** - THEY WERE MOBBED! -

** - DRIVEN OUT OF TOWN! -

** - NEARLY BLUDGEONED TO DEATH! --

** -- ONE AUDIENCE MEMBER WAS DISMEMBERED! -

** --AND THEIR VALET DIED UNDER TRAGIC CIRCUMSTANCES!

The saga of the Davenport brothers began in 1846, when they, their parents and younger sister heard raps, thumps and sundry other loud noises in the air that defied understanding. Later, the Davenports gathered around the family table and within a few minutes the young siblings were floating in the air around the kitchen.

In time, heir public séances could only be categorized as amazing. The brothers were bound hand and foot so that they could not move about in order to cause deception. Once bound, they were placed inside a locked cabinet of extremely limited proportions. And this is where their very theatrical demonstration would begin - first with disembodied voices being heard throughout the room or theater. Then musical instruments began sounding loudly and eventually emerged from out of the upper portion of the spirit cabinet, flying about the room and in general causing quite a visual spectacle in the darkened quarters.

The directive DARK SÉANCE became intimately associated with the chaos and mayhem which seemed to follow the brothers, causing them to flee from their performances for fear of bodily harm and even death. One theater critic suggested those attending the demonstrations bring along smelling salts. Supposedly one woman had her arm mangled terrible upon being trampled and having people jump on her from out of the upper balconies trying to get a close look at the spirits materializations. Furthermore, their valet was said to have been startled to death when an apparition appeared in his sleeping quarters and he had undergone a heart attack.

During their sittings they allowed members of the public to be locked in the spirit cabinet with them. Several times they were attacked at close quarters and even hit over the head so as to render them immobile to show that they were either responsible or not responsible for what was happening in the room (it was proven time and time again they were not!). They were even chased down the streets, and ended up in the hospital with the police asking them to please leave during the night should they be set upon again.

Had the Brothers simply admitted they were illusionists and prestidigitators, they would have been respected, beloved and rich. But they steadfastly refused to take the easy way out and deny the truth of genuine spirits being involved. Here is the full story of the most amazing occult seances of all time - including the intimate details of their lives as researched by Tim Beckley and by those who knew the brothers the best. Includes a lengthy entry by Sherlock Holmes creator and the great occult investigator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.