The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-13
STRUGGLING WITH SPIRITS.
AN rxc1rIso SCENE AT 4 sEAscx IN CHICAGO

AN EXCITING SCENE AT SEANCE IN CHICAGO
GHOST SUDDENLY BECOMES SOLID YLEsH.
The Chicago Times Of May thus describes at
tempt to expose some spiruaisic imposters In that
city
LAST night tho ia,es were propitious In having ne
rain and having Mrs. Weeks present The company
consisted OF the Times reporter other
lar men and TWO ladies who wanted to see the iun and
besides these about eight men and the same number
OF women who went there tho same as any one goes
70 seance, all unsuspcious OF the impending row.
The dark circle was executed In good style. Tho
Same young lady, with .'brown hair and brown eyes
aud notie features; - tho same 'old gentleman OF
about sixty years, little stoop-shouiderea; tho
Same little girl, with "blue eyes aud handsome lea
lures" and all the rest oil the stock oil spirits were
Times force depioyed, however, according TO
programme. Two men wero TO have taken seats next
10 Mr. Taylor. and two moro in tho middle OF the
front row-one TO graz tho alleged spirit OF Sunbeam.
aud one TO seize the cabiuet and prevent the trap
doors IN y from being closed. Instead OF that, only
the two who were 10 have seated themselves IN the
middle vi the front got the places they waited.
All tho others had to sit IN tue back row. the first
being hlled up quickly ny anxious parties VINO wanted
TO see all they could tho show began Two or three
spirts opened the door and exhibited themselves
cautiously. There was wait oil some time, and thon
sunbeam was announced. When tho cabinet door
opened, Sunbeam madc hor appearance, but
not SO readily she wont to do. The
dIum whom sho Is satd TO control intimaled
that tho "power was exhausted" This sounded
omnous. Il looked as II Inc spirit was not gong TO
come out NJ Lar as she usually did, even Tor the
medium. Tho reporter determined 10 wait no longer.
As sunbeam stepped back INTO tho cabinet aud began
threw himself violently against the door and burst II
wide open. There stood sunbeam, with features
pininly visible IL was MI Bustian just as was sup
posed would be The What followed u CIRCUS.
Mr. Taylor, who was standing up--he having placed
mis- char near tho cabinet door whom The second
ghost came out, some TO SIT IN II called ior
sprang promptly after tho reporter The latter rushed
INTO INC cao,ne grabbed ah has.,an, threw INN 10
leapod 10 their teet OF course. The screamed.
the chairs were overturned one Times iell over
chair IN his haste 10 render assistance 10 the reporter
ana went sprawlinK on the loor. There q fearful
shouting and following, and soufilus. aud uproar.
One woman tainted, but shortly came 10 again.
BY this time Taylor was 10 the cabinet, aud had
hold vi the reporter ny the halr and pull
ing with all bis might Another man, Spirituaiist
came 10 Taylor's assistance aud one OF tho Times
iorce was quickly on hand, but II was dark
IN tue end Of The cabinet where tue row was gong
10 distnctiy ana by mistake he, TOO. got mold OF
the reporter All, or nearly all the rest OF The men IN
tue room rushed INTO the cabinet and then there was
fun. light occurred Tor ths possession OF Bastian,
Taylor struggling like dev to save him from expo
sure 10 the entire company, and being supported Wig
orousy Wy his friend una uDconsclousy by the Times
assistaat the Times reporter hanging to Bastian
with ull HIS strength aud tue rema nder oil the
ling upon the two PROSTATE men, pluGgng about aud
creating ~ indoscribaele excitement The contest
went iurousy tor about Two minulos, and then
transferred 10 the room Tho Efforts oi Bastinn and
irend--an unknown fricnd he may have been, but no
efficient one-were lar successful as 10 pull
the reporter from Bastian aud nearly out oil the
cabinet Tho reporter HIDING that IN The confusion his
game was gone and tnat s,li-dcence was necessary
turned his attention 10 TAYLOR. Tho iai thrown
from ms cet anu tncy went OUT Of the cabinet the
room floor together Bastan, nndug himself released
aud tue cabinet empty, shut Tho door ana that was tho
last seen OIL hun.
Tue company mad not even yet comprohended the
TACT that the whole affair was schemc not executed
IN full, but lar successful uisclos0 who tho
esprit" Some OF those present sided with the
meaiums, and new trouble bcRan TO brew, but this
brought TO light clearly the TACT that
were not without sympatn zsrs and wero able
care VI themselves, and Taylor very consideratclY
cooled down and began 10 threaten 10 call tho police.
Tho s6ance was broken ui, however. demand was
made W some present that the cabinet DO opened
IN the room ended aud before any sort Of quiet
could be restored to set OH his "spFit clotheb aud
conceal them III their hiding place. ~ was considered
an unnecessary CONCLUSION. Taylor announced that
tue seancc was ended aud that 'tnc company could
20 hGme," and the CT mpaby lett. Now that these
have been exposed IL may not b. out oil place TO
remind the reader lhat they arc the men who gave
suca ..reinarkabc exhibltions" England, who
performed ul over the United states 4, gaping DIS
who. II they had been competent 70 weigh evi-
dcncc, must nave seen what the mediums really
were, and who Tor years been giving
unuisiurUed scanccs In this city, having circles
head, ana havo been making u fortune Oh tho
credulous pubic, just as Mott, tho medium" ia
Memphis, No., who was exposed last Tuesday night,
has boon doing Tor years. IL may DO worth whie TO
say mere tnat while bassiah Taylor were occupying
their the fourth floor Oh the building whcro
they performed last night-thcy moved out Of those
tbs nrst OF this month--tncre were occupy.
ting rooms Ia the same building gentleman and MS
vie. Tue water faucet Tor ai, persons In that part
OF lho house on the fourth noor, near Bastan "
TayIors Sleeping rooms. rue wife just refrrcd 10
went to the faucet to draw souo water about ten
O'Clock one night somo Two months ago, ana there
upwiiingly hoard, she says Bastian and Taylor and
two others laughing ia . most hilarious man-
easily they were deceived" Thoy will scarcely de-
ceive any one cso.