The Indianapolis journal., 1903-04-12
AFTER BEECHER's GHOST.
Gifted Boston Mediums Are Indus
trfousIy Fishing for 1t.
New York Sun.

New York Sun.
The Rev. DR.. Isaac K. Funk said this
morning that he expected to ask the aid OF
Sir William Crookes, the English sclentlst'
in laying the celestial ghost or the late
Henry Ward Beecher.
Sir William" he said, besides being
scientist of worldwide repute, is be-
lever in spiritualism If anybody can get
Mr.. Beecher's subliminal self TO explain
how it learned the location of the widow s
mite / believe he is the man.
Meantime the Boston Psychical Re-
search Society is working its mediums over
time TO catch Mr.. Beecher's spirit; and
confidently look forward TO their early sue
cess. since the atmosphere of Boston is SO
unusually propitious TO spiritual communi-
cation
why, / remember one seance 1 attended
in Boston during the course of which a
member of family well known in spir,,
itualistic circles talked with the astral
body of her sister Mary, who had departed
this life year or two before.
Mary. said this body. are you happy
in your heavenly homer
For some time a succession of signs
was the only response. Finally, however,
Mary said weakly, Quite happy, dear
But are you very happy, Mary? her
sister asked.
Pretty happy" she replied. But you
know how 1t Is In Boston.
Dr. Funk then commented on Captain
Dilion's raid of spiritualistic seance held
night.
who made the raid,'' he said. They might
be able to throw some hight on the inner
workings of the spiritualistic life. AS |
understand it, the medium was found
bound and gagged In the cabinet but his
inability to release himself does not prove
that the seance was a fake, because the
spirits would naturally be scared away
by the rough manner of the detectives.
Il must confess, though. that the pros
pectuses OF this seance looked little IKE
the come one. come all and bring the chill
dren. for 10 cents. one dime or tenth of a
dollar advertisement of the ordinary side
show. / had intended to investigate the
place. but decided it was scarcely worth
while.
But 1 have tied up medium so the
spirit couldn't let him out: l remember
one seance L attended. The lights were all
turned down and we were awaiting expect
antiy whatever might happen, when the an
nouncer stepped forward and said:
p" Dear friends, before proceeding with
the full-form manifestations OF those who
have gone before the clever young medium,
Mr.. Smith. will be bound and gagged and
afterward released by his spirit friends.
Will some one assist me in binding him.?
We'll, was up like fash and stumbled
through the haif-darkened room to the
lounge on which the medium lay stretched.
The members were singing Consider the
Lilies of the Field, How They Grow. too,
when / pulled some red. white and blue
thread from my pocket and started to sew
the mediums clothes together. The sing
ing stopped, and thought heard the as
sistant say. And you told me he was per-
feet gentleman
"They showed him into the cabinet, but
there was nothing doing, and pretty soon
the announcer stuck his head between the
curtains and said:
"'Mr. Smith greatly regrets that the spir-
it's are not working tonight, the condi-
tions are unfavorable.' But, mercy me, all
mediums aren't like that, and all l want is
to get Mr.. Beechers astral body face TO
face, and then / will find out the truth.
Dr. Funk said that he was receiving
many letters containing requests to be rec
commended to a first-class medium who
would put them in a way of communing
with their dear departed He refused. how
ever, to divulge the contents of any OF
them.
They are sacred" he explained, "and
each word Is a tear"