THE UNALTERABLE VERDICT.
The "Seybert Commission"[3] examined every known form of spiritualistic
manifestation to which they had access, and implicitly under conditions
imposed by the "mediums" themselves. These conditions are everything that
could be devised and plausibly used to prevent the hoped-for dupe from
detecting the fraud that is practised upon him.
The Commission put the indelible stamp of fraud upon all so-called
spiritualistic manifestations. Of the "spiritual rappings" they say:
"To the subject of 'spirit-rappings' we have devoted some time and
attention, but our investigations have not been sufficiently extensive to
warrant us at present in offering any positive conclusions. The difficulty
attending the investigation of this mode of spiritualistic manifestation
is increased by the fact, familiar to physiologists, that sounds of
varying intensity may be produced in almost any portion of the human body
by voluntary muscular action. To determine the exact location of this
muscular activity is at times a matter of delicacy.
"What we can say thus far, with assurance, is that, in the cases which
have come under our observation, the theory of the purely physiological
origin of the sounds has been sustained by the fact that the 'mediums'
were invariably, and confessedly, cognizant of the 'rappings' whenever
they occurred, and could at once detect any spurious 'rappings,' however
exact and indistinguishable to all other ears might be the imitation."
Mrs. Kane has expressed amusement over the manner in which she eluded the
inquisitions of the grave and conscientious Commission and left them
puzzled over the "rappings."
Even then, however, she cared so little for the preservation of the
secret, that when she declined to be further examined by the Commission,
she admitted to Mr. Furness that the gentlemen had ample ground for
looking upon the manifestations which she had given as unsatisfactory. Mr.
Furness says:
"I told her that the Commission had now had two seances with her, and that
_the conclusion to which they had come is that the so-called raps are
confined wholly to her person_, whether produced by her voluntarily or
involuntarily they had not attempted to decide; furthermore, that although
thus satisfied in their own minds they were anxious to treat her with all
possible deference and consideration, and accordingly had desired me to
say to her that if she thought another seance with her would or might
modify or reverse their conclusion, they held themselves ready to meet her
again this evening and renew the investigation of the manifestations; at
the same time I felt it my duty to add that in that case the examination
would necessarily be of the most searching description.
"Mrs. Kane replied that the manifestations at both seances had been of an
unsatisfactory nature, so unsatisfactory that _she could not really blame
the Commission for arriving at their conclusion_. In her present state of
health she _really_ doubted whether a third meeting would prove any better
than the two already held. It might even be more unsatisfactory, and
instead of removing the present belief of the Commission it might add
confirmation of it. In view of these considerations, she decided not to
hold another seance."
* * * * *
Mrs. Kane declares that with her muscles and the joints of her toes so
educated by long practice, and her ability to produce the noise of "raps"
with no perceptible movement, she could have gone on deceiving the world
indefinitely without being detected. She explains that the making of the
"raps," when she is stationed on glass tumblers, requires a far greater
effort than when her feet are in contact with the carpet or floor. The
shock must in that case be conveyed through a comparatively non-conducting
substance. For this reason, when the floor was especially hard or thick
and lacking in sonorousness, she sometimes failed in the expected effect.
In every instance, it was most difficult to produce the "raps" under those
circumstances.
* * * * *
The verdict, however, is now complete. Spiritualism is guilty.
The court of mankind so declares it.
IV. REPENTANCE.