Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-07-31
The Leisure Hour.
4 GHOST OR Il FRA UD$
AZ stie KInE," a spirit who ReVisits the
WOrId.-.-The Remarkable Spiritual
istic N ManifestRIiO1s In Philadelphia.

PHILADELPHIA, July 20, 1874.
Next to the intense interest felt in the
Ross abduction mystery, the PHILADELPHIA
mind is most exercised about "Katie
King" and her associates. This lady, Of
whom we bave all heard some very extra
ordinary, but not remarkably lucid ac-
counts, purpurts 10 be the latest crowning
wonder aud most complete development Of
the ocsult science Of spiritualism. An in
habitant ofspirit land these two or three
hundred years she has progressed" suf-
tciently 10 be able to revisit middle earth
In nineteenth century garb, and whisper
bad grammar aud nonsense In the ears of
the privileged ones admitted 10 her sednceS.
My own opinion, derived from several
interviews, is that she is one part spiritual
ism and two parts humbug; but as that
opinion IL quite at variance with the be-
lief Of her noble army of followers, num-
berng several hundreds in Philadelphis,
and l know not how many in England,
permit me TO lay before you the most au-
thentic account obtainable of this newest
and highest developnen, Of our "knowl-
edge OF future state"
Katie, then, to begin With, is neither n
faerie queen nor "noble dame Of high de-
gree" though both these classes of ladies'
were In their prime at her demise. She
| comes OF bad lot altogether. Her father,
who Is even yet obliged TO follow her
Whenever sue visits earth and keep a strict
| eye on her movements, is "John King"
better known as "Henry Morgan" one OF
Capt. Kidd's worthy successors in business
in the days before the laws of meum and
tuum had been extended to the Spanish
Main. Whether he died as John King
or "Henry Morgan" / do not know, nor
does II matter; he is "John King" now,
aud Katie is his daughter. Many spirits,
we are told by those deepest ii their con-
idence, have aspired 10 reapper in robes
! OF flesh and hlmy muslin; bC .1'ie is the
only one who has succeeded II. q SO 10
the alarming extent of steppii liv out
before her audience, sensible 1T and
touch, ~ a healthy, well-developed, and,
wthal, very fine-looking fesL land blood
girl; OF appearing and disappearing at
pleasure, and of carrying with her, when
she melts into thin air, not only her cor
poreal body and her volum, nous raiment,
but any little trifle of bouquets, fans, jew
elry, md other more or less substantial
gins presented 10 her from time TO time by
| her admirers. Conceive the rapture one
experiences in gazing upon features which
for centuries have been glowing with i'm
mortal youth in presenting a centennial
almanac To one so eminently qualified tC
use it, and receiving in return a gentle
pressure from fHgers which have los
none OF their magnetism by being laid
away since the time OF Cromwell. at ID
TO me-" says DR.. Child, Katie's chief apos
tie to the Philadelphians, "the strongest
possible evidence ofthe immortality OF the
soul" But why not of muslin dresses and
dollhouse bouquets as well, DIR. Child does
not seem willing TO explain.
The first appearance of this remarkable
young woman was in London a short time
ago, where and when SHE used Miss Flor
ence Cook Il think her name was Florence
as q medium, and set some OF the mos
learned scientists half wild about her
among others, Prof Crooks, F. r. s., wen
to investigate and scott, and renal ned L
believe aud champion. Afler successful
|
that she would appear no more; "he
mission was ended, aud sue was going 10
higher sphere'-referriug, II would seem
TO the United States, for she presently
turned up as the familiar spirit of Mr.. and
Mrs. Holmes, mediums of long standing
and wide experience, where her manifesto
tions during the season just closed hay,
been spiritually most extraordinary an'
financially most successful.
There was no Juror about the business
no hall was taken or public entertainment
given but the mediums narrow sitting
room, at No. so North Ninth street wa
crowded nightly, and sometimes twice G
an evening, at a dollar head, and this, toe
In spite of the fact that the public was nc
only not Invited, but not admitted. onl
those who could present good testimonials
= or were introduced by mutual friends
could gain admission. Among these wa
: your correspondent, who paid his dolla
: like the rest, and, therefore, feels at llbert
to tell all he knows. The:house Is an old
fashioned, three-story brick, occupied, q
} to lis first fioOr, by music store, and as
! the rest of II by the Holmes family and th
] spirits. The seanceS are held in the secon
T story front room, an ordinary apartmen
perhaps IS feet wide by l6 deep, with tw
a windows looking out on Ninth street, an
z with nothing uncanny about 1t except IL
1 "cablnet," which is made by stretching
Q dark partition across one corner, thus Gu
# ting of triangular space. The partltio
reaches to the ceiling and contains a sma