The Portland daily press., 1886-11-22
MIND READING.
The Wonderful Exhibition Given by
Mr.. Bishop In Boston.

BosToN, Nov. 20.-Mr. w. Irving Bishop,
the thought reader, who has exhibited his
wonderful powers before many Of the royal
families OF Europe, gave public exhibition
at Hotel Vendome this afternoon, for the
purpose, he said, of demonstrating that psy-
chology can be made a powerful agency in
the detection Of crime. That the announce
ment OF the proposed exhibition made early
in the week attracted the attention and in
terest of learned men, was shown by the
Holmes, Dr. Carroll G. Everett, Rev. DIR.
Brooke Hereford, Rev. Min0t Savage, Mayor
O'Brien, ex-MayOr Green, Rev. James Free
man Clarke, Prof. William James of Har-
yard, Editor Aldrich, OF the Atlantic Month
ly, Col. L. w. Higginson, f. Carrigan Of the
State Poard of Education, Prof. 4. s. Perry,
Hon. John <. Fitzgerald, Mr.. Dexter Smith,
and large number of others prominent in
literary and scientific circles. The tests
were made in the large dining room of the
hotel. Numerous LADIES were among the
spectators. All Of the tests were successful.
The first one was the detection of a supposed
murderer Mr.. Bishop was conveyed to a
distant part Of the hotel, and bllndfolded.
During his absence Rev. James Freeman
Clarke pretended to stab Rev. DR.. Brooke
Hereford, and then hide the knife under a
pile Of coats in an adjoining room. Bishop
was then brought in, and in short time not
only picked out the supposed murderer, but
went directly to the adjoining room. found
the knife, and returning to the company re-
enacted the supposed tragedy, placing the
point Of the knife directly ON the spot
where 1t was supposed to have entered the
victims body. Other tests, such as marking
upon blackboard numbers Of bank notes
which several of the gentlemen present had
fixed in their minds followed. One of the
most remarkable tests was the following:
Mr. Bishop seated himself at piano, with
blackboard behind him. Mr. Whit
ney. the singer, then wrote upon
hlaGEh0ar6 If rio In,
II IroyatOre, which aria was at once played
upon the instrument by Mr.. Bishop The
most wonderful test, and which concluded
the exhibition, was the following: A COM
mittee consisting of Mayor 0'Brien, ex-
Mayor Green, Rev. DR.. Savage and DR.. Mar
tin Prince drove away from the hotel in
carriage, and returning in twenty minutes,
reported that they had hidden an opal scarf
pin, supposed to have been stolen, some
where within radius Of one mile from the
hotel. Mr.. Bishop, after announcing that he
would recover the pin and restore it 10 its
owner, left the hotel securely blndfolded,
and with his head envelOped in q black silk
sack, through which he could not possibly
see. He was accompanied by the committee
above mentioned, to whom he was attached
BY thin copper wire, which was passed
from wrist to wrist. This, he explained, was
n device to keep the minds of the
committee upon the subject. The party en-
tered a carriage and Mr.. Bishop took
wv AtihSt NAiFiub III dt SudIp pace.
Though absolutely unable to guide the horses
by sight, Mr. Bishop drove with accuracy,
avoiding other teams, and turning corners as
correctly as any Jehu could have done. He
drove Tor half mile, made several abrupt
turns and finally stopped in front of the
residence Of DR.. Harold Williams, No. 225
Marlboro street Here he dismounted, ran
across the lawn TO the front door, rang the
bell, and when admitted ran up stairs to
room ON the second floor, went directly to
the fire place, and from under pile Of shaw
ings in the CRATE drew forth the pin. The
party then re-entered the carriage and Mr..
Bishop drove back 10 the VendOme. He
went directly to Mr.. Kimball, the owner Of
the pin, who stood among the crowd Of gem
tleInen, and restored the jewel to him. He
was then released from his blindfold condi-
tion and heartily congratulated ON the sue
cess of his exhibition. The high character
Of the gentlemen who assisted in the exhi-
bition Is sufficient warrant that there was
no collusion and that the tests showed con
clusively the genuinity of the marvellous
power Of the mind reader. Mr.. Bishop ex
planned that he had devoted eighteen years
to the study Of psychology and denied the
assistance of any supernatural power or