Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-22

its occupants. The mysterious raps still
continued. The neighbors were called
in on several occasions and every posi-
/ BILE effort made to trace their origin, but
| in vain.
| 1t was on the night of March 81, of the
| same year Of 1948, that the mysterious
| raps first gave evidence Of being di-
rected by some controlling intelligence.
The family had retired dnring a brief
lull in the mysterious rapping when sud-
| denly it began again, occurring this
| time near the bed occupied by the TWO
| little daughters, Margaret and Cathar-
| inc. The latter began to snap her fin
gers in imitation of the sound, which
Immediately responded. "Now do as
do, - she cried, ''count one, two, three,
four, five, SIX, - at the same time strik-
| ing her hands together. Mrs. Fox, the
girls mother, then desired the unseen
| agency to count ten, and that number of
the age of Cathy,' Che younger daugh-
teri "by rapping once for each ear, -
said the mother, and ten distinct raps
were heard.
Startled by these manifestations, Mrs.
Fox asked if 1t were human being who
was rapping, but no answering sound
was heard. eff you are a spirit make
two distinct sounds, - she said, and two
loud raps responded.
Kate Fox, in her late exposure of spir-
itualism, has declared that she and her
sister were producing these mysterious
raps while lying in bed and almost chok-
ing with laughter at the clever imposi-
ton they were practicing on their
mother.
The power of cracking the toe joints,
by which they produced their esprit
rappings, - they he'd eooidently discov-
cred and had practiced until they had
aspired great proficiency. Be that as it
may these supposed manifestations of
spirit power created an intense excite
ment. The family rose from their beds
and searched every portion Of the house
without result. The neighbors were
called in and numerous questions asked
to which answers were received from the
mysterious raps. By sunrise the whole
village was on the spot and the little
house was crowded in every part. Fin
ally the spirit was asked to spell out his
or her name by rapping at the correct
letters as the alphabet was repeated. AS
a result the name of Charles B. Rosma
was obtained, and the spirit said he was
a peddler who had been murdered in
that house few years before.
Soon afterward the Fox family re-
moved to Rochester, N, Y, and the
same spiritual manifestations continued
in their new home, but only when Cath
arine or Margaret were present. By US
ing the letters OF the alphabet in the
manner already indicated. the Fox sis
tiers said that they found great number
of departed spirits who desired to con-
verse with them and to use them as a
medium of communication with their de-
parted friends.
At length the alleged spirits commune
Gated to the Fox girls their desire that
there should be held public meeting at
which committee OF investigation,
chosen by the audience, should deter
mine whether they were genuine spirits
and produced their so-called manifesto
tons without human aid. Such meet
ing was accordingly held at Corlnthian
hall, Rochester, in November, 1S49.
The Fox sisters appeared on the stage
and the spiritual phenomena, being
freely manifested, were Investigated by
a committee of prominent gentlemen,
who, after continuing their researches
for several days reported their inability
to trace them 70 any human agency.
The fame o. the Fox sisters was now ma