Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-12-04

VISIT TO THEIR VERMONT HOME

difficult to gain permission to be present In |
the room or hall where the sednces occur.
In company with a gentleman who had
been present at some eight or ten OF the cir |
cles, however, on Saturday l went to kut-
land, hoping by his aid to secure admls,
sion. Our party consisted of three, both oil
my companions being gentlemen OF culture
and ability.
On arrival at Rutland we learned that
Mr.. II. II. Austin. who had been despatched
by the New York Herald. to furnish that
paper with accounts of the occurrences at
the Eddys, had been persistently denied
admission. and had been obliged to return
to New York unsuccessful.
We, however, determined to 60 over to
Chittenden and make an effort to be pres
ent. We were accompanied to Chittenden
by Mr.. Frost, of Rutland, who acts, L be-
lieve, in the capacity Of agent for the
Eddy's, and either from this fact or from
the acquaintance of one Of my associates.
We found no difficulty in entering the house
Our reception was very far from cordial
in fact the Eddys themselves are as churiisn
and i'll hammered people as it was ever my
fortune to meet.
While the visitors, nearly all OF whom
have been resident there and IN regular at,
tendance upon the seGnceS for weeks anu
months, are for the most part pleasant anu
agreeable, yet they were all, so far as my
conversation with them indicated, possessed
of the most implicit faith in, not only
the manifestations at these circles. but oil
all the reported manifestations that are
known.
VISITORS TURNED AWAY.
Shortly after our arrival another party
reached the place from Rutland. but were
promptly ordered away, and compelled to
depart wish to call particular attention
to this fact, because it seems to have an I'M
portant bearing upon the question 50 often
asked, why, il the Eddys are humbugs,
they are not exposed?" We were not
invited to visit the place; were not asked
to enter the house, nor to JOIN the circle
We were in fact plainly given to under
stand that our presence was an Intrusion,
and hence any failure on our part to com
ply with any rule or request, however much
it might deter US from proper Investigation,
would be promptly resented, and being
plainly freSpaSSerS. there would be aoun-
dant Justification in using US roughly Re
member, too. that we were the only ones,
except Col. 0lcott, who had not the most
unlimited confidence in the manifestations
as appearances from another world. while
there were present, besides the brothers. no
less than four strong, hardy men, who could
readily and easily have prevented any effort
on our part at exposure.
rAvoRITE OF THE SPIRITS.
The lady, Mrs. Cleveland, who is admit
ted TO a closer intercourse with the material
lied forms of the departed, who sits upon
the platform. dances at times with the
spirits. receives the kiss of 'Honto, the
first and most prominent OF all the appear
ances,-l found TO be warm hearted, reason
ably well informed and unquestlonably
honest Whether from her closer proximity
TO the cabinet from whence the forms OF the
departed appear each evening, or, as Is her
own opinion, from some peculiar ability
she may possess TO give to the spirits some
force from her own magnetism, 1t Is never
theless certain that this lady has witnessed
some OF the most extraordinary manifesto
tions. She has seen pendant from the neck
Of Honto a diamond as large as her two
hands, has received at her door-only a
short distance from the Eddys-on two oc-
casions, materialized spirits who vanished
into the air or faded from her sight, has
felt of some of the materialized forms and
found some OF them destitute Of arms. but
having hands and power Of motion, has
convinced herself by actual touch that some
of the female spirits lrerc females, thus pre-
Guiding the possibility of their impersOna-
ton BY William Eddy; and many other
evidences equally marvellous and equally
satisfactory to her have been yOuchsaied
her.
TIE sEANcE HALL.
About clock movement on the part
of Mrs. Cleveland and Others assured me
that the circle was about 10 commence, and
pressing forward We were among the frst
| TO enter the room or hall above the stairs,
where the spirits were about 70 be sum
moned forth.
We endeayored to seat ourselves on the
/ front bench. bat were promptly ordered By
| Mr.. Brown. who Is the husband of one Of
1 the Eddy sisters, ami seems to manage
| the affair. to 1T on the rear bench. The
front bench is some ten feet distant from
the platform, and the chairs, on
either side play an important part in the
prevention Of an attempt to expose the per-
Torrance.
On the front row were allowed none but
crper7enCed believers. No danger that any
who occupied that bench this night would
venture any effort TO examine too critically
the appariti0ns, while long before the most
active gymnast could have passed the chairs
and leaped the railing the materialized form
would have vanishedand the medium have
been found sitting in the cabinet. Add TO
this that the occupants of the front row
were required to join hands and keep them
united and youwIll see that no necessary eau
ton was omitted to give the materla! forms
of the dear departed abundant chance 10
walk this platform unmOlested.
And here let me say that this sedncs was
pronounced by the medium, by Nr. Brown,
by Col. 0lc0tt and Others to have been the
most successful they had ever known. No
less than eighteen forms. more or less dis
tinct, appeared. All the old iavorites were
on hand for this occasion, and some new
torms-for the faces were to me invisible
made their first appearance.
THE MUSIC BEGINS
After some wretched scrapirg on a violin
and some no less hideous performances on
an organ. Mr. William Eddy appeared and
entered the cabinet. Col Olcott and Others
assert that both the Eddys are stif-jointed
/ and of clumsy carriage, etc. To me they
presented no such appearance. Both VIII
liam and HOratio seemed to me 1.-the, agile
and active, more 50 than many professional
gymnasts whom have seen away from the
stage and arrayed in ordinary apparel.
The audience or circle were requested to
/ sing something on accOunt--aS William an
/ pounced from the closet-of there being a
prospect of long sitting, and the necessity
/ of relieTing the lady organist. and partly.
presume, as an Invocation for the spirits
to get ready At intervals, during the even
ing, the singing was INDUCED IN, and my
surprise was great when after the appear
I Il. eka I'd To-
tory of all the materialIzations. a lady start
ed the song of Oh, Nicodemus After
this was fully prepared TO find the next
| spirit that of IMAM and BROTHER and
should have taken it for granted had not
some lady Immediately recognized it as her
dear sister.
This, by the way. is very remarkable
part Of the performance. Except the old
fayorites, who appear to have no immediate
relatives among the audience, no sooner
! does form appear than some one asks rs
this for me p receiving in reply 4 single
rap, which. in spirit language, means No.
Another asks - Is it for NE ~ As soon as
the inquiry is answered by three raps,
/ the most intense satisfaction Is evinced
and expressed.
On this evening Mr.. Brown, the brother
in-law. was favored with the appearance
of several relatives, and it was something
very touching to note the patronizng man
ner with which he greets his friends. Con-
7ersation was limited on the part of the
spirits OUTSIDE the cabinet, to these raps. The
most urgent entreat;es OF friends, as Can I
YOU speak one word to me, dear brother, or
dear sister ~ were invariably responded 10
by single rap.
"HoSTo"
The first appearance was Honto," the
Indian maiden, depicted by Col, OlcOtt and
others as by far the most wonderful mani
festation Of all. Her face pGs invisible to
both myself and friends. Her form and
action were neither graceful nor pleasing
She was apparently dressed in dark skirt,
wore her hair quite long, and there was
nothing in her appearance to preclude the
successful enactment Of the part by William.
She saluted the audience with bow skipped
towards Mrs. Cleveland and saluted her,
I and finally INDUCED in q very poor exhibit
I !