The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-08-20
Ph0t0graghing Ghosts.


guished philosopher of England, writes
for the London Fortnightly Review a |
defense of Spiritualism, in which he
makes some very surprising statements.
If true, they open new doors to scien-
tifc investigation of a very curious sub
ject.
He claims that ghosts have had their
portraits taken by the Photographic
process. We quote some extracts from
this, singular essay:
The test of clearly recognizable like
nesses Of deceased friends has often
been obtained. Mr.. William Hewitt,
who went without previous notice, OBJ
tanned likenesses Of two sons, many
years dead, and of the very existence
of one of which even the friend who ac-
companied Mr.. Hewitt was ig-
norant The likenesses were in
stantly recognized by Mrs. HoAitt;
and Mr.. Hewitt declares them to be
spe, ct and unmistakable." t(Spiritual
Magazine, Oct. 1922 DR.. Thomson,
of Clifton, obtained photograph of
himself. accompanied by that of a lady
he did not know. He sent it to his
uncle in Scotland, simply asking if he
| recognized resemblance to any Of the
family deceased. The reply was that it
was the likeness of DR.. Thomson't own
mother, who died at his birth; and
there being no picture of her in exist
euce, he had no idea what she was like.
The uncle very naturally remarked
that he could not understand how it
was DONE Many other instances Of
recognition have occurred, but l will
only add my personal testimony.
4 few weeks back l myself went to
the same photographer S for the first
time, and obtained most unmistakable
likeness of a deceased relative. We
will now pass to better class of evi.
dence, the private experiments Of anna
teurs.
Thomas Slater, an old established op-
tician in the Euston Road, and an anna
teur photographer, took with him to
Mr.. Hudson's new camera of his OWL
manufacture. and his own glasses, saw
everything done.and obtained portrait
with second figure on it. He then
began experiments in his own private
house, and during last summer obtained
some remarkable results. The first OF
his successes contains two heads by the
side of portrait of his sister. One OF
these heads is Enthusiastically the late
Lord Brougham's; the other, much less
distinct, is recognized by Mr.. Slater as
that of Robert Owen, whom he
knew intimately up to the
time of his death. He has since
obtained several excellent pictures OF
the same class. One in particular
shows a female in black and white flow
ing robes, standing by the side of Mr.
Slater. In another the head and bust
appears, leaning over his shoulder. The
faces of these two are much alike, anc
other members Of the family recognize
them as likenesses Of Mr.. Slater moth
er, who died when he was an infant
In another q pretty child-fgure
also draped, stands beside Mr.
Skaters little boy. Now whether thes'
figures are correctly identified or not
is not the essential point. The fac
that any figures, so clear and unmis
takably human in appearance as thes
should appear on plates taken in hi
! own private studio by an experienced
c optician and amateur photographer
: who makes all his apparatus himself
0 and with no ono present but the mem
+ bers of his own family is the real mar
: vel. In one case second figure ap
d peared on plate with himself, take
il by Mr.. Slater when he was absolutel
alone-by the simple process Of occt
t plying the sitter's chair after uncappin
the camera. He and his family bein
themselves mediums, they require n
extraneous assistance; and this ma
perhaps be the reasons VII
le he has succeeded SO vel
n We now come to the valuable az
t. conclusive experiments Of Mr.. job
4 Beattie. of Clifton. retired pilot
e, grapher Of twenty years experienc
lg and of whom the aforementioned ed
e, tor says: Every enc who knows NJ
&c Beattie viii give him credit for being
h thoughtful. skillful and intelligent phi
It tographer, at least in matters relatil
a to photography. and one quite incap
lie bic Of deceiving others.
L. Mr.. Beattie has been assisted In b
is researches by DR.. Thomson, an Ed
le burg NJ. D., who has practiced photo
# raphy, as an amateur, for twenty-fi
IS years. They experimental 1t the st
as do Of friend, who was not a Spirit
ID alist (but who became . medium duril
ct the experiments), and had the servic
lis of a tradesman- whos.. they we
n well acquainted medium. II
ng whole OF the Photographic work "
of done by Messrs. Beattie and Thompso
nd the otoer two sitting at table. I
it pictures were taken in series Of thru
81 within few seconds of each other. =
DIS several of these series were taken
nd each sitting. The figures produced u
nd for the most part, not human, various
he formed and shaded white patch
which in successive pictures chan
lal their form.-and develop. as it We
so into q more perfect complete tyI
rs Thus, one set Of five begins with t
tie white somewhat angular patches or
ills the middle sitter, and ends with RI
he but unmistakAble white female hgu