INVESTIGATIVE FILES

The Davenport Brothers Religious Practitioners, Entertainers, or Frauds?

hey have become legendary in Dishes and cutlery danced about the behind a curtain. Later the curtain was the history of and family's kitchen table and young Ira— replaced by a specially designed "spirit continue to spark interest and when alone—sometimes claimed the cabinet" (Mulholland 1938, 52). This T spirits had whisked him to distant spots. controversy. The question persists: Were resembled a huge armoirc with built-in the Davenport Brothers "probably the At household seances, the boys demon- benches on either side to which the boys greatest mediums of their kind that the strated their flying ability. As magician were secured by lengths of rope (Jay world has ever seen," as Sherlock John Mulholland explained in his 1987, 229; Houdini 1924,21). Holmes's creator Sir Arthur Conan Beware Familiar Spirits (1938, 51): On the floor of the cabinet were Doyle wrote (1926, 226), or was magi- "That is, at the beginning of the seance placed musical instruments such as vio- cian (1924, 26) correct Ira Erastus would be sitting on a chair at lins, guitars, concertinas, and tam- in reporting that he had facts "more one side of the room, and when the bourines. Then the doors were shut and than sufficient to disprove their having, lights were turned up after it was over, the lights turned down. Soon, the or even claiming, spiritualistic power"? the chair and boy would be on the other instruments were heard to play, and My research into the recently discovered side of the room." This transpired in the phantom hands were seen to wave eerily Davenport scrapbook sheds new light dark, so credulous spectators simply through small diamond-shaped win- on these claims and the fierce disagree- assumed the youth had flown. dows in the cabinet doors. When the gas ment they provoked between Doyle and At the stances, the spirits supposedly lights were turned up and the cabinet Houdini. also rapped out messages in the by-then- opened, the Davenport boys were still The Davenports made their debut as familiar way, but soon advanced to securely tied. Spectators were divided mediums in 1854, six years after two "" (Bowers n.d., 155) over the manifestations; some believed, schoolgirls, Maggie and Katie Fox, which was supposedly produced by spir- while others scoffed—or worse—and launched modern spiritualism at its guiding the entranced subject's hand. still others were simply mystified Hydesville, New York. No doubt the two Then the brothers' "George (Mulholland 1938, 53-54). In time the Buffalo newsboys—thirteen-year-old Brown," found he could speak through boys traveled throughout the United William Henry Harrison Davenport (b. Ira when the youth was in a "trance States and, as they matured, called February 1, 1841) and his fifteen-year- state" (Mulholland 1938, 49-50). themselves the Davenport Brothers. In old brother Ira Erastus (b. September 17, Another spirit entity was "John King" 1864 they sailed for England where they 1839)—had heard how the who decided the boys should take their "took the literati and public of London seemed to communicate with ghosts by spirit demonstrations on the road. by storm" (Dawes 1979, 87) and per- means of mysterious rapping noises. The In the halls and theaters rented by formed throughout Europe. boys' father, Ira D. Davenport, was the their father at the direction of "John On July 1, 1877, while the brothers first to relate the strange happenings. King," the Davenport Boys (as they were on tour in Australia, William were originally styled) began to give Davenport, who had long been in ill Joe Nickell, CSlCOP's Senior Research demonstrations of "spiritual manifesta- health, died. Years later when Harry Fellow, is former Resident Magician at the tions." To show that they were not Houdini (1874-1926) was in Australia Houdini Magical Hall of Fame in physically responsible for the phenom- he visited William's grave and, finding it Niagara Falls, Canada. ena, they were tied to chairs placed in poor condition, had the stone work

1 4 July/August 1999 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER repaired and flowers planted. Houdini remarked that the Davenports them- ments as falsehoods. (Quoted in subsequently visited Ira at his home in selves, as contrasted with their friends Doyle 1926, II: 302) Mayville, New York, where Ira shared and travelling companions, never Concerning Houdini's claim that Ira with him a lifetime of secrets (Houdini claimed any preternatural origin for Davenport had admitted his results were 1924, 17-25). their results." But Doyle noted that Ira's due to trickery, Doyle (1926, 228-229) Ira spoke to Houdini as one magician statement to Houdini only said the said that "Houdini has himself stuffed to another, even revealing how he and brothers had never "in public" affirmed so many errors of fact into his book . . . his brother had extricated themselves belief in spiritualism, implying that in and has shown such extraordinary bias from their bonds in order to produce private Ira was indeed a spiritualist. on the whole question, that his state- the "spirit" effects. Houdini ment carries no weight. The stated, "Ira Davenport posi- letter which he produces makes tively disclaimed Spiritualistic no such admission." Doyle power in his talk with me, say- insisted that the Davenports ing repeatedly that he and his "were never exposed, nor even brother never claimed to be adequately imitated." Again mediums or pretended their he said, "There can be no ques- work to be Spiritualistic" tion at all, to anyone who has (Houdini 1924, 26). Ira did really weighed the facts, that admit that they never confessed Ira Davenport was a true the truth to their believing par- medium" (Doyle 1930, 23, ents in order to spare their feel- 45). Astonishingly, Doyle even ings. Years after Ira's death (on suggested that Houdini him- July 8, 1911), Houdini self might have had mediu- included a chapter on the mistic powers! Davenports and Ira's revelations That bizarre notion aside, in his A Magician Among the the question remains: Were the Spirits (1924, 17-37). Houdini Davenport brothers indeed included a facsimile of a letter spiritualists rather than mere from Ira claiming in regard to "jugglers"—a position Doyle the brothers' performances that advanced (1926, II: 302)? Or is "We never in public affirmed that a false dichotomy, a lim- our Belief in spiritualism" (28). Ira Davenport with Houdini. 1910 ited choice between two views By this time. Houdini's with the truth lying elsewhere? A scrap- friendship with Doyle went on to say that "As Mr. book that has recently surfaced helps to (1859-1930) was irreparably strained. Houdini has seemed to question settle this continuing controversy. Houdini had been debunking some of whether the Davenports themselves ever I first saw the scrapbook on one of the very mediums Doyle had endorsed, asserted that they were Spiritualists," the my visits to Lily Dale Assembly, the and the latter had written to him: "Our matter was clarified by a letter they had "World's Largest Center for the Religion relations are certainly curious and likely written in 1868 to The Banner of Light, of Spiritualism" (as the entrance sign to become more so, for as long as you the leading American spiritualist jour- proclaims). I was taking some colleagues attack what I know from experience to nal. Regarding the claim they were not on a tour, and in the museum I spied the be true I have no alternative but to spiritualists, the brothers wrote: scrapbook in a display case. It had attack you in turn. How long a private recently been discovered in a storage It is singular that any individual, scep- friendship can survive such an ordeal I tic or Spiritualist, could believe such area and recognized as a significant find. do not know, but at least I did not cre- statements after fourteen years of the Later, I was able to study it as pan of a ate the situation." Houdini did not help most bitter persecution and violent three-day stay at Lily Dale, August 7-9, matters by publishing this and other opposition, culminating in the riots 1998. excerpts from Sir Arthur's letters of Liverpool, Huddersfield, and It contained several flourished signa- Leeds, where our lives were placed in (Houdini 1924, 164). [See also imminent peril by the fury of brutal tures that compare favorably (making , "Houdini and mobs, our property destroyed, and allowances for variations over time) with Conan Doyle: The Story of a Strange where we suffered a loss of seventy- the "Ira E Davenport" signature on the Friendship," SKEPTICAL INQUIRER, five thousand dollars, and all because January 19, 1909, letter to Houdini March/April 1998.] we would not renounce Spiritualism, (previously mentioned). There arc also and declare ourselves jugglers, when Subsequently, in his The History of threatened by the mob, and urged to apparent signatures of his brother— Spiritualism (1926, I: 228), Doyle con- do so. In conclusion, we have only to "Wm Davenport" and "Mr. William tinued to debate Houdini: "It is to be say that we denounce all such state- Davenport"—although I had no known

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER July/August 1999 15 specimens for comparison. The scrap- writing, "And they did. I.E.D." The ena). In reporting on the event, The book may have been shared by the comment is ambiguous. Taken literally Banner of Light (August 29, 1885) stated brothers, but it appears to have been it suggests Ira believed he received spirit that Ira's "fame in this phase of medi- largely kept by Ira and, after William's aid. Or he might have meant that spirits umship is world wide." death in 1877, became solely Ira's while became a mitigating religious issue, All of this evidence from the scrap- falling largely into disuse. which actually happened at Ionia; there book indicates Ira Davenport identified Most significantly, the scrapbook spiritualists testified "that the demon- himself as a spiritualist as Doyle insisted. contains evidence in favor of both strations given by the Davenport boys (So did Ira's obituary in the July 9, Doyle's and Houdini's views. First, were some of the methods which 1911, New York Times, which specifi- there are several indications that Ira Spiritualists use for disseminating their cally referred to him as a "spiritualist." Davenport was indeed an avowed spiri- religious belief." And his tombstone has a religious, com- tualist. For example, there is the obitu- The Ionia trial provides still addi- patibly spiritualistic, message, depicting ary of his infant son and first wife tional evidence that bears on Ira's rela- a rising sun with the words, "There who died in childbirth. Headed "Passed tionship to spiritualism. The brothers never was night that had no morn." ) to Spirit Life" (and datelined "Adrian had given what one journalist dispar- O n the other hand, it is Houdini [Michigan], June 29, 1863"), it was very aged as "an exhibition of their skill in whom the scrapbook vindicates regard- likely written by Ira. It said of his hemp handling" (i.e., rope tricks) on ing the Davenport Brothers' demonstra- unnamed but "accomplished and beau- each of eight successive evenings at a tions. In clipping after clipping there is tiful wife": "Possessing a highly refined spiritualist assemblage held at nearby evidence that supports his claim that— and cultivated mind and fully realizing Lyons. The article mentioned that "the as he said Ira admitted to him—the the importance of the great truihs of Spiritualists which number many of our brothers secretly performed the "spirit" Spiritualism, she exercised an elevated most substantial citizens, felt much effects by slipping free of their bonds. influence over her husband in properly aggrieved because of the prosecution." For example, according to an unidenti- directing his energies and mediumistic The Davenport Brothers' participation fied clipping, circa 1857-1858: powers, for the advancement of the facts in the "Lyons Spiritual Convention" [A] printer of this city visited the beys of immortality." The scrapbook also suggests they were—or were pretending and taking along a little printer's ink, contains some clippings of sentimental to be—practicing spiritualists. after seeing that the boys were firmly verse, one asking "Is Life Eternal" and A clipping from the Brighton Herald tied, placed it on the neck of the vio- lin. He placed quite a quantity there, answering in the affirmative, another of December 17, 1864, confirms what is and the result was that soon the spirit telling a dead lover that "You will be my known from other sources, that the "John" ["John King"], called through guardian here." Davenport Brothers were accompanied the old tin trumpet for a light, as he More evidential arc penciled "spirit" during the early part of their overseas had been daubing the boys all over with paint1. When the light was writings that appear on some of the tour by the Reverend J. B. Ferguson, a brought it was found that one of the early pages. These are scrawled, Presbyterian who became an ardent and boys, sure enough, had his shoulder smeared, overwritten, stained, and oth- eloquent proponent of spirit manifesta- pretty well besmeared. Of course the erwise difficult to read. There seems lit- tions and who served as a lecturer with manager stoutly contended that it was placed there by the spirit, but our tle of interest but one phrase declares, the Davenports' show. By all accounts printer friend was of the opinion that "connected with/with [sic] spirit mani- he had a "minister's simple faith" in the "John" was rather an ignorant spirit if festing." The writing may be an early genuineness of the brothers' medi- he did not know printers ink from form of Ira's handwriting. It is very umship (Mulholland 1938, 56, 62). paint! likely from the 1850s, at which time Ira Doyle's insistence that the Davenports was practicing "automatic" writing were actually spiritualists was based in The newspaper continued, saying of (Bowers n.d., 155). part on Ferguson. Doyle stated that if the Davenports' performance, "The In addition, there is a suggestive Ira claimed otherwise then he was "not whole thing is a trick; but it is a clever annotation which Ira signed with his only a liar, but a blasphemer as he went one. . . ." 1 initials. It follows a brief, undated clip- around with Mr. Ferguson, a clergyman, A similar expose occurred in Indiana ping about the Davenport Brothers' and mixed it all up with religion" in 1863 as reported in the May 22 issue impending trial at Centerville, Indiana. (Quoted in Houdini 1924, 148). of the Richmond Palladium in an article The charge was unstated but may have Even the fact that the scrapbook was titled, "The Celebrated Davenport Boys been "showing without a license" which discovered at Lily Dale, where it had Brought to Grief." A Dr. Henry Davis (as demonstrated by another clipping) obviously been for many years, is highly "applied oil of kreosote to the handle of they were charged with at Ionia, suggestive of Ira's ties to spiritualism. In the [violin] bow, and as soon as the Michigan, in September I860. To die fact, at an 1885 spiritualist "Camp musical part of the manifestations was Indiana journalist's sarcastic comment, Meeting" there, Ira Davenport was one over, the hands of the 'mediums' were "the spirits will help them out of their of two featured "physical mediums" examined and the odor of the oil was difficulties, of course," Ira responded by (those who produced physical phenom- found quite perceptible on the right

1 6 July/August 1999 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER hand" of one of the brothers. It was the performers." or at least pretended to he, although he therefore he, said the paper, "who had The brothers announced that no fur- and his brother used trickery to accom- been making the 'spirit music' with ther searching would be permitted but, plish the effects they attributed to spir- which the audience had been edified," when the searchers persisted, "a general its. Clearly they were career deceivers and the brothers were thus "convicted melee ensued, during which one of the who (according to Ira's obituary) "made ... of thai part of the swindle." They Davenports drew a bowie-knife or dirk a fortune of $600,000" before Williams refused to be tested further, whereupon and threatened to kill any person who untimely death and Ira's subsequent "a crowd of one or two hundred persons should lay hands on him." This ended retirement. In his old age, Ira's qualms rushed upon the stage" and demanded a the exhibition and resulted in charges about their dishonesty probably refund from the Davenports. "Their being placed against the brothers. "The prompted him to make some atonement box, horns, violins, banjoes, etc., were one arrested for assault," reported the by confessing the brothers' secrets to pretty roughly kicked about the stage." Democratic Union, was subsequently Houdini while, at the same time, trying When patrons were promised a refund acquitted, after which "the whole were to present their actions in the most from the ticket office but found it tried" for "exhibiting on the Sabbath" favorable light. closed, "A large crowd now assembled in and convicted. Rather than pay a $25 the street and demanded to know the fine each, they elected to serve a 30-day Acknowledgments whereabouts of the swindlers. . . ." Peace- jail term. I am grateful for the generous assistance of was only restored by an appeal to law Still another scrapbook clipping Lily Dale museum curator Joyce LaJudice and order. The brothers and their two (unidentified but dated March 24, and Mayville historian Devon Taylor. associates were arrested and charged 1865) tells how two aggressive English References with "obtaining money under false pre- skeptics, a Mr. Hulley and Mr. tenses." After posting bond, "the Cummins, "took an active part ... in Bowers, Edwin F. [N.d.] The Phenomena of the Siancc-Room. London: Rider & Co. swindlers," said the paper, were "turned baffling the spiritualistic pretensions of Christopher, Melbourne. 1962. Panorama of loose to prosecute still further their the Brothers." Details are not given . New York: Dover. nefarious thieving operations. ..." (although in similar instances reported Dawes, Edwin A. 1979. The Great Illusionists. Secaucus, N.J.: Chartwcll Books. Another clipping reported that at elsewhere [McHargue 1972, 131-3] the Doyle. Arthur Conan [1926) 1975. The History of the previously mentioned trial at Ionia, Davenports were stymied when they Spiritualism, vols. 1 and II; reprinted New Michigan, in 1860, a committeeman were tied especially securely). As a result, York: Arno Press. . [1930| n.d. The Edge of the Unknown. had been placed with the brothers in several persons sought to recover their Reprinted Alexandria, Va.: Time-Life Books. the spirit cabinet. He testified that, in five-shilling admission fee on the Houdini, Harry. 1924. A Magician Among the the dark, "he secured between his knees grounds that the brothers failed to per- Spirits. New York: Harper & Brothers. Jay, Ricky. 1987. Learned Pigs & Fireproof Women. one of the instruments the spirits were form what their sponsors had promised London: Robert Hale. said to play on, and . . . after jerking it in their advertisements. McHargue. Gcorgess. 1972. Facts, Frauds, and several times and finding it fast, one of Taken as a whole, the evidence of the Phantasms. New York: Doubleday. Mulholland. John. (1938) 1979. Beware Familiar them [the brothers] said in a low voice, scrapbook does indicate that Ira Spirits. Reprinted New York: Charles 'don't hold it so fast.'" As well, "several Davenport was a practicing spiritualist, Scribner's Sons. D witnesses testified to what appeared to them signs of humbuggery" which were "such that darkness was required to do Program them in. . . ." Tenth European Skeptical Conference Maastricht University, The Netherlands • Youth, Astronomy and Two clippings (one from the Detroit Big Business Free Press, the other from the Astrology Clearwater, Michigan, Democratic The Challenge • Antisemitism and Esoteric Movements Union) describe a revealing expose: of of the 21st Century • Medical Expertise November I860. On a Sunday after- • Placebos noon the brothers gave one of their Friday, September 17-Sunday, September 19 • Hypnotism exhibitions where, as usual, "permission • Witnesses, Suggestion For details, contact and Reliability was given for any person who wished to Jan Willem Nienhuys • Media and the do so to examine the 'boys' and satisfy Dommelseweg 1A Paranormal 5581 VAWaalre themselves that there was no deception • Investigating Mediums about the matter." Thereupon (contin- Netherlands of the Past ued the Free Press), "One or two per- Tel: +31.40.2216791 or+31.50.3129893 • Quacks e-mail: [email protected] sons took advantage of the permission • Genetic Manipulation Web site: http://www.skepsi5.org Scare given, and commencing the search, dis- Registration before August 2 is highly recommended. • Moonlight Dinner covered some of their implements of Cruise on the Meuse trade concealed in the boot of one of

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