. PHYSICAL PHENOMENA OF SPIRITUALISM

HEREWARD CARRINGTON

BF 1261 C318P 1920 00930180R

NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE

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IvIBRARY.

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No. 113, No. .^.J9f..M..

8-613

THE PHYSICAL PHENOMENA OF SPIRITUALISM

THE

PHYSICAL PHENOMENA OF SPIRITUALISM

FRAUDULENT AND GENUINE

BEING A BRIEF ACCOUNT OP THE MOST IMPORTANT HISTORICAL PHENOMENA; A CRITICISM OP THEIR EVIDENTIAL VALUE, AND A COMPLETE EXPOSITION OF THE METH- ODS EMPLOYED IN FRAUDULENTLY REPRODUCING THE SAME.

BY

HEREWARD CARRINGTON. Ph.D.

Author of Modern Psychical Phenomena,'^ "Psychical Phenomena and the IFor," "The Coming Science,'" etc.

NEW YORK

DODD, MEAD k COMPANY

1920

Copyright, 1907 By Herbkrt B. Turneh & Co.

CopyrigU, 1020 By Dodd, Mead & Compamy, Inc.

Third Edition

PREFACE TO THE NEW EDITION

THIS book — which was first published in 1907, and which has been out of print for several years — is now re-issued, since I have felt that — owing to the widespread interest in psychical research at the present time, and the great number of persons who are visiting mediums, clairvoyants, astrologers, palmists, numerologists, etc., — it is high time that the warnings and advice contained in this book should again be placed before the public — by way of cautioning them against the too-ready acceptance of many of the "phenomena" which are produced at public seances, and offered in the name of "spiritualism."

The majority of sitters who attend seances are entirely unfitted either to judge the value of the evidence presented or to dis- tinguish fraudulent from genuine phenomena — and this is in no sense an insult to their intelligence. It is utterly impossible, as a rule, for the sitter — no matter how sceptical he may be — ^to detect many of these tricks, without a knowledge of the actual methods employed; for they are practically undetectable. Only a wide general knowledge of legerdemain and the psychology of deception will render this possible. The methods of trickery are so numerous and so clever, the daring and the ingenuity of the pseudo-medium are so remarkable, that it is small wonder that the average sitter fails to detect the modus operandi; and hence comes away convinced that he has, in truth, seen genuine "phenomena," whereas he has seen but clever tricks and blatant fraud. The actual methods which are resorted to, by fraudulent mediums, in order to produce these seeming "miracles," are herein explained in full.

The reader must not draw the conclusion, from all this, that the author is a confirmed sceptic, or a complete disbeliever in genuine phenomena. On the contrary, I am fully convinced that genuine physical phenomena — even materializations — occur in a genuine manner. I myself have seen such phenomena, beheld such materializations — but such phenomena are rare; and today I believe as fully as when I wrote this book that "ninety-eight percent of the physical phenomena are fraudulently produced," and on re-reading the book I find scarcely a sentence which I should wish to alter, or even modify, were I to write it today.

V

vi

Preface

This I say in spite of the fact that, since this book was first issued, I have seen Eusapia Palladino, and witnessed what I believe to be many genuine and remarkable physical manifesta- tions. In spite of that fact, I am as fully persuaded as ever that, if the reader insists upon running about, from one pro- fessional "physical medium" to another, he will encounter, in practically every case, precisely the sort of fraud herein described; and it is in the hope of warning him against this that the present volume is re-issued.

Two passages in the present book I should, however, wish to modify, in view of later developments. The first is that on pp. 11-14, relating to Eusapia Palladino. I now believe that the extremely sceptical tone adopted regarding this medium was unfounded. Nevertheless, in view of her undoubted fraud — especially in America — and my final words — "If Eusapia pos- sesses genuine mediumistic gifts, it ought only to be a matter of time and sufficiently careful experimenting in order to establish that fact" — I am glad to leave the passage as it stands — illus- trating as it does, my former sceptical but (I hope) open-minded attitude toward this case — which later personal investigations have led me to believe largely genuine.

The second reservation relates to the so-called "Blue Book," mentioned on pp. 314-16. Subsequent investigations conducted both by Dr. Hyslop and by myself have led me to believe that the evidence for the existence of such a "Blue Book" is extremely doubtful — though something of the sort unquestionably existed. The last word upon this subject has not, however, as yet been said !

I offer this new edition of my book to the public with the hope, and in the firm conviction, that "by clearing away many of the obstructions that exist — in the shape of fraudulent phenom- ena— this book may help to lay the foundations of such a science" — as Psychical Research.

H. C.

PREFACE

One or two words of a prefatory nature are necessitated by the publication of a book such as this. Many persons will doubtless consider it an unnecessary attack upon spirit- ualism and the spiritistic creed, but I beg to assure my readers that such is by no means the case. It is because I believe that such phenomena do occasionally occur, that I am anxious to expose the fraud connected with the subject, — since it is only by so doing that we can ever hope to reach the genuine phenomena which are to be studied. " Caution " is the most important factor in the investigation of all psychic and spiritualistic phenomena, and a knowledge of the fraudu- lent methods employed by mediums is of prime importance to the investigator of these problems.

The investigations of the Society for Psychical Research (hereinafter referred to, in this book, as the S. P. R.) have demonstrated the fact that supernormal phenomena do occur; but whether the " physical phenomena " are to be considered as such is a question that remains still undecided. Certain it is that much fraud exists in the production of spurious " marvels " of the kind, and the chief object of this book is to expose in full the methods that are employed in fraudu- lently reproducing the genuine phenomena — if genuine phenomena there be.

I have quoted extensively throughout from books on slciffht-of-hand, — since works of this character are not read as a rule by the public — even the interested public ; and especially from a work entitled The Revelations of a Spirit Medium, which contains much valuable information, but which is now practically unobtainable, owing to the fact that a certain number of spiritualists (with a genuine love

viii

Preface

for truth!) bought up and destroyed all the copies of this book — together with the plates — so that, unless one should be fortunate enough to possess a copy, it is unlikely that the book will ever make its way into the investigator's hands, and hence the contents be lost to the reading public forever. I make this my excuse for quoting from the book at greater length than is customary in such cases.

One word as to the arrangement of this book. Because it is divided so sharply into two sections — " The Fraudulent " and " The Genuine " — I do not thereby intend to assert dogmatically that all the phenomena mentioned in the first part are fraudulent, nor that all the cases quoted in the second part are genuine. My reason for dividing the book in this manner is to make (so far as the evidence seems to warrant) a tentative division of the phenomena into two classes — without thereby committing myself to belief, for or against, in either case — which question must be settled by the actual facts, in any event. The division is merely tentative, and made with the object of simplifying and clari- fying the problem, which is, at best, highly complex.

I wish to hereby acknowledge my indebtedness to Professor James H. Hyslop, to Miss Louise W. Kops, and to my friend, Mr. Herbert B. Turner, for much valuable assistance in the preparation of this work.

H. C.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

Preface vii

Glossary xiii

PART I— The Fraudulent

I. The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism ... 3

II. The Slade - Zullner Investigation .... 19

TIT. The Psychology of Deception 48

IV. Table - turning and Table - lifting .... 64

V. Raps 77

VI. Slate -writing Tests 84

§ 1. Methods with a Single Slate (Prepared) . . 91

§ 2. Methods with a Single Slate (Unprepared) . . 102 § 3. Methods with a Double Slate (Prepared) . .118

§ 4. Methods with a Double Slate (Unprepared) . . 127

§ 5. Miscellaneous Tests 138

VII. Rope - tying Tests 143

VIII. "Spirit" Posts, Sacks, Handcuffs, Etc. . . . 168

IX. Holding Tests 186

X. Miscellaneous Physical Tests 196

XI. Spirit - photography 206

XII. The Paraffine Mould Test 224

XIII. Materialization 230

XIV. Materialization (continued) 255

XV. Sealed -letter Reading 276

XVI. Mind -READING Performances 291

XVII. Trance, "Test Seances," Etc 312

PART II— The Genuine

XVIII. General Observations 321

XIX. Raps 340

XX. Telekinesis 358

XXI. The Mediumship of D. D. Home :

§ 1. Miscellaneous Phenomena 372

§ 2. The Levitation 377

ix

X Contents

CHAPTEK PAOB

§ 3. Elongation 394

§ 4. Thk " Fire Tests " 399

XXII. Trance — The Case of Mrs. Piper 410

XXIII. Summary and Conclusion 415

Index 419

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

To face page

Obtaining Knots in Endless Cords 44

Obtaining Knots in Endless Cords {another method) ... 46

Trick-slates and Slate Manipulation 104

Rope-ties, Sacks, and Handcuffs 164

Releasing Hand from the Finger-hold 188

Releasing Hand from the Wrist-hold 190

Dr. Hodgson's Experimental Photograph 212

Imitation Spirit-photograph 214

Spirit-photo — Showing Marks of Manipulation .... 216

Alleged Spirit-photo — Containing Various Items of Interest 218

Trick-envelopes and Sealed-letter Tests 284

GLOSSARY

Automatism. Self-moved, automatic. An " automatism " generally signifies a movement made without conscious thought and will on the part of the person by whom such movement is made.

Clairvoyance. Literally " Clear Seeing." It signifies the supposed power, possessed by some persons, of viewing distant scenes as though present in the body ; or of beholding objects invisible to the normal eyesight.

Crystal- Gazing. The act of looking into a crystal glass ball, or other speculum, or reflecting surface, with the object of inducing hallucina- tory pictures. The person doing so is called a seer or scryer. The pictures, of course, exist in the mind and not in the crystal.

Levitation. a raising of objects from the ground by supposed supernor- mal means.

Premonition. A supernormal indication of any kind of event still in the future.

Parakinesis. The production of physical movements where the contact

observed is insufficient to account for them. Poltergeist. Literally, " Noisy Spirit." A house is said to be haunted

by a poltergeist when bells are rung, furniture upset, crockery broken,

etc., by no apparent, normal means. Retrocognition. Knowledge of the past, supernormally acquired. Subliminal. Of thoughts, feelings, etc., lying beneath the ordinary

threshold (limen) of consciousness, — as opposed to supraliminal,

lying above the threshold. Supernormal. Beyond the level of ordinary experience, — supplanting

the word " supernatural," which is held to be meaningless. Telekinesis. The alleged supernormal movements of objects, not due

to any known force. Telepathy. The communication of impressions of any kind from one

mind to another, independently of the recognized channels of sense. Tel.esthesia. Perception at a distance. Practically the same as clair- voyance.

Telurgy. a name for a hypothetical force or mode of action, concerned with the conveyance of telepathic impressions, and perhaps with other supernormal operation.

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PART I THE FRAUDULENT

THE PHYSICAL PHENOMENA OF SPIRITUALISM

CHAPTER I

THE PHYSICAL PHENOMENA OF SPIRITUALISM

At the outset of our discussion, it is necessary that the terms used should be distinctly understood by the reader, and I must begin by calling attention to the difference between " spiritualism " and " spiritism," — which terms are made convertible in the minds of most persons. The word " spir- itualism " is really a philosophic term, meaning the opposite of materialism, and hence, strictly speaking, every one who is not a materialist is a spiritualist — but not necessarily a spiritist. The term " spiritism " means the communication of the living with the spirits of the departed — usually through an intermediary termed a " medium." Thus, a spiritist means one who believes that it is not only possible, but that it is an actual fact, that we can get into communica- tion with the spirits of the departed at seances, and at various other times, spontaneously. As a matter of fact, however, these distinctions are not preserved in the public mind, and the word " spiritualism " is used a synonymous with " spirit- ism." Hence, it is in this popular meaning of the term that the word is used throughout this book — the expression, " Modern Spiritualism " having become too deeply rooted in the language to be easily changed. It is accordingly treated, throughout this book, as implying spiritism, when

3

4 The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism

the term " spiritualism " is used, — unless it is otherwise stated.

Spiritualism, in the pure sense, has, of course, existed from the very earliest times. A most interesting resume of the beliefs of various ancient nations on this subject will be found in Elbe's Future Life in the Light of Ancient Wis- dom and Modern Science.^ " Modern Spiritualism," on the other hand, did not come into existence until 1847, when the " Rochester Knockings " startled the world, and founded a new era in the world's religious thought. The antecedents of spiritualism were, as Podmore clearly shows,^ the so-called " poltergeist " cases, on the one hand, and the early mes- merists, with their " clairvoyant " and " ecstatic " cases, on the other. These " poltergeist " cases I have briefly referred to on pp. 361-3; while a full account and discussion of the mesmeric side of the question will be found in Podmore's book, above referred to, Moll's Hypnotism, Braid's Hypnotism, and many other works of a kindred nature, in which the historic side of that question is thoroughly discussed.

It will now be seen that, if the definition of spiritualism given above is the true one (and I think it may be con- sidered so — one of the representative spiritualists writing: " By spiritism is meant a connection, or intercourse with the spiritual world "^), the theory and the philosophy of the belief have nothing whatever to do with physical phenomena — which, theoretically, belong to a different category alto- gether. Physical phenomena take place in, and belong to, the material world, and have nothing to do with communica- tion with a spirit-world. Many persons, seeing unaccount- able physical phenomena happening in their presence, are apt to attribute these movements or phenomena to the action of spirits — especially if intelligence is connected with the phenomena. They may or they may not be so caused, but the point to bear in mind is that, whether the explanation

' V. also Howitt, History of the Su-pernatural ; Ennermoser, History of Magic; Thompson, Proofs of Life after Death, etc.

* Modern Spiritualism. 2 vols.

* Spiritism, by Edelweiss, p. 54.

The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism 5

of these phenomena be spiritistic or physical, or whether they are ultimately shown to be nothing more than the results of fraud, that would not in the least influence the evidence for the existence of the spirit-world, — which evidence is obtained from mental and other tests, and hence their disproof would in no wise influence the central problem of spiritualism, — which is, as stated, the possibility of communication with the spirit-world, under certain circumstances and conditions. It is important that these facts should be kept carefully in mind, since it is necessary to impress upon the popular con- sciousness the fact that, even should the whole of the physical phenomena of spiritualism turn out to be nothing but fraud- ulent, it would in no wise influence the real problem at issue; the " real problem " yet remains, being altogether inde- pendent of the evidence aff'orded by the physical phenomena.

It is evident, therefore, that I cannot discuss at any length the " real problems " connected with spiritualism — the scientific proof of life after death — in a volume such as this. I have briefly discussed this evidence on pp. 410-14, and there referred to those passages in other books and publications where the evidence will be found very fully discussed. The object of the present volume is, of course, to consider those physical phenomena which — rightly or wrongly — have been attributed to spirit agency by thousands of persons who have witnessed them: to con- sider their character, the historical evidence in their favor, as well as that which tends to show that all these phenomena are the results of fraud, and are seldom or never genuine in character; and, finally, to show the actual methods that are employed by fraudulent mediums in producing the phenom- ena by that means. I hope that, by describing the actual methods in considerable detail, I shall, in some degree, fill a gap in the history of the subject, which has too long stood empty. My book differs from that of Mr. Podmore in that he showed, in that work, how certain phenomena might have been produced, on certain historical occasions; while I have confined myself, almost entirely, to showing how these phenomena actually are done on a great number of

6 The Physical Phenomena of SpirituaHsm

occasions — from which the reader may, if he choose, draw his own conclusions about the possibility of the liistoric phe- nomena having been done in the manner described, or in some very similar manner. I have undertaken to criticize, in some detail, one or two of the most famous historical cases (pp. 19- 47), but have confined myself entirely to the description of the fraudulent methods employed, a task for which I am, per- haps, because of long training in these lines, entitled to dis- cuss most fully. In the present volume, therefore, the prime object has been, throughout, to give a clear and a detailed description of the methods employed by f raudulent mediums ; and it is hoped that this part of the work will be of assistance to the investigator by placing him on his guard against the various methods by which the medium usually tricks his unwary sitters.

Turning, now, for the moment, to the historical side of this question, we find that there is scarcely a medium pro- ducing physical phenomena who has not, at one time or an- other, been exposed in the grossest kind of fraud, and that the whole history of the subject — so far as the physical phenomena are concerned — is bespattered with evidences of fraud, and the worst " moral mud " and intellectual mire im- aginable! It presents an almost unbroken chain of evidence, showing that fraud and nothing but fraud has been prac- tised throughout, by mediums; and presenting scarcely any evidence whatever that they are ever genuine, or did really happen, as stated. Mr. Podmore's book, so often quoted, may be referred to, in proof of these assertions. We find that, in practically all cases that have been recorded, fraud has afterward been proved to exist; or the nature of the evidence is such as to strongly suggest that fraud was em- ployed, — only undetected. Let us glance, very briefly, at a few of the historical cases, by way of illustrating the statements here made.

To go back to the historic cases of " clairvoyance," it is certain that the evidence is, in almost all of these cases, most defective, and that the experiments were conducted under con- ditions which the average psychical researcher of to-day would

The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism 7

deem anything but " good conditions " — the natural igno- rance of the laws of conscious and unconscious suggestion frequently discrediting the cases — as affording any evidence for the supernormal. " Burdin, a member of the Academy (of Medicine) offered a prize of three thousand francs to any one who could read without the use of the eyes. The offer was open for two years and subsequently the time was extended. Considering the large number who had claimed this power, few offered themselves for examination; and these either clearly failed to meet the test (being detected in the manipulation of the bandage, and the hke), or those who had the somnambulists in charge refused to conform to the conditions required by the examiners; and so the prize was never awarded." ^

Doctor Hodgson, a man who has done more than any other in the detection and exposure of fraudulent mediums, conclusively proved that it is almost an impossibility to blindfold a shrewd person so that he cannot see a little from under the bandage.^ As this very limited amount of vision was all that was required, in the vast majority of cases, it is certain that the evidence for these cases is slight indeed, the testimony of the Seybert Commission going far to prove the statements here made.^

Those mediums who undertook to read sealed letters, etc., have all been detected in fraud at one time or another; while the great number of methods that could be employed, in order to deceive the sitter, would render it next to impossible for him to detect the method employed, — unless well in- formed of the possibilities of fraud in this particular field. The medium who gained the greatest reputation in this line was Charles H. Foster, a full account of whose life and doings will be found in a book entitled The Salem Seer, by George C. Bartlett. Though the author of this book is evi- dently a firm believer in the powers of Mr. Foster, it may be said that the cases he narrates are very easy to explain

* Fcu;t and Fahle in Psychology, p. 205. 'Journal S. P. R., Vol. I., pp. 84-6. » Report, pp. 128-47,

8 The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism

as the result of trickery with one or two exceptions. The accounts of seances held with Foster, printed in Owens Debatable Land, pp. 386-390, 443-7, are again anything but convincing, and clearly show that, although Mr. Owen was doubtless a clever man and a fine collector of evidence for the supernormal, he was anything but a good ob- server.

That Foster was an impostor there can be no doubt. A careful perusal of many of the reports of seances strongly suggests this, in the first place; and when we read the accounts of the seances held with him by John W. Truesdell there can remain no doubt in the average person's mind that Foster was nothing more than a clever trickster. Mr. Trues- dell was, in fact, enabled to see the actual method that Foster employed, in reading his sitter's ballot, under his very nose, and thus interestingly describes the process in his Spiritual- ism, Bottom Facts, pp. 137-8:

" I had noticed at each interview that Mr. Foster, who is an inveterate smoker, had a great deal of trouble to keep his cigar alight. Half a dozen times, during each sitting, he would strike a match, and, holding it in a peculiar manner, as if he was in the open air, where a strong wind was blow- ing, would take a whiff or two, and then allow the cigar to go out again. After carefully comparing notes with several reliable persons, who had held seances with the same medium, I came to the conclusion, deducted from their experience as well as my own, that Mr. Foster invariably changed the bal- lots, and that, while the duplicate blanks lay upon the table before his victims, and he was engaged in the troublesome task of relighting his cigar, he was, at the same time, read- ing, by the aid of the very match so carelessly employed, an open ballot held in the palm of his right hand ! "

Mr. Truesdell then goes on to describe how, suspecting the manner that Foster accomplished this test, he, at the next sitting, suddenly seized the five ballots lying on the table before him, and found every one of them to be a blank — though they were, of course, supposed to be the ones con- taining the questions his sitter had written on the pellets.

The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism 9

That the ballots had been substituted was, therefore, clear. Apparently, Foster then broke down and confessed the whole trick,^ as Slade did at a later date (p. 23).

I have referred thus at length to the case of Foster be- cause I do not remember having read an expose of this me- dium's operations, outside of Truesdell's book — which is now out of print and scarce. Moreover, the " ballot test " is one very frequently employed by mediums to-day, and it is as well to point out the fact that the medium who gained the reputation of being the greatest medium in the world, in this particular line, was a fraud! Various other methods of reading ballots, sealed letters, etc., will be found on pp. 276-90.

There can be no doubt, then, that the history of spiritual- ism is saturated with fraud, and that the vast majority of the phenomena obtained through mediums are fraudulent in character. A very fine resume of the credulity on the one hand, and knavish trickery on the other (so common a few years ago), will be found in Mr. F. W. H. Myers's paper on "Resolute Credulity," in Proceedings S. P. R., Vol. XI., pp. 213-34. There is also a very interesting article on " Spurious Mediumship " in Journal S. P. R., Vol. III., pp. 199-207. The net result of the investigations conducted by the Society for Psychical Research was to produce the con- viction that no results obtained through professional mediums were to be trusted, so long as the conditions rendered fraud possible; and, further, that practically all professional mediums are frauds ! " There does not exist, and there never has existed, a professional medium of any note who has not been convicted of trickery or fraud," says J. N. Maskelyne.^ And, in case Mr. Maskelyne may be considered a preju- diced witness in such matters, it may be stated that the Amer- ican S. P. R. was unable to find any medium who could pro- duce satisfactory phenomena under test conditions, and stated that " it is, in their opinion, inadvisable to undertake further investigation in regard to professional paid materializing mediums, inasmuch as all the materializing seances yet at- ' Bottom Facts, pp. 140-1. * The Supernatural? p. 183.

10 The Physical Phenomena of SpiritiiaHsm

tended by them Imve been held under conditions which ren- dered any scientific investigation impossible." ^ A very fine letter on "Professional Mediumship " — which is of much interest f rom the psychological point of view — will be found in the Journal S. P. R., Vol. III., pp. 120-8. But the most convincing testimony, in this direction, is that supplied by the author of The Revelations of a Spirit Medium, — who, after all the actual contact he must have had w ith mediums, as one of them, can write: "Of all the mediums he (the author) has met, in eighteen years, and that means a great many, in all phases, he has never met one that was not sailing the very same description of craft as himself. Every one; no exception" (p. 95). And on p. 322 occurs the following sentence:

"... His own career and the fact that he has met no other professional medium, male or female, in his long expe- rience and extensive travels, who were not ' crooked,' leads him to the conclusion that, from the professional, you are to expect nothing genuine."

Whether these statements are accepted as true or not, cer- tain it is that the history of the physical phenomena of spir- itualism bears them out to a remarkable degree. Especially is this obvious whenever the mediums came into contact with members of the S. P. R. ; when more exact conditions and careful " tests " were insisted upon. It may almost be said that the S. P. R. has never succeeded in obtaining evidence for a single genuine physical phenomenon in its whole career, while the number of fraudulent mediums it has unearthed is amazing! They have been no more successful in their day than the Seybert Commission was in its — and it is certainly a suspicious fact that, so soon as strict and reliable " tests " are insisted upon, and no opportunity given the medium to produce the phenomena by fraudulent means, the phe- nomena altogether cease! The inadequacy of the tests upon which the average spiritualist was wont to rely has now clearly been proved ; and, if no phenomena are ever forth- coming, under conditions that would preclude the possibility * Amer. Proceedings S. P. R., p. 230.

The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism 11

of fraud, the physical phenomena of spiritualism must always rest under the cloud of the blackest suspicion.

The newer evidence, indeed, is precisely on a par with the old, the same uncertainty being present. Let us take, for example, the case of Eusapia Paladino.

I cannot now stop to consider at length the history of the Paladino case — interesting as that case is, in more than one respect: a very brief resume must here suffice. (For a detailed account of this medium's career, v. Podmore's Mod- ern Spiritualism, Vol. II., pp. 198-203, etc.) This medium, Eusapia Paladino, has been investigated almost entirely by European savants, — no Americans nor Englishmen having had an opportunity to observe the phenomena occurring in her presence, except in the " Cambridge Sittings," to be mentioned presently. Outside of the S. P. R. investigations, this medium's career has been one of almost uninterrupted triumph. She succeeded in convincing the Continental sa- vants who investigated her powers, that genuine phenomena were produced in her presence, and I think I am right in asserting that the majority of them still continue to think so — despite the supposed exposure at Cambridge. The majority of the reports are to be found in the Annales des Sciences Psychiques; a review of M. Richet's " Notes," " Experiences de Milan," and the " Milan Commission " will be found in Proceedings S. P. R., Vol. IX., pp. 218- 25. The phencMnena occurring in this medium's presence were most striking — mostly telekinetic phenomena of a re- markable type, apparently — and baffled all those who wit- nessed them; nor could they, in any way, account for them by fraud. So important did the S. P. R. and the Continental scientists consider this case, indeed, that M. Richet invited Professor Oliver J. Lodge, Mr. Myers, and Professor J. Ochorowicz (the author of a very remarkable work on Mental Suggestion, among others) to visit him at his own house, on the He Roubaud, a small island in the INIediter- ranean. On this lonely island, a new scries of experiments was conducted, the net result of which was to convince all those present of the reality of the phenomena. A full Report

12 The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism

of these sittings was afterward printed in the Journal S. P. R., Vol. VI., pp. 306-60 ; and very extraordinary they appear. Doctor Hodgson, however, " returned to the charge," and, in a very remarkable paper, pubHshed in the Jcmrnal, Vol. VII., pp. 36-55, he pointed out what he con- sidered many defects in, the evidence, and asserted that the whole of the phenomena were probably due to fraud and fraud alone. His criticism of the Reports is detailed and, as stated, very remarkable. It brought forth replies from the four in- vestigators whose Reports were criticized' — Messrs. Myers, Lodge, Richet, and Ochorowicz all replying in detail to Doctor Hodgson's criticisms (pp. 55-79). The replies did not convince Doctor Hodgson, however, who still contended that fraud was practised, and that the Reports pubhshed were not convincing. A discussion ensued, the outcome of which was that Doctor Hodgson went to England, and there took part in the famous " Cambridge Sittings." In these. Doctor Hodgson succeeded in discovering the manner in which the medium was in the habit of releasing one of her hands; and showed that — so far as that series of sittings went, at any rate — fraud and trickery were practised, and was thus enabled to account for all the phenomena then wit- nessed. " Mr. and Mrs. Myers, Miss Johnson, Mrs. Sidg- wick, and myself (Professor Sidgwick), as well as Doctor Hodgson, unanimously adopted the conclusion that nothing but trickery had been at work in the Cambridge series of experiments." ^

The S. P. R. consequently decided to " drop " Eusapia, and to have nothing more to do with her. She had been detected in trickery, and, according to the standards of the Society, that was enough to condemn her from future pub- licity, so far as they were concerned. In one sense, this is a very wise course to pursue, since the eyes of the scientific world are centred on the S. P. R., and it is impossible for them to make any exception to their high standards of evi- dence, without damaging their reputation, as a scientific society. On the other hand, this course was a very unfor- » Journal, Vol. VII., p. 159.

The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism 13

tunate one, since the Continental investigators, convinced that the medium did not always practise fraud of the kind dis- covered by Doctor Hodgson, continued their researches, and (apparently) showed that phenomena were produced when trickery was not possible — at least trickery of the sort Doctor Hodgson detected. So strong was this new evidence, indeed, that Mr. Myers and Professor Lodge retracted their former beliefs, and became more than ever convinced that supernormal phenomena did occasionally happen in Eusa- pia's presence, while perfectly willing to admit that fraud had been practised at Cambridge, and would account for all the phenomena there witnessed.^ The Continental observers were also convinced anew that supernonnal phenomena oc- curred in Eusapia's presence.

A lengthy criticism of the Hodgson (Cambridge) sittings is to be found in Doctor Maxwell's Metapsychical Phenomena, in which he states that Doctor Hodgson discovered nothing that was not already known to the Continental savants; but that his " explanation " had been found by them inadequate to cover all the facts. He criticizes the position of the S. P. R. with some bitterness, and ends by asserting that, " My testimony contradicts formally and explicitly the conclusions of the Cambridge investigators. Eusapia does not always defraud; with us, she rarely defrauded" (p. 417). When this book was reviewed for the Proceedings, Miss Johnson added am editorial " Note," replying to some of Doctor Max- well's criticisms, and pointed out that it was only after the me- dium has refused to submit to any of the conditions proposed, that they adopted the course they did (of allowing her " free play," so to speak, and catching her in the act of producing the phenomena fraudulently, — ^ rather than controlling her so that their production was impossible), and this course was pursued because of the fraud they felt was being prac- tised.^

And thus the matter stands — one-half of the world con- vinced that Eusapia is a fraud, and the other half convinced that the phenomena witnessed in her presence are genuine ! » Journal, Vol. IX., p. 35. » Proceedings, Vol. XVIII., p. 501.

14 The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism

What the ultimate verdict will be it is hard to foresee, but it is certain that the case, as it stands, is not convincing to the scientific world, and fresh evidence must be forthcoming if the case is ever to be decided in her favor. If Eusapia possesses genuine mediumistic gifts, it ought only to be a matter of time and sufficiently careful experimenting in order to establish that fact.

It is unnecessary for me to consider the evidence for the supernormal in the case of William Stainton Moses, — for the reason that this survey work has already been done with admirable care and discretion by Mr. Myers and Mr. Pod- more, the one arguing for the genuineness of the phenom- ena, the other against their reality — or at least against any interpretation of them which would render it necessary to suppose any supernormal powers at work.^

Briefly, the case is this: A minister, a teacher in one of London's largest public schools, a gentleman of refinement in every way, suddenly finds himself gifted with remarkable qualities which he discovers are mediumistic in character, — though he has never taken any interest in the subject hereto- fore — except, indeed, to be rather annoyed and bored by it ! The phenomena occurring in his presence were, inter alia, telekinesis, " apports," levitation, musical sounds, lights, — in fact, practically the whole range of mediumistic phenom- ena. If these phenomena were genuine, his is undoubtedly the most remarkable case on record. Unfortunately, it can now never be settled whether they were genuine or not, for the reason that Mr. Moses shrank from all publicity in the matter, allowing none to attend his seances but a few per- sonal friends, and refusing to submit to any " test con- ditions," such as were imposed on public mediums. Certainly Mr. Moses did not produce the phenomena in the usual

'See Proceedings S. P. R., Vol. IX., pp. 245-354, and Vol. XI., pp. 24-114; Studies in Psychical Research, pp. 116-33; Podmore's Modern Spiritualism, Vol. II., pp, 280-8; Journal S. P. R., passim; Spirit Teach- ings; Spirit Identity; Lilley's Modern Mystics and Modern Magic- Human Personality, Vol. II., pp. 223-37, 540-1, 546-9, 551-4, 583-7, etc. The case will be found discussed at great length in the above mentioned works.

The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism 15

fraudulent manner — his social position, both public and private, forbids our considering such a thing for a moment. His object was certainl}^ not notoriety, for the full accounts of his seances were never published during his hfetime, but were edited and published by Mr. Myers after his death. If he had sought notoriety, he certainly would have publicly proclaimed his mediumship, and published an account of his seances during his life; and that is the only conceivable rea- son for producing the phenomena by fraud — if they were so produced. Mr. Moses' private character had always been irreproachable and he was beloved by all who knew him. There is, of course, the possibility that the sitters, and the medium, too, were hallucinated at some of these seances ; but then again the nature of the evidence prevents us from ac- cepting this as the true explanation of phenomena that oc- curred. The case is a most baffling one, and deserves the reader's careful perusal. As Andrew Lang said, the choice of beliefs is between " the moral and the physical miracle," and, like him, " I can accept neither " — I am content to have no explanation at all. I cannot conceive that the phe- nomena were fraudulently produced by Mr. Moses; and, on the other hand, I cannot conceive that the phenomena were genuine! The value of the evidence in the case must be estimated by each individual for himself ; it proves nothing to those who do not know Mr. Moses, or the phenomena, for the simple reason that no " test conditions " were ever allowed to be imposed upon the medium. There the matter stands.

I wish to add a few words to clear away, if possible, the great misunderstandings that exist in the pubhc mind as to the relations of the S. P. R. and the Theosophical Society. It must be understood that, although the present relations of the two societies are anything but pleasant and friendly, they were not always so by any means — quite the con- trary. Colonel Olcott clearly shows in his Old Diary Leaves that Mme. Blavatsky was at one time a sincere spiritualist (or at least sincerely interested in the subject), and was in

16 The Physical Phenomena of Spirituahsm

close touch with the S. P. R. during its early progress. Mr. Sinnett, Doctor Hartmann, and others were, in fact, mem- bers of the Society, and in hearty sympathy with its general aims and methods. The first Report issued by the Society was, if anything, most favorable in its tone, — rather assum- ing the genuineness of the phenomena recorded — pointing out the close relation and correspondence of these phenomena with apparitions and other kindred phenomena which the Society was investigating; and, while the Report was en- tirely unbiassed one way or the other, it inclined to the atti- tude of belief rather than to that of skepticism. This Report was privately printed for circulation among members of the Society, however, and is now quite out of print and unobtain- able. The point I wish to make clear is that the initial atti- tude of the Society toward the recorded phenomena was that of scrupulous fairness and impartiality.

Their sincerity should be apparent from the very fact of their sending Doctor Hodgson to India to investigate the phenomena at first hand, for it is hardly likely that they would have done so if they had thought the phenomena any- thing but of the very greatest importance. Doctor Hodg- son spent three months in India, investigating these reported phenomena with the greatest care, at first hand, and it was his entirely unfavorable and smashing Report that made the S. P. R. change its attitude toward the phenomena, and pro- claim its belief that they were nothing but cleverly devised tricks, the supposed phenomena being produced by trickery from start to finish. The detailed Report may be read in full in Proceedings S. P. R., Vol. HI., pp. 201-400. I would refer my readers to that Report for all particulars. Natu- rally, this caused a great stir in the ranks of the Theoso- phists. Mr. Sinnett resigned from the S. P. R., and wrote a pamphlet, The Occult World Phenomena and the Society for Psychical Research, in which he attacked the Report fiercely, and was backed up by Mrs. Annie Besant, and other Theoso- phists of less note. This called forth a reply from Doctor Hodgson, in which he reviewed these criticisms, and, to the mind of most persons (not Theosophists), literally tore them

The Physical Phenomena of Spiritualism 17

to pieces. His paper, " The Defence of the Theosophists,'* will be found in Proceedings S. P. R., Vol. IX., pp. 129-59. This article was never answered satisfactorily by any Theoso- phist, and there the S. P. R. let the matter drop, feeling that any further evidence of fraud was unnecessary, and re- fused to occupy itself any longer with phenomena that had long ago been shown to be fraudulent.

I say the Society let the matter rest there. Other individ- uals, however, continued to publish damning evidence, which completed the