The West Virginia journal. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1864-1877, 1869-03-10

accompanied by that Of a clergyman to
whom she. was once engaged, but who
has since died, and whom she bad A0t
seen for. twenty. years. Many othsr
equally wonderful things wore exhib.
itcd,. but the general facts In oil are the
Sainc., .,..,...., -....... .,,..g, ~
Z, &, now is TIE rulso Doxr7
.Of course, everybody Will AK this
question. and ,answer It according to
Ills own notions? .ScopticS will inSiit
that there is some trick, aud thnt tile
ghost pictures arc obtained by using
lay figures or old photograph negatives.
or by SOME other expcdient Of that
kiud:- -. ;. '''T = -.
The dilicultyin the way Of this.Ar
whom whom vo. {, 'I have G called, ss.S Bso1Ss,
Hv0if! - atSttal ThitsG tDrS1E'
celIent autliorityo Oh tho subject, Gays
that there Is 10 process known to the
trade b. which the thing could bS
done by any unfair means without It
being instantly found out A pre-.
pared plate must be used within 'dyo
minutes after It comes out Of the nj.
tratc nj silver bath, so that It Is lin.
possible that MI Image could be clearly :
impressed on 1t, and yet leavc It 20
that the living sitter could be taken %
clearly ~ he is. Besides, he went
through the process Of preparing the
plate himself, rs VIC have already men.
TONED, and yet another face than his
own came, without his seeing any per-
son near him. ...'
Another photographer Of tho nsme
Of Quay, whom our reporter met 1t
Mr.. Numbers room, stated that he hnd
spent three weeks In watching Mr.. =.
Mumler and going through the process
again and again with his own hands,
land had not succeeded in detecting
any iluposturc.
MR. MrXLgR's THEORY.
Mr. Mumlcr suys that he really be-
lleves the pictures nrc produced by de.
parted spirits who arO attached to the
sittcrs by affection or relationship or
affinity. BY some iuscrutHble means
they have the power. Of affecting the
chemicals uscd IN tho process. and i'm.
pressing on the sensitive film their I'm
age. .... -
GHOSTS VISIBLE TO THE NAKED EYE.
Mrs. Mumler, who is tho lady BY
whom Mr.. Mumlcr was led into tho
business, having since married him,
INSERTS that IN many instances she has
seen behind tho living sitter the idcnti.
cal spirits whose likcmcsser have after.
wards appeared in the photograph.
She says, when tho living person sits
ldown. there comes uear him, at 1rst.
what looks like q cloud, then II con.
dcnses into something like, a human
form; aud finally It comes out clcnr
and brighter than the sunlight to her.
in distinctly defined image. While
tho portraits arc being taken. she and
her husband both place their hands
upon tho camera to assist the spirits
by their persona! animal magnetism.
EFFECT or THE WEATHER on TIE Pro.
CESS. =, +
When the weather Is damp. tho Oh
tanning Of these spirit photographs IS
very difficult and sometimes iinpossi-
BILE. When, however, 3lr. and Mrs.
Mumlcr can get the assistance ofanoth.
or strong medium, u.s., for example,
Miss Fox, even the dampncss will not
interfere with Il; and the portraits Of
tho bankers wife, already described,
were got on just such day with Miss
Fox's help. Clear bright days, on the
contrary, arc favorable, but even on
these Mr.. Mumler cnn take only few
pictures. IN consequence Of his vital
forces becoming exhausted by the Of
fort required.
WHAT OUR REPORTER THINKS ABOUT IT
hc declines to say. Ifthcrc 10 any trick
used, he does not know what Il 10. Ho
gives rs the facts, and We give them to
our readers 10 think about a. they
pleusc. The whole thing is a marvel
any way, and deserves to be- inyestiga.
tod BY scientific mon. From tho dcs-
cription given US, Mr.. and Mrs. Num-
Ter arc perfectly frank, ingenious" per-
sons, with no appearance Of imposturc
about thcni. They court tho! most
rigorous investigation, aud will cx-
tend every facility for inquiry TO per-
aons coming properly accredited.