The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-12-20
BROWN, THE MIND READER,
His Mental Manifestations Before
u wheeling Audience.
"SOmetinIeS the Spirits Work
and Sometimes they Don't"

|
and sometimes they Don't"
A very fine audience assembled in the
Opera House last evening 10 witness the
startling mental manifestations OF Prof.
J. K Brown, announced on the bills az
"the wOrld.iamed mind reader and ex.
poser Of SpirtualiSm." The Professor
was introduced to the audience by George
b. Caldwell, Esq, and Immediately an.
nounCed the conditions necessary for the
success OF the mental experiments he was
about to undertake. These conditions
were in effect that committee Of six we'll
known gentlemen should be selected from
the audience, whose duty ii would be to
choose the subjects TO be operated upon,
and TO zee that there was no trickery on
the stage. It was essential to the success
OF the experiments that good order should
be preserved by the audience, and that
the subject operated upon should en-
deavor To concentrate hiS thoughts upon
the object 10 be sought.
The conditions having been explained,
a number Of prominent gentlemen were
nominated 10 act upon the committee,
and the following agreed to serve: Dr.. ].
G. Hump, Prof. +. II. Crago, William
Leighton, DR.. K. W. Hazlett, o. s. Long,
W. p. Hubbard.
The Professor announced that il some
person selected by the committee would
secrete an article, to him unknown, while
he was absent, he 1.-THE Professor) would
read his mind, find out where the said
article had been deposited, and lead the
subject TO the spot. Mr.. Z. W, Brocku.
nier wAs requested by the committee to
be the first subject, and while Prof.
Brown was down in the green ROOM back
OF the stage, with two OF the committee,
Mr.. Brockunier deposited carpenters
rule underneath the chair OF gentleman
sitting in the dress circle. The mind
reader then put handkerchief over
his eyes, and taking Mr.. Brock.
unier's hand in his pressed il to his fore.
head. In few moments he evidently
received an impression" as, taking Mr.,
Brockuniers arm within his own, he
rushed frantically from the stage and
made the circuit Of the auditorium. In
the northwest corner Of the dress circle
Brown suddenly halted before Charley
Johnson, Of the Sunday Leader, and felt
him carefully, as il searching for the
missing article. What he found was not
and probably never will be made public,
This is the only time we ever saw Charley
blush, but the crimson hue which over.
spread his features made ample amends
for all past neglect. The Professor
searched Charley from head to feet and
although he found little Of the former
he found great deal of the latter. Blu,
it was the total absence of all mind that
puzzled him, and 30 he gave up in despair
and announced that his frat experiment
was not a success. Mr.. Brockunier
stated 10 the audience that the article had
been placed under chair on the other
side OF the house.
The next experiment was with Capt. s.
L. Bruce, the Eighth Ward druggist, as
the subject. This also was u failure,
After two Intellectual attempts to find ar
ticles that Mr.. Brice had hidden, the Pro.
lessor declared that Brice would not con.
centrate his thoughts; thathe was antago.
nistIc 10 the success of the experiment:
and that his hands were "Cold aud clam
my" Whether or not the Professor was
tOf the opinion that Capt. Brice is in the
habit Of carrying his mind around in his
hands int more convenient Ire, he did not
state. However, new subject was de-
manded, and Capt. John Mcclure came to
the rescue.
With the Captain as his subject, the
mind reader was more successful. The
same pintOmime performance was gone
through with on the stage, and the Pro.
tessor started upon circuit about the
honae, with the worthy Captain in tow.
Twice they made the circuit OF the audi.
forum, and finally anchored in the mid.
die Of the house, when Brown clapped
his hand upon the shoulder OF Mr.. s. p.
liildre'h and declared that the article
was IN his possession. Correct, and a
round Il! cheers was given Brown.
Next the Professor undertook 10 find a
person that any subject chosen BY the
committee might think Of. Ex:Gov.
Jacob was chosen by the committee to
act in lhis experiment, and fixed his
thoughts upon person in the audience,
when the same performance as in the pre-.
viouS experiments was repeated. The
Professor led Gov. Jacob directly TO the
chair IhAt Mr.. A. J. Clarke, the person he
had thought Of, had occupied at the com.
menCement Of the experiment, hut Mr..
Clarke had left his seat and gone to
another part OF the house. However. The
experiment was regarded as a success,
and the mind.reader was rewarded with
another round Of cheers.
Mr.. \. J. Clarke WAS the next subject
lie thought Of Mr.. Alfred Cald we'll, and
the Professor led him 10 Mr.. CaldwelVs
seat, albeit by very circuitous route.
Then the Professor announced that he
would tell the initials Of any name thought
OF by subject. Mr.. Geo. B. Caldwell
agreed to lend his assistance in this ex.
pertinent, and was led around the stage
by the Professor, some three or four
thousand times, more or less, before the
letters Of the alphabet, which hung on a
string across the stage. Brown kent
Mr.. Caliwell's right hand in his
left, while with his right he
carefully handled the pasIpboard letters,
As Mr., Caldwell, however, did not betray
himself to the Professor when the lattera
fingers we're upon the correct characters,
this experiment was finally given up as
failure.
DR.. liazlett, member Of the committee,
here suggested 10 the Professor that il he
was really mind reader, it might he Just
as well 10 have the subjects eyes blind
folded also. The doctor thought that it
would be ust IA easy TO read n mans
mind il hla eyes were covered. To this
the Professor objected, stating, in effect,
that the experiments would only prove
successful under certain conditions, and
one Of these conditions was that the sub.
iect should have the use OF his eyes.
Mr.. VIM. 7, Hubbard asked Mr.. Brown
il the secret Of his "mind reading" did
not consist OF muscular action which he
might detect upon the part Of a subject
when approaching an article or person
sought To this query Mr.. Brown an
Swered that he proposed to give an enter
tainmenl, and not to discuss the qnes,ion
oil how his experiments were performed.
Upon this there was considerable excite
mcnt, and perfect storm OF Kisses, yells
and crieI followed.
Alter uuiet had been resIore,l Prof