The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-10-17
LULU HURST.
An Exhibition OF Her Mysterious Powers
at O'NeilI's Theatre.

Miss Lulu Hurst, a lady aged perhaps IL OF
is, little above medium height and weight
Or country residence, stepped upon the stage
at O'Neill's Theatre Monday evening, &C
companied by her father and Mr.. p. NJ. At
kinson, conductor Of the exhibitions. Mr.
Atkinson briefly announced that Miss Hurst
possessed some force that many had endeav-
cred to explain or give . name to; that they
were there for the purpose Of putting these
| powers to q tcst-not to name or endeavor to
| explain them. He therefore requested we'll
known citizens to come on the stage and par
ticiPate in and more closely witness the
tests. Among those who did SO were DR.. A.
II. Mitchell, n. J. Bielsnbsrg, Samuel Scott,
Farland, Thos. McTague, Chas. r. Douglass
and eight or ten others.
The first test was an endeavor for one of
these persons to hold an extended umbrella.
by graSping and holding with both hands
while Miss Hurst merely placed the palm OF
one hand against it. In an instant that Or
dinarily harmless, thoroughly domesticatsd
and meek-looking umbrella seemed pos
sessed Of the power Of an athlete, jigged
itself violently up and down, and had an
erratic notion Of going in all directions in
such quick succession that the succeeding
persons holding IL executed combined polka
racquetgalops over the stage and not infre-
quently were hurled over chairs and against
their companions or thrown ridiculously
into the wing -scenes. During this time the
lady constantly keeps enc hand on the um-
brslla
The chair test was by one man grasping 1t
to his body, in what is probably the firmest
position In which it can be held although 1t
is position insisted upon by the exhibitor),
she places ono hand on the back of the chair
and the tips Of the fingers of the other hand
on the cane seat. Almost instantly 1t begins
to move about, and although from one to five
strong men endsavsred to hold it, still none
nor all Of them succeeded but once four
men did hold 1t almost steady for ten or If
teen seconds, and the chair began to break
apart under the force. Miss Hurst, holding
her hands in the same position, then pre-
vented from two to six men, all who could
get hold of it, from forcing the chair down
to the floor, and finally all Of them but the
lady were thrown into the wings.
Again, men weighing over two hundred
pounds sat in the chair, and with their feet
on the floor, grasped the sides and threw
their principal weight on the back legs of it. |
Standing in the rear of the chair, Miss Hurst |
placed her hands fiat on the rear standards |
and Ia few seconds man and chair would |
be raised several inches from the floor. In |
the case Of the writer but one of her hands |
was placed on the chair, simply the palm |
touching the chair; the other hand and arm |
was extended toward the audience, and the |
chair and occupant were raised fair and clear |
and held for some seconds.
Again DIR. A. III. Mitchell grasped the chair |
and held it firmly against his body. The au-
dience were notified that Miss Hurst would |
not place herself in direct contact with the
chair, but would merely place her hands on
those Of Or. Mitchell. She did SO, and he
was wholly unable to hold it steady or con-
troll its movements, being forced violently
around the stage. The Director then asked
DR.. NJ. to state to the audience il he felt any
pressure or physical fierce on his hands from
those of Miss Hurst, and he replied: "Not
particle"
These were among the principal tests, and,
atoms Of persons, furnished much amuse-
ment As we'll ~ interest. Many Of us had
read the Salt Lake Tribune expose on the the
Dry Of muscular leverage, ETC." The Tri.
'une man Is off wrong. There were repeated
,ests which render that theory wholly unten-
,bls. In nearly every instance she merely
placed the palm Of her extended hand on the
object, occasionally in the wrestling around
he stage grasping her thumb about the OBJ
ect, but never clenching it. In the chair
fitting feat and in exerting the power
through the hands of another person, "mus.
;ular leverage" is simply impossible. Again,
while strong men were thoroughly exhausted
md painting like PROPOSES, her respiration
vas not increased moro than from the eIer-
Use Of following them up, and the close
lifting sleeves Of her dress showed no muscu.
ar action during the most violent exhibition
Il power.
We do not attempt to explain this. We
imply give 1t up. There IL force in
Iature which has never been grasped or
by man, and which manifests
tself at times In various and Incompetent
lie ways. We have harnessed it's twin force,
Electricity, but the other is still uncaught.
'hese Lulu Hurst manifestations may be an
manifestation Of that force, or
hey may be a trick. IL the latter, IL has SO
ar baffied all attempts to discover it. One
hing struck us: there seems to be limit to
be power she exerts, and 10 is not exerted a.
uickly and vigorously upon some persons
8 others. For instance, Mr.. Scott seemed to
. the person most susce BILE to quick and
iclent manifestations. Again, four men {
id practically resist the movements Of the
hair for a short time. Speaking of this
,rce and action, 1t IL not electrical in its
haractcr. 1t seems TO develop as an ire
ressible and universal power affecting the
rticle and to develop from it generally in
cad Of from the particular part touched by :
fiss Hurst. There is no sensation except
nat Of resisting SEINE powerful force in the z
,animate object. Some Of these days, IL it
a scientific or mechanical, or muscular
lick, 1t will be exposed If it is the unknown
'rce, Miss Hurst, the laughing Georgia girl, .
ho seems to enjoy the entertainment as
ell as the audience, may furnish the key TO
S solution.