Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-01
BY PSYCHIC FORCE.
vuv POWER OY A YOUNG WOMAN IN LOWELL
UNDBR INVESTIGATION.
A Committee From Tie American PsYchical Society
Holds T.rss Ssarcss With Miss josephine
Lord, and One cf Them, Ssai'd in a Chair,
Is Lihsd to the Top Of the Table by
Unseen POwTs-OthT DOiDgs.

LOWELL, July 31.-The Committee of
Investigation Of the American Psychical
Society, formed to test modern Spirit
ualism and prominent on whose roll OF
membership are the Rev. Heber New
ron. OF New York, and the Rev. Minot
Savage, Of Boston, has just finished
series Of three seances with Miss
Josephine Lord, Of this city. She is
Young, lives with her father and mother,
has never known anything Of Spiritual
ism, and until recently has been mem
Der and constant attendant OF the
First Baptist Church. About'two years
ago her favOrite brother was taken very
iii. A woman friend who was calling
foretOld his immediate death, which,
proving correct, impressed Miss Lord
and her family very much. Hearsbro-
ken, they sought, like many others,
consolation in Spiritualism, and thus
began the mediumiStic career o. MISS
Lord
The phenomena produced oy Miss
Lord are Of peculiar character, occur
ring for the most part in the light. She
apparently has command Of Ihe occult
powers, the unseen force OJeying her
directions. At the first sRnce, held
under the direction of she Rev. L.
Ernest Allen, of Providence, K. l., Sec
rotary Of the American PSychical So
cietY, with six others present, three
canes, one of wood, alother or glass,
and another of steel were made to
stand upon the floor fJr five minutes in
vertical position. At a command
from Miss Lord the saneS moved in any
direction Indicated. but they would not
respond to a request made by any other
person in the room. She then took one
OF the sticks in Der hand, and, although
apparently holding it lightly between
her fingers, No person present was able
10 take IL from her. The phenomenon
is somethlngaiter the Lulu Hurst or
der.
The secynd seance was reinforced by
r. O. FloSer, Of Boston, editor OF the
arena: Mrs. Flower, and Mr.. Garland,
AN heiug members of the society. On
tbis okcasion the manifestations were
far u,ore varied and striking in charac-
ter. Sitting in the dim light around
the table, shadowy forms were seen
vlaiply, moving here and there, bend
Ing over and breathing some word Of
comfort in whisper; then seeming TO
rise i'm the air, 10 be lost in the deepen
ing shadows. There stood at q little
distance from the table large rocking
chair, which all at once began to rock.
Gradually IL slid nearer TO the table
and pushed itself in between two of the
persons sitting there. Then it stopped
for moment and slowly rose few
inches from the floor, falling back again
with a loud thud almost instantly. 1t
rose somewhat higher Jecond time, re-
turning quickly u the floor again.
Making a third attempts, as though
moved by some supeyhuman force, ii
lifted itself SQuarely on the top Of the
table and began rocking violently,
A murmur OF surprise went through
the room. After a little delay Mr..
TO the floor, saying as he did so: ''Conld
anyone sit In the chair, 1 wonder, and
II so could both be lfted?n
Instantly three loud rapS were heard,
which in SpOOkdOm is the signal for yes.
Having thus gained the consent Of the
unseen agents, Mrs. Flower, with much
L
the company meantime all joining In
singing a familiar hymn. This had
cOnticued few moments only when the
chair, despite all OF Mrs Flowers efforts
70 prevent TO- began slowly to rock
backward and forward. In vain did the
occupant place her feet upon the floor
and protest that the chair should not,
could not, dare not move. 1t continued
just the same, gaining gradually in
force and velocity.
Every eye was fixed upon the chair
and its occupant, which were both plain
~ visible in the Semi-twilight, and an
exclamation OF fear arose as the chair
was lifted with its occupant fully ten
inches from the floor and then sunk
back again, just as it had done in the
first instance.
Are yop afraid?" asked several per-
sons Of Mrs. Flower. They saw she
looked somewhat pale.
"N-n-O, not Very" was the answer
heSitatingly given.
The last word had not left her lips,
when as though with one mighty effort
the chair and its occupant were both
placed on the centre of the table in the
presence of the astonished company.
AT the third Seance in the presence of
the same company about the same phe-
nOmena occurred with an additional
mystery. Near the ceiling was large
picture hook. One OF the men present
asked permission to place something on
#, and was told, by loud raps, that he
might do so. A stool was placed on the
table and he folded a bank note length.
wise, and tied it about the hook. After
he took his seat all Joined hands and
soon all were softly singing. The light
was very dim. Not more than five min
utes had passed before the medium ut
tered a cry more like the war whoop OF
an Indian than anything else. Throwing
her hands upward she caught the bank
note from the air just above her own
head. With this manifestation the
meeting broke up, not, however, until
the members OF the society had express
ed their complete satisfaction with
what had occurred, and suggested con-
tinuance OF these remarkable expert
mentS in the autumn.
RUSSIANS AGAINST MODJEsKA.