The New York herald., 1869-04-27

ASP coousou Ou second pl0Io Denluu Luc bnciO
In me camera or was added BY second printing.
Picture No. IA was then shown TO the witness. who
10 reply 10 question, said that he could determine
were produced by double printing. He considered
NO II better than No. a. the best OF the two speak
Ing photographcally, he said, not splri riIuaIy.
Q. Is there any other way to produce such pic
turesy A. Yes; by the dry plate process
howf A. retaining the first Impression for
can be exposed to service without allowing the
figures To interiap-I mean for service in pnoto-
graphy.
Q. Look at these pictures Showing Nos 8 and
14. A. / think they can be made exactly by the
same process. The witness then detailed the pro-
cess that the ngure In black Is nOn-acnc; the form
Is cut out Ike cutting out clouds to admit the figure
OF the sitter; the part family printed on paper Is
first printed and the part admitting The sitter Is
hid paper cut in form Is applied which gives the
outlines; In printing this paper Is moved little TO
prevent the outlines from being too sharp tns pro-
cess Is practicable; he'the wtness) did 1t IN this
way, and it Is done every day in making clouds on
pictures ii the second form Is already On the mega.
The negative OF picture marked No. was SHOWN,
and the witness In answer to questions,
SAID that one could paint with India ink
In the negative, but does not think the one before
him was so done, as 1t has no such appearance. Fur
ther details were encited, interesting among which
was that the best test to ascertain whether glass
plate is clean human breath, II 1t valisnes and
dies or quickly 1t Is assumed to be clean and yet
sometimes 1t Is not clean and former picture reap
pears; and the witness hal seen 1t reappear with as
strong shadows as in the negative shown mo ~.
Q. Can one figure be thrown on o sensitive plate
anu auOtucE W tuc TcdT OI uE "A. AS we cannot see
TINS picture stereoscopicay the relative distance Of
the two figures cannot be determined 1t was
probably done by second printing.
Another picture exhibit No. 22l. was here shown
the Witness
Q. Is that figure in front or behindt A. Ijudge in
'front.'. the figure partially Obscured but my de-
1nitlon seems not to have been understood; the
picture Is not stereOscOpic and hence can't deter
mine the relative distances or the figures nor OF the
background.
Q. Is there any process you know between the
time TIE plate is clean to the appearance on 1t Of the
ceiveds A. think It can be done BY adding
second plate in the shield; In my room, which Is
very dark, could humbug anybody unless he held
z. Even an expert closely watchings A. Yes, un-
less previous inspection was made OF the room
and all things and negatives cleared out
q. Have you ever done ltf A. did 30 before ana
told the parties that would do it. There were Mr..
Brennan, Warden Of the Bellevue Hospital, ana DR..
nurse with ghost baby;sMr. Brennan with Mr.. BrOn-
sons ghost and Mr.. Bronson with Mr. Brennan's
snSsIi nS io tod them beforehand thatl would DO 1t
Q. How did you do its A. did 1t by the double
plate process.
q. aOw did they watch your A. They examined
the plate after 1t was cleaned and before 1t was
coated and they saw the collOdIum placed on 1t. II
was at the Photographic room In the hospital, and
they were alongside. OF me. Mr.. Mason deceived
them also, and assisted In the preparauon did not
handle the plates with my own hands,
Q. Then you only assisted In the deception A.
Mr.. Gerry, who appears for the prosecution, hu-
mol0usly remarked to defendants COUNSEL "Yes,
he was the only Mrs. Mumler OF the establishment"
Q. Was there any other process than the one
described applied A. None other then; this was
done yesterday, at Mr. Mas0n's room the hospital;
the parties named were at Mr.. Mason's elbow, be.
tween him and myself, and were looking at the
shield; the room Is not very dark, as could and did
read newspaper part of the time; II Is about seven
by twelve feet: Is very much lighter than ordinary
photographers rooms used for developing; l did
from what Mr.. Mason was doing; they had been told
That ghost pictures would be produced but they did
not not know how they were watching close and one
q. Did you make any attempt to examine the
rooms OF the defendant (Mumler)S a. Yes; we
made an attempt, but he would not let us; went
there on Saturday last with five others; we wanted
TO have spirit picture made but not at his rooms
but elsewhere; we went for the purpose OF catching
him at the trick we offered $500 II he would 90 with
US to some other photographers room and pro-
duce spirit picture; we had the money with u.s.
q likeness OF thing you never sawa A. No.
z. Define the process by which such likenesses
may DC produceds A. cannot define an lmpossi-
bllty; itl what do not understand; something
cannot be made out OF nothing, and photograph
cannot be made OF things that do not exist.
z. Do you believe in nothing but what you can
bodily seer A. never saw the Pyramids but 1 be-
ueve they are because they something, and be-
eve the existence o: created things stops with their
q. DO you believe In anything else9 A. believe
In the Divine Being founding my belief on revealed
know as well as anything but do not see; cannot
cram the knowledge OF the world within my limited
capacity ana SlgnL.
Q. (Exhlbting two pictures to witness.) DO you
any distinction In the edgng or bordering OF the
O. what distinctIons A. In the case Of the picture
made by US the original negative was too good-has
90 sharp outlines.
q. Have you ever made any 20 good as that point
ng to q picture made by Mumerp A. II you call
hat good, have made none 30 good; have made
lone but where the outlines are sharp; none so ILL
Q. As q question OF fact can you throw o figure
ehind the sitter on the negatves A. Yes by insert
IN the same plane and will only appear as II 1t were
Redirect examination on behalf Of the prosecu.
ion resumed-One OF those little ivory and mi
roscopic watch charms shown to witness-Q. Is
MS one OF the microscopic lenses you spoke Of on
@ Look at picture No. 2l; could that ghost have
cen In front Of the camera while the picture was
akea on sensitive plate A. think not.
q Why notf A. 1t would have ooscured the
o. How large hole would IT require to admit
uticient ray OF light In dark rooms A. should
hink hole OF one-eighth oI an inch sufficient for
he purpose
q. Larger than the head OF pinP A. 1t would be
he heas Of pretty large pin.
@. When the plates have an impression the lights
nd shadows are reversedf A. Yes, sir.
Q. When the picture is 1rst developed on the plate
Is negativef A. Yes, sir.
q. Cannot this very indistinctness OF outline OF
'hich you spoke be regulated IN printing! q. Very
q. How well' A. That depends upon the dex-
Gritty Of the operator.
The witness was again subjected TO short cross
Examination by defendants counsel, but nothing |
ew or startling was elicited.
TESTIMONY OF CHARLES REIss.
Mr.. Charles Reiss. being sworn said that he was |
druggist, an assistant In the drug department OF
elleyue Hospital.
q. Have you seen a spirit photograph taken
ltelyf A. Yes, by Mr.. Mason, within q few days. |
q. What was the processS A. Tue same as that |
taking other Photographic pictures; the plate |
Tas washed dried, tested whether IL was clean,
urng which | looked at II; saw the collOdium |
laced on IL, dried lor few seconds, when IL was |
immersed In tue silver bath and then sat for the
lcture; this was yesterday and the day before; |
hen went into the dark room; saw the picture de-
eoped and two pictures appeared on the plate; |
new there was some trick about IL, but did not ds
over It,
ON cross-examinaton the witness testified that he |
al had q general acquaintance with Mr.. Mason; |
nat he had himself been learning the art OF photo
raphy since the fall Of 1887 had heard of the spirit
Photographs some four weeks ago. and spoke OF the |
natter as a humbug he had never known Of o |
photograph being taken OF deceased person or |
fhom no likeness ever existed; when his own pic |
ure was taken by Mr.. Mason two pictures appeared