Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1902-12-11

filed. All the parties named were on
the platform, and and address was de-
liyered by E. w. Capron of Auburn.
The closest attention was given to his
remarks, and at the close a committee
OF five prominent citizens was ap-
pointed to investigate the matter, and
instructed to report on the rappings
which had been heard during his adj
dress. Members of this committee,
which was elected by the audience,
were A. J, Combs, Daniel Marsh, Ma
thaniel Clark, A. Judson and Edward
Jones.
On the evening upon which the com
| mittee was to render its report the hall
was packed. Most of the audience was
of the opinion that the matter would
be fully explained. The committee
made substantially the following re-
port:
THAT, without the knowledge OF
the persons in whose presence the
manifestations are made, the COM
mittee selected the hall Of the Sons of
| Temperance for investigation; that
the sour DIS on the floor near where the
two ladies stood were heard as dis
tinctly as at other places, and that part
of the committee heard the rappings
on the wall behind them. A number
of questions were asked, which were
answered, not altogether right nor al
together wrong. In the afternoon they
went to the house of a citizen, and
while there the sounds were heard on
the outside apparently of the front
door, after they had entered, and on
the door of closet. When the hand
was placed upon the door a jar was
sensibly felt when the rapping occur
red. One of the committee placed one
of his hands upon the feet of the ladies
and the other upon the floor, and
though the feet were not moved there
was a distinct jar on the floor. When
the ladies were separated no sounds
were heard. But when third person
was interposed between them the
sounds continued. The sisters seemed
mittee to investigate the cause fully,
and would submit to a thorough inves-
tigation by a committee of women, if
desired The members of the COM
mittee were unanimous in reporting
that the sounds were heard, but they
failed to discover any cause"
The report was a disappointment to
many of those present, who had ex-
pected an exposure, and they claim
that the matter had not been thorough
ly investigated. Therefore, another
committee consisting of the following
gentlemen was appointed: DR.. H. H.
Langworthy, Hon. Frederick Whittle-
sey, D. C. McCallam, William Fisher
and Judge A. T. Hascall, of LIE Roy.
This investigation was conducted at
the Office of Chancellor Whittlesey, of
the committee. Mrs. Fish and her
sister, Margaretta, were placed in a
number Of different positions and
every precaution taken to prevent de-
ception, and as a result of the investi-
cation it was the unanimous opinion
of the committee that the sounds were
''inexplicable."
So intense was the excitement that
a third committee was appointed
among its members being two physi-
clans This committee was even more
exacting in its tests, bttt were unable
to discover the cause of the sounds,
and when they reported their failure
there was almost riot. 1t had been
anticipated that there would be
trouble, and the Chief of Police, S. d.
w Moore, made arrangements for pro
tecting the mediums. AS it proved,
these precautions were necessary, as
the audience, carried away with excite
ment, made determined rush for the
platform, and it required the utmost
efforts of the chief and his assistants
to enable the women to be removed to
place of safety under guard
From the time of these public
meetings spiritualism has made con-
siderable progress, and it is claimed
that at the present time the believers
number 25,000,000.
Tourists and sight-seers from all
parts of the country come to view the