The Republican journal., 1869-04-01

A Spiritual Commotion. Raid of the
Unbeievers. The Manifestations
Pronounced Humbug. A Rival
Medium.
We don't know what next will happen
in the hall above our office. After the war
of the velocipedes was over, AID in the rat
lfication of the treaty Of peace that follow
ed, it was stipulated between the high con-
tracing parties that no like noisy demon
STATIONS should in future be permitted.
The landlord assured us that the hall had
been let to the spirits, whose visitations
would be particularly peaceful and soothing.
And this was the case with the manifesto
tons by Mr.. Reed, which were described
in these columns.
Last week we were absent, and returned
Oh Saturday evening to find high state of
excitement pervading portion of the COM
munity. We can speak of nothing from
actual knowledge, but from various sources
have gathered an account as nearly correct
as possible. Miss Laura " Ellis, a young
lady Of about Is years, of very prepossess-
ing appearance, accompanied by her father,
gave a series of " manifestations" on We'd
nesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday
ev enings. The feats to be performed were
thus announced in the handbills-
The girl will be bound, neck, wrists aud an
kes in manner wherein she cannot release
herself Her wrists will be tied behind her
back, and then tied to solid iron ring-her
neck securely fastened to the back of the cabi
neither ankles tied and fastened to the floor;
and whilst In this helpless condition, musical
instruments will be played upon. furnishing
good music; knots tied and united in al man.
ner of forms about her person.
Mr. Ellis, the father of this young lady, will
paw YOUR committee five hundred dollars if he
will release this girl from the cords and band
ages with which she is bound, without cutting
or uutying the knots. STILL some Of these
manifestations will be done in one second. A
stick, two feet long, will be thrown thirty feet
from the cabinet door; drum will be beat in a
scientific manner a tamborine played, bells
rung Sc, a finger ring, placed in the girls lap,
will be put on either Of her fingers or thumbs,
that the audience are pleased to mention-like-
wise in her ear mouth, or Oh the end Of her
nose The rapidity witt which these things
are done astonishes the beholder.
These things were all done for three
nights, in presence Of crowded houses,
and apparently to the satisfaction of all.
Meantime an organization of the skeptical
had been perfected. One Of the number
had practiced the same feats, and claimed
to have performed them as we'll as the girl
had done. On Saturday night they muster
ed ia force for demonstration. They Of
fered Mr.. Ellis SO for the privilege of
opening the cabinet during the perform
auces, at any time they pleased. This Of
fer was accepted, and Capt. Charles Baker,
who suddenly opened the door while the
drum was playing, claimed that he saw her
hands taken from the instrument. After
some discussion, The disposal of the money
was referred to the audience, who voted it
to the girl, only three dissenting. The in
vestigators and skeptics then, through Capt.
Baker, pronounced the whole performance
humbug, and announced that they would
take possession Of the machinery, and that
| Capt B. would himself go through the
same performances. Mr.. Ellis said they
could not use his machinery. They offered
to hire the hall and the cabinet-but the
proprietor of the hall said Mr.. Ellis had
hired it, and ii was solely at his disposal.
Some of the spectators declared for the ex-
hibitor, and some for the skeptics. There
was an attempt to take possession of the
cabinet by force, and things looked pretty
squally for time.
Better counsels, however, prevailed, and
it was announced that an adjournment
would be had TO Pierces' Hall, where free
entertainment of the same character would
be given. So down stairs swept the skep-
tics, followed by the crowd, and streamed
into the other hall. A cabinet was got up
for the occasion, with shawl for a door,
into which the rival performer, bound with
ropes by committee, was put. Here he
| doomed out into first class medium. He
played the drum, thumped the tamborine,
put rings on his fingers and bells Oh his
toes, poked sticks out Of the cabinet, and
did, all and singular, the performances OF
Miss Ellis, with unbounded appliance
A crowd then gathered in and about the
American House, where Mr.. Ellis and
daughter stopped. There was talk of mob
bing him. One individual went to him with
the information that he would be roughly
dealt with unless he gave up the SO. This
sum he then refunded, and it was given
back to the persons who had contributed it.
Mr. Ellis and daughter remained until Sun
day night, and left on the stage for Augusta.
The spirtualists of this city, embracing
many Of our most respected citizens, re-
pudiate the performances of the girl as be-
ing spiritual manifestations, and pronounce
them purely deception. But even this does
not iustifv the shirt of mob law exhibited