Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-05-15

49,
SCENE OF THE FIRST SPIRIT RAPPING.
kinds. Aside from the sesnces and tests,
the main business of the spiritualists was
to start fund to DO used In erecting q
memorial to- the Fox sisters.
Rochester hos the reputation of being
the birthplace of spirit rappings, but this
reputation is not wholly justified by facts.
The real birthplace Yves Hydesville, q
small town near Rochester.
The phenomena Of spirit rappings began
in March, 1S4S, in the homo of John d.
Fox in Hydesville The Fox family were
known and respected throughout Wayne
county. The children, Margaret and Kate,
aged 12 and years respectively, We're at
home when tho family was startled by the
mysterious rappings that were heard
nightly upon the f1ooc in ono Of the bed
rooms and sometimes in other parts of the
house. A patter of footc.eps sometimes
was heard, and bed clothes often were
pulled off. Both sisters declared many
times that cold hands passed over their
faces
The noises became 80 pronounced that
the aid Of neighbors was called in, and an
effort was made to trace the mysterious
sounds to their cause All attempts at in
vestigatiOn were bafied, and the Fox
house soon became noted as being haunt
ed, and many wild stories were afioat of
mysterious lights that gli1nmered weirdly
above the roof and of pale phosphorescences
that danced about the yard at midnight.
The pool near the house was said to be
haunted, and many neighbors declared
that they had seen strange figures and
sheeted shapes dancing on its banks. Chill
dren held the place in horror, and even
cool headed men hesitnted about driving
near the place late at night.
On tho night of March 81, when the
raps first occurred, little 9-year-old Kate
initiated them by swapping her fingers,
and the raps responded by the same num-
Ter Of sounds. Kate then said: "Now do
as do. Count one, two, three, four, five,
six, at the same time striking her hands
together. A similar number OF raps re-
sponded and at similar intervals
Count ten," said the mother of the
girls, and ten distinc5 knocks were heard.
Count fifteen" and that number of
sounds followed. Ms Fox then asked q
number of questions relating to the age
and number of her children, all of which
were answered correctly.
One OF the questions as to the cause Of
the rappings received the answer that it
was the spirit of q man who had been
murdered in the house some years before.
The matter was investigated, and the re-
mains OF q human being are said to have
been found buried in the cellar.
The stories of the Fox cottage finally
became SO notorious that the family was
made uncomfortable thereby, and it finally
moved to Rochester. The trip from Hydes-
VILE to Rochester was made by the Erie
canal, and Mrs. Fox was fancying that the
rappings had been left behind when they
were heard on the floor Of the cabin of the
boat.
After a number of meetings had been
held in the home Of Mrs. Fish, in Roches-
ter, the spirits insisted that n public meet
ing be held. but this was opposed by the
family, and the "invisibles" declared that
they would leave the house unless their
wishes were complied with.
Tho rappings did cease for a time when
nothing was done, and It was finally de-
cided to hold a meeting, as the spirits had
requested, and it was held in the old Cor
inthian hall on the evening Of Nov. II,
1S49. number Of prominent citizens
appeared on the platform with Mrs. Fish
and her sister, Margaret Fox, the medium.
The hall was filed. The phenomena were
manifested freely and were subjected to
many tests. A committee appointed to
investigate the proceedings reported that
IL was unable to trace the phenomena to
any mundane agency.
The report was q disappointment to the
majority Of those present, for the skeptics
had expected . thorough exposure A sec-
ond committee was appointed, consisting
Of prominent men. The investigation was
conducted at the Office of Chancellor Whit
tlesey. Mrs. Fish and Margaret Fox were
placed in q number of different positions,
and every precaution was taken to prevent
fraud, and a. . result Of the investigation
It was the unanimous opinion of the COM
mittee that the sounds were ''inexpli-
cable"
By this time the excitement in the city
was intense. Much dissatisfaction was ex-
pressed at the methods of the committee,
and third one was appointed, among its
members being two physicians. This COM
mittee was even more exacting in its tests,
but was unable to discover the cause Of
the sounds.
When it reported failure, there was al
most q riot Threats were freely made
against the lives Of the mediums, and the
assistance Of the police was asked. These
precautions proved necessary, a. the au-
dience, frantic with excitement, made .
determined rush for the platform, Shrek
ing maledictions and hurting threats at
the two slender. pale. bat composed wom-
en-, who seemed not - heed the angry
surgings Of the mob.
Il required the utmost e6Pmfu n tho