This Committee met at the rooms of Dr. Gates, in the Rochester House. This was called the "Infidel Committee." The public had heretofore chosen persons of a more religious character; and men representing the scientific portion of the inhabitants had now concluded that, by placing the subject in the hands of scientific infidels, they would "fathom the fraud."
This party now chosen were disgusted by the reflection that they were to enter upon such an undertaking; but they had been chosen, and would serve and do their duty to the public. This Committee appointed three ladies, who took us into a private room, disrobed and clothed us with garments of their own selection, after which we seated ourselves around a table; but no manifestations of any importance were made. Disappointed in not finding any machinery, they had a lurking suspicion that we had doffed it for the occasion.
They called on the "Ghosts" to manifest themselves if they could, but no responses came to such invitations. They now concluded it was about dinner-time, and said to us, "You can go home and get your dinner. Perhaps the ghosts will be more sociable in the afternoon;" plainly intimating that we could go home and prepare ourselves for rapping, and that things would be more satisfactory after our return. It was now my turn to be the speaker; I told them: "No, we shall not stir from this room until the time for this investigation shall expire; which will be at six o'clock P.M." Some of the Committee exclaimed, "Good for the Rappers! That looks like business. Ladies and gentlemen, let us have dinner in this room. We will give the girls fair play." A sumptuous dinner was prepared and brought in to us, and all took seats at the table. They taunted us in every way. Sometimes we felt ourselves forsaken, and disposed to give up in despair. Our friends were locked out, and not permitted to come into the room; but we could hear their faithful footsteps outside the door, in the hall of the hotel--Isaac and Amy Post, Mr. and Mrs. Pierpont, George Willets, and others. My young sister Maggie was by my side, bathed in tears. Dr. Gates was carving. I was struggling with a choking emotion, and could not taste food. The party were joking and funning at our expense, when, suddenly the great table began to tremble, and raised first one end and then the other, with loud creaking sounds, like a ship struggling in a heavy gale, until it was finally suspended above our heads.