Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1876-09-16
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CONFERENCE OF A WELL KSOWS MA
TERIALIST MEDIuM.

TERIALIsT hEDIUM.
There is great excitement at Rochester.
y, Y, occaSioned by the publication Ia the
Democrat and Chronicle OF The confession OF
c. l.. Jennings, a noted materialist medium.
Jennings came TO Rochester from Elmira
eight months ago, and gradually developed
into nrst-class medium. lie held seanceS,
which were numerously attended, and pro-
duced faces and hands, and gave commuri-
cations, orally and written, from the spirit
world. His manifestations were very salts
factory TO believers, and baffied .skeptics.
AT fret he worked slooe, and afterwards en-
ploy ed confederate. He gives the follow
log account OF his first stance:
THE first seauce held after &c becams
known 20 the Rochester people that was a
medium was In the WhiTcomo bouse, and at
this sesnce was present a gentleman from
Chicago, who recognize Lizzie, his daugh-
ter, in me after 4 had covered my small
moustache with piece or flesh colored cloth.
and reduced the size OF nv face win a shawl
that bad hung up purPosely In the back OF
toe closet, but Tor the pul pose, IL was said.
OF making dark back ground. From this
sitting my fame commenced 10 spread, and
at almost every private house where I sat
after that, had the luck OF being placed IN
clothes press, or some place that contained
different kinds OF spirits. Consequently 1
would offer 10 be examined on these occa-
sions, but don't think any one ever did H. %
Afterwards he hired house and engaged
his confederate. His cabinet occupied the
rear OF q small room, In which was closet,
where the sccomplice was concealed, the
Vi WHICH was app4rcully secured. out
which was skillfully arranged so that Il
could be opened from the inside and admit
the confederate into the cabinet Jennings
was thus enabled 70 submit TO all the tests
required. He usually entered the cabinet
and was placed In stocks, his hands and feet
being visible outside. The curtain huDg in
front OF the cabinet Music In the audiences
deadened all sounds within the cabiuet, and
his confederate was well supplied with
masks, wigs and costumes, and appeared at
the aperture In the cabinet and converseo
with the audience. Jennings tells how he
obtained Information concerning the dead
friends OF those In the circle. Among other
things he visited the city cemetery, and
ticulars OF the lives OF those whom be
introduced as spirits. Many were iden.
titled by friends and relatives, and
full credence was given 20 the reve-
genious carpenter, and is gifted win .
great deal OF cunning. He says that N be
had had money at his command, and could
have prepared contrivancee a. he desired ne
would have defed detection. The clrcum-
stances leading 70 exposure are as follows:
Some two weeks ago civil engineer OF this
city insisted upon being allowea 70 seal the
closet In bis own way, and brought TO the
sed,ace tools for that purpose. Jennings re-
fused TO allow this, whereupon he was talked
10 In such q manner that he took the alarm.
his confederate fied, and the sednces closed
Finally he made clean breast OF the matter
TO clergyman, protesting the deepest peni-
tence and stated that he should leave town
TO avoid meeting his dupes. He had pre-
pared statement which he Intended TO de-
liver as q lecture, but which he finally con-
cluded TO give the reporters. The excite
ment In spiritualistic circles is intense, as
genuiDeness bad been voucned for by lead
ing spiritualists and q number OF mediums
Naturalization is believed 10 have received
q heavy blow.