Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-12-11

filled All the parties named We're on
the platform. and and address was de
livered by f. 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 rappinss
which had been heard during his ad-
dress. Members Of this committee.
which was elected by the audience,
were A ). Combs, Daniel Marsh, Ma,
thaniel Clark. \. 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 sounds on the floor near whore 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. 4 number
Of questions were asked, which were
answered, not altogether right nor al
together wrong In the afternoon they
went to the house Of 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 a closet, When the hand
was placed upon the door a jar was
seusiblv 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 a third person
was interposed between them the
sounds continued The sisters seemed
to give every opportunity to the com
mittee to investigate the cause fully
and would submit to q 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,
Iy investigated. Therefore, another
committee consisting of the following
gentlemen was appointed; DR.. II. 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 result of the investi-
cation it was the unanimous opinion
of the committee that the sounds were
''ineXplicable."
SO intense was the excitement that
third committee was appointed,
among its members being two physi-
clans. This committee was even more
eXactng in its tests, but were unable
to discover the cause of the sounds,
and when they reported their failure
there was almost a 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 a 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
a 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,OOO,O0O.
Tourists and sight-seeTs from all
parts of the country come to view the