Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-05-16
Our New York letter.

A CURIOSITY OF sr1GIruALIsM-N MESSAGES PROM
MOSES, NAPOLEON AND rIUs TX THE DARING
JAIL-DREAKEB-A DIME NOVEL EXPLOIT
BROTHER TAtAfAGE INDICATED hot SHOT
FOR HIS ACOUSTICS
NEW York, May 18th, 1879.
The most noteworthy of recent develop.
ments in spiritualistic matters is now agitat-
ing this city. Mr.. Henry Riddle. at present
and for number Of years past Superintcnd-
ent of Public Schools IN New York an cdu-
Gated and able man, and highly respected
official has published book ON Spiritual
| Communications" mainly flied with alleged
messages from the spirit world, iudited
through the mediumship of Mr. Riddles own
| children. Among the number of the Illus
trous departed who, according to the work
mentioned, have chosen this means of COM
municating with a world which they have for
ever abandoned, are Moses. Plus tx. Arch
bishop Hughes, Sir Isaac Newton, Byron,
Shelley, Edgar A. Poe, A. f. Stewart, the
iiist Napoleon, George Washington, and
small host of other celebrities, ancient and
modern. The language used by all thc con
| trbutors TO this extraordinary SYMPOSIUM is
suSpiciOusly similar in style aud oracular sill
II So and is the sheerest rubbish from begin.
ming TO end. The book would have attracted
no attention without the endorsement of 80
prominent man but rs it is the papers
have devoted columns to the publication of
extracts and reviews The episode is uni
forinly regretted rs indicating 30 complete "a
halucnatiou of Mr.. kddor that it will prob
ably end IN his resignation from post which
he has filled with great ability and accept
aucC.
In addition TO this curious outbreak we
have another and different subject Of wonder
inrnt and conversation in the shape Of the
most brilliant jail-breaking exploit known to
recent history. One Leary, more Familiarity
known lay the sanguinary soubrquct of Red"
Leary, has been for some time an innnte of
Ludlow street Jail, which it will be remember
ed was the h,st residence Of VIM NJ. Tweed.
the reason being his alleged completely in the
great Northampton bank robbery Of few
years ago. On Wednesday night "A messenger
from tie jail rushed breathless into the Cen
trial Police Office, and startled its occupants
by announcing the escape of the notorious
prisoner. Since that time the finest police
in the world have been rushing wildly about,
trying to recover the lost sheep, but up to
this writing they have only great expecta-
tions' of success. After the discovery of the
escape, inv, stigation of its methods were at
once undertaken and the mystery was quickly
solved. In a closet at the end of one of the
prison corridors was found jagged opening
IN the solid wall Of the building, which being
followed up, was seen to lead to "A fire place in
an adjoining tenement house, and then the
secret was out II seems that Leary friends
had hired the room in the tenement house
and slowly and by dnt of enormous labor
succeeded i'll piercing their way through four
and Oue-half feet of solid hrickwork to the
closet before referred to. The work must
have occupied many days and nights, and had
of course to be conducted with the greatest
silence and caution. Lcary was daily visited
by his wife, and was thus kept appraised Of
the progress of his delivcrers. lie knew Just
when to expect the completion of their task
and at ia, appointed hour saunterod down
the corridor, AS he WAS free to do, and into
the closet All but one layer Of bricks having
been removed, pr,coucerted signal was Civ
en-, and Leary putting his powerful shoulder
TO the tim shell Of vail, showed il inward,
making a jagged opening about fifteen by
twenty-five inches in size. Through this
opening the confcd,rat,s dropped u stout
rope and the burglar WAS speedily dragged
from dUrAuce vile into freedom. Leary,
whose sinister sounding nickname was be.
slowed On account Of the frey hue Of his hair
and beard. Is a tall heavy man. weighing 2GU
bNsA4'47s sAi4 a. htt AllllOHl tlAI
lie should have been able to get through so
small a hole but when man has the pcui-
tertiary on one side Of him and liberty on the
other, he will usually stand a little crowding
TO reach the latter. 1t is stated that the prob
abilities are good for his early recapiurc
Our third sensation this week, or rather end
of IL sensation, is the acquittal of Mr. Tai
mage by the brooklyn Presbytery after seven
weeks of bitter and rather undignifed tria,
for falsehood, deception, aIl,H,r . ~
I'll. l.. II, -; IMAGES vindication can
T.. ,o,i,,,, %, l-!,,-inphant, - of the mem
TO-. ,..-,T,r., MS acquittal, and 20 voting
thr, '"S!pPs or less complete conviction. Altar
V announcement of the final verdict MIR,
Talmage stood up and delivered one of hr
most startling and characteristic speeches
thanking his friends in the most eXtmvagant
terms and scathing his enemies in terms that
made them fairly wriggle with wrath. OF
these latter gentleman Mr.. r. said, Il feel
MS though | would like to meet them all in
heaven, although | AM not very anxious 10
meet them he first ttro ar three days! II is
only through the help of God that have not
lost my temper" His TRADE finished, Mr..
Talmagr left the room and thus escaped the
storm winch his mvectve aroused among his
batiled aud indignant accuseri Finally, the
Court OF Jesus Christ as they call them
selves, adjourned in frame of mind which,
TO say the least, would have emiuently beftted
a court of Beelzebub.
A strange case has just been disposed Of by
the Grand Jury, which has excited much at
tentiOn and comment on account of its mys-
terious character and the high standing of one
of the parties involved. Some two weeks
ago a young colored boy applied at the Office
Of one of the leading hotels for change lay
ing down, as he alleges, ffty-dollar bill
The clerk, who is a nephew of Collector Mer-
rift of this port, returned change for one dol
lar. The boy raised disturbance, and was
put out. He caused the arrest of the clerk,
and large amount of strangely contradictory
testimony was taken The whole matter was
referred to the Grand Jury, which refused to
indict Merritt. The affair has created much
unpleasant feeling. RADIx.