Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1885-04-08
SPIRITUAL PHYSIC.
1T TAKES THE FORM OF OLD RYE
WHISKY.
DR.. Shades Illness and Treatment by
Ghostly Practitioners-How the Pre-
scriptions Were Brought Over the
"Border "-Simmons' Story.

NEW YORK, April 6.-The spirtualists Of
this region are highly interested in the i'll
ness of Dr. Henry Slade, the noted medium
whose mystic slate writing commands theiI
credence, Notwithstanding the alleged ex'
posture Of its fraudulency by London soien'
fists. He is convalescing from O nervous
prostration which at one time seemed sure
TO kill him.
The assertion is that DIR. Shades recovery,
and his sickness, too, were controlled by the
spirits who were his ghostly hackers. His
friend, Mr.. Simmons, says they gave direc
ton 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 or some sig.
nal agreed upon when remedies were required
At all events, pretense Of such method
was carefully maintained. The disease was
nervous prostration intensified by rigid
spasms. ....----...
Before Dr. Slade became a spiritualist,
says Mr.. Simmons, che was a clairvoyan
He is under the influence Of the same spirits
now that he was then. We call them
physicians when they select what medicines
to use. When DIR. Slade was we'll enough
to speak he himself directed what medicines
should be employed"
"Was no regular physician employedp
at 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 DR.. Elliotts house
near Sailors Snug Harbor, Staten Island.
But he took very little Of the good doctors
nostrums, although he required almost con-
slant attention since his sickness began q
month ago. When Slade could not speak it
was agreed that he should signal when he
wanted to communicate with U.S."
By "they" Mr.. Simmons meant the in
visible powers and that was the word for
them he constantly employed in the CONVEX
Sahon.
"This signal" continued Mr.. Simmons,
"was the lifting of his right fore and second
fingers and working them past each other.
Then 1 was to ask whether they wanted to
communicate. Invariably three raps were
heard. Then came the inquiry for the rem
edy, if they were ready to prescribe. Again
three raps Then would repeat the alpha.
bet stopping at each letter to
hear two raps for no and three
for yes When these raps sounded,
that was my letter. Beginning the alphabet
again, I secured the second letter, and so on
until word or sentence was formed. In
that way spell out once, for instance, en-
dian hemp"
"What were the remedies most frequently
prescribed by the spirits9"
Liquor, I think It astonished me to see
how much alcohol he could take, with red
pepper in it, too, and yet not show the slight
est trace of any effect. They tell me-"
added Mr.. Simmons, 9zshutting his
eyes as though resigning himself
to "their" influence, "that DR..
Slade in this sickness is undergoing a COM
plete change in his mediumship He will be
different hereafter in his public life from
what he has been in the immediate past.
When he was taken sick he was in Phila-
delphia, and he found himself in New York
city without the slightest recollection how
he came here. They indicate to me
not quite clearly as yet-that he
will be a painter. If SO, then he will
be returning to his mediumship mani
tested when he lived years ago in Jack
son, Mich Under the influence of 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 broad Scotch
dialect. Would you like to see the paint
ing"
Mr. Simmons brought from a lock-room,
where it had been leaning against wall, a
large framed portrait Of woman's face. 1t
was pastel, exceedingly well done. The eyes
were soft, clear, and brown, and smile lin
gered around the pretty lips The hair was
arranged in puffs at the side of the head,
just as was fashionable quarter of CEN
fury ago.
"The children who knew Mrs. Slade recog-
nized the portrait as soon as they saw it,"
added Mr.. Simmons.
"Would you much mind, Mr.. Simmons"
the correspondent finally asked, "telling ex-
actly in what form the spirits prescribed al
cohol?"
"Old rye whisky" he replied.