New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-08

one of which is that darkness is essentia
to the phenomena. This, he says, is b.
no means the case. Everything recorded
by him took place in the light, excepting
in few cases which he has specified, ant
\ when some degree of darkness was
necessary condition. Another error il
| that the occurrences can be witnessed onl,
| in the rooms of the medium, and at hour
previously arranged. To show how ia
| this is from the truth he assures US that
| with two exceptions, the man,
| hundreds Of facts he is prepared
to attest-facts the imitation of which
by known mechanical or physical means
would battle the skill of a Houdin, &
| Bosco, or an Anderson, backed with al
! the resources Of elaborate machinery anC
| the practice of years-have all taken place
| in his own house, at times appointed by
himself, and under circumstances which
absolutely precluded the employment OF
the very simplest instrumental aids. He
remarks that although darkness is not
] essential yet that when the force is weak
n bright light exerts an interfering action
on some of the phenomena; but the power
possessed by Mr.. Home was sufficiently
strong to withstand this antagonistic intiu-
| ence. and he therefore always objects to
darkness at his seances.
Mr.. Crookes next proceeds 10 classify
some OF the phenomena which have come
under his notice. passing from the simple
to the more complex. AID giving, under
each heading. an outline OF the evidence
be is prepared to bring forward: at the
same time reiterating his assurance that,
with the exception Of cases specially
mentioned, all the occurrences took place
IN bis own house, in the night. and with
only. private friends present beside the
medium.
In classifying the various phenomena
that have presented themselves to him in
the course OF his inquiries MI. Crookes re.
fevs. first, to the movement of heavy
bodies. with contact but without mechan-
zeal axertion. This he states to be one of
the simplest forms Of the phenomena OBJ
served, varying in degrees from CULVER
ing 0r vibration of the room and its con.
tents to the actual rising into the air OF a
heavy body when the hand of the medium
is placed uponit. These movements, and
indeed most OF the phenomena. are pre-
coded by peculiar cold air. sometimes
amounting to decided wind, sufficient to
blow sheets Of paper about the room and
to cause a lowering Of til: thermometer by
several degrees.
The second class manifested themselves
as persuasive and other allied sounds:
sometimes as delicate ticks, sometimes a
cascade Of sharp sounds, as from an in
ductlon coil in full work; detonations in
tho oIp cnDnIc, lilo koL
as of Bird etc. These sounds were most
prominently developed in the presenceof
Miss Kate Fox, and manifested themselves
IN all directions around her and in every
variety. He assures the reader that with
full knowledge of the various theories
in regard to the sounds, he has tested them
all, and is we'll satisfied that they are true
objective occurrences, not produced by
trlckery or mechanical means. The third
class OF phenomena consists in the altera-
ton of the weight of bodies, which will
be presented in detail in an early number
of the Quarterly JOuraui Of Science. The
fourth class. namely, the movement of
heavy substances when at distance from
the medium. he has seen in many instances.
His own chair, he says, has been twisted
partly round, while his feet were off the
floor. A chair was seen by all present to
move slowly up to the table from far
corner. when all were watching it. On
one occasion. an empty armchair, at his
request. moved to where he was sitting,
and then slowly back again, distance of
about three feet. He has repeatedly seen.
in full light, the movement of heavy
table, about a foot and a half off, each oc.
cupant kneeling on his chair, with hands
resting on the back, but not touching the
table. The fifth class is that of the rising
If tables and chairs off the ground, with. !
out contact with any person. On five
separate occasions heavy dining table !
'ose between a few inches and a foot and |
! half from the floor. under special cir
'umstances which rendered trickery i'm
possible. the hands and feet of the medi- |
I'm being held by him during this move.
nent.
The sixth class is that of the deviation |
II human beings, which has occurred in |
cur instances in his presence. He has
een Mr.. Home raised completely from
he floor OF his room in several instances.
The accumulated testimony, establishing
'lr. Homes levitations. Mr.. Crookes con-
lders overwhelming: and he thinks it
,reatly to be desired that some person,
whose evidence will be accepted as con.
lusive by the scientific world, shall seri-
'usly and patiently examine these alleged |
acts. The seventh class of phenomena
onsists in the moving Of various small ar
icles without contact with any person,
which he has frequently observed, and
where there could be no suspicion of trick
He I'll ,1yc.t hat v,bo Lo L. |
WI dining-room, seated in one part of
he room, with number of persons keenly
'atching the medium, the latter could not,
y any trickery, make an ACCORDION play
4 his lMr. CrookesJ own hands, when
he keys are held downward, nor cause the
ONE ACCORDION to float about the room,
laying all the time. He thinks it impos-
lble to introduce machinery which shall
ave window curtains; pull up Veni-
an blinds eight feet off; tie a
not in handkerchief and place
III remote corner of the
Dom; sound notes on distant piano:
ause card-plate to float about the room:
lise Water-bottle and tumbler from the
able: make coral necklace rise on end;
love about fan SO as to fan the COM
any, or set IN motion pendulum when
nclosed in glass case firmly cemented
} the wall. The eighth class is that of
lmlnous appearances. which, according
Mr.. Crookes, require that the room
,all be dark, as the lights are in many
lses faint. He states that he has seen a
did self-luminous body, of the size and
early the shape of turkeys egg, float
olselessly about the room, being visible
n more than ten minutes, and striking
le table three times, with a sound like
lat Of hard solid body, before fading
way. He has seen a self-luminous crys-
lime body placed in his hand by hand