The Georgetown Metropolitan

GM wrote last week about the curious connection between Abraham Lincoln and 3226 N St. Well, GM wanted to share a bit more about the seances that Lincoln took part in there:

…lt Was at this seance that Mrs. Belle Miller gave an example of her power as a “moving medium,” and highly amused and interested us  by causing the piano to “Waltz around the room,” as was facetiously  remarked in several recent newspaper articles. The true statement is  as follows: Mrs. Miller played upon the piano (a three-corner grand),  and under her influence it “rose and fell,” keeping time to her touch in  a perfectly regular manner. Mr. Laurie suggested that, as an added  “test” of the invisible power that moved the piano, Mrs. Miller (his  daughter) should place her hand on the instrument, standing at arm’s  length from it, to show that she Was in no Wise connected with its  movement other than as agent. Mr. Lincoln then placed his hand  underneath the piano, at the end nearest Mrs. Miller, Who placed her  left hand upon his to demonstrate that neither strength nor pressure  Was used. In this position the piano rose and fell a number of times at  her bidding. At Mr. Laurie’s desire the President changed his position  to another side, meeting With the same result. Continue reading →

Next Monday is Presidents Day. And for the occassion, GM would like to discuss one of the weirder (and sadder) stories of Abraham Lincoln, one that ties him to Georgetown.

While he had already nurtured a growing interest in the then trendy spiritualist movement, Lincoln grew more convinced of the veracity of spiritualism following the death of his son Willie in 1862. (To be fair, accounts of his spiritualism vary. Some historians believe his participation was merely intended to humor his wife.) Continue reading →