Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-11-29
GIN. LIPPITT'S ACCOUNT OF
KATIE kTNGs.

q .
EsA1EE kINGs.
Ia the Galary for December, Gen. r.
J. Lippiit,. Of lshode Island-who i a
lawyer by prefsssiOn, has served his
country WITH bis sword IN two wars
aud WAS tbs ,ssctetaEg of Alexis de Toe
queviile-giTes s ngrEaiYe Of personal
observation az Philadelphia last spring
in the weil-known matter Of Skate
King We quote;
THE LOCUS IN QUO.
While In Philadelphia, in May last,
witnessed some surprising occurrences
IN Mr.. and Mrs. Holiness little parlor.
They belong to that mysterious and
somewhat suspicious class Of persons
known as "mediums.n As they had
been quite famous IN london, whence
they had lately arrived, gladly ayailed
myself of DR., Henry Child's courteous
offer TO admit me into private circle OF
his friends, about twenty-five in num-
Der, who had been formed for the pur-
pose of witnessing some exhibitions Of
their strange powers. The circle con-
tanned q gOodly number of skeptics as
well as believers. The sittlngs were
mostly held in the evening. The
locus ~ quo was the front
room OF the second floor At
No. so North Ninth street. The room
had but two doors, one opening on the
landing at the head of the stairs, the
other on bedroom, which was the only
other room on that floor. Both rooms
were directly over a stationer's shop.
The passage into the bedroom was en-
tirely closed by board partition nailed
across the door opening, secured above
and below to the door frame by iron
clamps firmly screwed into the wood.
On the bedroom side this partition was
found to be the front Of a closet or box,
some ten inches deep, standing vertical
ly against the door-Opening, nailed to
the floor at the bottom, and the top OF
which was closed by boards firmly nailed
in. Through both the front and rear OF
this upright box, from the top to near
the bottom, auger-hOles were bored
through which one could see from one
room into the other. The cabinet or
sanctum in which spirits were said TO
clOthe themselves in mortal forms con-
sisted of the following simple arrange
ment: The bedroom door was left open
at an angle of sixty degrees; on the OPP
pOsite dOOl-pOst second door was at
tached, which came out TO meetit a. the
same angle; when the two doors thus
met, the recess formed was obviously an
equilstersl triangle, just large enough
to comfortably contain the medium, Mr..
Holmes, seated in a chair. Whenever
this little sanctum was to be used, the
light was excluded from above by tri-
angular piece of wood laid across the
tops of the two doors. This cover was
lined on the inside with black cloth, as
were also the insides of the two doors.
The air being thus shut out from the lit
tie closet, the necessity of the air-hOies
through the wood partition was appar-
ent. Through the one of these two
doors which faced the spectators, at the
hight Of some five feet from the floor,
was a circular aperture or window,
about ten inches in diameter, at which
the faces were to be seen. A black eur
taiU hung on the inside of it, which
was drawn aside just before face pre-
scented itself.
PROBATION AGAINST FRAUD.
The most searching examination of
this sanctum, which was usually made
by invitation just before the sitting
commenced, both on the parlcT and on
tine bedroom side of the board partition,
failed to detect the slightest indication
Of any trap, wire, or other arrangement
for the use of machinery or for decep-
ton. The first two or three evenings I
attended l made 8 careful examination
myself, and on one occasion jointly
with professional magician, 8 pupil OF
BlitZ, who told me he was perfectly sat |
isfied that +" there was no chance for any !
trick there.n Just before the sitting |
commenced skeptics were invited to ex- |
anime the bedroom, which was done, |
the only door leading into it, that on |
the stair landing, was locked by Mrs. |
Holmes, who retained the key, and !
who then took her seat in front of the |
sanctun1, remaining there in full view |
during the entire sitting. The other |
parloT door, opening on the landing, |
was then locked on the inside, aud the |
spectators were invited to draw up their |
chairs as close as possible to the win |
d0w-aD invitation OF which they al /
ways promptly availed themselves. Be |
fore Mr.. Holmes entered the |
sanctum, skepties were allowed /
to examine his person from |
head to foot, to satisfy themselves 1
that there was nothing upon him but his /
clothing. ] myself used this /
entry into the cabinet and on his exit 4
from it, and discovered nothing but very
close fitting garments. Any sceptic
who wished further satisfaction on this
point was invited to retire with Mr..
Holmes into the bedroom, and change |
clothes with him. On entering the cab
met he locked the two doors together on
the inside, and seated himself in the
chair facing the board partition. l re-
peatedly opened the doors, which / 81.
ways found unlocked, Immediately on
its being announced by raps from the
inside that the exhibition Of faces was
over, and invariably found him thus
seated, with his head bent down and APP
just waking from sound sleep.
EXHIBITION OF FACES AND HANDS.
Under these circumstances, and in a
light which General Lippitt styles a
'half-light, the single gss-burner being
turned partly down." General Lippitt
declares that from evening to evening,
for many successive days, he and his
saw appear at the circular
aperture above described numerous
faces, many Of which spoke, and were
recognized through their appearance,
and through the voices, by spectators,
and some Of them by General Lippitt
himself, as images of persons known to
hands, unconnected with any body,
at the same aperture, and
lOme of them executed writings which
ne has in his possession and quotes in
MS article. The first appearance of
Katie Kings face he thus describes
KATIE KINGS FIRST APPEARANCE.
The first two faces were wholly desti-
ute Of color, and might have been ia
Ken for heads in plaster. The third one
vas fiesh-like in color, but looked as if
made Of wax. AL the three had fixed
ook, and with their unwinking eyes
md stiff movements appeared to me
Ike puppets. But the next face was a
perfect contrast to these, ard was greet
d with an involuntary buzz Of surprise
md admiration. 1t was that Of lovely
young girl, whom it was impossible to
relieve for one moment not to be 8 liv-
ng person of flesh and blood. Her COM
,lexion was exquisitely delicate, though :!
without much color. Her eyes We're
arge and gray, her hair dark brown, =
overed with q tasteful little white cap,
rom which II foil in rinoIa4c no foe /