The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1875-01-08
HOW KATIE DID 1T.

HUN MATTE DID H.
Further Details of the Great SpirItualis-
tic Fraud at Philadelphia.
That Katie King" as presented
for the last year at the Rolmes' seanaes
in this city, was being of flesh and
blood, has been ascertained beyond
doubt, but who she was, how she was
secreted in the houses, afterwards in
trodUced into the cabinet, and SO as
sisted as to leave it without being de-
tected, has rs yet been more or less a
mystery. "Katie King" or rather the
young woman who personated her is
widow with a child, and a mother de-
pending upon her fCf support. Mr..
and Mrs. Nelson Holmes became &C.
quainted with her at boarding house,
where they lived for some weeks subse-
quent TO their advent in Philadelphia.
About the time the Holmeses took
possession of No. so North Ninth street,
g 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 ex-
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 out into the street. In this
condition she was promised assistance
by MIR. and Mrs. Holmes provided she
would enact the part of materialized
rE,frTk int hn5r
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 front room,
with one side against a door which
opened into a bed-chamber, was easily
arranged so as 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.
1t was an easy matter to take out one
of the boards, and put in it's place a
duplicate SO divided at the battins that
the point of juncture could not be seen.
The upper part of this board was firmly
secured, the lower portion was loosely
fastened with two screws, while the
other screw heads we're dummies.
When it was thought strict examina-
ton Of the cabinet would be made the
divided board could be taken out, and
the original put back in it's place. When
-he Katie h-Ig .sul4cGs 6rst began, the
gentleman who afterwards became SO
prominently connected with tben, Dr.
Child, Of this city. was permitted TO ex-
anime every nook and corner in the
house. As he was for q time very skep-
tical on the question of naturalization
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.
3" Katie King" would soon after enter
the house from the street, make her
way to the bedroom, assume her white
dress, and with a small screw-driver
take off 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 q stool she
could reach the rather high aperture.
This disappearing and reappearing part
of the phenomenon was accomplished
by gradually lowering a 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 levitation man
Hesitation, or the suspension of her
body IL the air, was done by means of
the stool, covered with a black-UIoth.
As it 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
gradually 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 a delay of about ten minutes be-
tween the time of the last appearance
of the alleged spirit and the knocks,
which signified that no more we're COM
ing. During this time " Katie" would
slip through the hole in the cabinet.
screw on the loosened board, and make
her escape. Had the cabinet been tn
ken apart at such a time the trick would
have been discovered. It was taken to
pieces after a similar seance, but by
some means the Holmeses suspected
that this would be done, and were pre-
pared for it. A party Of ten gathered
III the room on this occasion, and Mrs.
Holmes complained that she was feeling
SO unwell that her mediumistio power
was very weak, consequently It would
be necessary to hold dark seenee first.
This was consented to; the lights were
eItinguished, not only in the room. but
IN the hall, and the dark seance began.
A. tbs divided board had been taken
from the cabinet, If was impossible for
Katie 70 enter in The usual manner, aud
she consequently came in through the
door. This she could do under cover
of the darkness, aud as all hands were
claspsd, she safely crossed the room
during the ringing of bslls and the
tvangling of guitars, and other accom-
paniments Of dark seances. Once within |
the cabinet, she had only to arrange her
white dress, put on a little extra pow
der, and she was ready to begin. A
lamp was then dimly lighted, and the
usual manifestations were gene throug-
with.
Had the sesnce closed in the ordinary
manner, Katie would have been found
in the cabinet, but "John King"
through Mr.. Holmes, stated that, if they
would turn out the lights again for q few
moments, it might give him strength to
do some extra materializing. The lights