Wilmington journal., 1876-01-28
WHAT Is H Z!
The Paraffine Mould Mfraeie-In-
Lerestfug Desc criptioh of a M Odern
Onder-A Nut for scisnlists To
Grzck.
4Ha-NI 4 IZhANO Y Z M
IAN. 25th. 1876.

The ParAffine Would Mtrncie-1n-
IeresIfug Description of a vi Odern
onder-A Nut for >cisntists To
Crack.
From the Washington Chr onicle
The parlors of DIR. E. V. Wright,
1915 [ street northwest, We're last night
the scene of a very wonderful expert.
ment mamie station" or what is
it?" which was Witnessed by nine ladies
and eleven gentlemen of mature years,
aud in the Chronicle representatives 8
Judgment, possessed of fully the aver
age share of good sense, discrimina-
ton, and all that is known AS Yankee
wit" The experiment was what has
sometimes heretofore been tyled as
'sthe paraffine moulds miracle, aud it's
OF oLeratlon anC .esults are attributed by
"modern Spiritualists'' Ito which class
some who were present avowedly be-
long) to the 'disembodIed spirits" of
once human beings. But our repre-
sentative belonging to the order of
Materfaiists, disciple of the EvoU-
tionists, and belit wing that death is
the end of human individuality
and all sensuous consciousness, found
himself. of course. unable to con-
cur with the ''Spiritual' solution
of TIE problem which seemed to him
to be the prevalent one among those
present. But while unable to solve
the mystery, common fairness de-
mands that what occurred be stated
without prejudice. The result reached
by' the experiment was q mould of
paraffire. not unlike in general shape
a glove uited to a hannah hand, and
the process, with its particulars, may
a ell
frame work of narrow lath boards was
put together, constructed of eleven
sticks about three feet long. four of
which were made to perform the func
ton of "legs," 20 which the others
were screwed, two on each Of the three
sides and one on the other, SO that the
whole consstiSu ed an upright frame
about three feet square. Over tn s
was placed a waterproof cloth, falling
on all sides to the carpet, and
stretching across the frame at
the top, making an entirely
dark camera. A piece of cotton
cloth, GOV ering more space than the
frame was then aid upon the carpet.
Presently a water pail, containing
boiling hot water and certai n amo unit
of paraffine dissolved therein, WAS
by skeptical re resentative of the
press. the pail and its contents being
found to weigh Just seventeen pounds
and, two ounces. The pail was then
placed by the weigller in the centre of
tue cotton cloth, and the covered
frame, after examination by all who
desii ed to again inspect it (tiavipg wit
uesstd is cor struclioD), WAS placed
IiGl1 1s.siY I'M
Mrs. John Hardy of Boston) then
took her seat at Que side of the frame,
and such as desired sat near her.
ua majority of ths witnesses sat
at dist .n,;-.s from the frame varying
from three to eight feet. Contrary
to the expectation of our represent
tative, the witnesses were allowed to
| indulge in general jocularity, instead
of observing that solemnity usually
supposed to characterize a ''spiritua
seance.' The medium placed hel
hands upon the frame, in sight of all
and kept them in full sight during the
whole proceeding. After a few min.
| utes ssrappings" were first heard, and
soon after, and several times following
"splashings," as if something welt
playing with the water in the pail
Il was evident, it seemed. to some
persons present that the spirits were
seriously at work, and finally, after
season of about twenty-five minutes
the mysterious face" being interro
gated, it Was made known by ''th'
raps" that the work was done. Their
came a moment of anxious couriosit!
to all, as the .'camera" was 6 nd,
lifted from over the pail. anda moult
was found lying beside the pail, OF
that sidesof it opposite to the medium
THIS .'mould" or glove was found still
soft or moist, and except as to the fin
gers, which were mainly full, collapsed
It was the mould of q whole hand, ex