The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-02-21
spInrrrALlst.
Erie, Penn, Comes to the Front with
Another Sensation.


ERIE, Pa, February 20.-This city o
sensations Is slowly but surely gettiugread,
to shake the universe and paralyze tht
whole human family again. For the las
month she has preserved an ominouI
silence. But a volcano has been develop
Ing, and is liable TO burst forth at any mo
ment The brewing sensation promises tc
be big thing, for the actors in II arc MOI
Of this world. Erie has grown tired Of EN-,
ploying ordinary villains aud monstrosi
ties for her blood curders, and now pro.
poses to call in the. assistance OF such i'm,
mortaIs as care TO hang around here Mt this
fnclcment season Of the year.
Three months ago tho Erie believers in
that preposterously absurd doctrine oil
spiritualisu might have been counted on
the ten fingers. To day there are over a
thousand in the county who are prepared
to assert that the souls Of the departed can
return, and communicate with their earthly
friends. This rapid growth is said to be
due to 4 remarkable circumstance occurring
IN the family OF Appointment merchant who
was SEeptlc OF the most pronounced type
The genttenaus boy, Il little fellow not old
enough 10 comprehend the meaning Of
spirltualism, was observed 10 act very
strangely at tines His eyes would
become fixed and he would write
sentences which his parents were in.
capable ol compruhending. Ono lay,
while in this distracted state, he wrote q
message to his father containing language
and ideas that none but u professional man
and u scholar could write. At the bottom
OF the letter was the signature OF a phy.
sician who died here some wears ago. and
VINO was the bosom friend Of the merchant
IN question. The skeptic was puzzled, and
III MS destre,to investigate he called in the
aid OF splritualiSt. That settled it. The
chlid was pronounced to be "ander inhu.
ence," that Is, some spirit had taken I'D
vantage ot the little fellows mediumistic
qualities and was using his body and brain
10 make itself known.
Questions were put to the alleged spirit,
and comprehensive answers were received,
Did the child put his hand upon the table,
that useful piece Of furniture Immediately
began to tip, loud raps came, and intolli.
glDle communication was kept up by
means Of the alphabet.
A reporter visited the house, and saw the
boy. Without being in any way able to
account Tor how it was done, or in the
slightest degree believing in the alleged su.
pernatural theory, he certainly was an eye
witness to these extraordinary things. The
merchant and all his house were converted
TO spiritualism straightwav. Thegcntleman
discovered that ne was himself "medlumis-
ttc,, which increased the interest in spirit
ualism.
Private circles or scances were held in
the house or Office, and in few weeks
quite u number of people had banded
themselves together and undertaken to
meet every week. Soon the house was not
large enough 10 hold the number, An
association was suggested. Some OF the
wealthiest and most prominent citizens in
the county applied for charter OF incor-
poration. A hall was hired and lecturers
engaged to come and deliver discussions on
the so-called phenomena OF spiritualism.
Officers were elected, the president Of the
society being Hon. F. L. Farrar, formerly
Mayor OF Erie, and one 81 tho finest
gentlemen in Eric county. Associated with
him are number Of prominent citizens,
mostly business men with reputation for
level heads. 1t isnow proposed to build
hall, dedicate 1t to the new religion, and
est1bllsha lyceum. Last evening Moses
HUI, the lngersoll Of spiritualisn, lectured
here to an immense audience, and this
evening he and his vile addressed an
equally large throng Of people.
Mediums are to be brought here for the
purpose OF practically demonstrating the
alleged truths preached by the lecturers.