New-York tribune., 1869-03-19
THE DAVENPORT BROTHERS At STEIN
.A.i ati WAY HALL ~ tLN

A remarkable exhibition, which it IA difRcuIf
TO classify was given last night at steiDway Hail. by tina
Davenport Brothers. The first part OF place In
the barge hail. and was described as Cabinet Seances
The second part took place Ia the small han, and was
described as n Ozark seapce." The former was VIII
messed by audience that more than half filed tha
lower part Of the large hail. The latter which was AN
extra affair succeeding the regular performance
witnessed by about two hundred persons
Both partsi Of the exhibition presented sInRp
lar features, and the whole was interestne
Tho Cabinet seanee consisted OF an elaborate
mysthcaton created by the close confinement OF Tho
Brothers Davenport within sort OF wardrobe which
Immediately became tha Of violent cOmOtion nd
dseOrd which, however produced not 10 all appesr
ances produced by the physical agency OF tho Dayep
ports. The performers bound hand and foot ana
tied TO seats within the cabinet at least six feet
the cabinet being raised nearly two from the floor
The tying was done by three gentlemen selected fro.
the audience OF whom the wellknown Parker Plsbnrx
was one: and SIR. Plsbury fter careful Inspection da
cared the performers 10 be perfectly well secured win
in the cabinet placed. IN various pOsltIons yon
and bow, guitar, brass hOrn tambOriae and
three common handbels. The doors wers then
O closed: whoreupOn there Immediately ensued suoh
humping banging, twangng, juggling and gonerslrum
pus very cOnvincDgy showed that somebody In,ids
the box was high state Of vigor ard activity Whom
the doors opened, however the Dayenparls wera
seen to be bound Being again shut In, the mysterious
concert recommended. aud tho air of Rory OMore wes
executed-literay so, IT, in Justice to musical ears We
may be permitted the remark At later stage Of thu
proceedings the brass horn hurled forth many times
In succession while the committee yet in tho act Of
closing the doors. Once Mr. Parker Pillsbury's head
had very narrow escape. stll Later and whlo
tho Brothers we're yet securely bound, hands ap-
pearcd, and were thrust through an aperture
in the door Of the cabinet; and twice a bare
-aeawio ek.s.-a
rose out OF the lake lin the Legend and took King Ar
thurs sword Ihs arm and these hands may have be.
longed TO tho Davenport Brothers; but they did the
Davenport Brothers are tho ceveres uggers Of this age
or OF any age In which Juggling has been known. Mr..
Parker Psbury, and afterward another member OF the
observing committee, were subsequently bound In the
cabinet together with tho DavenDorS. and the usual In
strumental cOmmoton ensued. Both gentlemen, upon
emerging, stated their experience. They had been
touched by hands, and the musical instruments had
gded all about them while according to their belief the
Davenport Brothers had not moved Flour was then placed
I'm the hands Of the performers who were again shut up
and once more the phenomena was repeated. Hands
were shown at the aperture In the door, The horn ws
hurled out Bells put forth and rung. bouquet
was offered and was received by OF the hands Yet
when the doors were opened, the DaVenports wen
found to be tied up in precisely the same way As at
FIRST aud the flower In their hands We should 70
mark that once the OF the exhibition they were
left unbound in the cabinet for few minutes during
which the noise made by tho thrashng Of ropes against
the doors was distinctly heard and presently seen
TO be tied up In perfectly secure way In word they
performed feas that astonishing considered merely
as Illustrations OF what is popularity known a
magic Their Dark scance was, as its name mpka
given In the DARK The incidents OF this were equally
remarkable. The same musical instruments were
thrummed and banged; and. being smeared with phos-
phorus to fash through the air in particu-
Iarly way, at the time giving forth disoordant
sounds The remarkable incident was tho taking
off OF Mr. Fsy's cOat-Mr. Fay being the exhibitor OF
the Davenport Brothers, and the verbal exponont
| OF their performance. This gentleman's coat
was taken from his person, while bis
hands were tei behind him. aud-nght being
struck at the moment-was TO be violently hurled
some twelve or fifteen feet into the afr. Afterwards
coat taken of by Of the audience was, almost In
simultaneously placed upon Mr. Fays back he remaining
in the position with his hands tied such e1piola
are truly surprising With reference to the pTeense thai
they performed by spirits the inhabitants OF word
that cigcumscribes this world Of sense We hes'
tate to speak. It is very solemn matter
The Davenport (BrOthers may DO slLoere In ther
assumption We trust they are But they ought 70 DO
admonishod that all this vulgar claprap of ropes and
bells and phosphorus tends merely to bring sacred
matters into contempt No such trivial evidence OF I'm
mortality Is needful TO people who worth being
immortal What the Davenport exhibition does seem TO
provo is that the mind influence not
yet fully rightly understood, over material ooec1
At any rate 1t is worth seeing.
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