The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-04-08
A SITTING WITH FAMOUS Or. sIaUE
Which Did Not Result Quito as rna,
Gentleman Anticipated.
Hon. NJ. p. Frank and HON. w. q.
Davis Pay Him Visit.
The Slate Writing Medium Detected
In Piece OF Trckey.

s"shNfat3 tstOuN4INI O0L0Cf0Q
In a Piece OF TrIckey.
some time ago, DIR. Slade, the famous
"siate-writing medium" came here and be-
gan to give evidences OF his SKIN. He was
largely patronized, and in addition IN hlS
many test settings and slate writings he an
peared as defender Of SplrItuallsm from
the assaults Of w. II. Mclaughlin Of Scar
boro, who was then exposing a woman who
lectured here several times, and also from
the more direct utterances Of j. A. Magnus-
son, who was leeturing in opposition 10 the
teachings Of the mediums.
DIR. Slade's prominence made him an OBJ
iect OF special consideration on the part Of
those who doubted the reality Of his asser-
tions Of intercourse with the spirits, and
Saturday, Hon. William g. Davis, Hon. NJ
I. Frank, j. ID. Aarons, portrait painter Of
London, and John M. Todd. a well known
Spirituallst, went to Dr. SHADES rooms.
While Mr.. Todd was not In the secret. the
others were bent on exposing DIR. Slade. and
lost no time after arriving In his presence
before going TO work. The result was given
yesterday morning at the meeting Of the
Portland Liberal Fraternity by Mr.. Aarons.
when all the members of the party, with the
exception OF Mr.. Frank, were present.
Mr.. Aarons said that after the party had
been introduced to DIR. Slade by Mr.. Todd. a
sitting was requested, and DIR. Slade replied,
All right" Before they turned to the table
Mr.. Davis noticed number Of states in one
corner Of the room. These states were an
parently all alike. They were made to open
like the covers Of book. and the bit Of pen
ell, supposed to be used by the spirits. was
unders TODD to be placed between the open
states when closed. DIR. Slade said It would
be necessary to first see whether the spirits
would communicate with the visitors and
called for response. In reply TO his ques-
tt0n, "Will the spirits writer" three distinct
raps were heard, but at the same time Mr..
Davis and Mr.. Aarons, who were watching
the doctor, noticed his foot moving against
hin.
The first slate taken up by DIR. SIade was
rather too closely observed by the visitors.
OF else was blank, for 1t was rejected, and
even broken. DR.. Slade said the accident was
due to the agency Of the spirits present In
the room, and proceeded 10 take up another
slate. He had got It well down on the table
when MIR. Aarons who had been watching
MS movements very closely said:
"One moment please"
What is wanted2" asked DIR. Slade.
we want to see the under side Of that
slate Is blank, II you please"
THE slate IS blank replied DIR. Slade.
III so Il viii do no harm for us to see IT,
Inc point made by Mr. AarOn3 was sus-
tanned by both Mr.. Frank, and Mr.. Davis.
and Mr.. Todd, who Is very fair and honor
able man, sided with the others, and insisted
that the under side Of the slate should be ex-
hibited. Finding himself eornered, the me-
dium slcwiy turned the. slate, at the same
time putting his finger TO his lips with the
evident intention OF wetting 1t In order 70
quickly rub out whatever might be written
on the slate, but If such was his intention il
was defeated, for the visitors were resolved
TO see the reverse OF the slate, and when it
was exhibited, there was long message COW
ering almost the entire surface.
DIR. Slade made some attempts 10 show
that he was honest, and true medium, but
his visitors were resolved to push him 10
the wall and make the exposure complete.
and so demanded another attempt at spirit
The slate, this time with
no writing upon Ii, was pushed by Dr. Slade
under the table (the "eircle' having been
first formed, but rather loosely, the visitors
being resolevd TO watch the every movement
Of the mediHm.)
Are there spirits in the roomP" asked the
doctor, at the same time adding "And II so
will they please writer"
There was some delay, and then the slate
W ho AllbCus duu WUIu WAS IOug0
to have been scratched, not written, on the
under surface.
Mr.. Aarens then said to Dr.Slade, please
let me take your place"
What for?"
-, 4 want war to show you and these gentlemen
DR.. Slade gave up his seat TO the artist.
but took his stand back Of the char he vacat-
ed, and Mr.. AaronS at once requested him 70
take his place In the ''circle. That done
the slate and exhibited message" in the
same style as that but a moment before Civ
en- by the "sririte" to DIR. Slade.
The success OF the trick was so great that
Dr. Slade exclaimed, That was well done.
Do it once more please"
''Not /" replied the artist, "A magician
never repeats trick, but If you'll call at my
studio will show you how to improve ON
your own tricks"
Before leaving the room Mr.. Davis asked
the rest Of the states, piled In one corner Of
the room, and apparently all ready for use.
No.. replied DIR. Slade.
'Why not?"
Because those states are private proper
ty."
Yesterday morning when the story was
told In public, 1t was In the presence OF a
large number Of Spiritualists. The report
was made by Mr.. Aarons, and at once backed
up by Mr.. Davis.
JOnn NJ louu saiu nc was forced 70 say
that Mr.. Davis and Mr.. Aarons had told che
story as 1t happened, but that In going with
them to see DIR. Slade he had no Idea that
anything in the way OF an investigation was
to be attempted. He made the point that
the fact that Mr.. Davis, Mr.. Frank and Mr..
Aarons went to DIR. Slade with the deliber-
ate purpose Of decelving him as TO the real
object Of their visit, might have had the ef
feet OF bringing Dr. Slade under the infu-
ence Of 'deeeiving spirits, and thus brought
about the very conditions they discovered.
Mr.. Todd said he felt so badly about the
matter that he went to DIR. Slade second
time with his own slate and received very
satisfactory specimen Of spirit writing.
Mr. Todd was asked II the specimen be
received was In the hand writing OF the spir-
tion.
'.It was not" replied Mr.. Todd.
Several S2iritualists spoke OF tests" they
had received through DIR. Slade.
j. A. MagnussOn said he could do little
more than sympathise with his friends, the
Spiritualists, who are now passing
through the waters Of atfllction. He spoke
Of the recent attempts to expose SplritualIsm
here, and thought Messrs. Davis. Frank and
Aarons deserving Of the thanks Of the entire
city.
w. ii. Mclaughlin made the closing
speech. He offered to pay 500 10 DIR. Slade
would take, not heavy table, but a light
article weighing but few punches, and pass
1t from one part OF that room 10 another
without personal contact with It.
Mr.. Aarons Is. like Mr.. TODD, a Spiritual
lst, but for some reason, he suspected DR..
Slade. and was determined TO expose him II
he found grounds for his suspicious.
Mr.. Todd Is a veteran Splritualist. and Il
still inclined to think that DIR. Slade, even II
he tried to play a trick In this instance, may
be "true medium"
Colby University.
The base ball men have at last taken the
field and are putting in sturdy practice daily.
AS yet the nine regular men have not been
decided upon.