SPIRITUALISTIC TIES.
“Ties” have always been one of the great standbys of mediums,
second only to slate writing.
The following is a simple test with a rope or piece of string: A
long piece of rope is given for inspection, and, on its return to
the medium, he coils it up and lays it on the table; the two ends
are tied together and sealed fast to the table. The coils of the
rope are now allowed to drop on the floor. Lights are lowered, and,
in a few minutes, when the lights are relighted, the coil of rope
is found with numerous knots tied in it that could not naturally
have been accomplished without the ends being untied and unsealed.
This mystery is accomplished by simple means. When the medium
receives the rope back he does not coil it up as a person would, in
the ordinary fashion, but makes the coils so they really form half
hitches, and, as he lays them on the table, he runs one of the free
ends through all the coils, then ties the two ends together. Each
coil will now form an overhand knot. An easy manner of manipulating
the rope is as follows: The rope is held in the hands, with palms
upward; now, to form the coil, or half hitch, the right hand is
given a half twist; this brings the palm facing the person’s breast
and back of hand outward, and leaves the rope as seen in Fig.
33; this loop is transferred to the left hand (Fig. 34), and the
operation repeated until the supply of the rope is exhausted. Now,
to make the knots, one end of the rope has simply to be passed
through all the loops.
[Illustration: Fig. 33.--First Position.]
[Illustration: Fig. 34.--Second Position.]
I have seen the above test worked also as follows: Two skeptics
were used. One end of the rope was fastened to one of the skeptic’s
wrists and the other end to the wrist of the second skeptic. The
knots were sealed. The rope in this case was quite long, about
twenty feet. The medium now makes the rope up into a few coils; out
go the lights, and, in a few minutes, on the lights being turned
up, the rope is found with knots. This is what happens: When the
lights went out, the medium went up to one of the skeptics, and,
while talking to him and moving him two or three feet further away
from the other skeptic, he has passed the coils over this one man’s
head, and allowed the coils to drop to the floor. As soon as the
skeptic steps out of these, the job is done.
There is another test on somewhat similar lines. A short piece
of rope is examined and the performer holds it in one hand and
then tosses it into the cabinet, which is empty. On opening the
curtain in a few seconds the rope is found with a knot on it. The
performer himself actually ties the knot with one hand in the act
of tossing the rope into the cabinet. The rope is held in the hand
palm upward, very near one end, the short end in the hand being
with the long end hanging down, the shorter part being between the
thumb and the forefinger. The hand and arm are given a kind of half
circular sweep in tossing the rope into the cabinet; this causes
the long portion of the rope to swing under, then over the wrist,
and across the fingers of the hand. This end is then seized between
the fingers and drawn through the loop just made; at the same time
the loop is dropped off the wrist as the rope is tossed into the
cabinet. In reading the above description it seems like four or
five different movements, but with practice they all blend into one.
Here is another test. A single knot is tied in the center of a
piece of string; now the ends are tied together and knots sealed.
The lights turned down; on their again being turned up, the knot
from the center of the cord has disappeared. The moment there was
darkness the medium started to work, and kept slipping the knot
along the string until it joined the rest at the top of the string,
where there is not much fear of its being seen. To further protect
himself he uses the following plan: He chews gum colored the same
as the sealing wax used. Now in the dark, when he has the single
knot up against the others at the end of the string, he covers this
knot with part of the chewing gum and blends it in with the sealing
wax.
I will now explain a few ties, rope and otherwise, by which the
mediums allow themselves to be tied. It is almost invariably the
rule for the medium to suggest to the investigator the general way
he wishes to be tied. They must have certain conditions, so they
say, or the spirits will not work. It is safe to say the conditions
are very strict and always in favor of the medium. The female
medium has a preference for ties in which tape or muslin, or cotton
cloth torn into strips, is utilized. The male performer, as a rule,
uses rope and wire. I will first describe what is known as the
braid or tape test. Take a piece of tape about three-quarters of
an inch wide. Have one end of this securely tied around the wrist;
now the person who is conducting the test seats himself in a chair
with his hands behind the back of the chair; now have the loose end
of the tape passed between the uprights forming the back of the
chair; have the other end fastened around the remaining hand. The
moment you are in the dark, or hidden from view, you can produce
any manifestation that requires the use of one or both hands, by
following these instructions. The first hand can be tied as the
investigator pleases. Now, when the second hand is to be tied,
keep a strain on the tape enough to keep it taut. By so doing a
square knot cannot be tied on the tape, but simply a running knot,
or a knot around the strand of the tape--a knot that can be slid
backward and forward.
Here is what is known as the cotton bandage test. A ring staple
or ring screw eye, the ring being about two inches in diameter,
is wound around with unbleached muslin of the same color as used
to tie the medium’s wrists with. This ring is fastened securely
into the door jamb or any stationary wooden support by one of the
investigators. Two strips of muslin about three feet long are
given to the investigator; one of each is tied around one of the
medium’s wrists and the knots sewed and sealed. Her (for the medium
is supposed, in this case, to be a lady) hands are now placed
behind her, and the ends of the strips from each wrist are now
tied together and the knots tied and also sewed; and what ends are
left are evenly cut off near the knots. Another strip of muslin,
about the same width and length as the others, is now produced,
and one of the committee ties this strip around the knots between
her wrists, leaving the ends of equal length. The medium now takes
her seat on a small stool, with her back toward the ring in the
door jamb. One end of the last muslin strip is passed through the
ring and several knots are tied. After tying several knots, the
ends of the strips are tacked securely to the woodwork of the door.
Another strip is procured and tied around the medium’s neck, and
then tacked also to the door jamb. Two more strips are now used,
one passed around each arm, not tied, and the ends of each tacked
to the door. The committee, having done all the work themselves, of
course, are thoroughly satisfied as to its genuineness. They now
retire from the cabinet, which has been simply made by a curtain
across one corner of the room, forming a triangular space. No
sooner is the curtain closed than the usual manifestations occur,
such as ringing of bells, tooting of horns, banging of tambourine,
etc. Immediately the curtain is opened and the medium found
securely bound and not a bandage disturbed. Finally a pocket knife
is placed upon her lap, the curtain is closed, and in a few seconds
the medium comes forward with her bonds cut, but only the wrists
separated; this has been done, she claims, by the spirits, with the
use of the knife which was placed in her lap. Now to explain away
the mystery. In a convenient pocket in her belt she has concealed
a small, sharp, open knife, with which she cuts through the bands
between the wrists. She cuts this band between the knot on her
right wrist and the knot in the middle made by tying the ends of
the wrist bands together. She now slips the loop which was tied
around off, leaving it whole and still tied around the ring. She
is now free to use both hands, and, as the last strips around
her arm were not tied, they are easily managed. She makes what
manifestations she chooses, and by placing her wrists one each side
of the ring, and clasping her hands together, pressing all tightly
together, she is ready for examination. The ring being wound with
muslin, one cannot see that anything has been changed; and this
is the reason it is wound. Another thing to notice is that the
spirit cutting is the last test. The reason of this is, if the
investigators were to release her, they would discover the secret.
Male performers use the same idea for rope ties from which they
find it impossible to release themselves. They have a knife blade
soldered firmly on to a brass plate, which is riveted or sewed on
the back of the performer’s trousers, the edge of the knife blade
being outward. He has simply to run the rope up and down over this
contrivance, and he soon gains his liberty.
[Illustration: Fig. 35.--The Davenport Tie.]
I will next illustrate a tie made famous by the Davenport Brothers.
(Fig. 35.) The rope used is what is known in trade as a sash
rope. Silver Lake or Sampson brand is the best. This is a stiff,
polished or smooth, hard finished rope. With this style of rope
it is an almost utter impossibility to be tied but what you can
free yourself. The Davenports, on first being secured, would try
and induce or lead the committee who did the tying to do so in
a way which would be advantageous to the medium. See Barnum’s
“Humbugs of the World,” page 136: “The brothers saw they could not
wriggle out of the knots. They therefore refused to let the tying
be finished.” Of course, they did not make the request pointed, or
apparent, but, in the coolest natural way, and not suggestive of
any conceived plan. Their method was as follows:
One of the committee, holding a piece of rope, about twelve feet
long, as near the center as possible, would be requested to tie
first one of the medium’s left hands, tying two or three good,
hard, square knots about the wrist, the knots coming to the inside
of the wrist or palm side of the hand. The medium, during this
part of the tie, faces the audience. He now explains to the person
who does the tying that when he, the medium, places his left hand
behind his back, he will place his right hand close against it,
and requests the skeptic to tie a few or as many knots on top of
that hand as he may see fit. The medium, after this explanation,
places his hands behind his back, and then turns around, with his
back toward the audience. The committeeman now secures the right
hand against the left. The medium now enters the cabinet, is seated
in a chair, or on a bench, in which two holes are bored. The ends
of the ropes are now passed through these holes, and knots tied in
the rope close to the seat of the chair, and thence carried to the
front legs of the chair, where it is fastened. Two other smaller
ropes are used to tie the medium’s legs to the chair. The usual
manifestations, such as ringing of bells, tooting of a horn, hands
at cabinet window, etc., take place. After this is repeated a few
times, the medium comes forth entirely free from the ropes, which
he now holds in his hands devoid of knots. Of course, the medium
is really the cause of all the demonstrations, and to accomplish
the results he must free himself. Now, let us see how it is done.
The first hand is tied fair and square, but when he places his
two hands behind his back, that’s the time the trick is done. In
placing his hands behind his back, and before turning around, with
back toward the audience, he catches up a little slack of the rope,
and, pressing the two hands together, manages not to lose that
slack as the two hands are tied together. Another plan is employed
so as to be certain not to allow this slack to get away from the
medium. In the act of placing the hands behind the back, one part
of the rope is allowed to go around the middle finger. The ends are
then crossed, A going behind B, before the right hand is placed
against left. Of course, the right hand covers the rope, or false
tie, completely. When the hand is to be released, the finger has
simply to bend down, and off drops the slack part of the rope, and
gives plenty of room to draw the hand from the loop. With one hand
free, it is easy to produce the desired manifestations, also to
release the other hand, and then completely untie the rope. Now,
whenever the committee cannot be influenced to tie in the above
manner, they are allowed to proceed as they wish. Very few persons
can tie a medium securely with the stiff rope furnished. The medium
will manage, by slight contortion of his body, to secure a little
slack rope, by which agency square knots can be easily upset into
a slip or running knot, and, when he fails in this, the rope is
deliberately cut with the little knife blade on belt, as described
previously. This destroyed rope is now concealed on the medium, and
he takes also from his clothes a similar rope and walks out of the
cabinet with it, stating the spirits had released him. He again
retires to the cabinet, and, in a short time, he is found retied,
with his hands behind his back, securely fastened. Here is the
explanation:
[Illustration: Fig. 36.--The First Knot.]
When he enters the cabinet, he allows both ends of the rope to hang
down, holding the rope in center; the rope now, in its doubled
condition, has a knot tied near its double end, leaving a knot
and loop. (Fig. 36.) Then a single knot, tied in each portion of
the rope, each side of this loop knot, far enough away so as to
give length enough for the ropes to encircle the wrists, and these
single knots come up hard against the loop knot. The ends of the
rope are now run through the loop knot, and two loops are thus
formed, which can be made larger, as desired, to slip the hands
out. (Fig. 37.) The ends of the rope are now run down through
holes in the chair seat, and ends fastened, and the medium inserts
his wrists in the loop and pulls up taut, and he is ready for an
investigation. It will readily be seen the medium can now do as he
pleases, remove his coat, place on a borrowed one, etc.
[Illustration: Fig. 37.--The Double Loop.]
Another tie frequently used is that in which the medium seats
himself in a chair, takes the rope, and ties it around his legs at
the knees, with the single knot on top. On this he places his two
hands, close together, and has the committee tie his hands with
as many knots as they please, from which he nevertheless frees
himself. The whole scheme lies in the fact that the medium tied but
one knot around the legs, but did not pull it deep into the flesh.
When the knots are tied over his hands, he keeps the legs a trifle
apart. Now, to release himself, he simply has to draw his legs
together, and strain on the ropes, so they sink into the legs a
trifle, and let all the slack go above the single knot, thus giving
room for the hands to be withdrawn. By forcing the hands apart, the
desired slack is easily taken up.