The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-09-29
DOCTOR SLADE EXPOSED.
NOW THE MEN or SCIENCE FOOLED
THE MEDIUM.
Spiritual senrce in London-The Writing
ON the Slate-IiOw IL was Done wa Emil
ncnt Witnesses against Doctor Slnde.

ncnt Witnesses against Doctor Slnde.
From ne London Times
My friend Mr.. Serieaut Cox having
begged me TO 90 and see the medium Slade, and
having informed me that 50 distinguished ~ an
Of science a Dr. Carpenter had confessed him
self "verv much shaken" by what he had Wit
messed " SHADES presence, wrote TO that per-
son. aud obtained an appointment for last Nom
dav morning. SHADES chief manifestation Is
OF this kind:
rhe witness and slnde being alone In an ordi-
nary well-lit sitting room. Slade produces com
mon slate and small piece Of slate pencil.
which are LAID on the simple four legged table
at one corner of when the witness and Slade
are seated. sado then shows tue witness That
there ~ no writing IN either side OF the slate.
AGAINST the table and below II. pressing the slate
against the table. the little piece of slate pencil
heiug supposed t. be between the slate and tho
fiat under surface OF the table. The slate is SO
closely applied to the table that no hand or
finger could possibly get be ween them in order
to write. A noise as OF writing Is now heard
proceeding from the slate, which Is held by
Slade ur by the wtness-the surit IL supposed
to be at work. The slate Is then removed, and
n message Is found written either on the under
surface OF the slate or on the surface which was
facing the lower surface OF the taoie.
watched ~ de vefN closely during these pro-
ceedincs. which were reBca'e ed several times
during my Interview last Monday paying no at
tention TO the r1ps. gentle kicks, and move
ments Of the table. of which / will saw nothing
further than that they were all such as could he
readily produced by the mediums legs and
feet. l simulated considerable agitation and an
ardent belief IN the mysterious nature OF what
saw and heard. At tho same time was utterly
astOunded to ind the strongest reason to be-
lieve that with The exception of the nrst mes
sage. which was written by Slade underneath
the slate with "A believed one finger of the hand
which was holding the slate. the rest Of the mes
saRes, which were longer and better written,
were coolly tndited on the slate bv Slade while
It was resting on his knee, conceded from my
view by the edge OF the table and that the slate
was subsequently placed oy him In the position
where the spirit writing was to take place with
the message already written upon IT,.
was led to form TINS hypothesis by noting
the DELAY which always occurred between nv
being SHOWN the slate with both sides clean aud
the placing OF tue slate against the table or over
my mead for the purpose Of receiVing the spirit
writing. which WIS then beard proceeding with
the usnni sound of scratching on a slate. This
delay dad not occur when 5lade wrote with the
nnger OF the hand by which he held the 81 ite.
During the DELAY Sada made various excuses I;
took ~ the little piece OF pencil and bit II, and
also invariably made a peculiar grating noise by
clearing his throat. At the same time heard
distinctly on three Occ siOns low but per
fcc,ly recognizable sound OF apenci traversing
slate. ami twice on locking quickly at SHADES
right arm the elbow of which was visible, while
the rest was hidden by the taole and pdrUorting
tn be holding the slate. saw movements from
right TO left ana left to right which accorded
with my hypothesis that he was using his hand
in writing.
/ lett slade with promise to return to-day
tFriday). and az once wrote to Mr.. SERGEANT Cox
10 tell INN my explanation ~ the manner In
whicnIhe thing was Accomplished. and Offering
to pat my ny pOtnesis to the test by seizing the
slate from Slades hand when he trofc-sed It to
be devoid Of whiting and at the moment when
the spirit writing WIS about To commence.
This morning went with my frienu, DR.. II. Is.
ID lngin of queens College. oxford, to test my
hypothesis by this crucial experiment: | had
determined 10 seize the slate at the critical mo-
mental the moment when Sladc professed
that IL was entirely uutouched-and II the writ
Ing wero already ON the slate before the spirits
we're supposed to have begun their work con-
sidered I'll should have demonstration Of
the truth OF NV hypothesis which would he con-
Nncing 10 persons not already lost To reason.
exclaimed to DR.. Dunkin my hypothesis and my
intention, and the result has completely justi.
fed INV anticipation. As on last Monday, so to-
day, Slade allowed me TO hold the slate against
the table In order to receive he spirit wri ing,
saying that the spirit would probably write more
distinctly for me tnan for him. Inc slate had
been Gle ned aud was now declared by Sltdo to
be devoid OF writing. but writing was to appear
on II IN the usual way, accompanied by the
scratching noise Of the pencil. There had been
tho usual delay and fumbling on Slade's part
when pat out my hand and Immediately seized
the slate away, saving. " Y GU nave already H.
ten Oh the slate. l have watched YOU doing IL
each time" And there, sure enough. was tho
mes sage already written. as l bad anticipated.
My friend. DIR. Donkiu. will give you more de-
tailed account Of the events which occurred IN
his presence. am. sir, faithfully yours,
n. RAY LANCASTER, i. II. s.,
Fellow Of Exeter College. oxford. aud Professor
" Zoology in University College, London.
IL