The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-25
NEWS FROM HI DEAD
SLATE WRITER DRAWS A LARGE
AUDIENCE At MANsUR HALL
interrupted by the Laborious Eff
forts of a Man to Sneexe.

The spiritualistS of the city held a large
" attended meeting at Mansur Hall last
evening, which they claim was one of the
best held for some time. There were many
skeptics in the audience, which, the
mediums say, interfered somewhat with the
work. The feature of the evening was the
slate writing of w. A. Hague, who stands
high as a slate medium. He was assisted
by G. c. Rowland, of this city, and Mr..
Peters. of London. the latter being a ma
terializing medium. A fee of % cents was
charged at the door. The services began
with a talk by Mr.. Rowland, who talked
Interestingly on the Christian religion and
its relation to spiritualism. Then the audi
ence settled back to witness the slate
writing. The lights in the front part of
the room were turned down. The audi
ence sang to slow time sweet BY and
BY" and THE Land Over There" The
flowers, which stood on the rostrum, added
to the funeral appearance of the situation.
Six skeptics were asked to step forward
and they examined the table and the slate,
which Mr.. Hague was to use. The audi
ence sang some more. The slate was
passed through the crowd and several spir-
itualists wrote something on it, but the
skeptics could not see what that had to
do with what ollowed. Mr.. Hague took
the slate. holding it from the table by
the tips of his fingers.
The audience was asked to be quiet and
perhaps they could hear the spirits writ
ing, but the piano played some more slow
music and the scratch of the pencil could
not be heard. Mr.. Hague moved his head
from side to side. Except for the slow
music not a sound could be heard. The
skeptics bored holes with their gaze right
through Mr.. Hague, piercing the wall
vous handled their handkerchiefs uneasiiy
and breathed short breaths for something
was expected to happen. Something did
happen, but it was not what was expected
and it was so terrible and SO blood curdling
that even the mediums startled. 1t was
nothing more than a yell, as unearthly as
sound and two or three arose as IL to run.
The unearthly yell was repeated and soon
the Skeptics laughed, for they learned the
origin. 1t was caused by one of the be-
levers, who sat in a front seat. He had
tried to DO so without opening his mouth.
Mr.. Hague explained that the yell did not
come from a spirit and was not down on
the programme.
Several messages were received on the
slate. Three of them were recognized by
seemed to be messages from wandering
spirits and no one claimed them. While
Mr.. Hague was holding the slate, the per-
Spiration flowed freely from his forehead.
He said it was somewhat of an exertion to
receive messages in a public meeting. His
assistants TOOK turns WlpiIS the perspira-
ton from his brow. Mr.. Peters followed
by receiving spirits for those in the room.
He claimed to know no one present and
he described the persons of a number of
dead people and then called their names
and in every instance, some one in the
crowd recognized in the description a friend.
The skeptics were not satisfied for they
thought all the messages came to persons
known as believers.
Mr.. Peters then performed some feats in
hypnotism. He made the audience close and
shut their eyes at his will. Some eyes
closed and some did not. The professor
evidently possesses some hypnotic power
for he caused several to stand and talk
at his dictation. He did not attempt to
name the power which he possesses, but
said some call it spiritualism, some say it
is mind reading, and some say it is hypnot-
IN