The New York herald., 1869-05-04
TIE SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPH CASE.

Biographical Statenent of Mr.. Mumer-Sum.
ming Up Of COunseI-Dismissal of the Com-
pIaint-COngratulatOry Shakes s0f the Hand
of Mumler-The Closing Act Of the Drama.
The closing act in this public drama was per-
formed this morning at the Tombs before Judge
Bowling ,ln the summing up OF counsel. AS IN the
previous acts Of the drama-f o farce can be dl2n
fed into drama-there was the usual large attend
ance Of spiritualists, or nondescrpt visages and
other curious lockers Interested in the proceed.
ings. Judge, counsel, the prisoner and spectators
were at ten A. NJ promptly in attendance.
Before the opposing counsel entered upon their
oratorical harangues Mr.. Mumler the prisoner, was
asked what he had to say. Rising to his feet he
produced manuscript, and proceeded to read it,
which, however, was more biographical than eX-
culpatory He stated that in 1861 he employed in
business IN Boston One day while in the Photographic
picture, and, to his astonshment, the background
Of the picture there appeared shadowy form. lie
took up photographng and very soon de-
yeloped strange power In producing spirit
MED positively ever having written any
letters to Mr.. 7. +. Barnum alleged by the latter
gentleman and which letters were said to have been
destroyed In the burning OF the Museum. In regard
10 Mr.. Tooker, the Mayors Marshal he remembered
the spirit form on the picture and certainly more
vIllanous looking spirit form he had never seen,
which was 10 be accounted for no DOUBT from being
the spirit OF the person nearest IN sympathy with
Mr.. Tooker. lie explained his refusal TO take pic
lures IN the presence OF committee OF photograph
as acting in compliance with the advice OF his
counsel, who cautioned HIM against being led into
Mr. Mumler having concluded the reading Of his
manuscript Mr. Townsend, his counsel, proceeded
to sum up. He began with reading the section from
the statute which the accused was Charged with
yef sprt .s as promised Il was ony
breach Of contract Next In order he proceeded to
review the testimony Of the witnesses for the prose-
was conclusive, as proving that Mr.. Mumler pro-
dnced on photographs the forms OF spirits.
Respectable witnesses, whose testimony had been
unimpeached declared most positively to spirit
forms on their photographs being the kenesses OF
stated that one OF these spirit forms was on each
likeness OF her son, who had passed away. and so
rice rersa son had testified to one OF the spirit
forms being likeness OF his mother. In neither OF
these were there likenesses In existence taken
wnile they were In tins life. Proceeding on with
Jackson Davis commissioned Mr. Gurney TO test Mr.
Numbers process Of taking spirit pictures ana that
Having finished his review OF the evidence op both
sides Mr.. Townsend quoted largely from the Scrip
Of their being visible He laid particular stress on
the case Of Balaam and the ass when the ass
st failed s to see he nteS that Waen a"
can see spirits men OF larger intelligence though
less engn Ui ear a uss oe a1,e 70 see Them ana
BILE or otherwise, can be doguerreotyped. In con-
clusion he urged that Mumer had committed no Of
that he was only endowed with unusual and mar.
vellous gift that his business legitimate; that
the present complaint should be dismissed and he
be allowed TO continue his business
Mr.. Gerry, In opening for the prosecution, after an
appropriate exordium general terms entered upon
a review OF tue testimony for the defence. Mr..
Drought he considered as partner In the swim
de end thus dismissed him. EN'Judge hdmonds
other men OF the past and present time labor
ing under mental hallucinations. His testi-
thing AS TO Mr. Gilmore, alias Edmand
KIRK, he compared him to snodgrass who, 'iu Pick
wIcSn took OF his coat!and told crowd that he was
going whip some one, and was at once arrested.
lhis witness told Mumer he had come there to de-
ect his hunbug, and thus put the latter on his guard.
Regarding Mir. Guruey, the latter thought there was
nigger In the fence, but was unable TO detect the
o cIsena ovser M easrts W and NOTHING more ~ Mr.
Fremont, the Texan railroad contractor, he
thought might be sharp IN railroad matters, but not
az ali sharp In detecting splritualistlc hunbugs. MIR
silver who sold out TO Muniier mad tried TO detect
the humbug., but was unable to 90 SO. THIS
OF Numbers spirit phoograpning. Mr.. Slice
he declared as an expert in ignorance,
tell what prism IS and Is In no danger by the
extent OF his scientific attaninents OF setting the
Mr. Lverinorc, he insisted that oil this renieman'i
testimony amounted TO was simply OBTAINING spirit
picture with mysterious head with floral wreath
about and no spiritual smell apparent. lie took
up Mumlers yellow pamphle. which he considered
the sublimty OF audacious tuning with the most
sacred feelings. Finishing up the pamphlet, he
dweit ut length upon the subject OF spiritual
ism. Its 1oundaton. he urged was denial OF the
vi biolc, anuln support Oi tnlS
meut cited passages from the works of Andrew Jack
sou Davis. on the contrary, he showed the authcn-
ticity OF the Bible, and particularly the books
oI the Gospels In the New Testament, by quo
| ting Creeneaf on evidence. The spiritual
''Summer Land" he characterized as q combination
! OF imaginative trees and brooks and sunlight and
shade-a grand place for q picnic After showing
that Byron, Cooper, Goethe ana Others illustfous IN
the world OF letters, were subject TO hallucnations.
he dwelt at length upon the nine methods, as shown
by Photographic experts, by which the same Kind OF
| pictures taken by Mumler could be taken by any
photographer. Indulgmg next IN dramatic lnterluie
| In which the prisoner and the witnesses were the
| drdindtts persona, he urged that Mumler was guilty
of false pretpucpss TINT hia taxing tho amounts