American ManifestationsThe Banner of Light, a New York journal from May 18th, 1861 brings
the following:
“Deeming the following extraordinary facts worthy of being placed
upon record in an authenticated form, we forward them to the
Banner for publication, with our signatures attached, as evidence
that they occurred in our presence, and under the herein stated.
On Wednesday evening, May 1st, we met the medium H.M. Fay,
by appointment, at the residence of Mr. W. B. Hallock, in New York.
The medium seated himself near a table, upon which were placed a
tin horn, a violin and three separate pieces of small-sized bed-cord.
The company were seated in a semi-circle in front of the medium,
and the table six or eight inches from them, and with their hands
joined, which gave every member of the circle the assurance that his
neighbors on his right and left, retained their position in every one
of the experiments herein related. The lights were then put out and
the company ordered to sing. In a few minutes, a light was called
for. The medium was found still seating in his chair, with his hands
crossed behind him at the wrists, which were firmly tied together, the
knots being between the wrists, and the rope being wrapped around each wrist so tightly as to press into the flesh and obstruct the venous
circulation, so that the hands became much swollen. The ends of
the rope were then passed upon the inside of the back of the chair,
and then brought round and tied, one to each of the front legs of the
chair. Another rope was found wrapped firmly around his legs, just
above his knees, and tied tightly, while a third rope secured his ankles
in the same manner. In this condition, we were satisfied that the
medium could neither have tied himself, nor could he untie himself,
nor use his hands, nor walk, nor rise from his chair. A member of
the circle then placed a sheet of white paper upon the floor, under the
medium’s feet, with a pencil upon the paper. The light was put out,
and, almost immediately, the horn was seized by a power of same
kind, and struck upon the table and the floor repeatedly, rapidly, and
very violently, so as to make deep indentations in the table. A mouth
also seemed to be applied to the horn, and conversed through it, freely
and rather jocularly, at times, with the members of the circle. The
articulation of the words was as distinct as that of a person in the
form when speaking through a horn. The sound was that of a full
male voice, and the tone somewhat louder than the tone of common
conversation. Another voice, fainter, somewhat guttural, and with a
less distinct articulation, also, at times, conversed with the company.
A light was called for, and the medium was found still in his chair,
bound hand and foot, as already described, and his feet within the
pencil lines that had been traced around them. The light was again
put out, and soon the horn commenced its pounding and its talking
as before. The circle was next told to sing, and the manifestations
apparently ceased; but at the call for the light, the ropes were found
removed from the medium’s ankles and knees; his hands, however,
were still tied, as already described, and his feet within the pencil
lines upon the with paper. Again the light was put out, and again the
pounding and the talking through the horn were resumed. Then, followed
an order for singing, which was continued for a few moments,
when the light was called for, and the medium was found untied,
sitting in his chair, with his feet within the pencil lines. This closed
the first series of manifestations.
The light was again put out, and after a few moments singing by
the circle, the light was struck, and the medium was found tied with
one rope around his ankles, with another just below his knees, while
with a third his wrists were tied in front of him, even more tightly
than before, and then lashed to his right tight. A member of the circle
then tied his limbs to the chair, and putting a sheet of white paper
under his feet, traced with a pencil the outlines of his feet as before. A
bell was also put upon the table and the light extinguished, as before,
there was pounding upon the floor and table with the horn, and talking
through the horn; then the bell was lifted from the table and rung
very loudly, about midway between the medium and the circle, and
seeming to sweep over an arc of five or six feet at each stroke of the
clapper. During the ring of the bell the medium repeatedly in a loud
voice, exclaimed: “I am here, I am here,” thus assuring us that he was
still in his chair, while the bell was at a considerable distance from
him. The light was ordered, and the medium was found still tied as
described, with his feet within the pencil lines.
A large bright spot, an inch and a half in diameter, was now made
upon the back of the violin by rubbing it with phosphorus. The light
was put out, and very soon the violin rose six or seven feet above the
floor and floated rapidly around in the air, making a large sweep at
times, of seven or eight feet. In its movements it could easily be followed
by the eye, as the phosphorescent spot made upon it was distinctly visible;
it was also easily followed by the ear, as its strings were thumbed
upon during its flight. As the violin floated around, the medium repeatedly
exclaimed in a loud voice: “I am here, I am here,” giving us
the assurance that he was still in his chair and not following the violin
in its movements. The light was called for, and the medium was found
tied, as already described, and his feet within the pencil lines.
A member of the circle next placed a tumbler half full of water
upon the table and a slip of paper between the medium’s lips. The light was then extinguished. After a few moments singing by the circle
the light was ordered, and the tumbler was found empty, with no
trace of the water upon the table or the floor, the medium being still
tied as last described, his feet within the pencil lines, and the paper
between his lips dry. Again the light was put out, and again relighted
in a few moments, when the medium was found untied. This closed
the second series of experiments.
Mrs. Spence, now sat near the medium, and facing him. A gentleman
then sat between the two, so as to place his right foot upon
Mrs. Spence’s feet, his right hand upon the medium’s head, and his
left hand upon Mrs. Spence’s head. The medium then grasped the
gentleman’s right arm with both hands, each hand grasping at separate
places, while Mrs. Spence grasped the gentleman’s left arm in the
same way. The light was put out, and after a short interval, it was
again struck up, when the parties were observed to be still in the relative
position just described.
The gentleman then stated, that neither the medium’s nor Mrs.
Spence’s hands had been removed from his arms; yet, while the light
was out, he distinctly felt the fingers of a hand playing upon his face,
pull his nose, slap him upon the cheek, making a noise that was
heard by the rest of the circle; also that he was repeatedly tapped over
the head with the violin, making a noise that was perceptible to all
present.
Another gentleman then took the first gentleman’s place, and he
also stated that he was handled and struck in the same way; and so
each member of the circle, taking, in turn, the position just described,
testified to having been touched, handled and struck about the face
and head, by what seemed to be a hand, and sometimes also by the
violin; all, however, while the light was extinguished, but while the
medium’s hands and feet and also Mrs. Spence’s were secured as described.
This closed the third series of experiments, in all of which, as
well as in those first two series, we are satisfied that the manifestations
were not produced either by Mr. Fay or by any member of the circle.
Yours truly,
Charles Patridge, R. T. Hallock, Mrs. Sarah P. Clark, Mrs. Mary S. Hallock, Mrs. Amanda, M. Spence, Miss Alla Britt,
William Blondel, William P. Coles, W. B. Hallock, B. Franklin
Clark, Peyton Spence.
New York, May 3, 1861.”
OBSERVATION: We don’t deny the possibility of all these things and we
have no reason to doubt the honorability of the countersigners, despite the
fact that we don’t know them. However, we stand behind our thoughts
given in our last issue regarding the two articles about the mysterious
drawings and the exploitation of Spiritism. Some say that such exploitation
does not shock public opinion in America and that they find it very
natural that mediums may seek compensation. That is understandable in
a country where time is money. That will not preclude us from saying what
we have already said in another article: that the absolute altruism is an even
better guarantor than all physical precautions.
If our texts have contributed to cast discredit upon the self-serving mediumship
in France and elsewhere we believe that this is not the least service
done to serious Spiritism. These general thoughts are not absolutely
directed to Mr. Fay whose position before the public we ignore.
