The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1896-12-11
A NIGHT WITH SPIRITS.
Miss May Howard Does Some Rem,
uh1c Vhi,,rc IInr GanponS

Miss May Howard Does Some Remark
able Things at Her Scances.
Miss May Howard, Il spirluaistc medium Of
some note, gave two Sences in this city since our
last issue. Her entertainments were rather poor
ly patronZed although they proved quite inter
esting to some of the audience. Some of the feats
| enacted by the medium were of a nature calcu-
lated to produce creepy feeling along ones
spine, and were, to say the least, quite remark
able exhibitions Of the mediums power. The
opinion Of the audience was somewhat divided as
to the source from whence the power came;
some believing that it was the work OF genuine
spirits from the other world, While others pro-
nounctd the whole performance nothing but
clever trckery.
At the first evenings seance Judge O'Bannon
and James McCalman were selected by the audi
ence to go on the stage and make a thorough ex-
animation of the cabinet and apparatus used by
the Medium This they did to the entire sltisiac
tlOn OF both themselves and the audience They
then tied the mediums hands behind her with
strong cords and placed her In the cabnet; a cord
around her neck was fastened to stout ring
secured by staple driven into an upright board
nailed firmly to the cabinet and floor During the
entire performance the lights We're Kept at full
blaze and the audience we're enabled to see every
part Of the stage distinctly, while the gentlemen
seated on the stage kept strict watch of the me-
dlnln, her assistant, cabinet and paraphernaa,
but all failed to discover the presence of any third
person sin the flesh" ...
In one part OF the seance Judge @ Bannon was
the central figure, occupying seat in front of the
cabinet, while the medium sat on his left and
Deer Lodge lady on his right. each holding the
hand of the other, and Mr. McCalman meantime
watching the cabinet and its surroundings as Il
cat would mouse. Soon the musical Instruments
inside the cabinet began to play and fly about the
heads (the Judges head In particularly of those
seated on the stage, and hands apparently with
out owners fitted to and fro about the cabinet
like SO many disturbed swallows, striking the
Judge and his companions on head, neck and back
in their merry flight. and ending the scene by
crownlng the judge queen of May with an empty
wooden bucket turned over his head.
The second nights seance was mainly repeti-
tion of the first. except that the ''spirits" we're
more pronounced throughout the evening. New
Judges were chosen, they being H. A. Smurr
and VIM. Coleman who took positions on the
stage and carefully scrutnzed the cabinet and its
makeup. All went along smoothly until one of
the audience expressed his opinion that the per
formance was not genuine, and that he believed
the Judges were standing in with the medium.
and 1t fell to his lot to hold down the chair which
Judge O'Bannon had occupied the previous night.
The doubling gentleman took his place and the
show went on In due time the mysterious hands
appeared, talingl like shower of hail on his head
and neck; musical instruments and other loose
furniture sailed around him In threatening
manner; and the climax was reached when the
bewtched wooden bucket flew out Of space and
planted Itself square on his head
Mr.. Sm:lti's experience in the cabinet, though
nor SO deL,onstrative, was fully as interesting.
Scarcely had he seated himself behind the closed
curtains When the furnishings Of the small room
began 70 Show q decided intention to become bet
ter acI4ilinted with him. A guitar, tambourine
and other instruments began to fly around his
head promiscuously. while dozens of cold. damp
hands slid across his face beat tattoos his
head, and chased up and down his arms, legs ana
spinal column, snntehIng at his hands and cloth
Ing like so many hungry birds He felt their pres
ence around him, over him, and under him. but
could not see nor hear any living person in the
cabinet beside himself. How was 1t all done?
We give it up.