The Missing Link in Modern SpiritualismUnderhill, A. Leah (Ann Leah)
Religion
The Missing Link in Modern Spiritualism
Underhill, A. Leah (Ann Leah)
Fox family; Spiritualism
"My youngest child (Cathie) said: 'Mr. Splitfoot, do as I do,' clapping
her hands. The sound instantly followed her with the same number
of raps; when she stopped the sound ceased for a short time. Then
Margaretta said, in sport: 'Now do just as I do; count one, two, three,
four,' striking one hand against the other at the same time, and the
raps came as before. She was afraid to repeat them. Then Cathie said,
in her childish simplicity: 'O mother, I know what it is; to-morrow is
April-fool day, and it's somebody trying to fool us.' I then thought I
could put a test that no one in the place could answer. I asked the
noise to rap my different children's ages, successively. Instantly each
one of my children's ages was given correctly, pausing between them
sufficiently long to individualize them until the seventh, at which a
longer pause was made, and then three more emphatic raps were given,
corresponding to the age of the little one that died, which was my
youngest child. I then asked: 'Is this a human being that answers my
questions so correctly?' There was no rap. I asked: 'Is it a spirit? If
it is, make two raps?' Two sounds were given as soon as the request was
made. I then said: 'If it was an injured spirit, make two raps,' which
were instantly made, causing the house to tremble. I asked, 'Were you
injured in this house?' The answer was given as before. 'Is the person
living that injured you?' Answered by raps in the same manner. I
ascertained by the same method that it was a man, aged thirty one-years;
that he had been murdered in this house, and his remains were buried in
the cellar; that his family consisted of a wife and five children, two
sons and three daughters, all living at the time of his death, but that
his wife had since died. I asked: 'Will you continue to rap if I call in
my neighbors that they may hear it too?' The raps were loud in the
affirmative. My husband went and called in Mrs. Redfield (our nearest
neighbor). She is a very candid woman. The girls were sitting up in bed
clinging to each other and trembling with terror. I think I was as calm
as I am now. Mrs. Redfield came immediately (this was about half past
seven), thinking she would have a laugh at the children; but when she
saw them pale with fright and nearly speechless, she was amazed, and
believed there was something more serious than she had supposed. I asked
a few questions for her, and was answered as before. He told her age
exactly. She then called her husband, and the same questions were asked
and answered. Then Mr. Redfield called in Mr. Duesler and wife, and
several others. Mr. Duesler then called in Mr. and Mrs. Hyde, also Mr.
and Mrs. Jewell. Mr. Duesler asked many questions, and received answers.
I then named all the neighbors I could think of, and asked if any of
them had injured him, and received no answer. Mr. Duesler then asked
questions and received answers. He asked, 'Were you murdered?' Raps
affirmative.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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