Spiritualistic Exposure at Cockermouth.

Bruce Herald, Volume IX, Issue 811, 13 June 1876, Page 7

Spiritualistic Exposure at Cockermouth.

: — ♦ • * The'* West Cumberland Times* gives an 'account of some spiritualistic seances given at Cockermouth lately, with Miss Ward, a noted medium belonging to Newcastle. Tiae last one is&thus- described : 4About a score of gentlemen were present at a fourth; "seance, which was held, as before, "adjoining 'the Courthouse., ,;'.!-9ph7e .'medium was securely- bounjd with cords to a seat in the centre of the room, and from the manner in which stie was bound everyone present expressed their~""coriyictibri that it was impossible thai) ahe "coiild move iber arms. Before the light waa turned off, one of the company, unobserved by the medium, artfully covered the tambourine and other instruments JgitK"-- blue coloring tiiatter, and did not placp them vvithih the circle until after the light w ; as, put and the room was in absolute; i darkness, his explanation being that he did not wish the* medium to see the position where they were placed. Seated iri a circle round the medium with joined ; hands the company struck up a hymn as usual, but scarcely had they again "gathered at the river" before Pockey manifested her presence by the production ofall manner of nonsense and chaff from the fettered lady. Pockey always proves herself a most playful sprite, and gifted with wonderful wit and power of repartee. On more than one occasion she replied to questions in a way that would cause her interrogator to " feel sorry he Md spoken." Much fun and laughter was consequently created ; but ifc was nevertheless weary work, when men were waiting earnestly for spiritual manifestations, to be put off with " chaff " of the most frivolous description. Por more than an hour, until long after the 9 o'clock chimes were heard from the spire of All Saints, this profitless chat was continued. No feats of a remarkable character were, however, performed by the spirit, and we were glad when the medium, afc about 11 o'clock intimated that she was released from Pockey's control. The circle broke up, a match was struck, and the gas re-lighted. The medium was seated in the exact spot and in the same manner in which she had been left. Now for the test. Two or three gentlemen advanced to release her from her bonds, but before doing bo, in their eagerness to learn the result, they opened both her hands, and found them to be covered with the blue coloring matter that had been secretly applied to tbe instruments, and parts of the lady's face and of her dress exhibited the like guilty stains.