The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-05-03
From TIC N. Y, Sun.

The Split photograph case.
From TIC ". y. Sun.
For some two or three weeks past the
attention of that portion OF theapublic
which takes an interest, either friendly
or the reverse, in what is called Spiri-
tualism, has been directed to the pro-
ceedings before Justice Bowling, at the
Tom bs, lin the case ofthe called spirit
photographer M1mler. This gentleman
stands charged with the felony of OBJ
tanning money under false pretences.
He has been at work In this city since
December last, manufacturing, at $40
per dozen, photographs OF living sitters,
upon which at the same time, he has
produced forms which he says are til ose
Of departed spirits, but which It is al
lodged are images impressed by the Sc
cret use of other images previously pre-.
pared from old photographs or draw
ings. The question before the Court
has been whether there WAS enough in
the case 10 justify the. holding of the
accused to await the action of the Grand
Jury. Evidence has been taken at
great length on both sides, and we
may expect a decision soon after the
summing up, which Is appointed for
next Monday. Those who have read
the report of the proceedings, however,
will probably have already formed
their own conclusions, and will not
materially vary them in consequence
Of any Judicial determination.
On strictly legal grounds the defence
might have fallen back on the pre-
sumed innocence of every accused per-
son until his guilt is proved, and re-
uuired the prosecution to demonstrate,
aftirmatively and positively, that Mum
Ter has employed tricks or devices in
producing his photographs. But they
seem to have accepted the theory OF the
prosecution, thatthe bare fact of pro-
Tossing to obtain photographs of spirits
was presumptive evidence of fraud, and
to have assumed the burden OF reIuting
this presumption. They testimony they
introduced covered two main points.
l. They put witnesses on theistand,
some of whom are photographers by
watched Mumler while at work pro-
ducipS these spirit photographs, and
vet with the closest scrutiny could not
detect him in the use of any artitice.
9: They then introduced witnesses
who asserted positively that the spirit
pictures sold to them by Mumler were
veritable likenesses of deceased parents,
or children, or brothers, or sisters, or
acQuaintances, which they and L II their
friends could recognize.
There was also testimony given by
the Hon. John w. Edmonds to the eff
feet that he had seen spirits frequently
with the naked eye, and that, tn ere
Ing able to affect the sensitive film of a
photograph plate. But this piece OF
evidence was unsupported by that OF
any other witnesses, and deserves little
serious consideration.
x The prosecution. lin rebuttal of the
defendant's testimony, proved; .-.-.---
l. That there are innumerable meth
DDS known to photographers by which
effects Identical with those obtained by
Mr.. Mumler can be produced by me-
chanical articles, and that some of
these methods are capable ofbeing used
without detection by even expert pho
tographers.
3, That some of Mr.. Numbers, So
called spirit photographs, could not
have been impressed upon the sensitive
plate at the same time with the image
Of the living sitter, because the lights
and shadows of the one were opposed
to those of the other. H.. - Il \ ms.
8. That Mr.. Mumler has himself vir-
tually confessed to Mr.. Barnum that his
operationsare a humbug. - ID III
Besides these points, which were le-
gally proved, there are others not al
lowed by the Court,to be proved: but
which will have much moral weight
With,the public. sgFf~ ~ = ~
"a. Mr.. MumIer'spartner, Quay, after
offering to bet $500 with some curious
inuuirers that Mumler could produce
his spirit pictures in another gallery
than his own, backed out as soon as his
offer was accepted
S. Mr.. Quay also refused to permit an
investigation of Numbers pretensions
to be made by committee of Spiritu-
alists, except upon pecuniary condiA
tions with which the committee were
unableto COMPLY Err4. .,f~r.y~rg. I
These five points seem to 5usA quite
irreconcilable with the theory that spir-'
its actually show themselves by the
side of the sitters, as Mr.. Numbers
photographs make them appear to do.
There only remains the circumstance of
the likenesses of his ghosts to persons
actually DECEASED 3AbuG when IL is CON
sidened that.he has'been at8ork several
months, receiving at leastFa dozen Sit
ters a day, 1t is not remarkable that,
out of the whole number, he should
make three or four hits. Especially Is 1t
SO when the dimness and indistinctness
of;his ghost portraits are taken into &C.
count.
-on-ti1e- whole,- it must- be conceded
that the existence of the art of photo
graphing spirits is far from having been
established by anything which has APP
peared I'M the course ofNthese proceed
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