New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-04-27
SPIRITUALISM IN COURT.
CONTINUATION OF THE MUMLER EXAMINATION
HOW Esprit PHOTOGRAPHS" MAY BE
MADE WITHOUT THE AID OF SPIRITS.

Yesterday morning at 10 o'clock Justice Dow
ling again the Tombs Court pursuant to adjourn
Saturday last to hear testimony in support OF
the charge OF swinding brought against VIM H. Mumler
the alleged spirit photographer That the result OF TINS
investigation anticipated with great eagerness by the
public clearly evinced by the large audiences whch
during the examination Of the have been In atehu
Tho attendance, previous OCCASIONS was ho'
only remarkable account Of numbers, put because
OF the presence OF a much larger proportion OF IN
tegent people than usually seen IN ponce COURT
Mr., Geary and Assistant Distrct-Attorney Huns ap-
peared for the prosecution and Messrs Townsend ana
Day and Baker for the Defense -, &C.,. "a y.
had S see instructed that the defense desired to call an
additional witness to which course a favor that he
mbt be allowed to put few questions TO the witnesses
through adays this prosecution haa OSeI tbis
course and the objection was sustained 80.
Charles w. Hull testified reside IN KY naiS nr
tention the art Of practical pnotogrpny IA be;cs,
years have studied the snpeSI % and have been
have written articles upon the seleheT INV aco1snt
acquainted with scientific photographers my am
connected with the American Institute anu nave oeTn
called upon by the request OF TINS tSase arfces
speak been written IN three different
have seen the photographs in evidence ,, -, h,
MT Geary here handed the witness number OF phOto
graphs i'm Imitation Of produced by the defendant
Which J these figures might be taken mechanically
Mr.. Townsend interposed an objection on Inc GROUND
not taken by means and held that the only true
expert was he who could take IN the same way. Inc
Justice The prosecution aege that II is deception ana
the witness called for the purpose OF proving that is II
he can Mr. Geary in continuation: Now state how many
processes there are Of producing these pctures They
could be made by placing within plate shield positive
on glass the image Of which would be thrown upon the
senstvzed plate and exposed in the shield at the same
time that the image OF the party sitting would DC I'M
pressed; the positive picture is first placed III the camera
and is produced from negative picture previously
taken.
wSnd resemble the positvei A. II would be the exact
resemblance Of the positive. but, perhaps Az a
the opposite color to the negative picture il the
light strikes upon the sitter and passes through the plate
upon which the positive Is impressed vague ndstlnet
negative would be produced on the sensitive plate OF
these pictures taem M s e aS for
usual time, and the sensitive plate removed IN the
commenced in the room. the two pictures would not
appear the time; any OF these 10 selections
produced in this manner and these Cneaning
another lob think ShS' ioT the atepse
might be taken in that way and the remaining ohes ny
another process In the insertion OF TINS p0SEe pete
for the picture the operator could adjust ITS positions so
as TO cast negative picture where he pleased on the
sensitive plate when plate sensitvized and placed
in the camera with an expression placed upon u by
the sensitive plate inversed in Of ordinary human
beings the pictures have effect on the retna OF the
two images the objects are made proper;
in exhibit No Tor the 3e n se b Gt .n9
hbit No IA for the defense, the position OF this socaed
spirit picture must have been on the plate in front OF the
negative because the white drapery not obscured,
nor H there ANYTHING intervening the figure
OF the sitter in exhibit No. for the defense object
1 should say done as l say, but the other
by second printing; another process than this positive
an instant, and withdrawn after remaining there few
seconds the figures being out OF focus would be neees
sary obscure and dim some Of these pictures might be
produced by that process there Is microscopic process
through one Of the scTew6eies behind the positive lens
about tho right length TO impress an image on the pate
and lens of that size might I've constructed inside
camera; picture produced would be indistinct "
the large glass at the time; such picture
as exhibit No could hardly be produced in that way
In exhibit No the lefhand figures could not be pro-
dueed exhibits Nos 10 and IA for the defense could be so
amer Between e o egsv and
the gasght daylight reflected after figure had been
taken and exposed the usual time few seconds
short the slide covered the sensitive plate the pro
cess could be applied with effect, simply by opening
through the positive on the sensitive plates another
method would be by having double bath the
fronts OF which would DC open 10 inc Ight
and the placing OF the sensitive plate behind
saSe of light 70 Impress il as it remains there
such bath could be prepared, should say, without
called ghosts Second printing is another process ali these
exhibits for the defense can be made IN TINS way plate
sion of the sitter can be carried to dsanee these arc
H8oTn 70 & s "a dpped into solutions the most
OF which is solution or tannln allowed 10 re-
main few minutes, then set up on end IN closet
kept Tor indefinite period; have kept them for three
know a sHu sensitive as ever after plate has
ensitivzed and preserved an imperfect form can
be taken IT, which would be retained by the plate
although invisible the eye, and this with the form Of
the o @Gg 70 Sb5 on SP forces between It and I
light image may be Impressed upon III; on exposure
and II taken in this way the result would be the Same
these pictures; idenucally all these pictures could
plates Is not generally known 10 the phctographers
have these plates for taking landscapes for ye or
ness stated that this happened while tnking land
scaPe at Nestehester S0any ne ITt nia bS law
second printing; have seen the defendant; - g., |
yor presence that he would take of these socaed
spirit photographs in gallery other than MS ownI A.
Sir Quay, Mr.. Numbers partner made such an GIeE;
Mr.. Gcary addressing the judge said he could show,
behalf Of the people that an 0er %as nade by G1hS
photographs; that the offer was accepted ana aerward
refused and declined by M9mier boer mn, Mr. Town.
send made objection, which was sustained ~ HIS
comic and at the request OF Mr. Gsary showed the
process of taxing photographs from theLD; Ing 9lu
screws fastening the brass TO the wood work OF the
camera In answer to further questions the witness
sojd: {" know Mr. Mason and have been present when
he nade the sOcalled spirit photographs lac never mace
them without my knowing the process 900
cd in All ia branches as an amateur
have taken spirit pictures have none In my possession
knew Friday afternoon that should DC wanted Ss
witness today have since made an enort 70 make sp
pictures; those made in Court; the first process
speak Of Is by placing within the pislo snoiu poSo
on glass aud then iehlnd the pictures which would DC
made i'm a reflection cast from the furthest glass upon
the nearer one, the figure would be IN front
or behind the sitter according TO the color II
transparent might be placed in front OF on the SIDE
OF hiu; developing is done by different solutions;
the appearance Of the figure depends upon the color OF
the draperes WITNESS pictures were here pIodueedj
pictures could be produced In the presence OF an
expert photography intent upon discovering fraud IN
the way any feat Of uggery by seight OF manu-
II expert accompanied me 20 the room, and had the
Of examining the glass and believed 1t 70 be per
fecty clear and IN holds the corner OF the
glass and his particular attention is called by what he
has heard before 10 the fact that 1t might be produced
from negative: In his presence the coOdon Is poured
on tho plate immersed In the silver bath, examination
having been made that of light penetrated