The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-12-08
sPIRIruALIsT1C SHAM.
wheeling sold. and the City Loses
License Fee BIZ on ItineFant Snowman

wheeling Sold, and the City Loses q
License Fee By On ItineFant Snowman.
One ofthe largest crowds that ever filled
the Opera House assembled there last
night to witness the wonders advertised
by Prof. Cooke Tor several days past in the
papers. Long before the doors were open.
ed q surging mass Of men, women and
children crowded the street in front 81 the
building, and crowded and pushed each
other around In the most unmercitul man
ner for half hour before they could pos.
sibIy get admission to the hall, One or
two arrests were made by the police on
account oil rudeness, but the persons were
released afterwards. Several shows Of
this description have raised great excite
ment ut former times in this
city, and an expected repetition
OF these scenes no doubt was the
potent attractive power last night.
Within the hall, the doorB opened, every
available seat was occupied In the audito-
rum and galleries, and standing room was
at premium long before the curtain was
rung up. The audience was hardly o.
select as 1t might have been, was sort Of
"omnium gatherum." Soon after s
o'clock the Professor made his ap.
pearace on the stage and briefly stated
what he proposed doing in the way Of en-.
PERTAINING the crowd for the evening. lie
did not propose to advocate nesmerism,
spiritualism, or any other ism. He was
very willing to admit that many OF the
persons who went about the country
claiming to be spirituallstic mediums were
the very worst description oil frauds. Some
people liked 10 believe these things, others
did not. His hearers could take their
choice. The question was one that had
agitated all ages, and would continue 10 do
So until the anticipated solo by Gabriel
should attract their attention TO something
OF really spiritual nature. A large per.
centage Of such performances Is jugglery,
a small percentage the result Of scientific
experiments. He claimed nothing and
advocated nothing.
Thegentleman, after the abovehighlyin-
tellIgent remarks said, in order to satisfy
the audience that nothing was hidden, re-
quested them 10 name gentleman who
should act asa chairman OF a committee
OF investigation, who should select
FIVE coaIjutors. Capt. W. Fl. Travis was
named and assembled the stage, and
through his organ the professor named
his committee, Jacob W. Grubb was
called, but did mot respond. Sheriff Tin
gle declined; he had occupied the posi-.
ton before. Major Anderson. Capt. Dove.
ner aud DR.. Cook, OF Bridgeport, were
next selected and came upon the stpge.
DR.. r. s. Hazlett, in response TO numerous
calls, arose in his place and said that "were
it not Sabbath night he would not hest.
tate to act on the committee, but mas
much as the experiments were not de.
pendent on spiritual efficacy, and nothing
Of the kind was claimed for this, he
would decline" Commodore G. W. Sea-
bright and Q. n. Coen were then added
to the committee, and the performances
began.
His first performance consisted in the
'water or wine" dodge. He passed glasses
to each member Of the Committee. and
takinga large water pitcher told them to
silently wish for what they would like to
have, then filled from the pitcher
wine or water. Commodore Seabright's
glass was first filled, and to the utter sur
prise Of all, wine appeared in his glass,
and alternatively wine and water in the
glasses OF the other members OF the com.
mittee.
Baldwin exposed this same trick in this
city some time ago, and it is very simple,
being produced by the action OF alkalis
and acids on the water, either OF which is
adroity dropped into the glasses by the
skillfnI manipulation
His next experiment was with pack OF
cards, or what he called principle OF
second sight, assisted by Miss Crawford,
his assistant. The cards were Thoroughly
shuftled and cut by different members Of
the committee, and Miss Crawford blind.
folded, was seated in the middle OF the
stage. A number Of the cards were then
taken from the pack, and these were read.
lily and accurately named by the assistant.
He next gave sleight Of hand perform
ance with rings, and then requested the
committee, and those OF the audience who
desired, to write such questions as they
chose.
Pending the returns from these, he pro-
duced stout board, in which were two
holes large enough to admit his arms,
which were securely bound, his hands
tied, rope tied around his neck, piece
of adhesive plaster placed about a
finger Of each hand and all securely ias.
tened to chair, when he retired to his
cabinet, In q moment hands appeared,
bells were ruDg, and presently he reap.
peared unbound, only to return to the
cabinet, and reappear bound in another
moment, in the same manner as when he
first retired.
He then, in very interesting manner,
told the story OF his discovery Of this fraud
land showed it up" to the audience.
An intermission OF few minutes next
INTERVIEWED, and the written questions we're
then read, and Miss Crawford, blindiolded
and seated as before, in the centre OF the
stage, answered them. She answered a
variety OF questions, and nearly all cor
reGtly. The questions were very simple.
He next tied himself securely TO a chair
and retired to his cabinet only to toss his
fastenings over the top, ring bells, &C.,
and when the doors were thrown open he
was sitting in the chair securely bound, as
before. He offered any one SlOO to catch
the arm before he could return it to It's
loophole, and one OF the members made
an effort to clutch the arm, but without
success.
The next performance was similar, only
carried out by the young lady, who sui.
fered rope to be securely fastened around
her neck, when she entered the cabinet,
the ends Of the rope were then passed
through two small holes in one end OF the
cabinet and these ends held by one OF the
committee, her head being drawn against
the side Of the wall. In a moment bells
were heard, hands appeared and theyoung
lady, dressed as ghost, appeared in the
other end OF the cabinet when the doors
were opened. One or two other exhibi.
tons took place, but these will suffice to
show that there was nothing whatever in
the whole show, outside OF what can be
seen in any juggling show that goes about
the country amusing the people. The
crowd during the whole time Of the per.
formances testified It's approval or disap.
proval in the most decided way, hootinS,