Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-09-11
AN ASTONISHING TEST.
A Pian0-FOrte Lifted ON am
Egg Without Crushing the
She'll
From the Neao York Sun.)


Fifteen persons, several of them
reporters, met in Mrs. Youngs'
parlor on Twenty-seventh street
last evening and found the med
ium in good spirits. Across the
room stood large, deep seven
and-a-half-octavo piano, which
appeared on trial to weigh about
1000 pounds. The reporter could
not lift one end oft The gas was
burning at full head the whole eve-
ming, aud the windows and doors
were open. Among the visitors
Colonel Olcott and Madame Blav-
atsky, who had come to report
what they saw to the st Petersburg
University; Mr.. Paul Juignet,
Mr.. David Morrison of Washing
ton, and other well-know persons.
The performances began by the lift.
ing of the piano by the invisible
powers, three times for "yes", and
once for "no,o in answer to ques-
tons put by Mrs. Young, she rest
ing her hands lightly on top of the
music rack. She then sat down
anu played various airs, and the
instrument rose, fell and beat the
time. She then went to one end
of the piano and called up Col. Oh
colt and as many Others as chose
to make the experiment, and caus-
ing each to place his left hand un-
derneath the case, laid one of her
hands lightly under it: where
upon, at her demand, the end of
the heavy instrument was lifted
off the floor without the slightes.
effort on her part. The Colonel
here asked to be permitted to
make single test which should
not injure the medium at all. Mrs.
Young consenting, he produced
hens egg from box, and request
ed her to hold ii in her hand
against the under side of the piano,
and then ask the spirits to raise ii.
The medium said that in the
course of her mediumship such a
test had never been suggested, and
she could not say it would be sue
cessful, but she would try. She
took tho egg and held it as desir-
ed, and then rapping on the case
with her other hand, asked the
spirits to see what they could do.
Instantly the piano rose as before
and was held for a moment sus-
pended in the air. The novel and
striking experiment was COM
plete success.
Mrs. Young then desi, ed as
many of the heavy persons in the
room as could sit upon the instru-
ment to mount it, and the invita-
ton being accepted by seven gen
tlemen and ladies, she played
march, and the instrument per-
sons and all, were lifted easily.
COLONEL Olcott now brought out
two English walnuts, and asked
the spirits to crack their shells I'M
der the piano legs without crush
ing the kernels, the idea being to
show that some other power be-
sides that of the one woman, and
a power governed by intelligence,
was exertins itself. The snirits
were willing but as the piano legs
rested upon rolling casters, the
test was abandoned. He then
asked to be permitted to hold an
egg in his own hand against the
under side Of the piano, and have
Mrs. Young lay her hand beneath
and against his, so that he could
have a MISREPRESENTATION of the
fact that no muscular force what
ever was exerted by her. This
test was also agreed TO and imme-
diately tried. The piano rose as
before. The manifestations of the
evening were then brought to
close with the lifting of the instru-
melt without the mediums hands
touching it at all.