WCP6746

[1] [p. 286]

1827, Jefferson-place, Washington, D.C.

December 15th, 1887.

Mr. Alfred Russel Wallace.

My dear Mr. Wallace,— In April 1884, Mrs. Sawyer, a materialising medium, came to Washington to hold séances. I had never heard of her before, and I was an entire stranger to her. I attended a séance of hers, held April 11th, 1884. The cabinet was in one corner of the room; and during the entire seance there was sufficient light to distinguish every person present, and to make it impossible for any confederate to enter the cabinet without being seen by all. One of the forms that appeared at the opening of the curtain was that of a young girl, in white drapery, and whose face was veiled. In height and general appearance she resembled my departed daughter, Carrie¹, who had died in New Jersey in July, 1882. I approached her and asked her name. She made no answer, and after a few moments she retired behind the curtain. Presently she reappeared, stepped forward to a little table, took from it a sheet of paper and a pencil, and retired with them behind the curtain. In a few moments she reappeared again, handed a piece of paper to a Mr. Burke, who was conducting the seance, and by signs directed him to hand it to me. He did so. It is the paper marked (A) which accompanies this letter.

I have now to state that my first wife (whose name was Elizabeth²) was born in the County of Durham, in the North of England, on the 25th of February, 1836, and died in New Jersey in 1859; that no one of my present family had any knowledge of her birthday; that, besides myself, there was only one living person that knew it; and this was her mother (now deceased), then living at a small country place behind the mountains in the State of New Jersey, where she had been residing over 30 years; and that afterwards I ascertained from herself that she had never seen or heard of Mrs. Sawyer.

The members of the circle were all strangers to me except Judge Cuppz, now deceased, and my stepson, Mr. Pickering Dodge³, who will certify to the correctness of this statement. I know not where the other witnesses can be found.—Very sincerely yours,

Francis J. Lippitt⁴