A DARK SEANCE.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2507, 2 April 1881, Page 4

A DARK SEANCE.

HOW| THE SPIRITS ARB WORKED

The charge of obtaining jewellery and money by false pretences, against John Fletcherand his wife, alleged spiritualists was proceeded with at the Bow street* Police Court London on Jan 25. Some extraordinary evidence respecting, the way in which dark seances were managed, was given by James Haddocks a house decorator. After explaining how he came acquainted with Fletcher, Haddocks continued , —Fletcher asked me to come over and see him in January or February, 1870. It was at his house that the conversation took place about the titled people. He said he would like me to assist him, and sent a letter to Mr Poole’s house for ine. I destroyed it, but it was for me to go to him at seven to arrange before the people came. I met him at the door, and he said—“ I can’t hold it to-night as there is a ‘ soiree’ ” and it did not come of then, butlhegfiist 1 seance’ came off on Feb. 19. I had a bottle with phosphorescent oil. He had a musical box which he had previously borrowed of Mr Poole. When I went to his house I met him in the hall, and he asked me if I had brought the phosphorescent oil bottle and the beard. I said—“ No ; but.l have a bottle with which 1 can produce the spirit light. He said, It will do for this occasion. I can’t slay now,l must go into the other room, but Mrs Fletcher will arrange with you.” She arranged the things on the table—pencils, bells, candles, and note-paper for the spirits to move and write ; also a pasteboard tube for the spirits to speak through. Mr Fletcher came in then with the musical box and placed it on a side table, and then he said, I will leave winding it up to you, as you understand it.” He said, “ I want you to keep before Mrs Fletcher and me, and when the light is in your hand you can wind the box up.” I agreed to do that, and then he went into the next room. Mrs Fletcher said at the latter part of the seance when I asked the spirit to do something extras ordinary : “ You put the coal-scuttle on the table." People came then. I bad not the apparatus to do the materialism, and I said to Mr Fletcher, “Suppose I can’t get between you and Mrs Fletcher.” He said, “We will represent you as - a sceptical gentleman, and then you will be able to get between us.” Five or six people came to the seance. Mr Fletcher blew out the light. I sat at the end of the table between Mr and Mrs Fletcher,and the rest round the table joining bands. The lights were candles. When they were out Mrs Fletcher released my hand, and I wound up the musical-box, which w.as very loud, and would deaden the sound of people walking about. They could hear the box being wound up, and they said, “ Oh, how marvellous ! what power the spirits have 1” One gentleman said, “ I can feel the spirits drawing from me.’’ The tube was used to touch people, and some said, “ Thank you, dear spirits,” and wanted the dose repeated, while others were nervous, and said, “ Don’t touch me.” I used the tube sometimes, and when I was doing so I stood on some matches which ignited and showed my face for a moment, and I thought they would discover me, so I got down. But one lady, to my surprise, said she recognised me as the spirit of her cousin or her uncle, and said, “ I am delighted with you. (Laughter.) All sorts of touching went on. Mrs Fletcher touched me, and I touched her and Mr Fletcher. Then she ssked the spirits to do something, and I placed the coalscuttle on the table. Then I took one of the candles from the candlestick and touched them round with that. We' moved the table backwards and forwards. I used the bottle to make a light walk about the room. Mrs Fletcher made a spirit light by matches by gently rubbing- them. That is how some matches got on the floor. After using the bottle I put it in my pocket. • It shows a little round phosphorescent light the size of half-a-crown. The people said the lights and everything produced were marvellous. The performance lusted about an hour and a half. Afterwards they asked what I thought of it, and I said that I did not think people would be such fools as to believe it. I asked what they thoogbtof my part of the performance, and they said it was all right ; I had done it all very well. There was one gentleman there connected with an American paper. Mr Fletcher said he was glad it had 'gone off so well, and he would write a glowing account of it. Mr Fletcher asked me what I thought of the raps and the spirit voice, and I said I thought they went off well. On leaving Mr Fletcher said : —“ Don’t tell Mr Poole anyting about this, and I will write when I want you again.” A second seance took place on Feb. 27, at which there was a paid medium called Miss Cook. I don’t know whether her name was Katie. We.all sat round the table, with Miss Cook next to me on the right, and next her Mr Fletcher, Mrs Fletcher on my left. Lights were put out when Miss Cook let go my hand and pulled out the cork from the oil bottle to admit air to the phosphorus, and showed herself at the other end of the room. She held the bottle to her head, which was covered with drapery and looked like a spirit. I believe she spoke some words. The “ John King business ” is done in a similar way. These bells and tnusiaal-box caused the same enthusiasm amongst the audience. ■ Some flowers were thrown on the table which Mr Fletcher and I had bought. I remained behind after the seance, but nothing particular was said except they were glad the people were so satisfied. Iliad consulted Fletcher about a malady I was suffering from at Mr Poole’s, and I afterwards received a letter dated from 14, Southampton row, which said : “ Vinona ’ has just come and said, ‘Write a letter, to say that the doctor cannot find the spirit medicine he desires, but the nearest approximation to it is Clarkes’ Blood Mixture ’—(laughter)—■ for Mr M.’s case, ‘Vinona’ joins with me in sending many kind regards.— A. W. Fletcher.” I did not come here voluntarily and gave no information. The police came to me. The case was further adjourned for a month.