Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-09-14
"DEEDS OF DARKNESS
An Expose of Spiritual Manifesto.
fiOns-SO- called

An Expose Oh Spiritual MaH1feBta.
tiORs-SO-c called.
Prof S. S. Baldwin gave an expose at the
Opera House last night, of number of
tricks by means of which so-callcd suirtt-
ual mediums have been in the habit of
quilting the public. The performance was
strictly private, no one being present but
those who were there by invitation. Among
these were noticed DR.. Il. o. Summers, DR..
Inman, j. O. Griffi h, DR.. Newell, L. o.
Summers, jr., Of the Southern University
at Greensboro, Ala; DR.: Morgan, c |. C.
w. Charlton, of Knoxville; DIR. Kelley,
Prof Marks, of Edgefeld; DIR. Merrill, Mr..
Joseph Carrels, r. d. Dorman, representa-
tiyes of the press and many Others, there
being quite number of ladies present.
A cabinet, of the style usually used by
"mediums,' occupied the centre of the
stage, and in this cabinet, the doors of
which we're open, were hung tambourine,
guitar, three small bells, and child's trum-
pet, the cabinet being large enough tor three
persons to sit in 1t comfortably, and SO ar
ranged that it could be made perfectly dark
the two small spertures in the door being
covered inside by heavy dark curtains.
About s O'Clock, Prof. Baldwin came
upon the stage and stated that it WIS bis
intention to produce by physical means
certain manifestations which "mediums"
claimed we're produced by spiritual agencies.
He then requested that committee of three
be appointed by the audience, whose duty it
would be to tie himselfan his assistant, see
to it that they received no help from any one
OUT ide Of the cabinent, and TO insure that
the experiments were fairly conducted, DR..
Morgan, Mr.. Griffith and 7. o. Summers,
ST., were selected by the audience, and the
performance was Immediately commenced.
The Professor and his assistants took
seats in the cabinet, facing each other, and
were securely tied in their chairs by the
committee. Then the doors were closed
and instantly number of musical instru-
ments were Played upon. The doors we've
then opened, and the occupants of the cab
met were found securely tied and seated as
they had been left by the committee upon
closing the doors.
The doors were AGAIN closed, and upon
being opened the parties were found un-
tied. Upon being shut up again, they tied
themselves, and when the doors were OPEN
ed were found in that condition. At the
request of the Professor, DR.. Morgan took
the doors were closed, and instantly the in
ruments were played upon, hands being
seen at the apertures above mentioned, at
the same time. This experiment was then
repeated with Mr.. Summers in the cabinet,
both those g ntlemen reporting that the
performers seemed to sit perfectly still.
Next the coat of Prof. Baldwin's assist
ant was sewed up in front and the sleeves
were sewed together behind his chair, his
hands and feet being tied. The doors were
closed and in less than a minute they were
opened and the coat was found lying on
chair in font of the wearer, whose hands
and feet were still tied.
Short ntences were then written on
cards which were placed in plain envelopes
and securely sea ed, the writing on the cards
not being seen by the test mediums, to
whom the envelopes were then given and
the doors of the cabinet closed. In a very
short time the writing on the C rds was read
aloud from the cabinet, the writer's ce:-
tifying that the cards were correctly
read. Answers to the communications
were then read aloud by the test mediums,
and their envelopes returned. The COM
mittee examined the envelopes aud declsr-
ed they had not been broken open, but up
on their being opened by the writers the
answers given were found written on the
opposite side of the cards, the writDg in
every ms ance closely resembling that first
written. Other cards similarly prepared
were then handed to the occupants of the
cabinet, who read the writing correctly, and
called out that if the committee YOU'D
open the door they would see how the trick
was performed, whereupon the door was
opened, and the trick was fully explained.
Prof. Baldwin then exposed most OF Fos-
ter's seemingly wonderful performances,
but of course we do not propose to give the
explanations, as the Professor intends to
give couple of exhibitions at the Opera
House this week-to morrow night and the
night folio wing, when TIE public will be af-
forded an opportunity of seeing how things
are done.
The following certificate fully expresses
the sentiment of all present:
We, the undersigned, have witnessed
Prot. Balawin's exposure of the claims of
Spiritualsm, and take pleasure in stating
that his performances were in every partic-
ular satisfactory, and his explanations, so
far as given, were clearly and accurately
stated. Let everyone turn out and satisfy
We guarantee an interesting
exhibition.
DR.. w. II. Morgan, J. o. Griffith, T. o.
Summers, D. D., Thompson Anderson, S.
NJ. Merrill, D. D., T. o. Summers, jr., &.
NJ. Baldwin, l.. G. Noel.