SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE
Spiritualism has claimed among its followers numbers of brilliant
minds--scientists, philosophers, professionals and authors. Whether
these great minds have been misdirected, whether they have followed
the subject because they were convinced fully of its truth, or whether
they have been successfully hoodwinked by some fraudulent medium, are
matters of conjecture and opinion; nevertheless they have been the
means of bringing into the ranks of Spiritualism numbers of those who
allow themselves to be led by minds greater and more powerful than
their own.
Such a one is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. His name comes automatically
to the mind of the average human being to-day at the mention of
Spiritualism. No statistician could fathom the influence he has exerted
through his lectures and his writings or number the endless chain
he guides into a belief in communication with the Realm Beyond. His
faith and belief and confidence in the movement have been one of the
greatest assets of present-day believers and whatever one’s views on
the subject, it is impossible not to respect the belief of this great
author who has wholeheartedly and unflinchingly thrown his life and
soul into the conversion of unbelievers. Sir Arthur _believes_. In his
great mind there is _no_ doubt.
He is a brilliant man, a deep thinker, well versed in every respect,
and comes of a gifted family. His grandfather, John Doyle, was born
in Dublin in 1797. He won popularity and fame in London with his
caricatures of prominent people. Many of his original drawings are
now preserved in the museum under the title “H. B. Caricatures.” He
died in 1868. An uncle of Sir Arthur’s was the famous “Dicky Doyle,”
the well-known cartoonist of _Punch_ and designer of the familiar
cover of that magazine. In his later years he became prominent as an
illustrator, making drawings for _The Newcomes_ in 1853, and becoming
especially successful in illustrating such fairy stories as Hunt’s “Jar
of Honey,” Ruskin’s “King of the Golden River,” and Montelbas’ “Fairy
Tales of all Nations.” The fact that he leaned toward Spiritualism is
not generally known. Sir Arthur’s father, Charles A. Doyle, was also an
artist of great talent though not in a commercial way. His home life
is beautiful and Lady Doyle has told me on numerous occasions that he
never loses his temper and that his nature is at all times sunshiny
and sweet. His children are one hundred per cent children in every way
and it is beautiful to note the affection between the father, mother
and the children. He is a great reader who absorbs what he reads
but he believes what he sees in print _only_ if it is favorable to
Spiritualism.
The friendship of Sir Arthur and myself dates back to the time
when I was playing the Brighton Hippodrome, Brighton, England. We
had been corresponding and had discussed through the medium of the
mail, questions regarding Spiritualism. He invited Mrs. Houdini and
myself to the Doyle home in Crowborough, England, and in that way an
acquaintanceship was begun which has continued ever since. Honest
friendship is one of life’s most precious treasures and I pride myself
in thinking that we have held that treasure sacred in every respect.
During all these years we have exchanged clippings which we thought
might be of mutual interest and on a number of occasions have had an
opportunity to discuss them in person. Our degree of friendship may be
judged best from the following letter of Sir Arthur’s.
“15 Buckingham Palace Mansion,
S. W. 1
“March 8, 1923.
“My dear Houdini:--
For goodness’ sake take care of those dangerous stunts of
yours. You have done enough of them. I speak because I have
just read of the death of the “Human Fly.”[77] Is it worth it?
“Yours very sincerely,
(Signed) A. CONAN DOYLE.”
It would be difficult to determine just when Sir Arthur and I first
discussed Spiritualism, but from that talk to the present we have
never agreed upon it. Our viewpoints differ; we do not believe the
same thing. I know that he treats Spiritualism as a religion. He
believes that it is possible and that he can communicate with the dead.
According to his marvellous analytical brain he has had proof positive
of this. There is no doubt that Sir Arthur is sincere in his belief
and it is this sincerity which has been one of the fundamentals of
our friendship. I have respected everything he has said and _I have
always been unbiased_, because at no time have I refused to follow
the subject with an open mind. I cannot say the same for him for he
has refused to discuss the matter in any other voice except that of
Spiritualism and in all our talks quoted only those who favored it
in every way, and if one does not follow him sheep-like during his
investigations then he is blotted out forever so far as Sir Arthur
is concerned. Unfortunately he uses the reasoning, so common among
Spiritualists, that no matter how often mediums are caught cheating he
believes the only reason for it is that they have overstepped their
bounds and resorted to trickery in an effort to convince. I wonder if
some day Sir Arthur will forget that he is a Spiritualist and argue a
case of trickery with the sound logic of an outsider. I firmly believe
that if he ever does he will see and acknowledge some of his errors.
I am ready to believe in Sir Arthur’s teachings if he can convince me
beyond the shadow of a doubt that his demonstrations are genuine.
There is no doubt in my mind, Sir Arthur believes implicitly in the
mediums with whom he has convened and he knows positively, in his own
mind, they are all genuine. Even if they are caught cheating he always
has some sort of an alibi which excuses the medium and the deed. He
insists that the Fox Sisters were genuine, even though both Margaret
and Katie confessed to fraud and explained how and why they became
mediums and the methods used by them to produce the raps.
“Like Cæsar’s wife--always above suspicion,” Hope and Mrs. Dean
pass in his category as genuine mediums. He has often told me that
Palladino[78] and Home some day would be canonized for the great work
they did in the interest of Spiritualism, even though they were both
exposed time and time again. In all gravity he would say to me, “Look
what they did to Joan of Arc.” To Sir Arthur it is a matter of most
sacred moment. It is his religion, and he would invariably tell me
what a cool observer he was and how hard it would be to fool him, or
in any way deceive him.[79] He told me that he did not believe any of
“the nice old lady mediums” would do anything wrong and it was just as
unlikely for some old gentleman, innocent as a child unborn, to resort
to trickery. But there comes to my mind the notorious Mrs. Catherine
Nicol and her two daughters who were continuously getting in and out
of the law’s net, usually breaking the heads of a few detectives in
the process. Among the “nice old lady” mediums might be mentioned a
prominent medium of Boston who was accused of taking unlawfully from
one of her believers over eight thousand dollars in cash.
Another case was that of a medium who received $1,000 from a man in
Baltimore for the privilege of a few minutes’ chat with the Spirit of
his dead wife. He later sued her for fraud. Later she was exposed while
giving a seance in Paris, but after a few years she appeared in New
York City.
At this time Asst. District Attorney Krotel asked that she be brought
into court to answer to a charge of selling California mining stock to
her followers through the advice of certain disembodied Spirits. The
stock was found to be worthless.
There was also a woman, who was arrested and convicted for vagrancy
in Seattle and numerous other cases, such as that of Katie King of
Philadelphia in 1875; however, no matter how many cases I cited, it did
not seem to make any impression on Sir Arthur.
I had known for some time that a number of people wanted to draw Doyle
into a controversy. When I saw Sir Arthur I told him to be careful
of his statements and explained a number of pitfalls he could avoid.
Nevertheless, despite my warnings, he would say: “That’s all right,
Houdini, don’t worry about me, I am well able to take care of myself.
They cannot fool me.” To which I would reply he had no idea of the
subtleness of some of the people who were trying to draw his fire.
When I called Sir Arthur’s attention to the number of people who have
gone crazy on the subject because of persistent reading, continuous
attendance at seances and trying automatic writing, his answer would
be: “People have been going mad[80] for years, and you will find on
investigation that many go mad on other subjects besides Spiritualism.”
On being reminded that most of these people hear voices and see
visions, he denied that they were hallucinations, and insisted that he
had spoken to different members of his family.[81]
I recall several flagrant instances in which Sir Arthur’s faith has,
I think, misguided him. One particular time was when he attended a
public seance by a lady known as “The Medium in the Mask.” Among those
present at the time was Lady Glenconner, Sir Henry Lunn and Mr. Sidney
A. Mosley, a special representative of a newspaper.
According to reports, the medium wore a veil like a “yashmak.” She
appeared very nervous. A number of articles, including a ring that
had belonged to Sir Arthur’s deceased son, were put in a box, and the
medium correctly gave the initials on the ring, although Sir Arthur
said that they could hardly be discerned, even in a good light, they
were so worn off.[82]
Later in describing another article, the medium said the words,
“Murphy” and “button” and it was afterwards explained that “Murphy’s
button” was a surgical operation term. She said that the person
described would die as a result of the operation. Unfortunately, for
the medium, no one present knew of such a case and yet, _Sir Arthur
described this seance as very clever_.[83]
The “Masked Lady” was sponsored by a theatrical agent and illusionist
and all proceedings of the seances were brought to light in a suit
against Mr. George Grossman and Mr. Edward Laurillard, theatrical
producers, to recover damages for breach of agreement to place a West
End theatre at his disposal.
Accounts of mediums by the name of “Thompson” have misled several
people. There is a Thompson of New York and a Thomson of Chicago. Sir
Arthur had a seance with the Thompsons of New York and according to
all the news clippings I have had they claimed to have brought back
his mother. In fact it was stated that he asked permission to kiss his
mother’s hand.
The Thomsons got into trouble in Chicago and New Orleans also.[84]
As a matter of fact I was in Chicago when their trial took place. I
had been present at two of their seances. The first was in New York
at the Morosco Theatre and I had all I could do to keep J. F. Rinns
from breaking up the performance. The second was in Chicago. It was
a special seance given after my performance at the Palace Theatre. I
was accompanied by H. H. Windsor, Publisher and Editor of _Popular
Mechanics_; Oliver R. Barrett, a prominent member of the bar; Mr.
Husband Manning, author; and Leonard Hicks, a well-known hotel
proprietor. Among others present at the seance were Cyrus McCormick,
Jr., Muriel McCormick, and Mrs. McCormick McClintock. We witnessed a
number of unsatisfactory phenomena and afterwards adjourned to the home
of Cyrus McCormick and discussed the seance, being unanimously of the
opinion that it was a glaring fraud just as I had believed the one in
New York to be.
At the Morosco Theatre, New York City, the Thomsons made the broad
statement that they had been tested by Stead and Sir Oliver Lodge and
at a special seance he had come out and publicly endorsed Mrs. Thomson
as being genuine. The following letter not only disproves this but
explains the feeling of an active Spiritualist toward the Thomsons.
“Normanton,
“Lake,
“Salisbury.
“7th January 1921.
“Dear Mr. Houdini:--
“It is a pleasure to hear from you, and I thank you for asking
the question about the Thomsons. I have replied to one or two
other queries of the same kind, but I would be grateful if you
would make it known that any statement that I have vouched for
their genuineness, is absolutely false.
“I only saw them once, at a time when they called themselves
Tomson. It was at Mr. Stead’s house, at his urgent request.
I considered the performance fraudulent, but the proof was
not absolutely complete because the concluding search was not
allowed, and the gathering dispersed in disorder, or at least
with some heat.
“I felt sorry at this termination, and it is just possible that
Thomson genuinely thought I was favourably impressed. That is
the charitable view to take, but it is not the true view, and
Mr. Stead was annoyed with me because of my skeptical attitude.
(He has since admitted to me, from the other side, that he was
wrong and I was right; bringing the subject up spontaneously.
This latter statement, however, is not evidence.)
“What I should like the public to be assured of, is that I was
_not_ favourably impressed, and never vouched for them in any
way.
“I am afraid I must assume that Thomson is aware of that, and
therefore is not acting in good faith, because once in England
the same sort of statement was made, either at Leicester or at
Nottingham I think, and I wrote to a paper to contradict it.
“With all good wishes believe me,
“Faithfully yours,
(Signed) “OLIVER LODGE.”
Sir Arthur personally told me that he was convinced of the genuineness
of the Welsh miners of Cardiff, or Thomas Brothers. Stuart Cumberland
who was infinitely my superior in investigation (he had a start of 20
years) told me that there wasn’t a chance of the Thomas Brothers being
genuine, and related how, owing to the great interest of Sir Arthur
in them, the _London Daily Express_ eventually induced them to hold a
seance before a committee of investigators. Cumberland was to have been
one of the committee, but the mediums refused to allow him to be “Among
those present.” As they refused to proceed if Cumberland was admitted,
it was thought advisable to eliminate him. Before leaving, Cumberland
arranged the musical instruments that were used and instructed the
investigating committee how to detect fraud. The feature of the
seance was the passing along in the circle, of a button and a pair of
suspenders, which were thrown on the knees of a news Editor present.
I ask the common-sense reader what benefit this would be--to project
a button clear across the room and to find a pair of suspenders on a
sitter’s knee? If there is any object lesson in this, please let me
know!
At the seance, Lady Doyle was asked whether she was cold, on answering
in the affirmative a holland jacket which had been worn by the medium
was dropped in her lap. The Thomas Brothers claimed this had been done
by the Spirits. When the seance was over, the medium was found bound
but minus his coat.
When I quizzed Sir Arthur about the manner in which the Thomas Brothers
of Cardiff were bound during a seance which he attended, he told me
that they were secured so tightly that it was impossible for them to
move as they were absolutely helpless. I told him that did not make it
genuine, for any number of mediums had been tied the same way and had
managed to free themselves. He replied that I might be able to release
myself by natural means, but that mediums do not have to, as they
always receive Spiritual help. Maybe so, but I should like, sometime,
to tie them myself and see whether the Spirits could release them under
test conditions.[85]
I reminded Sir Arthur of the Davenport Brothers and called to his
attention the fact that they were able to release themselves. Sir
Arthur feels very strongly in the matter of the Davenport Brothers and
although I have told him and proven to him that I was a pupil of Ira
Erastus Davenport[86] and that Ira personally told me that they did not
claim to be Spiritualists and their performances were not given in the
name of Spiritualism, Sir Arthur insists that they _were_ Spiritualists
and has strongly said that if they did their performances under any
other name, then Ira was “not only a liar, but a blasphemer as he
went around with Mr. Ferguson, a clergyman, and mixed it all up with
religion.”
I want to go on record that to the best of my knowledge and belief I
never stated that Sir Arthur endorsed the mediumship of the New York
Thompsons. I did say there were full page articles[87] where he was
illustrated as accepting the genuineness of the materialization of his
mother. I never claimed that Sir Arthur’s son or brother came through
the Thomas mediums in Cardiff. I did state that Sir Arthur said they
were genuine and that they, the mediums, were helpless to move because
he had tied them and in his judgment if they were tied in my presence
I would be convinced of their genuineness. I wish to call attention
to the fact that in a letter written by the late Stuart Cumberland he
agreed with me that there was not a vestige of truth in the mediumship
of the Thomas Brothers, and regarding Sir Arthur’s endorsement of the
“Masked Lady,” I did not say he endorsed her although I should judge
from newspaper[88] accounts he seemed very much impressed.
Sir Arthur has rarely given me an opportunity to deny or affirm any
statement. In fact one of our sore points of discussion has been the
matter of being quoted, or misquoted,[89] in newspapers or periodicals
and it seems that Sir Arthur always believes everything I have been
quoted as having said. When I was in Oakland, California, I was
interviewed by a Mr. Henderson of the _Oakland Tribune_. I gave him
some material to work on, enough for one article from which, to my
surprise, he wrote a series of eight articles enlarging and misquoting
to an “nth” degree. Sir Arthur took exception to a number of statements
which I was supposed to have made and he replied to them caustically
through the press and then sent me the following letter in explanation.
“THE AMBASSADOR
“Los Angeles
“May 23, 1923.
“My dear Houdini:--
“I have had to handle you a little roughly in the _Oakland
Tribune_ because they send me a long screed under quotation
marks, so it is surely accurate. It is so full of errors that
I don’t know where to begin. I can’t imagine why you say such
wild things which have no basis in fact at all. I put the
Thompsons down as humbugs. I never heard of my son or brother
through the Thomas brothers. They were never exposed. I never
said that Masked Medium was genuine. I wish you would refer
to me before publishing such injurious stuff which I have to
utterly contradict. I would always tell you the exact facts as
I have done with the Zancigs.
“Yours sincerely,
“A. Conan Doyle.”
“I hate sparring with a friend in public, but what can I do
when you say things which are not correct, and which I have to
contradict or else they go by default. It is the same with all
this ridiculous stuff of Rinn’s. Unless I disprove it, people
imagine it is true.
“A. C. D.”
At the written invitation of Sir Arthur and Lady Doyle Mrs. Houdini
and I visited them while they were stopping at the Ambassador Hotel in
Atlantic City. One day as Sir Arthur, Mrs. Houdini and I were sitting
on the sand skylarking with the children Sir Arthur excused himself
saying that he was going to have his usual afternoon nap. He left us
but returned in a short time and said “Houdini, if agreeable, Lady
Doyle will give you a special seance, as she has a feeling that she
might have a message come through. At any rate, she is willing to try,”
and turning to Mrs. Houdini he said, “we would like to be alone. You
do not mind if we make the experiment without you.” Smilingly, my good
little wife said, “Certainly not, go right ahead, Sir Arthur; I will
leave Houdini in your charge and I know that he will be willing to go
to the seance.” Doyle said, “You understand, Mrs. Houdini, that this
will be a test to see whether we can make any Spirit come through for
Houdini, and conditions may prove better if no other force is present.”
Before leaving with Sir Arthur, Mrs. Houdini cued me. We did a second
sight or mental performance years ago and still use a system or code
whereby we can speak to each other in the presence of others, even
though to all outward appearances we are merely talking, pointing
or doing the most innocent looking things, but which have different
meanings to us.
In that manner Mrs. Houdini told me that on the night previous she had
gone into detail with Lady Doyle about the great love I bear for my
Mother. She related to her a number of instances, such as, my returning
home from long trips, sometimes as far away as Australia, and spending
months with my Mother and wearing only the clothes that she had given
me, because I thought it would please her and give her some happiness.
My wife also remarked about my habit of laying my head on my Mother’s
breast, in order to hear her heart beat. Just little peculiarities that
mean so much to a mother and son when they love one another as we did.
I walked with Sir Arthur to the Doyles’ suite. Sir Arthur drew down the
shades so as to exclude the bright light. We three, Lady Doyle, Sir
Arthur and I, sat around the table on which were a number of pencils
and a writing pad, placing our hands on the surface of the table.
Sir Arthur started the seance with a devout prayer. I had made up my
mind that I would be as religious as it was within my power to be and
not at any time did I scoff at the ceremony. I excluded all earthly
thoughts and gave my whole soul to the seance.
I was _willing_ to believe, even _wanted_ to believe. It was weird to
me and with a beating heart I waited, hoping that I might feel once
more the presence of my beloved Mother. If there ever was a son who
idolized and worshipped his Mother, whose every thought was for her
happiness and comfort, that son was myself. My Mother meant my life,
her happiness was synonymous with my peace of mind. For that reason,
if no other, I wanted to give my very deepest attention to what was
going on. It meant to me an easing of all pain that I had in my heart.
I especially wanted to speak to my Mother, because that day, _June 17_,
1922, was her birthday.[90] I was determined to embrace Spiritualism
if there was any evidence strong enough to down the doubts that have
crowded my brain for the past thirty years.
Presently, Lady Doyle was “seized by a Spirit.” Her hands shook and
beat the table, her voice trembled and she called to the Spirits
to give her a message. Sir Arthur tried to quiet her, asked her to
restrain herself, but her hand thumped on the table, her whole body
shook and at last, making a cross at the head of the page, started
writing. And as she finished each page, Sir Arthur tore the sheet off
and handed it to me. I sat serene through it all, hoping and wishing
that I might feel my mother’s presence. There wasn’t even a semblance
of it. Everyone who has ever had a worshipping Mother and has lost
earthly touch, knows the feeling which will come over him at the
thought of sensing her presence.
The letter which follows, purported to have come from my Mother, I
cannot, as much as I desire, accept as having been written or inspired
by the soul or Spirit of my sweet Mother.
“Oh, my darling, thank God, thank God, at last I’m through--I’ve
tried, oh, so often--now I am happy. Why, of course I want to talk to
my boy--my own beloved boy--Friends, thank you, with all my heart for
this.”--
“You have answered the cry of my heart--and of his--God bless him--a
thousandfold for all his life for me--never had a Mother such a
son--tell him not to grieve--soon he’ll get all the evidence he is so
anxious for--Yes we know--tell him I want him to try and write in his
own home. It will be far better.”
“I will work with him--he is so, so dear to me--I am preparing so sweet
a home for him in which some day in God’s good time he will come to it,
is one of my great joys preparing for our future.”
“I am so happy in this life--it is so full and joyous--my only shadow
has been that my beloved one hasn’t known how often I have been
with him all the while, all the while--here away from my heart’s
darling--combining my work thus in this life of mine.”
“It is so different over here, so much larger and bigger and more
beautiful--so lofty--all sweetness around one--nothing that hurts
and we see our beloved ones on earth--that is such a joy and comfort
to us--Tell him I love him more than ever--the years only increase
it--and his goodness fills my soul with gladness and thankfulness.
Oh, just this, it _is_ me. I want him only to know that--that--I have
bridged the gulf--that is what I wanted, oh, so much--Now I can rest in
peace--how soon--”
“I _always_ read my beloved son’s mind--his dear mind--there is so
much I want to say to him--but--I am almost overwhelmed by this joy of
talking to him once more--it is almost too much to get through--the
joy of it--thank you, thank you, friend, with all my heart for what you
have done for me this day--God bless you, too, Sir Arthur, for what you
are doing for us--for us, over here--who so need to get in touch with
our beloved ones on the earth plane--”
“If only the world knew this great truth--how different life would
be for men and women--Go on let nothing stop you--great will be your
reward hereafter--Good-by--I brought you, Sir Arthur, and my son
together--I felt you were the only man who might help us to pierce this
veil--and I was right--Bless him, bless him, bless him, I say, from the
depths of my soul--he fills my heart and later we shall be together--Oh
so happy--a happiness awaits him that he has never dreamed of--tell him
I am with him--just tell him that I’ll soon make him know how close I
am all the while--his eyes will soon be opened--Good-by again--God’s
blessing on you all.”
In the case of my seance, Sir Arthur believed that due to the great
excitement it was a direct connection.
The more so do I hesitate to believe and accept the above letter
because, although my sainted mother had been in America for almost
fifty years, she could not speak, read nor write English but
Spiritualists claim that when a medium is possessed by a Spirit who
does not speak the language, she automatically writes, speaks or sings
in the language of the deceased; however, Sir Arthur has told me that
a Spirit becomes more educated the longer it is departed and that my
blessed Mother had been able to master the English language in Heaven.
After the purported letter from my Mother had been written and I had
read it over very carefully, Sir Arthur advised me to follow out the
advice, given by my Mother,--to try to write when I reached home.
I picked up a pencil in a haphazard manner and said, “Is there any
particular way in which I must hold this pencil when I want to write,
or does it write automatically?” _I then wrote the name of “Powell”
entirely of my own volition._ Sir Arthur jumped up excitedly and read
what I had just written. He saw the word “Powell” and said, “The
Spirits have directed you in writing the name of my dear fighting
partner in Spiritualism, Dr. Ellis Powell, who has just died in
England. I am the person he is most likely to signal to, and here is
his name coming through your hands. Truly Saul is among the Prophets.”
I must emphatically state that this name was written entirely of my
own volition and in full consciousness. I had in my mind, my friend
Frederick Eugene Powell, the American Magician, with whom at the time
I was having a great deal of correspondence regarding a business
proposition which has since been consummated. There is not the
slightest doubt of it having been more than a deliberate mystification
on my part, or let us say a kindlier word regarding my thoughts and
call it “coincidence.”
A few days later Sir Arthur sent me the following letter in reference
to my explanation of the writing of the name, “Powell.”
“The Ambassador,
New York,
June 20th, 1922.
“My dear Houdini:--
“... No, the Powell explanation, won’t do. Not only is he the
one man who would wish to get me, but in the evening, Mrs. M.,
the lady medium, got, “there is a man here. He wants to say
that he is sorry he had to speak so abruptly this afternoon.”
The message was then broken by your Mother’s renewed message
and so we got no name. But it confirms me in the belief that
it was Powell. However, you will no doubt test your powers
further.
(Signed) “A. Conan Doyle.”
I had written an article for the _New York Sun_, October 30, 1922,
which gave my views in reference to Spiritualism and at the same time
answered the challenge offered by the General Assembly of Spiritualists
of New York State. This had been called to the attention of Sir Arthur,
who wrote as follows:
“Windlesham,
Crowborough,
Sussex.
November 19, 1922.
“My dear Houdini:--
“They sent me the _New York Sun_ with your article and no doubt
wanted me to answer it, but I have no fancy for sparring with a
friend in public, so I took no notice.
“But none the less, I felt rather sore about it. You have all
the right in the world to hold your own opinion, but when you
say that you have had no evidence of survival, you say what I
cannot reconcile with what I saw with my own eyes. I know, by
many examples, the purity of my wife’s mediumship, and I saw
what you got and what the effect was upon you at the time.
You know also you yourself at once wrote down, with your own
hand, the name of Powell, the one man who might be expected to
communicate with me. Unless you were joking when you said that
you did not know of this Powell’s death, then surely that was
evidential, since the idea that out of all your friends you
had chanced to write the name of one who exactly corresponded,
would surely be too wonderful a coincidence.
“However, I don’t propose to discuss this subject any more with
you, for I consider that you have had your proofs and that the
responsibility of accepting or rejecting is with you. As it
_is_ a very real lasting responsibility. However, I have it at
last, for I have done my best to give you the truth. I will,
however, send you my little book, on the fraud perpetrated upon
Hope, but that will be my last word on the subject. Meanwhile,
there are lots of other subjects on which we can all meet in
friendly converse.
“Yours very sincerely,
(Signed) “A. Conan Doyle.”
To which I replied:--
“December 15, 1922.
“Sir Arthur Conan Doyle,
Windlesham,
Crowborough,
Sussex.
“My dear Sir Arthur:--
“Received your letter regarding my article in the _New York
Sun_. You write that you are very sore. I trust that it is not
with me, because you, having been truthful and manly all your
life, naturally must admire the same traits in other human
beings.
“I know you are honorable and sincere and think I owe you an
explanation regarding the letter I received through the hands
of Lady Doyle.
“I was heartily in accord and sympathy at that seance but the
letter was written entirely in English and my sainted Mother
could not read, write or speak the English language. I did not
care to discuss it at the time because of my emotion in trying
to sense the presence of my Mother, if there was such a thing
possible, to keep me quiet until time passed, and I could give
it the proper deduction.
“Regarding my having written the name ‘Powell.’ Frederick
Eugene Powell is a very dear friend of mine. He had just
passed through two serious operations. Furthermore Mrs.
Powell had a paralytic stroke at that time. I was having some
business dealings with him which entailed a great deal of
correspondence; therefore, naturally, his name was uppermost
in my mind and I cannot make myself believe that my hand was
guided by your friend. It was just a coincidence.
“I trust my clearing up of the seance, from my point of view
is satisfactory, and that you do not harbor any ill feelings,
because I hold both Lady Doyle and yourself in the highest
esteem. I know you treat this as a religion but personally I
cannot do so, for up to the present time I have never seen or
heard anything that could convert me.
“Trusting you will accept my letter in the same honest, good
faith feeling as it has been written.
“With best wishes to Lady Doyle, yourself and the family, in
which Mrs. Houdini joins,
“Sincerely yours,
(Signed) “Houdini.”
In January 1923, the _Scientific American_ issued a challenge of
$2500. to the first person to produce a psychic photograph under test
conditions. An additional $2500. was offered to the first person who,
under the test conditions, defined, and to the satisfaction of the
judges named, produced an objective psychic manifestation of physical
character as defined, and of such sort that permanent instrumental
record may be made of its occurrence.
The committee named were: Dr. William McDougall, D.Sc., Professor of
Psychology at Harvard; Daniel Frisk Comstock, Ph.D., former member
of the Faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology; Walter
Franklin Prince, Ph.D., Principal Research Officer for the S. P. R.;
Hereward Carrington, Ph.D., Psychic Investigator; J. Malcolm Bird,
Member of the Scientific American Staff; and myself.[91]
Sir Arthur’s letter is self-explanatory.
“Windlesham,
Crowborough,
Sussex.
“January 1, 1923.
“My dear Houdini:
“... I see that you are on the Scientific American Committee,
but how can it be called an Impartial Committee when you
have committed yourself to such statements as that some
Spiritualists pass away before they realize how they have
been deluded, etc? You have every possible right to hold
such an opinion, but you can’t sit on an Impartial Committee
afterwards. It becomes biased at once. What I wanted was five
good clear-headed men who can push to it without any prejudice
at all, like the Dialectical Society[92] of London, who
unanimously endorsed the phenomena.
“Once more all greetings,
(Signed) “A. CONAN DOYLE.”
On May 21, 22 and 24 the _Scientific American_ held their first test
seances. The permanent sitters were Mr. Walker, Mr. Lescurboura, Mr. J.
Malcolm Bird of the Editorial staff of the _Scientific American_, Mr.
Owen of the _Times_, Mr. Granville Lehrmann of the American Telephone
and Telegraph and Richard I. Worrell, _a friend_ of the medium. Drs.
Carrington and Prince of the Committee of Judges sat on Monday. Dr.
Prince and myself on Thursday. On Tuesday the Committee was represented
by Mr. Frederick Keating, conjuror.
The medium, a man by the name of George Valentine of Wilkes-Barre,
Penn., claimed to be genuine. He was trapped by being seated on a chair
which was so arranged that when he arose an electric light arrangement
was fixed in the room adjoining, together with dictographs and a
phosphorous button. In the estimation of the Committee, Mr. Valentine
was just a common, ordinary trickster.
Lady Doyle, Miss Juliet Karcher, Mrs. Houdini, Sir Arthur and I were
lunching at the Royal Automobile Club in London, May 11, 1920, and Sir
Arthur called attention to the fact that a few days previously they had
been sitting at the same table with a powerful medium, and he told me
in a very serious tone, which was corroborated by Lady Doyle, that the
table started to move all around the place to the astonishment of the
waiter, who was not aware of the close proximity of the medium.
All the time he was relating it, I watched him closely and saw that
both he and Lady Doyle were most sincere and believed what they had
told me to be an actual fact.
There are times when I almost doubt the sincerity of some of Sir
Arthur’s _statements_, even though I do not doubt the sincerity of his
belief.
I have been over a number of letters which I have received from Sir
Arthur during the last few years and selected the following excerpts
which show his viewpoint regarding many of the matters we have
discussed.
“I do not wonder that they put you down as an occult. As I read the
accounts I do not see how you do it. You must be a brave man as well as
exceptionally dexterous.”
“How you get out of the diving suits beats me, but the whole thing
beats me completely.”
“I spoke of the Davenport Brothers. Your word on the matter knowing, as
you do both the man and the possibilities of his art, would be final.”
“You are to me a perpetual mystery. No doubt you are to everyone.”
“In a fair light I saw my dead Mother as clearly as I ever saw her
in life. I am a cool observer and I do not make mistakes. It was
wonderful--but it taught me nothing I did not know before.”
“Our best remembrances to your wife and yourself. For God’s sake be
careful in those fearsome feats of yours. You ought to be able to
retire now.”
“These clairvoyants whose names I have given you are passive agents
in themselves and powerless. If left to themselves they guess and
muddle--as they sometimes do, when the true connection is formed,
all is clear. That connection depends on the forces beyond, which
are repelled by frivolity or curiosity but act under the impulse of
sympathy.”
“I see that you know a great deal about the negative side of
Spiritualism.”
“If you think of a lost friend before going to a seance and breathe
a prayer that you may be allowed to get in touch you will have a
chance--otherwise none. It really does depend upon psychic or mental
vibrations and harmonies.”
“I fear there is much fraud among American mediums where Spiritualism
seems to have deservedly fallen into disrepute. Even when genuine it is
used for stock exchange, and other base worldly purposes. No wonder it
has sunk low in the very land that was honored by the first Spiritual
manifestations of the series.”
“You certainly have very wonderful powers, whether inborn or acquired.”
“I envy you the privilege of having met Ira Davenport.”
“Most of our great mediums at present are unpaid amateurs, inaccessible
to any but Spiritualists.”
“Something _must_ come your way if you really persevere and get it out
of your mind that you should follow it as a terrier follows a rat.”
“Mental harmony does not in the least abrogate common sense.”
“I heard of your remarkable feat in Bristol. My dear chap, why do you
go around the world seeking a demonstration of the occult when you are
giving one all the time?”
“I _know_ Hope to be a true psychic and will give you my reasons when
I treat it, but you can give no man a blank check for honesty on every
particular occasion, whether there is a temptation to hedge when
psychic power runs low is a question to be considered. I am for an
uncompromising honesty--but also for thorough examination based on true
knowledge.”
“I am amused by your investigation with the Society for Psychical
Research. Have they never thought of investigating you?”
“It was good of you to give those poor invalids a show and you will
find yourself in the third sphere alright with your dear wife, world
without end, whatever you may believe.”
“Incredulity seems to me to be a sort of insanity under the
circumstances.” This was in reference to some photographs of ectoplasm
which I questioned.
“This talk of ‘fake’ is in most cases nonsense and shows our own
imperfect knowledge of conditions and of the ways of Controls, who
often take short cuts to their ends, having no regard at all to our
critical idea.”
“Our opponents talk of one failure and omit a great series of
successes. However, truth wins and there is lots of time.”
“I never let a pressman (newspaper man) get away with it with impunity
if I can help it.”[93]
“Our relations are certainly curious and likely to become more so, for
as long as you attack what _I know_ from experience to be true I have
no alternative but to attack you in turn. How long a private friendship
can survive such an ordeal I do not know, but at least I did not create
the situation.”
“You have a reputation among Spiritualists of being a bitterly
prejudiced enemy who would make trouble if it were possible--I know
this is not so.”
On page 150 of Sir Arthur’s book “Our American Adventure” he says:
“Houdini is not one of those shallow men who imagine they can explain
away Spiritual phenomena as parlor tricks, but he retains an open--and
ever, I think, a more receptive--mind toward mysteries which are beyond
his art. He understands, I hope, that to get truth in the matter
you have not to sit as a Sanhedrim of Judgement, like the Circle of
Conjurors in London, since Spiritual truth does not come as a culprit
to a bar, but you must submit in a humble spirit to psychic conditions
and so go forth, making most progress when on your knees.”
Sir Arthur has told me time and time again that his whole life is
based upon the subject of Spiritualism and that he has sacrificed some
of the best years of his life to the betterment and spread of the
cause, which, due to his sincerity, is a beautiful faith.[94] But in
my opinion it is no “sacrifice” to convince people who have recently
suffered a bereavement of the possibility and reality of communicating
with their dear ones. To me the poor suffering followers eagerly
searching for relief from the heart-pain that follows the passing on of
a dear one are the “sacrifice.”
Sir Arthur thinks that I have great mediumistic powers and that
some of my feats are done with the aid of spirits. Everything I do
is accomplished by material means, humanly possible, no matter how
baffling it is to the layman. He says that I do not enter a seance in
the right frame of mind, that I should be more submissive, but in all
the seances I have attended I have never had a feeling of antagonism.
I have no desire to discredit Spiritualism; I have no warfare with
Sir Arthur; I have no fight with the Spiritists; but I do believe it
is my duty, for the betterment of humanity, to place frankly before
the public the results of my long investigation of Spiritualism.
I am willing to be convinced; my mind is open, but the proof must
be such as to leave no vestige of doubt that what is claimed to be
done is accomplished only through or by supernatural power. So far I
have never on any occasion, in all the seances I have attended, seen
anything which would lead me to credit a mediumistic performance with
supernatural aid, nor have I ever seen anything which has convinced me
that it is possible to communicate with those who have passed out of
this life. Therefore I do not agree with Sir Arthur.