The Missing Link in Modern Spiritualism

by A. Leah Underhill

Thus the first great step was taken, in order to lay the facts of Modern Spiritualism before the world. It was now to be tried in a way by which no guilty person could hope to escape detection. Any one guilty of fraud as great as this would have been, had it consisted of simulation on our part, must certainly have met with swift exposure, and been stripped of all power or opportunity for further mischief. In fact, could it be rationally apprehended that we, or any one, would have dared to face an adverse public, of a thronged city, and the entire sentiment of a world against us, as we had been directed to do, with nothing but a damning falsehood at our backs to lean upon?

The appointment of an intelligent committee was readily agreed upon by the audience; and they—most of them perhaps—felt confident that the supposed fraud would now be probed to the bottom. So sure seemed the editors of the Rochester Democrat that this was “the last of the rappings,” that they wrote a long article on the “humbug” which had deceived so many, rejoicing that the end was near.

But when, on the following evening, the Committee made their report, the newspaper men were obliged to substitute something else in place of the anticipated detection and exposure, as the result of their examination did not verify the theory of these newspaper quasi-leaders and instructors of public thought. The following was the report of the Committee:

“Without the knowledge of the persons in whose presence the manifestations are made, the Committee selected the hall of the ‘Sons of Temperance,’ for investigation of the subject under consideration. That the sounds, on the floor near where the Mediums stood, were heard as distinctly as at the other places; and that part of the Committee heard the rapping on the wall behind them; that a number of questions were asked, which were answered not altogether right nor altogether wrong; that, in the afternoon, they went to the house of a private citizen, and while there, the sounds were heard on the outside (apparently) of the front door, after they had entered, and on the door of a closet. By placing the hand upon the door, there was a sensible jar felt when the rapping was heard.

“One of the Committee placed one of his hands upon the feet of the ladies, and the other on the floor, and though the feet were not moved, there was a distinct jar of the floor. On the pavement and on the ground the same sounds were heard; a kind of double rap, as of a stroke and a rebound, was distinguishable. When the sisters were separated at a distance from each other, no sound was heard; but when a third person was interposed between them, the sounds were heard. The sisters seemed to give every opportunity to the Committee to investigate the case fully, and would submit to a thorough investigation by a committee of ladies, if desired. They all agree that the sounds were heard, but they entirely fail to discern any means by which it could be done.”

On the following evening, each member of the Committee spoke for himself, and they all perfectly agreed as to the facts stated. Their report was received with surprise by such of the audience as had come with the expectation of having the subject exposed as a fraud, and the rappings stopped.

After some further remarks by Mr. Capron, and a discussion of a brief character upon the subject, another Committee was appointed consisting of the following gentlemen: Dr. H. H. Langworthy, Hon. Frederick Whittlesey, General D. C. McCallum, William Fisher, of Rochester, and Hon. A. P. Hascall, of Le Roy, subsequently member of Congress.

At the meeting, on the evening after this lecture, this Committee reported that “They went into the investigation at the office of Chancellor Whittlesey, and they heard the sounds on the floor, on the wall, and on the door; that the ladies were placed in different positions, and, like the other Committee, they were unable to tell from what the sounds proceeded, or how they were made; that Dr. Langworthy made observations with a stethoscope to ascertain whether there was any movement of the lungs, and found not the least difference when the sounds were being made, and there was no kind of probability or possibility of their being made by ventriloquism, as some had supposed; and they could not have been made by machinery.”

As this report was read, there was a murmur of discontent, of baffled opposition, and, in some cases, unmistakable willingness to proceed to violence against all who had offered every opportunity for fair investigation. Many persons, among the large number congregated there, were disappointed and indignant at the discovery that it was not a cheat. A very large number of people were present on this occasion, and a portion of them seemed determined that the cause of the deception, or the manner of its performance, should be ascertained and exposed. They predetermined that there could be no honesty unless it came in their old beaten track of belief.

It was during the investigation on this second day, that Chancellor Whittlesey informed me that he was a friend to us. He said to me: “Now, don’t be alarmed. I am a friend to you and know that these things are true. I have read ‘Davis’s Revelations,’ and I believe fully that Spirits can communicate. You shall have a fair investigation.” This was after very insulting and even violent behavior by Dr. H. H. Langworthy; and it did me a great deal of good to be so assured by one of the Committee, and one of the best of them; and also a man who had long been Vice Chancellor of the State of New York; and whom the whole country knew as one of the wise men of the time, a neighbor of ours and known to us.