The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-12-28
How the Eddys Were ExpOsed-1n-
tcrcsting Letter from an Expert I'm
Detecting Jugglery.

To the Editor Of tie Ne,o York Graphic
The following extract from private letter
addressed to me by Mr.. Won Week, of
Lake City, Mimi, Is, by the authors per-
mission, sent to you for publication. /
may say that Mr.. Won Week is an expert
in the art of detecting and performing
the tricks of mediums. He has studied
the subject many years, and has been very
successful in his expositions.
GEO. NJ. BEARD. NJ. D.
Some years ago gave course of illus
trated lectures in exposition of spiritualism,
at the Town Hall in Rutland, VT, and
having challenged professional mediums to
exhibit in their assumed capacity what
could not myself perform and fully explain
without admitting the spiritual hypothesis,
some of the sanguinc spiritualists OF that
town overpersuaded the Eddys to accept
my challenge and meet me at the hall.
Having TO set up their cabinet and make
various other preliminary arrangements, 1t
was nine o'clock before the real business of
the evening commenced. There were
nearly a thousand persons present, to say
nothing about the invisible host, and a
committee of five impartial people were
appointed to overlook and report upon the
contest. There were three of the Eddy
"mediums" William, Horatio and Mary
Huntoon, a married sister-on the stage,
and with them half dozen or more of
| their particular friends. Most of that party
were vigorously engaged in chewing spruce
| gum. Lest there might be some virtue in
spruce gum that would give them an
advantage, called a little boy from the
audience, gave him penny, and instruct
ed him to procure me a stick of that Yer
mont staple. tied William and Mary in
the cabinet. Shortly fearfully distorted
| human countenance was visible at an aper-
ture in the cabinet door. The Eddy medi-
ums had for some time been noted for the
Esprit faces shown by them in connection
with their other performances. 1t was
evident to me that on this occasion Mary
Huntoon's distorted physlognomy was the
apparition. A twanging of the strings of
banjo which had been placed on the seat
by William was then heard Soon after
the cabinet door was opened and the medi-
ums were found to be still tied. The coop
was again closed, and in about five minutes
William presented himself to be united.
had taken the precaution to measure the
ropes with which bound William, and on
remeasurng them after he had released
himself found one of them two feet
shorter than it was before. could swear
that it had been severed. The boys hands
had been tied in such position that with
a little effort he could reach his pocket.
AS generally tied by the committees he
probably found no difficulty in releasing
himself without cutting the rope I; but l
had had an experience that enable me to
know the ropes and properly secure a me-
dium. The noise on the banjo he could
easily make without releasing himself.
Mary remained bound until released by one
Of the committee. Then was bound in
place of William by the committee and my
agent in place of Mary Huntoon, the inten-
ton being to have us bound in the same
way and as securely as the other parties,
and to occupy the same relative positions
in the cabinet. No sooner was
tho door closed upon us than ouI
, show-quite superior to that of the Eddys
commenced. My agent found that, tied
as he was, and without extrcating himself
he could get his face to the hole in the
door, and so numerous and extreme were
his facial contortions to represent different
} spirits that 1t was week before he could
get the kinks out of his countenance.
,, played upon several musical instruments
and united myself fairly without cutting
4 the rope, in much less time than was occu
pied in binding me. 1t was not long afte
J., my contest with the Eddys that they wer,
induced in Dunkirk, N. Y, by Rev. Mr.
( George, Universallst minister, TO expos