Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1886-01-06
FOSTERS LETTERS OF BLOOD.
An Account of the Way In Which
They Were Produced.

Some years ago, when Foster, the
medium, was giving sittings on Girard
street at S. u sit, he was visited by q
friend oil mine, man of intellect and
common sense, but who, when he came
away was in completely dazed condi-
ton of mind. He was ushered into n
small reception-room and told to write
his name on piece of paper and with his
own hands seal it in an envelope. He
sat down before the only table in the
room and wrote his name-we will as
sumo it to be John Smith-as directed,
taking care to SO conceal the writing that
it could not be seen from above or
from any other direction. He placed
it in an envelope, sealed it, and held it
in one hand. The attendant then with
drew. In few moments Foster entered
and eyed his visitor with a piercing
glance, rs though reading his innermost
thoughts. Suddenly extending his right
hand he calculated, GLOW are you, Mr..
John Smith," The visitor started back
in surprise, as he was certain Foster had
never seen him before. "How did you
know my name?" he wonderingly in
quired. In deep tones Foster replied: at
is written in my blood" With that he
barred his left arm to the elbow, and seiz-
NIB thC ptili scuicu cIlNClOIc ITOIn MI.
Smiths hand, crumpled it without open
ing it, and rubbed it vigorously over and
under the tender part OF his arm.
Over that member spread glow through
which the bright crimson lines appeared,
and in a few moments, emblazoned on
the arm in fiery letters OF blood, was the
name John Smith" The amazed visitor,
at Fosters invitation, tried to wash the
letters out with water, but the more he
rubbed the brighter they became, until
he was convinced-which was the fact
that the letters were beneath the skin
and were caused by the mans own blood.
The same writer asserts that all of Eos
ter's wonders" were accomplished by
trickery. His visitor would be requested
TO secretly write the name OF q deceased
friend on piece OF paper, which he was
10 fold in certain manner and place on
a table. When this had been done Fos-
ter would eXclaim: "Not folded quite
right, my dear sir" and stepping for
ward he would make IL slight change in
the arrangement OF the bit OF paper. In
that brief moment and before the eyes of
the visitor, Foster, by his wonderful
slelght-of-hand power, would exchange
for the paper containing the name piece
similarly folded. Then, returning TO the
corner OF the room, reading the written
name as he walked, he would bare one
arm, and by a rapid movement of a sharp
stylus-the ancient instrument of writing
he would outline the letters OH his arm
Turning and rubbing his arm or holding
ii tightly at the wrist until it became
engorged with blood, he would startle his
visitor with the dead mans name dis.
pleyed in letters of blood. Having thus
proved spirit control and presence, he
would sit down and write a message SO
full oil the TOMBSTONE lore and town gossip
he had acquired, that the visitor became
fully convinced that the communication
were from another world. When he
a:iterward told the tale Of his experience,
IT was surrounded with mysteries in a
way that made it appear still more won
derinl. Philadelphia News.