The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-11-15

THERMOMETER YESTERDAY: \. M, 90;
0 4. NJ, 60; noon, &c; 3 p. NJ, u; L.
~, IA; midnight, 60.
-
From the Boston Evening Transcript November g.
The Exposure of Spiritual Jusglery
at Music Hall last Saturday evening was
on many accounts remarkable occasion.
The new and formidable pressure that has
recently been exerted against sc-calede espi-
ritual mediums in London, New York, and
other cities was thus brought home to the
inquirers and believers and half-believers
in Boston, where it may safely be said there
are as many OF such among the thoughtful
and enlightened classes rs in any other
centre Of intelligence. The assault upon
their prepoSSeSsonS was made in the pre-
sence of one of the largest and most diStin-
guished audiences ever gathered in Music
BALL, under the auspices OF the best citizens
and with the public assistance OF well-known
and respected scientific gentlemen. Though
the assailant was beardless young man,
scarcely out of his teens, yet his sling sent its
missile as straight as Dayid's to the fore
head Of the Goliath Of modern delusions.
While the bravery, address, and cleverness
of the youth. adding keen, cutting edge
to the h,lmor and ridicule mingled with his
exposes, were greatly enjoyed by the en-
thusiastic majority of the audience, there
could not but arise reproving twinge OF
sympathy for the few (well represented, no
doubt, by the mild and venerable gentle
man who was squelched by rather super
fuous display OF police force in his mani
festlv improper attempt to occupy the too
brief time OF the eXposer) to whom spirit.
ualism has furnished comfort and consola-
ton beyond most of the comfortable and
consoling beliefs to which weak human ma
ture is prone. But while proper respect
can be felt for the wounded honest be-
lieis of those who rashly ventured
to come and look on at the tearing
OF the veil from their false prophet,
it cannot be permitted to them to ques-
ton the thoroughness Of the exposure. 1t
will not do to say that the demonstration
stopped short in any respect OF showing
that whatever there is of the mysterious or
awful in the ringing Of bells and strumming
OF guitars and the like behind u curtain
where q medium is apparently movelessly
tied can be accomplished without the aid OF
spirits. There was no necessity to perform
an endless series Of repetitions OF the eX-
posure even had the strength Of the per-
former and the patience OF the audience
held out. Once it had been seen, with the
curtains pulled aside, that, as the eNposer
claimed, his use OF arms and hands while
tied hand and foot was purely mat
ter OF physical conformation "a power
of throwing the shoulder "out OF Joint .
for the time being, aided by the
| strength and skill Of practice, and there was
no further need of explanation OF the whole
! round of cabinet and curtain tricks to ra-
tional and candid persons. OF course there
is the old truth that those convinced against
their will are Of the same opinion still. But
for reasoning animals, enough was accom-
plished for one "light" seance, If nothing
more had been done, when 1000 people,
more or less, saw young Bishop bring his
hands to one side of and in front OF his
body, notwithstanding that they were tied
together at post at his back. 1t was evi-
dently so painful and eXhausting feat that
no humane person could desire to see it re-
peated unnecessarily. But it has forever
, kicked all the "spiritual agencies" out OF
: the spiritualists' cabinets.
OF the astonishing feat Of finding out the
name written by DR.. Holmes and sealed W
by him in Professor Horsfords presence
MIR. Bishop did not make q clear explana
!, tion. But since he insists that it is as purely
a human feat as was that Of using his arm IL
, an unusal manner, he is entitled to the be
> lief that he can show at will how to do tht
!, amazing trick Certainly man Is not tt
} be made a medium against his will. Tht
! following explanation, which appears IN tht
Herald this morning, it would have beer
as we'll to give to the audience Saturday
night: q. r., - - ~,
: tsUpon the slate which Professor Horsfort
held in his hand the letters OF the alphabet
had been drawn or written. With TIT
other hand the professor held as a pointer
, long pencil, which he directed alternl .ly
TO each letter in the order Of its occurrence
! until he was stopped upon one OF them b!
! Nr. Bishop. The latter stood by thi
Professors shoulder, with head turnel
away, holding by his right hand the lei
wrist OF the latter insuch manner that MI
(Mr. :Bishop's) thumb rested upon the mos
sensitive nerves and muscles OF that portioI
of the body. Calling them (the letters) II
.. order Of the alphabet, he called upon I'M
Professor to fix his pointer at that letter
when he discovered in the wrist, by MI
sensitive organization, the process O.
/ unconscious cerebration.' AS, for instance
in the name OF James K. Polk--whict
nroyed to be that one OF deceased persons
selected by DIR. Holmes, and by him sealed
I'm in an nenYeloDe-upon reaching the letter
T the cerebration was perceived. DIT
Rishon called for a halt, the pointer was
fyod. and giving the slate look Mr. BlshoT
saw the letter indicated. So throughout the
name above given, all the letters Were
pointed out in this manner, and by the
I Unconscious cerebration,' pcrcelvable IN
the wrist Of the Professor, under the thuml
OF Mr.. Bishop and by no other process ab-
solutely, was the result arrived at. Ihe
! explanation Il simple rs pulse bent.7
The former, however, expressly disclalm'
ed any intention OF trying to expose all the
multiiarious forms OF spiritualistic jugglery
in single evenings work. 1t was clearly
enough shown, however, that he meant
business in his challenge to any
"Spiritualists" to perform any trick which
he would not duplicate, and this is
sufficiently comprehensive. In these OK.
posures. it should be remembered, Mr.
Bishop does not attack the credibility OF the
wondrous phenomena Of mind acting upon
mind. Probably himself, as well as his
friend and backer, DR.. William A. Ham,
mond, q leading authority on mental
diseases, is fully familiar, with the artificial
| induction Of somnambulism or hgDnotism
But admitting this, it is not necessary &c
depart, from the safe ground OF discussing
the phenomena in strictly scientific spirit.
DR.. w. B. Carpenter, the eminent English
4 investigator has lately given fitting
lrebuke to Mr. Creokes and other ply ysicists
who have ecareiessly certified to silbsequ
exposed hninbugs, and aroused in England