The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-11-22
LAST OF FOX SISTERS.
a Noted Figure in spiritualism Dies
at Age Of 80.

at Age Of 80.
NEWARK, N. Y, Nov. 15-The an
nouncement of the death of Mrs. Maria
Fox Smith at her home, near this place,
at the age Of IS years, marks the passing
Of the last of trio of sisters whose fame
so years ago was worldwide.
It was as Spiritualistic mediums that the
Fox sisters, as they were known, became
noted. They we're pioneers Of Spirituallsm
in this country, and their list of patrons In
cluded SEINE of the brainiest men and
women Of that time.
CREATED Worldwide SENSATION.
The Fox sisters began their career in
HydesviIle, N. Y They were mere chill
dren and resided with their father. John
Fox, in a dilapidated frame building.
Soon after the family, which originally
came from Montreal, took possession of the
old house it became noised about that
there was something uncanny about the
place. The mother Of the girls stated that
strange noises were continually heard. By
the neighbors the sounds were attributed
to the children.
Finally it was determined that the
ssknockings' were induced by the action
of spirits and that the children were the
mediums through which the inhabitants of
an unknown world were trying to COM
municate with those on earth. Public at
tention was drawn to the strange occur
rences, which were reported in the news
papers. Committees Of inquiry visited the
house. conversed and tried experiments
with the little girls in whose presence the
sounds were heard.
EFFORTS TO PENETRATE THE MYSTERY.
No one could penetrate the acknowl-
edged mystery, although when exhibitions
were given in New York among those who
attended in the hope of being able to ar
rive at a solution were Horace Greeley,
William Cullen Bryant, George Bancroft,
Alice Cary, Harriet Beecher Stowe and
Bayard Taylor The subject was also in
vestigated by many men distinguished for
scientific attainments.
The attention drawn to it spread rapidly
throughout the world. Spiritualistic be-
lief grew and invitations to visit the prin-
cipal cities poured upon the family. I'M
petus was given to the mysterious nantes
tations by series of public seances held
by the youthful but already celebrated
mediums in Philadelphia and Washing
ton previous to their taking up residence
in New York
In the Quaker City the spirit rap
pings caused great sensation and COM
motion Margaret, then scarcely Ii years
old, who afterward became the wife of DR..
Kane, the Attic explorer, was the one
through whom the spirits held converse
there with those Of this world who desired
a public manifestation.
A tour of Europe was planned and car :
ried out in 1856 In the principal cities
of the Old World literary men and savants,
as well as a countless number of people,
looked with awe upon the manifestations of
the Fox sisters Spiritualism grew in
strength and popularity.
THE so-cALLED EXPOSURE.
After quarter of century, during
which the sisters accumulated wealth, a
surprise came. In 1888 Spirtualists were
dumfounded to learn that Margaret Fox,
then Mrs Fox Kane, had published what
was termed an exposure of Spiritualism,
giving lengthy explanation of the rap
pings which had SO long mystiied the
world. She said that as children she and
her sisters, prompted by the desire to OBJ
tain notoriety and, if possible, money, con-
cocted scheme by which the credulity Of
the public was used to advantage. The
original s'spook knockings' heard in the
old frame house in Hydesville, she declar-
ed, were sounds produced by dropping
apples tied to strings On learning that
they succeeded in mystifying the neighbors
the sisters, it was stated, were prompted
to produce other sounds, which were at
tributed to the action of spirits.
1t was set forth that the mysterious
ssrappings' which had been provocative of
SO much wonderment in all the countries
visited by the girls were actually the result
of the Swapping of the joint of the big
Toe, trick which the girls practiced until
they became adopts.
Those who had adopted the Spiritualistic
doctrine as their belief refused to credit
the fact that the manifestations which they
had heard could be brought about in such
a manner So strong was the feeling en-
gendered that finally a mass meeting was
called at the Academy of Music in New
York, and there one of the sisters took off
her shoe and demonstrated how to produce
sounds like the mysterious rapping that
had mystifed thousands.
Katherine Fox Jencken died July IL,
1892, in New York; Margaret Fox Kane
in Brooklyn, March s, 1893, and now
with the death of Mrs. Maria Fox Smith
the last of the famous trio has passed away.