Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-07-10

double exposure is 10 be found in the
pattern OF the carpet--and, above all, in
the line of junction between the back
ground and the hoor-being repeated
and seen through, or rather upon, the
legs or dresses of the material sitters
One face which has appeared in several
OF these photographs; and which we
thought to be common lay mask, is
said to have been recognized respective
| ly as the mother, the grandmother
| (spiritualized) the sister, and the daugh
ter of the persons with whom and for
whom it was taken. 1t is now quite well
known that legal advice has been OBJ
tanned relative to the prosecution OF Mr.
Hudson for imposition, but in the pre-.
sent state of the law the difficulties in
the way of accomplishing this are too
great to be successfully encountered.
Some writers in journals devoted to
spiritualism talk much about test con-
ditions being applied to the taking OF
spirit photographs. What stricter test, "
we ask, can they suggest than that just
described? 1t is arrant nonsense to as
sumo the genuineness of such produc-
tions because the operator allows a per-
son who may or may not be quito igno.
rant of photography to look on while he
is preparing or developing the plate.
Let the following illustration suffice to
explode tests of the kind limited at
Mr.. A. l.. Henderson advertises in the
Medium that he takes spirit photo
graphs" through his own mediumship,
and without fail, at guinea a dozen.
Now, we know, and quite approve OF, his
motive in doing SO. He practices no
deception whatever, for he merely as.
serts that they are quite as genuine as
those taken elsewhere, but never allows
it to be understood that he guarantees
that the figures which may appear on
the plate are representations of - de-
parted friends" Well, we sat TO him
for portrait few days ago in which
it was understood spirit was to ap-
pear, and we beg special attention to
the following: We saw, in the dark
room, new plate picked out from those
cleaned and set aside for use in the or
dinary practice of business in which
over three score and ten negatives had
been taken the previous day whit
Monday. We initialled the eollodion
film before the plate went into the bath,
watched it all the time it was being SEN
sitised, saw it transferred to the dark
slide, taken into the glass room and
transferred to the camera, the
slide not having been lost sight of
for a moment. After exposure, we re-
moved it from the camera and developed
it, and figure appeared on it in addi-
ton to that of the sitter. Now, how was
this done? or at what stage was the
etherialized being imprinted on the
plate2 We know, but respect the conf
dence in which the information was i'm
parted. The method, however, is differ
ent to that to which we have previously
referred; but it is sufficiently effective to
prevent any person from readily diseov-
ering it. Let it be clearly understood
thet in these remarks we have altogether
avoided the subject of the possibility of
obtaining real spirit photographs. OF
our own knowledge we can say nothing
respecting them. and our experiments
have necessarily ceased for time. But
we nave Wrtpten 70 lltIlc purpoSo III we
have failed to convey our entire belief
in the existence of numerous manufac
tured photographs of this kind which
have been sold as real spirit photo
graphs; and spiritualists themselves are
interested in ,the suppression of such a
branch of manufacture. Already, it is
said, some of them are taking proper
steps to insure this. We have gone into
this matter at greater length than we
had intended; but it is not Improbable that
we shall soon again revert to the subject.