The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1872-11-28
IDAHO WORLD.
SPIRITS, Or TRICXERY!
A CURIOUS PRIVATE EXHIBITION AT cslcAG

IL
friends, assembled on invitation at the
residence of Mr.. w. II. Fay, No. 25f
Wabash avenue, to witness the marvel
lous physical manifestations" which
have been produced in the presence OF
that gentleman during his exhibitions
with the Davenport Brothers for the
past ten years in Europe.
There were, perhaps, twenty pres
ent, and all seemed bent on fair and
honest investigation Of the promised
phenomena. Mr. Fay is man OF COR
pulent physique, weighing at least 225,
and carries about a cheerful, clean
shaver face, calm, dignified demeanor,
and temper rot easily rufiled by the
most irritating questions of the skep-
tics. He said in substance: Ladies
and gentlemen: You must take what
you witness for what it seems to be
worth. You are at liberty to refer it
to whatever agency you please. pre-
fer not to attempt to account for 1t at
ALL Some call it the work of spirits.
Some call it sleight-ofhand Some say
it is produced by the odic force, or
other reconcile agency some time to be
understood. | do not object to any of
these theories. | have an opinion of
my own which l keep to myself. | use
to tell people what | thought it was,
and they called me an idiot, and did all
they could to obstruct the phenomena.
Now | let them have their own way,
and they ought to be satisfied | have
ceased to wish to proseyte, or TO care
whether anybody agrees with me or
not. Use your eyes and adopt your
own conclusions
He then explained that, for some
reasons unknown to him, one of the
conditions demanded for the occurrence
of these phenomena was total dark
ness, as photograph could be dcvcl-
oped only in the dark, and Geographic
messages could be transmitted more
readily in the night At his, request,
a committee was appointed 10 tie him
with strong hempen rope. The tying
was thorough, hands and feet being.
firmly fastened, and the medium tied 10
the chair. The lights were then turned
out, and in a moment two guitars.
which had been brought in and laid on
the table, gave forth sounds, and rose
sand sailed about the room between the ,
semi-circle of auditors and Mr.. FAY.
No tunes were played, but the musical
sounds were continued as the instru- !,
ments passed about, touching the heads, !
hands and knees of the witnesses, and, !
after perhaps ten minutes Of this, there
were raps OH the table for light. 4
light was Immediately produced, and :,
the medium was tied "a before.
This experiment was repeated and "
varied IN many particulars, the knots h
of the ropes being sealed with wax,
and appearing intact and unbrokcn after
the guitars had swung around the cir ?
cles many times and played above the +
auditors. Finally the medium was IN. l.
tied, and the ropes thrown separately il
to those ION the front seat" Tie Ia
guitars were laid in the laps of differ, a
ent parties, and then removed by an is
invisible hand and caused to evratc r,
through the air. =,
The most interesting and rcmarka- d.
Die experiment Of the evening was the a
, coat trick" which has so often been al
declared "a physical impossibiIitv" cl
put, as savant remarked. cit is the ia
impossible that is always happenino. y DC
Mr.: Fay's hands were securely reticd he
and tied together, and his feet were pi
led together, and he was fastened IN. as
nlstakably to the chair; the knots ra
we're SO placed that he could not nv tc
my possibility reach them with hands do
II teeth; and then they were sealed tn
Win wax and stamped with a ring by TIN
ne representative Of the Tribune. The bu
'ghts were turned out; the guitars sa
gam sailed around the room. maxine ca
heir knock-turnal visits. The medium va
ala to his invisible demon, "Vill Won 81,
axe my coat off," There was wres- wi
e, Jump an apparent struggle and is
ghts were turned on, and the medium otI
at there coatless, and the coat he had bin
'orn was lying in lady's lap. He vel
as examined, not only by the COM flo,
'lttee, but by all in the room. His thi
rlstss were tied together: the seals wa
yer the knots were unbroken and tho tbe
amp OF Sutliff's ring attested the mar. ma
Il. At the mediums request a gen. sui
eman in the room removed his Coat alo
I'd laid it on his knees. Lirhts ,voro Tho