The Leavenworth weekly times. [volume] (Leavenworth, Kan.) 1870-1880, 1875-12-02
TIE MOGus Operandi of PrOduc-
ing the NOndrOus Mar
ifestatiOns.
Which is the Easiest Thing Out,
If you Only Know How.
Exposition Of Various Other Spir-
i:ualisiic HImbusGeries.
TIE Explanation 0f:the 3ems, ka
Die Faralty Of Mind
reading.

J EiCHl, was SIecIcu Win a rOfuc"Hal idfEci
audience than that which gathered TO wit.
ness his performances the evening before.
Before beginning, the professor announced
that he would like TO have, as on the night
previous, a committee of four gentlemen
selected by the audience, upon the stage, in
order that they might testify to tine fairness
OF he performances. The committee was
then chosen, consisting OF Col. j. y. Burnes,
OF ST. joseph, though not strictly Leaven-
worth man, still we'll known TO our citizens,
Judge Ii. NJ. Aller, Col. J. y. Alternately,
and Mr.. J. +. Legate.
| FEW ENPcsITioNs.
| After the solution of the wine and water
trick, which was published in The TIMES
| Thursday morning, the piliory was brough
forward, and Mrs Baldwin firmly fastened
therein. The lock was then sealed, and the
doors Of the cabinet closed. In a few
seconds the doors were opened and the lady
| pie. The lady has small wire with which
She picks the lock, after first removing
the wax, and then liberates herself. There
|
the lock, although il is seemingly impos.i-
| bic to do 30. The seal is easily put over
the key-hole of the lock again without be-
ing broken. The spirit tie" was then ex-
| posed. Mediums claim that the spirits tie
and unite them, but the Professor satisfac-
torily explained how, by a clever manipu-
lation OF the ropes, these apostles tied and
| united themselves. The Professor also
III L. .-.s
than any committee tie" he ever knew.
He then related little incident regarding
the huInbugsery practiced by the great
Eddy Brothers. He was walking in a garden
| with one of them, when his attention was
attracted toward piece Of white paper
which was being tossed around by the
wind. do You think" said the great me-
dunn to the Professor, that / can, BY sim
ply waving my hands, get enough electrici-
ty from the clouds TO set that piece of paper
on fire." No, said the incredulous Baldwin,
II don't think you can" The medium
then turned to his brother Horatio, who
was engaged in the garden few feet dis
tant, and asked him to put . stone upon
the paper to prevent its being blown away.
The brother did so, and then walked sway.
Fastening his eye upon the paper, the me
times, and then called out "strikew In an |
instant the paper burst into flame and was |
soon consumed. The explanation is exceed |
ingiy simple, and takes away entirely the /
idea Of a supernatural agency. The broth |
the paper, poured a drop or so OF a mix
ture Of phosphorus and carbon upon the
said paper. This, as soon IS it became
4 Il l-ba II
Baldwin TO witness the wonderful spiritual |
manifestation. After the stone was placed
upon the paper the medium watched it
closely, and as soon as he saw j: was ready
TO blaze up he called out strike The
professor then poured a few drops of this
solution upon piece OF paper, placing il
upon chair in full view of the audience,
to allow them an opportunity OF witnessing
the effect.
KATIE KING.
This wonderful and seemingly impossible
manifestation was then produced. Mrs.
Baldwin entered the cabinet and was fast
ened to one end OF the structure by rope
which was tied around her neck and fast
ened by four square knots; the ends Of the
rope were then passed through two holes in
the cabinet, and tied in a secure double
knot up the outside. This was done by
the committee, who fancied that il Mrs
Baldwin could escape she must surely be
aided by the spirits. The doors were then
closed, and in lew seconds spirit hands
{ 40 called) appeared at the apertures, as
spirit faces representing Shylock, John
King, the noted pirate chief, and several
others. Bells were rung, tambourines
played, and quite racket made. Finally
the lights were turned down very low, and
X attic King herself, clothed entirely in
white, stepped out upon the stage. The
doors of the cabinet were then opened, anG
Mrs. Baldwin was found seated in the
chair, and tied precisely as the committee
had left her. This mystery caused great
comment among the audience, and each
and every one was eager for the exposition.
When it came the people were ashamed to
think the could so easily be humbugged
This is how it is done: There is nothing
false about the rope; the lady is really tied
securely, and it is Just when the committee
is least expecting it that the real trick is
performed. The rope was tied around Mrs.
Baldwin's neck in the presence of the au-
dience the committeeman making four
square knots in the rope. The lady then
SAT in the chair in the cabinet, and the ends
of the ropes were put through the
holes in the rear, but they were not tied Just
then. One of the cabinet doors was then
closed, and the knots we're tied upon the
outside OF the cabinet. As soon as this cab
met door was shut, Mrs. Baldwin leaned
her head forward, and while she was in
that position the rope was tied upon the
ontside, the closed cabinet door preventing
anyone from seeing her. Both cabinet
81, L., IL. l.l, al i
advantage Of the length of rope allowed |
her, worked the square knots backward,
meanwhile stretching the knots somewhat,
can be pulled out little, and the rope
knots back, and the moose then became
large enough for her to slip her head
through, leaving her free.
The spirit faces were produced by thin
masks which stretch tightly over the face,
and fit exactly. This is the modus operandi
OF the Katie King remarkable spiritual
manifestation. When the lady wished to
tie herself, it was easy enough to slip her
head back into the moose again, tighten the
knots, and order lights. |
MNp-REApING.
A plain, unvarnished walnut table was
produced, at which one of the committee
was invited TO sit. Col. Burnes accordingly
took a seat at one end, With Prof Bald
win at the other. Mr.. Burnes was then in
structed to write a number of questions up
on separate pieces of paper, fold them up
into little wsds and place them upon the
center Of the table. Meanwhile the Profess
sor was engaged in writing out the alpha
bet, which he handed to Col. Burnes, ask
ing him to call of the letter.,
one BY one, very slowly. The
Professor then took one Of the pieces of pa
per and passed it over his forehead, the
Colonel all this time calling off the letters
of the alphabet. When he got as far as N,
the Professor told him to stop, and he
marked that letter down. He then request
ed the gentleman to read the alphabet,
again, and this time he stopped him at A
The Professor, after passing the note over
his forehead three or four times had laid it
down, and then picked i; up again; he laid
it down the second time, and announced to
the audience that the question written BY
Col. Burnes was, an A. Sawyer, what was
your age at the time of your death?" The
nofe was orepel and sfrre epnu-b /. ro.3 |