Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-11
SPIRITUALISM In COURT.
How Spirits are Manufactured and
Manipulated.

| L
a mesmeric physician. The prisoner was put
on the stand, when he made some strange
revelations respecting a Mr.. Gordon, a me-
dunn of reputed power, for whom he
worked. We quote from Sproule's state
ment as follows:
A MEDIUMS TRICKS.
| have not long known Mr. Gordon; l
became acquainted with him at a seance; he
took me into a back room, and said that
the spirits had commanded him to be my
spiritual bTothar he said the spirits had
impressed him most favOrably with regard
to me, and he wanted me to come again; he
manipulated scar on my head, which was
caused by blow received in lager beer
saloon. My arrangement with Mr.. Gordon
was Of the nature of partnership. Ilodg-
ed and boarded with him, collected all the
money, etc, and paid for all the things that
we had. l collected about $3.50, and paid
SIS, think, to Mr.. Gordon. During the
seance occupied seat in the front, among
the audience. did not have any better
| opportunity Of judging whether Mr.. Gordon
practiced fraud on these occasions than
others of the audience. The size of the
cardboard pictures was about fourteen
inches high, and perhaps eight inches
broad. / have one Of them present. This
| is one which was generally supposed to be
the spirit bride of Mr.. Gordon.
Here the witness produceda well-known
cOlored Autograph published by Currier &
! Ives, entitled the "Queen of Beauty" amid
the most uproarious laughter and numer-
Gus remarks from counsel on each side.
| Cross-examination resumed.-I was
about the distance of Mr.. GOrdon's saloon
when he exhibited these pictures l real
lied the nature of them better than others,
| because l saw them every night he
| brought them up from the long, white gown
| which he wore sometimes the faces were
| higher than his head did not at first eb-
serve the way in which the thing was done
| not because it was so well done, but be-
| cause | could not conceive that any one
would have the audacity to do such a
thing he did it in very laundering way.
L never saw any forms at his seances, be-
sides the pictures the pictures bowed, but
they did not smile he made them move
with his finger the loose sleeve of his |
robe concealed his hand l opened the !
trunk and took out the pictures ; took !
that liberty for the sake of satisfying my |
self as to Mr.. GordOn's honesty.
was partner in the concern to the ex-
tent Of third interest. There was a |
hibited to satisfy a very skeptical gentle |
man. Two strings of silk were attachedto
the head of the figure, and crossed parallel
line in the room, being fastened to the door
knob. When the door was opened the fig
ure rose: when it was shut the figure sank.
Mr.. Gordon remained a long time in a
trance, and had plenty Of time to secrete
the apparatus before the lights were brought.
He alleged that the labor of producing this
ghost was so exhaustive that he was COM
PEELED to recUperate his energies. l asked
him on one occasion why he used such
masquerading garments, the blue silk robe,
the red petticost, and the bishops hat, and
he said that was not sufficiently advanced
spiritually to understand the reasons. There
was picture similar to the one which l
have shown, exhibited at the seances. 1t
was decorated with diamonds and Illusion
lace. 1t was mounted on a cross, and ap-
peaTed to wave backward and forward. Mr.
Gordon said it was the spirit Of his bride,
who departed this life some years ago.
WHAT A BELIEVER HAD To SAY.
The next witness called was James Ben
son; he testified that he had visited the
seances of Mr.. Gordon his occupation was
that of an inventor; he had graduated a |
long time ago at a medical college; he con-
sidered himself good mechanic; he had
gone to the seanceS in spirit of inquiry, !
wishing to know whether the forms of the |
departed could be manifested to human | {
eyes; he had seen them; they were not /
pictures; he knew a good deal about pic I
lures, but had never seen such as were ex- ,
hibted there; he knew the difference be- :
tween oil and water color paintings, prints, {
and chrOmOs; he could safely I
state that these were not any Ofthese kinds, :
and from his knowledge $4,000 worth of !
mechanism could not possibly produce such q
results. On one occasion recognized the :
form of one with whom l was personally :
acquainted; there were historical characters
also; OH one night l saw Dr.. Franklin; it c
was not a full length, as some Of them o
have been, only a bust. [ROars of laugh q
ter +
Spectator. Did you see Horace Greeley? h
Renewed TOarS of laughter, which the +
witness met with glances of determination a
and Defiance n
Witness resumed. The forms were .
more beautiful and intelligent than those of
pictures. He had seen the esprit Bride"
and could not understand why any mechan-
ism could produce such effects. There was
in particular a movement of the veil and :,
the face which could not be produced by =
any mechanical combination. The print >,
produced, entitled "The Queen of Beauty" G
had no resemblance to the esprit Bride"
This apparitiOn passed clear around Mr.. .
Gordon so as to be visible to everybody.
He had also seen an infant apparitiOn in the
arms of the medium. Under other circum- ;
stances he would have takenit to be living i
child, only that there was pallor about it. E
He admitted shat he was spiritualist, but
had been member of the church in good f,
standing when he commenced investigating, :
and might still be for what he knew. He :
spiritualSm to be in advance of 9
and that spritualists comprehend +
the teachings of Christ better than any !
others. q
Cross-examined by Mr.. McCleland-He
was acquainted with Mr.. Gordon, and could !
recognize him if required. He was forty ,,
three years of age, and had graduated at the :
Botanical Medical College, Of Cincinnati, i'll
40 and 80. He received a diploma from ,
that college, and had the title of NJ. d. He !
had also a diploma FROM the Physio-Medic2i |
College, He gave up the practice of mGdi-
cine when he commenced inventing, which
was some ten years ago; he had been a
spiritualist four years, and had previously
been Hard-shell Baptist; at GOrdon's ,
/
picture on the table. He had s8n con-
iurers, but never Herman, nor any Of the
famous men like Hartz, nor had he seen
any of those difficult tricks which make
their reputation. On one occasion a con-
iurer had taken silver quarter out Of his :
hand and left a cent there. He could ex-
plain that according to natural laws, but DR..
GOrdon's apparitions could not be explained :
in the same way. On the first night that
he was present at a seance, the figures were
not so plain and distinct as afterward. The
figure that was called Gen. Frost was about !
ten feet from him. The circle where they :
were was in the rear room, and extended .
to about the middle of the room. He could
not say exactly what the diameter Of the
circle might be-. Perhaps there might be :
six feet from one side to the other. The
apparitions showed themselves in different ,
parts of the room, sometimes nearer, some
times further. There were occasions when
an apparition had come from four to six
feet to him, but he made no attempt to grab
at it. He considered that he had fairly G