Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-03-27
From the Memphis Appeal.
THE BURNING OF THE PAN
,TECHNICON-THE G Il Il = T
STOREIEOOSE AND IT'S
TREASURES.
Spirifualissn Going Through, a
Crucial Test-1liss Cook. tie
Test Medium Esc


LONDON, February 20.
The Pantechnicon was burned two
quainted in London, this news IS
startling and lamentable. To those
who are not, L will say that the Pan
technicon is one immense stOrehouse.
used by the nobility to store their iur-
niture, carriages, pictures, plate and
articles of virtu while they are out OF
town. and until the London season
sets in again-that is st the opening Of
parliament. By the middle of Feb
ruary all the members OF parliament
and their families are supposed to be
in town. Just week previous 10 this
the storehoTlse was burned, and only
one nobleman had moved lis tnrml-
ture away Here was collected some
Of the rarest Old paintings from the
old masters IN England. Sir Richard
alone lost Il collection Of pic
lures valued at sixty thousand pounds.
No money can replace the works OF art
destroyed Immense fortunes were
involved here in works Of art alone,
besides the elegant furniture and car
riages. The bui ding was supposed to
be tire-proof, and no fire was ever al
lowed inside Of it. Still, at O'Clock
in the afternoon, the flames burst
out. This led to some Investigations,
which resulted in pointing strongly TO
4 secret organization, which is known
to exist here, but difficult to unearth.
They are antagoDistic to the nobility
in other words, are communists. If
The suspicious are correct, the whole
stratum of royal and noble society over
lies q most fearful volcano of plebean
hatred. Heaven help the titled few, if
ever the ignorant, hunger-impelled
masses rise in brute force against them
sPIRIIUALIsM
seems to be going through critical
test now by the scientists of London.
The medium through whom the expe-
riments are mostly being made is
young lady of about eighteen years of
age-Miss Florence Cooke. She is
not public medium, but the manifes-
tations that take place in her pres
ence are OF such startling character
that it has been quite impossible to
confine the exhibitions of them to her
family and friends only. Many per-
sons of distinction and celebrity have
the same at ner house. In
seeing the phenomena, the first condi-
ton is tying Miss Cooke firmly in a
cabinet, and sealing the knots. There
is then a curtain dropped over the
door between her and those present,
which, of course, places her i'll the
dark. while those in the room are i'll
the light. In short space of time
there comes from the cabinet female
figure, draped in white, with white
veil falling over the head, but not COW
ering the face. The feet are naked.
She walks around the room, speaking
to all she says her name is Katie
King allows persons to feel Of her
dress and shake hands with her. which
are as tangible to the touch as any
other material thing on earth. The
size and form of the figure are much
like the medium, Miss Cooke. which
fact raised many skeptical doubts in
the minds Of those WHO witnessed the
manifestations, thinking It might be
Miss Cooke who had freed herself
from her cords and dressed for the
play. However, in every instance af-
ter Katie had returned to the cabinet,
they had raised the curtain and found
Miss Cooke in state Of
trance or Inconsistencies, securely
tied and sealed as when they left
her. Here was a case for Professors
Crookes and Varley to test the physi-
cal force question. Miss Cooke very
readily yielded herself for them to ex-
pertinent on the phenomena. I viii
give their experiences as Professor
Crookes gave them to NE: He took
Miss Cooke first to his own hOuee,
that he might be sure Of all her sur
roundings. He then Improyised Il
dark cabinet with Il curtain door.
They placed the medium inside and
securely tied her. Professor Var!ey
then placed gold pla:e on the insidt.
insulated wires leading ont into the
room to very sensitive electrometer.
They tried every motion cf her hands
and arms. and the placipg Of her arms
together to see the different forces of
electricity produced by the different
positions, Professor Crookes observing
her all the time, while Professor Var
ley had his eyes on the el9ctrometer.
After thoroughly learning the effect
produced by each movement OF h9rs,
they placed the curtain before her.
leaving her in the dark. Soon the
figure calling herself Katie made her
the clectrometer not
showing the least movement. She
said: "What do Won want me DO with
all these wires?' They told her moth
to come into the room and
make such motions with her hands
and arms SIS her medium had done.
Katie at once threw her arms around
in a lively manner, which did not
effect the currents of electricity in the
slightest degree. Then Katie asked
Professor Crookes to bring q
lighted candle and hold it to her face.
aud see if she looked ike Miss Cooke.
He tried it, and found she had fair
complexion and light hair, while Miss
Cooke is quite dark, with dark hair.
Professor Croohes says that as far as
human tests are concerned, nothing
could be more conclusive than that
here was genuine phenomenon out
side of the conscious aid of the medi-
UNI. On the disappearance Of Katie
into the cabinet, they at once raised
the curtain and found Miss Cooke in
the same condition as when they had
shut her III, only III an unconscious
state or trance. More than this, Mrs.
Crookes says she undressed Miss Cooke
after she came out of the cabinet, and
here was nothing about her that could
by any possibility have furnished the
irapery and veil for Katie, which dis
with Katie herself. Mr.. Wal
ace, the great naturalist, is bringing
'ut an article in the FortnightIy Re-
riew, recognizing the facts of spiritu-
ilism, and stating corroberating proof
II its being an unseen Intelligence, and
s what that intelligence says it is-the |
pirits of our departed friends. So
much for the labors of some of the |
english scientists. We may soon ex-
'ect to see paragraphs in the scientific |
ournals on psychic force. together
nth mechanical appliances and inven-
ions.
MARY J. HOLMES, Of Memphis.
Chester & Leneir Es. Is.
Says the Newton Fi12dicator: We