Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-12-23
OWENS MISTAKE.


what ft was that Caused the Veteran
sPIfifuaIist 90 GO Back On Katie
King.
Our dispatches have referred to the fact
that Robert Dale Owen no longer vouches
for the genuineness Of the "Katie King"
manifestations and that a gentleman of
Philadelphia has thoroughly exposed the
fraud. The following interview held with
Mr.. Owen by reporter of the PhiIadeE-
pkid Bulletin further elucidates the mat
ter:
"Mr. Owen first said that in his two
books, Footsteps on the Boundaries of
Another World and Debatable Ground
he used no narratives that were not tho
roughly authenticated, and that he did not
intend; as at present advised, using any
thing relative to Katie King in his forth
coming book Had he not Vcuched so
strongly for the manifestations he would
have said nothing now, but failing to pre-
vent the publication Of his article in the
Atlantic Monthly, he decided to publicly
withdraw any voucher he has given.
ssRepoFter-Rhat are your grounds for
this withdrawal Of confidence?
@Mr. OWen-Understand me; l do not
make any accusation, but simply do not
wish to give rise to any confidence in these
manifestations. Myself and friends have
every reason to believe that the manifesta-
tions of last summer were what they were
represented TO be, but the katie King
lately shown us is not the same.
"Reporter-In what way does she differ,
in facial respects OF otherwise?
"Mr. Owen-The latest Katie King diff
fers in both face and form. She is shorter
than the katie King we saw last summer.
Let me say to you that upon the return Of
the Holmeses the Katie King OF last sum-
mer reappeared TO us and said, not in the
Werds am about to use, but to the same
purport, that she had been advanced in the
spirit world, and lt would be more difficult
for her to appear in the future. After that
there was break Of about three weeks,
when katie King again appeared, but my
friends and myself look upon her as bogus
one. Of course you will understand that
the sdark circle manifestations were con-
tinued, but in these have taken little in
terest don't care for these ring and other
manifestations. Although 1 am inclined
to believe them genuine, yet they never in
terested me. What l am interested in is
the naturalization Of spirits; or, in other
words, is it possible for spirits to material
ize themselves
'sReporter- What led you to suspect that
the katie King Of to-day Is not the one
you saw last summer?
"Mr. Owen-As have said, / never like
to vouch for anything that 1 cannot thor
Oughly authenticate; had l not so strongly
indOrsed the manifestations / would have
said nothing. My suspicious were first
aroused, and those of my friends, by the
difference in the forms and faces Of the
katie Kings The arrangement Of the
cabinet did not satisfy me, and so stated
to the Holmeses. ! requested that the eabi-
net be placed on casters, so that it could be
moved to any part Of the room, and also
that it be thrown open for examination.
Now, while they did not refuse to do this,
they neglected to accede to my request,
which amounted to the same thing.
"Mr. Owen then described the proximity
OF the cabinet to a window (that had been
boarded up) and a door, and stated that
the arrangement might have allowed of
traps. he further stated that before writing
the letter published above he called on the
HOlmeses and advised them.that he was not
absolutely satisfied with their manner of
conducting their seances. In the case Of
the Ninth street seanees, DR.. Child, myself
and some others took down a partition
that there existed, and had a practical
builder to aid us, but found nothing to
shake our belief. said to the Holmeses
that the placing Of the cabinet on casters
vz-Cr1A Hszrsa1 oil fhs1r- did
accept the idea Again DR.. Child, who
went with them in search Of several houses,
found two that seemed admirably suited to
the purpose, but these did not meet the
ideas Of the HOlmeSes, who complained Of
the rent and some other matters. DR..
Child, you will understand, was just as
much interested in freeing the manifesta-
tions Of all suspicious surroundings as my
self.
"Repr rter-Do you think the HOlmeses
would practice fraud?
"Mr. Owens-I repeat donot make any
accusation. but certainly none could better
do it than they. Failing to produce the
original Katie King they might be led
to produce bogus one.
'sReperter-Will this discovery hurt the
canse Of spiritualism?
Mr.. Owen-Oh, not at all. It is merely
the failure of an experiment; that's all.
Reporter-"Who is Katie King?
"Mr. Owen-That cannot answer. DR..
Child has published letter which lie be-
lieves came through her; but it must be
taken with few grains Of allowance. l am
never in favor Of accepting anything Of the
kind without corroOorative evidence.
"Mr Owen concluded the interview by
stating that he had been informed by some
friends that the HolmeSes were willing to
accept the suggestion he had made, which
he (Mr. Owen hoped was true. The mat
ter these friends intend following up, but
for the present Mr.. Owen desires to with
draw all that be has said in the way Of
vouching for the correctness Of the mani
feStatiOns."