SPIRITUALISM AND MADNESS.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 346, 2 June 1877, Page 4

SPIRITUALISM AND MADNESS.

A writer in the Birmingham Post gives the following : " Someone has been writing to the newspapers during the past week with the object of proving that there is but a slight connection between Spiritualism and insanity. The experience of a friend on the literary staff of a daily newspaper in the north of England scarcely bears out this theory. At midnight, a short time ago, he was disturbed in the exercise of his sub-editorial duties by the advent of a well-known Spiritualist, who coolly sat down and announced that he was about to die, as the ' spirits' had informed him that he must die in that office about that hour. Gently, but hrmly, the sub-editor pointed out to the visitor the inconvenience that he would occasion if he insisted •upon giving up the ghost, urging as an additional reason for delay that the hour was exceedingly late, and there would barely be time to prepare a nice sensational paragraph for the news columns of the paper. The Spiritualist remained firm, and, closing his eyes, prepared to depart with all due decorum. A policeman, however, was sent for, and, in reply to the quostions of this official, tlie doomed man commenced to rap on his forehead with his fingers, observing that he was telegraphing, by means of the Morse code, to Dr. Monck in gaol. He pretended that he received a reply from the incarcerated medium; but his performance was cut short by the policeman, who lugged him off to the lock-up. There it was discovered that the man was insane, and the verdict of the doctor is very clear— Spiritualism did it !"