Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-08-14
AN ARMFUL OF SPOOK.
DR.. Cleveland, of Erie, Catches a
Buxom Spirit at Lily Dale.
THE SPIRITUALISTS ALL UPSET.
Claims That Tangible Materiality Is a
Common Occurrence.
THE P0W-WOWS AND SPIRIT PICTURES
rcoRRkspoNDENcE OF THE DISPATCH

CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DrsPArcB.J
LILY DALE, Aug. 12.-Mrs William
Keeler, wife of the celebrated "spirit pho
| tographer," has been holding materializing
| seances in Washington, New York and else
where for the past eight years. She has
been located at this camp for several sea-
sons and has won considerable notoriety
through her productions of independent
writing upon sheets of paper in sealed en-
velopes.
Mrs. Keeler determined this summer to
hold materializing seances at regular inter-
walls, and after few preliminary and ex-
perimental attempts, her room was opened
to the general public early this week.
Among those who availed themselves of
this opportunity was DR.. Cleveland, of
Erie, Pa. The circle consisted of 20 curious
and possibly credulous souls, all eager to
catch sight of their spirit friends. The
conditions being pronounced satisfactory
by the medium, she disappeared in the
cabinet the lights were lowered until the
room was in almost total darkness, a simple
song was sung, and then a voice from the
cabinet announced itself to be "Clara," the
controlling spirit of the medium and the
seance began at once.
Several indistinct forms of varying height
and differently clothed had appeared at the
Aperture of the cabinet, some had given
names, a few had yentured out into the cir
cle one or two had seemed to be recognized
by someone present, and many more had
fitted in and out and around the cabinet,
when DR.. Cleveland became suspicious.
Caught a Flesh and Blood spook.
When a particularly buxom-looking
phantom came and stood before him he
made grab for it, and, as he half expected,
he found in his arms struggling woman,
who fought like tigress, and after a mo-
mentary struggle, broke loose from his
grasp and lodged into the cabinet. The
lamp had been overturned in the scuff1e,
and in the darkness DR.. Cleveland and sew
eral others who had had enough of it made
good their escape.
1t was all over so quickly that some of
those present did not ''catch on" to what
had happened, while others remained from
curiosity.
Order was finally restored, the control
from the cabinet reported herself Fright
side up with care" and the show went on.
But the manifestations were vague and
weak, and the circle was soon after dis
persed.
In the meantime DR.. Cleveland and his
sympathizers had gone to the hotel, re-
ported the affair and demanded that the as
sociation expel the woman from the grounds
For time perfect bedlam reigned. Mrs
Keeler claims to have been unconscious
throughout the entire evening, and is in
clined to deny that she was personally
roughly handled. The excitable spiritual
lists denounce her in strong language, and
declare that her presence should not be
tolerated in the camp. The older and more
conservative, and they are in the majority,
disclaim ahy premeditated fraud on the part
of Mrs. Keeler In this way. The spirits,
they say, assume entire control of the
medium while giving what is called "ma-
sponsible for what occurs If the circle is
harmonious, and the electrical, magnetic |
and psychic conditions are gsod, the spirits |
can materialize Independent of the medium. |
When this is not possible, for various |
reasons, they will transfgure the medium |
entirely and manifest themselves in this
way, SO as to be entirely recognizable.
When the conditions are very bad, and the
circle is inharmonious and restless, and
there are spirits present who are particu- |
larly anxious to make themselves known to |
their friends, they will lay hold Of the |
medium and personate themselves through |
her organism. This, claim the old-time |
Spiritualists, is the real secret OF most of |
the alleged exposes of first-class mediums.
Pow-Wows OF Red Skin Spirits.
The morning 'pow-wows" or Injecting of |
the mediums" in the woods is good place |
for psychological study. Here the "sensi-
tives" gather together in an inner circle,
inclosed by supporters and sympathizers;
the investigators and passively curious come
next, and these are always surrounded by
big crowd of fun-lovers and funmakers.
These last wisely linger on the outskirts.
When everything is in readiness, the
after some interesting twitchings
and jerks, pass under the control of their
guides (who in most cases are red skins)
and pandemonium reigns. The clairvoyants
begin to see, the clairaudients begin to
near, the healers begin to heal and the
'peechmakers begin to talk. The hour is
crowded full of gutteral grunts, startling
Sarwhoops, war dances and interesting
craps of conversation between the controls
n their native language.
The public is invited up to get cured of
heir ailments without money and without
price by the ''big medicines" who usually
hrow in some advice to the women to stop
chewing gum, drinking tea and catering to
|
way their tobacco, cigars and rum.
The greatest success of the season has
,een made by the Independent slate-writers
md automatic portrait painters. DIR. Pret-
yman, of Pittsburg, has lately exhibited in
he Auditorium an oil painting of spray
# flowers, which was produced for him
through local medium, under strictly test
onditions, upon closed states in broad day.
light.
The picture is of more than ordinary
sychc interest from the fact that certain
elicatc kind of moss that is prominent in
he painting has been used by the doctor in
lis eclectic practice for many years. There
Tere also in and about the flowers five faces
ecognized by the doctor as being members
f his family that have long been de ad.
)nly few seconds were required to paint
his picture, he says, and the only condi-
ions imposed were to sit quietly with the
1edium, each clasping one end of the
lates with one hand, and the other, both of
he medium and himself, resting upon var
Gus tubes of paint. The phenomenon has
ttracted the attention of dozens of schol-
rly and scientific men and women, who
ave thus lar been unable TO discover the
lightest hint of collusion, trickery or
aud.
Spirit Picture of Merit. Z
The portrait of beautiful lady, purport-
,g to have been painted by Titan through
,e mediumship of DIR. Henry Rogers, of
lew York City, was also exhibited and
,used considerable discussion. The pict-
re certainly possesses rare artistic merit
nd has been greatly admired.
Miss Maggie Gaule, the celebrated plat
,rm clairvoyant and test medium, is daily
vino re N, . RI ob1a damnn trations of her 4