The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1869-01-20
A Sitting with Charlie. II. Read.

A Sitting with Charles IL. Read.
Thomas r. Hazard, of Portsmouth, R..
l., sends very interesting communica-
ton to the Newport Mercury, in which
he gives full account of a seance in
Boston with Charles II. Read, the ply
steal medium:
Read had in his possession three solid
iron rings, just large enough to oncircle
his neck, around which they were occa-
sionally clasped and unclasped by his
spirit friends, 10y means incOmprehensl-
bic to mortals. A clergyman IN Brook
lyn had been a witness, in several IN
stances, to the accomplishment of this
feat, and thinking there might be some
trick in the rings, he secretly consplred
with smith to make one of hardened
steel. marked so that il cOuld be iGenti-
fed, of the same size and appearance of
those in the possession Of Read. This
he took to one of the seancCs, and, un-
observed, exchanged it for one of Reads
rings. Not long after the manifestation
commenced, the clergyman was observ-
ed making his way tOthe door in rather
an excited frame of mind; and il after
wards transpired that he FASTENED to
his fellow cOnspirator, the smith, for the
purpose of getting the steel ring remoy
ed from his own neck, around which it
had been clasped by some hOcWS pOcas
incomprehensible to him. The ring,
however, being hardened, and fitting,
moreover, very closely, could neither be
cut, broken or filed, and in despair he
was driven, like Saul of old, to apply to
a medium for help. The opiritS told him
that they could do nothing for him
throughthe organism of that Mediums |
tic instrument, bat if he would 30 to Il /
certain medium in Akron, Ohio, they |
would relieve him of the ring. This he |
was preparing to do, but was arrested |
from carrying out his intention by an |
other miracle" to him almost as aston |
ishing as the first. 1t seems that he was
at that time afflicted with a cancerous
tumor on his neck of the size of a hens !
egg. This began to subSide under the
healing magnetism impaired TO the ring
by the spirits, and finally entirely dis
appeared, leaving him satisfied and con
tented to wear the charmed necklace
for life, if necessary, and there on his
neck it remained at last accounts. "a
striking case "Of Judgment tempered
with meTcy~ On seeing report oil the
above in some of the New York and
Brooklyn papers, well attested, l had
curiosity TO see Read and attend one of
his seauccs, during which | witnessed
many things quite as astonishing and
apparently az inconsistent with any
known laws as that just related, which
is no more THAI d fair samp!Got what Is
performed in Rods presence, with IA.
cility and under conditions that render
the suspicion of fiaud or trick simply
prepOsterous with any witness capable
of weighing evidence. On the evening
attended Reads scauco a respectable
Baptist clergyman, who formerly
preached on this island, where he is
we'll known, olliciated rs IN only assist
ant, his province being to sit ut table
with lamp in one hand and = match ia
the other, TO instantly eAtlnguish
and relight the lamp when he is re-
qnested
Read was sitting in the middle of a
large room with 4 small table on his
right, on which were some bells and in.
struments of music. The company, com
posed of some score or more of persons,
sat near him. Read rose from his seat,
and after few remarks requested one
of those present to come to him. \ gen
tleman stepped forward and agreeable
to Reads request, placed his left foot
closely against Reads right foot. He
also pressed his right hand firmly on
Reads left shoulder, whilst with. his
left he grasped his (Read's) hair. Read
then took hold of the gentleman's left
arm with both his hands, and requested
him to notify the company present in
case the pressure of either of his hands
were removed or slackened This was
done in the light, When all was ready,
Read said quickly, "Put out the light"
aud in an instant all was dark and the
bells aud instruments Of music COM
menced performing, each after its kind,
as they careened over oar heads around
the room. This feat was repeated
again and again, whilst all who in turn
stood up with the medium, declared pos
itively that Reads hands were never
for an instant removed from their arms.
When my turn came placed my foot
and hands precisely as has been de-
scrlbed. When all was ready, Read
called quickly, Put out the light" and
IN a moment all was dark. A second
could hardly have elapsed when heard
something fall on the floor beside me. t.
Read shouted Light" and in an in |
slant the lamp was relit, and 10, there
stood Read in his shirt sleeves. and his |
coat on the floor beside me. WLen I |
took my seat a skeptical gentleman who
sat behind me asked if | felt Reod,S
coat pass from beneath my hand. ItolS |
him that | did not, but that possibly |
might have noticed 1t were it not that
my attention was mainly directed to the
other arm so as to detect any attempt
that might be made by the medium to
withdraw his hands from their position,
which | was sure had not been done.
"Well," said he, 81 will try and see
whether cannot feel the coat pass from
my handw After some other persons
had taken their turn this gentleman
stepped fOrward, aud placing his foot
and left hand ~ hafnra stated he !