The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-05-21
The Electrical Girl.

zens gathered 10 the Pulaski House dIn-
ing room yesterday to witness a private
exhibition OF the powers Of Mis-, Lula
Hurst, the electrical girl who has excited
so much wonder. Among .he audience
we're several Leading physicians, Dr. r
J. Num-, DR.. William Duncan, DIR. J.
L. Mcfarland. ard Hon. A. Z. Adams.
Hon. ". d. Harden, Hon. Robert Falii-
CANT, Hon. Thomas VI. Norwood, Mayor
Lester, Capt +. NJ. Hall, Hon. F. G..
DuBignon. Col. Marmaduke Hamilton,
Major ". +. Smythe, Major &. z. Hard
wick and a number OF Others, including
the representatives Of the NorHiag Nelos
The chairs were arranged about the room
III a circle. leaving an open space IN the
centre. Miss Hurst, accompanied by
her father and mother and Prot. Paul
Atkinson, was introduced b Manager
Cohen. Mr. Hurst, before beginning
the test, announced some Of the marvel
Gus powers which the young lady is
claimed TO possess.
She is a tall, well formed brunette,
with rosy cheeks, dark eyes and chestnut
curls. She was born in Cedartown, Polk
county, not quite sixteen years ago She
has always been a gentle aud amiable
VI II II ~ III tAAtuN ~ -
IRENE timidity az times. She Is a devout
member of the Baptist church. Her
father is a well-to-do farmer, and her
mother was a niece Of Jesse Wood, one
of the most prominent Baptists 10 the
State. She has known Of her power
only six months, first being conscious OF
it while lying 10 bed and feeling the bed
move, afterward experimenting upon
chairs and umbrellas. She has the most
perfect aversion, it is said, TO table rap
ping or to spiritualism although she
excels all the necromancers in the strength
If not the subtlety of her power. She
preserves a calmness during her most
powerful manifestations, amounting al
most to want of animation at times. A
most singular fact is that she is unable
to carry an umbrella or handle one even
without smashing it. Taking up the
umbrella from the chair Manager Cohen
requested its owner 10 step forward. The
Morning Ne,cs representative cast an
eye over the situation. but seeing no
alternative stepped into the circle as
skeptical and unbelieving as possible,
and spread the light canopy over the
young lady with the warning from the
Manager to catch it WREN it began to
move. Miss Hurst took the umbrella il
her hand AID held it a moment, when
the ribs began to bend and the parachute
darted off like a flash, but not before its
owner had seized it. After several trials,
in which Miss Hurst merely placed her
hand against the handle without grasp
ing it, the sunshade carried it's owner
around the circle, and finally became
limp and uncomfortable and wound up
over the head of a gentleman shattered
and useless. The same test was tried by
Capt. Hull, who was hustled over the
floor in every direction. Col. M%armaduke
Hamilton invested a second umbrella in
the test. which came to a more untimely
end, being broken into several pieces and
the covering torn in shreds.
Another test of the singular force was
made by Mayor, Lester who took a bill
lard cue and, holding it firmly ia both
hands. Miss Hurst placed hers upon it,
and, without any apparent physical force,
drove the gentleman around the room in
every direction, great effort being re-
quired in lodging the furniture.
Major G. c. Hardwick, a gentleman
weighing about l60 pounds, was then
seated in a chair in the centre of the
open space. The young lady. with the
palms of her hands touching the chair.
lifted it up, and the strongest effort of
the occupant was unable to place it
upon the floor.
The same test was made by Capt.
Robert Falligant, who was lifted from
the floor like a feather, the chair finally
flying across the room over a table in
the direction of a large mirror, which it
would undoubtedly have shattered had
it not been caught by the prudent man
ager, who was on the lookout for any
impending disaster. The same test was
repeated, and in every case baffled the
efforts of those who attempted to re-
main seated in the chair.
Among the numerous other tests, one
of the most convincing. was that of
holding a chair in position against the
body. This was tried by Senator Nor
wood. Capt. Falligant. Capt. Hull, and
all the Juggling and ~straining to hold a
grip upon the chair upon which the
young lady simply laid her hand, with
out grasping it in any way, it was i'm
possible for any two or three to hold it,
as it moved and swayed about carrying
the gentleman with it. In the final test
the Morning Ne,rS. representative, with
another gentleman, threw their entire
weight upon the chair, while a third
gentlem an aided them in attempting to
put it to the floor. Miss Hurst having
only the palm of her hand upon the
back, but were unable to resist the pow
er exerted upon it.
The force which the young lady pos
sesses in so remarkable a degree, and
which she does not understand and
claims to be unable TO control, is called
by a number of scientific gentlemen a
psychic force-an emanation from the
mind and a p~rolongation of the will :
something which has never been ana
lyzed, but which has nothing to do with
the supernatural or so-called spiritual.
-Sdrdnndh NeUs.