The record-union., 1898-07-17


according to the Doctor that the per-
sons whose names We're on two of the
slips were dead, /, on examination.
found that he was correct in his iudg-
ment. He then without $50 far as I
could see) having had any opportunity
to have seen the names, desired me TO
place the slips with the names on in
my pocket. Presently he said: I see
two faces over your shoulder; the name
of one is j. b. The other says: I am
glad you have commemorated my name
by writing it here, the name is " c.;
the Doctor being correct in naming the
deceased person in each instance, and
the message being appropriate to the
character of the deceased person. 1
will add, that so far as / know, DR..
Schlesinger had no possible means of
knowing the name or anything about
either person. One of the names, /
feel confident. was not known to any
person in California outside of myself.
"CHAS. L. PATTON"
District Attorney Barnes, who is now
Captain of a Petaluma company of SOL
diers. gives the following account of
the seance:
BARNES WAS PUZZLED.
Il was completely surprised by the
performance in the Mayors office. 1t
as the first seance / had ever attend
Ell, and l must confess that / had not
the slightest respect for such manifes-
tations other than natural admiration
for the quickness of the operator. /
had always supposed that batteries,
wires, a tolerable acquaintance with
the sitter, all aided by darkness, We're
the causes of the effects produced by
the medium. In this case, however, the
scance took place in broad daylight.
and no attempt was made, so far as L
could see to use any mechanical means.
The medium sat two or three feet from
the Mayors desk, and only touched the
desk occasionally with his hand yet
from that desk came the spirit rap
pings that We're clearly audible to all
of us in the room. / watched the others
write lists of names containing each
the name of some dead person. and saw
the Quickness with which DR.. Schlesin-
ger picked out the persons who had
passed away, and gave messages from
them. When it came my turn | wrote
a number of names on small slips of
paper, folded them and held them in my
hand. Among these names was
that of classmate Of mine
at Harvard who died long ago
at Philadelphia, who had never been
in California, and whose name l have
not mentioned for years. Hardly had
I sat down when DR.. Schlesinger called
his full name and gave me a message
from him, recalling an occurrence, so far
as am aware known only to the dead
man and myself To say that / was
amazed but feebly expresses it, and
when | asked the Doctor whence he
got his information, he replied, 1t is
borne to me on angels wings.
Whether it was or not, it was a most
remarkable thing, and deeply impressed
uron me that There are more things
in heaven and earth than are dreamt of
in our philosophy
WILLIAM s. BARNES"
EX-Judge Robert Ferral's narrative
largely corroborates what the others
said. He presents the case in his own
way.
JUDGE FERRAL'S TESTIMONY.
Having taken a deep interest from
early boyhood in exhibitions of a mar
velous nature, such as magic, legerde
main, mesmerism, hypnotism, mind
reading and spiritualism, it was with
pleasure that I accepted the kind invi-
tation to visit DR.. Schlesinger and
personally witness his experiments and
manifestations.
Il found the doctor an aged, vener-
able man, in a large room, surrounded
by a company of ladies and gentlemen.
bright, cheerful and intelligent, all. ap-
parently, bent upon the rational enjoy
ment of this life, and happy in the be-
lief Of companionable intercourse with
the realm of spirits.
Retiring to more quiet quarters, con-
sisting of an ordinary bedroom and
parlor, the business began without
waste of words or loss of time. IIav-
ing written the names of half a dozen
persons, living and dead, each name on
a separate slip, carefully folded and
looking precisely alike, which were
tossed into a hat and we'll shaken up,
the doctor proceeded to name the con-
tents of each paper as it was drawn
out Occasionally he made mistake,
but in nearly every instance succeeded
at the first or second trial. He first
separated the living from the deaf,
without opening the slips, and some
times not even touching them; then.
ward, upon writing place and cause of
death, age, occupation, etc, upon other
slips. the same result followed. Some
of the names submitted by me We're
peculiar and I believe known to no one
else in this city, yet they were an
nounced, read off, as it were. with but
little hesitation and generally exactly
as written The same thing occurred
as to the diseases and places of death.
During this manifestation of his
power DR.. Schlesinger simply formed
a circle or chain of hands, connecting
with himself, frequently tapped the
table, and appealed to an unseen
guide for his information. Raps We're
said to have been heard also, but of
this I cannot bear testimony.
How was this done? By mesmer-
ism? No; for there was nothing IN the
nature of sleep or putting to sleep
Mind reading? Possibly; although some