Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-19
WARNED OF HIS FATE
Abraham Lincoln in the Role
of a Spiritualist.
Frequent Seances Held at the
White House.
The Spirits Aided Him in His Conduct
of Public Affairs.
They Kept Him Posted on the Progress
of the War and Warned Him OF
His Fate-A Noted Me
dium's Revelations.
Associated Press Dispatches.

Associated Press Dispatches.
WHITE PLAINS, N. Y. Oct. 1S.-In the
work entitled Abraham Lincoln as
Spiritualist, Mrs. Nettie Colburn Mayn-
ard, of this city, makes some startling
declarations regarding Mr.. Lincoln's
She stated that in the latter part of
1862, when she was young girl and
had some reputation as a medium, she
was in Washington and became
acquainted with Mrs. Lincoln and
number OF other prominent persons who
attended her seances. Mrs. Lincoln
induced the president to attend seance,
and on that occasion he was warned by
the unconscious medium not
to postpone the issuance of
the emancipation proclamation.
Those present were surprised, asking
Lincoln if any pressure had been brought
to bear to secure a deferment of the
proclamation. He replied there had
been pressure of the strongest kind, but
he was much impressed by the incident,
and shortly after he issued the procla-
nation.
Mrs. Lincoln obtained clerkship for
Miss Colburn, and the latter remained
in Washington, frequently giving Sc
ances.
The following February Lincoln was
again present at seance, and the spirit
brought through her told the company
the precarious condition of things pre-
vailing in the army at the front, threat
ening it's usefulness. The president
said: "You seem to understand the
situation. Can you point out the
remedy"
The spirit advised him personally to GO
to the front with his family, going
among the soldiers, inquiring into their
grievances and showing them he was
The father of Ills people. Lincoln said
he would do as advised, and soon did so.
with good results.
At this seance, Lincoln, II. D. Somes,
congressman from Maine, Col. S. p.
Kane, of Philadelphia, and others sat
upon piano which, notwithstanding
their weight, was moved by the spirits.
When asked what he thought of the
affair, Lincoln was reticent, but stated
freely that he had not supposed that the
things communicated by the spirits
were known to any one but himself
The next time the medium met Lin
coin was on the day of the battle of
Charlottesville. The president was
very anxious, and at the suggestion of
Mrs. Lincoln, Miss Colburn was invited
and received word from the spirit land.
IT. was to the effect that the Union.
forces were holding their own. Next
day this was confirmed by official adj
vices.
In the winter OF 1866 at seance,
the terrible condition of the freedmen
was made the subject of communica-
ton, in which the president was urged
to appoint a committee to investigate
the question, which he soon did. Gen.
Daniel E. Sickles was present at this
seance.
Mrs. Maynard states that during the
winter there were held many private
seances, at which the president and his
vile were the only visitors, but that as
she was unconscious at the time of the
spirit communication and neither of the
auditors ever told her what occurred,
she can give no information regarding
them.
During the winter of 1S64-5 Charles
Colchester and Charles Foster, two we'll
known mediums, held seances for Lin
coin, and through them, as we'll as her,
Lincoln was warned of his approaching
fate. He did not admit, however, that
he placed reliance on these prophecies.
The writer OF the book, who is now
the wife of William Porter Maynard
and who resides here, also gives many
interesting "reminiscences of Lincoln's
general life, which she had many oppor-
tunities of observing.