Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-02-09
sPIRITUALIsM IN COURT.
nov tue splrIts are Manufae etnred
AlAhLh v and kaanipulated.4 - ~ W

One Thomas Sproule has been arrest
ed and put on trial in New York 70
stealing q watch and chain from Mrs
Elizabeth Fuller, mesmeric physician
On Wednesday the prisoner was put oil
the stand, when he made some strang,
reyelationsrespectipg Mr. Gordon,
medium Of reputed power, for whom hi
worked. We quote from Sproules state
ment as follows;
A MEDIUMS TRICKS,
have not long known Mr.. Gordon; !:
became acquainted with him at {
seance; he took me into back room
and said that. the spirits had commanded
him TO amy spiritual brother; he sale
the spirits had impressed him most ia
vorably with regard to me, and he want
ed me to come again; he manipulated
a scar on my head, which was caused by
blow ! receivedin a lager beer saloon
My arrangement with Mr.. 9ordon wai
one of the nature of partnership.
lodged and boarded with him, collected
all the money. etc., and paid for all the
things that we had. | collected about
$3.50, and | paid $25, l think, to Mr..
Gordon. During the seance occupied
seat in the front among the audience.
| did not have Any better opportunity oi
judging whether Mr.. Gordon practiced
fraud on these occasions than others OF
the audience. The size Of the card
board pictures was about fourteen inches
high and perhaps eight inches broad |
have one of them present. This was
one which was generally supposed to be
the spirit bride Of Mr.. Gordon.
Here the witness produced a we'll
known colored lithograph, published by
Ourrier & Ives, entitled the Queen OF
Beauty, amid the most uprorious laugh
ter and numerous remarks from counsel
on each side.
Cross-examination Dresumed-Ii was
about the distance of Mr.. Gordons sa-
loon when he exhibited these pictures;
| realized the nature Of them better than
others, because Lsaw them every night1
he brought them up from the long white
gown which he wore; sometimes the
faces were higher than his head; | did
not at first observe the way in which the
thing was done, not because il was so
we'll done, but because i could not con-
ceive that any one would have the au-
dacity to do such thing; he did it in a
very blundering way Il never saw any
forms at his seances, besides the pic
lures; the pictures bowed, but they did
not smile; he made them move with his
finger; the loose sleeve of his robe con-
cealed his hand; opened the trunk and
took out the pictures; | TOOK the liberty
for the sake Of satisfying myself as to
Mr.. Gordon's honesty.
was partner in the concern to the
extent of third interest There was
ghost that moved of itself, which was
exhibited to satisfy, very skeptical gen
tleman Two strings Of silk were at
tached to the head Of the figure, and
crossed parallel line in the room, being
fastened to the door-knob. When the
door was opened the figure 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 appa-
ratus before the lights were brought. he
alleged that the labor Of producing the
ghost was so exhaustive that he was com
PEELED to temperate his energies. i
asked him on one occasion why he used
such masquerading garments, the blue
silk robe, the red pettieoat and the
bishops hat, and he said that | was not
sufficiently advanced spiritually to un-
derstand the reasons. There was pic
ture similar to the one which | have
shown, exhibited at the seances.A II was
decorated with diamonds and illusion
lace. 1t was mounted on cross and
appeared to wave backward and forward.
Mr.. Gordon said it was the spirit OF his
bride, who departed this life some time
ago. giaDU auaaal