to a house near
Rochester believed to be haunted, from which tenant after tenant
had moved out, alarmed by mysterious rappings. The Foxes did not
hear these sounds until 1848, and then Kate, hardly more than a
child, began questioning the rappings, and having opened what
seemed to be intelligent communication, suggested the use of the
alphabet. That was the beginning of what spiritualists call the
"science of materialization." The exhibitions consisted of the
usual phenomena, table turning, spirit rapping and the moving of
large bodies by invisible means. The two young women gave public
s['e]ances throughout the country, arousing an interest that spread
to England. In 1888 Margaret made a confession of imposture which
she later retracted. Claiming to be the wife of Dr. Elisha Kent
Kane, the Arctic explorer, she published a book of his letters
under the "Love Life of Dr. Kane." He had met her between voyages
of exploration, fallen in love with her, and in one of the
published letters addressed her as "my wife," but even she admits
that there never was a formal wedding. He died at Havana in 1857.]

Modern spiritualism is generally dated from the "demonstrations"
produced by the Fox Sisters. These exhibitions consisted of the
usual spiritualistic phenomena: table turning, spirit rapping and
the moving of large bodies by invisible means. The sisters gave
public s['e]ances through the country, and interest in spiritualism
spread to England. In 1888 Margaret made a confession of
imposture, which she later retracted. She claimed to be the wife
of Dr. Elisha Kent Kane, the Arctic explorer, and published a
book of his letters under the title of the "Love Life of Dr.
Kane." Kane had begun his career as an explorer when he was
appointed surgeon and naturalist for the Grinnell expedition in
1850, which set out to search for Sir John Franklin, who was lost
somewhere in the North. After spending 16 fruitless months of
search, they returned, but Kane fitted out a new expedition of
which he was given command, and spent two winters in polar
exploration and collection of scientific data. The voyage lasted
years and brought him fame. It was between these voyages that he
met Margaret Fox, and in one of the published letters he
addressed her as "my wife," though there seems never to have been