National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-07-07
ANIGHTWlTIITHE SPIRITS
sPIRITUALISTIC REVELATIONS.

The Physical Phase Of NiedIma, hip--Rxpe.
rience Of an East washipsteu Party
Anew Evenings Ago.
one evening Of this week a small party Of
,dles and gentlemen called at the pariors Of
Master Frank ounneli, 4si @ street southwest
TO witness what Ia known as the physical phase
OF "mediumship" Of the so.cslled phonomens OF
spirltualsm. After few moments OF pleasant
conversation they were invited into the dining
room, where q small box-like cabinet, perhaps
two feet square and six feet high, had been
lifted up OF rough boards. A swinging door was
attached, which buttonei on the inside, and In
this door was cut diamond shaped aperture,
shielded by curtain OF black cambria. inside
OF the cabinet, some suspended upon nails and
others lying on the noor were small bells, ropes,
iiumsticks, &c. A rough hoard with two small
holes cut through II, apart about sixteen inches,
served as a seat. A close Investigation re-
vealed nothing Of n mysterious character within
Or without the structure. Into this cabinet,
after dlvcstrg himself Of all unnecessary cloth
ing, Master Gunncll stepped, "wlth a smile that
was chIld-llse and bland" and the tying com.
mlttec, Messrs. NJ. and s., proceeded to invest
his form with numerous ropes.
good deal was said about cslf-knots and
proceedings. Surncc II to say, that after The
committee had spent some ten minutes In hard
abor they pronounced the work accomplished,
ind stepped back to wipe OF the perspiration
that flowed from their manly brows, revealing
the young man as q captive In the cabinet, bound
hani aud foot, with the ends Of one Of the ropes
passed down through the small holes In The
seat, and tied securely beneath It, and then
wrapped with copper wire as firmly as could he
lone by an expert who had brought into requi-
s.sion ISr the PURPOSE a stout par OF nipners;
Il well done, and the tying committee festc,l
upon It's laurels amid the congratulations Of
their constituents.
Then the door swung upon Its hinges but had
,csrcely closed before the racket In the cabinet
commenced. The bells rang, the drum-sticks
nttled, aud an old dish-pau male rs appearance
N the top OF the b0x-like structure. A hanl
| that looked odd to our Inca experienced eyes came
| nut from beneath the cain0ric curtain, cliugins
20 bell, which II rang vigorously. aud Thea
threw upon me noor. Another appeared at tn,
top OF the cabinet and tumbled out various port
| tble articles. Presently the door was thrown
| )pen and Master Gunnel was found occupying
apparently the precise position In which he hal
been placed, with ropes, &c, ali intact, but viii
rather exhausted look about his eyes. Az TIT
| atmosphere was stlning during the evening tn,
wnrM 70 me Young man In the box must hay,
| Tue articles were replaced In the cabinet, an,
| the door closed. The preceding Performance
vas repeated, with some yaiiasions, closing witt
car ,roh we nehnm 70 open the door. tn
L
| the cabinet, only to md Frank still bound han
and foot, and looking demurcy down his nose
Aympathizing friend Brought fan into requl
sition-a fan that called forth the gratitude q
he captive. The door was closed again. tn
Visitors threw In their nandserchiefs to hav
them tied by the "spirils, to keep as souvenir
AS taismans to ward on future evil contingeI
Giles, as Master Gunnell gravely sad-and tines
| we're soon tossed out to their respective owner
"a knotted condition. Then we could hear N
infastening Of the ropes, and the nlppers at wor
/ n mn ant lat .
'onr swung open, aud Frank, entirely unboun
sfepned out amid the plaudits OF the assemble
multitude.
; Iue cabinet "seance- concluded by hts r
occupying tho rough seat and being tied by u
: naming free.
md occupied seats that were arranged so as
: | enable all 10 witness the performances,
TWO STOUT cASE-shAr CHAIRS
M se commitee "a an, Sna a,s thoroughly examined
; seated on one aud bUunl firmly thereto, hal
| ind loot, with cords. The light Was remove
but instantly recalled, when the other chair W
| tnunl on the Young mans lap, hanging by
5 | round on one oil his arms. How IL got there W
ne mystery. The light was then taken out, al
brought back In moment, and the chair W
found upon the noor some distance from Il
Tue East Washington delegation brought wi
!. hem, by way OF pfecaulion, two sold In
u was stamped the word "truth" aud on the 9th
!, Justice" These also were found at one tn
d suspended on his arm. A tumDier, partial
, allied with water, wa. placed on the noof sho
: distance from him. The light had scarcely III
appeared before gurging sound Was hear
I. and when the lamp returned the glass was -four
d opposing, bottom upward, on Franks mead. {
one occasion coat, which had been laid behiI
:, hin, was found upon his person, fully button,
y ~, as one would wear II on q cold day. II
l. Ilsh-pan new over and struck the writer on tn
e nsrt Of his neither extremlties known as Il
4, shin, while the drum stick and bells went IN 9th
il directions. Messrs. N. I. and p. held the.'meur
r - as,anLlng position and the light was remove
Il IN. and chair was found poised ipon His eur
!. mead. The trio declared severally that they h
/ | not felt Frank move. An examination OF ii
ropes followed at the close OF each OF these q
!. | cnrrences, except the latter incident, duriI
q which the medium" was unfcttercL and ii
. knots reported as unJlsturbed.
= The flight seanoe" closed the evenings ente
I tainment the mediums thumbs were bolI
. with cords, and yet the iron rings passed 81
e | repassed In most mysterious manner upon Al
On the arm. Mr.: s., OF the tying COMMITTEES, W
< directed TO stand erect, with his arms extend,
!. horizontally. While In this position he was a
i preached by Frank, whose thumbs apparent
l. were bound so tightly that the cord was bur
y INTO me nesh. and suddenly found himself with
0 the loving embrace OF the latter. the thurnt
, on Inspection, were found as before. Mr.
e was released In the same manner. Other occu
Q FENCES OF like curious character followed al
1. The East Washington delegation wendell
e way homeward from the mysterious mansiI
that night In rather dazed condition, fro
which IL has not yet entirely recovered. How
Y members managed TO md their peaceful HON
amid the labyrinths OF hils and valleys Great
l. on the Island by the Board of Public Works
probably as great mystery as were the DC
iornlances OF young Frank, and fully establish
d thslr reputation a. professors OF the black art.
J. While the writer IL not yet ready to aLtrlbn
s what occurred At the parlors OF Master Gum,
A 70 the agency OF dlsembodied spirits, as elaine
he Is obliged TO hear testimony To the real
D marvellous dexterity with which the whole pe
= Torrance was conducted. II the party we
hnnbu9ged u was done In so polite mann
ana so defly as to be positively agreeable.