The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1891-07-23
COOPER AND SPIRITS
WAS THE NOVELIST CONVERTED
BY THE FOX SlSTERSi

A scance Ina DIR. Griswoid's ONCE ~
which Noted Men Were Present--An-
swers Through Spirit Raps" Which
Made "A P,.Sound 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 q remarkable seance with these
three girls at the time they paid their
first visit to New York. After peruslng
1t | 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 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 30 far as any spirit
ual influences prevailed, but with respect
to the production Of tho 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 1t was expected
the ssspirits" 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.
c.. Bryant, the Rev. DR.. Hawkes., Dr.
John ". Francis, Dr.. e. e, Marcy, John
Bigelow and myself. The three Fox
girls came promptly. They were seated
by table, bat not near enough to touch
it Tho company made large circle
around 1t, and we all irnpatiently waited
for the performance to begin Utter in
credulity pervade,l our little assembly.
A half hour passed and the spirits
made no sign. The girls were repeatedly
asked how soon they would begin TO
demonstrates. They replied grayely that
the spirits were not under their control;
that they had intimated they would be
lpresent-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 DR.. Francis took the floor.
His interrogatories were leading ones,
and at the end of 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 o lawyer,
things did not fow 50 smoothly with
them, but there were several answers
which excited surprise.
Twas seated next to Mr.. Cooper, and
perceived he exhibited much impotence
while tho questioning was going on.
When Dr.. Hawkes. finished, Cooper ex-
claimed, LET me have hold Of them"
He began accordingly. Here are the
questions and answers:
.'Solne years ago lost near relative.
Was it male or a female!'
"A female"
by a natural death or otherwise?"
OTHERWISE.
please rap the number Of years since
tho person died"
INDlsPuTABLE EVIDENCE.
The rappings began. We all listened
attentiveiy, 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 fifty-eight There was some discussion
whether It was fifty-seven or fifty eight,
and it was raped over 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.
"Gensiamen," said he, "when l was
about two years cid my sister was killed
by being thrown from her horse. The
years since then have been correctly
raped"
saw that Cooper was profoundly af
fectedL 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 sone further experiments we ad-
journed with the feeling that we had not
succeeded in "confounding the Fox
girls" and we agreed that the least said
about 1t the better.
Fenimore Cooper died about eighteen
months after this occurrence. Two OF
three years later l was dining with Mr.
Phinney of the book firm Of lvison &
Phinney, and near connection of Mr.
Cooper's. In the course OF conversation
be asked me If ] knew Cooper had be-
come a confirmed spiritualist before his
death. / said did not. He assured me
of the fact, but could not account for it.
I told him believed could account for
it, and | repeated to him what have
now recorded here. Richard B. Kimball
in New York Times.