Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-12-03

H)w THEY "NArERIALIzS" SPIRITS AT

d
TENDEN-THE MYSTERY EXTLAINED.
\ CORRESPONDENT Of the Sun has been
visiting the Eddy family. =; Spirit Vale, ,"
Chittenden, Vermont, AMI evolves the fol-
lowing explanation Of the manner in which
these humbugs have 50 long deceived a
credulous public
|, those who examined the cabinet alter
each sednce had bsen very observing they
would have noticed that the bjlris OF it,
floor were laid in an opposite direction to
the b0ard- OF the platform. ~ the cabinet
was built upon the platform, simply en-
closing niche in the chimney. there does
not seem to BE- any particular reason why
the run of tho boards OF IL dor shlulG not
be the same a. the bIarls outside. Bat
there Is a good reason They will stand
more Use without breaking at the seams
When William has been a minute or -
IN the cabinet, Ia, carefully adjusted the
thick army blanket over the door. 50 that
sound or light cannot . out into the c:-cle.
and has called for music ami song. he
pushes the old rocking chair to the further
part OF the cabinet, and. standing here
himself. gives quiet signal. and 10, nearly
all Of ths cabinet floor sli les nOi.ecs,ly
under the outside platform. being moved
by somebody underneath. There l. nov re-
yealcd small temporary door. and an
opening IN the chimney. large enough To
ADMIT Of the passage Of u human body. By
close, narrow stairs yen can descend
through the chimney 10 the kitchen below
Inc chimney is made in two compartments;
one for the mlterializai spirits to 90 up and
d0wn. and one tor the smoke of the kitchen
stove 70 ascend The passage io- the con-
iederates to the little game of delasion l.
skiltully arranged. padded and rendered
Tree from noise, and i - neat IN cOnstruc-
;iOn that when it i closed up during the
day, yOI would never notice the arrange
ment OF the cabinet illO- aud the opening
IN the chimney, if You should possibly take
of few OF the boards Of the QUEER platform
and look under. a. C1l O.cltt once dill. Ii
Is very dark under the platform, and IT you
should look. You could only see Il miss OF
boarding. beams. AMI >apaOr-> .O- the
stage.
William goes iONn the mlteriaiizel part
of the chimney 10 the kitchen There wait
Inc Tor him are his two sisters, who are
never seen in the circles, aud the sister
AlIce if the Lady of the Lake or an Arab
boy. " spirits akin to these, are 10 be rep
resented. which representations are marked
by the absence Of Alice from the guests
seats at the seance, OF he meets anybody
else whJ Il engaged to take part in the
farce Of the evening. The programme has /
been arranged during the dag a. to the I
characters to be represented. The costumes
are IN William : room, which opens from
the kitchen, and they are speedily dOnned. I
and the entertainment begins generally hy !
one of the women going up the chimney
into the cabinet. adjusting her dress, and /
then stepping out from behind the army /
blanket on the stage to be wondered at and (
perhaps recognized as one supposed to BE- I
quietly sleeping under the sod.
The sisters generally began the seaneo 4
and William finished it. which allowed the 4
women to get safely out of the house be-
lore the guests left the circle room. |; is
all simple and elsy when understood It. /
very simplicity has. however. 6eca lis
greatest security. One can understand
what variety OF characters could be 81 Iwn
by few bits of costume and little false
hair, when 1t Is considered that the stage
was darker than usual in the most malo-
dramatic situations on the theatre boards
and the auditors were more than inclined I
to see with the eyes of sturdy faith. In
iact, the costumes shown were very Door
and commonplace, and evinced great lack
OF theatrical skill.
The youthful female spirits were usually
clau IN Whlte, with slight changes of hair
and hxings. as the character required the
elderly ones had faded, slouchy dresses of
calico or cheap colored stuff. with great
proiusIon of gray hair, so that one could
make no mistake as to the time OF life rem
Most of the impersonations were
very common, many of the women having
scarcely any difference in appearance. and
the same ones apparently doing duty for
many friends, with probably few slight
alterations OF costume but when u palpa-
Die MT was TO be made, a skeptic convinced. !
Dr wonderful foreign spirit revealed, the
part received careful preparation, and the ]
was elaborated in every way
Slight things went long way with the
auditors. One would mover believe half the
oly that WAS shown 10 the circle room. A
happy guess, trIfitng resemblance bit OF
barney, one OF two tOuct es OF ksen human
iA'u7e' were proofs OF spirit return as
'trong az those Of holy writ The stuck.
pirits-ilonto, Lady Of the Lake Mr. {
;tton. Grandmother Brown the Arab BOYS. 5
" Itch OF the Mountain. aud others-vs,e I
'erv generally shown. for no one could sus- ,
,ert the bury William Eity ol persona {
ihi; u os, oil these, a. they We're slight. very /
emin;ne women and youths, and il mad. ,
ne thing more wonderful as the great YER
h"t Ter "a- supposed to be all alone in the
sonet, and nobody could get in through
Eat little window covered With the ms
unto bar; and whence did these forms !
ono II not from the other world? When a u
male appeared Of manly sig, it was com c
acnly attired IN black. and had beard or j
loustaehe. and. il it spoke it used strain j
d. disguised voice. or else it used the lin il
rnmpst '' =
tis hardly necessary - further detail |,
ow they did 4 Nobody was allowed IN Q
xsmins tho chimney. The cabinet floor a
a. arranged to slide away like the trap of :,
theatre there was easy ascent from the
i'cuen Deio~ INTO the cabinet for as many St
~ were engaged IN the manifestations, saa |,
ined that they would hi: some one and b
spayted friends. "'1 So" :.