The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-04
OLD RYE PRESCRIBED.
The Illness Of Henry Slade and the Kind Of
Prescriptions Ordered by the Spirits.

New York Special to st. Louis Globe Democrat.
The spiritualists of this region are highly in
terested in the illness of Dr. Henry Slade, the
noted medium, whose mystic slate writing COM
mands their credence, notwithstanding the re-
cent exposure of its fraudulency by London
scientists. He is convalescing from nervous
prostration. which at one time seemed sure to
kill him. He has been staying with Mr.. James
Simmons in Staten Island suburb, but is now
in his own handsome brown stone residence in
Thirteenth street, near Fifth avenue. The as
sertion is that DR.. SHADES recovery, and his
sickness, too, were controlled by the spirits
who are his ghostly hackers They gave direc-
tons in regard to the medical treatment to be
pursued, and when Dr. Slade could not tell what
the spirits told him, they communicated with
Mr. Simmons, through raps some signal
agreed upon, when remedies were required.
AT all events, pretense of such method was
carefully maintained The disease was nervous
prostraton, intensified by rigid spasms
Before Slade became a spirtualist," says
Mr.. Simmons, she was clairvoyant. He is un
der the influence Of the same spirits now that he
was then. We call them physicians when they
direct what medicine to use. When Doctor Slade
was we'll enough to speak, he himself directed
what medicines should be employed"
Then he was his own physician. Was no
regular physician employedW was suggested.
1T was thought best to employ regular
physician, as they are called" was the slightly
hesitant reply. lest there should be trouble
with the authorities, if the worst should come to
pass. We called in Dr. S. R. Elliott, and Slade
went to Doctor Elliotts house, near Sailors
Snug Harbor, Staten Island. But he took very
little of the good Doctors nostrums, although he
required almost constant attention since his
sickness began month ago. When Slade could
not speak, it was agreed that he should signal
I'D 80 NV
By they" Mr.. Simmons meant the invisible
powees and that was the word for them he con-
stantly employed in the conversation.
''This signal" continued Mr.. Simmons, was
the lifting of his right fore and second fingers
and working them past each other Then l was
to ask whether they wanted to communicate
Invariably three raps were heard Then came
the inquiry for the remedy, if they were ready
to prescribe. Again three raps. Then | would
repeat the alphabet, stopping at each letter to
hear two raps for mo- and three for yes. When
three raps sounded, that was my letter. Begin
ming the alphabet again. l secured the second
letter, and so on until word or sentence was
formed. In that way | spelled out once, for
instance, Indian hemp"
''What were the remedies most frequently pre-
scribed by the spiritsp
Liquor, think. It astonished me to see
how much alcohol he could take, with red pep
per in it, too and yet not show the slightest
trace of any effect"
"They tell me-" added Mr. Simmons, shutting
his eyes as though resigning himself to their
influence, "that DR.. Slade, in this Sickness is
undergoing complete change in his medium
ship. He will be different hereafter in his pub
lie life from what he has been in the immediate
past. When he was taken sick he was in Phila-
delphia, and found himself in New York city
without the slightest recollection how he came
here They indicated to me, not quite clearly as
yet that he will be a painter. If So then he
will be returning to his mediumship manifested
when he lived years ago in Jackson Mich.
Under the influence of a Scotch painter he
painted, with his eyes shut, in sixty minutes,
picture of his first wife. Of course, he did not
paint the picture. 1t was the Scotch painter,
and DR.. Slade did not know what he had done
when he came out of his trance. While under
the influence of the painter he talked a broad,
Scotch dialect. Would you like to see the paint
ingl'
Mr.. Simmons brought from lock room, where
it had been leaning against WALL large
framed portrait of a wOman's face. 1t was a
pastile, exceedingly we'll done. The eyes
soft clear and brown, and smile fingered
around the pretty lips. The hair was arranged
in puffs at the side of the head, just as was
fashionable quarter of a century ago.
''The children who knew Mrs. Slade recognized
the portrait as soon as they saw it, added Mr.
Simmons.
s'Will DR.. Slade be able to take orders for por-
traits" Mr.. Simmons was asked.
life very we'll, Mr. Simmons said with slight
reproach in his gentle voice as he opened the
outer door politely. 1T isn't DR.. Slade who
paints. They paint.
"Would you much mind, Mr.. Simmons" the
correspondent finally asked, telling exactly in
what form the spirits prescribed alcoholic"
''Old rye whisky" he replied.