Herr Dobler’s Dark Seance.

Cromwell Argus, Volume IV, Issue 176, 25 March 1873, Page 7

Herr Dobler’s Dark Seance.

( The Scotsman.) By way of preface to a series of cntcrtainnents wliich he proposes to commence in Edinburgh, Herr Dobler gave a private exhilition of his so-called dark stance. Tho obect of this demonstration, as explained by lerr Holder himself, is to show how the ‘manifestations,” which we used to hear so niich of as occurring in -tho presence of Mr Joins and other sot-discint spiritual mediums, nay be repeated ad libitum by a clever preslliijitateur, without any pretence of superijtural interference. Anvthing more open d above-board tliat the Herr’s mode of procure it were difficult to imagine. He lays :lovm certain fair and simple conditions as emulating his seance, but, subject to these, ie challenges the keenest scrutiny, and inrites all and sundry to find out if they can ion' his feats are performed. As a preliminary to Monday’s exhibition, the company jcere invited to nominate a critical committee „f their own number, and Dr Stevenson Macadam and Lieutenant-Colonel Reilly were jccordingly requested to act in that capacity. In a moderate-sized room the seats for spectators were ranged in a double row along one side, leaving fully half the floor quite clear. Hare was placed a chair of the simplest construction, and, alongside of that, a small table on which were placed a bell and tambourine. The room having been darkened, the company heard for about a couple of minutes the rattling of a rope against the chair and floor, and, when light was restored, the performer was seen seated with his limbs securely tied to the two front legs of the chair, and his arms behind the chair-back ■jjg'the wrists, not only tightly fastened GL\er, but secured to the crossbar of the -r underneath. The closest inspection .is invited, and all having been satisfied that the knots were perfectly secure, those fastening the wrists were duly sealed, so as to render it impossible to undo them without detection. Out goes the light again, and ins'antly the tambourine, which has been rendered slightly luminous by being rubbed with phosphorous, is seen to move on the table. The bell is rung, and presently the tambourine moves slowly upwards and hovers about for one or two seconds near the ceiling, its gliding motion being varied by an occasional shake, that makes ail its bells jingle. After this had gone on for a minute or two, bell and tambourine are dashed violently on the floor ; and forthwith light is restored to find Herr Bolder seated in his chair, with legs and wrists tied as before, the seal on the knots untouched, and the hands showing no traces of violent exertion. An overcoat being now borrowed from a gentleman in the company, is laid on the table alongside the performer. The room is once more darkened, hut this time only for a minute or so, and, when the candles are re-lit, the overcoat is found on Herr Holder's back, his arms in the sleeves, but the sealed knots on Ins wrists intact as before. The next feat was the doffing of the coat, and restoration of it to the owner* winch was managed, in the dark of course, with equal dexterity ; and then came what, perhaps, iiyas,the most astonishing test of all. Dr Macadam was requested to sit in front of the performer, to place a foot on each of his feet and a hand on each knee, and so to watch for any motion or indication of muscular action in the limbs. When the Imht was extinguished the tambourine and belf at once resumed their erratic movements, the latter ending by finding a resting-place on Dr Macadam’s head. The doctor testified that immediately on the extinction of the iglit he was touched on each side of the bee, as if by two hands, and that while bell and tambourine were flying about the room, I •ierr Debtor's limbs remained perfectly qui-, escent. After this, no one was surprised to j end an indiarubberring taken in the dark from »gentleman’s hand and placed on Herr Dob- j crsxann, and anon in much less time than is describe it, taken from the arm i upon the floor. This feat closed j the sconce, which was carried through, on! usrr Dobler’s part, with a quiet, gentle- ; manly ease, indicative of the consciousness of: Ipertect mastery in his art