The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1884-05-22
HOW DONALDSON DIED.
The Alleged Spirit of the Balloonist
Describes His Last Voyage
from Chicago.

spiritual medium, 1t Is SAID, ana last
Saturday, with circle of Spiritualists
about her, she took q trip to the spirit
world, as she called it, and rotated
what she saw. Among tho people mot
there was Professor Donaldson, who
has never boon hoard from since he
started on that pcrilous balloon voyage
from tho lake front, this city. Tho
Professor was considcrato enough to
clear up the mystery, and told tho
young lady all about his porilous voy-
panying it.
THE AERONAUTs STORY.
The young lady's story, rs given by
tho Philadelphia Press is rs follows:
1.-The fact is that for tho past ten
days have soen the face of the same
man overy day. I was in tho spirit
land. call it spirit land, it is so much
prettior, think, than tho clairvoyant
state; tho latter is so vulgar and COM
mon, and, am told, there is so much
humbug in it."
BY this time eleven pooplo had as
somblod in the parlor and formed n
circle about tho girl. Tho gas was
turned down just triao, and in very
short time the parents nodded and
pointed to their daughter, whose face
had turned slightly upward. Her eyes
closed and her hands rested together
on her lap: She sat upon hassock,
and 1t was at least three minutes of
silence before she spoke again. The
measured tick of the clock, tho low
hum of the gas, the cracking Goals in
tho CRATE, the hurrying, creaking foot
stNp9 on the pavement in the icy air of
night alono broke the stiffness.
II sec the samo mans face coming
toward me again. said tho young me-
dunn. ':Ho has black, wavy hair we'll
rounded head, large, short neck, dark
complexion, and black mustachc. AS
he comes nearer to mo | sec that ono
of his eyes is dark and the other light
On ono of his checks l sec o. black
mark. 1t Is molo or birthmark of
some kind
SPIRITS FRUITLESS SEARCH.
Gle looks at mo rs if seeking some
ono he cannot find. This is tho
eleventh time have seen his face. He
soems to want me to speak to him, and
appears to be in trouble because did
not speak to him before. I now speak
TO him and his eyes light up and
sparkle with delight. Ho smiles and
says:
.y OIL Siou YOU epOkO 10 INC. Lou
ne tho first to greet mo from the world
lSlow since left it. Why did you not
speak to me before? DO you not know
mep No, you do not You wero too
young when lived in your city. But
no doubt you have heard of mo. My
name Is Donaldson. / was called
Professor Donaldson. [Hcro the circle
of friends were astonishod and bocarno
doubly interostod.] Don't you remom-
Dor my nameP went up in balloons
In Reading and gave entertainments,
with presents to all the little childron
and tho grown folks too. Tell your
father and those people near you who
ann they will remember me. Also
toll them that want to clear up tho
mystery of my strange death.
''Somo say that am not dead, and
wihcome back to my old homo and
friends once more. That is not so.
am now out of the Garth and flesh and
am in the spirit world.
DONALDSON's LAST ASCENSION.
''Everybody who remembers mo will
romember that / was never heard from
after went up in tho balloon at Chica-
60. That was my last ascension. Our
balloon was caught in terrible wind
storm In the upper current. / never
experienced such q storm on land. 1t
blow our balloon-basket to pieces. NV
friend, or friends, wero blown out Of
tho basket car, leaving mo up in the
rigging, sitting on tho hoop of tho bal
loon. saw everything below mo
blown into shreds. Then tho gas
chamber OF tho balloon mado q fearful
plunge and careened to one side, and
throw me and the hoop upward, and
for few minutes was sailing through
:, the air on top of tho balloon, That
was the strangest ride over indulped In
by mortal man. Tho few minutes
seemed like an age. had the pres
once Of mind to grasp hold of tho not
ting, so that 1t would not slip down
and release tho gas chamber Then
the gas began to escape from tho
mouth Of the balloon, and it would
have suffocated mo had not tho storm
hurled us through the air at terrible
pace. was far above tho clouds, but
how far could not toll, because all
" our instruments had been blown into
tho lake. I tried all could to havo
tho balloon right itsolf. / got way
down on the side Of tho balloon and
pulled at the hoop and rigging but it
would not como.
STRUGGLES FOR LIFE DESCRIBED.
Then went back and tied mysclf
to the end OF strong ropo around tho
body, and fastened it to tho iron hoop,
80 that If should bo blown off would
not drop to tho earth. Thon crawlod
out on tho side Of tho balloon again,