Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-02-11
sLADs ANN ms SLATE.
a Reported Expose From Western
virginia.


The famous slate writing medium, DIR.
Henry Slade, has been giving sittings at
Weston, W. Va, and how he calne to
grief while thus engaged is described by
tue Weston W0rLt, MS follows:
"Slade's room wns next to the room Of
Hon. A. A. Lewis, the floor Of which is
several inches lower than that of Slade's,
There is door between these two rooms,
and under the door considerable OF d
vacancy. II occurred TO some of the in
vestigators that if, as they suspected,
Slnde made the physical manifestations
by physical means, he could be detected
by watching under the door above men,
toned. Accordingly, to convince them
selves, new subject for a sitting was
sent in, after the watchers had been
posted at the door, and the usual
phenomena occurred. AT the same
time the watchers were re-
warded with complete expose of
the great ~ mediums wonderful
powers. He possesses q most remark
able, agile foot and while the attention
of the visitor was directed to the top of
the table, he actively moved his foot
around under the table, or out to the side
of the table, and by working his foot in
between the rungs of chair would lift it
up, or cause it TO move two or three feet
one way or the other across the room.
He would take the slate in his foot, or
between his toes somehow, and cause it to
appear at the edge of the table opposite
the visitor, or throw it across under the
table into the lap OF the investigator. He
was seen to place the slate on his knee
under the table, while apparently waiting
the coming of the Spirits and write
with his own hands the messages said
to have come from the departed, and,
strange to relate, at the same time
would be talking in disconnected
way on various subjects, apparently to
distract attention from his work. During
all these manifestations he was twitching
and comforting, us if undergoing the most
extreme agony. One after another of the
investigators went to the room of Mr..
Lewis, and, looking under the door, saw
plainly and clearly the trickery of the
world renowned This plan of operation
was begun on Sunday afternoon last, and
continued until Monday evening, when
sufficient evidence had been procured to
Justify the arrest of the parties on a
charge of procuring money under false
pretence. Everything was kept quiet.
None but the initiated knew of the dis
covery and detection, but complaint was
made and a warrant placed in the hands
of Deputy Sheriff Whelan. During the
day bills were circulated for afree lecture
by DIR. Slade at the courthouse on the
subject of Independent Slate Writing
This announcement brought out large
crowd, which seemed to stimulate the
doctor to his best efforts, and the
address was at least so per cent better
than the former"
AT the close of the lecture, Mr.. e. S.
Barrett, Spiritualist, came forward and
explained the manner in which Slade had
been caught in his tricks, as related
above, and chafacterizing him us 'the
most consummate fraud of the age The
World thus graphically pictures the
scene:
During the progress of Barretts re-
marks showing his perfidy, Slade was
picture to behold. At first he thought
Mr.. Barrett was going to give him good
send-oif. He imagined he had covered
himself all over with glory in Weston, as
his face very plainly indicated But
change came DER the spirit of his dream,
and when Barrett closed his remarks
amid the applause of the audience, nine
teen .twentieths of whom believed him to
be base fraud, he was certainly more
dumbfounded man than any of his
visitors had ever been"
Mr.. Barrett was followed by several
other gentlemen who had Witnessed
Shades tricks through the crack under
the door ITO say that the audience was
greatly surprised, says the World, {" is
hardly sufficiently cXpressiye-it was SO
wildly delighted that it wanted to hear from
Shade, but lie said he had no argument to
offer, and especially when everybody was
against hin-tlat he had been deceived
if the speakershad been deceived imply
ing that if the tricks mentioned had been
performed by him it was outside of his
knowledge"
slade and Simmons we're held until the
following day, when, on being brought
before Il magistrate, they waived an ex
animation, and were allowed to recognize
each to the amount of $500 to appear
before the March court in answer to an
indictment. II is snfe to say, however,
that both worthless will not put in an ap.
pearance in March at the court i'll
question.