The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-04-09
Il VISIT 10 SLADE, the MEDIUM.


Il yISIT TO SLADE, the MEDIUM.
Messages Written on slntos on tho sido
Turned oward tho Tablo.-A Spirit that
Did Not Spell His Own Name Correctly
Spirits Hand that Took Liberties.
From the New York Tribune.
DR.. SIade now makes his homo in
New York. a reporter Of the Tri-
Dune, in search Of "phenomena," call
ed on him the other day. He found
large, handsome, well-drcsscd man,
with nothing peeuliar about him ex-
ccpt kind of uncanny look in his
, blue eyes, seated in a sunny bed room
on the second floor of a brown stone
house in one Of tho up town streets.
Tho doctor wore an abundance of
costly jewclry, and his surroundings
showed him to be in comfortable and
rather luxurious circumstances. A
plain walnut table of very light coll
etruction, about four feet square, stood
in the middle of tho room. Near one
OF the windows waa pile Of ordinary
sehooa states. Without asking his
visitors name the doctor invited him
to sit down at tho table, and, taking
one of the states from the pilo, he put
bit OF pencil Oh 1t about rs big as II
kernel of rice, and, holding it below
the table and closely against it, asked
/ q scratching sound, and the slate, on
eyes"
"Now," said the doctor, addressing
tho visitor, "It there is any friend
+; you want TO hear from write the name
on a slate under the table, so l can sec
it."
The reporter wrote Gather illegibly
"Augustus Steele" and rubbed tile
name out. Then he placed the slate
on top Of the table with bit Of pencil
under it, and put his hands on it, to.
gcther with those Of the doctor. I'M
mediateay there began u scratching
sound, as If writing was going on be-
meath the slate. After while the
scratching ceased and there came three
raps.
"That's to show that they are
through" said the doctor. (Mctliums
always speak Of their "control" i'm the
plural number, though it may profess
to be but one person.)
The reporter turned tho slate over,
and sure enough it WAS written full,
in clear. legiblc hand, with a mes
sage asserting that the phenomenon
was a proof Of q future life. The sig
nature was A. Stecl-the final Of the
name written by the reporter being
wanting, and only the initial Of the
first namc being written. 1t seemed n
little queer thut the spirit should have
forgotten how to spell his own name.
The reporter then tried various cx-
pcrimcnts with the s,utcs, selecting
fresh ones from the pile and putting
them under and upon the table in
different positions. Writing was pro-
duced Oh them in every case when
SHADES hands touched them. Finally
hc said he wanted to try an expert
mcnt. tte put two states together and
placed them on the visitors oustrctch-
cd left arm near the neck, keeping one
the two joined hands. The writing
was plainly leyiblc and the upper
slate was partly covered on the lower
surface with a ,ncssage without any
reporter touched ths sf No as aaasa aaa6ffdt off tGe
doctor. At once the sound of the bit
OF pencil writing was heard. The re .
porter lifted his left hand from the doc.
tors and 1t ceased. He put his hand
down and 1t began again. This OK
pertinent was frequently repeated.
Evidently 1t was essential that n mag.
netc connection should be established
between Shades hands anal the slate
through the body OF the reporter.
i "Now put both your toet or mine" J"
said S'nde; "pnt your left hand on
both mine here Oh the table, and hold
a slate under the table with your right
hald." The reporter obcyed instruc-
tiohs regardless of possible corns on
ne DOCTORS feet, and held the slate as
directed. 1t was jerked out of his haud
by some invisible force, carried be.
meath the table and brought up on the
opposite side. a long pencil was then
placed on the table. 1t was throw II so
that It described q curve and fell on
top OF the table, feat impossible to
explain by any known laws Of force
applied TO projectiles.
'ferhaps they will play on tho
accordeon," said the doctor, taking up
cheap little instrument and holding
II with one hand 80 that tho keys were
under the table out Of sight, while his
hand was visible. His other hand
rested on the table and his feet were
still prisoners beneath the stout boots
Of his visitor. A tune was playcd IN
fair style, and a sudden flame under
the table failed to reveal ANYTHING
manipulating the keys. The plavinS
stopped as soon as the keys came IN
view aud began again the moment they
were out Of sight.
Ihere was II variety Of diablcric of
TINS sort, such as the lifting Of the table
foot above the floor whom all hands
were on It, and tuinbling the chairs
about. No efforts with hands, feet or
eyes could discover anything below
Inc tao!e put Its four legs and the four
streaming in at the two big windows
ahd the circumstances were highly un-
favorable for tho production Of con.
Jurors tricks: Something began FUN
onng about the knees Of the reporter
his left hand on the table, he put his
right under the table. A small, cold
hand patted it, pinched it lightly and
graspcd the fingers in quick, iluttcr.
ing way. Then tho hand came ont
| from beneath fhe fohln IN ,,lo;,, ..;o.