Mr. Hall, of the "Portland Evening Courier," had
announced his new discovery in spiritual science, several of the
Portland spiritualists had a private "sitting" with the boy. While he
sat with his hands upon the arm of one of their number, they tied a rope
to his wrists, and around the person's arm, covering his hands in the
way I have before described. After some wriggling and twisting (the
usual amount of "nervousness,") the bell was heard to ring behind the
clothes-horse. The boy's right hand was then examined, and it was found
to be stained with some colored matter that had previously been put upon
the handle of the bell. As the boy's wrists were still tied, and the
rope remained upon the man's arm, the "transfer" theory was considered
to be established as a fact, and the previous exposure shown to be not
only no exposure at all, but a "stepping-stone to a grand truth in
spiritual science." Again and again did these persistent and infatuated
spiritualists try what they call the "transfer test," varying with each
experiment the coloring-material used, and every time the bell was rung
the medium's right hand was found out to be stained with what had been
put upon the bell-handle. By having a little slack-rope between his
wrist and the man's arm, it was not a difficult matter for the medium,
while his "nervousness" was being manifested, to get hold of the bell
and ring it, and to make sounds upon the strings of the dulcimer or
guitar, with a drumstick that the "manager" had placed at a convenient
distance from his (the boy's) hand.

The "Portland Daily Press," in noticing a lecture against Spiritualism,
recently delivered by Dr. Von Vleck, in that city, says:--"He (Dr. V.
V.) performed the principal feats of the Allen boy, with his hands tied
to the arm of the person with whom he was in communication."

Horace Greeley says that if a man will be a consummate jackass and fool,
he is not aware of anything in the Constitution to prevent it. I believe
Mr. Greeley is right; and I think no one can reasonably be expected to
exercise common sense unless he is known to possess it. It is quite
natural, therefore, that many of the spiritualists, lacking common
sense, should pretend to have something better.

III. TRADE AND BUSINESS IMPOSITIONS.

CHAPTER XVIII.

ADULTERATIONS OF FOOD.--ADULTERATIONS OF LIQUOR.--THE COLONEL'S
WHISKEY.--THE HUMBUGOMETER.

It was about eight hundred and fifty years before Christ w