The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-21

new toFk, April O.-For years tho fe6-
son for the devotion Of the once brilliant
lawyer, Luther r. Marsh, to S~piritualism
has been a mystery to his friends.
He wa a devotee at the shrine of Nine.
DisS Debar until her exposure as a cheat
and adventures; but, while he deserted her
then, he did not desert Spiritualism. In
stead he soon began to regard Mrs. Clarissa
J. Huyler Of Midd!etown. N. Y, as high
pirestess Of the art. and for eleven years
he has been a guest at her home.
Recently Mrs. Huyler died, and now Mr..
Marsh has no high priestess. But almost
coincidentally with her death came a dis
closure of the cause which led Mr.. Marsh
into q belief in Spiritualism.
It was infatuation for hat beautiful Eng
fish genius, Adelaide Nelson, who died sud-
denly in Paris In 1880.
It IL said when at the height Of his fame
as a great lawyer Mr.. Marsh fell under the
destinations Of this extraordinary actress.
She was conceded to be one of the most
gloriously gifted women on the English
stage. Her acting was q revelation. Her
haunting beauty. her all-conquering charm
Of speech and manner still further empha-
Like many other prominent men of that
day, Mr.. Marsh, brilliant advocate and
scholar. long distinguished in public affairs.
shakespeare. She seemed the bud and
flower Of human perfection-the .embodi-
ment OF all that men dreamed OF In Juliet
and Rosalind, which Nelson alone seemed
born to create and Illuminate.
HER DEATH TURNED HIS
THOUGHTS TO SPIRIT WORLD.
The sudden death of Miss Nelson had a
profound effect on Mr.. Marsh'S imaginative
nature. 1t turned his thoughts to another
world. For twenty years or more before his
to interest him in Spiritualism, but he
listened indifferently and good naturally
put away her numerous manifestation for
future reading. He had little faith in them.
and SO the years passed until Miss Nelson
died. Then all the world was changed to
him, and in loneliness and despair he turned
to Spiritualism for consolation. The me-
diums, OF course, were soon giving him mes
sages straight from paradise.
Through the mediums Miss Nelson sent
This was the condition Of Mr.. Marsh's
spiritual affairs when the notorious Nine.
Diss Debar appeared on the scene as the
she was a daughter Of Lola Montez. the
chere annie of Ludwig, King of Bavaria.
who spent fortunes in exploiting Wagner
and his operas. Her husband. General Dlss
soon established in Mr.. Marsh's Madison av-
with Miss Nelson and other dead friends Of
messages and finally. performing alleged
canvases before Mr.. Marsh's astonished
big and uttle-the best scarcely better
than the poorest daub in an auctionesrs
window.
discovered the character Of Nine. Diss De-
bar. Her SIN found her out and when she
was thrown into prison Mr., Marsh did not
appear as her lawyer; tnohgh ne stu aI main.
that her pictures were painted by spirits
and her communications received directly
from the unseen" world.
n Sa--por,,.o, ~,1 thu vlNSo,,HA Ro1lru,-
ing them severed friendships Of q lifetime.
estranging him from important business as
sociations Of long standing. and finally he
resolved to leave the city.
He prepared to make a new home on Lake
Erie. where he had q fine estate. He re-
signed from the Bar Association and had
completed his preparations for establishing
goods, books and documents were already
packed for removal. when another ex-
traordary spiritualtistic episode entered his
life.
MRS. HUYLER SUCCEEDS
MBlE. DISS DEBAR'S PLACE.
Among the many mediums who continued
to beseige the city home after Nine. Diss
R RsSfe q SiddieteWn. n. Z. He was H.
tending to remain only a few days. but he
never returned to New York nor continued
his Journey to his country estate on Lake
Here ID Mr.. Marsh's own statement, given
Middletown, his home:
'I came here with nothing but q grip.
sack. intending to stay three days ! had
shores Of Lake Erie, with a number of
acres laid out In vines; had sent my books
there. and Intended to. pass the remainder
OF my life In the seclusion Of hat place. I
happened to meet Mrs. Huyler, who Is the
woman In the country, accepted
her Invitation for 9 three days visit to her
vet.
.'spiritualism IL not q belief with me-. It
10 a certainty; l have been reviled and IN
suited as IL I were an impostor. I have
been attacked In the newspapers as II I
were 9 fool. but ! can AFFORD to pity those
who abuse me, because they know no bet
If they only knew it, there is = medium
Brought into direct communication with the
every household and JOY brought into
It IL related in Middletown that the Huy-
cottase When Marsh arrived. But pSosnesi.
rose on he site q the former humSle
The new medium, Mrs: Huyler. was about
under her roof. A series OF seances
ps1e II Pill Miad aas many Were ns ins,. esain sa H,t 1ss;
These weird exhibitions were held two or
lnToe tunes q week IN the spirit Chambers.
or art gallry, containing Marsh's Diss BE.
bar treasures, embracing the entire TOP
story under the mansard roof Of the Huy-
Ter mansion.
A striking feature Of Mr.. Marsh's spirit |
pictures Is the Adelaide NELSON |
Naturally they arc sacred to MI. |
Marsh, and comprise rare and beautiful !
In nearly every pose and costume Of !
he dead wOman-crayons and wonderful |
photographs Of large sike, some In expen- |
i've albums and portfolios. others in rich |
Iramea and bindings, n still others mini !
ltures, exhibiting the highest examples OF |
European art from the studios Of london. |
Dresden and Paris. y II said that there are