Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-11-20

EXrERnfENTS BEFORE THE PROFESSORS OF TIE
sCHEFTIELD SCIENTIFIC SCHOOLS.

INTERVIEWS BEFORE THE PROFESSORS OF TIE
SCHEFTELD SCIENTIFIC SCHOOLS.
On Monday afternoon, SAYS the New Ha-
ven paper, j F. Brown, the " mind-read
er, met, by appointment, number Of gen
tlemen in the philosophical lecture-room of
North Sheffield hall, for the purpose of ex-
hibiting the peculiar faculty possessed by him
Of receiving impressings from the minds of
Others, under certain conditions. There
were present during part OF all of the expe-
riments, Profs. Thacher, Wright, Wheeler,
Fisher, Brewer, Lyman, Marsh. Walker,
Whitney, johnson, Norton and Clark, ex-
President Woolsev, Tutors Phelps and
Thacher, Mr.. Thachor "a relative Of Prof.
Thacherl, and three or four ladies. Nine
experiments were tried, seven Of which were
entirely successful. and the other two nearly
SO, in one of them entire success being i'm
possible. Notes were given by Prof. Brewer
Of each experiment a the time. The details
are as follows
Experiment Prof. Brewer passed from
the lecture room, through the hall tout Of
which open FIVE doors and two stairways)
into another room, and from this into an
other, where he placed on a theodolite in a
corner a small article taken from his pocket.
He then went into the hall by another door,
then up stairs, then back through the two
rooms, then down stairs. and then returned
to the lecture room, where Mr.. Brown,
blindiolded. first took hold Of Mr.. Brewers
left hand in his own right, and then, after
briefly placing his other hand or Mr.. Brew
er's forehead, apparently to establish mental
connection, Suddenly started of leading him
at rapid pace, through the hall and the
two rooms mentioned. directly TO the article
on the theodolite, designating it as the OBJ
lecs sought. There was not the the slightest
hesitation as to which room TO enter Of the
many opening into the hall, nor as to the
part of the room where the object was
placed. and no one but Mr.. Brewer knew
what the article was. 1t was pocket tape
measure in a brass case, which, as it lay on
the object end of the telescope Of the the
odolite, appeared to be part of that instru-
ment
Experiment 2-Mr. Brown went with
Prof. LYMAN into another room, and while
he was absent President Woolsey concealed
n coin beneath a book in a pile Of books at
the end of a lecture table Then going to
the room where Mr.. Brown was, Mr.. Brown,
blindfolded, led him rapidly to the lecture
room, and, after trying one or two places,
went to the vicinity Of the books, bending
over them, passing repeatedly from one side
of the table to the other, then going else
where, but quickly returning to the same
spot, as if particularly attracted there, yet
without actually finding the coin while with
President Woolsey. He then asked to try
some one who knew where the article was.
| Putting himself en- rapport with Prof. W hit
ney he led him directly to the spot, and
| found the coin among the books. 1t should
be observed that in these experiments the per-
son lei is required to keep his mind intently
on the article, and on the place where he
| has concealed it.
Experiment 3.-Mr. Brown again went
out. (Iie left each time in company with
Prof Lyman) Then Prof. Fisher took a
pencil case and gave it to Prof. johnson,
and likewise left. Prof. johnson gave At to
Prof. Thacher, and left the room also.
Then Prof Thacher concealed it on the edge
of blackboard and took his seat among the
persons in the room. The last two who had
gone out were recalled and took seats in diff
ferent places. Then Mr. Brown (blindfold
ed as before) led in Prof. Fisher from an
other room and took him TO Prof. Walker
then took Prof. Walker to Prof. Johnson
and him in turn to Prof. Ihacher. In tw,
of these cases he first led the person to tn
gentleman next to the right one, and whel
told he was wrong, Immediately designed tn
right person. In one Of these cases the per
son led said the mistake was his own, as b
had inadvertently fixed his mind on tn
wrong individual. With Prof. Thacher h
failed to find the pencil, although, as in tn
second experiment, he returned often to tn
snot and closely searched the vicinity. seem
/ inclv attracted toward it, and oscillatln
first to one side and then the other, like
needle near the magnet. Requesting, ther
: to try with some other person who kne'
what and where the article was, he led Nj
: Thacher directly 10 the right spot, and ioun
{ the pencil case.
I Experiment An alphabet was write
with chalk on blackboard. When NJ
' Brown was ont of the room, Prof. Mars
e wrote the word " bone" on slim OF pape
d and handed it To another person. NJ
= Brown returning was blirdfolded, al
e taking Prof Marshs hand, immediat
!. IL nointei to the four letters in succe
: sion.
3 Experiment Mr. Thaeher was
T think of pain" in some definite part
f his.body. Mr. Brown seemed at first to III
II much difficulty in locating the supposed pal
/. hut at length designated Il spot just und
Y the right nostril. The right nostra
:; self was the locality intended by Mr.. tn
4 cher.
10 twenty and one-nalf feet long was held
" Prof LYMAN. the other by Mr. Brown, t
Id wire being slack. Mr.. Brown (blindfoldt
as in sll cases } after turning for nome
ty IN nerson seated nelr by. went straight
Of a spot beneath the object on which y
j. LYMAN had fixed his thought, which "
w the clock. in high and Ito Mr.. Brown
of accessible position. What he did find was
e article on shelf within reach, and
ed feet directly beneath the clock.
Vi Experiment MIR. Brown lett the roo
n An ink-stand was placed in a certain post
mt on the lecture table. Prof. Fisher, III
es, Wright and tutor Phelps took hold OF
i've end Of the wire before mentioned, and ,
of Brown, blindfolded, of the other end. v
he soon, and without mistake, he found the Il
", stand, having passed around the end Of
tu- table, which was then between him and
ses three genueheh, 'hs "He "Sihs 9N
,ut partly on the floor
-ne Experiment S.-M. Brown was bindf'
oh ed. not only with the bandage preyior
is used, (thick and sufficient of itself)
di- two handkerchief in addition. He t
of repeated the spelling experiment. "
the Prof. Fisher the word '' Hall'' was spell
nse which Prof Fisher, had previous wri
,ul- and handed to Prof. Lyman on a sliI
.nts naper folded The only mistake was
for When he bad indicated the third lette