The Missing Link in Modern Spiritualism. A. Leah Underhill
Then I asked if there was any one in the house at the time but him, and it did not rap. I then asked if they two were alone, and the rapping was heard. I then asked if Lucretia Pulver was there at the time, and there was no rapping. If she had gone away that night, and if Mrs. ——was gone away also, and the rapping was heard each time. There was no rapping heard, only when we asked questions. I then asked if any one in Hydesville knew of the murder at the time except——, and it rapped. Then I asked about a number of persons, if they knew it, and there was no rapping until I came to Mrs. ——, and when I came to her name the rapping was heard. Then if any one but—— and wife knew of it, and I got no rap. Then if they were all that knew of the murder, and it rapped. I asked if the body was put into the cellar, and it rapped. I then asked if it was buried in different points of the cellar, and to all my questions there was no rapping, until I asked if it was near the centre, and the rapping was heard. Charles Redfield then took a candle and went down cellar. I told him to place himself in different parts of the cellar, and as he did so I asked the question if a person was over the place where it was buried, and I got no answer until he stood over a certain place in the cellar, when it rapped. He then stepped one side, and when I asked the question there were no noises. This we repeated several times, and we found that whenever he stood over the one place the rapping was heard, and when he moved away from that one place, there was no rapping in answer.”
Note.—The remainder of Mr. Duesler’s statement does not vary from that of my mother and others, and, for want of room, is omitted. It was dated April 12, 1848.
STATEMENT OF MISS LUCRETIA PULVER.
“I lived in this house all one winter, in the family of Mr. ——. I worked for them a part of the time, and a part of the time I boarded and went to school. I lived there about three months. During the latter part of the time I was there I heard these knockings frequently: in the bedroom, under the foot of the bed. I heard it a number of nights, as I slept in the bedroom nearly all the time that I stayed there. One night I thought I heard a man walking in the buttery. This buttery is near the bedroom, with a stairway between the two. Miss Amelia Losey stayed with me that night. She also heard the noise, and we were both much frightened, and got up and fastened down the windows, and fastened the door. It sounded as if a person walked through the buttery, down cellar, and part way across the cellar bottom, and then the noise ceased. There was no one else in the house at the time except my little brother, who was asleep in the same room with us. This was about twelve o’clock I should think. We did not go to bed until after eleven, but had not been asleep when we heard it striking. Mr. and Mrs. ——had gone to Loch Berlin, to be gone till the next day. One morning about a week after this Mrs. ——sent me down cellar to shut the outside door (which fastens on the inside). In going across the cellar I sank knee deep in the centre of the cellar. It appeared to be uneven and very loose. After I got up-stairs Mrs. ——asked me what I screamed for. When I told her, she laughed at me for being frightened, and said it was only where rats had been at work in the ground.
“A day or two after this, Mr. ——carried a lot of dirt into the cellar, just at night, and was at work there some time. Mrs. ——told me that he was filling up the rat-holes.
“A few days before I first heard the noises, or anything of the kind had ever occurred, a foot-pedlar called there about two o’clock in the afternoon. Mrs. ——then told me that Mr. ——thought they would not want me any longer, and that I might go home; but, if they wanted me again they would send for me. Mrs. ——was going to Loch Berlin, to stay that night. This was the first I had heard of it. I wanted to buy some things of the pedlar, but had no money with me, and he said he would call at our house the next morning and sell them to me. I never saw him after that. Three days after this they sent for me to come and board with them, and go to school. I accordingly came, and went to school about one week, when she wanted I should stay out of school and do house-work, as she had a couple of coats to make over for her husband. She said they were too large for her husband, and out of fashion, and she must alter them. They were ripped to pieces when I first saw them. I should think the pedlar was about thirty years old. I heard him conversing with Mrs. ——about his family. He told her how many children he had, in answer to her inquiry. I do not recollect how many he said he had. Mrs. ——told me that he (the pedlar) was an old acquaintance of theirs. A short time after this Mrs. ——gave me a thimble, which she said she had bought of the pedlar, and paid him fifty cents for. Some time after I had left her I visited her again; and she said the pedlar had been there again, and showed me another thimble, which, she said, she had bought of the same pedlar. She said he had cheated her; that he had sold it to her for pure silver, but it was only German silver. She also showed me some other things which she said she had bought of him.
“I did not (and do not now) know what to think of the noises I have heard. The dog would sit under the bedroom window and howl all night long. Mr. and Mrs. ——appeared to be very good folks, only they were rather quick-tempered.
“This pedlar carried a trunk and a basket, I think, with vials of essence in it. He wore a black coat and light-colored pants.
“I am willing to swear to the above statement, if necessary.
“Lucretia Pulver.
“April 11, 1848.”
MRS. ANNA PULVER.
“I was acquainted with Mr. and Mrs. ——. I called on them frequently. My warping bars were in their chamber, and I used to go there to do my work. One morning when I went there Mrs. ——told me that she felt very badly; that she had not slept much, if any, the night before. When I asked her what the matter was, she said she didn’t know but it was the fidgets; but she thought she heard something walking about from one room to another, and that she and Mr. ——got up and fastened the windows down. She felt safe after that. I heard her speak about hearing sounds after that, which she could not account for.
“Anna Pulver.
“April 11, 1848.”
It will be sufficient to sum up the important bearings of this subject by quoting a few more extracts from the numerous certificates contained in the little pamphlet published by E. E. Lewis, Esq., of Canandaigua, N. Y.
“Mr. and Mrs. Weekman lived in this house for a year and a half, and were frequently startled by the rappings, walking, etc. On several occasions they sought diligently to discover the cause. He stood with his hand on the latch, and when the knockings were repeated, suddenly opened the door and ran into the yard and entirely around the house; but nothing was ascertained by him.”
Mrs. Weekman says: “We heard great noises during the night; sometimes a sound as if a person was walking in the cellar. (There was nothing but a single board floor, between the cellar and the upper room, so that the sound made in one was easily heard in the other.) One night one of our little girls, who slept in the room where the noises were heard, awoke us all by her screaming very loudly. My husband and myself, and our hired girl, all went to the room to see what was the matter with her. The child sat up in bed, crying and screaming, and it was some time before we could quiet her enough to get answers to our questions. She said ‘something had been moving around her and over her head and face: that it was cold, and that she felt it all over her.’ This was between twelve and one o’clock. We took her into bed with us, and it was a long time before we could get her to sleep in that bed again. At one time Mr. Weekman heard his name called. (I was away that night, sitting up with a sick person.) He was awakened, and supposed some one wanted him. He sat up in bed for some time, but heard no more. We never found out what or who called him. So many have heard these noises that it seems there must be something unusual.”
Mrs. Jane C. Lape “lived in the family of Mrs. Weekman at the time she states. There was but one door in the bedroom. When I was doing my work, I saw a man in the