The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1891-08-20
COOPER AND SPIRITS.
WAS THE NOVELIST CONVERTED
BY THE FOX SiSTERSf

Which Noted Men We're Present-An-
swers Through "Spirit Raps" Which
Made Profound Impression.
The statement by one of the Cox
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 remarkable seance with these
three girls at the time. they paid their
first visit to New York. After perusing
it ! 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 rooms at that time in Broadway,
between Bleecker 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"
It was proposed to invite these girls
to meet 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
~ 4
Fenimore Cooper, George Bancroft, W.
G. 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 table, but not near enough to touch
it. The company made large circle
around it, and we all impatiently waited
for the performance to begin. Utter in
credulity 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 graveiy 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 at once in
order, and DIR. Francis took the floor.
His interrogatories were leading ones,
and at the end of few minutes he re-
signed in favor of DIR. Hawkes., the Fox
girls getting the best of it. With DR..
Hawkes., who had been bred lawyer,
things did not flow so smoothly with
them, but there were several answers
which excited surprise.
was seated next to Mr.. Cooper, and
perceived he exhibited much impatience
while the questioning was going on.
When DIR. Hawkes. finished, Cooper ex-
claimed, ''Let me have hold of them. y
He began accordingly. Here are the
questions and answers:
'tSome years ago lost a near relative
Was it male or female?"
ga female
by natural death or otherwise?''
Otherwise.
please rap the number of years since
the person died"
NDIsPUTABLE EVIDENCE.
The rappings began. We all listened
attentively, counting the number. A,
it ran from twenty to thirty. from thirty
to forty, from forty to fifty, we began tx
hold our breath. The rappings stopped
at fifty-eight. There was some discussion
whether it was ffty-seven or ffty-eight
and it was raped over again at fifty
eight.
l had watched Cooper narrowly. Al
the raps proceeded he became deadly
pale At the conclusion all eyes were
turned on him.
| Gentlemen" said he, when l wa
about two years old my sister was killed
by being thrown from her horse. Th,
years since then have been correctl,
trapped"
1 saw that Cooper was profoundly af
fected. This did not, however, stop tn
proceedings. Mr.. Bancroft suggested
that the rappings should be transferred
to the door, he being on one side ant
Bryant on the other. No questions wer,
asked, but the raps came out strong
After some further experiments we ad
journed with the feeling that we had no
succeeded in "confounding the Fo:
girls" and we agreed that the least salt
aboutit the better.
Fenimore Cooper died about eighteel
months after this occurrence. Two o
three years later l was dining with MI
Phinney of the book firm of Ivison
/ Phinney, and near connection of MI
Coopers. In the course of converSatiol
he asked me if l knew COOPER hid be
come a confirmed spiritualist before hi
death. said did not. He assured m
of the fact, but could not account for it
I told him believed 1 could account fo
it, and repeated to him what l hav
now recorded dhere.-Richard B. Kimbal
in New York Times.
i Are We PhyaicalIy AdvaBclng9
4 Edward Atkinson has examined th