Ground Floor of Troup St. house. But note that the rear room D is not on that level, but in that of the Second Story: there being under it a corresponding dining-room: while above A and C, and level with D, were bed rooms; and h is the Stair connecting the two stories. A, Front Parlor. B, Hall. C, Bed-room. D, Sitting-Room (on floor above). E, Bed-room. F, Stoop. G, Store-room (lighted from the roof). a, Table moved in presence of Dr. Hammond. b, Table moved, see lines. c, Stove. d, Large parlor stove. ee, Lounges. f, Bureau. g, Piano. h, Stairs to sitting-room D.
“During these manifestations, a piece of pasteboard, nearly a foot square, was swung with such velocity before us as to throw a strong current of air in our faces; a paper curtain attached to one of the windows was rolled up and unrolled twice; a lounge immediately behind me was shaken violently; two small drawers in a bureau played back and forth with inconceivable rapidity; a sound, resembling a man sawing boards and planing them, was heard under the table; a common spinning-wheel seemed to be in motion, making a very natural buzz of the spindle; a reel articulated each knot wound upon it; while the sound of a rocking cradle indicated maternal care for the infant’s slumbers. These were among many demonstrations which I witnessed that evening, amid which I felt a perfect self-possession, and in no instance the slightest embarrassment, except a momentary chill when the cold hand was applied to my face, similar to a sensation I have realized when touching a dead body.
“That any of the company could have performed these things, under the circumstances in which we were situated, would require a greater stretch of credulity on my part, than it would to believe it was the work of Spirits. It could not, by any possibility, have been done by any of the party of individuals present, nor even attempted, without detection. And I may add, that near the close of the demonstrations at this visit, there was a vibration of the floor, as though several tons in weight had been uplifted and suddenly fallen again upon it. This caused everything in the room to shake most violently for several minutes, when the force was withdrawn.
“I have also tested the intelligence of these Spirits in every way my ingenuity could invent. On one occasion, I wrote a word on a slip of paper privately, placed it in my wallet, went there, and the sounds, through the alphabet, spelled that word correctly as I had written it. That word was ‘Sybil.’
“On the 20th of February, inst., the two youngest sisters made my family a visit. Here the sounds were heard, questions involving subjects wholly unknown to them were answered, a large heavy dining-table was moved several times; and on expressing thanks at the table to the Giver of all good, some six or eight sounds responded to every sentence I uttered, by making loud and distinct sounds in various parts of the room.
“Yours truly,
“C. Hammond.”
LETTER OF JOHN E. ROBINSON.
“D. M. Dewey:
“Sir—As you have requested of me some recital of my acquaintance with the phenomena known as the ‘mysterious knockings’ or ‘rappings,’ as the popular term is, the following is cheerfully placed at your disposal.
“My attention was first called to the subject, I think, by Mr. Isaac Post, in the month of October, 1848, at which time Mrs. Fish, with a younger sister, was living on Prospect Street. I had previously heard accounts of something of the kind which was said to have occurred at Hydesville, Wayne County, of this State, the former place of residence of Mr. John D. Fox and Mrs. Margaret Fox, now of Arcadia; but had considered it, as most others did, the mere offspring of excited imagination, or a trick made up perhaps for the purpose of harmless deception. You may well suppose that I sought an introduction to the singular mystery with no very credulous ear. I could not doubt the honesty of my friend Post, and from the reports which he gave of his experience thus far, I thought the contrivance must certainly be an ingenious one and well worth one’s while to unravel.