Vicksburg weekly herald., 1878-04-19
RearnII.n Unenar ahonr.
SUMMONED TO EARTH By A BRooKLTs
MEDIUM,

Yesterday afternoon dozen people
assembled In the parlors Of . we'll
known spirit-medium, who resides on
Hoyt street, Brooklyn, the intention
being to hold q "dark seanee" and sum.
mon the spirit Of Madame Restell 70
appear aud disclose the secret Of her
terrible death. Ever since the tragedy
rumor has been circulating ell kinds
OF stories In regard to the dead woman.
There are Thousands who believe
that the body found in the bath-tub
was 9 cAdaver procured for the Occa-
alon, and that the Madame is now In
comfortable quarters In Canada or on
her way to Europe, aud that the offer
OF her will for probate is merely q
blind to more efectually throw the au-
thorities of the scent Others, again,
hint at murder. They maintain that
she was killed by the relatives of some
woman who might be compromised
should she weaken on the witness
stand, and disclose some Of the secrets
OF her business.
The belief that she was foully dealt
With is especially prevalent among the
colored people, and several of them
have been scared half to death by see-
ing the dead womAn's "spook" peram-
bulsting around their dwellings, and
exhibiting the gaping wounds In her
throat. These simple, superstitious
creatures are loud In the expression Of
their opinion that she was murdered,
and that her spirit cannot rest until the
secret is revealed.
The argument on the part Of the
many Intelligent people who cling to
the murder theory, 10 thus: Here was q
woman who for thirty.three years IN.
bluShingly AAunted her Infamous pro.
fessioH 10 the face Of the world; who
was threatened with lynchlng by an
outraged community; who served q
term Of imprisonment on BlackW ellis
Island who lived in luxury and osten-
tation on the most fashionable street of
the city on the wealth che accumulated
by her crimes; who daily advertised
her diabolical business In the newspa-
pers. She could easily have made her
escape despite the vigilance OF the
detectives employed TO watch her we'll
ing. If she hed, her bondsmen would
have lost nothing. aud the ten thou.
sand dollars sacrificed by her would
have been the ch, ap price of the boon
Of liberty aud peace for the rest Of her
days. She had as strong motive for
living at the time she 10 said to have
killed herself, as she ever had-strong-
er, perhsps, tor II is said that she had
determined to give up her infamous
practices.
II is said that she Was exceedingly
nervous aud conscious about the trial
tearing the disgrace that II mig BIT bring
OH her grandchildren. The fact oi
their connection with her was likely
: to get far more publicity 10 the pub
lished accounts of her suicide than il
could possibly get through any mere
report OF court proceedings. ThC
breaking Of the burglar.alarm wire Il
suspicious. There was no reason WHY
D she should break II. The only inter
ruption to her suicidal purposes mus
have come from the inmates of tn
house, and the burglar-slarm woulC
D wAken them only If q window or doc
) leading to the outside were opened
! This, argue the doubters, is 9 strong
! point in favor Of the murder theory, al
D It 10 certain that any one who wa
concealed In the house with murderou
Y intentions would undoubtedly cut th
\ wires of the alarm, 90 90 to assure hiI
8 escape In silence.
. Again. Q woman OF SO, who was Ia
9 boring under intense mental excite
: ment and contemplating suicide, woul'
not have turned down the bedclothe
0 In the orderly manner In which the
9 were found, and would not have lait
Y away her underclothes carefully as |
n che were about 10 use them again
o The post.mortem was superficial. Tn
9 brain and viscera were not examined
y y for traces Of poisoning or congestion
n The Coroner appeared 10 be satisfie
3 with glance at the ghastlJ wound 4
" the throat, and gave hasty permit TO
y burial, which was as hastily executed
% II was to solve these doubts that th
o scance was held yesterday. Th
II shades and blinds of the parlors wer
! closed aud drawn down so that lh
/. rooms were 80 dark that II was impossi
Ia Bile TO recognize faces. Then th
spiritualists formed q semi.circle op
4. posite the door leading to the bac
"a parlor. The medium sat with her bac
n 10 this door. Mr.. Frederick F. PurdJ
/, one Of the leading lights in Brookly
spirituahsm, took a seat at the piano
i aud at the request of the medium, play
% ed the accompaniment while the circl
% % sang serveral hymns in low tone.
~ Suddenly there came a hard rap q
)! the parlor door. The singing wa
% stopped, aud 10 bresthless silence th
audience waited tor further develop
q, ments. Again came the rap, clear, dis
:, tinct and emphatic, as If demandin
II recognition.
}. "Hold my hands" said the medium
lr and Mr.. Purdy and the Star reporte
D. took her hands. They were rigid, an
le as cold as ice. Her breath came /
Te short, rapid gasps.
The rap was repeated for the thir
W time, and then q pale, phosphoresceI
n, light (produced by what trickery {
r. other means Is not known, dimly 4