Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-12-29
RESPONSE FROM DIR. WATSON.


through whom the imposition is being
perpetrated Spon the public. II was as
/ stated. The only conditions required
was the publication OF what occurred.
The public did not need to be told what
was YOU opinion on these matters.
This you have given On 80 many occa-
sions that they are perfectly familiar
with your sentiments. This wal very
manifest when you published Captain
Gifts EXPOSE" Of Mrs. Miller, making
the impression upon the public that he
witnessed it, when the facts are he
never saw her, and as Mr.. Rnea says in
his card in the Appeal, he published it
without any authority from DR.. Rice or
himself. This confirms every state.
ment l made in regard to it. The
LEDGER's views are well known,
and needed neither the wit MOI the ridi-
cule you we're pleased to use in regard to
the matter to be like Cessrs wife, above
suspicion" as to fayoring spiritualism.
1t was this that made me select your edi-
tors first to witness these manifestations.
It was my purpose, if you had been
there al the appointed time, to have had
YOU tie her and so confne her that it
would be utterly impossible for her to do
ANYTHING that was done. An officer Of
the general government, from Huntsville,
Alabama, with a number of the most
skeptical gentlemen Of Memphis, were
selected for that purpose. You remem-
Der | said to you when / opened the door,
and you told me who you were, that you
were the only man whom ! would admit,
stating, as you entered, that you were
there by my invitation, and requested
you to 20 and examine how the medium
was confined. This you did, aud, as |
supposed, was satisfactory to you.
Whilst | cannot, with my views Of self
respect, notice your account given, yet
it is due to Mrs. Miller and the readers
of the LEDGER, as we'll as myself, to
state a few facts in this connection. l
have for two months been selecting the
most skepticsl gentlemen with whom |
am acquainted to visit Mrs. Miller to
detect and expose, il they could, her
spirit manifestations. / had her come
10 my house on two occasions for that
purpose. She had never been to my
library before she came in to be tied by
a committee selected for that purpose.
Among these / have included physicians,
members Of the four leading Protestant
churches, as we'll as a number OF those
WHOM / knew we're m%aterialists. There
we're on the first occasion about twenty
persons present; on the other, about
thirty. Drs. Avent and Pittman pro-
nounced her, after several critical ex-
a~minations, utterly incapable Of per-
forming any action whatever, and yet as
soon as they left her forms drsped in
white were seen. On other occasions |
have requested the doctors to note the
time that expired betwee1kheir exsmi-
nation and the appearances f a lady in
white while the medium was draped in
black. They have reported the time
from two to six seconds. One afternoon
at q o'clock we had DR.. W. 81. McCargo,
of Olive Branch, Miss, whom / have
known for a third of q century; DR..
Burney, OF Des Arc, and DR.. Pittman,
of this city, to tie her and examine her
critically after her enhancement. DR..
McCargo stated that she was in a cate.
leptic state, in which she was incapable
Of doing anything; and yet, in a few sec
onds my former wife, whom he knew in
timately from her girlhood, CAM out
draped in purest white, seen by some ff-
.een or twenty persons present. In
this connection | will mention that
/ knew DR.. d. D. Saunders when
he was a child. His father and grand
father were my old friends in
North Alabama. he lived near him,
at Greenwood, in this vicinity, for many
years, and knowing he had had oppor-
t~nnities equal, if not superior, to any
physician by his residence and study in
Paris, | selected him as among the most
competent persons to detect the i'm
posture. He with other doctors, William
and Arthur Taylor, Hodges and others,
have examined her in her normal con-
dition, and then in the c~ataleptic state.
They pronounced her utterly Incapable
Of performing any action. Or two oc
c%asions | asked DR.. Saunders to observe
how much time elapsed between their
! examination and the appearance Of q
lady dressed in white walk out on the
platform. At one time he said three sec
onds; the other two and a half seconds.
| will further state that Ihave on several
occasions had Mrs. Miller examined by
e committee Of ladies, and they report
all her under apparel ia dark. If Mrs.
Miller can wake up, unite herself and
change her apparel and walk out, being
some ten or twelve inches taller, she
possesses wonderful powers, and there
can be a fortune made out of her.
One Of the oldest and most reliable
| citizens. who has been one of a commit.
tee who has been selected halt a dozen
times IN be in the cabinet with the Dav.
exports, says Mrs. Miller will do more in
five minutes than they can do in an hour.
We leave her to notice that the spirit
ual test between the press gang and the
Miller circle is" not off" Brother
Watson has" not postponed the affair
for a few weeks until a cabinet can be
made" but he desires the LEDGER men
to come tonight. and not TO give theories
ohb w obdlC idllb no buOg ONlhAs a. Jbu
are after the truth and will do full
justice," you shall have a fair showing.
We do not ask you to believe until you
are forced To de it. Feeling so we'll as
sured that Mrs. Miller will tTiunphantly
vindicste herself from the notice you
have given her, | cheerfully await the re-
suit Of the press investigation" and
hope TO have some other reporter there
tonight.
Yours, for truth and justice,
SAMUEL WATSON.
LDr. Rice aud Major Rhea state that
Captain Gifts publication, while unau.
thorized by them, was true and correct
in every particular. At the seanceabove
referred to by the Doctor be did state to
our reporter that the seance to be given
TO the press as a body would not come Of
for several weeks, and that he would see