Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-02-17
THE DAYENPORTS.
How They Perform Their Wonder
ful Tricks.

How They Perform Their Wonder
full Tricks.
From P. 7. Barnum's Humbugs of the
World"
"0mne ignotum pro merifcU Wonder
full. because mysterious.
1.-THE Davenport Brothers are natives
of Buffalo, New York, and in that city
commenced their career as mediums
about twelve years ago. They were then
mere lads. For some time their opera
tions were confined to their own place,
where, having attained considerable no
toriety through the press, they were
visited by people from all parts of the
country But in 1855 they were induced
by John j. Coles, very worthy spiritu-
alist of New York city, to visit that me-
tropolis, and there exhibit their powers.
Under the management of Mr.. Coles
they held circles afternoon and eve
ming for several days, in small hall at
1876 Bowery. At the request of the con-
trolling spirit, made through a horn,
the hall was lighted at intervals during
the entertainment, at which times the
mediums could be seen seated tthe table,
looking very innocent and demure, as
if they had never once thought of de-
ceiving any body. On one of these oc-
casions, however, policeman suddenly
lighted the hall by means of dark Ian
tern. and the boys were clearly seen with
instruments in their hands. They
dropped them as soon as they could,
and resumed their seats at the table.
Satisfied that the thing was humbug,
the audience left in disgust, and the
nolieeman was about to march the boys
To the station-house on the charge OF
swindling, when he was prevailed upon
10 remain and further test the matter
Left alone with them, and the three
seated together at the table on which the
instrument had been placed, he laid, at
their request, a hand on each medium s
head; they then clasped both his arms
with their hands. While they remained
thus situated las he supposed), the room
being dark, one Of the instruments, with
an Internal twangipg of its strings, rose
from the table and bit the policeman
several times on the head. Then a
strange voice, through the trumpet, ad-
yised him not to interfere with the work
of lthe spirits by prosecuting. the me-
diums. Considerably astonished, If not
possibly scared, he took bis hat and LETT
fully persuaded that there was some
thing in it"
The boys produced the manifestations
by prasping the neck Of the instrument,
swinging it around and thrusting 1t into
different parts of the open space OF the
room, at the same time vibrating the
strings with the forefngeF.
When sitting with a person st the
table, as they did with the policeman,
one hand could be taken off the inyesti-
gators arm without knowing it, by gen
tly increasing, at the same time, the
pressure Of the other hand. It vas an
easy matter then to raise and throw the
instrument or talk through the horn.
To secure greater immunity from de
lection, and 70 enable them to exhibit
in large halls which could not be easily
darkened, the boys finally hit upon a
" cabinet" as the best thing in which TO
work. They had some time before made
the "rope test feature Of their exhi-
bitions, and in their cabinet show they
depended, for success in deceiYing, en-
tirely upon the presumption Of the au-
dience that their hands were so seoured
with ropes as TO prevent their playing
upon musical instruments or dong what
ever else the spirits assumed TO do,
Their cabinet is about six feet high,