Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-01-08
Katie King.
From the Springfield Republican. /

from tlie SprinSnelu hepuDucan.
The curtain has Just been rung
down on one of the most unique and
entertaining sensations that has re-
Gently been put OH the boards. Com
ing in the dull season of early sum
mer, and growing fairly exciting as
the Scandal intermitted, it reaches its
climax in the January Atlantic, and
plays out just as Christmas comes on
and Congress begins to get interest
ing. We refer, of course, to the
serio-comedy of naturalization, with
its extensive corps of performers, $
cunning stage managers and its select
Interpreters, as produced in Philadcl-
phia and Chittenden for the past sew
eral months.
We are exceedingly sorry to lose
the romantic figure of Katie King,
the charming daughter of buc-
cancer, with her Grecian beauty, her
golden curls, her pretty caresses, her
mysterious vanishings, and her reve-
lations Of the spirit spheres, which so
captivated and enlightened Mr.. Owen.
We shall be rather lonely as we bid
adieu to the free and easy Indian
maiden Honto and her kinsman San
tum, and shall find life comparatively
tame without the possibility of dead
Koordish warriors and African Jug
glers revisiting the glimpses of the
moon,-or, to speak accurately, of the
Eddy Kerosene. But hard as the sac
rifice of those improving acquaintan-
ces may be, it must be made. Katie,
Mr.. Owens celestial Katie, is more
phantasmal than ever, but the real
Katie has turned out to be a smart
young women whose heavenly abode
was behind the casing of a window
in the rear of the mysterious cabinet;
and all the marvels that surrounded
her exits and entrances fade into opt
ical illusions and credulous imagin-
ings. And, though the esprit Vale"
apparitions may strive and agonize
to stay little longer, they are DOOM
ed, we can hardly doubt, to vanish
into fact, as this one has.
The history of the "Katie King"
imposture is as follows: Mr.. and
Mrs. Holmes are professional med
iums Of some years standing, who
had recently dwelt in London, and
given remarkable seances there, at
one of which, at least, it is certified
that the "Katie King" of Florence
Cooks evenings appeared. On first
coming to this country, they lived in
a Philadelphia clearinghouse, where
they became acquainted with Il young
widow with child and mother to
support. About the time they hired
a house on Ninth street, this woman
was reduced to pcnury, her goods
were sold by her host to pay rent,
and she and her dependents turned
into the street. In this destitute con-
dition, Mr.. and Mrs. Holmes offered
their assistance if she would consent
to enact the part of materialized
spirit at their seances. She was re-
volted at the dishonor of the thing,
but accepted it as the alternative of
suffering for her mother and herchild.
This young widow become accord
ingly the celestial visitant of the
Holmes, the 'Katic King" who has
been one of the marvels Of the day
for more than six months, and in the
esteem Of Spiritualists the vital proof
of immortal lite.
The method of her appearance and
disappearance was extremely simple.
In the house the Holmes occupied
through the summer, the cabinet was
accessible from a bedroom by means
of boards at the back easily removed,
which was done under cover of the
music which always preceded the
naturalization" seancc. Once in
the cabinet, by means of black drap-
cry and a stool, with an artistic man
agement of attitudes, the phenomena
of vanishing and reappearing and of
levitation were easily accomplished.
When they returned from their sum-
mer vacation, the mediums entered
another house, where the cabinet was
placed near window, boarded up
with false show of strength to
make a place of concealment for
''Katie King" from which she emerg
ed and entered the cabinet at the
proper time.
How the secret was discovered is
now immaterial. There were, doubt
less, several causes that converged to
its revelation, and if one had not
brought it, another would. Suffice
it that the young woman has been
found, after having been absent from
the Holmes seances for several weeks,
and, according to her own story, from
contrition at the role she was playing
and in awe at the great effect she was
producing. She has told ermethods
of procedure, exhibited the clothing
she wore, and the jewelry and other
articles that were given her. The
Holmes continue to hold seanccs
and show rubber masks at the cab
met windows, and profess themselves
innocent and injured; it is even said
that they have sued the Press and
the Inquirer of Philadelphia for
slander. Mr.. Owen and DR.. Child,
however, have entirely withdrawn
their confidence from them. Mr.
Owen says that "the case seems made
out, not, probably, so as to justify a
court of Justice, but so as to produce
moral conviction sufficient to render
worthless, as evidence of spirit ma
terialization, everything, be it feigned
or genuite, which the Holmes have
put forth"
1t is unquestionably very hard to
admit that one has b en- cheated, and
that the senses and reason have play
ed the traitor. But Mr.. Owen and
DR.. Child do not hesitate to do so,
and those who are less informed and
have infinitely less credit to lose
will do well to follow their example,
without further attempt to fight facts.
Mr.. Owen expresses his belief that
this exposure will not hurt the cause
of Spilitualism. We think he will