New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-08
THE EXPERIENCE OF MR. JOHNSON

THE EAPERIEdCE OF NIX. JOdNDON
II seems probable that Mr. johnson; of Kirk
wood, Missouri. does not repOse as much conf
dence in the role OF Bad Indian" as he did
few days ago; and that bis Spiritualist employers
are more than ever convinced OF the prevalence
and promiscuonsness, so to say, OF maljgn spoolSs
Mr.. johnson had taken leaf out of the notebook
Of q widely. IL not favorably, known French
writer named Louvet do Conyray, though there
h no reason 10 suppose that the crafty Goodman
had ever read the work referred %. IL is rather
curious that piece Of fiction moro than century
old should have been reproduced in action thus,
but IL Is always the unexpected that happens. Mr..
Johnson may also be thought 20 have. studied
Browning, for parts OF his performance recall
the confessions Of %Slndge, the Medium In
any case, finding that his employers were
confirmed believers IN spiritual interpositioa,
and being naturally lazy, he awaited himself OF
the Spiritualist theory 70 avoid hard work by
pretending that bad spirits got hold of the spade,
hoe. axe, etc, and hindered him IN his labor.
This plea being accepted he naturally grew boldsr,
and the happy idea struck him of going into
frances from which he could only be reused by
the mRnipuhtions of the prettiest female Spirit
uslists
IL was the Chevalier de Tabular who first fled
u CuFetb w tillS bnf OuN ulutEeuCc
being that Mesmersm In his time occupied the
field now taken by Spiritualism. But Mr.. John
SON was reckoning without his host. for his pro-
ceedings aroused jealousy among the young men
who did not go into frances, and. consequently.
failed 10 attract the sympathies and secure the
ministrations of the pretty Spiritualists The OPP
portunity Of these jealous souls came when Mr.
Johnson solemnly announced that he had fallen
under the control of a bad Indian spirit who
was beIlgerently disposed, going around with y
phantom chip on his ghostly shoulder, and having
no use for flesh and blood but to pound somebody
with Il. It WIS an evil day for Mr.. johnson when
the bad Indian entered into him. for it instantly
occurred 20 his rivals that two or more could
play at that game and. rising TO the height Of
the occasion. a couple of them declared that they,
too, felt themselves controlled by bad Indians,
and that their bad Indians were bent upon going
for the bad Indian Of Mr. Johnson. No sooner
said than done. Issue was joined between the
hostile spoolus, and blows rained thick and fast
upon Mr. Johnson's heshly envelope. His bad In
dian seems 70 have made no fight. Perhaps he
retired early In the fray At al events, Mr. john
son received an exemplary thrashing, under the
smart OF which he presently confessed that he had
been shemming
IL Is said that the good folks Of Hrkwood arc
now laughing st the Spiritualists who permitted
themselves TO be. humbugged so easily, The
spiritualists, however, have been amply avenged
by the two impromptu bad Indians; and, more
over 1t Is one OF the advantages OF their creed
that it furnishes them with ready explanations
OF all such phenomena. No doubt they win say
that the spirits Of bad Indians were really mani
tested in the narrowing Of Johnson, and that the
conviction Of the two young men that they were
acting consciously does not disprove this The
fact Is that once IL is conceded that disembodied
spirits can, and do, take possession Of any
body, there is really no possible limit TO credence
in that direction. and consequently no check upon
fraud. No intellectual check, thai is TO say; for
it must be owned that the experience Of Mr..
johnson has been Of character 20 restrain him
o. least from making any further experiments
ia eudo-spiritualism But what complicates and
confuscs sl such cases is the fact that there ore
really spirits concerned in them--the spirits OF
sloth and Greed and Cunning and Deceit-and
that unfortunately these spirits am so frequently
mixed up in human affairs as TO render their dis
cntal clement extremely difficult In rare in
stances, like this of Mr. johnson, little practical
pommelliug Is apt to prove o better solvent than
would stacks Of Philosophical discussion. and II
any one related 10 this adventure remains uncon-
WINGED, we feel quite sure that 1t is not Mr.
Il