CONCLUSION
It has been my desire in this book to convey to the reader my views
regarding Spiritualism which are the result of study and investigation,
the startling feature of which has been the utter inability of the
average human being to describe accurately anything he or she has
witnessed. Many sitters, devoid of the sense of acute observation,
prefer to garnish and embellish their stories with the fruits of their
fertile imaginations, adding a choice bit every time the incident is
reported, and eventually, by a trick of the brain, really believing
what they say. It is evident, therefore, that by clever misguidance and
apt misdirection of attention, a medium can accomplish seeming wonders.
The sitter becomes positively self-deluded and actually thinks he has
seen weird phantoms or has heard the voice of a beloved one.
To my knowledge I have never been baffled in the least by what I have
seen at seances. Everything I have seen has been merely a form of
mystification. The secret of all such performances is to catch the mind
off guard and the moment after it has been surprised to follow up with
something else that carries the intelligence along with the performer,
even against the spectator’s will. When it is possible to do this
with a highly developed mind like Mr. Kellar’s, one trained in magic
mystery, and when scientific men of the intelligence of Sir Oliver
Lodge, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the late William Crookes and William T.
Stead, can be made to believe by such means how much easier it must be
in the case of ordinary human beings.
I cannot accept nor even comprehend the intelligence which justifies
the conclusion, so often put in print as the opinion of brainy men
supporting Spiritualism, that admits the possibility of a result being
accomplished by natural means but nevertheless assert their sincere
belief that the identical performance by a professional medium is
solely of supernatural origin and guidance, nor can I understand the
reasoning that, acknowledging the disreputable character of certain
practitioners or mediums, deliberately defends the culprits in the
performance of what has been proven a crime. Is it true logic, logic
that would stand either in court or club room, to say that a medium
caught cheating ninety-nine times out of a hundred was honest the
hundredth time because not caught? Would the reader trust a servant
who stole ninety-nine articles and then professed innocence when the
hundredth article was missing?
Sir Conan Doyle asks in all innocence, “Is it really scientific to
deny and at the same time refuse to investigate?” My answer is most
emphatically “no.” Nevertheless, they absolutely oppose all honest
efforts at investigation, and justify the mediums in refusing to
work when the conditions are not just as they want them. When one is
invited to a dark seance for the purpose of investigation and finds the
conditions so fixed as to bar him from enquiring too closely and compel
him to be content with merely looking on he stands a poor chance of
getting at the facts, and should he dare to disregard the “rules of the
circle” and the seance results in a blank, the investigator is charged
with having brought an atmosphere of incredulity to bear which prevents
manifestation.
I do not affirm that the claims of Spiritualism are disproved by
such failures but I do say that if under such circumstances one
dared to investigate properly and sanely, and to cross-examine,
as he most certainly would do in any other form of investigation,
scientific, or in the other walks of life, Spiritualism would not
be so generously accepted. In justification the psychic says that
darkness or excessively dim light is perfectly legitimate and that
tangible investigation might result in _injury_ or even _death_ to
the medium. The folly of any such fear has been proven time and again
by the unexpected play of a flash light. Even the ardent supporters
who lay emphasis on such an absurdity have, according to their own
confession, made, or had made, flashlight photographs and there has
never been a single case of harm or disaster reported. This necessity
for darkness seems but the grossest invention of the medium to divert,
even to the point of intimidation, the attention of the sitters. Such a
necessity cannot be accorded a logical reason for existing under test
conditions to demonstrate a scientific subject. It can be supported
only as a visionary, speculative superstition; an instrument to foster
hallucinatory illusion and as an admirable subterfuge to cover fraud.
Sir Arthur says:
“If you want to send a telegram you must go to a telegraph office. If
you want to telephone you must first pick up the receiver and give your
message to either an operator or a waiting automaton.”
Very well, I have gone to the operator between the Beyond and this
earthly sphere, I have gone to the telegraph office that receives
the message in code, to the so-called _medium_. What would be more
wonderful to me than to be able to converse with my beloved mother?
Surely there is no love in this world like a mother’s love, no
closeness of spirit, no other heart throbs that beat alike; but I have
not heard from my blessed Mother, except through the dictates of the
inmost recesses of my heart, the thoughts which fill my brain and the
memory of her teachings.
Would not my private secretary, John William Sargent, come back to me
and tell me the secrets of the beyond if it were possible? Did he not,
just before he died, tell me that he would come to me if there was
any way of doing it? More than being a private secretary, he was my
friend,--true, loyal, sacrificing,--knew me for thirty years. He has
not come back to me and he would if it were possible.
I had compacts with a round dozen. Each one promised me faithfully
to come back if it were possible. I have even gone so far as to
create secret codes and hand-grips. Sargent had a certain word he was
to repeat to me; William Berol, the eminent mental expert, gave me
the secret handshake a few hours before he died and did not regain
consciousness after silently telling me that he remembered our compact;
Atlanta Hall, niece of President Pierce, a woman ninety years of age,
who had had seances with the greatest mediums that visited Boston,
called for me just before her death, clasped my hand and gave me our
agreed-upon grip which she was to give me through a medium. They have
never come back to me! Does that prove anything? I have attended a
number of seances since their death, the mediums have called for them,
and when their spirit forms were supposed to appear not one of them
could give me the proper signal. Would I have received it? I’ll wager I
would have. There was love of some kind between each of these friends
who are gone and myself. It is needless to point out the love of a
mother and son; the love of a real friend; the love of a woman of
ninety toward a man who held her dear; the love of a philosopher toward
a man who respected his life study,--they were all loves, each strong,
each binding. If these persons, with all the love they bore in their
heart for me and all the love I have in my heart for them, did not
return, what about those who did not hold me close, who had no interest
in me? Why should they come back and mine not?
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle has repeatedly told the Spiritualists that I
will eventually see the light and embrace Spiritualism. If the memory
of a loved one, gone to the protection of the hands of the Great
Mystifier means Spiritualism, then truly I do believe in it. But
if Spiritualism is to be founded on the tricks of exposed mediums,
feats of magic, resort to trickery, then I say unflinchingly I do not
believe, and more, I will not believe. I have said many times that I am
willing to believe, want to believe, will believe, if the Spiritualists
can show any substantiated proof, but until they do I shall have to
live on, believing from all the evidence shown me and from what I have
experienced that Spiritualism has not been proven satisfactorily to the
world at large and that none of the evidence offered has been able to
stand up under the fierce rays of investigation.
It is not for us to prove that the mediums are dishonest, it is for
them to prove that they _are_ honest. They have made a statement, the
most serious statement in recent times, for it affects the welfare,
the mental attitude and means a complete revolution of age-old beliefs
and customs of the world. If there is anything to Spiritualism then
the world should know it. If there is nothing to it, if it is, as
it appears, built on a flimsy framework of misdirection, then too
the universe must be told. There is too much at stake for a flighty
passing, for unsubstantiated truths.
APPENDIX
A
_Statement of Margaret Fox_
“Do you know that there is something behind the shadowy mask of
Spiritualism that the public can hardly guess at? I am stating now what
I know, not because I actually participated in it, for I would never
be a party to such promiscuous nastiness, but because I had plenty of
opportunity, as you may imagine, of verifying it. Under the name of
this dreadful, this horrible, hypocrisy--Spiritualism--everything that
is improper, bad and immoral is practiced. They go even so far as to
have what they call ‘Spiritual children.’ They pretend to something
like the immaculate conception! Could anything be more blasphemous,
more disgusting, more thinly deceptive than that? In London I went in
disguise to a quiet seance at the house of a wealthy man, and I saw
a so-called materialization. The effect was produced with the aid of
luminous paper, the luster of which was reflected upon the operator.
The figure thus displayed was that of a woman, virtually nude, being
enveloped in transparent gauze, the face alone being concealed. This
was one of those seances to which the privileged non-believing friends
of believing Spiritualists could have access. But there are other
seances where none but the most tried and trusted are admitted, and
where there are shameless goings on that vie with the secret Saturnalia
of the Romans. I could not describe these things to you, because I
would not.”
From “The Death Blow to Spiritualism,” by Ruben Briggs Davenport. Page
50.
B
_Irving’s Speech_
Speech of Henry Irving preceding his imitation of the Davenports
February 25, 1865, at the Manchester Athenæum, Manchester, England.
“Ladies and gentlemen:--In introducing to your notice the remarkable
phenomena which have attended the gentlemen, who are not brothers, who
are about to appear before you, I do not deem it necessary to offer my
observations upon their extraordinary manifestations. I shall therefore
at once commence a long rigmarole for the purpose of distracting your
attention, and filling your intelligent heads with perplexity. I need
not tell this enlightened audience that the manifestations they are
about to witness are produced by occult power, the meaning of which
I don’t clearly understand; but, we simply bring before your notice
facts, and from these you must form your own conclusions. Concerning
the early life of these gentlemen, columns of the most uninteresting
description could be written; I will mention one or two interesting
facts connected with these remarkable men, and for the truth of which I
personally vouch. In early life, one of them to the perfect unconcern
of everybody else, was constantly and most unconsciously floating about
his peaceful dwelling in the arms of his amiable nurse, while, on other
occasions, he was frequently tied with invisible hands to his mother’s
apron strings. Peculiarities of a like nature were exhibited by his
companion, whose acquaintance with various Spirits commenced many
years ago, and has increased to the present moment with pleasure to
himself and profit to others. These gentlemen have not been celebrated
throughout the vast continent of America, they have not astonished
the civilized world, but they have travelled in various parts of
this glorious land--the land of Bacon--and are about to appear in a
phase in your glorious city of Manchester. Many really sensible and
intelligent individuals seem to think that the requirement of darkness
seems to infer trickery. So it does. But I will strive to convince you
that it does not. Is not a dark chamber essential to the process of
photography? And what would we reply to him who would say ‘I believe
photography is a humbug, do it all in the light and we will believe
otherwise’? It is true that we know why darkness is essential to the
production of a sun picture; and if scientific men will subject these
phenomena to analysis, they will find why darkness is essential to our
manifestations. But we don’t want them to find out, we want them to
avoid a common-sense view of the mystery. We want them to be blinded by
our puzzle, and to believe with implicit faith in the greatest humbug
in the nineteenth century.”
C
_Lord Adare’s Story._
That is the way Spiritualistic chroniclers tell this story, but
Lord Dunraven, in a letter to the Editor of _The Weekly Dispatch_,
London, Eng., March 21, 1920, gives quite a different version of the
occurrence, and because of its intrinsic worth as refutation of the
loud claim made by Spiritualists I am reproducing the entire article
including head lines:
“MEDIUM’S ENTRY BY WINDOW
“WHAT I SAW AT ASHLEY HOUSE
“_By Lord Dunraven._
“My attention has been drawn to accounts of a debate on ‘Spiritualism’
on March 11 between Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Mr. Joseph McCabe, in
which the latter is reported to have described the alleged wafting of
Mr. D. D. Home from window to window as one of the greatest pieces of
trickery to be found in the whole Spiritualistic movement.
“Assuming the substantial accuracy of the report, I, as the sole
survivor of those present on the occasion, think it my duty, in justice
to the dead, to mention the facts as recorded by me at the time.
“They are extracted from a long letter descriptive of the evening to my
father, who was much interested in the subject. Whether my letter was
submitted to the others present I cannot now say for certain. I have no
doubt that it was, for my custom was always to ask others present to
test the accuracy of any record that I kept.
“The date was December 16, 1868. Those present were myself (then Lord
Adare), the late Lord Crawford, (then Master of Lindsay), a cousin of
mine, Mr. Wynne (Charlie) and Mr. D. D. Home.
“ON THE THIRD FLOOR
“The scene was Ashley House (in Ashley-place). Speaking from memory,
it consisted of two rooms facing the front--that is, looking on
Ashley-place--a passage at the back running the length of the two
rooms, a door in each room connecting it with the passage. The locality
is thus described in the letter to my father:
“‘Outside each window is a small balcony or ledge, 19 in. deep,
bounded by stone balustrade, 18 in. high. The balustrades of the two
windows are 7 ft. 4 in. apart, measuring from the nearest points. A
string-course, 4 in. wide, runs between the windows at the level of the
bottom of the balustrade, and another, 3 in. wide, at the level of the
top. Between the window at which Home went out and that at which he
came in the wall recedes 6 in. The rooms are on the third floor.’
“The following account of the incident is extracted from the letter to
my father:
“He (Home) then said to us, ‘Do not be afraid, and on no account leave
your places;’ and he went out into the passage.
“FROM ROOM TO ROOM
“Lindsay suddenly said, ‘Oh, good heavens! I know what he is going to
do; it is too fearful.’ Adare: ‘What is it?’ Lindsay: ‘I cannot tell
you; it is too horrible! Adah says that I must tell you; he is going
out of the window in the other room, and coming in at this window.’
“We heard Home go into the next room, heard the window thrown up, and
presently Home appeared standing upright outside our window. He opened
the window and walked in quite cooly. ‘Ah,’ he said, ‘you were good
this time,’ referring to our having sat still and not wished to prevent
him. He sat down and laughed.
“Charlie: ‘What are you laughing at?’ Home: ‘We are thinking that if
a policeman had been passing and had looked up and seen a man turning
round and round along the wall in the air he would have been much
astonished. Adare, shut the window in the next room.’
“I got up, shut the window, and in coming back remarked that the window
was not raised a foot, and that I could not think how he had managed to
squeeze through.
“OUT, HEAD FIRST
“He arose and said ‘Come and see.’ I went with him; he told me to open
the window as it was before, I did so; he told me to stand a little
distance off; he then went through the open space, head first, quite
rapidly, his body being nearly horizontal and apparently rigid. He came
in again, feet foremost, and we returned to the other room.
“It was so dark I could not see clearly how he was supported outside.
He did not appear to grasp, or rest upon, the balustrade, but rather to
be swung out and in.”
“Such are the facts as narrated at the time. I make no comment except
this. Rigorously speaking, it is incorrect to say, as I think has been
said, that we _saw_ Mr. Home wafted from one window to the other.
“As to whether he was or was not, I am concerned only to state the
facts as observed at the time, not to make deductions from them.”
In view of this publication, it is quite natural to infer that Sir
Arthur Conan Doyle was cognizant of it at the time of its appearance,
because of his controversy with Mr. Joseph McCabe, on that subject;
therefore, it is difficult to reconcile that thought with the fact of
Sir Arthur’s unmitigated praise and endorsement of a man such as all
adduced evidence has branded a charlatan.
D
_Luther R. Marsh and the Huylers_
In 1903, Luther R. Marsh again fell into the hands of charlatans as Mr.
Isaac K. Funk tells in his book “The Widow’s Mite and Other Psychic
Phenomena.” A court set aside the assignment of several insurance
policies which Marsh had made to a medium known as Mrs. Huyler. Mr.
Funk tells the story as follows:
“On the day Mr. Marsh transferred the policies he (Huyler) and his
wife had gone to Mr. Marsh’s room, where Mrs. Huyler claimed to hold
communication with the Spirits and told Mr. Marsh there was a terrible
uproar in Spiritland because he declined to transfer the policies. She
told him that his Spiritualistic wife, Adelaide Neilson, was tearing
her hair and weeping, and heaping reproaches upon him. His wife, Mrs.
Marsh, was acting in the same fashion, and his father-in-law, ‘Sunset,’
Alvin Stewart, was exceedingly wroth.
“Mr. Marsh was alarmed at this manifestation of Spiritualistic
displeasure, and agreed to transfer the policies. At the last moment he
hesitated and claimed that because his will was made out he thought it
better to postpone the matter a little while; but Mrs. Huyler insisted
that he go across the way to a lawyer’s office, and he did so.
“While he was gone Mrs. Huyler admitted that the trance was a ‘fake’
and said that she wanted to get all she could from the ‘old fool’
before he died.
“Mr. Marsh returned to the room presently and assured her that the
transfer had been made as she desired. As soon as this evidence had
been given by Huyler, Justice Marean ended the proceedings.
“‘This man is a thief and a fraud,’ he said turning to Huyler, ‘and
he acted the part of a thief when he and his wife conspired to secure
those policies by the means he has just related.’”
E
_Police Record of Ann O’Delia Diss Debar._
Editha Loleta, Jackson, alias The Swami--5--3½--sallow.
Hair brown, turning gray. Blue eyes. Occupation, authoress.
Sentence:
6 mos., New York. 19.6.88. Swindling. Ann O’Delia Diss Debar.
2 years, Geneva. 25.3.93. Larceny. Vera P. Ava.
Expelled from New Orleans. 7.5.99. Swindling, Susp. Person. Edith
Jackson.
30 days, New Orleans. 16.5.99. Susp. Person. Edith Jackson.
7 years penal servitude, Central Criminal Court, London. 16.12.01.
Aiding and abetting the commission of rape. Editha Loleta Jackson.
F
_Judge Edmonds_
Judge Edmonds was born in Hudson, N. Y., in 1799, received a college
education and studied law. In 1819 he entered the law office of
President Van Buren. In 1828 he was appointed Recorder of Hudson and
in 1831 was elected to the State Senate by an unprecedented majority.
In 1843 he was appointed Inspector of the State Prison at Sing Sing
holding the position until 1845 when he resigned to become a Circuit
Judge of the First Judicial District. Later he was elected Judge of the
State Supreme Court and finally in 1851 became a member of the Court of
Appeals. These various offices gave him experience in the widest range
of judicial duties; he had a greatly developed mentality and was known
as the shrewdest judge of his time.
In 1850 he lost his wife with whom he had lived for over thirty
years. He was very much affected by her death and his mind became
occupied with inquiries concerning the nature and conditions of
death, frequently spending the greater part of the night reading and
reflecting on the subject. One midnight he seemed to hear the voice
of his wife speaking a sentence to him. It was his doom. He started
as though shot and from that time on devoted all his time, money and
energy to Spiritualism. His faith did not waver to the end. On his
death bed he claimed to be surrounded by Spirit forms and declared
that by reason of entering their sphere in an advanced state of
spiritual development he would be able to send back messages and
proofs of Spiritualism at once. He died April 5th, 1874 (the very
date of my birth). I doubt if the history of Spiritualism can point
out a man of greater brilliancy who ruined his life following up this
“will-o-the-wisp” to relieve his grief.
G
_Doyle and the “Denver Express.”_
This reminds me of a conversation which we had in Denver in May, 1923,
when he admitted to me that he was frequently misquoted and made to say
things which he never even thought of.
By some prank of fate, Sir Arthur was booked to lecture in Denver at
the same time I was performing there.
Lady Doyle, Sir Arthur, Mrs. Houdini and myself went out motoring
in the morning and when we returned to the hotel Sir Arthur excused
himself. About two hours later on my way to the Orpheum Theatre, Sir
Arthur came dashing through the lobby of the hotel excitedly looking
around for someone. I walked up to him saying, “Anything I can do for
you?” He put his arm around me and said, “Houdini, there is a challenge
of $5,000 in this paper which I am purported to have issued. I want you
to know that I would never dream of doing such a thing, to you above
everyone else.”
I replied, “Sir Arthur, this is just another case, where you have been
misquoted. No doubt you are thinking that I am going to believe it, for
I know that if conditions were reversed you would have believed it;
therefore, you see it is best to investigate before giving credence to
anything as being a fact. I am not even upset about it--things happen
that way. Will you please remember this incident the next time you read
an interview supposedly issued by me?” Sir Arthur left for Salt Lake
City the next morning.
I walked into the Editorial Department of the _Denver Express_, saw Mr.
Sydney B. Whipple, the Managing Editor, and told him that I had met Sir
Arthur the night before and that he was very indignant at the challenge
which the paper reported he issued. I said, “You see, Mr. Whipple,
Sir Arthur, Lady Doyle, Mrs. Houdini and myself were out motoring all
yesterday afternoon, and when Sir Arthur returned he saw the “scare
head-line” to the effect that he had challenged me for $5,000! Whipple
asked, “You mean to say that Sir Arthur Conan Doyle denies having
challenged you?” I replied, “Most emphatically,--he said that it was
not true and he never made such a statement and added he had written to
the Editor to let him know what he thought of him for misrepresenting
and misquoting what he said.” Mr. Whipple asked me to wait a moment
until he got to the bottom of the matter.
Whipple called over Mr. Sam Jackson and said, “Regarding this challenge
of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, did he or did he not challenge Houdini
during your interview?” Jackson answered, “Why he positively did.
You do not think, Mr. Whipple, that I would come in with a story
which is not true? Sir Arthur distinctly made his statement in terms
positive, that he was willing to challenge Houdini for $5,000. Miss
Jeanette Thornton was there at the time interviewing Lady Doyle, and
she overheard the conversation. Will you please call her and have her
confirm my statement.”
Miss Thornton came over and upon being questioned, answered, “Most
assuredly I heard Sir Arthur’s challenge yesterday. I thought it was
a very interesting incident so I paid particular attention. I am
surprised that Sir Arthur now denies having made it.”
Whipple turned to me saying, “There you are--any further proof you
want, is there anything we can do for you to contradict this? Do you
wish us to make a statement?” To which I replied, “No, just let it go,
we will let it pass.”
The following letters which I received from Mr. Whipple are
self-explanatory:
“THE ‘DENVER EXPRESS’
“THE TRUTH--QUICK.
“May 11, 1923.
“Dear Mr. Houdini:--
“I am enclosing a letter from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
complaining that the report of his challenge regarding
mediumistic appearances was garbled in this paper.
“I must also say that our reporter, who talked with Doyle
insists that his report of the conversation was absolutely
correct, and that Doyle said what we printed.
“Cordially yours,
(Signed) “Sydney B. Whipple.
“THE BROWN PALACE HOTEL
Denver, Colo.
“May 9, 1923.
“Sir:--
“The report in the _Denver Express_ that I offered to bring
back the spirit of my mother for five thousand dollars, in
order to confute Mr. Houdini, is a monstrous fabrication, and
I cannot imagine how you dare to print such a thing, which is
on the face of it so blasphemous and absurd.
“What actually occurred was that your reporter said that my
friend Mr. Houdini had wagered $5,000 that he could do anything
any medium could do, to which I answered “To do that he would
have to show me my mother.” This is surely very different.
“Yours faithfully,
(Signed) “A. Conan Doyle.”
H
_Exposure of Mrs. Stewart_
It is significant to note that on December 28, 1923, at St Louis,
Mo., I was fortunate in forming acquaintance with Judge Daniel G.
Taylor, who presided over Division No. 2 of the Circuit Court, to
which division Josie K. Folsom-Stewart, as President, Charles W.
Stewart, Secretary, and Phoebe S. Wolf, as Treasurer, made application
for incorporation of the “Society of Scientific and Religious
Truthseekers,” who claimed that they had associated themselves
by articles of agreement in writing, as a “Society for religious
and mutual improvement purposes.” “The articles of agreement and
association are signed by some forty persons.” As was customary in such
cases, Judge Taylor “appointed J. Lionberger Davis, then a practicing
attorney, now President of Security National Bank, as amicus curiae to
examine into the matter and report whether or not the charter should
be granted.” The outcome of which was evidence of guilt of fraudulent
manifestations of mediumship. In the course of investigation, Miss
Martha Grossman, a member of Mrs. Folsom’s “Development Class,”
testified that Mr. Stewart and Mrs. Folsom were conducting meetings
which she had attended for six months, at which time she saw writing on
cards which Mrs. Folsom said was done by Spirits.
Miss Grossman testified that what Mrs. Folsom claimed to be spirit
photographs were mere transfers from prints in the _Post-Dispatch_,
advertising “Syrup of Figs” and “Lydia Pinkham’s” concoction.
It also developed that Miss Alice C. Preston confessed to having
been a confederate and in that capacity “assisted Mrs. Folsom in
producing, physically, and by natural means, the supposed supernatural
demonstrations.” A reference to this testimony is contained in the
memorandum document on the evidence which is signed by the attorney for
the petitioners and which is in the court files.
As a conclusion, Judge Taylor denied the petition for incorporation,
which in any event could have been granted for the purpose of holding
real estate only, and not for promulgating teachings of a cult.
The Judge acknowledged that he himself was convinced that Mrs. Folsom
was a fraud; and this is the same _Mrs. Stewart_, who appeared before
the Scientific American Committee of Investigation in 1923, wherein she
was detected in her card-trick.
Mrs. Folsom was forced to acknowledge to the court in 1905 that she was
the author of a small book under title of “Non-Godism,” a copy of which
together with documentary evidence bearing on the court proceedings
referred to above are now in my possession.
FOOTNOTES
[1] “Oh, no, Houdini, I never was more serious in my life.”
[2] Sir John Franklin was a celebrated Arctic explorer. In 1845 he
was appointed to the command of an expedition sent out by the British
Admiralty in search of the northwest passage. The expedition sailed
from Greenhithe, May 18, 1845, and was last spoken off the entrance of
Lancaster Sound, July 26, 1845. Thirty-nine relief expeditions, public
and private, were sent out from England and America in search of the
missing explorer between 1847 and 1857. McClintock found traces of the
missing expedition in 1859, which confirmed previous rumors of its
total destruction.
[3] _New York World_, October 21, 1888.
[4] See Appendix A.
[5] Could this possibly have been “in answer to prayer” as now claimed?
[6] Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in his book, “Our American Adventures,”
states:
“The original house was removed by pious hands and reconstructed, as
I understand it, at Lily Dale. It is not generally known that when it
was pulled down or it may have been before, the bones of the murdered
peddler and his tin box were discovered buried in the cellar, as
was stated in the original rappings. The rappings were in 1848, the
discovery in 1903. What have our opponents to say to this?”
According to Margaret Fox’s confession, Doyle’s statements are
misleading and contrary to the facts.
[7] There were three investigations by competent investigators. One
in Buffalo by medical doctors, one in Philadelphia by the Seybert
Commission of the University of Pennsylvania, and one in Boston by a
committee of professors from Harvard University. Any one of the three
would have resulted disastrously for the medium had the conditions
and requirements demanded by the investigators been complied with. A
suspicion was well founded in the minds of the investigators as to the
actual solution of the problem, but they were not permitted to proceed
to a finish, the mediums hedging each time when a crucial test was
proposed.
[8] I have been warned while writing this book to be careful regarding
my statement of the confession of Margaret Fox. I am also fully aware
of the fact that Dr. Funk writes in his book, “The Widow’s Mite”:
“Margaret Fox, not long before her death, confessed that she and her
sister had duped the public. This unfortunate woman had sunk so low
that for five dollars she would have denied her own mother and sworn to
anything. At that time her affidavit for or against anything should not
be given the slightest weight.”
Mr. W. S. Davis, himself a practicing medium, who knew Margaret Fox
Kane personally, wrote me:
“One would think that Margaret Fox got drunk, and in that condition,
was induced to confess that she was a fraud, but when she became sober
she renounced her confession. That is what we would think to hear some
Spiritualists talk. _She was sober when the made her confession; she
was sober when she appeared in the theatre and gave her exposé. In fact
she was usually sober._ She drank considerably during the later years
of her life, and often drank too much, _but usually she was sober_. One
of her reasons for drinking was that her hypocrisy had become more and
more distasteful to her. Living a constant lie got on her nerves, and,
when the later years came, she didn’t have the same degree of vital
force that she had in her younger days to battle off the dictates of
her conscience.”
[9] _New York World_, October 22, 1888.
[10] From Ruben Briggs Davenport’s “The Death Blow to Spiritualism.”
[11] _Ibid._
[12] These statements are fully corroborated by letters on file in my
library and I consider it not only a privilege, but a duty as well to
truthfully present them here.
[13] Ira, the surviving brother, was so touched by this little act that
he taught me the famous Davenport rope-tie, the secret of which had
been so well kept that not even his sons knew it.
[14] It was in Paris too that the other brother, William Henry Harrison
Davenport, met the great Adah Isaacs Menken, called the “Bengal Tiger,”
and though not generally known she later became his wife. She was
considered one of the “Ten Super-Women of the World.” She was born
within a few miles of New Orleans, La., in 1835. Upon the death of
her father she embarked on her stage career and instantaneously won
success.... She made her first appearance in New York City at the
National Theatre in 1860. She was married a number of times. Her first
marriage was to John C. Heenan, the prize fighter, better known as
“Benicia Boy.” She was the first woman to do the Mazeppa in tights,
playing the rôle both in America and Europe. While in London she became
the literary and professional star of the hour and her hotel was the
meeting place for such men as Charles Dickens, Swinburne, Alexander
Dumas, Charles Reade, Watts Phillips, John Oxenford, The Duke of
Hamilton and many others. She wrote a book of poems named “Infelicity,”
which she dedicated to Charles Dickens. She had a penchant for being
photographed with many of her admirers and there is a rare photograph
of her and Swinburne which he tried hard to suppress. Another famous
one is of Dumas and the fair lady.
[15] They were married in London during March, 1866.
[16] Long after Ira died his only daughter, Zellie, a well known
actress, told me that while her father and I were so absorbed in
discussing and experimenting with the rope trick she and her mother
cautiously slipped behind the curtains and watched us through the
bedroom window.
[17] Ira told me that at first they used to work unbound in a corner
of the room with a curtain to conceal their methods. At one of their
seances they were asked if the Spirits would work if the Brothers
allowed themselves to be tied. This led them to try out different rope
methods, gradually developing the one used all over the world which Ira
taught me, saying smilingly after he had done so: “Houdini, we started
it, you finish it.”
[18] I had the honor of being instrumental in launching and directing
Dean Kellar’s farewell at the Hippodrome in New York City and he
selected me to be his last assistant. As a part of the performance he
presented with some table tipping what he called the “Davenport Cabinet
and Rope Mystery.” After the performance he walked to the footlights
and said:
“Ladies and gentlemen, I am finished giving performances to-night. As I
will have no further use for the cabinet and table I publicly present
them to my dear friend Houdini.”
In this cabinet, made in imitation of the one used by the Davenport
Brothers, the benches are fitted into a groove making it possible for
them to be slipped out in case of an extra severe tie-up, giving enough
freedom to ring bells and do a number of other things without releasing
the hands in the usual way. This is something of an improvement in
mystery cabinets.
[19] They rubbed vaseline into their hands and wrists to facilitate
their movements. The rope generally used was similar to the Silver Lake
sash cord.
[20] It was sometimes claimed that after their demonstrations were over
the Davenports turned the papers and remarked them. This Ira said was
a deliberate lie as they never left their places throughout the entire
performance.
[21] At one of their seances a man tied the brothers so tightly that
it was necessary for them to make a desperate struggle to effect a
release. The next night the man tried a more difficult test, simply
laying the ropes all over their bodies, but the Davenports worked so
slowly, deftly, and with such inexhaustible patience that they saved
their reputation.
[22] Nor did he hesitate to tell me that he sometimes used as many as
ten confederates at a seance for protection.
[23] William Fay, in order to be prepared for an emergency, always
carried a piece of rope in his mandolin, and boasted to his partners:
“I’ll not chaw the ropes like you fellows, I’ll cut.”
[24] The original cabinet of the Davenports, made of bird’s-eye maple,
was pawned for thirty pounds in Cuba many years ago and is still there.
[25] In order to prove to the public that they did not make use of
their hands test conditions were imposed by filling both the brothers’
hands with flour and then tying them behind their backs. Almost every
publication that has written an exposé of the Davenport Brothers claims
with glee that the trick was performed by putting flour into their
pockets from which they took a fresh handful after the manifestations
were finished and pretending that their hands were clenched all the
time. It is claimed that once a committeeman instead of placing flour
in their hands filled them with snuff and after the manifestations
had been performed they had their hands fulls of flour. Ira told me
that this was a deliberate lie as they did not need to get rid of the
flour in their hands as they could do all the tricks with their hands
clenched using the free thumb.
[26] The levitation act which has helped to swell the ranks of the
Spiritualists and which mystified scientist and laymen alike, was one
of the simplest deceptions ever practiced on the guileless masses by
cunning mediums. A reformed medium in Bristol, England, told me that
he would endeavor to free himself from his restraints, and by deft
manipulations managed to pick up a person who sat in a chair nearby.
Although the sitter had only been lifted a few inches from the floor
he believed in all good faith that his head had actually brushed the
ceiling, this impression being created by the medium gently passing his
hand over the top of the sitter’s head.
[27] As to the delusion of sound. Sound waves are deflected just as
light waves are reflected by the intervention of a proper medium and
under certain conditions it is a difficult thing to locate their
source. Stuart Cumberland told me an interesting test to prove the
inability of a blindfolded person to trace sound to its source. It is
exceedingly simple; merely clicking two coins over the head of the
blindfolded person.
[28] This refers to our contemplated tour of the world. When I first
became acquainted with Ira Davenport in 1909 I found that he was very
anxious to re-enter the entertainment field and we set about planning
a tour of the world together. By combining his reputation and my
knowledge and experience we would have been able to set the world agog.
Under no circumstances, however, would we have claimed our performance
Spiritualistic, but just a mystery entertainment.
[29] The start of the Liverpool riot can be laid indirectly to
Ferguson. He protested the way the boys had been secured and without
waiting for instructions or a word from the Brothers, whipped out a
knife and cut the ropes. Ira told me that it was too bad that Ferguson
did that for they never could have secured them so they could not have
produced some manifestations.
[30] Ira told me that during the disturbance in Liverpool, John Hughes,
Fenian head, offered him five hundred Irishmen to clean up any mob of
Englishmen.
[31] Ira told me that he believed that their success so diminished
the popularity of the theatre where Irving was playing that the stars
were forced to resort to various schemes to counteract the dwindling
receipts at the box office.
See Appendix B for Irving’s speech.
[32] The reader should not confuse this man Jacobs with _Jacoby_, the
German escape-artist, a rope specialist who invented a number of rope
tricks that are still well worth presenting.
[33] He wrote me a letter on July 5th, 1911, and was waiting to see me
at the time of his death on the 8th. I was to leave New York on receipt
of his letter but his daughter Zelie wired me of his passing away.
[34] When Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was appearing in Australia in 1920 he
met Bendigo Rymer, the grandson of J. S. Rymer, who had entertained
Home lavishly. Bendigo showed Sir Arthur a number of letters from his
grandfather which proved conclusively that Home had been guilty of
taking advantage of the man’s friendship. Rymer had entertained Home in
England and sent him to Rome with his son to study art. From Rome young
Rymer wrote his father that as soon as Home had been able to elbow his
way into society he totally ignored him though as host he was paying
Home’s expenses. Finally Home ran away and lived with a titled English
woman, shunning Rymer altogether.
Sir Arthur in his book, “The Wanderings of a Spiritualist,” says in
reference to Home: “For weeks he lived at her villa, although the state
of his health would suggest that it was rather as a patient than a
lover.” In his introduction to Madame Home’s book Sir Arthur entirely
forgives this rude action of Home and strongly defends his base
ingratitude.
[35] Home, the Spiritualist, is giving readings in Boston. Has he given
up his Spiritualism in disgust at finding that people who strained
at his manifestations have swallowed the Davenports? We are glad to
think he has adopted an honest profession at last, and we hope before
long to see his rivals rising to sweeping a crossing or something as
respectable.--_London Fun_, 1864.
[36] “Incidents in My Life,” London, 1863--“Lights and Shadows of
Spiritualism,” 1877.
[37] It is quite unnecessary for me to repeat the many proofs of fraud
perpetrated by Home, but if the reader is interested he will find many
such cases reported by Mr. Frank Podmore in “Modern Spiritualism,”
London, 1902, and “Newer Spiritualism,” London, 1910. Mr. Podmore was a
Spiritualist himself and a member of the Society of Psychical Research
and would naturally make out as good a case for Home as he could
honestly.
[38] See Appendix F.
[39] She only lived about four years.
[40] In his introduction to the 1921 edition of “D. D. Home’s Life and
Work,” by Madame Home, Doyle declares that he commends the book to the
student, saying:
“Very especially the second series is commended to the student of Home,
because in it will be found all the papers dealing with the Home-Lyon
lawsuit showing conclusively how honorable was the action of Home.”
Does he wish us to infer that it was Home who brought the suit against
Mrs. Lyon, rather than the opposite?
Does he wish it understood that he is _sincere_ in his commendation of
a charlatan?
Throughout the introduction he defends Home and seems to deliberately
twist the history of the man.
[41] It is interesting to note that Sir William Crookes, the eminent
scientist, who must have known of the history and character of Home
as unveiled at the Lyon trial, should have permitted himself to fall
within the mesh of D. D. Home.
[42] Taking for granted that the committee in the room was not able to
see or permitted to leave the table the method Home could have used
with the greatest ease was: first actually get out of the window, or
pretend to; then, go back and noiselessly crawl on all fours through
the door into the next room and shake the window; and lastly, boldly
return to the first room, closing the door with a bang.
There is a possibility that a man of Home’s audacity with levitation
feats might have resorted to swinging from one window to another, which
means nothing to any acrobat with a wire properly placed in readiness.
The idea of Home losing his physical weight and floating out of the
window head first is merely a suggestion of his, a ruse which is still
being used by mediums.
[43] See Appendix C for Lord Adare’s story.
[44] There are numerous versions of the cause of his death. Mme.
Blavatsky, who made a special investigation of the deaths of prominent
mediums, wrote: “This Calvin of Spiritualism suffered for years from a
terrible spinal disease, brought on through his intercourse with the
‘Spirits,’ and died a perfect wreck.”--“Key to Theosophy,” 1890.
[45] Table lifting was a strong card with her.
[46] “She was taken in a menial position into a family given to
Spiritualistic practices. Being called one day to make up the circle
at a seance, certain new and surprising manifestations took place, and
she was pronounced to be a medium. So it appears that the Spiritualists
actually pushed her into the matter, and she immediately took advantage
of the opportunity.”--Proceedings, Society for Psychical Research,
November, 1909, pp. 311, 312.
[47] Robert Owen, Prof. Hare, Prof. Challis, Prof. Zollner, Prof.
Weber, and Lombroso were all near the end of their lives when they
embraced Spiritualism.--See “Spiritualism,” by Joseph McCabe, page 207.
[48] Another adroit method of freeing one hand when the sitter thinks
he has evidence that the two hands of the medium are being kept busy,
is for the medium to keep up a continuous clapping of the hands,
working the hands near the face or some other exposed part of the body
and simply change the clapping of one hand against another to the
clapping of one hand against the body. In the dark the effect is the
same and the sitter believes that both the medium’s hands are busily
engaged in clapping.
[49] Not difficult to accomplish in the dark.
[50] Mr. Baggally had a reputation as a conjuror and I think he has
done much in the way of exposing mediums. He is also a believer
in telepathy and has recently published a book on that subject,
“Telepathy, Genuine and Fraudulent,” Chicago, 1918.
[51] The “human-clamp” is one of the simplest and yet one of the most
effective and mystifying means of table levitation. The medium and
her subjects place the tips of their fingers on the top of the table
lightly. The medium gently rocks the table back and forth until she
gets it in a correct position to place her foot, or the hem of her
dress, under one of the legs. When she perfects her position she
presses down with the hand above the table leg that is resting on her
foot. From then on it is only a matter of raising the foot to whatever
height she wishes the table to rise. If she wants it levitated to a
great height, she gives it an upward kick and then withdraws her foot,
and the table rises and falls true to the laws of gravitation.
[52] At one time during the series of tests in New York City, a man
from Philadelphia, Mr. Edgar Scott, who was standing in the background,
took advantage of the darkness and crawled along the floor to the
cabinet and attempted to grab Eusapia’s foot while she was using it
for trick purposes but just as his hand touched her foot Eusapia had a
spasm of screeching. Professors Jastrow and Miller were witnesses of
this fact.
[53] Palladino wanted her own interpreter, also a personal friend,
but that obstacle was avoided. Neither was her business manager, Mr.
Hereward Carrington, present on this particular occasion.
[54] The full details of this seance were published in the _Journal of
the American Society for Psychical Research_, Section “B,” August, 1910.
[55] In an interview with Walter Littlefield, a noted journalist,
Palladino revealed three methods by which she was able to employ
substitution in regard to hands at the table, four in regard to foot
substitution, half a dozen methods of table levitation, several ways
of producing knocks, two ways in which she produced the illusion of
a current of air coming from her forehead. She told him that she was
not annoyed when caught practicing tricks, nor did she deny their use
when caught. She said to him, _“All mediums indulge in tricks--all.”_
She also told him that she was a good Catholic, went to Mass,
made her confession, and said she hated to hear people talk about
“super-normal,” or “supernatural” phenomena.
The famous “current of air from the forehead” which Mr. Littlefield
mentions was simply her breath blown with force and diverted by her
under lip.
[56] I am informed on good authority that Eusapia threw her legs into
the laps of her male sitters! That she placed her head upon their
shoulders, and did various other things calculated to confuse and
muddle men, all of which was explained on the theory of “hysteria.” In
her younger days Eusapia was a buxom woman and it is not strange that a
lot of old scientists were badly flabbergasted by such conduct.
[57] See Appendix D.
[58] I have a full record of the proceedings in my reference file.
[59] In order to prove that fraud and trickery were the tools which
had been used in fleecing the unwary, magicians were induced to appear
in evidence, and on May 27, 1888, Alexander Hermann gave a public
Demonstration at the Academy of Music in New York City for the purpose
of duplicating the phenomena produced by Diss Debar and as an aid to
the New York Press Club Fund.
The audience included many prominent people and notables including
Col. Cockerell; Edward S. Stokes, of the Hoffman House; Joseph Howard;
District Attorney Fellows; Ex-Judge Donohue; Lawyer Newcombe; Judge
Hilton; _Luther R. Marsh_; and “Dr.” Lawrence, one of the attaches of
the Diss Debar Temple.
Professor Hermann read spirit messages, did table tipping, cabinet,
light seance, and produced spook pictures, finishing with a dark seance
of _ghostly_ music and materializations.
[60] _New York Times_, April 21, 1888.
[61] _New York World_, June 18, 1888.
[62] When the London press was full of sensational stories following
the arrest of Laura and Theodore Jackson, Carl Hertz, on picking up his
paper one morning, was astonished to recognize the woman who had lured
young girls into joining her immoral cult as Ann O’Delia Diss Debar,
with whom he had measured swords at the Marsh trial. He got in touch
with Scotland Yard immediately and gave it all the information he had
regarding Diss Debar’s connection with fraud activities.
[63] “Miss Croisdale, who was one of the victims, testified that she
had been initiated into the ‘Theocratic Unity,’ the sect which the
Jacksons claimed to head, with a rope fastened about her; passes were
made over her, she said, with a lamp, water and a saw: Jackson told her
that he was Christ re-incarnated. Miss Croisdale then described the
oath in which she swore she would allow no one else to hypnotize her
and she would keep all the secrets under the penalty of ‘submitting
myself to a deadly and hostile current of will set in motion by the
Chief of the order, with which I would be slain or paralyzed without
visible weapons, as if blasted by lightning.’ Mrs. Jackson (or Diss
Debar) looked as if she wished to carry out the threat on the spot.
Miss Croisdale further testified that Theodore had outraged her in
his wife’s presence. Jackson declared he was physically incapable and
demanded a doctor’s examination to prove his statement.”--Dispatch from
the _London Times_ in the _New York Sun_, October 11, 1901.
[64] _Chicago Daily Tribune_, August 14, 1906.
[65] _New York Sun_, October 11, 1901.
[66] If alive she is now (1924) seventy-five years old.
[67] See Appendix E for Police Record.
[68] If the reader cares to look the matter up I would refer him to
Podmore’s “Modern Spiritualism,” Vol. II, pages 204 and 221; also
to the story of Dr. Slade in the same volume; to the proceedings of
the American S. P. R., Vol. II, part I, pages 17, 36–59; to Abbot’s,
“Behind the Scenes with Mediums,” pages 114 to 192; to “Revelations of
a Spirit Medium,” page 121–157; to “Bottom Facts,” pages 143–159; to
the Report of the Seybert Commission; “Spirit Slate Writing,” by Wm. E.
Robinson, and newspaper exposures without number.
[69] According to “The Medium and Daybreak,” October 6, 1876, Slade
“_discovered_” the phenomena of slate-writing while experimenting at
the private house of Mr. Gardiner Knapp, New Albany, Indiana, where
Slade was visiting.
[70] As he reached for the sponge, which had been placed purposely on
centre of table, he held slate just below range of vision and with
the reaching for sponge, twisted slate around, blank side on top and
pretended to wipe off the sentence he had “read”--when in fact he had
written something entirely different.
[71] In regard to involuntary and subconscious table rapping and
tapping: Some people rap and tip table in all seances of table tipping
and rapping. I have attended seances where I have caught some one
obligingly cheating to relieve the monotony, and the imposition once
started is forced to be kept up.
[72] Coined by Andrew Jackson Davis, in 1845, and meaning the
hereafter. Now used frequently by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
[73] See Appendix F.
[74] In those days there were no dry plates and with the old “wet”
plates it was quite possible to expose a plate, develop it, and then
prepare it again and expose it the second time. When this was done both
pictures appeared in the print. Such a plate could be used under the
strictest test conditions without detection.
[75] In speaking of Spirit photography, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle usually
brings up as proof positive, that his fairy photographs are genuine.
According to the _London Star_, December 20, 1921, there were many
interesting developments regarding these:
“Messrs. Price and Sons, the well known firm of candle makers, inform
us that the fairies in this photograph are an exact reproduction of a
famous poster they have used for years, to advertise their night lights.
“‘I admit on these fairies there are wings, whereas our fairies have no
wings,’ said a representative of the firm to a _Star_ reporter, ‘but,
with this exception, the figures correspond line for line with our own
drawing.’”
[76] I would like to say for the benefit of the reader that DeVega is
a skilled magical entertainer; has invented a number of legerdemain
feats; contributed a number of interesting articles to magical
publications; is a skilled artist and a clever photographer. I was
very fortunate in being able to secure a man of his ability for the
investigation.
[77] On March 5, 1923, Harry F. Young, known as “The Human Fly,” fell
ten stories from a window ledge of the Hotel Martinqiue, New York City.
He succumbed before he reached the hospital.
For the benefit of those who do not know, “A Human Fly” is an acrobat
who makes a specialty of scaling tall buildings, simply clinging to the
apertures or crevices of the outward architecture of such building for
the edification of an assembled throng, for which he receives a plate
collection, a salary or is engaged especially for publicity purposes.
It is not a very lucrative profession and its dangers are many.
[78] On April 14, 1922, in New York City, Sir Arthur, according to his
book, “Our American Adventure,” attended a seance given by a young
Italian by the name of Pecoraro. During the seance the name Palladino
was given and he was told that the famous medium was present. A voice
from the cabinet, supposedly Palladino’s, said, “I, who used to
call back the Spirits, now come back as a Spirit myself,” to which
Sir Arthur answered, “Palladino, we send you our love and our best
encouragement.” However, the force was broken by “the absurd and vile
dancing of the table,” and there was no physical manifestation. This
shows Sir Arthur’s will to excuse even Palladino, who was on numerous
occasions exposed as a fraudulent medium.
[79] _ALL_ Spiritualists say that.
[80] Dr. A. T. Schofield wrote in the _Daily Sketch_, February 9, 1920,
that thousands of persons were estimated by a famous mental specialist
to have been driven to the asylum through Spiritualism. A truly pitiful
record.
[81] Letter from Sir Arthur to H. H. (dated April 2, 1920): “I have had
very conclusive evidence since my two books were written. Six times I
have spoken face to face with my son, twice with my brother and once
with my nephew, all beyond doubt in their own voices and on private
matters, so for me there is not, nor has been for a long time, any
doubt. I _know_ it is true, but we can’t communicate that certainty to
others. It will come--or not, according to how far we work for it. It
is the old axiom, ‘Seek and ye shall find.’”
[82] Report of trial before Mr. Justice Darling--_Morning Post_, July
16, 1920.
[83] I have it on the positive word of Stuart Cumberland, who was at
one of the seances of the “Masked Medium” and he gave me definite
specifications and positive facts of the reading of the initials in
the ring submitted by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle to the “Masked Medium”
whom he said possessed remarkable powers. Stuart Cumberland told me a
number of ways this feat could be done. Among them, the black boxes
were exchanged surreptitiously in the dark, and then brought back. It
is an easy thing to present a box for inspection and yet have false
compartments in it so that the contents will fall out. It was only
after the methods were told innumerable times to Sir Arthur that he
condemned it as a fraud.
[84] According to the _New Orleans Times-Picayune_, March 9, 1923,
Clarence Thomson, self-styled missionary, President and member of the
Board of Directors of the International Psychical Association, was
fined $25 and sentenced to serve 30 days in jail. He admitted he had
been arrested in Chicago and Kansas City for conducting seances, but
said he had been honorably discharged.
[85] Other performers are doing this feat. I have performed it
regularly for thirty years without any supernatural power whatever.
[86] See Davenport chapter.
[87] These articles were syndicated, _New York American_, Sept. 3rd,
1922.
[88] _Morning Post_, July 16, 1920.
[89] See Appendix G.
[90] This was not known to Lady Doyle. If it had been my Dear Mother’s
Spirit communicating a message, she, knowing her birthday was my most
holy holiday, surely would have commented on it.
[91] So far, all of the several seances of investigation held under
the auspices of the Scientific American, have failed in proving the
existence of supernatural power or force, such as might with logical
consistency be conceded as psychic.
Valentine, the Wilkesbarre medium, proved to be a failure. Rev. (?)
Jessie K. Stewart the same. Mrs. Elizabeth Allen Tomson of Chicago, a
complete fiasco, not possessing sufficient courage to attempt a sitting
other than under conditions and in a place prescribed by herself. And
lastly the Italian lad, Nino Pecoraro, has accomplished nothing beyond
the possibility of human exertion, and failed utterly in so doing when
securely fettered, as proved to be the case, when I personally did the
tying. See also Appendix H.
And from the results gotten thus far from the series of sittings with
this “medium” it is safe to predict that the final analysis will place
him in the same category as all others to date.
[92] According to Spiritualistic publications The Dialectical Society
never made a full report. The “Reports” of sub-committees only were
published by Spiritualist papers used by writers in books but such
_reports_ were based on “hear-say” evidence taken from Spiritists.
They told their ghost stories to Committees and they were believed.
There never was a unanimous report or conclusion. The non-Spiritual
(?) members of the Dialectical Society refused to have anything to
do with the investigation. The great majority of the Committee were
full-fledged Spiritualists, and the few whom they claimed to have
convinced were simply credulous.
[93] Sir Arthur Conan Doyle seems to imagine that all the newspapers
in the world are against him. After his Australian tour he accused the
Australian papers of refusing to publish the truth about his seances.
Writing about American newspapers in his book, “An American Adventure,”
he says: “The editors seem to place the intelligence of the public
very low, and to imagine that they cannot be attracted save by vulgar,
screaming headlines.
“The American papers have a strange way also of endeavoring to compress
the whole meaning of some item into a few words of headline, which, as
often as not, are slang.”
Even in Canada Sir Arthur claims to have badly used by the newspapers.
In “Our American Adventure” he writes: “There were some rather bitter
attacks in the Toronto papers, including the one leader in the _Evening
Telegram_, which was so narrow and illiberal that I do not think the
most provincial paper in Britain could have been guilty of it.
“It was to the effect that British lecturers took money out of the
town, that they did not give the money’s worth, and that they should be
discouraged.
“‘Poking Them in the Eye’ was the dignified title.
“It did not seem to occur to the writer that a comic opera or a bedroom
comedy was equally taking the money out of the town, but that the main
purpose served by lectures, whether one agreed with the subject or
not, was that they kept the public in first hand touch with the great
current questions of mankind. I am bound to say that no other Toronto
paper sank to the depth of the _Evening Telegram_ but the general
atmosphere was the least pleasant that I had met with in my American
travels.”
[94] In an article in _Truth_, April, 1923, entitled “The New
Revelation,” by Rev. P. J. Cormican, S. J., he asks:
“Does the knighted prophet of the New Revelation (Sir Arthur Conan
Doyle) tell the whole truth about Spiritism? We think not. He says
nothing about the evil consequences, physical, intellectual and moral,
to those who dabble in Spiritism. He gives a one-sided account of the
matter. He says nothing about what Spiritism has done, and is still
doing, to fill our lunatic asylums all over the world. There are over
thirty thousand lunatics in England alone who lost their mind through
this modern necromancy. Doyle does not even hint at the countless cases
of insanity and suicide, of blasphemy and obscenity, of lying and
deception, of broken homes and violated troth, all caused by Spiritism.
To suppose that a God of truth and sanctity is giving a new message
through such sources and with such consequences, is blasphemy pure and
simple. Furthermore, to assert that this New Revelation is to supersede
a worn-out creed is both gratuitous and absurd. Christianity will last
till the crack of doom, when titled prophets shall have ceased to cross
the Atlantic in quest of American shekels.”
[95] Mrs. Feilding is Mme. Tomchik, the Polish medium examined by
Professor Ochorowiz, and is the best known medium who “levitates”
things without physical contact.
[96] At no time, to my knowledge, did the search include the orifices
of her body.
[97] In this trick I swallow (if one’s eyes are to be trusted) anywhere
from fifty to a hundred and fifty needles and from ten to thirty
yards of thread; then after a few seconds I bring up the needles all
threaded. The length of thread is governed by the size of my audience.
For instance, at the Hippodrome, in New York, I used one hundred and
ten feet of thread and two hundred needles; at the Berlin Winter Garden
one hundred feet of thread and one hundred needles. In the regular
large size theatres I use about eighty feet of thread and a hundred
needles but for ordinary purposes thirty-five feet of thread and
seventy-five needles are sufficient.
So far this trick has never been properly explained but that does
not prove that I have abnormal powers. This needle mystery has been
examined by a great many physicians and surgeons and in Boston at
Keith’s Theatre it was presented at a special performance to over a
thousand physicians and they were unable to explain it. However, there
is nothing abnormal in it. It is nothing more than a clever and natural
mystification.
[98] That is, has a secret accomplice. One who does things to help
along “unknown.” One who is in the “click.”
[99] After my last seance with Mlle. Eva Mr. Feilding discovered by
accident that I was writing a book on the subject. He begged me not
to say a word or publish anything about the seances until after the
Society for Psychical Research had published a full report. Now that it
has done so there is nothing to keep me from writing my experiences.
[100] The result of his investigations are published in three books:
“Reality of Psychic Phenomena,” “Psychic Structures at Goligher
Circle,” and “Experiments in Psychical Science.”
[101] It would be difficult to convince me that the many things
photographed and described by Baron Schrenck-Notzing could be presented
under rigid test conditions.
[102] Dr. Troup, Professor of Psychology; Dr. Stormer, Professor of
Mathematics; Dr. Scheldrup, Professor of Physics; Dr. Monrad Krhn,
Professor of Neurology; Dr. (med.) Leegaard, and Mr. John Dammann, a
prominent expert of conjuring tricks.
[103] Guzek was exposed in Paris as I predicted, the exposure occurring
sooner than expected.
[104] One of the greatest women born in America.--H. H.
[105] This Spirit Message is taken from Doyle’s book, “The Case for
Spirit Photography,” English Edition.
[106] This and letters of Tyndall and Lewes, from “Report on
Spiritualism,” by J. Burns, pp. 229, 230, 265.
[107] “Spiritism, a Popular History,” by Joseph McCabe.
[108] “Master Workers,” McCabe.
[109] Florence Cook was repeatedly exposed.
[110] The “galvanometer” is an instrument used to control the medium.
It is an electric device provided with a dial and two handles, so
constructed that if the medium were to let go of either handle the
contact would be broken and the dial fail to register. The medium in
fooling the sitter simply placed one of the handles on the bare flesh
under her knee and gripping it there with her leg kept the circuit
intact and left one hand free to produce “spirits.”
[111] An honest scientist does not dream that his confidence is being
betrayed and that the bland innocence, the “stalling” for breath, or
the almost fainting scenes are only camouflages to help mal-observation
so that the medium can successfully ply her trade.
[112] The italics are mine.
[113] The reader will do well to read Tuke’s “Influence of the Mind
upon the Body” (or similar work) and he will find an explanation of
what grief will do to a sensitive mind.
[114] Perhaps so, but would not be accepted as evidence before any
court of equity.
[115] He has personally repeated the same thing to me.
[116] Drink is no excuse for crime.
[117] The great majority of Continental safes are opened by keys and
not by combination locks as in America.
[118] I firmly believe in the workings of the subconscious mind.
[119] _The Spirit Messenger_ and the _Star of Truth_ were published
in 1852 by R. P. Ambler of Springfield, Mass. They were “_edited and
composed by spirits_.” The Spirit of the Sixth Circle took entire
charge of the _Spirit Messenger_, and not even the publisher was
permitted to dictate in the least. There were elucidations by the
Spirits on “Hope, Life, Truth, Initiation, Marriage Relations, Evils of
Society, and Destiny of the Race.” _The Northwestern Orient_, published
in 1852 by C. H. White, contained communications from John Adams, Edgar
Allan Poe, John Wesley, John Whitefield, Thomas Paine, _et al._ It
also contained several poems by the Spirits. Copies are on file in my
library.
[120] “When William was in a trance his father tried to bring him out
by slapping, pinching and other cruelty, and finally tried to pour
boiling water down his back. This failing, he took a blazing ember from
the hearth and placed it on the young man’s head, but William slept on,
with only the scars as reminders of his parent’s deep concern for his
well being and safety.”--“Eddy Brothers,” by Henry S. Olcott.
[121] I gave a pseudo seance for Sophie Irene Loeb and had two slates
which were examined by the Circle and marked. I asked if the Spirits
would manifest and when the slates were opened there was a message
containing a code word. Miss Loeb was astounded, for the message signed
by Jack London contained a word which she claimed no one in the whole
world knew about. I did it by trickery but she declared that if she had
not known I was a magician she would have believed readily that I had
psychic powers.
[122] A man by the name of Rider, professionally known as “Kodarz,”
exposed Bailey in New Zealand in 1916.
[123] Without any reservation she says she has investigated the
majority of mediums and given them a hundred per cent clean bill. She
writes that Eglinton actually materialized the spirit of Grimwaldi, the
great clown. Eglinton was detected on four different occasions and so
far as I have been able to learn, almost every medium she mentions in
her books has, at some time or other, been detected and exposed.
[124] See Appendix F.
[125] Maskelyne, Kellar, and Hoffmann were all three magicians who
changed their minds.
[126] Any prepared gambling device or game, like electrically
controlled steel dice; roulette; pointer and arrow revolving artifice;
prepared cards, either marked, concave or convex cut, which gives the
dealer the advantage at all times. Brace games include everything
from a put and take to the changing of a black bag on the top of an
innocent looking chiffonier. The games, while appearing to be governed
by the law of chance, are secretly controlled by the gambler, or his
confederate, in so subtle a manner that it is impossible for the poor
dupe, who wagers on the result, to detect it.
[127] Known as fishing.
[128] _Society for Psychical Research Proceedings_, Vol. XIV, pp. 380,
381.
[129] “Second sight” was presented by Pinetti, the celebrated Italian
magician, at the Haymarket Theatre, London, England, Dec. 1, 1784.
[130] A girl named Shireen is holding a similar seance to-day and is
able to hit a bulls-eye with a rifle.
[131] A full detailed account of the clever work done by Professor
Lewis will be found in _Proceedings of the Society for Psychical
Research_, Vol IV, pp. 338–352.
INDEX
Academy of Music, New York, 11.
“Ackroyd, Jack,” 124.
Adams, John, 229.
Adare, Lord, 47, 48, 273, 274.
Albert, Prince, 240.
Albus, Remigius, 94.
“Alexander, Herr,” 249.
Alexis, 253.
_Amazing Seance and an Exposure_, 233.
Ambler, R. P., 229.
American Expeditionary Force, 182.
American Magicians, Society of, 259, 260.
_American_, New York, 148, 237.
American Red Cross, 188.
American Society for Psychical Research, 58.
Andrews, 231.
“Apport Medium,” 238.
_Arabian Nights, The_, 35.
Ava, Vera, 78.
Bacon, 229.
Baggally, Worthy W., 52, 63.
Baggley, 169.
Bailey, Charles, 238.
Baldwin, S. S., 107.
Bamberg, David, 259.
Bamberg, Theodore, 259.
Barlow, Mr., 126.
Barnum, Phineas Taylor, 118.
Barrett, Oliver R., 145.
Barton, Clara, 188.
Basch, Ernst, 263.
Beadnell, Capt. C. Marsh, 176.
_Behind the Scenes with Mediums_, 79.
Belachini, 33, 248, 249.
“Bengal Tiger,” 19.
“Benicia Boy,” 19.
Bennett, G. W., 200.
Benoval, 254.
Berol, William, 269.
Berry, Catherine, 232.
Bewitched Table, The, 263.
“Bible Sellers,” 222.
_Bible, Truth a Companion to_, 188.
Bird, J. Malcolm, 159, 160.
Bishop, Washington Irving, 43.
Bisson, Juliette, 166, 167, 168, 170, 171, 172, 173.
Blavatsky, Mme., 49.
“Blind Tom,” 256.
Bloomfield, Marie, 181.
Bonaparte, Napoleon, 12.
_See also_ Napoleon.
_Borderland_, 64.
Boston Athletic Association, 187.
_Bottom Facts_, 87.
_Bottom Writing_, 79.
Boucicault, Dion, 34, 35.
Brady, William A., 60.
Brewster, Sir David, 42.
British College of Psychic Science, 127, 211.
Browning, Elizabeth Barrett, 2.
Browning, R. Barrett, 41, 42.
Bryant, William Cullen, 42.
Buguet, 120, 121.
Burns, J., 198, 201.
Burns, Mrs., 231.
Burr, Mr., 181.
Burton, Richard Francis, 35.
Bury, Lord, 34.
Bush, Edward, 124.
Buxton, Mrs., 123, 124, 131, 132, 133.
“Cabinet and rope mystery, Davenport,” 21.
Cagliostro, 66, 96.
Carriere, Eva, 166.
Carrington, Hereward, 52, 58, 60, 61, 62, 63, 159, 160, 263.
Carte, d-Oyley, 240.
Carter, Capt. R. K., 89, 90.
_Case for Spirit Photography, The_, 197.
Catholic Church, 5, 10.
Challis, Professor, 51.
_Chemical News_, 199.
Chiaia, Professor, 51.
Cicero, 72.
Circle of Conjurors in London, 164.
“Circle, rules of,” 267.
Coleman, Arthur, 241.
Clark, Earl L., 181.
Clarke, Bishop, 42.
Cleveland, President, 12.
Cockrell, Senator, 4, 71.
Colby, Luther, 76.
Colley, Archdeacon, 261.
Collins, James, 133, 134.
Columbine, St. Catherine of, 234.
“Common Clay,” 256.
_Communication_, 233, 234.
Comstock, Ph.D., Daniel Fisk, 159.
Conference to the Psychological Studies at Paris, 34.
“Confession,” Margaret Kane’s, 15.
Conjurers, Circle of, 164.
Cook, Florence, 184, 203, 204, 241.
Cook, Professor Harry, 183, 205.
Cormican, S.J., Rev. P. J., 164.
Corner, Mrs., 204.
Cornyn, John, 182.
County Medical Society, 182.
Crawford, Lord, 273.
Crawford, Dr. W. J., 173, 174, 175, 215.
Crewe, 123, 129.
Crewe Circle, 197.
Croisdale, Miss, 77.
Cromwell, Oliver, 232.
Crookes, Sir William, 46, 47, 183, 199, 200, 202, 203, 205, 266.
Cropsey, James, 224.
Cross, Judge, 76.
Cumberland, Stuart, 26, 144, 147, 149.
Curry, Dr., 189.
_Daily Express_, London, 147.
_Daily Sketch_, 143.
_Daily Telegraph_, London, 178.
_Daily Tribune_, Chicago, 78.
d’Albe, E. E. Fournier, 166, 174, 175, 216.
Dammann, John, 177.
“Dark seances,” 25.
Darling, Justice, 144.
Davenport Brothers, The, 17–37, 148, 161, 249, 257.
Davenport, Ira Erastus, 17–37, 148, 162, 235, 258.
Davenport, Mrs., second, 18.
Davenport, Ruben Briggs, 14, 271.
Davenport, William Henry Harrison, 17–37.
Davis, Andrew Jackson, 117.
Davis, W. S., 11, 16, 54, 56, 57, 59, 60.
De Angelus, Jefferson, 224.
Dean, Hope, 141.
Deland, Margaret, 206.
Demis, Dr., 172.
Dessenon, M., 121.
Devant, 213.
De Vega, 129.
“Dexterity, physical,” 20.
Dialectical Society, 160, 200, 201, 202.
Dickens, Charles, 19, 229.
Didier, Alexis, 250, 251, 254, 255.
Dimension, Fourth, 238.
Dingwall, Eric, 63, 168, 169, 170, 171.
Diss Debar, Ann O’Delia, 39, 66, 69–78, 276.
Diss Debar, General, 69, 71.
Donkin, Sir Horatio, 80, 81, 82.
Donohue, Ex-Judge, 71.
Donovan, D. C., 32.
Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan, 7, 40, 46, 48, 59, 83, 117, 124, 126, 133,
138–165, 202, 205, 207, 209, 210, 233, 236, 237, 238, 258, 266,
267, 268, 270, 273, 275, 277–280.
Doyle, Charles A., 139.
“Doyle, Dicky,” 139.
Doyle, John, 139.
Doyle, Kingsley, 237, 238.
Doyle, Lady, 139, 147, 150, 152, 157, 158, 160, 161, 233, 278, 279.
Dumas, Alexander, 19.
Dunraven, Lord, 273.
Ectoplasm, 166–179.
Eddy Brothers, 233, 234.
Eddy, Horatio, 233, 234.
Eddy, Mary, 234.
Eddy, Warren, 234.
Eddy, Webster, 233, 234.
Eddy, William, 233.
Edmonds, Judge John W., 42, 118, 242, 277.
_Edwin Drood, Mystery of_, 229.
Ellington, William, 241, 260–263.
Encyclopedia, Larousse’s, 252.
Ernest, B. M. L., 245.
Eva, Mlle., 167, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 176, 178.
_Evening Mail_, New York, 208.
_Evening News_, London, 236.
_Evening Telegram_, New York, 164.
_Evening World_, New York, 181.
_Evidences of Spiritualism_, 32.
Evils of society, 229.
Expeditionary Force, American, 182.
_Experiments in Psychical Science_, 173.
_Exposure, Amazing Seance and an_, 233.
_Express_, Denver, 277, 278, 279.
“Fair play, English,” 29.
_Fallacies of Spiritualism, The_, 188.
Fay, Annie Eva, 204, 212, 215.
Fay, William M., 18, 23, 27, 34.
Fechner, 83.
Feilding, Hon. Everard, 52, 53, 63, 166, 169, 170, 171, 173.
Feilding, Mrs., 166.
Fellows, District Attorney, 71.
Ferguson, J. B., 26, 28, 31, 148.
First Society of Spiritualists, 16.
Fish, Mrs., 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 9.
_See also_ Underhill, Mrs.
Fox, John D., 1.
Fox, Kate, 1–16.
Fox, Margaret, 1–16, 271.
_See also_ Kane, Margaret Fox.
“Fox Sisters, The,” 1–16, 38, 39, 110, 141, 203.
France, Emperor and Empress of, 43.
_See also_ Napoleon.
Franklin, Sir John, 4.
Fraud, spiritualism a, 10;
magicians as detectors of, 244.
Fullerton, Geo. S., 83.
_Fun_, London, 41.
Funk, Dr., 11.
Funk, Isaac K., 275.
Furness, Horace Howard, 84, 195.
Gardner, Dr., 117.
Garfield, President, 187.
General Assembly of Spiritualists, 156.
Gilchrist, J. B., 131.
Glenconner, Lady, 124, 144.
Goligher Circle, 173, 174, 175, 176, 216.
Goligher, Kathleen, 173, 175, 176, 178.
Gow, David, 177.
Greeley, Horace, 3.
Grossman, George, 144.
“Guardian angel,” 237.
Guiteau, Charles J., 187.
Gullots, Vincenzo, 236.
Guppy, Mrs., 230, 232, 240.
Guzek, Jean, 178.
Hackney Spiritualistic Society, 125.
Hall, Atlanta, 269.
Hamilton, Duke of, 19, 35, 36.
“Handcuff King,” 211.
Handcuff trick, 258.
Hare, Professor, 51, 239.
Harris, Mrs., 232.
Harrison, Will, 12, 120.
Haselmeyer, 263.
Hauffe, Madame, 234.
Hayes, Father, 241.
Hazard, Thomas R., 194.
Heenan, John C., 19.
Heinberger, Alexander, 249.
Henderson, 149.
Heredia, Father de, 114.
Hermann, Alexander, 71, 248.
Herne, 81, 230, 231.
_Herald_, New York, 180.
Hertz, Carl, 72, 73, 74, 75, 77.
Heuze, Paul, 172, 178.
Hicks, Leonard, 145.
Hilton, Judge, 71.
Hirons, Mabelle, 188.
Hodgson, Dr. Richard, 52.
Hoffmann, 244, 252, 258.
Home, Daniel Dunglas, 38–49, 59, 67, 80, 202, 203, 242, 273, 274, 275.
_Home’s, D. D., Life and Work_, 46.
Hooker, Dr. Samuel C., 246.
Hope, William, 123, 124, 129, 130, 131, 132.
Houdin, Madame Robert, 255, 278.
Houdin, Robert, 33, 36, 249, 251–255, 257, 258.
“Houdin, Unmasking of Robert,” 252.
Houdini, 20, 21, 74, 82, 94, 139, 140, 143, 146, 149, 150, 151, 155,
156, 158–160, 167, 168, 174, 176, 211–214, 246, 263, 279, 280.
Howard, Joseph, 71.
Howe, Mr., 76.
Hubbell, Dr. J. B., 188.
Hughes, John, 29.
Hughes, Rupert, 58.
“Human clamp,” 57.
Human nature, 122.
Humbuggery, spiritualistic, 12.
Humbugs of the world, 118.
Hunt, 139.
Huxley, Professor, 198, 199.
Huyler, Mrs., 276.
Huylers, The, 275.
Hyslop, 133.
Inaudi, 257.
_Incidents of My Life_, 41.
_Infelicity_, 19.
_Influence of the Mind upon the Body_, 208.
Information, how mediums obtain, 217.
Initiation, 229.
Intercourse, spirit, 211.
International Psychical Association, 145.
Investigations--Wise and Otherwise, 191–216.
Irving, Edward, 234.
Irving, Sir Henry, 30, 271.
Jackson, Laura, 77.
Jacobs, E., 33, 34.
Jacoby, 34.
Jaeger, Oscar, 177.
“Jar of Honey,” 139.
Jastrow, Professor, 58.
Johnson, Mrs., 238.
Johnson, Sam, 87.
Jourman, Maître, 172.
Judgment, Sanhedrim of, 164.
Kane, Dr. Elisha Kent, 3, 9.
Kane, Margaret Fox, 4, 5, 10, 11, 12, 16.
Karcher, Juliet, 160.
Keating, Frederick, 160.
Kellar, Dean, 21, 28, 136.
Kellar, Harry, 84, 85, 86, 87, 195, 223, 224, 225, 244, 247, 262,
263, 266.
Kellogg, James L., 54, 55, 56, 57, 58.
_Key to Theosophy_, 49.
Kidder, 26.
King, John, 232.
King, Kate, 143, 184, 203, 235.
“Kluge Hans,” 260.
Kluski, P. Frank, 178.
Knapp, Gardiner, 79.
Kodarz, 238.
Krhn, Dr. Monrad, 177.
Krotel, Asst. District Attorney, 142.
“Lady Wildmere’s Fan,” 256.
Landsfeldt, Countess, 68, 70.
Lankester, Sir, 80, 81, 82.
Laurillard, Edward, 144.
Lawrence, “Dr.,” 71.
Leadbeater, C. W., 238.
Leegaard, Dr., 177.
Lehrmann, Granville, 160.
Leroy, Jean A., 264.
Lescurboura, 160.
Levitation, table, 54–57, 71.
_See also_ Table lifting.
Lewes, George Henry, 198, 199.
Lewis, Professor H. Carvill, 261, 262.
Leymaire, M., 120.
_Life_, 229.
_Light_, 203, 204, 261, 262.
_Lights and Shadows of Spiritualism_, 41.
Lincoln, Abraham, 12.
Littlefield, Walter, 63.
Liverpool riot, 28.
Livingston, 55.
Lodge, Raymond, 206.
Lodge, Sir Oliver, 51, 145, 147, 205, 206, 207, 208, 266.
Loeb, Sophie Irene, 237.
“Loftus Troupe,” 224.
Lombroso, Professor, 51.
London Dialectical Society, 198.
London, Jack, 229, 237.
_London Magazine_, 238.
London Psychical College, 166.
Lord, Jennie, 234.
Louis I of Bavaria, 67.
Loyola, 234.
Lunn, Sir Henry, 144.
Lyon, Daniel Home, 45.
Lyon, Jane, 44, 45, 46.
Lytton, Sir E. Bulwer, 42.
Magicians’ Club, 264.
Magicians, Society of American, 210, 259.
Manning, Husband, 145.
Mare, Mlle., 172.
Marsault, Maître, 172.
Marsh, Luther R., 275.
Martinka, Francis J., 263, 264.
“Masked Lady,” 144, 149.
Maskelyne, John Nevil, 80, 81, 204, 213, 244.
Mass, Jim, 224, 225.
_Master Workers_, 204.
Marriage relations, 229.
Marryat, Captain, 239.
Marryat, Florence, 239.
Marsh, Luther R., 70, 71, 72, 73, 75, 76.
Martin, Alexander, 133, 134, 135.
Martineau, Harriet, 2.
McCabe, Joseph, 51, 203, 204, 232, 273, 275.
_McClure’s Magazine_, 61.
McCormick, Cyrus, 145.
McCormick, Muriel, 145.
McDougall, Dr. William, 159.
McKenzie, J. Hewat, 127, 166, 211, 212, 214, 215.
M----, Mrs., 183.
“Medium and Daybreak,” 79, 201, 202, 230, 231, 232.
Medium in the mask, the, 144.
Mediums, how they obtain information, 217–228.
_Memoirs of a Magician_, 252.
Menken, Adah Isaacs, 19.
Messant, Mrs., 69, 70.
Miller, Professor Dickinson S., 54, 55, 58.
Mitchell, C. R., 125.
“_Mite, The Widow’s_,” 11, 275.
_Modern Spiritualism_, 41, 79, 120.
Monck, Dr., 232.
Montez, Lola, 67, 76.
Moreland, Beatrice, 256.
_Morning Post_, London, 144, 149.
Morritt, Charles, 259.
Moses, Rev. Stainton, 120, 122.
Mosley, Sidney A., 144, 233.
Mumler, Wm. H., 117, 118, 119, 120, 122, 136.
Munchausen, Baron, 229.
“Murphy’s button,” 144.
Myers, F. W. H., 64.
Mystery, Torture Cell, 167.
_Mystery of Edwin Drood_, 229.
Napoleon I, 242, 243.
National Spiritualists Association, 182.
“Neck, the tie around the,” 22.
Neilson, Adelaide, 276.
Newcombe, Lawyer, 71.
_Newcomes, The_, 139.
_Newer Spiritualism_, 41.
“New Revelation, The,” 164, 207.
Newton, Mr., 16.
New York Press Club Fund, 71.
New York State Assembly of Spiritualists, 180.
Neyland, Miss, 230.
Nichols, Thomas L., 26.
Nicol, Catherine, 142.
Nielson, Ejner, 177, 178.
Northwestern Orient, 229.
Occult Committee of the Magic Circle, 126.
Ochorowiz, Professor, 166.
O’Connor, Billy, 264.
Olcott, Col. Henry S., 234, 235, 236.
Orion, Madame, 226.
_Other World_, 236.
_Our American Adventures_, 7, 141, 163, 164.
“Ouija board,” 189, 190.
Owen, Robert, 42, 51, 160.
Oxenford, John, 19.
Paine, Thomas, 229.
Palladino, Eusapia, 50–65, 141, 142, 192, 233, 264.
Papal opposition, 51.
“Paradise,” 237.
Parker, Commodore, 3.
Patterson, S. E., 194.
Patterson, Sarah, 182.
Pecoraro, Nino, 159.
Penylan, Wallace, 233.
Philip of Neri, St., 234.
Phillipi, Mons., 43.
Phillips, Watts, 19.
“Philosophy, preternatural,” 31.
Photographers of England, Crewe, 123, 136.
Photographic memory, 257.
_Photography, Case for Spirit_, 197.
Photography, spirit, 117–137.
Pierce, President, 269.
Piéron, Professor, 178.
Pinetti, 254.
Pitcher, Orville, 232.
Podmore, Frank, 41, 79, 120, 121.
Poe, Edgar Allan, 229.
“Poking Them in the Eye,” 163.
_Politikon_, 177.
Polk, President, 249.
Portal, Cochet M., 172.
Portal, Mme., 172.
_Popular Mechanics_, 145.
_Post_, London, 25.
Powell, Ellis, 155.
Powell, Evan, 238.
Powell, Frederick E., 88, 93, 155, 158.
Powers, “occult,” 2.
Powles, John, 185.
“Preternatural philosophy,” 31.
Price, Harry, 128.
Prince, Ph.D., Walter Franklin, 159, 160.
_Psychic Phenomena, Reality of_, 173.
Psychic Science, British College of, 211.
Psychical Association, International, 145.
Psychical College, London, 116.
Psychical Research, Society of, 41, 52, 53, 124, 163, 168, 173, 177,
196, 252, 258, 261.
Psychical Science, Experiments in, 173.
Psychological Studies, Conference to the, 34.
_Punch_, 139.
Pyne, Warner C., 54, 57.
Race, destiny of the, 229.
“Rappings,” 2.
Rasputin, 43.
Reade, Charles, 19.
Red Cross, American, 188.
“Revelation, The New,” 164, 202.
_Revelations of a Spirit Medium_, 79.
_Revue Spirits_, 33, 120.
Rhys, M., 36.
Richet, Professor, 51.
Richmond, Dr. C. M., 12.
Rickards, Harry, 18.
Rinn, Joseph F., 54, 57, 61, 145.
Robin, Henri, 33.
Robinson, William E., 79.
Rope-tie, Davenport, 18, 20–24.
Rope tricks, 17–37, 114, 258.
Rosenthal, Baroness, 68, 70, 78.
Rosner, 248.
Rule, Margaret, 234.
Russia, Czar of, 43, 99, 243.
Rymer, Bendigo, 40.
Rymer, J. S., 40.
Salomen, Editha, 67, 68, 70.
Sanhedrim of Judgment, 164.
Sargent, John W., 54, 58, 65, 269.
Savonarola, 234.
Scheibner, 83.
Scheldrup, Dr., 177.
_Scientific American_, 158, 160.
_Scientific American_ staff, 159.
Schofield, Dr. A. T., 143.
Scott, Edgar, 57.
“Second Sight,” 254, 259.
“Second sight artists,” 259.
Sedgwick, Professor, 51.
Seeing in the dark, 257, 258.
Sellers, Coleman, 85.
Seybert Commission, 9, 83–84, 86, 94, 193, 194, 195, 197, 262.
Seybert, Henry, 193, 194.
Seymour, Mr., 128.
Shakespeare, 229.
Shireen, 254.
Siebert, Frau, 178.
“Sir ----,” 226.
Sixth Circle, Spirit of, 229.
Slade confession, 95, 99.
Slade, Dr. Henry, 30, 79, 80, 101, 195, 196, 260, 262.
Slate writing, 79, 84, 101, 260.
Society, evils of, 229.
Society for the Study of Supernormal Pictures, 126.
Society of American Magicians, 54, 88, 210.
Society of Spiritualists, 2.
Sothern, Edward A., 30.
_Sphinx, The_, 264, 265.
“Spirit, disembodied,” 2, 6.
“Spirit extras,” 122, 124, 126, 127, 128, 129, 132, 133.
Spirit intercourse, 211.
Spirit manifestations, 1.
Spirit photography, 117–137.
_Spirit Messenger_, 229.
Spirit states, 79.
Spirit world, 2.
Spiritual Athenæum, The, 44.
Spiritual children, 271.
Spiritual Institution, 231.
_Spiritual Magazine_, 200.
_Spiritualism_, 51, 203, 232, 242.
Spiritualism, by-products of, 180.
_Spiritualism, Fallacies of_, 188.
_Spiritualism, Report on_, 198.
_Spiritualism, Researches in_, 184.
_Spiritualism, The Death Blow to_, 14, 271.
Spiritualism, the founders of, 1–16.
“Spiritualistic Humbugs,” 118.
Spiritualist Society, 130.
_Spiritualist, The_, 33.
_Spiritualist, Wanderings of a_, 238.
Spiritualist, what you must believe to be a, 229.
Spiritualists, General Assembly of, 156, 180.
Stamislaski, S. D., 178.
Stamislawa, 178.
Stange, Prof. Frederick, 177.
_Star_, London, 124.
_Star of Truth_, 229.
Stead, 145, 146, 239, 267.
Stewart, Alvin, 276.
Stewart, Jessie K., 159.
Stokes, Edward S., 71.
Stormer, Dr., 177.
St. Paul, 76.
Stuart, Anna, 239.
Subconscious mind, 223.
_Sun_, New York, 77, 78, 156, 157.
“Sunset,” Alvin Stewart, 276.
_See also_ Stewart, Alvin.
Swinburne, 19.
“Swindle,” Fox, 16.
Table levitation, 50, 54, 57, 71.
_Telegraph_, London, 172.
Telepathists, 258.
Telepathy, 259.
_Telepathy, Genuine and Fraudulent_, 52.
_That Other World_, 43.
_Theocrat, The_, 187.
“Theocratic Unity,” 77.
Theosophical Society, 238.
_There Is No Death_, 185, 239.
Thomas Brothers, 147, 148.
Thompson, Mrs., 178, 215.
Thompsons, the, 144, 145, 146, 150.
Thomson, Clarence, 145.
Thornton, Jeanette, 279.
Thurs, Bergen Vigelius, 181.
Tiedemann, Dr. Heinrich, 95, 99.
_Times_, London, 42, 77, 242.
_Times_, New York, 60, 61, 73, 76, 160, 172, 182.
_Times-Picayune_, New Orleans, 145.
_Times_, Washington, D. C., 181.
Tomchik, Mme., 166.
Tomson, Elizabeth Allen, 159.
Torture Cell Mystery, 167.
_Transcendental Physics_, 80.
_Tribune_, Oakland, 149.
“Tricks, all mediums indulge in,” 63.
Trollope, T. A., 42.
Troup, Dr., 177.
Truesdell, John W., 87, 88.
_Truth_, 125, 164, 229.
_Truth a Companion to the Bible, The_, 188.
Tuttle, Hudson, 95, 99.
Twain, Mark, 229.
Tyndall, Professor John, 198, 199, 200.
Underhill, Mrs., 7, 8, 9.
_Unmasking of Robert Houdin, The_, 252, 257.
Valentine, 159, 160.
Van Buren, President, 277.
Vearncombe, Mr., 123, 126, 127.
Verdier, M., 172.
Varley, Cromwell, 200.
Von Schrenk-Notzing, Baron, 174, 179.
Walker, William, 160, 196, 197.
Wallace, Mr., 199.
_Wanderings of a Spiritualist, The_, 40.
Weber, Professor, 51, 83.
_Weekly Dispatch_, 273.
Weiss, Remigius, 94, 99, 100.
Wertheimer, Mr., 95, 98.
Wesley, John, 229.
Whipple, Sydney B., 278, 279.
White, C. H., 229.
White, Eliza, 235.
Whitefield, John, 229.
_Widow’s Mite and Other Psychic Phenomena_, 11, 275.
Wilde, Oscar, 229, 256.
Wilhelm, I., Kaiser, 248, 249.
Williams, 81, 230, 231, 232, 241.
Wilmann, Karl, 248.
Wilson, M.D., A. M., 265.
Windsor, H. H., 145.
_World_, New York, 5, 11, 12, 13, 77, 182, 236.
“World, Ten Super-women of the,” 19.
Worrell, Richard I., 160.
Wynn, Rev. Walter, 125.
Wynne, 273.
Young, Harry F., 140.
Young, Mrs., 235.
Zancig, Jules, 210.
Zancig, Mrs., 212.
Zancigs, the, 258.
Zollner, Professor, 51, 80, 82, 83, 196.
Transcriber’s Notes
Punctuation, hyphenation, and spelling were made consistent when a
predominant preference was found in the original book; otherwise they
were not changed.
Simple typographical errors were corrected; unbalanced quotation
marks were remedied when the change was obvious, and otherwise left
unbalanced.
Illustrations in this eBook have been positioned between paragraphs
and outside quotations. In versions of this eBook that support
hyperlinks, the page references in the List of Illustrations lead to
the corresponding illustrations.
The index was not checked for proper alphabetization or correct page
references. Discrepancies between spellings in the Index and on
referenced pages were resolved in favor of the latter.
Text refers to “Tomson” and “Thomson”, and has both in the Index.
Transcriber removed redundant book title preceding page 1 and redundant
“Index” heading just before the Index.
Footnotes, originally at the bottoms of pages, have been resequenced,
collected, and moved to precede the Index.
The book refers twice to Dr. Monrad Krhn, but the correct spelling
is “Krohn”.
Page 11: “Expecting” may be a misprint for “Excepting”.
Page 27: “all South of Central America” was printed that way, but in
the image of the actual letter that is shown in the book, it is
“all South and Central America”.
Footnote 59, originally the third footnote on page 71: “attaches” was
printed that way, not as “attachés”.