The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1893-01-07
CURIOUS
Annie Eva Fay's Clever Hand at
Work in manifestations"

Annie Eva Fay's Clever Hand at
Work in manifestations"
DR.. E. B. Foote, Jr., says the New
York World, who like Marshall P.
Wilder, DR.. Holcombe, and others,
has figured upon the stage of Proc.
tors Theatre recently as a subject OF
Annie Eva Fay's spiritualistic revela-
tions, makes some statements discred-
lting the supernatural part OF Miss
Fay's performance.
DIR. Foote saysthat the alleged spir-
itualistic medium is a sleight-o f-hand
performer, and gives briefly his rea-
sons for thinking so. "In one part OF
the performance, where guitar makes
it's appearance from the interior of q
draped cabinet, and moves about
rapidly, | had the opportunity OF
holding Miss Fay's right hand, while
the other manipulated the guitar over
my head. On this occasion the wit
nesses were placed in a row, with Miss
Fay at the end, holding each others
hands. A curtain was pinned about
our necks, and covered us to the feet.
Miss Fay's hands remained con-
stantly upon my left hand, as they
were placed. Had I been questioned
I should have replied then, as now,
that her tiny right hand quietly took
it's leave, and after attending to it's
mysterious work in the cabinet re.
turned to mine just before the curtain
was unpined. The hand was porcept.
IDLY cooler than when it left. The
GOODNESS may have been due to the
handling OF the cold metallic instru.
ments, or to retarding of blood cir.
%culation by using the arm in a strain.
ed position.
II am satisfied that the cabinet
phenomena, including writing upon
sheets of paper, playing of instru.
ments, the bringing OF the tambour-
inc, the drinking from goblets in the
lap with hands and feet bound, and
other experiments we're the result oil
the agile and nimble fingers OF Miss
Fay. Her arms were tied according
to the directions Of her manager,
which method permits the hands to
be put forward to reach articles
placed in the lap, in amanner already
made familiar to many New Workers
by the late Mr.. Bishop. That is the
whole secret of the first cabinet per.
Torrance, during which I was given
the useless task of holding q cord tied
to Miss Fay's feet to see that she did
not move them. Had I been permit.
ted to fasten the cord to her hands
the further proceedings would have
been OF little interest.
"In another cabinet experiment
Miss Fay was tied by the neck to a
post at the end of the cabinet. On
that occasion if her feet had been Sc.
curely tied and the moorings commit.
ed to my care, there would have been
q dull bland in the manifestations.
When the performer is deprived of the
use of her hand her feet should be
closely watched. When her feet are
tied so as to give them no liberty, at
tention of the witnesses should rivet.
ed upon the neck.
II credit Miss Fay with very clever,
rapid and expert sleight-of-hand
work, made possible because she is
slight Or bony. Miss Debar, though
no doubt an adept in her way, is by
physical proportions debarred from
this line of phenomenal business.
"As to the 'table-tipping,' that ap-
peared to me to b. the only genuine
part of the exhibition, showing that
the so-called medium possesses a
power which, though not understood,
is human rather than superhuman."