The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1881-05-11
A WONDERFUL SEANCE.
Benjamin Disraeli, Earl Of Beaeonsfleld,
Materialized.
Messages From the Dead Statesman
Through New st. Louis Medium.
Post Dispatch. |

Post Dispatch.
One of the most successful seances ever
witnessed in st. Louis occurred last evening
at Mr.. Blodgett's residence on Tenth street
at its intersection with Bellefontaine road.
Not alone was the meeting in every sense a
success, but it was honored by the presence
of parsonage whose recent passage into the
realms of shade is still the talk of the whole
world-no less than the Earl of Beoconsfield.
The house is a small one standing back in the
yard; it is one of the remnants of old st.
Louis, and it was with some difficulty
that the reporter found the place, as he had
been directed wrongly. Cards of invitation
were issued to a number of prominent Spir-
itualists, one of whom kindly permitted the
reporter to use his bid Mr.. Blodgett has
only recently developed as a medium. He
is clerk in the employ of the Iron Noun
tain Railroad Company, and so far has de-
clined utterly to make any public exhibit
ton of his wonderful powers. He is not
practicing Spiritualism either for fame or
money, and it was necessary for the reporter
to practice an innocent deception in order
to gain admittance to the house. Mr..
BlOdgett is a tall and spare-lOoking man
with bullying forehead and deep-set lumin-
Gus hazel eyes, the common property of all
mediums. He has long been conscious
of the possession of peculiar pow
ers, but it was not until after long
interview with Mr. Slade on his last visit to
St. Louis, that he discovered the means of
developing and strengthening his peculiar
faculty. Seven gentlemen and two ladies
gathered in the parlor of the house named
at o'clock last evening, and as soon as the
party was completed a circle was made
around a heavy mahogany table in the cen
ter of the room. Every one in the ring was
medium, including the reporter, and con-
sequently the phenomenon began to
occur at an unusually early period. Hardly
had the hands joined when from the table, the
floor, the walls and the furniture came a
startlingly clear tattoo of taps. The room
seemed to be actually alive with spiritual
presences. Soft hands passed over the tace
and smart, sudden raps were
given upon the person of every one present
The table, a heavy mahogany affair, weigh
ing not less than fifty or sixty pounds, began
jerking and trembling under the hands of
the circle, and in fact every possible evil
dence that the spirits were in a good DISPOSE
ton was afforded. Four gas jets bere burn
ing in the chandelier and the room was in a
blaze of light which made any imposition
simply impossible. No one as yet had
spoken when heavy armchair standing in
the corner of the room was picked up by
whence it was worked across the room,
knocking heavily against the plaster
all the way and gradually set
Ting down upon the piano. As
soon as it had quieted down both
piano and chair rose up and foated
heavily and slowly toward the table, avoid
! ing the chandelier and then making the Cir
cult of the room and stopping at its original
place, and the chair then lifted itself back
| to its former situation. All the time that
these phenomena were occurring the table
at which the circle sat acted as though in
stinct with life 1t swayed tn and fro, lifted
| itself from the floor and settled back again.
and finally echoed forth five distinct,
| loud raps, as loud as though made with a
tack-hammer. Those familiar with seances
know that the usual raps are not louder than
can be made by the shutting OF pen knife
/ blade.
as there a spirit present?' asked Mr..
Blodgett. A single knock startlingly loud
was the reply followed by a salvo of single
raps on the floor and the furniture dimin-
ishlng gradually away TO the faintest posi-
BILE sound.
evil you write?' queried the medium
/ again with the same response. A slate was
| brought and held as usual under the table;
very loud aud confused knocking here
occurred and the slate was jerked out of the
mediums hand and slammed violently
upon the table with such force that it was
shattered to pieces Another slate was pro-
/ cured and Mr.. Blodgett was rather nervous
about to hold it under the table, too, when
it was taken from his hand and tloated gent
ly upon the board in full view of all the
company. The circle was again formed, and
plainly before every eye a well materializeo
head caught up the pencil and wrote in 6
! fine, bold hand, Il am Benjamin Disraeli
Earl of BeacOnsfield." No such an open anC
bold feat has ever been witnessed in the his
tory of Spiritualism. The spirit hand drew
a line across under the autograph and wrote
again; Il am so happy, so happy. Tin
spirit land is bourne
Lord Salisbury" A
the places indicated by the stars the writing
degenerated into a series of rapid strokes
entirely illegible, made neryOusly, almos
viciously, by the hand.
The slate was suddenly slammed owe
again, the blank side up, with such violenc
that it broke across the middle, the hand il
the meantime laying the pencil down anC
turning the slate plainly over. There wa
inscribed the following message: Tell m,
friends that | am happy. After life's fitfu
fever I've found rest 1t is better here thai
there.
Come TO the spirit land
All We that labor;
Come join the spirit band,
neighbor."
Another slate was procured and the spiri
hand wrote: "De mortuis nil nisi bonum-
who are the critics? The men who hav
failed in literature and art. Let those VIII
blame me who can do what | have DONE