Just imagine if the Fox Family had a good lawyer

Just shows the difference, there they were in a dodgy cottage raps everywhere and no one told them easy money was to be had suing the landlord. No chance of founding Spiritualism by rapping in rented property any more.
http://www.observer.com/2012/04/the-toms-river-horror-new-jersey-family-flees-haunted-house/

Ah, there are so many legal issues there. Would the landlord have been legally obligared to notify the family of the strange happenings? Was he or should he reasonably been expected to know of them? Did it interfere with the family's "quiet enjoyment" of the property? Was the family at least partially responsible, by encouraging Mr. Splitfoot?

The Fox case would actually a great law school exam in a Contracts class!

Jim

Mr. Splitfoot was added later on he was not in the cast at the cottage on 31st March 1848 Jim, I have written about on here about that many times. Bad history added on for dramatic effect. The devil has nothing to do with our work. Indeed Spiritualism rejects the concept of a devil so Mr Splitfoot must be cast out to get the history right.

In another thread, Leslie Price was kind enough to provide a link to the report written shortly after the rappings started, called:

A REPORT
OF THE
MYSTERIOUS NOISES,
HEARD IN THE HOUSE OF
MR. JOHN D. FOX,
IN HYDESVILLE, ARCADIA, WAYNE COUNTY,
AUTHENTICATED
BY THE CERTIFICATES, AND
CONFIRMED
BY THE STATEMENTS OF THE CITIZENS OF THAT
PLACE AND VICINITY

it can be found at:
http://www.woodlandway.org/PDF/Leslie_Price_PP12.pdf

Admin wrote:Just shows the difference, there they were in a dodgy cottage raps everywhere and no one told them easy money was to be had suing the landlord. No chance of founding Spiritualism by rapping in rented property any more.
http://www.observer.com/2012/04/the-toms-river-horror-new-jersey-family-flees-haunted-house/

Upping sticks and moving leaving rent unpaid...
Up in Lancashire we call that sort of thing a 'Moonlight flit'
One enterprising chap in Wigan even had a van painted up with 'Moonlight Removals' and prospered.

Admin wrote:Mr. Splitfoot was added later on he was not in the cast at the cottage on 31st March 1848 Jim, I have written about on here about that many times. Bad history added on for dramatic effect. The devil has nothing to do with our work. Indeed Spiritualism rejects the concept of a devil so Mr Splitfoot must be cast out to get the history right.

Wasn't "Mr. Splitfoot" the pet name the Fox girls pinned on the spirit?

I'd heard that the breakthrough came when one of the sisters said, "Do as I do, Mr. Splitfoot!" - and clapped her hands in a rhythmic way, receiving a like response: this being their first intelligent conversation with the peddler's spirit.

But as you say, it might have all been added later, to make the story more interesting.

Jim

Left Behind wrote:

Admin wrote:Mr. Splitfoot was added later on he was not in the cast at the cottage on 31st March 1848 Jim, I have written about on here about that many times. Bad history added on for dramatic effect. The devil has nothing to do with our work. Indeed Spiritualism rejects the concept of a devil so Mr Splitfoot must be cast out to get the history right.

Wasn't "Mr. Splitfoot" the pet name the Fox girls pinned on the spirit?

I'd heard that the breakthrough came when one of the sisters said, "Do as I do, Mr. Splitfoot!" - and clapped her hands in a rhythmic way, receiving a like response: this being their first intelligent conversation with the peddler's spirit.

But as you say, it maight have all been added later, to make the story more interesting.

Jim

This has been discussed othis forum before:

https://www.spiritualismlink.com/t293-the-legend-of-mr-splitfoot-a-later-embellishment?highlight=splitfoot

Jim please if I say Mr Splitfoot never existed and you were given a link to the original source by Wes plus a comment of the discuaaion on the forum go check it out first. I have alos given many links to the excellent psypioneer and its editor Paul Gaunt is probably the foremost historian in Spiritualism and it is conclusion from teh factual material available.

You are right that most Spiritualist bodies continue to purvey the error as real history and too many Spiritualists do not know the truth. We proclaim Spiritualism as a truth yet we popularise wrong history all too often.

No teh & Principles did not appear miraculously at Cleveland Hall for Emma Hardinge Britten, the Fox Sisters ages are quoted wrongly and it was Margaretta that asked the spirit to follow me not Kate. I could go on but won't.

I know Katy does not like history but it enlightens the present and unless we make sure history is correct we look like fools.History also helps us to not have to reinvent the wheel, if we did that today it would be square.

Oh by the way you might look at thr words of description aboue the forum and the earliest posts. I started this forum because
1. The Spirit History site had died and I wanted to get some of that material back up although by going to the historical sources.
2. The site I was on was insisting that ascension, indigo children, crystals etc etc was all Spiritualism and that mixed approach always makes me mad.

Also Jim lets make it very clear, if I make a claim it is on the basis of hours of research painstakingly conducted to ensure it is a truth. There is no such thing as my truth and your truth just one factual truth all else is opinion. Apart from my contacts with other researchers and obviously with Lis's seperate research we have available to us either physically or in e form over 2,500 books, many historical Spiritualist newspapers and magazines.

Sadly with no access to the very many fine collections of books in some of the worlds libraries(the best in aus are in Melbourne and Canberra so can only be an occasional trip at best but we often get them to copy sections for us) we have had to become a bit more self reliant here in Adelaide.

I quite enjoy reading Spiritualist history Jim. One or two books here on it and I've a Bod card too so can get at sources when I'm up at coll. Fascinating stuff. Currently chasing Lyceum Banners post Kitson when the fancy takes.
By and large history's written by the victors or their authorised scribes.
And who doesn't love a winner?
All of us do however re-read history with our contemporary eyes and minds.
'New history' approach. All else is nostalgia.
A wistful longing for that which we never possessed.

zerdini wrote:

Left Behind wrote:

Admin wrote:Mr. Splitfoot was added later on he was not in the cast at the cottage on 31st March 1848 Jim, I have written about on here about that many times. Bad history added on for dramatic effect. The devil has nothing to do with our work. Indeed Spiritualism rejects the concept of a devil so Mr Splitfoot must be cast out to get the history right.

Wasn't "Mr. Splitfoot" the pet name the Fox girls pinned on the spirit?

I'd heard that the breakthrough came when one of the sisters said, "Do as I do, Mr. Splitfoot!" - and clapped her hands in a rhythmic way, receiving a like response: this being their first intelligent conversation with the peddler's spirit.

But as you say, it maight have all been added later, to make the story more interesting.

Jim

This has been discussed othis forum before:

https://www.spiritualismlink.com/t293-the-legend-of-mr-splitfoot-a-later-embellishment?highlight=splitfoot

That sets the record straight. Thanks, Z. and Admin Jim!

Jim