Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-03-09
noasr - q TAE ssAsoN
Eight Hssdres Psopls tssnbagssd D.
Cheekl- Anzteur.

sean accdeo Alth aassstsssrsenls. iasIfinx
tee pscIle a. D aIsssEt sf Redmond 3 Opera
HOSES oD Sunday evening Aasca :. ~ zit-
lsss . ee4Dlste sxpose ~ so-eailsd spirit
lalisGl aal - asa1lf1stlfllzls Kiia ssissr-
Assaea-s Eroaai-sd - gross thas ihe -
called sIiritzad nlaiiifast.tiens could be
traced ~ nslnrs. posef. - pe1foFmiRg and
e4plaiaizg sc lae great manifestations gwen
- sAs great tssi llesaafgs of the day The
professor ako Eas 81 nsH4ze TIE skrosl-
tioa an4 giFe the soBderful performances.
@as aa1oaneed 81 having beeu ssnt
Qat ~ lhe society recently formed
IA Boslou for the paFpose Of Ia
sestizatlnz TIE plenaneua Of modern
spirituailsaa ald vas said ~ possess ths con-
biued mediln1isiie poseEs ~ all the spirit
Iaedlans ~ the land lie had become 80
pFodeIent th.t be eas able uot Oniy 10 prove
ths & fhe most wonderful manifestations ever
pr5dacsd - spiritual medlams could be
traced u natural eaases. buf he would pro
duce them before the audience la open hight.
These announcements iUdIciousiy circulated
ia tie cisg !lst after the annual Spirituali-t
convention when the subject of spiritaalisn
9as attracting considerable attention.
caused uesifly eight hundred people %
gather al the Grand Opera House last night
20 witness the 0oHdsrfal performance that
Was " destroy the faith Of The strongest
sIirifualist. When ,he curtain vent up the
''profsssor from Boston appeared aud
proved to be a youug man Vho has lately
been noticed hanging around the Rathbun
House and frequently seen IN the Cycioas Of
1cs. he vas dressed ia black dress suit
which fitted him ~ II it had been borrowed
for the occasion. With white neck tie and
= shirt which may have been his own but
vas several sizes TOO large for him. He
commenced By addressing the audience and
saying that there had been a mistake made
n printing the bills. The bills said that al
tricks or manifestations we're 10 be explained
% the audience. Il should not have been so
announced He did not propose TO explain
anything. bat simply TO perform the expert
mentz and leave the audience TO account for
what they saw as best they could.
This wa surprise 70 the audi
ence. naay Of whom expected TO
learn how 70 produco spiritual manifesto
tions themselves, bat there was 40 objection
and he called for four gentlemen TO be
chosen By the audience to act a. a commit
tee 70 see that no ehicanery vas practiced on
the stage. Many names we're suggested and
finally Mr.. G. O. Howell. Mr. l.. Y. Moulton
and Dr.. Marvin responded to the calls and
took seats upon the stage. Mr.. Hugo Rath-
ban. who had not been called BY anyb ,dy.
unless bg the professor" also to seat
Uiih t1e committee. cabinet n1aJe of
light woodwork frame surrounded with cur
tains and open At the top. Just such "a are
u-ed by ali tost mediums. stood in
the center of the stage. The committee
examined the eabindt 10 see that 1t was not
made Of aesh and blood and the perfor-
nance began. not. however, until the PRO
fes-or" he'd apologized for the absence Of
the orchestra by saying that the members
we're ousy at ths other opera house and that
a lady pianist who had been engaged to take
their place had been taken Suddenly i'll and
was unable 70 play. he called for a volun-
teer from the audience md thsre we're calls
for Post" but Mr. Post did not respond.
Then the committee tied the professor
with strips Of common factory cloth about
his neck wrists and ankles, the string from
his hands and neck being tied to rings
fastened TO the cabinet a. he
sat In char, and those
from biz ankles being tackled down to the
floor A tanbourine and three little bells
we're placed on his knees, and the cabinet
vas closed by drawing the curtains. In
F few moments the bells began to Jingle and
were soon thrown out at the top of the cab
net, followed by the tsmbourine. A similar
experiment. as he called it, was performed
with q horn, guitar, etc, the horn being
blown aud music being heard from the
guitar while IT was being waved
above the cabinet. and in each case
when light was called for the professor"
wa found seated and tied a. left by the com
miftee. When the table lifting test was
performed ar. Noulton vas blindfoIded and
tied to a stand placed inside the cabinet
where the professor and Mr.. Rathbun
+ the volunteer committeeman had been
handcufed together aud tied to the chairs
and TO toe sides Of the cabinet, Rathbun
also being blindfolded. The stand with Mr..
Nogit0n upon vas then lifted up 40 a. 10 be
seen above the cabinet. and when light was
called for the cnatains were showed back and
all we're seen tied "a when left
by the committee. The slate writing
trick was also performed inside
the cabinet out Of sight Of the audience. the
slstes being f1siened together with thumb
screws and ted with string which was
easily removed by being slipped sround The
corners The exhibition concluded with a
few old tricks with magic cards. instantane-
ous growth of flowers. and AZ the aadisuce
arose the expression "sold again vas heard
from al parts IF ibe house.
The two lower Hoors Of the house were
uaoked f1ii Of people and the boys Who PIT
o. the scheme are vel uald for the time and
cheek expended. The nprer raliery was not
. openea becauze it worid have allowed the
occupants - iook down iEto ire cabinet
The Literary Clubs.