Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 July 1894 — THAT SPIRITUALISTIC EXPOSE AT MONON. [ARTICLE]

THAT SPIRITUALISTIC EXPOSE AT MONON.

Tne fact that a spiritualistic medium had been exposed at Monon wm briefly alluded to last week. Thu following detailed account of the affair is from the Monon N ewg: Harry Fross, the proprietor of the Arlington House at Monon, is a firm and enthusiastic believer in modem spiritualism. On several occasions since he has been proprietor of ttat Arlington Hotel, seances have been held there, in the parlor at the south end of the building. During nearly all last week a medium, by the name of Mrs. Ida Karr, and her husband, K. J. Karr, who reside at 146 south 4th street., Lafayette- Ind., were stopping at the Arlington, and giving seances and other illustrations (ts Spiritualism, creating considerable excitement and with prospects of making converts to the cause of Spiritualism. 50 cents were charged for admission to the seances, and other charges were made for what is commonly known as fortune telling, through tbe influences of the medium with the spirits. These seances were attended by many of the best people of the town, and the churches felt that harm might probably come from it, that the young and unsuspecting might be misguided and their future welfare jeopardised. Last Monday night was fixed for an extended seance and several leading citizens were expected to be present. Capt. Ward, ex-Post Master from Monticello, Ind., came over and with his wife was present at the seances. Mr. Jas. H. Turpie is not a believer in Spiritualism and went to the seance, which was held in the usual place, a part of the appearances being in and from the south east room of the parlor. Mr. Turpie watched closely each appearance. To use his own words: “hirst act was Mrs. Karr going into an apparant trance in the presence of an audience of sixteen, slipping behind the curtain into a small room adjoining the parlor; next the voice of a little girl they called Mattie, the sister of Mr. Karr, who died sometime ago; but to close ob* servers, a voice spoke in the voice of Mrs. Karr, tbe pretended medium. Mattie called persons in the audience by name, saying she was glad they were present. Next was the appearance of what they called Happy Charley, with a tin horn cracking the guests on the head. Next came the drummer boy, with his tenor drum, whom they called Jimmie, that they claimed was killed in a riot in Crawfordsville. Next came n party called the Doctor, the spirit that controls this medium, who died in Wisconsin many years ago. Next came the form of a lady who claimed she was the sister of Capt. Ward, of Monticello. Next came the form of a lady, who had not yet given her name, and before she gave her name, Turpie gave a leap and landed between her and the door to the anteroom and with his body and arm shoved her out in the crowd. Sbe gave a scream and tried to get bade in, the room. He pushed her back again into the audience and presented her to the audience as Mrs, Karr. At that point her husband pulled the organ from the Hall door, through which she escaped to the hall where she met Mr. Park hurst, the druggist, who saw her spring into her room No. 7. When Mrs. Karr had thus disappeared her ante-room was vacant, no one being in it but Turpie, with Mr. Karr’s husband standing on the outside of the door, and Turpie on the inside of the ante-room, Karr having his revolver pointed in Torpie’s face.

* * * The Medium was confined to her bed Tuesday morning, from nervous" prostration, and her friends seemed to feel alarmed on account of her condition. The affair caused great excitement and has been the theme of conversation all week. Turpie gave Karr warning to leav* town by 9 o’clock Tuesday morning, or he would have him arrested far threatening to use a deadly weapon. He <3 id not go as warned and a warrant was issued for his arrest at 9 o’clock Tuesday: but Karr bearing of what was going on hired a rig from Long & Son and skipped out from the alley in the rear of the hotel. This affair will undoubtedly be ft serious back-set to Spiritualism in this part of the country.