The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-28
Tho paveppor,s-Izow they fef'''"
rnc;r Wonderful Tricks. .

,,,rm,s H,mbngs Of the Hortd.l
"omae tgnotnn pro
9. The davenport Brothers are natives OF
Buffalo, \, y, aud in that city commenced
heir career as mediums abont WE'VE
years ago. They were then mere lads. foI
somc time their operations were connne9
their Own place. wRe ts,d nasn sbe nress
hey were visited by people from all parts
of the country. But in 1855 they were IN
(,ucrd by John J. Coles, a very worthy
sniritualist Of New York city, to visit that
and there exhibit their DOW
ers. Under the management OIL All. Coles
they held tcircleS afternoon ana evening
for several days in n small hall Mt 100 Bow
ery. at the request OF the contr0lnng |
Shirt made through horn, the nan was |
lichted at intervals during the entertain |
ment. at which times the mediums could |
he seen seated at the table looking very IN |
nocent and demure, as if they had never |
once thought of deceiving anybody. On
one of these occasions, however, police |
man suddenly lighted the hall by means OF
a dark lantern, and the boys were clearly
seen with instruments in their hands.
They dropped them as soou as they couid,
and resumed their seats ut the tao!e.
Satisfied that the thing was a humbug, the
audience left in disgust, and the policeman
was about to march the boys to the station
house on the charge of swindling, when he
was prevailed upon to remain and further
test the matter. Left alone with them, and
the three seated together ut the table on
which the instrument bad been placed, he
laid, Mt their request, a hand on each me-
dium's head they then clasped both his
arms with their hands. While they remained
thus situated (as he supposedb the room
being dark, one of the Instruments, with
an internal twanging Of its strings, rose
from the table and hit the policeman sew
eral times on the head. Then u strange
voice, through the trumpet, advised him
not to interfere with the work of the spirits
by prosecuting the mediums. Considerably
astonished, il not possibly scared, he TOOK
his hat and left, fully persuaded that there
was something in it,
The boys produced the manifestations by
grasping the neck of the instrument, swing
ing it around, and thrusting it into different
parts of the open space of the room, at the
same time vibrating the strings with the
forefnger.
When sitting with person at the table,
as they did with the policeman, one hand
could be taken off the investigators arm
without knowing it, by gently increasing at
the same time the pressure OF the other
hand. It was an easy matter then to raise
and throw the instrument, or talk through
the horn.
To secure greater immunity from detec-
ton, and to enable them to exhibit in large
halls which could not be easily darkened,
the BOYS finally hit upon Il cabinet as
the best thing in which to work. They had
some time before made the 'rope test q
feature Of their exhibitions, and in their
cabinet show they depended for success in
deceiving entirely upon the presumption
Il IL, ka,, In, liz or,
secured with ropes as TO prevent their
playing upon musical instruments or doing
whatever else the spirits assumed to do.
Their cabinet is about six feet high, SIX
feet long, and two and Il half feet deep, the
front consisting Of three doors opening out
ward. In each end is 4 seat with holes
through which the ropes can be passed in
securing the mediums. In the upper part
of the middle door is n lozenge-shapcd
aperture. curtaiued On the inside with
black muslin or oilcl0th. The bolts are on
{ le inside Of the door.
The mediums are generally first tied by
committee of two gentlemen appointed
from the audience. The doors of the
cabinet are then closed, those at the
elds first, and then the middle one.
By the time the end doors are closed
snd bol.ed, the DavenportS, in many in
stances, have succeeded in loosing the
knots next their wrists. aud slipping their
hands out, the latter then being exhibited
ut the aperture. It does not take the me-
dlums long to draw the knots close to their
wrists again. They are then ready to be
inspected by the committee, who report
them tied Us they were left. Surprising
them to have been securely bound, those
VITO witness the show are very naturally
aitonished.
Sometimes after being tied by the COM
INIT hn -.
hands and get them back as they were In
which case they release themselves en-
tlrely from the ropes before the doors are
again opened, concluding TO wait till after
the spirit have bound them before
showing hands or making music.
1t is common thing tor these imposterS
to give the rope between their hands Il twist
while their limbs are being bound, and that
, movement, ii deXterousiy made while the
attention of the committeeman is momenta-
riy diverted, is not likely to be detected.
Reversing the movement will let the hand
ont.
The great point with tho Davenports in
tying themselves is, to have knot next
their wrists that looks fair and square,
nj the same time that they can shit it and
get their hands out in moment.
If flour has been placed in their hands if
'"akes no difference as to their getting
=. members out of or into the roDes
those - hands at the aperture, or to
but to Sho" va musical instr1nents IL
make noise on IL, should got thn a. -
is necessary that they 'no .hor se1 tne hour
out of one hand into the o. 1ne moist
ure of the hand and squeezlns p"Ehs the
-four into lump, which can be laid ,-''o 'ne
other hand and returned without losing ans
The little flour that adheres to the hand can
be wiped of in the pantaloons pocket The
mediums seldom, if ever, take flour in their
hands while they are in the bonds put upon
them by the committee.
The principal part of the show is after the
tying has been done in their own way. MI.
Fay. who accompanies the Dayenports, is
thus fixed when the hypothetical spirit
likes the coat off his back.
AS before remarked, there are several
WAYS in which mediums tie themselves.
they always do it, however, in such man
ner that, though the tying looks secure,
they can Immediately get one or both hands
ont. Let committees insist upon untying
the knots of the spirits, whether the me,
diums are willing or not. A little critical
observation will enable them to learn the
trick.
1.-THE Davenports were exhibiting simply
as juggiers, / might admire their deXterity,
and have nothing to say against them; but
when they presumptuously pretend to deal
in 'thlngs SPIRITUAL consider 1t my
duty, while treating of humbugs, to do this
much at least in exposing them"
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