Los Angeles herald., 1892-01-04

The Los Angeles theater last night was
packed to the doors-not even standing
room being obtainable at s o'clock-to
witness the Scientific Manifestation"
of DIR. Henry Cook, of New York, who
is said to be one of the best exemplifiers
OF the work of spiritual mediums now
before the public. The audience was a
representative one in character, many
of the best people being present. Shortly
after O'Clock Mr.. Cook, who is mid
dle-aged man of pleasing address,
stepped on the stage and requested the
audience to select several prominent
citizens to act as an investigating COM
mittee.
81 do not make any claims as to how
bring about results which you have
seen accomplished by spiritual me-
diums." said Mr.. Cook, II simply sub
NIT the phenomena to you and allowyou
to draw your own conclusions"
Several names were suggested from
different parts of the large audience, and
finally the following gentlemen were
selected: DIR. Wise, Judge Whitney,
Major Toler, and G. w. Innes. When
the gentlemen took their places on the
stage Mr.. Cook began his entertainment
by giving number of ingenious ex-
amples of slate writing. 1t was only
when be turned TO the cabinet manipu-
lations, however, that the audience be-
came warmly interested. The cabinet
used was made of four upright posts
with curtain draped around them.
Mr.. Cook then took several yards of
stout cord and requested the committee
to tie him securely to chair
placed inside of the curtain. They did
so, and sealed the knots with sealing
wax. The curtain was lowered and then
bells were heard ringing and several
banjos tossed out of the cabinet. Major
Toler was then asked to sit down in
front of Mr.. Cook in the cabinet and
place his hands firmly on his knees.
The curtains were drawn for fifteen Sec
onds and then opened, and in that
space of time Major Toler's coat had
been taken off and was on Mr.. Cook,
and the best of the trick was that Major
Teler was not aware that his coat had
been removed. The cords were exam
ined, and the sealing wax and peculiar
knots tied by the committee were found
to be intact. The coat was then sewed
securely by the committee at the sleeve
openings and in front, hnd on the cur
tain being cloeed it was next found to
be on Major Toler with the sewing in
tact. Major Toler says he felt many
hands but could see nothing. During
the above experiments all the lights in
the house were turned on, full force.
Another ingenious experiment was
the tying OF Mr.. Cook to pole with his
hands behind his back and tying his
feet and body in such manner that it
was apparently impossible for him to
move. A blank card was placed in front
OF him, and the curtain closed for ex-
actly two seconds, when the card was
found to contain long written extract
from one of Bulwer's plays.
Quite number of equally difficult
feats were then accomplished, to the pro-
fo und mysti6cation of the audience.
Mr.. Cook then sent for an ordinary
kitchen table, and asked the committee
to hold it down securely on the stage.
In few minutes it was lifted several
feet and dragged the committee all over
the stage. Finally several of the gentle
men jumped on the table and were
lifted four or five feet from the floor.
The manifestations were received with
hearty applause and Mr.. Cook sue
.ceeded in puzzling alike the committee
and the audience.
One of the committee was tied in the
cabinet and the lights turned half down.
The curtain opened and ghastly look
ing figure arryed in shroud-like gar
ments Issued ringing bell, and then
returingn to the, cabinet. The expert
! ment struck the committee as a decided
case of "spooks," although the commit
teeman inside the cabinet strongly as
serted that he saw nothing. One feature
about Mr.. Cooks manifestations is that
they are done with full light and with
the simplest accessories.
[ Water-dafnaced tahlA linens. towels