A SCIENTIFIC JURY.
At one period of her strange career, Mrs. Kane entered the service of Mr.
Henry Seybert, the famous and wealthy spiritualist of Philadelphia, who
proposed to found what he called a "Spiritual Mansion."
Mrs. Kane's salary and appointments were liberal, and her situation was
one which would have met the fondest wishes of many noted and ambitious
"mediums." She was the high priestess of this new temple of the unseen
entities, and as such she was honored and treated with most exalted
respect.
The conditions of the "Spiritual Mansion" were in all respects favorable
to the intercourse of dwellers in the flesh with those who inhabit the
realm of shadows, if such there had been.
The taking up of her abode in this singular institution was one of her
earliest steps, after the throwing off of her deep weeds of mourning, worn
in memory of the untimely termination of her dream of happiness. It was
then that she found that the professional life of a "medium" was the only
refuge left her from the cruel pursuit of poverty and want.
But her stay in the "Spiritual Mansion" was short. She had thought that
the quiet existence afforded her there would be preferable to the daily
and distasteful practice of public "mediumship," which she must have
resorted to at once, had she not accepted the proposition of Mr. Seybert.
But the hypocrisy unconsciously required of her by him, while of a more
fantastic description, was altogether too much for her to endure. Her
intense hatred of her profession as a "medium" appeared in a strong light
to those who were then in her confidence.
Mrs. Kane, at the "Spiritual Mansion," not only produced pretended
messages from the departed friends of her patron, but also from nearly
every martyr and saint in the Protestant calendar, and from the famous
sages and rulers of old. But her imposture stopped short of actual
sacrilege. Beyond that line she never has gone.
When it came to transmitting messages demanded by the living of the
apostles and fathers of the church, she revolted against this mania for
the supernatural and the impossible, and she refused to continue longer
the instrument of pure religious insanity.
She declined to produce "spirit rappings," as emanating from St. Paul, St.
Peter, Elijah and the angel Gabriel.
It has often been said that Henry Seybert had an undoubted vein of madness
in his brain. Mrs. Kane herself so declares. I believe the same is true of
every person (not a knave at heart) who persistently, after reason and
conscientious research have demonstrated the truth of the charges against
Spiritualism, still refuses to be convinced.
There was, however, a method in the madness of Seybert. Mrs. Kane has
always been most careful not to make any positive asseveration of the
claims of Spiritualism. Her guarded and, in some measure, candid course,
no doubt tended very far towards influencing him to desire an honest and
thorough investigation of the so-called spiritualistic phenomena, to be
conducted according to the most rigid scientific methods. In his will, he
left provision for the founding of a chair of philosophy in the University
of Pennsylvania, with the careful stipulation that a certain portion of
the income to be derived from the foundation should be devoted to the
investigation of "all systems of morals, religion or philosophy which
assume to represent the truth; and particularly of modern Spiritualism."
Thus this legacy gave birth to the celebrated "Seybert Commission," whose
labors have resulted in the most valuable expose, prior to this present
publication, of the fraudulent methods of Spiritualism--"the tricks of the
trade," as it were--which has ever been made.
Even the investigation of the remarkable "rappings," produced by Mrs.
Kane, in which the Commission engaged--while less successful than any
other branch of their researches--went so far as fully to convince them
that these alleged manifestations were entirely fraudulent, and that they
were produced by physical action on the part of the "medium," probably by
or in the vicinity of her feet.
This they were unable to prove, however, by any use of their five senses,
which they were permitted to make. Mrs. Kane gave them no such chance of
examination, on this occasion, as had been vouchsafed to the Buffalo
doctors some thirty-six years before, almost with the result of throttling
Spiritualism in its infancy. No; she was much too clever for that. She
would greatly have preferred, to being ignominiously found out, to make a
public and unreserved confession.
The fact is that no other scientific committee ever enjoyed the facilities
of close observation of the production of the "raps" which were accorded
to the "Buffalo doctors," and that, up to this final day, when Mrs. Kane
herself tells the truth, there has been not one single positive exposure
of the primitive fraud of the "toe-knockings." Conjectures, it is true,
have groped in that direction, time and again--but they never have done
more than to grope.
The members of the "Seybert Commission" were extremely eager to obtain
sittings with Mrs. Kane, and were successful at an early stage of their
studies in doing so. Mr. Horace Howard Furness of Philadelphia was acting
chairman of the Commission a good part of the time, and as such he wrote
to Mrs. Kane in the following very urgent manner:
"222 WEST WASHINGTON SQUARE.
"DEAR MRS. KANE:
"I wrote to you some ten days ago, but, since I have not heard from
you, fear that my letter has miscarried, and will therefore repeat
it.
"I am anxious, very anxious, that the 'Seybert Commission,' of which
I am the chairman, should have an opportunity of investigating the
'Rappings.' Will you, therefore, appoint some day and hour, at your
earliest convenience, when I can visit you in New York and make
arrangements with you personally?
"I sincerely trust that your summer has been healthful and peaceful,
and beg to subscribe myself
"Yours respectfully,
"HORACE HOWARD FURNESS.
"22nd October, 1884."
Mrs. Kane became the guest of Mr. Furness at his house, and there produced
the "rappings" at two seances which were full of important significance.
The first was on the 5th of November, 1884, in the evening. The company
consisted of Dr. William Pepper and his wife, Dr. Joseph Leidy, Dr. George
A. Koeing, Prof. Robert Ellis Thompson, Mr. Horace Howard Furness, Mr.
George S. Fullerton, Mr. Coleman Sellers, all, excepting the lady, members
of the Commission, and Mr. George S. Pepper, Miss Logan, and the
"medium." All seated themselves around an open dining-table, Mrs. Kane at
one end and Mr. Sellers at the other. The report of the Commission says:
"The medium sat with her feet partly under the table, and consequently
concealed from most of those present--her feet were hidden also by her
dress."
After the usual preliminaries of an introduction to denizens of the
"spirit land," the soul of Henry Seybert was announced. He declared
through the "medium" that he knew the names of the members of the
Commission, and particularly of the one who was addressing him. Mr.
Sellers, who happened to be this person, requested the spirit to spell his
name by the aid of a written alphabet, each letter of which was pointed to
in turn, the letter intended by the "spirit" being indicated by three
"raps." The result was that the name spelled out was the following:
"CHARLES CERI!"
Without commenting upon this blunder of the "spirit," the Commission
encouraged Mrs. Kane to proceed. She took a station at some distance from
the table, her hands resting upon the back of a chair, and "raps" were
heard which seemed to come from a point very near or under her. Again,
when she stood close to a bookcase, "raps" were produced which she
declared to proceed from the glass door upon which Mr. Sellers rested his
hand. The latter felt not the slightest vibration of the glass. Mrs. Kane
then produced written messages, addressed to two persons present, whose
names she might have ascertained with very great ease. The writing was an
irregular scrawl, running from the left, and leaning backward, and could
only be read from the observe side by holding the paper up to the light.
The second seance in which Mrs. Kane acted as "medium" took place at the
same place on the 6th of November, 1884. Dr. Leidy, Mr. Furness, Dr.
Koeing, Mr. Fullerton and Mr. Sellers, members of the Commission, Mr.
George S. Pepper, Mrs. Kane and a stenographer were present. The
experiments of this evening were more lengthy and exhaustive than those of
the previous one. For convenience of narration I shall divide them into
two series: those made while the "medium" either stood upon the floor or
sat upon an ordinary seat in an ordinary position; those in which she was
separated from the floor, either by glass or by some object of
considerable height, upon which she stood; and those in which she produced
writing upon ordinary paper, said to have been dictated by the "spirits."
The experiments did not always take place in the consecutive order in
which I shall note them.
The report says: "The 'spirit rappings' during the evening, aside from
those heard during the test with glass tumblers, were apparently confined
to the floor space in the immediate vicinity of and directly beneath the
table around which the company were seated."
The stenographic report of this part of the investigation proceeds as
follows:
"MR. SELLERS. Is any spirit present now?
"Three raps--faint and partly distinct--are almost instantly audible. The
raps apparently emanate from the floor-space directly beneath, or in the
immediate vicinity of the table. This remark is applicable to all the
'rappings' during the seance at the pine table.
"The 'MEDIUM' (interpreting the sounds). That was 'yes.'
"MR. SELLERS (aside). They sounded like three.
"The raps are immediately repeated with more distinctness.
"MR. SELLERS (aside). There are three, and they are quite distinct. Is the
spirit the same that was present last night?
"Three raps, apparently identical with those last heard, are again
audible.
"MR. SELLERS (aside). It says it is the same spirit. I presume then, that
it is Henry Seybert? (No response.) Is it Henry Seybert?
"Three raps--distinct and positive.
"MR. SELLERS. You promised last evening to give a communication to Mr.
Pepper. Are you able to communicate with him now?
"Two raps--comparitively feeble.
"The 'MEDIUM' (interpreting). One, two: that means not now.
"MR. SELLERS (repeating). Not now?
"The 'MEDIUM' (reflectively). But probably before he leaves.
"Three raps--quickly, distinctly and instantly given.
"The 'MEDIUM.' He said 'Yes, before he leaves.' (To Mr. Sellers.) You
asked that question, I think?
"MR. SELLERS. Yes. Will you communicate with him before Mr. Pepper leaves
to-night?
"Three raps--instantaneous, quick and vigorous."
Afterwards, the experiment of standing near a table, the "medium" not
touching it, to see if sounds similar to those of the previous evening
could be produced, was repeated. The "medium" insisted, however, that
there should be no breaking of the circle formed about her by those who
were present.
"All of the gentlemen, and the 'medium,'" says the report, "rise and
remain standing. * * *
"The 'MEDIUM.' This is test, something I have not gone through since I was
a little child, almost.
"MR. SELLERS (after an interval of waiting). There seem to be no raps.
(Another short interval.) Now Mr. Seybert, cannot you produce some raps?
"Eighty seconds here elapse with no response, when the 'medium' made an
observation which was partly inaudible at the reporter's seat, the purport
of which was that the 'spirit communications' are sometimes retarded or
facilitated by a compliance by the listeners with certain conditions.
Another interval of probably two minutes elapsed, when the 'medium'
suggested to Dr. Leidy to place his hands upon the table. The suggestion
was complied with.
"Mr. Sellers inquires of the 'medium' whether a change in her position,
with regard to the table, would do any good.
"'MEDIUM.' I will change positions with you.
"The change was made accordingly, but without result, and another period
of waiting followed.
"The 'MEDIUM' (to Dr. Leidy). Suppose you ask some questions. You may have
some friend who will respond.
"DR. LEIDY. Is any spirit present whom I know, or who knows me?
"After a pause of ten seconds, three light raps are heard.
"DR. LEIDY. Who am I?
"The 'medium' explains that the responses by rappings are mainly
indicative only of affirmation or negation.
"DR. LEIDY. Will you repeat your taps to indicate that you are present
yet?
"Three taps are heard.
"MR. SELLERS. Those are very clearly heard.
"The 'MEDIUM' (to Dr. Leidy). Ask if that is Mr. Seybert.
"DR. LEIDY. Is Mr. Seybert present?
"Three raps--very feeble.
"DR. LEIDY (to Mr. Sellers). Was there an answer to that?
"MR. SELLERS. There was. The answer was three raps. (After an interval, in
which no response is received.) There seem to be no further
communications."
Later in the evening efforts to engage the defunct Mr. Seybert in
conversation were again made. The company were as before gathered about
the table. "Raps" were made by Mrs. Kane on the floor. The "spirit" was
asked if he knew the members of the Commission present, and to state their
number. When it came to the response to the latter part of the question
there were "seven slow, deliberate and distinct raps."
Alas! the "spirit" had mistaken the guest of the Commission, Mr. George S.
Pepper, and the stenographers for members!
The latter were seated at a separate table.
"MR. SELLERS. Are there seven members of the Committee present?
"Three raps.
"MR. SELLERS. Are they all seated around one table?
"No response. About forty seconds elapse.
"MR. SELLERS. Are they seated at two tables?
"Three raps--quite feeble.
"MR. SELLERS (to his associates). We still must go back to the one thing.
The information we receive through these responses is of little importance
to us compared with the information which we must obtain as to whether
these sounds are produced by a disembodied Spirit or by some living
person; that is, in deference to the 'Medium.' (To Mr. Furness.) Do you
not think so?
"Mr. Furness is understood to assent.
"MR. SELLERS. We have tried the glass tumblers. We have the sounds here. I
would ask Mrs. Kane if it is proper for us to look below the top of the
table at the time the sounds are being produced, and in such a way as to
see her feet.
"The 'MEDIUM.' Yes, of course, you could do that, but it is not well to
break, when you are standing, suddenly. As you know, you have to conform
to the rules, else you will get no rappings.
"MR. SELLERS. What are the rules?
"The 'MEDIUM' (disconnectedly.) The rules are--every test condition, that
I am perfectly willing to go through, and have gone through a thousand
times--at the same time, there are times when you can break the rules. So
slight a thing as the disjoining of hands may break the rules. I do not
think the standing on the glass has been fully tried.
"MR. SELLERS. We will try that later.
"MR. FURNESS (to the 'medium,' informally). This investigation is one of
great importance to us. There is no question about it--we have heard
these curious sounds. Now as to whether they come from 'spirits' or
not--that would seem to be the very next logical step in our inquiry. I
think you are entirely at one with us in every possible desire to have
this phenomenon investigated.
"The 'MEDIUM.' Oh, certainly. But I pledge myself to conform to nothing,
for--as I said in Europe--_I do not even say the sounds are from
'spirits_;' and, what is more, it is utterly beyond human power to detect
them. _I do not say they are the spirits of our departed friends, but I
leave others to judge for themselves._
"MR. FURNESS. Then you have come to the conclusion that they are entirely
independent of yourself.
"The 'MEDIUM.' No, _I do not know that they are entirely independent of
myself_.
"MR. FURNESS. Under what conditions can you influence them?
"The response, which was partly inaudible at the reporter's seat, was
understood to be: 'I cannot tell.'
"MR. FURNESS. You say that in the generality of cases they are beyond your
control?
"The 'MEDIUM.' Yes.
"MR. FURNESS. How in the world shall we test that?
"The 'MEDIUM.' Well, by--
"MR. FURNESS. By--what? Isolating you from the table?
"The 'MEDIUM.' Yes.
"MR. FURNESS (applying his right hand, by her permission, to the
'Medium's' head). Are you ever conscious of any vibration in your bones?
"The 'MEDIUM.' No; but sometimes it causes an exhaustion, that is, under
circumstances when the raps do not come freely.
"MR. FURNESS. The freer the raps come, the better for you?
"The 'MEDIUM.' Yes, the freer the better--the less exhaustion.
"MR. SELLERS. But do you feel now, to-night, any untoward influence
operating against you?
"The 'MEDIUM.' No, not to-night, for it takes quite a little while before
we feel these things.
"MR. FURNESS. Do these raps always have that vibratory
sound--tr-rut--tr-rut--tr-rut?
"The 'MEDIUM.' Sometimes they vary.
"MR. FURNESS. As a general rule I have heard them sound so.
"The 'MEDIUM.' Every rap has a different sound. For instance, when the
'spirit' of Mr. Seybert rapped, if the sound was a good one, you would
have noticed that his rap was different from that of another. Every one is
entirely different from another.
"MR. FURNESS. Do you suppose that the present conditions are such that you
can throw the raps to a part of the room other than that in which you are?
"The 'MEDIUM.' I do not pretend to do that, but I will try to do it.
"Mr. Furness and Dr. Leidy station themselves in the corner of the room,
diagonally, and most remote from the pine table, at which their
associates remain seated, with their hands upon the table, and 'their
minds intent on having the raps produced at the corner indicated,' as
requested by the 'medium,' who also remains at the table. The 'medium'
asks, '_Will the "Spirit" rap at the other side of the room?_' and, after
twelve seconds, and again after forty-three seconds, repeats the inquiry.
_No response is received._ The experiment is repeated with Mr. Furness and
Dr. Koenig at the corner, but with a like negative result."
Let us now turn to the experiments made while the "medium" was not in a
position in which her feet could touch the floor. The report says:
"Mr. Sellers made this inquiry:
"'It is proposed that the "medium" shall stand upon tumblers. Are we
likely to have any demonstration?'
"Three raps--promptly given, though feeble in delivery and but faintly
audible.
"The 'MEDIUM.' There were three--a kind of tardy assent.
"MR. SELLERS (to the 'Medium'). As if the 'Spirits' might or might not
communicate?
"The 'MEDIUM.' Well, that a trial might be made.
"Three raps are here again distinctly heard--the characteristics of the
sounds in this instance being rapidity and energy, or positiveness.
"The 'MEDIUM.' That is a quick answer.
"At this point, attention is directed to the first of a series of
experiments with four glass tumblers, which are placed together, with the
bottoms upward, on the carpeted floor, in the center of a vacant space.
The 'medium' stands directly upon these, the heels of her shoes resting
upon the rear tumblers and the soles upon the front tumblers. The
Committee co-operate with the 'medium,' and, in conformity with her
suggestions, all the men clasp hands and form a semi-circle in front of
the 'medium,' the hands of the latter being grasped by the gentlemen
nearest to her on either side.
"MR. SELLERS (after a notification from the medium to proceed). Is Mr.
Seybert still present?
"No response.
"The 'MEDIUM.' It may be a few minutes before you will hear any rapping
through these glasses.
"Ten seconds elapse.
"The 'MEDIUM.' This test is a very satisfactory one, if they do it. And
they have done it a hundred times.
"Five seconds elapse.
"The 'MEDIUM' (to Mr. Furness). The glasses are not placed over the
marble, are they?
"MR. FURNESS. No, the floor is of wood.
"MR. SELLERS (after another interval of waiting) informally remarked to
Mr. Furness: 'We will wait probably for another minute to see if anything
comes. As you know, the 'medium' claims that it is impossible for her to
control these things--that she is merely one who is operated through.'
"Another interval expires.
"The 'MEDIUM.' That was a very faint rap. Suppose we change the position
of the glasses.
"Note by the stenographer. No intimation is given that the rap here spoken
of was heard by any one other than the 'medium' herself. Pursuant to the
request just stated, the carpet is removed and the glass tumblers are
located on the bare floor at a point about five feet distant from the
place at which the test was first tried. The new location is in the center
of a passage-way, about three feet in width, between a side-board on one
side, and a wall projection on the other. Its selection is apparently,
though not specifically, dictated by the position and movements of the
'medium.' The 'medium' and the Committee resume their positions, the
former standing on the glasses and the gentlemen facing her in a group.
"The 'MEDIUM.' Now, Spirits, will you rap on the floor?
"Thirty seconds here elapsed with no response, when one glass was heard to
click against the other, and the 'medium' exclaimed 'Oh!'
"The 'MEDIUM' (repeating). Will you rap on the floor?
"Thirty seconds now elapse without any demonstration.
"The 'MEDIUM' (aside). It seems to be a failure. They have done it.
"Another click of the glasses which passes without comment.
"MR. SELLERS. We will have to set down the result of the experiment on
glass tumblers as negative. It may be well to try it later.
"The 'MEDIUM' (evidently reluctant to abandon the test). Suppose now, as
we have gone so far, we kind of form a chain.
"The company retained their positions with hands joined, and the 'Spirits'
were repeatedly requested to make their presence known. Mr. Pepper, at the
suggestion of the 'medium,' asking the 'Spirit' of his friend, Henry
Seybert, to manifest its presence by one rap--but all efforts to elicit
such response proved ineffectual.
"When the same experiments were resumed, the lady proceeded to the space
_between the side-board and the wall_, where the last preceding test had
been made, and there the tumblers were again arranged. The 'medium'
resumed her position upon them, with Drs. Leidy and Koeing, and Messrs.
Sellers and Furness facing her.
"The 'MEDIUM.' Will the Spirit rap here?
"Twenty-three seconds elapse.
"DR. LEIDY. Is any 'Spirit' present.
"An interval of thirty-nine seconds here followed, when the attention of
the Committee was momentarily diverted by an inquiry addressed to Mr.
Furness by Mr. Sellers, viz.: Whether a glass plate of sufficient strength
to bear the weight of the 'medium' was procurable. At this moment the
'medium' suddenly exclaimed: 'I hear a rap. You said, "Get a glass," and
there was a rap.'
"The 'MEDIUM' (repeating for the information of Mr. Furness). Somebody
proposed a glass and there were three raps.
"Dr. Koenig inquires of the 'medium' whether the meaning intended to be
conveyed by the sounds is that the 'spirits' desire to have the glass
plate produced.
"The 'MEDIUM.' I do not know. I know there were raps. (Turning to Mr.
Sellers, the 'medium' adds:) They may have been made by your heel on the
floor, but certainly there were sounds.
"MR. FULLERTON. Then it was not the regular triple rap?
"The 'MEDIUM.' I could not tell.
"Just before calling attention to the alleged rap or raps, the 'medium'
grasped with her right hand the wood-work of the side-board, as if for
support. It was then that she stated she heard the sounds. They were
apparently not heard by any one but the 'medium.'
"MR. SELLERS (addressing the 'spirit'). Will you repeat the raps we heard
just now, assuming that there were some?
"Ten minutes elapse without a response.
"The 'MEDIUM.' There is no use of my standing any longer, for when they
come at all, they come right away.
"MR. SELLERS (after scrutinizing the position of one of the feet of the
'medium'). The edge of the heel of the shoe rests on the back tumbler.
(Assuming a stooping posture for a more prolonged scrutiny.) We will see
whether the raps will be produced now.
"The 'medium' now proposes that all the members of the committee shall
stand up and join hands.
"Mr. Sellers and his associates accordingly stand, facing the 'medium,'
with hands joined. Changes in their positions were made by some of the
gentlemen from time to time, as suggested by the 'medium,' Mr. Pepper and
Dr. Koenig being the first to exchange places. This occurred after a
silence of thirty seconds, without any response.
"The 'MEDIUM.' Now, Mr. Seybert, if your 'spirit' is here, will you have
the kindness--I knew Mr. Seybert well in life--to rap?
"Fifteen seconds elapse.
"The 'MEDIUM.' No, he does not seem to respond.
"At the suggestion of Mr. Sellers, all of the gentlemen approach the
'medium' for the purpose of inducing some acknowledgment by the 'spirit,'
and inquiries similar to those already stated are repeated without result.
"The Commission temporarily abandon the test. When the tumblers are again
produced the 'medium' takes her position upon them, with Mr. Fullerton
standing next to her upon the right and Mr. Furness to the left. Mr.
Sellers remains for some moments kneeling on the floor to enable himself
better to hear any sounds that may be but faintly audible. The 'spirits'
are repeatedly importuned by the 'medium' to produce the 'rappings,' but
no response is heard until the company is about to abandon the experiment.
Three raps are then audible. The raps are very light, but very distinct.
"Mr. Fullerton states that he heard the raps.
"MR. SELLERS. I heard a sound then, but it seemed as if it was around
there. (Indicating the wall immediately in the rear of the 'medium.')
"The tumblers are here moved further away from the wall, and the 'medium'
resumes her position upon them.
"MR. SELLERS. Will the 'Spirit' rap again? (No response.)
"The 'MEDIUM.' Were any of you gentlemen acquainted with Mr. Seybert in
his lifetime?
"MR. FULLERTON. I saw him several times before his death. If he can give
an intimation now of anything he said at that time, it will indicate that
he remembers it.
"A very faint rap is heard.
"The 'MEDIUM.' There is a rap. It seems to be there again. (Indicating the
spot to which attention was previously called by Mr. Sellers.)
"The 'medium' again importunes, first, 'Mr. Seybert,' and next the
'spirits,' to rap; and the importunities are repeated. Three raps are
distinctly, but faintly heard.
"MR. SELLERS. I heard them. They sounded somewhat like the others, not
exactly.
"The 'MEDIUM.' I heard one rap, but it is nothing for me to hear them; I
want you gentlemen to hear them.
"MR. SELLERS. Probably we will hear them again.
"While Mr. Sellers and Mr. Furness are conversing, several raps are heard,
though less distinct than the preceding ones.
"The 'MEDIUM.' There they are, as though right under the glass. (After a
silence of forty seconds) Now I hear them again, very light--oh, very
light.
"Mr. Furness, with the permission of the 'medium,' _places his hand upon
one of her feet_.
"The 'MEDIUM.' There are raps now, strong--yes, I hear them.
"MR. FURNESS (to the 'medium'). This is the most wonderful thing of all,
Mrs. Kane; _I distinctly feel them in your foot_. There is not a particle
of motion in your foot, but there is an unusual pulsation.
"Mr. Sellers here made some inquiries of the 'medium,' concerning the
shoes now worn by her. The replies, which were not direct, are here given.
"MR. SELLERS. Are those the shoes which you usually wear?
"The 'MEDIUM.' I wear all kinds of shoes.
"MR. SELLERS. Are the sounds produced in your room when you have no shoes
on?
"The 'MEDIUM.' More or less. They are produced under all circumstances.
"Following the suggestion of the 'medium,' all present proceed through an
intervening apartment to the library, where the 'medium' selects various
positions--standing upon a lounge, then upon a cushioned chair, next upon
a step-ladder, and finally upon the side of a book-case--but all with a
like unsuccessful result, no response by 'rappings' being heard.
"In the midst of the experiments at the table Mrs. Kane exclaimed to Mr.
Sellers: Well, my hand does feel like writing. Will you give me a piece of
paper? and, maybe they will give me some directions.
"MR. FULLERTON (to the 'medium'). How does your hand feel when affected in
that way?
"The 'MEDIUM.' It is a peculiar feeling, like that from taking hold of
electrical instruments. I do not know but that you might possibly feel it
in my hand.
"The lady here extended her right hand upon the table toward Mr.
Fullerton. The latter placed his left hand upon the extended hand of the
'medium,' and subsequently remarked that the pulsation of her wrist was a
little above the ordinary rate.
"The 'medium,' ostensibly under 'spirit' influence, with lead-pencil in
hand, proceeded to write two communications from the 'spirit' of the late
Henry Seybert. The first of these covered two pages of paper of the size
of ordinary foolscap. The 'medium' wrote in large characters, with
remarkable rapidity, and in a direction from the right to the left, or the
reverse of ordinary handwriting. The writing, consequently, could be read
only from the reverse side of the paper, and by being held up so as to
permit the gaslight to shine through it.
"The communications, as deciphered by Mr. Sellers, with the aid of Mr.
Fullerton and the 'medium,' were as follows:
"You must not expect that I can satisfy you beyond all doubt in so
short a time as you have yet had. I want to give you all in my power,
and will do so if you will give me a chance. You must commence right
in the first place or you shall all be disappointed for a much longer
time. _Princiipis Obsta Sereo Medicina Paratum._
"HENRY SEYBERT.
"Mend the fault in time or we will all be puzzled.
"HENRY SEYBERT."
The fault in the Latin of the above quotation attracted the attention of
the Commission.
Mr. George S. Pepper, who had been well acquainted with Mr. Seybert in his
lifetime, declared that he had never known any Latin at all!
* * * * *
The investigations of the "Seybert Commission" in other directions than
that of the "rappings," were far more fascinating and productive of
results. It would be impossible to give an adequate idea of them here. The
Commission employed the most celebrated "mediums" within their reach, and
paid them liberally to place them in communication with the "Spirit
world." They saw (and they show in their report that they did see) the
secret of every "wonderful" thing done by the "mediums," and found it in
most instances exceedingly simple, and generally rather clumsily
performed. Professional jugglers constantly outdo professional "mediums."
This, the latter cannot deny, and they seek--oh, monumental impudence!--to
make people believe that jugglers are nothing more nor less than
"mediums," and that "mediums" are never in any sense jugglers!
Thus the notorious Slade:
"MR. SELLERS. Do you know a man named Kellar, who is exhibiting in this
city?
"DR. SLADE. I do not. I never knew him.
"MR. SELLERS. You may, however, be able to explain to me a very remarkable
slate writing experiment which Kellar has performed. (Mr. Sellers here
describes at length Mr. Kellar's trick with the fastened slates.) How did
Mr. Kellar do that?
"DR. SLADE. He is a 'medium.' _He does that work precisely as I do it._
"MR. SELLERS. But can he not do it by trickery?
"DR. SLADE. No, it is impossible. He is a 'medium' and a powerful
'medium.'"
This is from a memorandum of Mr. Sellers. He says further:
"The inquiry was then addressed to Mr. Slade: Do you know a man named
Guernilla, who, with his wife, gave seances?
"MR. SLADE. Yes, I know him very well.
"MR. SELLERS. Well, how does he perform his wonderful exploits in
'rappings,' etc.?
"MR. SLADE. He is a 'medium,' a powerful 'medium.' I know him very well
indeed. I can assure you that all he does is done solely by means of his
mediumistic powers.
"I now state to the Committee that the Guernillas exhibited in
Philadelphia some years ago as exposers of Spiritualism. They did not
expose it, but they performed experiments which, prior to that time, were
said to have been accomplished by the aid of 'spirits.' Guernilla himself,
at my house, in my presence, in broad daylight, performed all the feats
and exhibited the phenomena that were produced at the dark and other
seances, and he repeated them until I myself became as expert as he in
performing them; for which I paid him a consideration. So much for the
mediumistic power."
Mr. Sellers explained with reference to Mr. Kellar:
"I pause here for the express purpose of having the fact noted that, being
thoroughly familiar with the details of the methods of those experiments,
I can positively assure the Committee that there is no mediumistic power
in Mr. Kellar, so far as his methods are concerned, that those methods are
as easy of solution as are any other physical problems."