Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1875-03-11
,.sc,E>cE.. OF splKrTuALIsM

,.6e novelty and to good trick to be
,,., Its successful revival, how ever,
,,ncessitated o patience OF waiting
IN ne little drawback of the expos
,,re should blow over, and shifting
-, the scene of action to a safe dis
,once from the unfriendly climate OF
New York. The conditions were
COMPLIED with; there was a waiting
# wear, and the performance was
repea,ed in the city of London, under
the mediumship Of Miss Florence
Cook. But Gordon's invention was
expanded and improved, for Miss
Cook substituted living persons for
the masks; she constructed the cele-
bra,ed and original Katie King, whose
commences as a verltable spirit was
certified to by witnesses whose tcstl'
many on matters of this world would
be unimpeachable. The precise no1as
oo,ycnh was not found out. Katie
appearcd only few times and Lon
don knew her no more. The medium
nypIained that she had over-exerted
herself, and thus had impaired her
mower Of materializing, which, we
take it, implies that wholesome eau
ton or iorewavning had come upon
her, The original Katie has probably
made her las, appearance in public.
But duplicate or imitation Katie
made her debut in Philadelphia in May,
1874, and was a greater success there
,han the original. The proprietors
we're practiced mediums, Mr.. and Mrs.
Nelson Holmes. They had just re-
turned from London; and it is pretty
certain that they were acquainted with
Florence Cook, and that they brought
her secret with them. The theory
that Tie london and Philade phia
tricks are substantially the same is
lcnabIe ull something more plausible
is proposed.
The new Katie was welcomed with
enthusiasm by the leading spiritualists,
and her desertion of England for
America stimulated their patriotism !;
10 them she was the final and over.
whclming demonstration of practical
tpiritualsm. The weak in faith were
strengthened, and new converts were
added to the fold in droves, For
months, the Katie King mystery was
the most prominent sensation for
newspapers and magazines. But great
success made the liolmeses too bold
in continuing the show; and they
came to a grief in November last,
which early in January became holly
inconsolahle. The trick was found
"ut and fairly exposed; but the
l!olmcscs and the devotees persisted,
denied and sophisticated, aud thus
kept Katie King alive AS spirit for
more than a month.
The credit Of the exposure is al
most wholly due to the philadelphia
Inquirer The facts of evidence against
the llolmeses, as they were developed,
were published in the Iaq'urer. But
The evidence so appearing in discon-
Hccted fragments, although convinc-
ing to most sensible people, was mis-
understood, perverted and soph'sti
Gated by the spiritual partisans. A
mcthodical statement which should
end all doubt and controversy was
therefore prepared and published, in
an article occupying about fifteen col
aims of the Inquirer of January 8 and
Is, 1875. The statement is in the
orm Of an autobiography of the lady
Nho personated Katie King; it was
'oritied by her affidavit sworn 20 in
-4e presence of several prominent
~hlzens of Philadel phia. 1t was fur
iler confirmed by the lady having in
her possession the robes and orna-