The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-02-02
NATURALIZATION.
A Rival TO Mrs. Hardy in the Field.

Last evening gentlemen to the number of
thirty got together in one of the lecture rooms
of the Portland School of Medical Instruction
in the Canal Bank block, on invitation to wit
ness feats similar to those performed by Mrs.
Hardy in Arcana Hall some time since. Most
of the gentlemen were doctors, though there
was fair sprinkiing of lawyers and clergy
men and business men. Among the number
were several spiritualists. Curiosity was ex-
cited by the appearance of two young men
with wide board in which an oval hole was
cut. This board was placed upon horses and
then covered with long cambria which swept TO
the floor 1t then looked sufficiently mystic
rious and lugubrious for the practice of the
black art, While awaiting the formal opening
of the entertainment the visitors eyed it with
some suspicion as though fearing it might take
of its own notion to dong some CHASTITY trick.
AT few minutes past eight o'clock Or. T.
A. Foster stepped in front of the table and an
nounced the object of the meeting. That OBJ
jecAwas not, he said, to disprove Spiritualsm,
belief held by some of our best people. They
had as much right to profess Spiritualism as
we have to profess Christianity. Indeed, the
foundation of both beliefs is Of something of
the same nature, though Christians hold that
the age of miracles ard extraordinary manifes-
tations from the other world is past. But, said
he, if we exhibit the same manifestations by
our own unaided powers that they exhibit by
the protested aid of spirits, we have right to
demand searching investigation of the man
ner in which they achieve their mani
- AloA
do not make use of the same trickery
which we employ. Our purpose is to
exhibit the manifestations which Mrs.
Hardy claims are due to the spirits We pur-
pose to make the showing of hands, to give the
parafine and plaster molds, and to show GER
tain other tricks.
The Doctor then called upon Mr.. E. S. Lew
is, q gentleman who has become we'll known
by his success in performing many of the most
mysterious manifestations of the mediums
without any pretence of assistance from the
Spiritualists. The first feat Mr.. Lewis per.
formed was the divesting himself of his coat
while his hands were tied. A strong cord was
passed around his wrists, tied in many difficult
knots, land strips of adhesion plaster stuck over
it. He then retired for brief space, and re-
turned in bis shirt sleeves; with a coat in his
mouth, and the knots apparently undisturbed.
Some contended that the coat he held between
his teeth was not the one he wore when his
hands were tied. Others maintained that it
was the same garment The circumstance
was of interest as showing the falibility of evil
dence, for the two coats no more resembled
each other than the City Building resembles
the First Parish church. Mr.. Lewis withdrew
again, and returning wearing a coat precisely
like that he carried out in his teeth. The
knots were undisturbed.
The second trick was the one hitherto per-
formed only by women mediums, ample drap-
cry apparently being necessary for its accom-
plishment 1t was the naturalization of
hands. Mr.. Lewis took his seat at the table
wearing cambria robe. On each side of him
sat one of the spectators. His hands were up
on the table. The gas was turned on in full
light. Presently there appeared through the
centre of the table an unmistakable human
hand which picked up key and did other
wonderful things. That the hand was human
was proved by gentlemen who:grasped it. and
who afterwards muttered something about dis.
secting rooms. There was some delay in the
appearance, and the manifestation was tri1e
clumsy, as was to be expected from novice.
Perhaps ''the conditions were not favorable. F"
The third performance was the taking of the
plaster cast. The hands of Mr.. Lewis were
tied behind him and he was placed on his
knees, so as to allow no motion of the feet, in q
large bag, which was then drawn tightly about
his neck. The bag was examined by the spec.
tators and found to be tightly sewed. 1t, with
Mr.. Lewis in it, was then placed behind the
table, under which was placed pan contain.
ing moist plaster. After some fifteen minutes
Mr.. Lewis said the feat was accomplished
The pan was taken from under the table and in
| it was found plaster cast of human hand
Mr.. Lewis was taken out of the bag with his
hands still tied. All the time the gas was
burning brightly. This performance concluded
the entertainment
The general opinion seemed to be that DR.
Foster and Mr. Lewis proved their point. AND
that it was possible to accomplish by trickery
the manifestations" of Mrs. Hardy. Before
all the spectators left the hall Mr.. Lewis made
partial explanation of his methods. The
tricks are those of legerdemain and are simple
enough when once explained. For reasons Of
his own Mr.. Lewis does not now desire to make
his explanation public.