The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-20
SPIRITU AlISM.
AN HOUR WITH THE DEPARTED ANn
AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW.

an HOUR WITH THE DEPARTED AND
AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW.
What q Democrat Reporter Saw, Heard
and Felt In spirit ana.
It cannot be denied, even by its worst enc
mics, that Spiritualism is making rapid strides
and many converts both In this country and
in Europe. AS a religion it has many mil
lions of followers in the United States, and
their number Is 80 rapidly increasing as to
excite the attention and surprise of even the
most skeptical. The leading journals of New
York, Chicago and st. Louis have lately man.
ifested an extraordinary amount of interest
in this subject. as is evidenced by the col
umns of matter devoted to it, which appear
In their daily issues. reporter of the DEM
oCRAT thinking an article on Spirltualism
would interest the citizens or New Orleans,
bethought himself Of an invitation extended
him, and yesterday visited Mrs. Eldridge,
who has the reputation OF being one Of the
two most noted mediums in the world, and
who is now on professional visit to our city.
Repairing to her residence, No. 1913 Camp
street. a hearty welcome greeted him at the
door by Col. Eldridge, the husband of the
lady, and he was introduced for the first time
to the medium. We can we'll imagine the
potency Of this little woman's influence
upon the minds of her visitors, for her very
presence disarms you of all such thought as
trickery or dece ption. Dressed in neat suit
of black, hair arranged with simplicity, her
manner all ingenious, her features fault
less, eyes black and gentle, one would natu-
rally conclude that eff this thing" be of the
Devil, Col. Eldridge, as well as his majesty,
has shown, to say the least of it, exquisite
an instrument to propagate their designs.
Our reporter, after the introduction, at once
com menced to take mental inventory OF the
furniture, expecting to see all sorts Of hidden
traps and machinery, but nothing of the kind
was visible. The apartment contained only
the ordinary furniture of a bedroom, with
the addition Of small cypress table, which
stood in the centre Of the apartment. Our re-
porter plainly told the medium before the sit
ting began that ne was a confirmed skeptic,
paper man; attended many seances,
ali of which had eventually turned
out to be the most unmitigated frauds.
Mrs. Eldridge smiled confidently, and re-
table, which he did carefully, and found, after
a thorough examination, nothing concealed
or fraudulent about it. The seance then COM
menced by the medium taking common
schoolboy's slate, placing it on the palm of
her hand, and then pressing it against the
but almost instantly tapping and rapping was
heard and the scratching of pencil, as il
some one was writing on the slate.
The reporter then asked, mentally, If the
spirit of his brother was present; affirmative
taps were given, and almost instantly the
slate was thrust from under the table with a
message and the signature of the reporters
dead brother written upon It. Astonished
Il I'D AIx~G
asked second test and this time the spirit
of his father appeared, and afterwards
those of various old and warm friends who
had long since departed this life. The con-
versations were principally about private
tailed here. During ali this time the room
was flooded with light, and there was no ap-
parent possibility OF trickery being practiced.
For nearly two hours this conversation with
the spirits of the departed was kept, up. and
information of great importance to the repre-
sentative OF the DEMOCRAT was impaired
his mother even writing her name, a fac siniie
OF her own signature, accompanied by words
of advice in her own handwriting upon a card.
Flowers were asked for and were brought
in great profusion-roses OF various kinds, in
numbers, and large branch OF wax gera-
mum. At various times during the sitting
The person OF our reporter was lightly touched
by spirit hands, and once he was 50 firmly
grasped that he came very near jumping up
from his seat at the table. Every motion of
the medium was closely watched and
there was absolutely no chance of
fraud being gractlced during any part
but slightly convey an Idea of his feelings. He
had never even dreamed9f things so unnatural,
and had he not seen with his own eyes no hui
man power could have convinced him. 1t is
easy to understand how these manifestations
could be accomplished in a darkened room,
bIlt, with fha glorious sunlight stream
ing In from three windows, Illuminating
every nook and corner OF the apartment. 1t
most certainly passes comprehension: During
the sitting Of our reporter several well known
and prominent business men called, and he
learned it was their daily custom to call and
procure advice from some departed friend
or relative before engaging in any large bust
ness transaction. The advice so given had, i'll
and always with good results. AS Col. Ell.
bridge, husband of the medium, is regarded
as q representative man among Spirit
ualists, from the. fact of his own
personal worth and intelligence, and the
high social position long held by his family in
Tennessee, as personally known by our re-
porter, he thought it might be- matter OF in
terest to obtain from him such views as are pro-
pagated by Spiritualists. We give the result
In his own words.
Reporter-COl. Eldridget how long have you
believed in Spiritualism?
Col. Eldridge-Since 1864. In this way: We
(the Confederate army were holding Atlanta
Sherman's army all around US, and continu-
ally reminding us Of his presence by sending
explosive messengers into our midst 1t was
then about midday, and in perfect conscious
ness and understanding these circumstances,
that my first visitant from the spirit world
made her presence KNOWN 1t was my daugh-
ter that saw, and conversed with as natu
rally as it she had been in human life. From
that date have never questioned the fact OF
spiritual existence after " life's fitful dream"
and their ability to return to us here.
Rep-Let me know something of Mrs. E. s
history as medium.
Col. Eft has been now just two years
since the first manifestation OF mediu,nship
much to our surprise, in this way: We were
both engaged at tie time in thoughts en-
tirely outside of spiritual matters; the first
manifestations were accompanied by raps
made on the desk in my room. | was reading
a law book and my vile was reading the New
York Ledger when this most eventful mo-