A Spiritualist Exposed.

Te Aroha News, Volume V, Issue 240, 4 February 1888, Page 7

A Spiritualist Exposed.

One of the most prominent materialising mediums in Boston for along timo has been- ' Mrs Herman B. Fay, who has given public stances regularly in that city. On the afternoon of Novembor 19th the (< Record," sent a party of ten young men and two young women to one of her seances to test the genuineness of her spiritualistic manifosfcations. The visitors found 15 others present, most of them men. Daylight was shut out of the room where the stance wa& given by heavy draperies. In one corner was fche cabinet, and opposite it were about 30 chairs for visitors, arranged in a semi-circle. A pale, dreamy-looking woman played on a- cabinet organ. Mrs Fay is of medium height, and is a strong, athleticappearing woman. After announcing her rules and collecting a dollar a head from each person present, the seance was begun. A figure in white emerged from the cabinet at three different times and beckoned to persons in the room to come into the cabinet* where they were greeted by alleged spirits of dead relatives or friends. The figure appeared a fourth time, and, evidently being convinced that it had a sympathetic audience, ventured far down the room. It appeared as a gipsy girl with long hair flowing down her back. Advancing boldly, it paused in front of the investigators, and confidingly stretched forth both hands. Like a flash the man clinched them in a strong grasp, and ejaculated "Now." Instantly a man ignited a bunch of matches, and the chandelier was a blaze of light. Other ready hands stripped away the curtains, and the sun's r^ya flooded, the room. In the centre of the room* directly under the blaze of the chandelier^ struggling, fighting, biting, and scratching like a tigress' in the grip of four strong men, who had all they could do to hold her, was Mrs Herman Fay. She had said that the form would not be hers, but she got there just the same. Her flowing hair, a switch about 2ft long, had been torn from her head in the melee, as was also her "spirit robe," a piece of cheap cotton gauze about four yards long and two and a half yards wide. Captain Dixon, the master of ceremonies, who attempted to rescue Mrs Fay, was grabbed around the neck by another athletic young man. He struggled vigorously, and shouted, "D you, let me go," but he was held in a firm clasp. A pair of shoes found in the cabinet were composed of threepieces of cork, nailed together, one on top of the other, and having a strap to fasten, them to Mrs Fay's feet. When she represented tall figures she put these on her feet. Loud demands for their money were made by the unbelievers, and Captain DixoA' was compelled to pay a dollar to all whodemanded it. The exposure was complete. _