The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-01-24
ALLEGED SPIRIT CURES
BY YOUNG BELGIAN LAD
At GHOSTLY DICTATION
Boy. Medium Knows Nothing of
Medicine, but Writes Many Ell
fective Prescriptions.
SKEPTICS ADMIT THIS
Shade of an Old-Time Servian
Doctor Said to Be the Power
in the Background.
NO FINANCIAL GAINS
Peasants Who Flock in with Ills
to Be Cured Are Treated
Without Pay.
NO FINANCIAL GAINS
correspOndenee OF &c Indianapolls journal.


from Cheveipont, small hamlet beyond
viIlers la Vile, in. South Brabant Belgium,
I determined to look into the matter and
so set forth In quest OF the reputed miracle
worker. villers la WILLIE lies just off the
direct line from Brussels to Namur and is
nearly as celebrated to-day for the splendid
ruins of its once magnificent Cistercian
Abbey, founded in the twelfth century by
fine pile of buildings was still standing in
perfect beauty.
1t took me some little time to find the
author OF the miraculous cures with which
the country and the English press were
ringing. An application TO the cure of
the village resulted in reply that any
such person was unknown in the neighbor-
hood; the reverend gentleman. considering
that all these practices were the work OF
the devil. did not desire TO encourage Wis
itors. The hotel keeper near the ruins was.
however. more enlightened. and put me on
the right track. 1 found Chevelipont.
hamlet with half a dozen dwellings of the
low. red-roofed, white-walled kind. so typi-
cal of Belgian cottages. and one of these
was pointed out to me as the house Of the
Pirsch family.
is boy OF sixteen. named Edward Pirsch
who has been aiding the sick to recovery in
an astonishing fashion for three years. He
is the elder of two sons of NJ. Charles
Pirsch. a marble quarry owner. an able
intelligent man with a high character for
uprightness and straightforwardness. The
mother is also an intelligent woman, hard
working. practical and alert. Until recent
Iv
theirs. kept small inn which her daugh-
ter-in-law managed. but this has now been
closed. One of the peculiarities of the case
Is that the family takes neither money nor
gifts. and as it was felt that the spirit cures
might be a means of attracting people to
the inn. il was decided to give up this
business.
a HEALTHY LOOKING BOY.
The two Pirsch boys have received a good
education. The younger is lad of about
twelve. The elder is a short, thick-set
youth, strong and sturdy, and the exact
opposite Of anything one might look for
I'm connection with ethereal matters. He
was educated at the College of Charleroi,
where he did well. passing out fifth. having
SPeeia!y taken UP commercial supSects as
of his father and develop 1t still further
by exports To other countries. He is. there
fore. anxious 10 learn only foreign Ian
guases. and his schOOlmasters guarantee
that he studied neither medicine nor chem
istry while at Chareroi.
told him that l had heard of remark
able cases OF sick persons having been
cured by prescriptions given by him when
under alleged spirit guidance, and he saic
simply:
lit is quite true. All the villagers from
far and near come to me for prescrip-
tons
How do you write them, when you
Of - fprt fra1
Il guided by spirit named Dr. Sip
rio, who, by my hand, writes out the pre-
scriptlOns necessary. | am not asleep nor
quite in trance; my eyes are wide open,
but I seem to lose sense of surroundings.
Ny right arm is numb up to the elbow
when possessed by the spirit"
Tell me about DR.. SipriO' said.
He is the spirit of Servian doctor. who
has been dead great number of years,
but who. anxious To aid his fellow-men.
uses me an instrument.
Then he writes in Servian. or at least
in Latin?''
me that ever cover there" thus the boy
spoke OF that unknown land to which all
are drifting and about which we fatn would
learn spirits must study and learn such
things shall enable them 10 be more use
full 10 the earth they have left behind. In
this way he also explained the fact that
the doctor occasionally makes use of rem
cdies discovered since his day, though he
ordinarily employs only herbs.
POINTED OUT THE HERBS.
"Are you a herbalist?'' / asked.
no. / knew nothing of herbs when DR..
Siprio first visited me. nor did my family.
but by means OF minute descriptions. rough
spirit drawings and other indications we
know how TO look for those that grow in
the neighborhood Others we buy from
regular retailers. and often the doctor pre-
sCribes herbs quite unknown in Belgium
and which have 10 be procured at trouble
and expenGe from abroad. My mother and
my grandmother prepare the herbs and
make medicine or Ointments, which we give
away absolutely gratis to all who come &c
Us. ] seldom see the patients: As know
nothing OF medicine. il would be OF no use
Usually the sick send a friend. who de-
ScrfoeS the symptoms. we receive let
ter. Then | consult DIR. SipriO. who directs
what should be done ] can call on him al
any time, and he never fails.
1T rs almost impossible 10 define what
/ have cured. because I have treated every
sort OF COMPLIMENTARY which the doctors
have quite given up-and never Yet have
failed. How Is II done? | do not know
IL Is not my business. I only have to write
the prescriptions. Sometimes when DR.
S!priO is away on spirit mission. another
doctor takes his place. He is doctor OF
the neighbOrhOod who died not long ago
and who greatly disapproved OF spiritual
ism during his life. but who. once dead
took possession OF my arm, 70 my great sur.
prise one day. and said he knew now that
there were many things he had not properly
understood before. and that he was always
Dr. Siprio. however. and l do not often cal
on him 20 help me.
AS soon as he could leave me the boy raT
or TO play with a comrade. evidently beinl
far more humanity boyish than other world
Is. His mother told me impressiveiy that n
has communication with a great number oi
other spirits fourteen OF them often speak
ing TO him consecutively. None OF then
predicts the future. nor Is the boy a clair
voyant. one OF them. named Gallon. SAYS
he died in Peru fifteen years ago and was
great traveller. He gives In writing lona
lectures on spiritualism. while another
PROT evidently the joking spirit OF ths
party was q matchmaker OF Montigny. II
Is seriously asserted that he often wind.
tho clocks OF the family and has occasion
ally mended them
Returning 10 the subject OF the spirit OF
DR. SipriO. the boys mother continued:
1T is rot unusual for him TO say always
I'm writing through the boys agency: "Thi:
= a case I will visit tonight and prescrlb,
fo~ tomorrow" This is done and witt
wonderful results
CROWDS or PATIENTS.
Naturally the peasants crowd TO the dool
whenever they are sick. and even those Of
CONTINUED on PACE 2. PART 81