The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-10-15
FAME AND FORTUNE
The Sad Death Of DR.. Elisha Ksnt Kans
and His Love Atfalrs-fiis lniatuation
for One Of the Celebrated Fox
Sisters.

A very Interesting article appeared In
one Of the Philadelphia papers this week
about the late Elisha Kent Kane the great
Arctic explorer. He was brother TO tho
lat0 Doctor Kane Of this city, whose widow
Levi G. Bird. the celebrated criminal law
yer married. The great Arctic explorer was
convert to spiritualism, and all through
the lntatuation Of Margaret Fox OF spirit.
ualistic fame In this day. The Fox sisters
1ourished between the psrlodlof 1850 ard
1860, and their manifestation" wer COL.
Sidered wonderful and was the means Of
making agreat many converts to spiritual
| ism.
Committees Of Investigation .repet<sd
that they could discover no mundane con.
nections with the ''rappings" and KNOCK.
| idgs" which started and puzzled them
when the sisters were playing the trick o:
receiving communications from the spirit
| land. Tho sisters went from one oily 10
! another and mystified such mon as Horaoe
Greeley and women like Jenny Link.
At this time Elisha Kent Kane, son Of
Judge John X. Kane, had acquired dis.
tinction as one Of the most brilliant Of the
medical graduates Of the University OF
Pennsylvania. His services as q surgeon
in tho United States Navy, his explora.
rescue Sir John Franklin In the Polar re.
gion had given him fame as gallant and
intrepid man of science
He was not much past thirty years Of
ago; his faco handsome In blonde beard,
his manners captivating, his nature
chivalric and i'll society priced by some Of
tho finest women of Philadelphia. He
met Margaret FOX, one Of the clever sisters
whom spiritualists wore everywhere hail.
ing with delight, and whose good looks
and interesting manners were attractive
even to men and women, who regarded
them rs impostors. Margaret's lustrous
eyes. her sweetness Of countenance, her
delicately moulded figure and her dainty
and yct queenly grace captured the heart
of the explorer at their first meeting.
The correspondence which passed be-
tween them eliminated In secret bo.
trothal. The doctor with chilvalrio inn
pulse had conceived tho idea of making
out of the tcndor and lovable nature ~
sweet sixteen woman whom he could
proudly introduce to his father and to bis
family. He told her Of the, opposition to
bis marriage with her, and she finally con.
sentod to renounco what he regarded as q
life OF inposturo and to fit herself to DO.
con.e his wife. Mrs Fox was persuaded to
let her come to PHILADELPHIA where tho
doctor had arranged that during his alb.
sence in tho expedition to the North, she
should DO educated under the private di.
rection OF some estimable women
" hoi ~ Cniuo Uhch tEOiH nls ovJDO41
with the Esquimaux, the Country welcome
ed him with such enthusiasm and honors
as have not been surpassed In tho return
OF later day explorers. Congress voted
him thanks and Geo. w. Childs paid him
$40, 900 for the narrative Of his adventures.
Tho trip told on his constitution and had
sown seeds of death which soon developed
into quick consumption. Taking Marga.
ret By the hand In tho presence Of her
family las told by them) he without other
ceremony, declared sulsmnly, Margaret
Is my wife and am her husband.
DIR. Kane's family declined to give recog.
milton to tho marriage which had not boon
consecrated by the rites Of the church or
the forms Of law; but Margaret to the day
of her death III New York only II few years
ago continued to assume his name. Ho
diod in Havana at tho age Of only SO. In
March, 1857, his body was brought to Phila.
delphia. Thus the cline Of tho frozen
North claimed this brilliant young man
as victim Of his explorations for future
generations who are still chasing after
this Same North Polo.