Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-02-23
NO USE FOR SPIRITS.
THE STORY THAT THE PRESIDENT con-
SUITS MEDIUMS DENIED.
A Former Law Partner Declares That Such Thing
Would be Impossible Rev. Titus Merritt,
However Believes II and Welcomes
Him 10 the Fold.

NEW YORK, February GA story was
published in sn evening pipsr yesterday
that President Cleveland was spiritual
ist, and that he had been an habitusl COM
municant with mediums since the time he
was practicing law in Buffalo. 1t was said
that bis conduct Of public affairs had teen
Influenced By mediumistic communica-
tions. His medium, like that of Luther
R. Marsh. was a woman. The President
was pictured as being a dyedin-thewOOl
spiritualist, and it was said that be never
acted upon any measure OF importance
without first consulting the spirits. His
msdium was credited with prOphesying
that Mr.. Cleveland would attain "high
official position while he was still prac-
ticing law in Buffalo.
The story was so improbable that even
the spiritualists themselves did not support
it. Edward r. Bacon, who was President
Cl sveland's law partner in Buffalo, before
Mr.. Cleveland became Governor of the
State, stamped the story as imaginative
and absurd from beginning to end. He said
that he had known Mr.. Cleveland init.
maiely for nearly twenty years, and had
never heard before that he had any incli
nation or leaning toward spiritualism.
'Mr. Cleveland" " said Mr.. Bacon, ''is a
maa who thinks out his own matters indie
pendeat Of any material or spiritualistic
Influences. l cannot imagine what foun-
dation there can be for the remarkable
story which il published. l have no hesi-
tency in pronouncing it urqualifiedly false
in every respect. Mr.. Cleveland is too
strong man il intellect to be guided by
any such absurd hallucinetiOns
Rev. Titus Merritt, who is looked upon
az the leader of spirituslism in this city,
and whose seances in Adelphi Hall, on
Fifty fourth street, near Broadway, are
attended by most Of the followers OF
spiritualism in this city, was thunder
struck when he read the story.
81 hope it is true, and shouldn't won
der if it was, " said Mr.. Merritt. stranger
things than that have happened. l never
heard of Mr Cleveland having tendency
toward spiritualsm before, bat if he once
investigated it he is sure to find out its
great truths. II would be grand thing
for Us if 1t proved true. 1t seems
strargs to me that l have never
heard Of this before, but
have implicit confidence in the
truthfulress Of the statement that the
President is one of us. Any person who
studies the occult forces must be a be-
lever in spiritualism. The President,
bsing a man of broad learning and deep
thought, men who has hsd to delve into
innumerable intrcscies, would be Just the
person to discover the existence Of spirit
ualistic forces, I think that if it is shown
that Mr.. Cleveland is a spiTiiualist pure
and simple, it will do more to make the
general public appreciate what spiritual
ism means than any other thing that
could possibly happen. 1t will make the
aversge man study the subject-that is all
we want
Around about town the story was
laughed at. That the President would
for an instant consider spiIituslism ser
iously was deemed absurd. It was point
ed out that no names were mentioned in
the story published. Ole man in the
Hoffman House asked if it were possible
for the President to be q spirituslist for
nearly ten years and the fact 10 remain
secrsi? He argued that spirituslists az
rule boasted whenever any penon o.
prominence became follower of the faith.
That the President Of the United States
should be a spiritualst and the fact re-
main unknown until this time was de-
clsred incredible. 1t was pointed out
that every man of any prominence who
had become follower Of spiritualism was
herslded as a recruit just as eoon as it be-
came sure that he had bscOme an ardent
believer in the creed. Even John j.
O'Sullivan, tx-Minister TO Portugal, who
is a high priest in spirituslistic circles,
declared last night that he had never
heard Of Mr. Cleveland being spiritual
ist before.