The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1875-09-30
" Esprit VALE
An English Barristers Views Of the Eddys-
Mrs. Huntoon as Test Medium-Material-
lied Spirits, Etc, Etc.
BERWICK House,

RUTLAND, VT, Sept. 81, 1861
Editor Of the Rutland Globe Having
Travelled about 1000 miles for the express
purpose of witnessing, and if possible
forming correct judgment upon the
esprit materialzations" at the Eddy home
stead, made famous by Col. Olcotts crit
ical investigation, naturally felt some Gu
riosity to learn the opinions prevalent about
them 10 this city and ncighborhood. l
haye found many differences, and some
indecision. Nor am surprised, for though
the Eddy brothers, supposing mediumship
to exist, are probably the most powerful
mediums in the world, they are not, at
least at home, test mediums. do not in
the least blame them, after all they arc
said to have gone through in this way, for
not submitting themselves, every day and
in their own home, to the often cruel and
unreasonable caprices of sceptical investi-
gators. But do think that they might
voluntarily give more satisfaction in the
way of tests than they choose to do and
therefore could not recommend others,
whose object, like my own, is to verify a
fact, and not merely to witness the most
developed phase of phenomenon still
problematlcal, to seek conviction at the
Eddy'S. But certainly am astonishcd that
the extraordinary powers, as test medium
of their sister, Mrs. Mary .Huntoon, should
have escaped public attention. The names
of William and Horatio Eddy are heard
wherever spiritualism is mentioned ; while
| this sister, who would convince, if he was
at all open to conviction, the most hard
hearted sceptic in single sitting, remains
in obscurity. was week at Chittenden
before l ever heard of her. AS an English
lawyer, with, am afraid, the worst pos
sible opinion of human nature, to whom
the fallibility Of human testimony is one of
the first principles of judgment, sceptical
by disposition, and with some experience
in this investigation, have, in this matter,
trusted to nothing that have been told, to
no observations and to no precautions but
my own. l have attended six circles at
Mrs. Huntoonf, with the result that
the question of spirit naturalization
is settled with me for ever. On the
ground floor are only three rooms, the
kitchen, dairy or larder, and the bedroom,
thirteen feet by seven, which serves as the
cabinet. Above are only the roof and
rafters, without partition, of an unfinished
room. Below the larder is the cellar, not
| at all under the bedroom. l did not of
course accept the statement that there was
nothing under the latter but the ground,
but examined every board of the floor.
These boards are continuous pieces, run
ming under the partition from the kitchen
the length Of both rooms. Each is firm
ly and closely set to its neighbor.
Two OF the walls of the bedroom are outer
walls, and scrutinized the boards outside,
and the plaster within, which was without
seam or rent, as also the plaster of the parti-
| tions from the larder and kitchen, and of
the ceiling. The bedroom has only one
window. The lower part of this was nailed
inside outside l had nailed mosquito net
ting, the tacks being driven up to the heads
in spots selected by myself and under my
own eye. / went out with lantern and
examined this netting three times, "a just
before the sitting commenced, (2) imme-
diately after the manifestations had fairly
commenced, 90 at the close. On the bed
were lying Mrs. Huntoon's two younger
children l took the elder to be under three
years old, but she tells me she is three years
and four months. We took the bedding to
pieces, blanket by blanket, mattress by
mattress. On only one night of the six
was the eldest child, five years old left in
the bedroom. The bedroom has only one
door, that into the kitchen, where we sat.
Across the door the curtain was hung So
far, of course, had only provided against
access to the room by an accomplish. But
now comes the crucial test-ths ability 20
stand which distinguishes Mrs. Huntoon's
mediumshp from that of every other,
with the exception, | am told,
OF Mrs. Stewart, of Terre Haute, Ind.
During the first part of the seance, Mrs.
Huntoon sits outside the curtain, in the kit
chen with us, no part of her person being
in the bedroom. The light, though not
good enough to discern the features of the
apparitions, is sufficient TO make perfectly
observable the smallest movement of the
medium. could see the time by my small
watch by 1t. We sat u feet from the cur
tain. was quite satisfied with these pre-
cautions. A gentleman with me, however,
was not, at least for the purpose of report.
ing, though he agreed with me that they
were perfectly sufficient for our own salts.
faction. Accordingly VIC tied Mrs. Hun
toon's hands securely to the back of her
chair, and her feet to the legs of the chair.
Now, under these conditions, faces began
immediately to appear, sometimes two at
| t:...a throtruh tho n,.rtair N Gbdla In the