* * * * *
March 13th, 1884.
On Thursday, March 13th, 1884, the Commission met at 508 S. 16th Street,
at 8 P.M., for the examination of Mrs. S.E. Patterson, Spiritualistic
Medium.
For the first test, a small piece of slate pencil was placed within a
double slate, and the leaves fastened together with a screw, which
passed through one wooden rim into the other. The Spirit-writing upon
the slate should be indicated by the pencil appearing upon the outside
of the slate. The slate was laid upon the Medium's lap for one hour and
a-half without results.
Meanwhile the Medium wrote what purported to be messages from several
Spirits upon slips of paper, the handwriting varying with each message.
One message was signed Elias Hicks, another Lucretia Mott, another
signed H.S. was compared with a message from Mr. Henry Seybert to Mr.
T.R. Hazard the day before. The initials were somewhat different.
The Commission sat in a circle, the Medium at a small table with folding
leaves.
One communication, signed E.H., declared that the person sitting
opposite Mr. Hazard (Mr. Furness) was endowed with great Mediumistic
powers.
The writing failing to appear on the slate it was opened, and Dr. Leidy,
having written upon a slip of paper a question, enclosed it in the
slate, which was again fastened.
After half an hour's waiting, no results being obtained, the Commission
addressed some questions to the Medium and then adjourned.
The Medium described her sensations during the automatic writing as a
constriction at the wrist.
She declared that she had no knowledge of what she wrote, was not
distracted by noises, etc.
(Mr. Furness and Mr. Fullerton, however, noticed that she, when
interrupted, glanced back over what she had previously written before
continuing.)
She could not go into the trance state. Just before adjournment the
Medium laid her hands upon the table and tried to produce "raps," but
did not succeed.
Has been a Spiritualist for nine or ten years, but has always been
possessed of unusual powers. As a child saw visions, etc.
Declares that she is most successful as a Slate Writer.