Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-07-11
BY MAGIC POWER.
People Who Have Seen Charles
Adams Feats.
BE HAS SUPERHUMAN GIFTS.

The Young Gentle man Is Not a beilevef IN
spiritusIIsm, hut Attributes the Success
of His Feats to Muscular Masueti.m = A
Private Exhibition.
Much interest and curiosity is at
the present time being concentrated
on the parsonage of Charles Adams.
the young gentleman whose claims
of superhUman possessions are veri-
fed by numerous people who have
had their former doubts overcome by
his wonderful exhibitions. That he
is endowed with powerful gifts there
seems to be no question in the minds
of those who have been afforded an
opportunity to witness his opera
tions. As if by magic he controls
the various articles which may be in
q room in which he passes into 4
trance, making visible whatever
he so desires, much to the horror
and Consideration of those who pre-
viously expressed themselves as
viewing such proceedings as purely
imaginary. If such reports Of
Adams feats be authentic, and it is
not to be presumed that reliable par
ties would give approving express
sion to anything which they disbe-
lieved, this Young man certainly has
gifts such US will yet bring him into
prominence not confined to this i'm
mediate community.
Not a SpirituaIi.tic Believer.
While Adams most wonderful
feats are performed in similar
manner to spiritualistic scance, he
makes the statement that he is not
. believer in spiritualism, instead
attributing the successful perform
ance of his desires to muscular mag
netism and mind reading. in which
tombstone and Bishop, the latter de-
ceased. have startled the world. 1t
is more in the line of their accom-
plishmentS that young Adams con-
fines himself to, claiming to have
gifts similar TO theirs. Adams is
not reticent about displaying his
feats, on the contrary delighting to
>atisfy anyone, in private, question
ing the ability of an individual to
perform what seems to them impos-
sible and beyond the scope Of hui
man power. While attending col
lege. which he left recently to
join his parents here, Adams
acquired quite a reputation as me-
dunn and won medals, etc, for his
wonderful exhibitions. eclipsing an
ticipations of people witnessing
seances of spiritualists of considera-
BILE note. Adams is yet mere boy,
although it is apparent there is no
doubt of his thorough development
OF muscular magne tism. The fact of
his being a young man has attracted
considerable curiosity, and MEM
bers of both sexes are ever anxious to
gather a private audience and invite
the young man before them.
Must Keep 1t Dark.
Mr.. Adams holds that it is impos-
sible for him to demonstrate his
magical powers successfully unless
placed in q room of absolute clark
ness, contending that it is necessary
in order for him to go into trance
and so control the visionary faculties
of his audience that they may see the
diverse objects which he causes t ,
appear. This fact was shown last
evening, when Mr.. Adams accepted
an invitation to entertain a private
company at the Harper house COM
posed of Messrs. McHugh and Mont
rose, a travelling man, a few of Mr..
Adams friends and a representative
of The ARGUS. The gents parlcr
was used, but it was impossible to
darken it sufficiently to allow Mr..
Adams to even attempt his seance
feat. However, be did few things,
which convinced the majority
| present that he was certainly pos
sessed of superhuman gifts. and he
was anxious 10 carry out his contem-
plated program if arrangements such
as he desired could be provided.
Taking deck of cards, giving it to
one of the audience to select card
and show it to the rest and place it
back into the deck, Mr.. Adams
spread them out on the table. rubbed
his hands over them and drew the
right card from the number without
touching them. This not only
showed his mind-reading powers,
but also his muscular magnetism,
as the card was actually raised an
inch from the table by the passing of
his hand over it.
Another remarkable and inexplica-
bic performance. bordering on spook-
ism. was causing knocks on a table
with his hands and feet securely tied.
First he tied his legs together and
then had one of the audience bind
his hands together and tied them up
against his legs. Then removing the
light and placing n quilt over his
head. and inviting two persons to
hold tight to either end of the rope.
to see that he did not exercise his
hands or feet in producing the noise,
he invited anyone to call for n num-
Der OF raps. He would humble
something in an undertone and
the knocks would sound in
numbers tallying with what was
called for. How it was done
remains mystery to everybody
except himself Cne thing is pos