The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-07-16

London. Sept. 10, 1s75. she says: Since my
marriage I an quite out OF spiritualism-
When Leah married Mr.. Underhill. a man
In a good position. and she was wei pro-
yided for she abandoned spirituaiism ass
business. Previous TO her marriage, now
ever. her sisters after they grew up 20
on the spiritualistic business independently.
Maggie went 10 England in september.
s, is77, referring TO her brother-in-law, Mr.:
Jencken, with whom she had Quarreled. and
to some other spiritualists. is the following
HELD THEM IN CONTEMPT.
"Jencken. withal. is a fanatic. and Of all
things on earth / detest fanatics the most.
Have you read of the slaughter of the
Philadelphia spiritual fanatics? Only
imagine their invented spirit names. as in
the list are Billy the Bootblack. Red Cloud.
Spirit Water. etc. They had the name OF
the blessed virgin. What old foolsi One OF
the faithful was a Mr.. s. one of the wealth.
lest men of Philadelphia. He had spent
500, 900 in his great effort after truth. and
at last he has got IL, and. as the naughty
little boys on the street say, he has got
IL bad. Pardon me for STOPPING so low a.
TO quote the language of the naughty street
boys; but II comes In so apropos that L can
not help it"
At another time she wrote humorously:
Yours in sisterly love, as the ola spirit
ualists would say. Apropos, how are you
Progressing in the faith? Dc you believe as
She knew well 1 did not believe In the
silly fraud and that L had all along begged
way Of showing L was a Sisbeliever and OF
making fun of the 'old spiritualistsL"
In the same humorous vein she wrote on
another OCCASION: ~
Imagine how happy / Am to hear that
you are still in the land of the living. I
away and that perhaps you were giving
some startling manifestations through some
spiritual medium"
0nu11 0fta raonx- othar eo-0ocffr ana
humorous expressions, and also of diseust.
from both Maggie and Kate, when writing
or speaking OF spiritualism and spiritual
lists, all going to show their disbelief and
contempt. but the above instances are suf-
hcient to convince any intelligent person
A TYPICAL SEANCE
When i first met Maggie 1t was at the res
idence of distinguished people. who were In
curing into or gratifying their curiosity
about spiritualism. In the evening a seance
was held. all sitting around a table with
hands Joined Previous to sitting down I
told Maggie In a whisper that I did not be-
believe in the spiritualistic stuff. but that I
would not give expression to that to the
others present nor reveal any of her secrets.
As a consequence she placed me by her side
at the table where she could release her
hand from mine whenever she chose, which
no one would perceive. as the room was
darkened; and she did take her land from
mine at times when the customary rap
piuSo, III QuSSliouS anu duSWefSs were
going on.
subsequently / was at many other seances
in different places with both Maggie and
Kate and they, knowing my disbelief, never
asked me TO communicate with spirits. be-
ing conscious at the same time that / would
keep, my promise not to betray them as long
as they lived. All the sisters being now
dead, i am free to state the above facts.
Although they made no public revelation
of the deception they had been led into and
practiced. fearing, no doubt. an cutlery OF
condemnation against them while living. I
am sure their minds were oppressed by
what they had done. For many of the later
years OF their lives Maggie and Katie sought
mental relief and oblivion by spells of haf1
drinking and intoxication Naturally they
were not bad girls, but were good-natured
and kind. They were the victims OF the cir
cumstances by which they were surrounded
and from which they were unable to escape.
Had they been placed from childhood and
In early womanhood under good moral In
fiuence and favorable circumstances there
Is reason 30 believe their lives would have
been marked by truthfulness. modesty and
propriety.