Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-12-28
hrs. KILLER.
Our MateriaIizsd Reporter Takes q
View OF the Dark Cabinet and
Observes the MaterIalIza-
lions.
How All These Things Impressed
Him Daring the seAnce.


for a test seance between the members
Of the press and Mrs. N. D. Miller, has
postponed the seance for several weeks
until q new cabinet is manufactured and
arranged for the medium, to which ar
rangement our skeptics, although most
anxious to engage in the spirit business,
offered, Of course, no objections.
Yesterday Brother Watson called at
the LEDGER editorial rooms and politely
presented our leading editor with two
tickets, one for himself and the other
for our materialized reporter, to attend
a anc that night, given at the Green
law building, on the corner Of Second
and Union streets. Our leading man
was called up the country late last even.
ing by telegram, so our msterislized re.
porter had to go it alone. Our man
found the place. but got there rather
late, the business having commenced.
he was received by Brother Watson and
took his seat in a semi-circle, composed
Of about twenty ladies and gentlemen.
At this time the mediums Mrs. B;llsr)
hands were tied with arope, and our man
was politely invited to act on the CON.
mittee. Her hands had been TIED to-
gether by ono gentleman, and he pro.
nounced the tying secure. The curtain
was let down and raised up in a few
seconds and the medium had chairs on
her arms, with her hands tied as before,
to accomplish which one Of two things
was necessarJ-either to perform the
trick with the rapidity Of the Davenport
brothers, or the slick gentleman who
lately appeared at the theater and whom
the ~spirituslists r~epudiated, or to bring
about the effect by supernatural means
we mean by the aid and power Of spirits.
1t was done, however, our reporter be-
lieved, as the above worthless did it, but
many present believed it to have been
done by spirits.
NATURALIZATION OR WHAT?
We are disposed to deal fairly with the
medium on the naturalization matter.
Mrs. Miller took a seat in the cabinet,
and it was announced by her husband,
Mr.. Miller, that she had gone into q
trance state. Our man examined her
and found that her wrists were tied,
her fingers clasped and her limbs
extended. 1t required considerable
muscular exertion to loosen any Of hel
fingers, but her hands could have beer
opened did the effort so to do border OF
rudeness or violence toward a woman
The curtain went down, so did the lamp
7 light at the hands of Brother Stillman
| and in q very short space of time
, white dress appeared where the curtain
had been drawn aside. After a while
r woman draped in white appeared seve
raj times, and at the request of BrotheI
, Watson came out on the raised platform
on which the cabinet stood, and which
, platform was wired in front so as to keel
the audience back, if they attempted tt
approach without being invited. TIL,
form pulled chairs around, sat on them
and on retiring to the cabinet assumed
the Indian role and talked broken OF
pigeon-English but yet with a female
voice. Our reporter was not permitted
to shake hands with the white figure, but
Brother Watson did, and also kissed her
audibly; he pronounced it no spirit,
but fssh and blood, and pronounced her
to be his deceased wife. That the form
was flesh and blood there was no doubt,
but whose flesh and blood, is the conun-
drum. Our materialized reporter was
quite certain that it wasMrs. Miller draped
in white, but others present believed other
wise. No effort was made to raise the
curtain Of the cabinet during the appear
ance OF the form, in order to discover
whether or not Mrs. Miller lay there in q
trance. Several persons present desired
to shake hands with the form, but this
was not allowed except to an old gehtle-
man and one lady, both believers; and
they made no effort to hold the hand or
detain the form so presented. Our re-
porter believed that had he been permit
ted to take the liberties accorded to
Brother Watson he would have held on
to that hand, and that the hand would
prove to be attached to Mrs. Miller's
body but It was stated by Brother Watson
that the spirits might hurt the skeptical
intruder, yet several we're willing to take
the risk.
This so-called naturalization pro.
crossed for an hour, the form going in
and coming out of the cabinet, and talk.
ing at random in Indian talk while in.
The form again appeared with a
bundle in her arms, which she
said was an infant. Brother Wat.
son approached and put his hand
on the bundle and declared it to be an
infant, bit no other person was 80 per-
%mitted-all others having to remain in
their chairs and observe in the darkness,
The baby did not cry, an amusement
usually INDUCED in by young persons.
1t was either in good humor or asleep.
The light was down SO low that it was inn
possible to distinguish the features Of
the so.called materialized woman. How
could Mrs. Miller unloose her hands and
appear in q white dress without the aid