Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-09-08
GHOSTS AND GHOST-SEEING.
A Visit 70 the MOravian Spirits and
Mediums Of New York.
The Entire Thing Again Pans Out t
be . First Class Humbug.
Spiritualism Scientifically Shifted
at-The Power Of SensOrial
Yisions-Delirium Tremens,
Hashesh, and the SpOOks.

Inc quiet little village oil Moravia, New
York, with its twelve or fifteen hundred
inhabitants, all told, continues 10 be re-
garded by the spiritualistic fraternity of the
lane, as most highly favored centre of
ghostiy influences and manifestations. A
large number of mediums and so-calied mir
raculous physicians are to be found scatter
ed throughout its rural cottages or sponging
living out of the credulity of some of the
adjoining farmers, though the. centre
Of attraction is the rustic abode of
a Celtic fraud known as Mrs.
andrews. This ingenious female COM
menced operations several years ago when
engaged as a servant girl in neighboring
farmhouse, and finding that the thing was
becoming decidedly profitable, left her mas
ter, and marrying an Irisbman who worked
about the place, set up in business on her
own account. A correspondent of the New
York World who has recently visited the
village states that the earnings of this wo-
man are estimated az about $500 week.
Before leaving, however, he attended one
of the sednces given by her, and this is what
be has TO say about it:
TEE PLACE OF OPERATIONS.
Opportunity being given, we inspected
the room before the sitting began. An or
binary bedroom on the second floor, 10
feet by II, with two windows so arranged
as to exclude all light and fresh air when
desired. The outside shutters, the win
dows, and tight-fitting inside shutter are
fastened and two heavy wooden blankets
hanging in front of this, make breath of
fresh air or ray Of light physical impos-
sibility. The cabinet, not unlike an old
fashioned clothes press, stands at one end
of the room, outside painted to represent a
brick wall, inside plain wooden walls, with
out books or projections of any kind. In
front is an opening about two feet square,
through which the faces are seen and the
voices heard. A thick curtain hangs in
front of the window of the cabinet, on the
inside.
THE CROWD AND THE DARK SEANCE.
The audience are seated in two semi
circles, and the medium enters and seats
herself in a chair in font of the cabinet;
facing us. An ordinary Irishwoman of per-
haps 35, very plainly attired, looks as
though she may have come directly from
the kitchen; black hair, and eyes that never
look you in the face. The lights are put
out. Egyptian darkness. Some one strikes
up:
COhh oAOnh OOug ACo q Al ILc
And his soul is marching on,
and during the second chorus we got our
first supernatural evidence-we are sprink-
led with waterl Singing goes on with vigor.
Presently q slight vibration ofair is noticed,
such as might be produced by fan. "Did
you feel those angels wings tanning us?''
some one inquiries. \ es, all had noticed
it, and we strike up, There are angels
lowering around" Singing continues half
an hour, but no more manifestations till a
slight shaking of the cabinet is noticed, and
ghostly voice says, "Friends, please strike
a light" A small kerosene lamp Is Lit, and
the dark seance ended. ..
THE LIGHT sEANCE-RATHER THIN.
The medium now arose from her seat
facing the audience, and entered the cabi-
net. The light is turned down very low,
so as to give the merest twilight. More
singing; very tiresome. At last some one
strikes up the gooi old-fashioned hymn:
Amazing grace, how great the boon
That saved wretch like me-"
in the midst of which hand appeared at
the cabinet window for moment and dis
appeared. (Curiously, by the way, it has
been noticed that the best manifestations
occur when the singing is loudest and most
generally Presently the curtain on the in
side waves, now corner is lifted, and
from the dark background something like a
face is indistinctly visible, and a low whis-
per is heard calling "Lizzie.n A lady in
the audience responded, sis it you, Katy?"
ayes" "Can't you come a little further
forward, Katy, so we can see your faee?''
The curtain moves and flicker, and present
l., k1.n Al.
| conditions were favorable. Good-by."
s.Katy, have you the baby?" Something,
It might have been a white sleeve, moved
| back and forth for moment, and disap-
peared. Katy had gone. --
ADELEGATE FROM ILLINOIS. f.
After long interval of loud singing an
other face, that Of an old man with white
hair and beard, appeared at the window,
somewhat more distinctly than the other,
but still keeping well in the dark. He
seemed 10 have been frequent visitor, for
he was at once recognized as George Jack
son, of illinois, who was the presiding gent
us on these occasions. After advancing and
retreating in a highly tantslizing way for
some minutes George became quiet and be-
| gan to speak in high falsetto key, and (was
| it fancy?) the faIntest trace of rich brogue.
/ 115 SuDJeCt VI HIS uiSCOiliS6 WAS lie SfoaL
| developments in preparation in the spirit
| land, which were soon to put down scoffers
and skeptics, and convert an unbelieving
generation TO the truth. Jails were to
be opened and prisons demolished, spirit
friends to sit with us at table, to travel with
us, live with US; in fact, the 'sgates" were
no longer to be. merely "sjar"-they were
to be taken off their hinges altogether.
4 Iao;Ia1ix1 q.
than Katy, but still his retiring disposition
kept him in the background, and doubt
ifhe could have been recognized if seen on
the street by any one present. A long,
wearisome, not to say suspicious silence,
shaking OF the cabinet as . parting signal,
and the company broke up and adjourned
to the parlor below. Here we found ev-
cry one enthusiastic over the unusually IA
vorable manifestations just witnessed.
One man lad been in attendance over two