Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-08-20
Shooting at a Materialized Spirit.

a SOMEWHAT extraordinary exhibition
of confidence on the part of material
lied spirit took place last evening at Con-
cert Hall, when Mr.. w. 9. Clark, a st.
Louis medium, permitted one of his ma
terializations to stand the test of rifle
shot. 1t has for some time been contend
ed by the skeptical that the true way to
prove the spiritual nature of these phe-
nomena was with a shotgun. If face
smiling through an unglazed window
could receive a charge of shot and still
smile it was thought the test might be ac-
cepted as proof at least that the face was
not human. The exhibition last night
grew out of challenge to Mr. Clark from
Henry Timkens, carriage maker, whose
place of business is at S14 North Sixth
street. Mr.. Timkens offered $50 for the
privilege of loading and firing a rife at a
face which Mr.. Clark should produce at
the aperture of cabinet, the medium to
disrobe before entering the cabinet and
| put on clothes which the challenger should
produce. After this the challenger was
to fasten the medium to the bottom of the
cabinet.
The audience was very small indeed,
comprising only few of the believers
and full representation of reporters from
the daily papers. At half-past eight the
doors were closed, and Mr. Clark retired
to side room to effect the change of raj
ment. The clothes provided were white
shirt, pair of linen trousers and pair
of white cotton socks. The change was
effected under the close scrutiny of sew
eral reporters and Mr.. Timkens. After
being entirely denuded of his clothing the
medium was examined closely, the COM
mittee" claiming the privilege of running
their fingers through his hair and whis-
kers to make certain he had nothing at
all concealed about his person. He was
then conducted directly to the cabinet,
which he entered
The cabinet, it should have been stated,
was made of halfinch stuff. In size it
was about six feet by six and a half feet
high and two feet deep. 1t was made in
six sections, which were put together in
the presence of the audience by the COM
mittee selfappointed for the purpose The
sections were fastened something after the
fashion of woman's dress, with wire
hooks and eyes. When completed the
cabinet was simply light box set upon
supports about two feet above the
floor, and perfectly tight upon all sides
excepting that in the upper lefthand cor
ner of the front was cut a small oval aper-
ture about five by seven inches. Over the
aperture hung black curtain arranged to
slide to the right or lett on a wire A
cord extending inside the cabinet was at
tached to this curtain so that one within
could draw it to and fro before the aper-
ture, provided he could reach the cord.
The ends of this cord were fastened to the
top of the cabinet and not allowed to
hang down at all. Before the medium en-
tered the concern it was carefully exam
ined last time. 1t had been scrutinized
all over inside and out while being put
together, and there was nothing of it, at
least nothing that could be seen. Alto
gether it was just such ahouse as material
lied spirits usually take fancy to.
When the medium entered the cabinet
he seated himself on the floor with his
back against the wall farthest from the
aperture, and then Timkens tied him.
Timkens had brought along brace and
good sized auger-bit, and with this he
proceeded TO bore holes in the bottom of
the cabinet Through these holes he
passed stout cords. The cords passed
over the mediums legs and the ends were
tied outside the box. Each leg was
corded down in two places, above and be-
low the knee. Another cord was passed
around the body and through the two
holes in the side of the box, the end of this
cord being likewise secured outside. The
hands were then tied together and drawn
down to the bottom Of the box, the ends of
this fastening also being knotted on the
outside. Mr. Timkens was handy with
the rope, and looked upon his work with
a considerable degree of satisfaction
When the fastenings had been duly exam
ined the door was closed, and Mr.. Clark
was left alone with the spirits
This was at precisely 9:20 p. m. In
about three minutes there was a succession
of raps from considerable portion of the
interior of the box. Then ii was still a
little time, after which there was suspi-
cious creakihg of cords. The lights of
course were turned down and the stiffness
became so oppressive that IL was a relief
when a small boy was heard whistling out
on the street. Somebody in the audience
started song in feeble, quavering voice
and quite chorus gradually Joined in. A
German vocalist favored the seance with a
tremendous bass solo, in the midst of
which an impish street Arab who had
lodged the doorkeeper fetched a piercing
shrek and hsd, Withou. any sxAEgsratieh