The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-01-09
HOW KATIE DID 1T.

HOW KATIE DID 1T.
Further Details of the Great spIrttuaiis-
sic Fraud ut PhiIadelphIa.
That "Kstie King" as presented
for the last year at the Eolmes' seances
in this city, was being of flesh and
blood, has been ascertained beyond a
doubt, but who sine was, how she was
secreted in the houses, afterwards in
trodcced into the cabinet, and SO as
sisted % to leave it without being de-
tected, has as yet been more or less a
mystery. "Katie King" or rather the
young woman who personated her is a
widow with child, and a mother de-
pending upon her for support. Mr..
and Mrs. Nelson Holmes became &C.
quainted with her at . boarding house,
where they lived for some weeks subse-
queut to their advent in Philadelphia.
About the time the Holmeses took
possession of No. so North Ninth street,
Katie King" for reasons hereinafter
to be stated We will not publish her
name) became unable to pay her board,
and was finally reduced to such an e1-
tremity that she was absolutely penni-
less and almost without clothing. Find
ing that this was the case, her host sold
what few effects she had left, and turned
the woman ont into the street. In this
condition she was promised assistance
by Mr.. and Mrs. Holmes provided she
would enact the part of materialized
spirit in their cabinet seances. Although
the proposition was revolving, she was
forced to accept it, or see her child and
mother suffer from hunger. The cabi-
net, which had been placed in one
corner Of the second-story fro6t room,
with one side against q door which
opened into . bed-chamber, was easily
arranged 30 a. to admit of ingress from
the bedroom. The boards were all
fastened with screws, and battins were
placed outside and inside about two
feet from the floor.
II was an easy matter to take out one
Of the boards, and put in its place 4
duplicate 30 divided at the battins that
the point of juncture could not be seen.
The upper part of this boafd was firmly
secured, the lower portion was loosely
fastened with two screws, while the
other screw heads were dummies"
When it was Thought strict examine
ton of the cabinet would be made the
divided board could be taken ont, and
the original put back in its place. When
the Katie King,.seances first began, the
gentleman who afterwards became 80
prominently connected with them, DR..
Child. Of this city. was permitted to ex-
anime every nook and corner in the
house. As he was for time very skep-
tical on the question of materialization
the investigations were very thoroughly
conducted. The visitors would then be
congregated in the front room with the
cabinet. and the door would be locked.
'' Katie King" would soon after enter
the house from the street, make her
1T a iss Aef alf small ssrsS.d=;1.1
take of the lower portion of the divided
board.
These preparations could not be heard
ON account of the singing and music
box noise, which was continually kept
up. To enter the cabinet was then an
easy task for Katie, and with sfeol she
could reach the rather high aperture.
This disappearing and reappearinz part
OF the phenomenon was accomplished
by gradually lowering black cloth over
herself, and at the same time crouching
back into the corner. The semi-dark-
ness OF the room, combined with the
complete blackness of the inside of the
cabinet, made this seeming impossible
feat very simple. The deviation man
Hesitation, or the suspension of her
body in the air, was done by means of
the stool. covered with q black-cloth.
As 1t was impossible to distinguish any
color but white within the cabinet, the
stool was, of course, invisible, and by
stepping upon it very deliberately, and
raising herself, the young
lady was enabled to present the appear.
ance of being lifted from and suspended
above the floor.
At the close of the seance there was
always q delay of about ten minutes be-
tween the time of the last appearance
Of the alleged spirit and the knocks.
which signiied that no more were COM
ing. During this time I" Katie" would
slip through the hole in the cabinet,
screw on the loosened board, and make
her escape. Had the cabinet been ia
ken apart at such . time the trick would
have been discovered. It was taken to
pieces after similar seance, but by
'ome means the Holmeses suspected
hat this would be done, and were pre-
pared for it. A party of ten gathered |
n the room on this occasion, and Mrs.
Holmes complained that she was feeling
70 unwell that her mediumistic power
vas veiy weak, consequently it would
Do necessary to hold dark seance first.
This was consented to; the lights were
'xtinguished, not only in the room, but
q the hall, and the dark seance began.
As the divided board had been taken
rom the cabinet, it was impossible for
Katie to enter in the usual manner, and
he consequently came in through the
DOR. This she could do under cover
4 the darkness, and as all hands were
lasped, she safely crossed the room
uring the ringing of bells and the
wangling of guitars, and other accom-
ailments Of dark seances. Once within
he cabinet, she had only TO arrange her
hite dress, put on little extra pow
err. and she was ready to begin. A
mp was then dimly lighted, and the
sual manifestations were gone throug- '
it'll.
Had the seance closed in the ordinary l
apner, Katie would have been found d
the cabinet, but "John KING" @
rough Mr.. Holmes, stated that, if they l
ould turn out the lights again for few +
oments, it might give him strength to ,