, presented himself a
Philharmonic Hall, where HaFtz wa
performing, and was bound with a rop,
and placed in the cabinet He proved
too much for Hartz on that occasion
and, after a short stay in the cabinet
walked proudly forth with the rope il
his hands. The spiritual portion Of tbs
audience were in ecstacies at this proc
Of the power of spirits, and the great il
lusionist was rather chop-fallen. Hartz
however, was not converted to The
Spiritual faith by this miracle, and
stoutly declared that it was a trick. Hi
assistant had performed the same fsaI
on may occasions, and, Of course, Hartz
knew how it was done. The anti
Spiritualists of the audience took sides
with Har 2, and several well cit.
izens offered to bet large sums that they
could tie Jackson so firmly that all the
spirits of the seven spheres could not
loosen his bonds
It was understood that on Friday
evening the final test was to be made,
and accordingly a large audience as
sembled to witness the trial, which took
place at the close of the performance Of
Hartz. A Mr.. Goodwin-the same
gentleman who watched all nightin the
''haunted house" winter before lost, for
ghost and saw enly big rst-ap-
peared upon the stage, and name a
formal demand that the gentleman who
had proposed to tie Jackson should
come forward. The gentleman, not be-
ing in the hall, did not come. Mr..
Goodwin said he came as an investiga-
tor, and went into q disquisition on
spiritualism. He said no matter how
the trial with Jackson might terminate,
it would not shake his faith in the
beautiful philosophy Of spiritualism.-
He had had proofs enough to satisfy
himself Independent of Jackson's dem
onstratioRs.
Mr.. Goodwin then stated to the audi
ence that it would devoIve upon them
to select the committee to tie the medi-
um. After a few minutes, spent in
speechifying by Goodwin, Colonel
Meyer, Police Commissioner, was Sc
lected as one of the committee. Mr..
Mcbride was chosen as the second, but
declining to serve on the ground that
he was not skillful knot-tier, jerks, of
the Democrat was elected, aud the
committee proceeded TO discharge the
duty assigned them. Jackson was sit
ting on the stage, looking as innocent
as lamb, and Goodwin appeared to
be acting as his spokesman,
The first thing done by the commit
tee was to propose to search the me-
dium. To this Jackson objected, but
finally agreed to a partial search. He
was taken behind the cabinet, out of
view of the audience, and the search
commenced. In his vest pocket was a
horn comb, some bits of string, two or
three matches, and some other small
articles. jerks, who had frequently
witnessed the process of searching at
the police-ststioU, soon came across
something which excited his suspicion.
bis hand inside the pants of
the medium, he seized hold Of the end
of rope and drew the medium forward
in view of the audience. The rope
proved TO be a coil of six or eight feet
wound around Jackson's body at the
waist, creased with coal oil, and knot
ted at both ends. He hauled the rope
out, and holding it before the audieuce,
that the medium had come
70 the end of his rope. jerks asked
Jackson why he had the rope around
his body, and the reply was, 81 guess
have right to carry rope with me" !"
Fhis discovery created intense excite
nent in the audience, and there was
confusion for a time, but
Colonel Meyer requested silence, and !
he crowd became calm,
The search was continued, and in |
me of the mediums shoes was found a
mall sharp-bladed pen-knifs. This
vas another discovery that caused a
nurmur among the audience.
The tieing was then proceeded with,
md it was agreed that the assistant of
1srtz should tie Jackson's hands, under
he supervision of the committee and
he illusionist. Jackson's wrists were
ccOFdingly bound firmly together, so
hat he could not sh p his hands through
nd he was seated in chair, and soon
rent into his ''tranced condition" The
oers of the cabinet were then closed, !
nd, amid profound silence, the spirits
7ere left to do their work. Jackson had
that his wrists were tied too
ght, but hia objections we're oEerruled
y the audience, and he was made to
zee the music, After remaining in
he dark cabinet about five minutes, he
alled out to have the door opened,
nd stepped forward with his wrists as
rmly bound as at first He acknow-
dyed that the 'indqenee" was of no
rail, and that the spirits could not set
Is hands free. The audience received
Is admission with varied emotions
Ie spiritualista declaring that the man
ad not been allowed a fair chance, and t
e skeptics rejoicing in the exposure of j
humbug, !
This exposure revealed the Bsodss {
'erandi of the "spirits" in untying '
nL-nn.. IL IL LII L Ln j :.