The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1877-10-14
SPIRlTUALISTIC ClIIMERAS.
THEBEfrTTEJL IRTOF PHOTOGRIPHY
IN 7IIE an or ERIUD.
| SpIri, Photographs Produced nv Prepared
Plates surrcptitiousiy Introduced into the
tamera-A Clear Exposure of the Ifumbug.

SpIrit Photographs Produced nv Prepared
Plates surrcptittousiy Introduced into the
tamera-A Clear Exposure of the uumbus.
Two Sundays ago the following advertise
mont appeared in the newspapers Of that date:
Mr. JAY J. .HARrMANN. .sput Photographer 2co
gallery m,y,,ow sleciion ana sapefyisioni
II. PALMER, ~ Cumberland st, Brooklyn.
On last Monday afternoon. in compliance with
this challenge. Mr.. Hartmann made his bow TO a
circle Of six persons in G. w. Kitchcls gallery
in De Kalb avenue. Brooklyn, which. II was
given ont. was the arena sclcctedby Mr.. Palmer
for the test Of Hnrtnarfr's powers. Among the
audience besides the challenger. was Prof
Henry J. Newton President Of the New York
Photographic Society. who was by general con-
sent made Judge and critic. Hartmann had been
formally introduced to Mr.. Kitchell on entering
and they had bowed with the mir Of strangers
shutting each other for the first time Mr.. Kitch-
ell was also understood TO be m unboieyer in
so-called spirit photography, who would be on
~. Mui, ~ va..n ,inhiin ,Ilpuine ~ von
uitiOns under which the scancc was ncld were
that Mr.. kitchcll was to furnish tho plates and
chemicals. while Hartmann was to use his own
camera alter II had undergone examination.
Mr.. kitchell only was 10 have tho privilege OF
entering tho dark room. In the event OF sue:
cuss, Hartmann was to have the negative and
pay kitchell 500; no charge being made II no
result WIS obtained. The Witnesses were also
expected ~ certify as to whether the seancc was
The scance began with the visitors seated in n
half circle, Hartmann operating at the camern.
while Mr.. kitrholl man pulnted The plates in the
dark ROOM Frederick Huslam Of Brooklyn was
the first sitter The first negative taken exhib-
The second negative contained six spectral
forms In addition 10 the sitter, whose face was
almost ohscured by what was recognized as the
counterfeit prescntment Of Abraham Lincoln.
1t was remarked that when Mr.. kitchcll an
nounced this result, he exhibited no great sur
prise. Notwithstanding his unbcef Prof. New
10 H.
ell. but hartmann warned him with spasmodic
gestures TO- desist Hartmnnn shortly aiterward
proposed that Prof Newton should Sit Prof.
Newton complied, and the face Of a woman.
which Mr.. Merrill recognized as that Of his
dead sister. aplnurei on the negative over the
sitter's shoulder. Other negatives were tnkcn
which were failures. The visitors then signed
paper certifying that they were witnesses
when those things took place.
In AN interview in Wednesdays World the re-
porter represents Prof. Newton ~ representing
that the two pictures taken were without guile,
aud that the forms represented on them We're
those Of spirits. Prof Newton Is also repre-
scented ms exhibiting the Plates on which fraud
/ hnd manipuat, Il. and also as showing how tho
spurious spirit photograph could BE- dlstin-
guish.l from the genuine. :, -,
Mr.. Haslam does not give Mr.. Ktrhel credit
! flr such desire to expose fraud. file said that
! kitchcll had acknowledged To- him having
agreed TO let Hartmann usc his gallery in con-
sideIatlyn OF a payment OF sou He was IN great
/ need OF that sum Of money, and thought he
/ might AS we'll make it, He therefore entered
/ into the arrangement which had resulted in the
] seaucc. Hartmann however, had since failed Ia
/ pay the promised $50 and 1t WAS this, Mr. Has
! lam su-pe It'd. which had made hltchcll 50 vir-
| tunusly Indignant.
Prof Newton corr0horatcd Mr. Haslam's ver-
/ sion Of kltchrlis conduct. He said that the lat
! tor had confessed g. cpn-piring with Hartmann
/ to palm OF the bogus spirit photographs AZ
/ genuine. Prof. Newton offered Hartmann
! the u~" II his private gallery 10 Niuiicatg
/ himself Int h. did not believe the offer would
/ bee accepted. The oiler. indeed had been open
7 ever since Hartmann = arrival in New York last
spring, hut the latter mad always postponed ac-
/ cepiture Of II.
/ Ia view 81 his experience on Monday Prof
7 Newton said that h. wa~ constrained to believe
/ Hartmann u fraud. although lac was reported to
/ have succeeded III taking photographs IN the
+ West under conditions which seemed TO make
I fraud impossible.
Hartmann Was -ccn in his gallery IN the Bow
cry. lie i- tail. with black cy and hair. AMI is
7 cou-pi 'uou- for an unhealthy pallr. When
/ the I. porter found him ono ot his dupes was
/ Seeding him over the Affair nf Monday. Hart
| mann received the rrIrourhrs without change
] of counienHnce. AMI seemed hardly 10 think il
/ worth while to reply. To the reporter he CURLY
said that the allegations OF kitchell were the re-
! suit Of a conspiracy.
In a conspicuous place In the gallery Is q
| framed slip M from newspaper saving mat
/ two years ago. in Cincinnati. Hartmann had
I taken photographs ia which spirits werr repre-
I Ssntei. a. fraud being perTrptihle IN the pro-
cos-. This statement had appended To- II Ia,
/ names Of NcA-knoWn cltl1 IL VI Cincinnati.