The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-07-26


nett Family, etc.
New YORK, July 81, 1876.
One of the curious entertainments OF
the summer is the Bishop method of ex-
posing spiritual manifestations. Bishop is
turning this to account, and has had good
patronage. On the occasion which / at
tended, DR.. Armtage, the Baptist preacher
was present, and made some Introductory
remarks, saying that he had seen very
strange things done by the spiritualists, and
was not prepared to deny some of their
claims. He did not believe that they all
tried to deceive the public. After this
statement the performers appeared on the
stage The younger Bishop then placed
his hands behind his back and allowed bis
wrists to be bound firmly together in very
careful manner. They were then tied to
a post, against which a stool was placed.
A strong band was then tied around his
neck and fastened to ring in the same
post. The next step was to bind his feet
together by a cord which encircled the an-
kles, and the end of it was flung out to the
audience, so that any one who held it might
know whether the feet were moved.
SOME TRICKS.
If ever man seemed in tight place, it
was this Bishop and any observer would
have said that it was impossible for him to
move. His partner then held sheet be-
fore him until he called out fright" when
the sheet dropped and the performer stood
free and upright. The explanation was
given in few words, which informed us
that Bishop had unusually long hands and
long wrists, and was remarkably strong.
This physical conformation aided by long
practice, was his whole secret. Several
other tricks followed, one of which was as
follows A chair was placed by the per-
formers stool, and upon this lay two pieces
of wood, foot long. The hands of the
performer were bound behind him, aud on
his knees lay hammer and nail. Although
almost every one would have said that be
could not move his wrists, yet he stretched
both hands far enough to seize the ham,
mer and drive the nail through both pieces.
THE BUCKET PERFORMANCE.
Another was IN this wise: While sitting
on the stool, with his hands still bound be-
hind him, an empty bucket was placed on
his knees, bottom up. With great ease
and rapidly he thrust out ono hand, nod
ded his head slightly as he turned the buck
ct over bis head wearing il as helmet.
He demonstrated conclusively to most of
the audience that all the performances of
the so-caled epiritualists may be mere leg
erdemain. Bishop is only 20 years old,
but has been long enough engaged in this
work to reach surprising peri ction. 1t
is SAID that London sagant, (Mr. Crookes
+. r. s. J who at one time believed in spir-
itualism, was convinced by such illustra-
tons as these that the whole thing was a
fraud. There are others, however, who
will not yield even to this testimony, and
| can refer to one man who has had such
strange interviews with the dead that he
defes all skeptical demonstration. | shall
not argue upon these matters, but merely
add that the Bishops are dong well as pub
lie exhibitors,
ANOTHER EXHIBITION.
1t is announced that Gen. Cesnola, our
consul at Cyprus, is bringing to this city
another collection similar to that which
now graces the Fourteenth street museum.
The general must be vrtuoso, for none
other would be delving among these anti
quities. Such things haye little hold upon
the general community, and, therefore, are
generally neglected. An illustration of
this is found in Abbott's Egyptian collec-
ton, which proved an utter failure, and is
now among the lumber of the historical So
ciety. To men of taste these articles are of
great value, but such persons do not COM
pose the MASSES of this city.
OUR DEATH RATE.
This is theme more appropriate to the
condition of this wretched city than any
antiquities. The cry of death is heard all
over the city, but chiefly among the poor.
The death rate has been doubled by the
heated term, and during August we may
look for greater increase. The intlictlon
of extreme heat is like the visitation of a
pestilence. Last week 1889 deaths were
recorded. In the country almost every flu.
neral is honored by the presence of cler-
gyman What number of this profess
ion would be required here, if such a rule
was observed Ga the other hand, large
number of the dead not only have no cler-
gy, but have no funeral, either. They are
buried by the authorities in a very rapid
manner.
HOW IT is DONE.
One of the busiest of our public offices
at present is "the charities" corner of
Eleventh street and Third avenue. Here
applications are made for admttance to
the charitable Institutions, also for passes
80 ~. ia in 90 ell f,,r
interments in the potters' field. There is
always crowd at this office, and pitable
spectacle it is. Yet it is regular crowd
days ia the week, but this hot weather
increases it prodigiously. The death sp.
plications form sad-looking column, each
one bearing the same expression of poverty
and woe. Some of them are children who
have been sent by sick parents to tell the
story of bereavement As fast as the names
are written down, the list is handed to a
man who takes it next door, where one
may tind the coffin house.
CHEAP BURIAL.
The coffin house is three stories high,
The first is used as a stable and wagon
house for the use of "charities." The next
is used tor hay, harness, and other needed
purposes, and above this Is vast collection
of collins, each made of implanted boards,
and having none of the attractive features
so common at the undertakers. These
collins are made at the Blackwell's Island
pententisry, and every day a quantity is
brought down on the steamboat. When a
name is given at this department the team
starts for the spot. In case at children
three or four corpses can be handled at
once. The dead are taken to the charities
wharf" (foot Twenty-sixth street, and
there their friends may resort If they de-
sire. They are allowed to 90 to the pot
lers' field, which is at Harris Island, and
see the bodies placed in the trench, but
few demand this privilege. The same
steamboat which brings down the collins
bears the dead to their long horne. Only
by this rapid manner could the immense
march of death be met. The wagons are
in motion all day and often at night, pick
ing up corpses. Religious services seem
almost out of order at such occasions. There
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