Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-01-12
Men Who Consult Spirits.


McCrary, the de facto Secretary of War
has consulted mediums to obtai spirit
ual communications
This question was put yesterday by a
Sun reporter to DR.. j. V. Mansfield of
81 West Forty second street, who testi-
fed in the Vanderbilt case as to alleged
communications from the spirit world
which he had obtained through course
of years for the Commodore.
"Certainly," answered DR.. Mansfield
"Mr. McCrary makes no secrect of his
visits. You would be surprised if I
should tell you of the names of the per.
sons who have consulted me in the 20
years that l have been writing medium9'
"Have you any objection to naming a
few Of theme"
"None whatever; here are the books
containing my records. There are the
Lincolns. Mrs. Lincoln has been often
to see me, and has received MANY mes.
sages from her husband. James Gordon
Bennett, the elder, used to come, and his
wife Mrs. Henrietta Bennett, was a firm
believer. She was here many times
Elk Gov. N. P. Talmage of Wisconsin was
frequent visitor. John W. Edmonds
used to get more satisfactory communi.
cations through me than through any
other medium. have also given com
munlcations from the spirit world tc
Ben Wade, Joshua r. Giddings and Vice.
President Wilson,"
Is. Was Mr.. Wilson q beiiever?1
eyes, sir; they found one of nv com
munieations in his pocket when he died.
''Have you any strong headed, practi
cal business man on your Eist?"
ooh, yes There was Alvin Adams, the
well-known member of the stock compa
ny that is know as Adams Express Com
pany. Judge Silas M. Stilwell is anoth
er man. E. B. Ward. the Detroit million
aire, anG the Rev. Thomas K. Beecher.
"Any scientists?"
"Prof. Agassiz frequently came here
''Do you mean to say that Prof. Agassi,
came as beileyer?"
swell, he used to come here to investi
gate. l used to tel him he was like Bos
ton new run,-about half and half. Fl,
used to come with Prof. G. G. FELTON,
Prof. Bush used to come too--the Pro
fessor Of Hebrew in the New York Uni
versity."
"More Of the living persons Of not
would make interesting reading"
"Yes; but people have delicacy abou
having these matters brought up for pub
lie ridicule. You may put down Joe Jef
ferson as a firm believer, and q most en-
thuslastlc one. There is no mistak
about that. Then there are Grace Green
wood and Don Piatt, Elder Evens of III
Shakers, and Antoinette Doolittle.'
Can you name any rich spiritualist il
New York?'
"4es; there is DR.. Henry J. Newton
who Is said to be worth million dollars
He is President of the Eclectic Medica
College,"
ANY other names of your visitors?"
''Here is that Of John Pierrepont. th
poet, Robert Dale owen, Theodore Parker
Gerrit Smith, William Coleman of Lon
don, Charles Sumner, Charlotte Cushman
the actress, Judge Carter of Ohio, Bisho7
Doane, j. G. LIE Grand, Chief Justice O
Maryland, DR.. Napoleon B. Wolfe of Gin
clnnatl, Freeman, the artist and painte
OF the Royal family, the Rev. DR.. Thos
p. Bond, Glendy Burke OF New Orleans
Prof. Mapes, and John Brown"
"Of Ossawattamie?"
"Yes, sir; the martyr, John Brown. H
came to see me few days only before b
went South.'
''Any others?"
'Yes. Judge Alexander M. Cassidy G
Colorado, Judge H. E. Parsons of Ashta
bula."
"You did not mention any of thes
names on the witness stand?"
mo; they did not give ME chance
but would have done so, and woul
give them communication from tn
spirit world If they should ask me again
feel that could do it on the witnes
stand, although it is very difficult to d
IL Wnen there are so many rowdies aroun'
making disturbance"
GLOW many spiritualists are there il
the worid?"
''About 43,OOO,OOO.'
''Do you know any case but that of tn
Comodore's in which the question of spi1
ltualism has been raised?"
"Oh, yes: there was the very recen
case OF E. B. Ward ct Detroit, who mar
RED second wife, and left fortune 0
$6,OOO,0OO, mainly, to her, and cutting OF
the poor children with only a paltr,
100000 or so apiece. He was always
pronounced spirtualist, and the childre1
tried to take advantage of that fact t,
break the will, but they failed. NV ow,
1ather gave most of his property to on,
son, and Judge Edmonds left most of hi
to one daughter, but both wills were no
attacked en- the ground that they were
made under spiritual influence"
DR.. Mansfield then volunteered tes
OF his powers, and undertook to get al
answer from the spirit world to an,
question addressed to a dead perso1
known to the inquirer that is, he woule
give whatever answer the spirits directed
without seeing the question. The frs
question was as follows:
To my Mothor-Mrs. correct name): Please
give me the name of my dead child.
Signed correct name]
Inc answer produced, as the Doctor
said, from the spirit world was as follows
MY DEAR soN-Thank you for this notice,
nave long desired to speak with you, but the
way was not open for me to do so. Your sdar
ling is safe, and .will speak with YOU. woulG
you allow it to do SO! 1t will be far better fo1
II to give that than for me to do so. NV son
we DO xist,conscious, individually, ! and unde1
proper conditions talk with mortals as l now
talk with you. ~"
correct signature.]
The reporter objected that the spirit
had not answered the question or even
given the sex of the child.
DR.. Mansfield cannot help that; ]
write what the spirits send.
care you the saleswoman of whom ]