Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-01-02


Another Stunning Exposure OF the
DARK Circle Tricks by Boston Man.
From the Boston Globe. December 19h.l
young man lives within FIVE miles Of the
State house who has made study of all the
tricks and illusions of modern legerdemain, and
il an accomplished peTfor mer therein, whose in
terest has been excited upon this subject. Some
OF his frenos had become devout believers in
splr tualism, and he, feeling assured in his own
nil that they were the victims of fraud, went
u work 10 investigate and expose what had
been to them the strongest evidence OF spirit
presence. After three visits TO the seances of
Mrs. Hardy, in this city, he became convinced
that he Was master of the whole subject, at least
so far as the dark circle manifestations were
concerned, and could give q successful seance
OF his own Without the help OF spirits. Accord
lngly he arranged for the sitting at his own
home, and ittook place last evening. The same
representative OF the Globe who made a visit 20
Mrs. Hardy, and gave an account of what he
saw, as It appeared to him, was among the per-
Ms invited.
ly invited to see an expose OF the dark-circle
manifestations, gathered at this house. When
they had all come together, they were taken to
room In which chairs were arranged in the
usual way for circle. They took their places
the chairs being drawn close together, making
ling about ten or twelve feet in diameter.
The amateur "medium" took 3 chair in the
middle of the circle, simply imposing the same
conditions upon the company as are eNacted b.
the professionals. The feet of one of the visi-
tors were placed upon his to make sure that ne
did not move from hts place, and he psttsd his
hands together with a distinctly audible sound
all the time 20 show that they were occupied ia
producing the manifestations. The hands OF
the person. in the circle we're clasped tbgether
in the usual way The light was then turned
out, aud, after the momentsIy pause usual Ia
such cases, the raps were heard wh;co At
nounced the presence of the powers Of darkness
The patting of hands continued without liner
nilsson, and presently fan was sezsd from
one OF the party, and famed the faces of TIA,
sltters all around the circle. Hands were
shaken and pstted, knees were slapped,
and faces touched by invisible beings. a
watch was taken from one person
and given to another on the opposite
side of the circle. One mans crsvat was taken
off and given to another, and after wards placed
had been place d In the hands of one person and
the key in that of another, was taken away and
given 10 another in another part OF the circle.
The key was taken and the box wound up, and
then it could be heard tinkling through the air
ali around the circle. spark of light circled
about in the air above the head OF the perform
er, and all the other demonstrations usual in
these circles were produced with all the effect
of the genuine spiritual seance. Finally, there
was Cessation for q moment; raps were heard.
indicating that the performance was over for
the time being; light was struck, and our
amateur medium was discovered In precisely
the position he occupied when the gas was
turned out, quietly clapping his hands, and the
person who held his feet testified that he hal
not moved. After q little rest he took new
position, with a different person holding his
feet, and substantially the same performance
OF whom had been believers in spirtualism,
declared that the manifestations were every
way as perfect and satisfactory as any that they
had experienced.
STILL MORE WONDERFUL THINGS.
The young man then tried an experiment,
With Ierfe ct success, which he said he had seen
cess, because, as she claimed, the conditions
were not right for perfect working OF the
spirits. He was tied to his chair with a cord,
both the lower and upper part of his body, and
E9n IL UTt IL hfn Tif md
kerchief in such a way that one would suppose
that lie would be unable to do anything. His
feet were secured, as usual, a glass of water
placed on the floor some feet from mis- chair, ami
the lights turned out. Instantly the clapping
began, aud similar demonstrations to those
already described we're kept up for a few min
utes, and Then a light struck, when the per-
former was revealed in the same position as
before, with the cords an0 handkerchief secure
lg tied, and the glass of water on his head. Yet
another feat, more remarkable than this, fol-
lowed. An Ordinary paddock, which closed with
spring, was locked. and the key given into the
keeping of young lady. A cord was passed
through the clasp, and tied together with one
hard knot after another until more than a foot
OF hard knots we're produced. This was thrown
upon the floor. Then a euchre pack of cards
was taken, including all the suits from the ten
to the ace, and enough thrown out to reduce the
number to seventeen, the number of persons in
the circle. After due Instructions had been
given the circuit was formed in the usual way,
with the medium in the customary position,
clSpIing his hands. The lights were again
turned out. The cards were taken from the box
and sbuffied by one person and passed to his
left-hand neighbOr, who shuffied them again,
and so on around the circle. The person who
began the shutting then took the top card and
passed the pack along, each person taking OF
the TOP card in like manner, thus using up the
entire deck. Then the first person INTERCEPTED
the medium IS to the card which the said person
held. SIS il q hearth" sis it a diamond 2" "Is
it spade?n "Is it a club?" At the mention
OF some of the suit, distinct raps were heard, in
dicating that that was the one. "Is it the ten 2"
"Is 1t the jack 2" sis IL the queen?" ETC., was
then asked, and when the right denomination
was named the raps were repeated. So it went
on around the entire circle, each person, mean
time, having the card in his or her pocket, and
being warned to remember what it WIGS, acCsrGt-
ing u the information of the raps This pro ,ess
being completed, the light was struck. The
"medium' WAS bound up and tied to his chair
with the cord that had been fastened so securely
upon tie lock, his hands were tied together with
baCdkerchief, and he Was securely bIindfoldet
with another handkerchief and the lock was
clssped into the buttOn-hOla OF q gentleman's
coat Moreover, every person, without excep-
ton, found that he held the card designated in
the dark by the RAYS.
TIE EXPOSE.
z Now, Of course, everybody vas anxious to
know how II was done. 1t was as mystifying as
Any thing accomplished in the dark by profess
siOnal mediums. The young man volunteered
to give ne met manifestations with gas burn
ing. The circle WA for Iued in the approved way,
the raps were made with his knuckles on the
chair without perceptibly interruptng the clap
ping, to indicate that the conditions were right
In an instant he slipped off his coat, and his
arms were bare to the shoulder. While he kept
clapping with one hand, sometimes on the upper
part OF his arm, sometimes on his face, he
stretched out his other hand, seized a fan, aud
famed the face all around. With one hand ami
then the other he clspped knees, shook hands,
Pstted faces, did every thing done before in the
dark, without any inter cession of the clapping,
any moving of the feet, or audible movement OF
the body. The whole thing was as simple as
"rolliDg off log" The coat WAS put on, one
arm at a time, while the other kept up the DAT.
ting sound on the performers cheek, and the
raps were given telling that the show was over.
A woman with loose sleeves, furnished with
bit Of elastic, would not have to take off or put
on any garments. The other and more puzzling
tricks we're not explained, but everybody be.
leved the assurance which they received, that
they were tricks, and nothing more. The young
man claims to have learned the art from his
visits TO Mrs. Hardy's circle, and to have OBJ
tanned indubitable evidence that 1t wss per-
for med as he has shown. What the evidence
was he stated, and it certainly seemed to be
hey Ond question.
DRCNkENaESS.