Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-02-04
SENSATIONAL SEANCES.
Mrs. sawyer. the Medium, Trapped by
Three Men at Newport News.
CORRESPONDENCE Of The Richmond Dispatch.l

fCOrrespondence OF the Richmond Dtspacn.J
NEWPORT News. February 3.-There was
q sensation at the Lafayette House, IN this
city, last night which will not soon be Tor
gotten by those who witnessed IT, partlcu-
larry peOple who believe in spirltuallsm.
II was in the nature Of on expose and has
completely ruined the business prospects
of a woman who calls herself Mrs. sawyer,
the celebrated medium.
Mrs. SAWYER came to Newport News seve-
raj weeks ago and at once advertised
public performance at the Opera House.
She announced through the newspapers
long list of wonderful and mysterious
acts. such as causing hands TO appear IN
the air, tables to dance jIgs, and voices
from the unseen world TO speak to the
living. large audience greeted Mrs.
Sawyer. and, notwithstanding the fact that
there was failure all along the line OF
promised spiritual manifestations. scores
of people. il is averred, left the Duiidlhg
firmly convinced that the woman
possessed the power to commune with de,
parted spirits Mrs. Sawyers manager"
an elderly man, explained to the audience
that there were times when the spirits re-
fused 10 converse and that the evening IN
question was one of them. lie dismissed
the people with the announcement that
another seance would be attempted IN the
Opera House on the following evening, but
tor reasons which have not been explained
it did not take place.
DAIL1ED WITH FORTUNE.
But Mrs. Sawyer was not Idle, nor was
she lacking in friends who believed IN her
cause. Nearly every evening her apart
mepts at the Lafayette were visited 10y
people eager for messages from loved ones
who had gone before them into eternity.
She did some wonderful things. ana
naturally enough her fame spread. but IN
n ouiet kind of way. until those VINO
banked their faith on her supernatural
powers grew IN number IRON scores 10
hundreds. But Mrs. Sawyer, like many
other great people dallled win Io u, the
beyond the point of prudence, ana, I'D the
language of the worldly, last night she
got left" II happened IN this way
Mr. +. j. Blaine was invited yesterday
afternoon by one of Mrs. Sawyer's con-
verts to attend seance at the LaIayette
in the evening. He consented with the
understanding that he should take with nm
Mr. j. ". Lukens and Mr.. W. X. Mcf ali.
Before going TO the hotel. however. IT was
arranged between Mr.. Blaine and Mir.
Lukens that the former should request the
medium 10 call up the spirit OF hls mother.
The moment voice was heard MI. paine
was 10 make a grab in the direction whence
II came and Mir. Lukens was 10 strike
match.
CAUGHT IN THI AtIs
With that understanding the three men
went to the Lafayette at halt-past
O'Clock, where they met n number OF other
persons. In q corner of the room In which
the seance was to take place was cabinet.
over the front of which IA curtain was
drawn. The room was darkened and a
circle formed. Balme sat near the cabinet
and next to HIM was his TREND
Lukens. When all was ready Balme
asked for the spirit Of his mother.
For n moment there was breath
less silence, then there came from
behind the curtain a rustling sound,
voice informed the members OF the circle
that the spirit was III waiting, and then
Blaine plunged forward and seized some
thing by the neck. at the same time ex-
claiming: Are you my mother 2" A
stiiled voice REPLIED mo! No. young
man, amt your mother! BY this time
Lukens had Int his match and revealed the
fact which. OF course. the men expected.
that the spirit" Blaine held by the neck
was none other than Mrs. Sawyer herself.
TUMBLE.
Spiritualstic stock here ut once ook q
tumble. The mediums friends vanished
like the snow tails on the rlver and lett
the LAFAYETTE in bad humor with them
selves for having been so easily duped by
an adventures, while Blaine, Lukens. and
McFall got fun enough out of the affair to
last them for a week. All three are en-
ployed at the shlp-yard.