Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-01-23
HE SAW THE SPOOK
A Reporter for the Herald Visits
Prof. Archer.
He TALKS WITH A REAL GHOST
Which the Professor Declared Was His
Husband on Earth-A Woman
Visited by Her Little Girl.

On the fourth floor in the southeast
corner of the Weston building are tive
rooms occupied by Professor Archer. a
so-caIled splrituaiistic medium. In
one of the rooms there is white bed
room suite; in the center OF the other Il
. cabinet in front OF which chairs are
arranged IN . semi-circuiar FORM The
cabinet is constructed by erecting fou'
posts and stretching black cloth around
them. The front Of the cabinet il
open; but . curtain conceals the con
tents from the view of the audience.
Last evening the professor" pre-
paratory to bic removal To Chicago, an
nounced that he would hold a seSnce
and promised TO jerk departed souls
back from the dizzy hence. and ex
hibt them AT the uniform rate of fifty
cents for ladies. one dollar for gentle
men with no reduction for children.
reporter for THE HERALD, disguised Al
a woman, was detailed to hold com
munion with q few Of the lately de
parted. and report anything these ce
lestlal beings might have 70 offer to
corporeal public.
A small audience Of sympathic souls
were gathered into the room which
was blacker than a reform administers
ton. They were seated in semi
circle. and the professor, who is a
smooth-fare. very tall man of 40, ad
monished them to keep perfectly still
lest the discord OF earthly sounds
might "hoodoo" the celestial visitors
The professor then retired into the
cabinet, and the silence became thicker
than city water.
"A Thrill In the Darkness.
Suddenly :hrill shot through tho
entire audience. In the almost inkN
darkness each spectator could be seei
to start and the hearts of the congrega
ton could almost be heard to beat. A
woman's hand was seen above the cab
met. Suddenly her face appeared ano
the heavy breathing of the spectator
could be distinctly heard. The ghostly
hand then swept the curtain back anC
a form stepped out of the cabinet. Tht
petite. The face however had re
markable resemblance to the profes
sor's, probably due to spiritua
communication. The ghost ther
announced that she was from the geo
graphical center of the murky whence
and would answer limited number o.
questions concerning departed friend.
and relatives in good standing. Sew
eral availed themselves of the oppor
tunity. One woman wept tears o.
ecstatic Joy when she learned that he
dead boy was growing and advancin,
in the spirit land as he would here OF
earth, aud that he was anxiously await
ing the advent of his mother into tina
higher realm where the spirit Is freet
from the incumberance of the flesh
She then wanted TO see the boy an(
was promised that privilege later il
the evening.
His Husband was Well.
After several other women had asket
about relatives and friends and had re
ceived soft and soothing answers, tn,
reporter wished to know about hi
husband who died of heart failure
three years ago at Kalamazoo. The
ghost saw he was happy and that ever,
day his spiritual heart went out TOWARD
his lonely wife who is suffering tn
hardships of earthly life and vino is de
She said the reporters husband woulC
be glad to come back to earth and com
fort his lonely, sorrowful little wlfey
did not the eternal laws forbid.
The spirit then retired and 1t wa
announced in about ten minutes by tn,
professor that any one wishing to hole
communication with departed frlen,
might be allowed few minutes con
versation.
The first to respond was the woman
who had asked about her little boy
He came out in sight of the audience,
man grown. lie explained this by say
ing that spirits grew the same AS bodies
The boy sent his love to his father
brother and two little sisters, and saiS
he vearned TO have them with hin
| where ali is bliss. lie then disappeare'
and the reporter wanted his husband
His Husband Appeared
a slab-sided spirit tabout the pro
fessor's aze) appeared in few min
utes and poured out words Of burnln,
love to his loneIv helpmeet. The psn
Gil pusher had never been loved lik,
that before, and was almcst overcom,
by the warmth OF il. However, h,
was w ao6 IutStiOGs
aud go sat in silence while the latel,
deceased pictured the bliss they tw,
| would have wandering through tn
Elysian fields throughout all eternity
After time each one present receive,
communication from departe,
| friend. These were brought one at
time by young girl tabout the pro
| fessoT's size). She didn't talk. Thcl
a mandolin played by ghos,ly finger
above the cabinet dlscoursed some kin,
of ETHEREAL rhapsody. Various form
of f!apdoodle of this kind wereindulge'
in, and finally the professor AZ
peared, weak and nervous. from tn
cabinet, and the audience dispersed
Several weeks ago the professor
Was thoroughly exposed By THr Has
AID, and iast week the Democrat sup
piemerted this exposure; but severa
letters testifying TO the gcnninenes
of Prof. Archer's exhibitions have bcel
| received. and % the reporter disguises
/ himself as woman IN order To CIV
the readers of THs HsR,Ip reliable 10
formation concerning these seances.