Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-03-23
EXPOSE OF A FRAUD.
HE Spiritual Banje-BanGtng. Rope.
Tying, Coat-Changtng
Humbuggery.


The "world-ren owned spiritual medium,
Chas. III. Read, who has been figuring in Wash
\ ington lately, came to grief at Odd Fellows
/ Hall, last night. The performance was an
4 houneed TO he Z" startling, interesting and mar
/ Vicious manifestations ty the invisible magi-
ciaAs of the spheres" With wrists tied TO-
kether, and with his feet and shoulders tied IA
hIs chair, he was while the light was extin-
1 guished) to throw on his coat, iron rings were
/ 10 find their way mysteriously upon his arms
| chairs TO be strung upon his arms, table.
TO mount upon his head. &c, his hand.
| meantime remaining bound. Another per-
| foImance (spiritualistic) was Tor him To stand
/ faeil 4 spectator. with his right foot touchino
| the lett foot oil his vis-a-yis with hi. hand.
clasped over the lett arm of the person opposite
while the hand OF that left arm was placed ,or
hIs own head. In this position supposed 10 pre-
| Clude any motion or his own, spiritual touehe-
we've felt upon the hands ana person OF the in
diSiCuai opposite, banjos and tamborines and
Vthtr articles wee Knocked about miscllane-
otisly, ana when the gas was liz again a table, q
char, OF some of the musical instruments were
iouha piled upon the heads and shoulders Of the
couple confronting each other.
Inc performance commenced by the usual
HLg process by committee. Read WAS seat ii
n the center OF the stage, with a char 1T his left
hShu ("ithin reach) anu a small table AT hts
iitAt laIsO Within Teach) bearing a banjo, two
on Ilngs, ropes, &c. The committee having
80 him To the chair ard at his wrists, withdrew
. The leIt OF the platform, the lights were ex-
sbS anu lInilS u -aLcLy the sudintng OF
'orus ~as heard with dlstinctncss, but il ap-
fUared that the committee had tied knot
| = newh&t more difficult than the Harvard tie,
% wheh The lights were lit Read VINO appeared
tus he'd and agItated, had made no progress in
'NirIcatlng himself About this time the audi
lace began to manifest some impatience. Rea 4
Was asked il he would allow Mr.. w. II. Gaines
OF the Third Auditors Oftice, (who had oif,,re
TO expose Read,) to go upon the stage
Read declined with degree Of rudeness and
IlPliancy that made very bad impression. He
aIIerw ards said that he would allow Mr.. Gaines
10 ~ upon the stage after he WAS through lie
stated that through the inharmonious condition
oi things his irst attempt had been failure
but he would give some standing manifestations
lie accor DINGHY took his Position opposite SOM,
person In the manner we have dc ,cribed. ana
was successful to the extent that his cis--rts in,
each case declared that he could not feel ReaT
move, while the musical Instruments chairs
&c were in motion.
There were calls now from the audience that
the tables, chairs, &c, should be placed beyOnd
Reads reach. he positively refused to accede
TO THIS request, and also refused another request
that Mr.. Gaines should be allowed to 20 upon
the Platform and investigate things. lie also
Declined To allow any one 10 stand on the table.
Read now proposed to be tied again. por-
ton OF the committee had left, but he was tied
py Mr. Davis, well known citizen, who had
assisted ia securing him so effcctuaily in the
earlier part of the evening.
MIR. DAVIS when called upon by the audience
TO say II be was securely tied, said he WAS tied a.
enectually as he could he under the conditions
prescribed by Read, which were that his wrist,
should be tied together and not sinSly. The
lights were put out, and tins tine Read sue
eeeded IN stringing the rings on his arms, also
the chair, Sc.
Capt. Mcmahon, who was invited to 90 upon
the stage, declared after examination, his belief
that Read could readily slip his hands out OF the
knot, and that he was ahumbug. This declara-
ton created something OF sensation, and there
were cries from all quarters of tie room for
Gaines. ''Let Gaines be tied," &C.!
That gentleman went upon the platform and
proceeded to address the audience, saying that
he did not come there with the idea of being tied
to demonstrate the fraud In that way, but ho
would propose to test it conclusively If Read
would allow him to wind slip Of paper about
two OF his fingers, the first finger on each hand,
fastened simply with mucilage. If he was able
TO slip the rings on the chair upon his arms
with his fingers thus held together he would
agree to give him $50.
Read declined to accede to this arrangement
at that time, but said he would at some other
time and place.
Gaines proposed to meet him any time he
would name, and Read, after some hesitation,
said he would let him know when it would b.
convenient to undertake the test.
IhCIe were now cries for Gaines to be tied.
He said that he had been experimenting that
day with the ropes, and being unused To the
business OF drawing his hands through the knots
lie had lacerated them a good deal, and would
rather prefer not to be tied unless the audience
insisted.
This statement seemed to be held by the al
herent. OF Read N hail sornesasiny of n
back-aown en- the part of Gaines, aud they
called out, insinuating that he was afraid TO be
tied. .-.-. .- ..
MIR. Gaines then said that as the audience
seemed to wish it he would consent to be tied.
MIR. DAVIS then tied Gaines in the same mar
ner ia which lie had tied Read, and the exam
liners declared that he was tied quite
ourely. The lights were then put out, and
a most Immediately Gaines called ont for them
TO be re-lt, and, wonderful TO behold. the rings,
chair, Sc, were strung upon his arms. Tne
applause WAS tremendous, and was increased
when Air. Gaines proceeded to illustrate with
what facility the hands could be drawn through
the Read knot and replaced, and how readily
the other tricks were perfor med when the hands
were thus released.
Following upon this young man named
Trick was done; the right hand " tie annf
ma gician" being unclasped and Withdrawn
while by pressing the left hand heavily upon
humbugged into the belief that the tso hands
remained clasped. With the right hand thus
disengaged the magician could readily handle
the musical instruments, Ne, and Place them
upon his head or elsewhere.
A vote Of thanks was given to the gentlemen
who had exposed the fraud, and the audience
quietly dispersed, seeming to feel that the sue
the money they had paid for admission.
Read lad disappeared some time before the
adjournment, and will not probably undertake
illiterate man, and is said to have been brakes
man on Northern railroad, previous 10 going
into the spiritual magic business. Quite num-
her Of beiieyers In "Spiritualism" were present
last night Some of them expressed their dis
gust not only with Read, but with all the quack-
cry OF physical manifestations while Others
held that Gaines really performed the exploit,
through being q finer medium than Read him
self; 20 that be could do in the light what Read
could do only in the dark: Vive la humbug,
-. The Municipal Ca1paign.
Meeting Of Reform Republicans" The 8. City Hal
Ring" and the Lincoln Hall Aeeting-ChdRge of
Government Discussed.
meeting of the reform Republican Asso-
citation" was held at Union League Hall last
evening, Mr.. VIM. Dixon in the chair and Mr..
B. NJ. Mccoy Secretary. iH3i.-
Mr.. Philbrook urged the necessity for the
Executive Committee being filed, and the
Chair remarked that he would make appoint
ments to 6ll the vacancies.
Mr.. ID. n. Kelsey offered resolutions setting
forth that 1.-THE Corporation omcials, headed by
the Mayor, have made arrangements to hold \
meeting at lincoln Han tonight, professedly TO
sympathize with the loyal people Of Tennessee
and Texas, but really as An excuse to foist
Sayles j. Bowen again upon the public stage