Experimental investigation of the spirit manifestations, [electronic ...

OF Tin: EXISTENCE OP SPIRITS. 345the shelf, flyto the wiiiJow, break out a ghiss, and fall clown between theshutter and sa.sh, where he knew from the position that no one couldhave thrown it.lie saw a tumbler, which was standing on a bureau, risefrom its place, fly to the window, and dash out the only pane remainingwhole in the window, when no person was within twenty feet of it, andthe only persons in the room were himself and Harry, the latterstandingby the doctor's side in the doorway of the room—a position in which itwas utterly impossible for him to have done it without detection.1G94. " The mysterious visitors, whoever they were, seemed at timesto be actuated by a spirit of sheer mischief in the destruction of property,particularly glass and crockery. Even the glass in the carriage-top wasbroken out. Pitchers of water were, on two or three occasions, pouredinto the beds, and the pitchers and other vessels thrown about the roomand broken. The damage to furniture during the whole time was nearlytwo hundred dollars. Sometimes there was a cessation of ^ hostilities' fortwo or three days; but they would then return with additional violence;in fact, they increased gradually in violence from the beginning to themiddle of April. On the evening of that day, and during the night, theywere more violent and destructive than ever before. On the night of the13th of April, loud pounding and beating, as withsome hard substance,were frequent in the room adjoining that in which Dr. P. slept; so loudand continued were they, that at one o'clock no person in the house hadbeen able to sleep. Soon after, a small drawer was taken from a dressing-table,and beaten so violently against the bedstead as to break it intofragments, some of which were thrown against the windows, breakingtwo panes of glass. The knockings were now transferred to Mrs. P.'sroom. She was pinched, pricked with pins, and otherwise annoyed in amanner beyond explanation ' on any known laws of matter or mind.' Mr.W. C. was staying in the house that night. He went to the room by request,and proposed to interrogate them, as they were then doing at Rochesterand other places in AYestern New York.Being left to act his pleasure,he queried, and was replied to as follows : ^Who are you ? If a spirit,knock.' Immediately there were heard on the head of the bed distinctknocks. Q.—' Are you a good or bad spirit ? If good, knock.' To thisthere was no answering sound."^ If a bad spirit, knock.' At once the samesounds as before were heard. Q.—' Will you spell your name if the alphabetis called?' A.—Knock. It was done; and a name was spelled out, anda communication made of a most extraordinary character, detailing theparticulars of a transaction in which a portion of the family were said tohave been defrauded out of a large property. As this whole communicationrelates to a matter which may yet come before the tribunals of ourcountry for adjudication, I am expressly prohibited frommaking any extractsfrom this part of the journal. I regret this more, as the facts inthis case form one of the most wonderful and unaccountable cases on record.