Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1893-09-25
FIEND IN HUMAN GUIsE.
Henry Slade, Alleged spiritualistic
Medium, Guilty of Revolt
ing Crimes.

known as Henry Slade, an alleged
spiritualist, the details of whose vile
acts are wholly unfit for publication.
The story of this wretch's revolving
deeds is best told in the following tel
egraphic account of the affair, sent
out from that city:
"Our city has been stirred up to a
pitch Of excitement rarely if ever wit
messed before in her history, and it
has been with difficulty that sober
counsel prevailed to keep the hot
headed ones from wreaking upon a
fiend in human form the just iudigna-
ton of an outraged people.
"The cause of all this is a so-called
medium who has been in Van Buren,
for the past week, holding seances and
deluding the people with fake spirit
ual demonstrations. The mans name
is Henry Slade, and if he is really
Slade, he has a wide reputation
throughout spiritualistic circles as be-
ing wonderful test medium. lie has
given demonstrations and lectures in
many of the larger cities and gener-
ally has been successful in carrying
out his part Van Buren, has quite
number of people who are interested
in this belief, and Slade came here un-
der the management of II. ID. Smith,
to lecture, and incidentally to hold
private seances at fixed price per
head.
at was not long before he caught
on and filed the hall with large and
intensely interested before whom he
delivered forcible talks upon the beau
ty and purity of his belief, and to
whom he gave exhibitions of his me-
diumistic abilities.
"Van Buren spiritualists were de-
lighted with the prophet who had
come into their midst and skeptics
were listening to the arguments ad-
vanced and observing the tests made
with open-mouthed amazement.
"The private seances were no less
well patronized and the nimble dollar
was flowing merrily into the pockets
of the man upon whom the spirit had
grip, and both he and his manager
were happy, while Van Burenites de-
luded themselves that a wonder was
among them. Suddenly all this was
changed and a most horrifying dis
covery was made. From hints that
were dropped here and there it was
found that Slade had been engaged
while here in trying to corrupt our
youth in terrible manner. He sys-
tematically persuaded young men and
boys to attend his private sittings, aud
when he was alone with chem had at
tempted to commit an unnamable
crime. This had been going on for
several days but the victims were so
Mortified that they hardly breated of
the disgusting goings on, but at last,
in whispers, it leaked out, and few
knew Slade as terrible viper.
at was resolved to unmask him,
and to that end three young men, one
of whom was Mr.. Dencon, clerk in a
grocery store here, formed a plan to
catch the flend in the act
"Mr Bencon went to Sade for a
sitting and stationed his two compan-
ions Just outside the door.
"When Slade had amply committed
himself, the two outside burst in the
door and confronted him. He, to-
gether with his manager were arrest
ed and taken to Jail, followed by a
mob who were bent on taking him
from the hands Of the officers and
giving him some evidence of their in
dignation.
"The officers succeeded in landing
them in Jail, where they stayed until
morning, when they were taken be-
fore justice Of the peace for trial
Smith was given three hours TO leave
town, which he did in twenty min
utes, while Slade was bound over in
81 900 to the grand jury.
"The trial was held in the court
house and was attended by the largest
crowd ever gathered together in Van
Buren,, and many threats were made
against the prisoner, who made no
defense, but took refuge in silly and
idiotic manner as If 80 convey the
impression that he had lost his mind.
"The people here are wild with rage,
and it is thought he will be taken
from the Jail and given coat Of tar
and feathers, If not lynched.
at Is q grand expose Of monster
imposition, and will do much good
in placing Sladc where he can do no
further harm"
-
Well Known Railroad Man.
Mr. C III Raralle one of the oldest