Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-01-17
THE OWNING ROD.

THE OWNING ROD.
EngIishmen Give Their Experiences With
It-Coins Found and Imitation Jewelry
Detected-Won't Work With Gloved
Hands, Criminals Observation-Disclosures
Theories.
An article on the divining rod, published some
time ago in the London Standard, and which
was reprinted In these columns Wednesday,
January 0. has brought forth numerous letters
from Englishmen who have had experience in
the use of the rod. Several of these letters
are published below and will doubtless prove
interesting THE DISPATCH would be pleased
to hear from any of its readers who have had
experience with or theory about the working
of this wonderful phenomenon.
Experiments With Coins.
John Blanchford, of Wisbech, tells of his ex-
perience with the divining rod as follows:
have used the divining rod since the sum-
mer of 1S74-frst in the State of Illinois, U. 8.
A, and in England several times since the
spring of 1884. can tell which way the water
is moving under ground; can also tell mineral
Oil from water; and have found coins that have
been hidden for test.
l do not use a stick for that purpose, and
have tested jewelry, and know real from 1m1ta-
ton, such as gold, brass, etc.. and to prove that
the rod is not moved by the involuntary action
OF mental expectancy on the muscles OF the
performer, il put a pair of gloves on my
hands not the least power is felt, which is sufi-
cient to prove that the rod is not moved at will,
and that it is only moved by attractive power.
l can give the names OF several persons that
Gft
*x .
With the Wind Against II.
William Bell, of East Lyss, Petersfeld, gives
an account of test made at a Cornwall mine as
follows:
The letters on the subject of the divining
rod have encouraged me to relate my own ex-
perience.
was present when an old Captain of mine
in Cornwall was exhibiting his power with the
divining, or. as he called it, the dipping rod.
/ was 80 struck with what saw, that begged
to try with the same twigs that he had been
using. He made no objection. but prepared me
for failure, by saying that there were very few
held the sticks (bramble) as he directed,
aud walked over the same ground that he had
done. When approached the line at which
the twigs had worked with him, 1 observed the
point bend forward, and turns down to the
ground. There was very strong wind blowing
in the direction in which l was walking, and
thought that the wind had caused the twigs to
bend, so walked over the same ground again,
facing the contrary way, about the same spot
at which the twigs had been depressed before
they dipped again against the wind. -,
Some force independent of my will,
and acting contrary to my muscular resist
ance, drew the points of the twigs
downward toward the center of the
am that the sun appeared above the horizon
yesterday. 1t was not thing that could
have been easily deceived in, and the same
effects could not have been produced by any
trickery. When we had finished our expert
ments, the bramble twigs had become much
twisted, the parts in our hands being constant
ly rigid, and the parts between our hands re-
volVing with each experiment.
No Humbug About 1t.
H. A. Canning, OF Market darlington, an
operator, gives some very interesting expert
ences in the following:
In the first place, 1 have no belief in humbug
of any kind, neither do for one moment be-
lieve in anything that superstitious; but there
are some things that to those who do not
clearly understand why certain results are OBJ
tained, put them down either to deception or
humbug
Who would have believed few years since
what uses the electric fluid, or currents, would
have been put to-the transmission of messages
by the telephone, the startling power of the
monographs; and because there is an unex-
planned solution of water divining. there nat
urally arises, as in other subjects not yet under
stood, certain sceptical reasoning that will
eventually bring light to bear on it.
1t is well-known fact that some persons are
more sensitive in their nervous powers, some
are more easily worked upon as mediums in the
hands of mesmerist, others are keenly alive
to the change or weather by rheumatic pains
they feel, and in water divining there is not one
in hundred that is influenced by it, though
shown how to manipulate the 'twig or watch
spring."
have successfully hit on the same place
after going over the ground first, and then
have come on the same spot blindfolded. and
feel sure, much as have tried not to have any
involuntary wish for an indication of the
means employed to work. yet there is an in
describable feeling, as you approach the un-
derground vein. you cannot possibly help.
On the coolest day l have been overcome
with peculiar kind of warmth, and lowering
depression after operating; and believe there
is negative and positive attraction between
the water and the operator that he is powerless
to resist.
That there may be correct solution of what
is now thought mysterious, and yet has been
proved correct in its issue, 1 sincerely hope
may be speedily discovered;
Used for the Detection of Criminals.
c. Wolley Dodd, of Edge Hall, Malpas, |
writes:
Those who love true science are deeply in
debted to your correspondents who tell them
how underground springs and veins of metal |
can be found by the divining rod; but in the |
good old times, 300 or 400 years ago, our fore
fathers knew more uses for it than these, and
employed it to discover murderers and other
criminals.
Their mode of proceeding was this: The di-
viner was brought to the spot where a murder
had been committed, and touched with the |
point of his rod either the dead body or the |
place on which it had lain. He then worked |
the rod, which conducted him in pursuit. point |
ing always in the direction of the murderer. |
After few minutes, or hours or even days, as |
the case might be. the guilty person was hunted |
down and arrested and put on the rack. If he |
refused to confess his guilt he was tortured to |
death without benefit of clergy; but If he con-
fessed. as he generally did, he was executed ac
cording to law, and the virtue of the dividing |
rod was extolled and glorifed.
In other cases, when crimes of less heinous |
nature seem likely to escape justice, a DiViner
was called in. and an official-a sort of public
prosecutor-watched the point of the rod
grasped firmly in the hands of the other. Then,
II the Diviner was what he claimed to be- the
gyrations and reflections of the rods point de-
scribed in the air the letters of the name of the
guilty person, and his name being announced |
by the official, he was punished accordingly.
Similar modes of conducting Judicial causes
are still prevalent among some of the more
enlightened tribes of Central Africa and the
South Sea Islands; but. owing to the alarming
spread of scepticism, such practices have be-
come nearly obsolete in Europe. This is much
to be regretted, because long and tedious cases
would by these means be greatly abridged and
simplifed while the cause of justice would be
aided.
Indeed, in these days. those who profess to
understand the laws of Nature-whom Cicero,
in his treatise on "Divination," rightly calls
'the most arrogant of men"-would take the
bread out of the poor OWNERS mouth by deny
ing him even the small remnant of power which |
in some counties of England an intelligent and |
discerning public still allow him to retain.
A Chance for a Chicago Inventor.
From the London Globe