Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-04
LATEST In SPOOKS.
A New York Woman's Remark
able History.
SOME "REMINISCENCES OF LINCOLN.

The Martyr President and His Distin-
guished Cabinet Said to Have De-
pended on the Spirits of the Great
Dead for Advice-weDster Responsible
for the Emancipation Proclamation--A
Field Day for Eminent Shades-A Bed
Ridden Woman's Work.
NEW York, April Abraham Lincoln
has revisited the earth at White Plains at
the home of Mrs. Nettie Colburu- May.
nard, the once famous medium Mrs.
Maynard is now the wife of the postmas-
ter of that town and has been confined to
her bed for nearly ten years, a helpless in
valid. For most of this time she has been
engaged in debating to an amanuensis
book containing an account OF her seances
in Washington City with Lincoln, Sew
ard, Stanton. and Chase during the most
critical period of tie nations history.
Lincoln Influenced by Spirits.
at is well known among those who knew
Lncols at all intimately said Spirit.
uaiist who was present at yesterdays
seance, "that the emancipation proclama-
ton was issued by direction of a spirit said
to have been that of Webster speaking
through Nettie Colburn, as she was then
known. For two years. from 1868 to 1865.
Mrs. Maynard was engaged exclusively by
President Lincoln, and made her home
| in the White House. where she gave the
president seances almost daily Careful
notes were kept OF ali these important
communicat onS. ard the book was com
pleted aud put into the hands of DIR, 5. b.
Britain for publication about two years
ago.
spooks Assist in Writing a Book.
"He died soon afterward and the manu.
script was lost. Mrs. Maynard set TO
work to rewrite the history, having, as
she says, been assured that she would be
assisted by her spirit friends and kept
alive until the task was finished" To
verify certain dates and other details Mrs.
Maynard has during the progress of. the
work, so her Spiritualistic friends say.
consulted the spirit of Lincoln and other
spirits. During the last two years while
she has been lying in precisely the
same position on her bed, her hands and
feet twisted terribly by rheumatism, she
has been further favored BY the visits of
NJ. Il. Williams, of this city.
Twenty-Three GhostIy Visitors.
Through his mediumship the shades of
the invalid's departed friends visited her
in visible anG tangible shape, bringing Ia, r
strength and counsel The last of these
seances was held yesterday in the sick
chamber of the cosy house in White
Plains. The cabinet consisted of an
impromptu arrangement of curtains of
soft black wooden stuff drawn across one
corner of the room. From this emerged
| no less than twenty-three ghosts. Con-
gresham Somes, of Maine, an intimate
| friend of Lincoln, came out and awalked
upto MRS Maynard's beaAde,to give her
tue precise dates of some events recount
ell in the latter part of her book, which
she had been trying for weeks past TO re-
| member.
Shade of Lincoln, See This!
| The shade of Lincoln, tall, stern, dark,
and sad-looking appeared for a few mo.
| ments, gave Mrs. May nard assurances as
| to some details in her story and promised
| to control her and communicate more
| fully and particularly as to these events
later. Gen. Morgan Christly, who COM
manded the Thirtieth New York regi-
| ment, appeared in his brigadier's uniform
| aud was recognized by Mrs. Maynard and
her sister, Mrs. Colburn.
Reminded Them of a Joke.
! He reminded them of a certain erenin Q
in Washington City twenty years aga,
and of practical joke that occurred
which gave him the nickname of "Duck
Legs" The other spirits appeared in quick
| succession. At the close of the seance the
| invalid, for whom it was chiefly given,
said she had been greatly comforted and
| strengthened. With the missing dates
Supplied by the accommodating shade of
the martyr president, she will now speed
! lily complete her book.