Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-05-13

Kellar, the wellknown magician and con-
jurer, q few days ago confided his views Of spir-
itualistic mediums to o Philadelphia reporter.
He nrst got into the business by travelling with
the davenport Brothers. Their father" said
he, "was an old man then, and he used to tell
me over and over that his sons were true me-
diums of spiritual power, and that they were
called to that mission by divine will. Well, he
being an old man and 1 a boy, Of course be-
ieved him, especially when saw their mex
plicable tricks. I looked on the brothers with
an assistant. Finally. filled with pio1s desire
to serve the spirits little myself, got hold of
a rope alone. tied my hands the best could
but they acted as If they didn't care for
my services, and whether l wanted my
self Gifted. tied or united | had TO do it myself
to tie me. The result gratified me. for found
and found could get out of the rope, let him
tie it;as be would. Skepticism had already set
in: and soon found myself working at the
OF them About this time Fay, who was the old
manager of the brothers. found out that had
discovered their secrets, and we at once started
up company OF two and struck off on our own
account. We have travelled all over the world
and have seen all the tricks going You hear
great stories about the tricks OF eastern jugglers,
ana great many OF them arc pure yarns.
saw newspaper article just the other day that
was full of them, such as a man throwing rib
ing down in pieces, and putting himself together
and all that. 1t isn't SO. The European ma
gicIans are far superior to the Orientals.
But it is the mediumistic tricks that / am
bent on exposing, without hurting the business
of any reputable iuggler To begin with,
think that spiritualism puts more people in the
liquor But we can excuse the majority of the
splr1tuallstS when great men allow themselves
to be SO easily fooled. For instance, was the
assistant at private seance which the Daven-
port brothers gave in London to a number of
gentlemen, among whom were Dion Boucicault
Charles Reade, Algernon Borthwick; Lord Bur
rey, Capt Ingletield and others. The brothers
were both tied in their cabinet. Lord Burrey
stepped up and leaned over one of them to eN,
anime the knot, when the other quickly slapped
him on the back. There was q murmur in the
room. These great men were struck with awe.
Now, let me tell you, this rope trick depends
made like flash and pretty hard: but here Is
the description Dion Boucicault wrote of it: "a
small, white. delicate female hand suddenly
1t QulVered for several seconds and then, slowly
descending, tapped Lord Burrey gently ON the
shoulder and henmelted in air.
at is just this way that otherwise sensible
people allow their senses to be deceived and
their imaginations preyed upon.
The celebrated theosophist Englington com.
pletely dumbfOunded me in Calcutta. Three of
us were seated by a plain round table. Two
states We're brought in. l took the two and
me q little piece of slate pencil, which nut be-
tween the two clean states. He took hold Of
one corner with one hand and took hold with
the other. We then clasped our free hands and
held the states under the table. Presently there
was II noise as of the pencil writing. and when
we opened the slate beheld the following: My
name Is Geary. Don't you remember me? We
used to joke of this matter at the ST. George.
know better now
II remarked, 4 know no one by the name of
Geary.' The slate was put under the table again,
and the word 'lieary, Geary,' was written sew
erai times. Other states were put under. too
and one was brought out with this on it, Il am
Alfred Geary. You knew me and st. Ieger.'
Then remembered having met both men at
Cape Town, IN South Africa, four years before
Geary had died three years before. Geary aud
mad joked about spiritualism at the st. George
Well, i had to confess / didn't know how the
thing was done, and paid my forfeit. But the
mystery IS now clear. | learned it several years
afterwards. AT the han in Cape Town, Africa
where performed, there was II janitor named
Hutchinson, great spiritualist. Englington
had been there just after left, and, of course,
Hutchinson told him all about me. That's how
nc got his information for the spiritual letter
and mediums are always preparing themselves
IN this way. AS to how he wrote the comm uni
cation on the slate, found that out too. and
have done it before the Siebert commission
which is investigating spiritualism, and will
soon report. They have had Shade and Lord
and great many alleged mediums before them.
NEARLY all spiritualists are honest in their
belief, however much accused for dishonesty
and, stranger still, believe there is a chance
medium who speaks in Il trance who really be-
heVes in his agency; but those mediums who
make use of tricks are frauds every time''