Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-04-20

fOA SISTERS AND THE BEGINNlNG OF
sPIRITUALIsM.
From the Rochester Union.
To Western New York belongs the distinction
of having originated modern spiritualism. The
initial "spiritrapping" phenomena began in
March, 1S4S in the family of John d. Fox, in
Hydeviie, Wayne county, n. Y. Besides Mr..
and Mrs. Fox only their two younger children
Margaretta, IL years old, and X ate. 8 wears old
were at home when the family were startled
by mysterious rappings that were heard nightly
upon the floor of one of the bedrooms and
sometimes in other parts of the house. They
endeavored to trace the sounds to their cause
but failed. 1t is also alleged that a patter OF
footsteps was sometimes heard, the bed clothes
were pulled of, and Kate felt cold hand
passed over her face. On the night OF March
8 when the raps occurred Kate Initiated them
by swapping her fingers and the raps responded
by the same number OF sounds. Kate then
said: Now. do as do; count one two three,
four five. Six, at the same time striking her
hands together The same number OF raps re-
sponded and at similar intervals The mother
OF the girl then said, Count ten and ten dir
ferent raps were heard. "Count fifteen" and
that number Of sounds followed. She then said.
Tell us the age OF Cathy 1.-THE youngest daugil-
teri by rapping one for each year. and the
number of years was raped CORRECTLY. In like
manner the ages of each of four other and then
absent children were by request Indicated by
a human being making that noise. There was
no sound. She then said: III you are a spirit
make two distinct sounds" Two raps were ac-
cOrdingly heard.
Three weeks afterward it was made known
by the raps that the body of murdered man
lay buried in the cellar. and the exact spot was
indicated where parts of human skeleton
were actually found. The name of the muir
dered man was given, and it was learned that
five years before such a person had visited the
house and had suddenly and mysteriousIy dis
appeared.
Alter while the raps occurred only In the
presence OF the two sisters, Margaretta and
Kate. The family having removed to Roches-
ter, the raps accompanied them, and new phe-
nomena, including clairvoyance and the move
ment of ponderable bodies without appreciabe
agency, were developed. In November, 1919,
the Fox girls appeared IN a public hail. and the
phenomena were freely manifested and sub
jected to many tests, and a committee an
pointed for their Investigation, after continu-
ing their experiments there and elsewhere for
several days, reported that they were unable to
trace them to any mundane agency. Within q
few months spiritualism had thousands of con-
verts and was an established faith.
The three sisters are still living. Leah, now
Mrs. Undcrhill, resides in New York city; Mar
garetta Mrs kane) makes her home in Brook
lyn, and the youngest, Catherine, is living i'm
London, England, and Is the widow OF an Eng
lish barrister, by the name of Jenkin. The
sounds, in lS4S, are still heard in their pres
ence. other and varied manifestations are said
to occur in all parts OF the world, having been
developed by what in 1S49 was designated as
dorchester rappings." From these rappings as
q commencement has originated modern spirit
uSliSm.