Litchfield enquirer., 1874-03-12
A REMARKABLE IMPosTuRE.
An Agile Illinois Girls 'SpirituaI'
 Manifestations.

~%h sAEiO slhHOiS GiSt SPiftSOat
 Manifestations.
 The particulars of an adroit and cun- ming lmposture, practiced for more than a year by young girl, not thirteen years of age. in Peoria, In., are given at great length by The Transcript, of that place. in it's issue for the 10th inst. The girls name Is Margaret Corvell. and she is the daughter of laborer. The Transcript says: 'sThe scene of her operations was at the residence of Mrs. Lydia Bradley, in whose service she has been for something over year. The role which the girl played was that of spiritual medium. It would appear that she was led into the practice by the fact that some of the young ladies in Mrs. Bradley's neighbor- hood had been holding seances at the house at which they had received some manifestations. It also came to her knowledge that Mrs Bradley at one time during the lifetime of her husband, had visited medium at St. Louis, and ob- tained what purported to be communi- cation from deceased daughter Before Margaret went into service at Mrs. Brad ley's. an elder sister was in service there. While the latter was there, Mrs. Bradley lost number of articles-among them a lot of sheets and pillow-slips. Mrs. Brad ley was strongly advised by the girl to apply to certain medium in the city for informant on as to the thief, saying that she had obtained information of a lost veil. Having full confidence in the hon. esty of the girl, Mrs. Bradley, accompan- jed by lady of the nelghborhood, did visit the medium, and to the astonishment of both ladies was told that she was expected that the spirit of MT. Bradley had been there the day before and announced her coming. The medium, though stranger to Mrs. Bradley, showed herself to be per- fectly acquainted with all her domestic affairs, giving her and her husbands christian names. Whether Mrs. Bradley received any information as to the party who stole her bed clothing, we do not know. At any rate, Mrs. Bradley, though Surprised at the revelation, was not con verted. By and by the elder sister, went away, and the young one, who had some time before come into service, remained. The latter's spiritualistic powers com menced in December, 1873, and in a man. ner to create some surprise, but not ex- actly to create suspicion of 1mposture. Noises would be heard, and tables, chairs
  der her influence. In one instance. while the girls hands were held tightly by an obstinate unbeliever, there came heavy crash on the piano at the opposite side of the room, entirely out of her reach. At small stand, and Mus. Bradley's hands Firmly grasping hers, the stand moved across the room toward the piano, small tea-bell on the stand was sounded, another call bell was struck, and the piano played all at the same time. Mrs Bradley thinks that two tea-bells on the stand were both rnng together, but the girl says not. At still another time the stand worked it's way into an adjoining bedroom, Mrs Bradley all the while tightly grasping the hands of the girl and feeling no move naent. A pillow was taken from the bed, thrown on the stand, then pushed against Mrs. Bradley, and then thrown over on the bed. Then the bed was violently jafked away from the wall and out into the room, and various other performances gone through with. i. In all these cases :sisus.1oe, ~he. t1Ie g1I1 was uressrug mrs. Bradley's head, one afternoon, the fold ing doors between the parlor and sitting room were opened and closed. Mrs. Brad1eys hands and ears were touched, and her breast-pin unloosed, etc. Mrs. Bradley at first supposed it to be the work of some children, but was quite sur prised to learn that no children were pres- ent, while the girl solemnly affirmed that it was not her work, which Mrs. Bradley the more readily believed, as she knew her to be dressing her hair during the en- tire performance.
 The above were not the only surprising performances. Notes purporting to come from the late Mir. Bradley would sudden ly appear, nobody knew from whence. A watch belonging to deceased daughter, which Mrs. Bradley had locked away in a private drawer, was discovered under her plate at meal time. No one but Mrs. Bradley had, it is supposed, key to the drawer, and the existence was not known to the girl so far as they knew. Then some of Mrs. Bradley's jewelry was found under her plate; and what was more per- picking than all else, trust deed known to be locked in the safe in the office at- taFhed to the residence suddenly turned uI in the same place. Mrs. Bradley's agent, Mir A. F. Johnson, and nephew of Mrs. Bradley's stopping with her, were
 
 removed it from the safe, and none else had access.
 All these wonderful things had been &C., conpllshed, but it was not all. The spir- its stole. Mrs. Bradley at one time placed $DO in her private drawer, together with other money, and $15 in the same drawer inslosed in her bank book. The next day for the money, $15 of the S1OO wee missing, and also the $15 in the bank b0k, and how much more she cannot say. Its needless to say all these things ex- cibd suspicion, but Mrs. Bradley could no' believe the girl thief and impostor at he same time. Besides, the myste- rids notes from her dead husband: and ths communications she obtained through tht g1rl as medium, were calculated to led suspicion from her. There were thse who believed the girl was an impos- tol but they couldn't detect her. Mrs. Brdley had teacher give her music les sos and sent her to school, and watched an waited. Finally, just before Christ ma, the pretended spirit of Mir. Bradley promised Mrs. Bradley Christmas pres ent She was directed to place some moey Tn her desk and wait. She did so, pu1ng the money, as she supposed. se- cuHly under lock and key. In due time 1 thfmoney disappeared, and on Christmas MT. Bradley found in the bedroom ad- 1 jolmg the sitting-room beautiful pair | of fases, with note saying they were l frcn her dead husband. The family were l cakd in to see the marvellous sight. MT. | Autin F. Johnson examined them, and l beeld what had until shen escaped mo- tic "a trademark. It was paper mark | fasened on the bottom of one of the | vass. This he quietly removed and went | don town. At Breed < Murray's he l fond the owner of the mark. They had | sol them to 8 young girl, wondering whee she obtained the money to buy. MT Breed was quietly taken to Mrs. Brad ley, the girl called in and recognized. | SD did not know MT. Breed, but sus- p4ed something, because the next com mnlcation from MT. Bradley assured | M. E. that Margaret had nothing to do win the vases.
 70 the mystery was out at. last. But thglri was not immediately exposed, on- lyIiosely watched. The lock on the desk VI changed, and no more articles were