APPALLING DEATH OF A SPIRIT MEDIUM.

Evening Star, Issue 3417, 3 February 1874, Page 3

APPALLING DEATH OF A SPIRIT MEDIUM.

On November 16, at the Athenaaum Assembly rooms, Birmingham, a spiritualistic service was being held, and in the course of it a medium named Benjamin Hawkes, a toy dealer of New street in that town, addressed the meeting. Be spoke for fully half an-hour, appearing to be in his usual health, and then he described with startling vividity a stance in which the Apostle Peter h & d manifested himself to the assembled spiritists. Peter had clasped hands with him, and he (Hawkes) felt the close pressure of the Apostle’s grasp. From this he argued that it was quite possible to understand how Thomas Didymus thrust his hand into H>e side of “ the Personification of Divine Love.” The instant these last words were out of the speaker’s mouth, he fell back on a chair behind him. There was great excitement, for the meeting believed Hawkes was under strong “ spirit control.” A few seconds elapsed, and a surgeon came up to the medium, and found him dead. The meeting itroke up in wild confusion. Perhaps a more exciting scone never occurred than the death of this man, with the wild words of his fervent belief fresh on his lips.