The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-04-01

joints, 1t Is said that genuine spiritual
phenomena were observed before the Fox
girls ever inhabited it. In 1847 the house
was occupied by Michael Weekman, q
poor, ignorant laborer, with no thought
beyond his daily toll for his daily bread.
lie and his family were soon troubled by
mysterious raps heard in all parts of
their dwelling, especially at night, an an
noyance that increased to such an extent
that sleep became impossible During all
this time the Fox sisters, then mere chill
dren, aged eleven and nine years, lived
with their parents several miles away,
so that they could not possibly have had
hand-or a toe-joint-in the mysterious
rappings Of Mr.. Weekman's house. It
was this constantly increasing annoyance
Of loud raps which, though diligently in
vest1gated, could not be traced to any
human agency, and soon caused Mr.
Weekman to abandon his residence.
Then 1t was on March /, 184S, John D.
Fox and his family became it's occupants,
The mysterious raps still continued The
neighbors were called in on several oc-
casions, and every possible effort made to
trace their origin, but in vain.
1t was on the night of March 81 that the
mysterious rap first gave evidence Of be-
ing directed by some controlling intelli-
gence. The family had retired during a
brief lull in the mysterious rapping, when
suddenly 1t began again, occurring this
time near the bed occupied bv the two
little daughters, Margaretta and Gather
Inc. The latter began to snap her fingers
In imitation Of the sounds, which imme-
diately responded. Now do as I do"
she cried, Count l. 2, 8, 4, 5, g." at the
same time striking her hands together
Mrs. Fox, the girls mother, then desired
the unseen agency to count ten, and that
number of raps Immediately followed.
~
er daughter-"by rapping once for each
year." said the mother, and ten dis,
| tinct raps were heard. Startled by
these manifestations, Mrs. Fox asked if
1t was human being who was rapping,
! but no answering sound was heard. ''If
| you are a spirit make two distinct
| sounds" she said, and two loud raps re-
| sponded.
Kate Fox, in her exposure of Spiritual
Ism, has declared that she and her sis
| ter were producing these mysterious
raps while lying in bed and almost chok-
| ing with laughter at the clever imposi-
| ton they were practicing on their
mother
The power of cracking the toe-joints.
| by which they produced their spirit rap
| pings" they had discovered accidentally
and had practiced until they had &C
| qulred great proficiency. Be that as 1t
may, these supposed manifestations of
spirit power created an intense excite
| ment. The family rose from their beds
i and searched every corner of the house
| without result. The neighbors were
called In and many questions asked. to
| which answers were received from the
| mysterious raps. By sunrise the Whole
village was on the spot and the little
house was crowded In every part Final
| ly the spirit was asked to spell out his
| or her name by rapping at the correct
| letters as the alphabet was repeated. AS
J a result the name of Charles B. Rosma
was obtained, and the spirit said he was
a peddler who had been murdered In that
house few years before.
| Soon afterward the Fox family re-
moved to Rochester, and the same spir-
itual manifestations continued in their
new home, but only when Catherine or
| Margaretta were present. BY using the
| letters of the alphabet in the manner al
ready indicated, the Fox sisters said that
| they found a great number of departed
! spirits who desired to talk with them
and to use them as medium of COM
munication with their departed friends.
FIRST INVESTIGATION ON THE
/ STAGE.
At length the alleged spirits communi-
Gated to the Fox girls their desire that
there should be held public meeting, at
which a committee of investigation,
mine whether they were genuine spirits,
and produced their so-called manifesto
tons without human aid. Such meet