The herald., 1897-04-01
OCCULT POWER
Some of the Disciples Tell
Their Stories
SOME LIQUID SPIRITS
Figure in the Case of Miss
Lundgren
WITNESS STAND SlGNAlED
MRs. TAYLOR CONSTRAINED
BY SENATOR WHITE
Van Auken Enters De nial to All
the Funny Allegations Against
Him-Impeaching Letter
Is introduced
MRs. TAYLOR CRoSS-ExAMINED
BY SENATOR WHITE

What does the word occult" mean?
BY the time the trial of the Times
Mirror suit has reached a conclusion it
is quite probable that people will have
more accurate notion regarding this
misused word.
There are so many pretentiouS cults
being eagerly promulgated that what
with diabolism, seers, angel dwellers,
materializations, incub, suceti, larves
and elementals haunted houses, palms.
try and foot reading-and science hav-
ing magic Of its own-long distance
suggestion, the exteriorization of the
eensibility brain reading by the X-ray
hypodermic injections of psychic Sc
rum, the cure of various forms of dis
ease by music and painting, and latest
of all the weighing of a thought just as
If 1t were so much sugar tends to make
one ekeptical regarding the popular
idea that one laying claim 10 Occult"
power is arrogatng to oneself the pos
session of supernatural power.
In the light of scientific discovery the
claims of Miss Josephine Holmes, as set
forth in the alleged libelous article, even
IL true 40 HOI dlIOuIlt " IL C44C
"passed under control" to use the jar
gon of the seance room, she has done
what has been done by thousands of
others who, in bringing to the surface
the hidden consciousness" the ether
cal man." the "subliminal conscious
ness or the hypnotic man." by which
ever scientific term it may be known,
has labored under the delusion that
spirit was speaking through them. 1t
is known absolutely that man is endow-
ed with more than the one state of
consciousness, and the Occult or hid
den" one-for that is really what the
word means, and there is nothing super
natural about that's a far smarter
chap than the normal self While ap-
parently lying dormant this hidden per-
sonage is not sleeping, ard when sum-
moned to the surface and the normal
consciousness relegated TO the back
ground the results are indeed apt to be
startling along many lines.
One fact-curious only on its surface
is that while American mediums always
have a big "Injun" in their bands of
controls for strength mediums of othor
countries receive this strength from
sources also close at hand.
The evidence yesterday was somewhat
contradictory regarding Miss Holmes
control, or whether she had any at all.
A FOLLOWER WITH DOUBTS.
George Bailey was the first witness
put forward. He has been a resident of
the city about ten years, and, to use his
own words, has been hunting spirit
ualism. And he found it, apparently.
He stated that he attended the white
dress circle. having been sent for by
Mrs. Van Auken. Her little boy came for
him in buggy and when he reached the
house he met her in the hall. She told
him that he must scrub himself well first
and furnished him with water and a
white petticoat. Upon entering the room
he found Miss Lundgren lying upon q
couch in the center of the room, and
Mrs Van Auken seated the several per-
sons in the circle surrounding it. Miss
Holmes wasn't in the circle, but was
called into the room several times dur
ing the four and a half days of the Sit
ting to restore order. 1t was on the first
day that John Gridell went under con-
troll of an Indian chief. Miss Holmes
was sent for, and upon her arrival she
took John by the collar and shook him,
telling him to be a man and Straighten
up. When he came to himself Miss
Holmes returned to the bedside of her
sister. Several times she returned COM
planning of the noise and threatening to
leave the house, stating that her sister
was SO III SlG tOuluI CldUQ lllt HOlSG.
On either the second or third day, wit
ness couldn't remember which, she
threatened to leave the house if the
"abominable" noise was not stopped
Miss Holmes and her sister did leave
the day after the circle was broken
Witness told of the sister, Minnie, be-
ing present one day for about an hour,
and Miss Holmes did her gymnastic act
by stepping onto the couch whereon Miss
Eundgren lay, then into her sisters lap
and then onto George Van Auken's
shoulder and from thence to the floor.
One day the circle became somewhat
hilarious and Miss Holmes entered and
told those present that such a state of
things wouldn't do; that the most high
the witness. and she sank to the ground
as she said the words. She also spoke
of Christ and the angels.
TWO VERY STRONG SPIRITS
"There were spirits there, them" in
quired counsel.
"Yes. both wine and brandy" was the
answer.
Some wine was administered to Miss
Lundsren. said witness, "and told Mrs.
Van Auken that too much of the spirits
had been given. We all considered that
Miss Lundgren, Mrs. Van Aulken and
Miss Holmes were mediums, but the
latter never made the claim herself"
'Were you present when Miss Holmes
pounded the devil out of Mrs Van An
ken?"
II happened to call at the house shortly
after a circle had been formed and
found Mrs. Van Auken crying. L amt
anything, she said, and l can go to hell
If I have to- She appeared to be hys-
terical, laughing and crying together and
Miss Holmes went up to her and slapped
her about half dozen times and told
her to sit up and behave herself"
did you try to get Miss Holmes to
Join the circle?"
Yes, did. but she refused. She said
there was higher work for us to do and
she wouldn't have anything to do with
the lower phases of Spiritualism. She
said she wanted us to join her in the
work of the Most High
did you hear her say anything about
being controlled?"
''She said it was detrimental and ad-
vised me against it. I asked her about