USA > California > Santa Barbara County > History of Santa Barbara county, California, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 53
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" THE CONTROLLING SPIRIT.
" After it ceased speaking, Mr. Julius Lyons, the District Court Reporter, said to the voice: 'Will you please tell us who and what is it that has been
addressing us?' The voice replied: 'I am Peter Mitchell who once lived in Middletown, Ohio I am the identical Peter Mitchell there and then, and the fact that I still exist and retain my identity proves that all of you will live after you leave the world you now are in. * * ** "
" We then asked: ' Will Mr. Mitchell please answer a question for me?' From the horn came the words 'I will try.' The small end of the horn dingled along on the floor, as we verily believe, and the large open mouth of the horn came right up to our face, and out of it came in a good strong voice: 'What is your question ?' The mouth of the horn was not three inches from our face. As we would lean for- ward, it would retire, and as we raised up it would come towards us. We followed with this question: ' If one or more of the pastors of the religious denominations of Santa Barbara desired to come and talk to him. would their disbelief of itself be suffi- cient to prevent his speaking to them ?' Answer: ' All persons should search out the laws of nature that relate to themselves while living on earth, to secure health and happiness, and also to be assured of an eternal existence after the body dies, and any one who comes with earnestness and with a pure mind, though he has not learned the whole truth, he will not prevent our coming to you and him if he is patient, passive, and will endeavor to harmonize the operations of his mind with the minds of the others present. Much depends upon this.'"
Mrs. Belle Chamberlain, " a noted trance-speaker" and famous lecturer, also appeared at different times before Santa Barbara audiences.
The spiritualistic excitement continued. Speakers of note from abroad frequently addressed the So- ciety. Mrs. Josephine Walcott, J. L. Barker, Daniel Lunt, and other local talent also was called on. Of Mrs. Walcott, it was said that her enunciation was clear and pleasant, though a little too rapid for slow thinkers, for her grand ideas were clothed in so few words, and followed so rapidly, like booming waves, one after another, upon a storm-beaten shore, that there were some who could not gather, arrange, and perfectly enjoy the beautiful pearls as they fell from her lips.
The greatest excitement was over the alleged spirit- ual manifestations at the residence of J. W. Orr. Mrs. C. M. Smith was the medium through whom was re- ceived the revelations which were in audible voices from persons sometimes dead, by singing, playing the piano, etc.
Rumors of fraud having been circulated regarding the conduct of the woman, the following protest was published :-
"SANTA BARBARA, May 2, 1876.
" We, the undersigned citizens of Santa Barbara, having attended at least one, and some of us many, successful seances, given by Mrs. Mary C. Smith, hereby certify that it is our solemn conviction and firm belief that no fraud nor collusion of any kind was committed by Mrs. Smith, or any other person, at such seance.
" R. F. Winchester, M. D., G. P. Tebbetts, Jesse Hill, J. L. Barker, E. J. Hayward, R. D. Smith, J. N. Vandegrift, Geo. (. Childs, Jno. W. Morris, L. C.
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HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
Morrill, Daniel Lunt, Wm. F. Russell, Alfred Davis, A. W. Russell. R. B. Ord, H. P. Stone, Julius Lyons, John Walcott, J. A. Blood, Jr., W. F. Brec, James H. Swift, R. Forbush, Henry J. Finger, R. O. Hunt, C. C. Hunt, J. A. Bell, J. L. Hunt."
Slade, the spiritual slate writer, gave several exhibitions at the Arlington, but his tricks did not satisfy disbelievers of his skill.
W. F. PECK.
According to announcement, this celebrated me- dium appeared in Santa Barbara, May 20, 1876. The circle meeting the Med um was composed of George W. Child and wife, Mrs. Dr. Ashley, James A. Blood and wife, John Walcott and wife, Col. W. W. Hollis- ter, W. H. Norway, A. B. Williams, H. T. Finger, J. L. Barker and mother, J. G. Stearns and wife, J. H. Kincaid and wife, C. C. Hunt and wife, - Prosser and wife, James Orr, James H. Swift, Dr. R. F. Win- chester, Capt. A. Davis, Mrs. Thomas, E. J. Hay- ward, Miss Woods, J. A. Blood, Jr., and W. F. Rus- sell. J. A. Blood, Sr., and Captain Davis were selected as a committee to examine the cabinet, which was a box of common redwood lumber, to see that there was no fraud in its arrangements. The medium was handcuffed and otherwise confined, and placed in the box, and the sitters were placed around with hands interlocked. After some music by the meeting, the phenomena commenced. A guitar was played in the air, faces of various kinds appeared at the windows of the cabinet, and nearly every person had some communication with a departed friend, and various phenomena were witnessed that were inex- plicable except on the hypothesis of spiritual man- ifestations.
[Press, May 25, 1876.]
" THE DARK-ROOM SEANCE.
"Then followed the dark-room seance. The medium comes out of the cabinet and takes a seat in the center of the room, and the musical instruments and the ropes are brought out and placed on the floor near him. The ladies and gentlemen seat them- selves alternately close together so as to form a com- plete circle around him. They all join hands, and then the light is put out. After more singing, the trumpet is carried swiftly around the room, while a tune is beaten upon it with drumsticks. . The trumpet stopped and the drum started, and flew swiftly around the room sometimes high up near the ceiling, and then again down, sweeping close around the room with such rapidity as to fan their faces, yet striking no one, and is rapidly beaten in measure all the while. Then the guitar joins in the musical frolic, and goes twanging through the air with immense velocity, and then sails down and gently taps members of the circle upon their heads. The drum rested for a while upon the heads of several, and was beaten at the same time."
The sitters were all astonished at the phenomena. Outsiders were still skeptical, and offered to bet sev- eral hundred dollars that if a pair of Mr. Covarru- bias' fetters were put on the medium, and his sister
Mrs. Farral, be excluded from the room, that the manifestations would not occur. Mr. Peck expressed bis willingness to submit to the ordeal, provided he was not tied so tight as to make it painful.
At another scance full forms were materialized. Figures or spectres came out of the cabinet, whom the spectators recognized as persons long since dead.
The Index published each week several columns of the manifestations.
" We give considerable space to what we saw and heard at Mr. Peck's seances. We do this because it is the whole town's talk. At the breakfast tables, at the dinner tables, in the parlors, all over town the wonderful things that take place in the presence of Mr. Peck, is the subject of conversation and discus- sion. It is engaging the attention of our most intel- ligent citizens, and we trust that, through the inter- est they take in the matter, that a step may be made toward a grand discovery in the mysterious realms of thought and life."
The Index complained much of the ridicule the Press, now conducted by Colonel Otis, heaped upon the "manifestations."
The manifestations were continued for three weeks. At one of the meetings, Mr. T. H. Finger's brother conversed with him for some time in German. At the eighth seance, the spirits manifested considerable physical force, lifting persons out of their chairs, and setting them on the floor, etc. Forms of well-known departed friends were recognized by nearly every one of thirty persons present. Wm. C. Ralston appeared to a particular friend, and expressed him- self as highly gratified that his friend had not be- lieved that he had committed suicide. Rev. Stephen Bowers, a man scientific in many things at least, asked that a test sitting should be held. Mr. Peck consented, provided that the skeptical sitters should be sandwiched with those who were friendly; and should not amount to more than one-fourth of the entire number present; that the cabinet should be utterly darkened; that the room for the dark seance should be, also, totally dark; with these conditions fulfilled, Mr. Peck would have his face blackened, the clothing removed, and his hands tied as the sitters might demand. For some reason the sitting was never accomplished.
The Press remained unbelieving to the end, and wound up with "The Juggler Peck and his sister have departed taking with them some hundreds of dollars of' gate money gathered while here."
CORRESPONDENCE.
Some very tart correspondence concerning spirit- nalism occurred between the papers and different individuals. Mr. Bowers proposed to attend a special seance, if the following conditions could be observed : 1. We (Bowers and others) would make a cabinet of the same proportions as the one that he used.
2. The woman accompanying him to be excluded.
3. The circle to be selected by ourselves and from the best citizens of Santa Barbara.
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THE EBB TIDE OF PROSPERITY.
4. We would furnish the medium with a new suit of clothes on his arrival at the hall.
To which Mr. Peek replied that when the common rules of politeness were observed, he would comply. Mr. Bowers protested that he had not knowingly violated any of the rules of politeness, and was ignorant of the cause of the complaint.
It seemed that Mr. Peck objeeted to the phrase, " the woman accompanying him," as containing a furtive slander. Further correspondence ensued, however, and something like the following proposi- tion was made by Mr. Peck: That they, Bowers and friends, should go into the hall, tie Mr. Peck, and retire, leaving the circle to be composed of the medi- um's friends. At any rate, either through misunder- standing or evasion, the test sitting did not take place, and Mr. Bowers summed the matter in a com- munication as follows :-
"First .- I am very certain Peck never intended that we should have the opportunity of investigating his performances. He knew we could not accept his proposition when he made it. For ns to go into the hall and tie him, then step out and leave him in the hands of two individuals of his own choosing, every man of the most ordinary discernment knows would be no test of his claims to spiritualistic aid. Such a proposition is insulting to an intelligent mind.
"Second .- I have abundant reason for believing Mr. Peck to be an impostor. I am not alone in this. The unprejudiced in San Luis, Santa Barbara and Ven- tura believe him to be an impostor. I informed him that this was the opinion of many here, and asked him to avail himself of the opportunity to clear him- self of the charge. He declined. I informed him fur- ther that if he would make good his claims before the most impartial circle we could select, I was ready to embrace spiritualism, and proclaim it everywhere. Mr. Peck declined the test. STEPHEN BOWERS."
The Reverend Stephen Bowers' sermon on spiritn- alism having been published in the Press, the last of the spiritnalists, Daniel Lunt, elaimed the columns of the paper in defense. After replying to the charge of being fatalists, and devil worshipers, he said that if spiritualists had some sueh in their ranks, so did churches; and they did not wish to be condemned for an occasional criminal who joined the ranks for, perhaps, better opportunities to commit wrongs. The charge that it was a delusion and a cheat, was met by saying that seientific men, like Judge Ed- monds, Professor Hare, Professor Mapes, Count de Gasparin, Professor Thury of Geneva, Huggins and Crooks of the Royal Society, and dozens of other men prominent for intelligent and honest reputations, were believers in spiritualism, or the ability or fae- ulty of the soul or spirit to know, act, communicate, and manifest "its existence, independently of a phys- ical existence. The Spiritnal Society held regular meetings every Sunday in Crane's Hall. They were frequently addressed by Dr. Sehlotterbaek. They made music a part of the programme, singing original songs being a part of the exercises. Many families also
held circles, where many of the phenomena usual to spiritualistic seances were produced.
JESSE SHEPARD.
This famous medium was not so fully endorsed by the people as some that preceded him, his exhibitions being the subject of much ridicule. Apparently act- ing under the influence of spirits, he gave several ex- hibitions which were mostly musical in character. Mrs. Josephine Walcott, the poet, wrote some very eloquent notices of the performances, ascribing super- human skill in the management of voice and the sounding of a multitude of ancient instruments.
" Each concert coneludes with a vocal duct, rang- ing from a deep, sonorous bass to the third soprano octave; each note, however prolonged, is distinct in itself; every quaver of the voice sustained and full, until in the upper register it bursts into a chorus of melody so voluminous and bewildering as to be the marvel of all who hear. The Egyptian March, ren- dered in total darkness, was the most effective of all. The introduction represented the march of the Egyp- tian and Assyrian hosts, in the dread and suspense of impending battle, the wild beat of heavy drums, the sharp striking of cymbals, the ringing of anvils, and a score of ancient instruments that have no name in our modern musical world. Then the horror and deadly despair of souls in deadly conflict; the tri- umphal symphonies of the victorious armies; the agony of defeated hosts in muffled sounds of pro- longed, tumultnous woe. Language is inadequate to the description of this almost terrific march. The musie alone can portray itself. It is an opportunity that none can afford to lose."
Rev. Mr. Graham denounced the so-called spiritu- alistie phenomena as frands, wherenpon Mr. Shepard, the performer, retorted in the Press as follows :--
" As I came to Santa Barbara by special invitation, to give concerts for the benefit of' my numerous friends, and am an exponent of musie in its highest perfection, I cannot be expected to descend from my sacred calling to answer any person who is capable of producing such an article as appeared in the News this morning. But that none may be deceived, I say the following: I have had the high honor of leading the singing in the great Cathedral of Notre Dame at Paris; of singing before the Courts of Russia and England; of being a gnest at the Imperial Palace of Paul of Russia; of being intimate with all the great masters, men of letters and eritics in the world; and I may add, was invited by the congregation of Bap tists of Georgetown, D. C., to give my concerts in their church, which I did for five nights; besides singing in numerous other churches all over this country. It will be seen that the eoarseness and vul- garity of one E. Graham would forever exclude the possibility of his entering places which have been familiar to me all my life. JESSE SHEPARD."
Mr. Graham returned to the charge as follows :--
"It is unfair for spiritualists to give a musical seance at any time, and especially on Sunday, without announeing it as sueh. Why? Because hundreds of ns believe, and we think repeated investigations and exposures have proved, that the whole theory of spirit influenee is a swindle, and it is unfair to ask us to give money to support a swindle.
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HISTORY OF SANTA BARBARA COUNTY.
" If Mr. Shepard repudiates the influence of spirits in his performance, why not say so? If he does not, but declares that he plays as he does by the help of the spirits, we say he is a humbug and a cheat. There is the whole thing in a nutshell. Nor do we leave it to Captain Russel or Mrs. Walcott to decide this matter. We throw the whole responsibility on Mr. Shepard, and we leave him to say which theory he chooses. * * * Denton came here as a scientific lecturer. We gave him full houses. He turned around and abused us like pickpockets, ridiculing things we decm most sacred, and scattering his ribald books broadcast over the city. * * * Now, I maintain that all intelligent people ought to be protected against such frauds."
He complained of being induced to visit the Shep- ard concerts and Denton's lectures, on fraudulent pre- tentions. Daniel Lunt, the president of the Spiritual- istic Society, also came out in an indignant letter, complaining of persecution, characterizing the state- ments of Mr. Graham as " slanderous and false."
A SURFEIT OF SPIRITISM.
The abundance of the phenomena rather cloyed the desires of the people for the revelations. Perhaps it was too cheap. Montrose, another celebrity, was not received with so much favor. The usual phenom- ena of materialized hands, faces and even dead bodies, werc exhibited at $2.50 per head. After it was over, he was arrested for fraud, kept in jail over night, and brought up before Judge Crane on com- plaint of Samuel Stadden, who detailed the circum- stances of the exhibition; that he recognized the hands, faces and bodies of the so-called spiritual ma- terializations as belonging to the said Montrosc. J. H. Finger saw it, and believed the demonstrations to be a fraud. Dr. Winchester was also present, and be- lieved Montrose to be somewhat of a fraud. He (Dr. Winchester) and Mr. Swift had arranged for a seance on Monday night. He knew him (Montrose) to be a humbug. G. W. Russell had seen the manifestations and was disgusted with them; thought he saw through it all. Mr. Montrose took the stand, and de- nied that he obtained money under false pretenses; told Dr. Winchester and Mr. Swift that he would pay the money back if they could catch him in a fraud; he also told Stadden and others that if they could detect him he would refund the money; no money was required until the show was over; no tacks were pulled at all; it was not necessary to pull them.
This was in reference to tape which had been nailed to the cabinet in which he had been tied pre- vions to the materializations. He declared himself to be a spiritual medium, and was so, as much as any of them. They are all just the same, and pro- duce the phenomena in a natural way. The only difference between him and others was, that he was better than any of them. He was not in a trance during the scene on Monday night. The prosecut- ing attorney then entered upon the argument. The
question was not whether spiritualism was a religious belief, but whether a fraud had been committed when Montrose pretended he could produce spiritual mani- festations, and could not, or did not."
The counsel for the defense made his strong point that an absurdity was promised, and that there could be no frand in the affair, because the law presumed that men had common sense. Here was a case in which an impossibility had been promised, and the men had gone to the performance with that knowl- edge; that they were not deceived or defrauded of their money; that the appearance of spiritual mani- festations was all that was promised and that was given.
The jury found a verdict of "not guilty," appar- ently on the ground that the matter was only jug- glery.
EXPLOSION.
The announcement in the papers at San Francisco by Peck, the apostle of spiritualism at Santa Barbara, that he would publicly make an expose of the methods of producing the apparent spiritualistic phenom- ena fell upon his followers like a bombshell in a quiet camp. J. L. Barker, Secretary of the Santa Barbara Society of Spiritualists, sent the recalcitrant a letter, at the instance of the society, containing the fol- lowing :-
PROF. W. F. PECK, SAN FRANCISCO -- Dear Sir: Hav- ing read your circular announcing publicly to expose the physical phenomena of spiritualism, I take the earliest opportunity to urge upon you, before other engagements conflict, the eminent propriety, and, I may say, obligation, of visiting Santa Barbara in your new role. * * * These persons [referring to members of the society] probably care very little for the few dollars paid by them to attend your seances, but are interested to know whether the appearances were true or illusive, and I speak with assurance when I say your patrons at Santa Barbara would willingly absolve you from all obligations to refund their money if you will indulge them with an exposi- tion of the methods by which you practiced on their credulity.
The Index could hardly credit the statement that all the fine visions of departed friends were jugglery, but believed that their beloved medium had become possessed (obsessed) by a devil. In the same edition the paper published, as editorial, an account of a successful materialization of General Washington, who appeared in a natural form and walked around among the people for some minutes.
In September, 1876, Baldwin, the famous exposer of spiritualism, gave some exhibitions at the Lobero Theater. Russel Heath, Captain Low, Daniel Lunt and Sheriff Covarrubias were appointed a Committee of Inspection to see that all things were done fairly. The spiritnalists claiming an interest, Mr. Lunt was added to the committee. The usual tricks of mate- rializing were performed, the medium being tied, as usual. A second evening the expose was made, Dr. Winchester, Rev. Mr. Graham, Francis and W. F.
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THE EBB TIDE OF PROSPERITY.
Russell being present. Dr. Winchester spent some fifteen minutes in tying the parties, but the usual phenomena were exhibited.
January 12, 1878, Montrose gave an expose of the method of producing manifestations, but in such a way that the audience were but little wiser. Colonel Hollister offered him $100 to perform slate writing under certain conditions, and to show how it was done, which he did, or at least claimed to. Ealand also bet him that he could not sit in the cab- inet handcuffed and let him, Ealand, hold his hands and show any hands at the cabinet window, which bet was promptly accepted and the trial made. The materialized hands were seen as usual, though Ealand averred he all the time held Montrose's hands. Ea- land paid the bet.
While the exhibition was going on a writ of attachment was issued, the money box taken, con- taining 82.75; the $100 in Hollister's hands was gar- nisheed, and a general burst-up occurred.
PRESENT CONDITION.
Notwithstanding the disastrous termination of many of the researches after the mysteries of the spirit land, the spiritual society kept up the organ- ization, built a hall and accumulated quite a library of works pertaining to the creed. At this date, 1882, there is little attention paid to it, though a few believers attend seances by Mrs. M. C. Smith, who holds occasional meetings. There is a general feeling that the time spent in the investigations was profit- less, and even disastrous to many persons. The President of the Association, Daniel Lunt, commit- ted suicide, apparently under a melancholy or hypo- chondria induced by long attention to the spiritual phenomena. When questioned regarding the truth of the spiritual manifestations the general opinion is, " there is something about it I don't understand," which is undoubtedly the case with that and every other form of mental action.
GREAT STORMS.
Several severe storms, breaking the Santa Barbara wharf. as well as others along the coast, and render- ing navigation difficult, turned the attention of the people to the utility of a breakwater. The first great storm which broke the wharf occurred in the winter of 1874-75. The Press thus describes it :-
"Since Friday morning the storm has lasted, and more than eight inches of rain has fallen. From 10 o'clock Saturday night until 7 o'clock Sunday morn- ing 2.75 inches of water fell. It may be gathered from these figures that the present season will be full moist enough for all agricultural purposes.
" Yesterday morning the water was rushing from the canons of the Montecito hills down Ilaley and Gutierrez Streets, covering the blocks between those streets in some places with rushing water more than a foot deep. The water completely surrounded some of the houses in the lower part of the city, displac- ing wood-piles and destroying gardens.
" The estero being the only channel through which
the great quantity of water that fell in the valley of Santa Barbara could escape to the sea, was one broad river of rushing water yesterday morning. The greater part of the Montecito Street bulkhead is washed away, and the sidewalks on Haley Street, on the west side of the estero, ure gone on both sides of the street for a distance of more than 150 feet. At the mouth of the estero, where it passes under Stearns' Wharf, the water displaced the piles, causing the wharf to settle so badly at that point that it is unsafe to pass over it. Some fears were entertained that the warehouse at the foot of the wharf might be washed away, but it has stood the flood so far, and was well on its base this morning."
Another storm occurred, January 19, 1878, which was very destructive, demolishing nearly all the light shipping in the harbor, driving some of it through the wharf. The lighter near the bath-house was carried out and helped to demolish the old wharf, and then, in company with it, helped demolish the new one. A Chinese junk of about three tons took a tilt at the wharf also, carrying away several piles. The Senator put in an appearance, but went away again without attempting to land passengers or freight. The break in Stearns' Wharf was about 155 feet. This storm injured nearly all the wharves along the coast. At More's Landing the waves dashed over the wharf, which, however, was not seriously dam- aged. The schooner Reliance was broken up, being dashed upon the rocks near by. The piles from Stearns' Wharf, with those from the old wharf, floated towards Smith's wharf at Carpenteria, demolishing all but about a hundred feet of that structure. The Arroyo Burro got on the rampage and carried off trees, fences, rocks and everything that came in its way. There was a strong prolonged southeast wind. The roads to San Buenaventura were so bad that no stages could get through except every other day at low tide.
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