The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-01-18
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The Spirits Put 10 Rout- Fun al
Hornbrook's Hall-The Spirit Of
"Baack- DefIed An Exposition To.
Night. 4 lt4'l.s ..
For the past week Hornbrook's Hall has
been crowded with people TO witness the
spiritualistic manifestations of Mr.. Ellis,
his daughter Laura, and their attendant
spirit, which is Black, who is said to have
lived in Meridian, CT, and who was sol.
der In the Union army, and was at the bat
tie Of Bull Run. As Black Is color warrant
ed not to run, he was taken prisoner by the
rebels, and died, and for the sins done In
the body has been condemned ever since
his death to the unhappy fate of tielng and
untieing of knots in strips Of cloth placed
around Miss Ellls's neck, wrists (the latter
behind her back), waist and ankles beat
ing sheet-iron drum rapping the inside
Of the closet with stick placing ring
on any given finger, or In her ear, and final.
ly cutting with a Penknife the bandages
with which she Is bound. And 10 make 1t
rougher on this unfortunate ghost, he Is
obliged to do these things In dark cabinet
or box, because of the unfriendly" effect
light has on the spirit of Black.
Several of our leading citizens, among
whom we may mention DR.. Bates, DR..
Hazlett, and Ed. Booking, concluding that
"For ways that are dark
80. And tricks that ale vain,"
Spiritualistic mountebanks-tha Is, those
who get up these shows for money-can
beat all the heather Chinee ever imported,
determined to expose the whole business.
And for three or four days they have made
certain financial propositions to Mr.. Ellis,
that would be greatly to his advantage, if
what he claimed was true, If be would per-
NIT them to tie the bandages. But here
again the ghost of Black intertered, and de-
clared she wouldn't stand no such nom
sense, nohow."
On Saturday night the opposition to these
and the spirit of Black was put to flight,
and the spirits Of Mr.. Ellis and his daugh-
ter quailed within them, =
DR.. Bates was, at the request OF Mr..
Ellis, selected on the part of the audience
to act as their committeeman, to report to
them at intervals during the proceedings
whether, In his opinion, the manifestations
were produced by spiritual or human agen.
cies, or both.
Before the performance commenced the
DR.. arose and stated to the audience that he
was not believer in that kind of spiritual
ism, and that if during the course of the
evening it should be possible for him to ex-
pose these manifestations as being human
agencies, and not spiritual, he should do
so, which was agreed to by Mr.. Ellis.
The lady was then securely bound,
hands, neck, and ankles, ana placed in the
Cabinet After tieing string about the
lady's neck, untieing the same and placing
it in her lap, ringing bell, playing IA tune
on drum, and performing MANY other ap-
parently impossible things, DR.. Bates stated
to the audience that the lady still remained
bound in her original position, but that he
was now more convinced than ever that
these performances were done not by the
aid of spiritual agencies, but by human
agencies alone, and that he had seen many
of these things performed before in this
city, and could explain how they were done.
At this moment young man in the au-
dience stated to the Doctor that he could
perform these tricks. Of course he was
Immediately called upon the Stage, where
he reiterated his statement, and said he
was ready to carry it out, and requested
Messrs. Hazlett and Booking to come for.
ward and assist in the preparations.
At this point Mr.. Ellis, Thos. Hornbrook,
and persons in the audience who are be-
levers in spiritualism, objected, and
would not allow the exposition to proceed.
MIR. Hornbrook stated that Mr.. Ellis was
the lessee of the hall for that night, and
that he would not consent to any one else
taking possession of the stage.
Here confusion became worse confound-
ed. Everybody tried to talk at the same
time. and got mad because everybody elSe
wouldn't quit and let him 60 ahead.
one honorable exception, and he kept bob
bing up and down like q cork on rough
water, shouting "Bully," "Brayvo," and
"On9core," rs he could catch Il word from
this, that, or the other orator.l
Mr.. Hornbrook continued to say: No
one can take possession of the stage tonight
without the permission of Mr. Ellis-wbo
would not consent-hut that if the audience
desired it, on Monday evening be would let
them have the hall for the purpose of ex-
posing the manifestations free Of charge.
The following resolution was adopted
with only one dissenting voice:
"ReSolred, That we are fully convinced
that the so-caled spiritual manifestations
are produced by human, and not by super
natural agencies
During all this Mr.. Ellis was busy taking
down his cabinet, against the loud and
earnest protests Of the audience. One ex-
cited individual rushed forward with q
screw driver, but whether for the purpose
of stabbing Ellis to the heart, or having the
cabinet put together again, we cannot say.
The parties interested have therefore en-
gagged Washington Hall for tonight, and
will there give an exposition OF the mystic.
ries for the benefit Of the Children's Home.
That the hall wall be filled to its utmost ca
paclty we are satisfied. The exposers will
first do al the tricks US Miss Laura Ellis per-
formed them, and will then show how they
are done. We have no doubt but that it
will be u rich affair.