The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-11-24
Asplrssualiss Fraud.
HOW AN IxrosroR WAS EXPOSED IN THE
PRESENCE OF A gANsAs-ciry AUDIENCE.

now AN IurosToR WAS EXPOSED IN THE
PRESENCE OF EANsAs-CirY AUDIENCE.
IKsnsas City Tirses.l
Decidedly the most sensationally inter-
esting performance OF the season was
given ut the Coates Opera-House last
evening. The occasion was the appear
ance OF aa alleged spirituslistic medium,
who falsely claimed to be DIR. Charles T..
Slade, and who undertook and failed to
give seance. A large crowd was in at
tendance, among whom were a number Of
the best-known people OF Kansas City.
Some went 10 see the fun, some were con-
WINGED In their minds beforehand that the
medium was fraud, and some went as
spirituslists 10 see spiritualistic manifes-
tation.
The first thing on the programme was q
cabinet trick. DIR. slade asked TO be tied
into the cabinet. when he promised to
bring forth, In full gaslight, a number OF
spirit hands. Calling for committee from
the audience, Mr.. w. ii. Winants and Mr..
j. A. Mcdonald we're named. Mr.. WI
nants declined TO serve, and Mr.. ID. s. Or
rison was then called In his place, and. to-
gcther with MIR. Mcdonald, he went upon
the stage. The medium was securely tied
in the cabinet, and the ends OF the rope
then drawn, the committee took their seats,
and It was announced that everything was
in readiness. At this point the gas
was turned almost out, so that the
house was left In comparative darkness.
The audience Mt once entered q vigorous
audible protest against this breach OF the
contract, and the matter was finally com
promised by turning on the gas about half
way. Then the drum In the cabinet began
10 sound, two hands appeared above the
cabinet, and bells were heard 10 ring. Mr.
Mcdonald at this point sprang for the
cabinet and threw back the curtains.
There sat the medium tied securely enough,
but 1t was also plain 10 be seen that the
cabinet stood over q trapdoor, through
which the "apparition had made It's way
into the cabinet. The audience saw the
fraud, and q scene OF wild confusion en-
sued.
Mr Mcdonald declared he would have
nothing further 10 do with the matter, but
he was finally prevailed upon to remain
on the Stage. slade was then released, his
assistants cutting the cords which bound
him.
II will 60 and see Colonel Coates"
Slade declared, az he and the assistant
started for the wings.
"Those men will never come back |!
again! !" shouted Mr.. Mcdonald TO the au-
dience, which was again in great uproar. |
" Somebody run 10 the doors and see that |
they do not escape
Twenty-Five or thirty men rushed from |
the auditorium, and meanwhile calls for |
Colonel Coates were made by the audience. |
Slade and his companion did not return, |
sure enough, but in few minutes Colonel |
Coates appeared on the stage and began
addressing the audience. He declared that
the opera-house management had been in
nocent victims OF the fraudulent slade, and
TO show his good faith he would refund
she money paid by the audience at the
door.
"Give il to the Proyident Association"
suggested some one. The matter was put
TO vote. and it was decided that the pro-
ceeds should be so disposed OF. The atl-
dience was i'm various moods. The conf
cal situations had been received with up
roarious laughter, and there bad also been
fierce denunclations Of Slade, and it is al !
together likely that had the Doctor and his |
assistant been captured they would have |
been numerically pounded by some OF the {
more eXasperated men in the audience. ,
The pair made good their escape, however, !
md there was nothing left the audience
but TO take their departure from the thea
tire.
"The fellow was drunk, In the first
place." said Mr.. John A. Mcdonald, one
Of the committeeman. ale tried 10 in
iuce us to be easy on him. but ] told him
IT first that il he was fraud L would eX- !
pose him. / knew he wasn't Dr. Slade {
rom the first, but didn't think he was !
quite as big fraud rs he proved TO be. J.
wish he had been caught. He would have '
Kansas City some time, in my G
opinion"
Officer Haas reported that two men run q
ming along Penn, near Ninth street, were
seen by special policeman. The special !
policeman asked the men what they were !
doing, and they replied: "We are trying |
10 catch the train" The men proceeded .
down Penn street at a break-neck gait and !
were soon lost TO sight. 1t is supposed d
hat these were the two men who ran away .
from the opera-house. 1t is thought that 9
hey slipped from the Tenth-street door OF !
the opera-house.
Several well-known spiritualsts were mad I
from the fact that the fraud would tend to !
throw all spiritualistc manifestations into l
Liisrepute. In great Indignation they struck $
out after Slade, but could find no trace of >,
him in any OF the outgoing trains, which
they inspected thoroughly. II was found
that besides leaving his cabinet and
appliances at the Coates House, be
had also left his traveling-bag at the Union !
Depot Hotel. He had also left there an I
unpaid board bill. No traces Of the fugi- I
tive could be found either in Kansas City Il
Dr. Wyandotte, and 1t is their opinion that '
the two men took a hack for Armstrong, u
where they caught the outgoing Santa Fe 5
train. Others hold to the belief that the 7
frightened frauds left town on foot, taking 7
to the railroad TO avoid pursuit, and that !
they have not stopped running even yet. {