, 1891-07-31
COOPER AND SPIRITS.
WAS THE NOVELIST CONVERTED
BY THE FOX sIsTERsf

swers Through Spirit Raps" which
Made n Profound Impression
The statement by one of the 'Fox
girls" of Rochester rappings fame, de
claring that all the spirit sounds and
noises were caused by the cracking of
her toe joints, leads me to give an ac-
count of a remarkable seance with these
three girls at the time they paid their
first visit to New York. After perusing
it 1 think the reason will be satisfied,
whatever of deception may have been
practiced, that the toe joint story is an
ineffable humbug.
1t was in 1850 that the Fox girls came
to New York, astounding reports having
preceded them of the noisy visitation of
the spirits which had literally compelled
them to leave their home. DR.. Rufus
w. Griswold, the author and critic, oc-
cupied room at that time in Broadway,
between Blocker and Houston streets.
These were on the first floor and held
his large and valuable library.
he was an unbeliever in regard to the
"rappings," not only so far as any spirit
ual influences prevailed, but with respect
to the production of the sounds them
selves, which he pronounced "all trick"
1t was proposed to invite these girls
to meet a number of gentlemen at DR..
Griswold's rooms, where it was expected
the Spirits" would be present, when we
felt confident of exposing the humbug.
AN INTELLIGENT AUDIENCE.
The invitation was accepted. At the
appointed hour the following gentlemen
met in DR.. Griswold's apartments: J.
Fenimore Cooper, George Bancroft, W.
q. Bryant, the Rev. DR.. Hawkes., DR..
John w. Francis, DR.. E. e. Marcy. John
Bigelow and myself. The three Fox
girls came promptly. They were seated
by a table, but not near enough to touch
it. The company made a large circle
around it, and we all impatiently waited
Tor the performance to begin. Utter in
.redulity pervaded our little assembly.
A half hour passed and the spirits
made no sign. The girls were repeatedly
asked how soon they would begin to
demonstrate. They replied gravely that
the spirits were not under their control;
that they had intimated they would be
present-that was all they could say.
At length raps began to be heard,
sounding like slight shocks from an cleo
trio battery. Questions were ut once in
order, and DR.. Francis took the floor.
His interrogatories were leading ones,
and ct the end of q few minutes he re-
signed in favor of DR.. Hawkes., the Fox
girls getting the best of it. With DR..
Hawkes., who had been bred a lawyer,
things did not flow so smoothly with
them, but there were several answer
which excited surprise.
was seated next to Mr.. Cooper, and /
| narraiua1 hn rnnrh frpnotsanna
while the questioning was going on.
When DIR. Hawkes. finished, Cooper ex-
claimed, Let me have hold of them"
He began accordingly. Here are the
questions and answers:
"Some years ago l lost n near relative.
Was it n male or n female?"
"a female"
''By a natural death or otherwiseY"
Otherwise"
please rap the number of years since
the person died"
I-NDIsPUTABLE EVIDENCE.
The rappings began. We all listened
attentively, counting the number. AS
it ran from twenty to thirty, from thirty
to forty, from forty to fifty, we began to
hold our breath. The rappings stopped
at f~fty-eight. There was some discussion
whether it was fifty-seven or ifty-eight,
and it was raped owe again at fifty
eight.
had watched Cooper narrowly. AS
the raps proceeded he became deadly
pale. AT the conclusion all eyes were
turned on him.
"Gentlemen," said he, "when l was
about two years old my sister was killed
by being thrown from her horse. The
years since then nave been correctly
raped"
Isaw hat Cooper was profoundly af-
fected. This did not, however, stop the
proceedings. Mr.. Bancroft suggested
that the rappings should be transferred
to the door, he being on one side and
Bryant on the other. No questions were
asked, but the raps came out strong.
After some further experiments we ad-
journed with the feeling that we had not
succeeded in "confounding the Fox
girls" and we agreed hat the least said
about it the better.
Fenimore Cooper died about eighteen
months after this occurrence. Two OF
three years later | was dining with Mr.
Phinney of the book firm of Ivison &
Phinney, and a near connection of Mr.
Cooper's. In the course of conversation
he asked me if | knew Cooper had be
come a confirmed spiritualist before his
death. l said did not. He assured ms
of the fact, but could not account for it
l told him | believed / could account fol
it, and l repeated to him what | have
now recorded here.-Richard B. Kimbal
in New York Times.