Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-10-25
SPIRITUALTSM.
MRS. KAHE, ITS FOUNDER, PUBLrcLY
coHPEssEs IT TO BE A FRAUD.
Her Big Toe Did II All-Ths Fox Sisters
Undo the Infamous Work Of
May Years.
New York Herald.l

by throwing life and enthusiasm into her
big toe Mrs. Margaret Fox Kane produced
loud spirit rapplngs In the Academy oil hu-
sic last night aud dealt a death-oiOw 70
Spiritualism, that huge and worldwide
fraud which she and Der sister, Kate Fox,
founded 10 1913. Both sisters were present
snd both denounced spiritualism a. . mon-
strous imposition and cheat.
The great building was ovid and Tue
widest excitement prevailed al Times. Hun
dreds OF Spiritualists had come 10 see the
orginalors oi their faith destroy Il AZ one
stroke. They were greatly agItated at times
aud Kissed fercely. Take It all Ia oil 1t was
q most remarkable and dramatic spectacle.
There stood : black-robed, shaIp-faced
WIDOW working her big toe and soiemniy de-
claring that It was in this Wsy she ere
ated the excitement that has driyen SO many
persons 10 suicide or insanity. One moment
II was ludicrOus. the neXtit was weird.
when Mrs. Kane appeared on the stage
she was greeted with cheers and Kisses. she
put on her glasses, curtsied 10 the audience,
and read slowly snd In a voice trembling
With emotion Der confession. Her sister,
Kate Fox, sat In q box with John a. Stevens
and applauded.
MRS. KANE's CONFESSION.
THAT I have been mainly instrumental in
perpeiratiug the fraud Of Spiritualism upon
a too cODidlue public many OF YOU already
know. II is the greatest sorrow oil my NE.
II Is 4 late day now, but / am prepared 10
tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing
but the truth, so help me Godl"
Here Mrs. Kane stretched her hands up
ward impTcssiyely.
"Manv here will scorn me, but II they
knew the sorrow Of my past life they would
pity, not condemn. Applause and Kisses.
when ! began this deception l vast too young
70 know right from wrong | hope God
Almighty viii forgive me and those who are
silly enough 10 believe In Spiritutlism."
Dr. G.. ". Richmond, who is managing the
cTpOsf, invited doq&prs 10 come up on me
stage. Three doctors tnelt down, took bold
OF Mrs. Kane's big toe and assumed a grave
air. They then declared that they could hear
rappings which were produced by The toe.
Mrs. Kane finally stood mp to lctthe audience
hear.
There was a dead silence. Everybody in
fbe great audience knew that they were
looking upon the womin who is principally
responsible for ~Spiutuallsm, ITS founder,
bieh prIesiess. and Demonstration. She stood
upon q little pine table, with nothing on her
feet but stockings. As she remained motions
less, loud. distinct rappings were heard, now
In the flies, now behind the scenes, now IN
the gallery.
Upon these ~rappinCs S~piritualism spraDg
into lie. aud here was the same toe rapplng
II out Of existence. Mrs. Kane became eX-
cited. She clapped her hands, danced about,
and cried:
"Ips a fraadi s|plritualism is q fraud
from beginning 10 end! It's all trick
There's no truth In ~
A whirlwind Of applause followed. Then
Mrs. Kane went down into the audience,
and, placing Der foot on the foot Of q we'll
known gentleman. gave him a series OF sharp
tiny r8ps th1t he felt and acknowledged.
EXPOSING TIE TRICKS OF hsDIUSs.
Before Mrs. Kane appeared DR.. Richmond
gave the audience a thorough e1poSf OF the
siate.wriiipg. mind-readiDg, and ell painting
/ tricks Of siade, Diss De Barr, and other lm-
posters. He explained them Ia detail. A
iercp-looking foreigner got mp and de-
nonneed DC. RichmoDd's tricks, saying that
~plritualistg produced their effects by spirit
. mower. and be would prove tiff he could get
the platform.
"There Is a PHILADELPHIA gentleman in this
audience who authorizes me 10 say ihat he
I will paw So 900 to any person who eau pro-
, duce, without human aid. a mark an inch
long on a slate" said Dr. Richmond. AMY
human being who can do that can gel
I s5.0OA."
Tho Doctor Rlared at The foreign spiritual
/ ISL. who became meek and quiet
Il denounca only fraud. / DO not attack
I Sw~edenboig's beautiful theory u Spiritual
ism. But the man who claims 10 do th'
tbires 1 have done here tonight by spirit
--.HN .. - AZ Tho FanpffanfTawU
There haye been no miracles since eichteer
hundred years ago.
Nor before tLat either" roared som,
one.
"Thars a. far back as my memory goes
said the Doctor. al have taught the me-
/ dlums two or tLree new frauds which hay,
invented myself"
DR.. Richmond produced on 5 slate mes
sages from the late Emperor Frederick W.T.
| liam and a message to Jake Hess. There
was a committee Of sixteen gentlemen on the
stage.
4 want one ot the committee 70 write on
a slip ~ paper The name Of some dislin
! guished person who 10 dead
"Crowley!" yelled a voice.
HarrisouI" howled another.
The name was written and 10 was "Frede
/ crck William" whercupOn the message
I from the dead monarch appeared upon
I slate. All this was shown 20 be mere legef
dcmaiu.
After the show Dr.. Richmond and thD
Fox sisters were surrounded 10y an excited
crowd.
WANTED TO BE AT TIE FUNERAL.
"I have spent thousands and thousands o.
/ dollar, myc-tlgaliug this gigantic huuDug,
said the Doctor, " and think am entitled
10 the pleasure o. being present NJ It's dedl
and assisting in the funeral"
II wa- the general opinion oi people who
were in the Academy Lft night flat the con
fesslon Of The two founders Oi splrituaisu
and the complete exposure OF the tricks o
mediums ends this form o. %swindlug. an,
/ that it can never recover from this cruShin.
/ blow. The SpirituliI--s in the audience al
most irothcd al the mouth vita rage as they
left the building, and mutteFed furious
threats against their foes.