The Portland daily press., 1886-12-03
MIND READING.
Mr.. Bishops Remarkable Exhibition
at Music Hall, Boston.

Mr.. Washington Irving Bishop gave a
farewell reception Tuesday evening at Mus
Ie Hall at which he repeated his experiments
made a few days since at the Vendome, with
the addition Of new ones. The hall was well
filed, and thlckly sprinkled through the au-
dience one could discern many well-known
men Of science. college professors, clergy
men and medical men, all Of them apparent
iy keenly interested In tie performance Of
the evening. A committee Of gentlemen
nominated by the audience to take seats up
on the platform and assist In the expert
ments, as well as TO watch his movements
were; D.G.Lyon, Hollis professor Of divinity
at Harvard University; Professor Mitchell.
Assistant United States Treasurer. M. p.
kennard, Hon. A. A. Ranney. Hon. +. l..
Ames, Rev. Franklin johnson Of the Har-
ward Square Baptist church, Cambridge. Dr.
Francis S. Watson, DR.. Vincent Y. Bow
ditch. DIR. Cecil p. Wilson, DIR. Norton Fol-
som, DIR. w. G. Goldsmith. DR.. Langmaid,
Mr.. Russell Sturgis, Mr.. Arthur Dexter, Mr..
Thomas Mack Mr.. Robert Treat Paine. Jr..
Mr; Fritz Giese and Professor Miller.
The nrst experiment was the mock assass-
lnatiOn which has already been described
The knife was placed In the hands OF DR.
Wilson with directions for its concealment
after the act. After going through the mo-
tion Of stabblng gentleman in the centre
OF the audience, DIR. Wilson returned 10 the
stage and pushed the knife down behind the
coat collar Of Professor Miller. Mr. Bishop
was then brought In bllndfolded from an
tee who had stood guard over him. Evident
ly he was not fully en- rapport with DIR. VIII
son, for Instead Of going where the knife was
hidden he at once rushed to the spot where
NNQ M h4tf Hn1f aulf
at fault, asked that another member Of the
committee who knew where the knife was
hidden might come and stand by him. The
moment this was done he made a rapid and
direct line TO Prof. Miller, whom he asked 10
remove his coat. A tumultuOus burst Of ap-
plause greeted his success. Without mo-
ments hesitation he at once hurried back in-
70 the audience and exactly repeated the mo-
asked one Of the committee 10 write
the name Of some lady he knew In the audi
ence and put 1t In sealed envelope, stating
that he would attempt to deliver Il to the la
dy,together with a large bouquet which stood
upon the piano. Mr.. Arthur Dexter wrote a
name, which was suggested to him by Mr.
Sturgis. During this Mr.. Bishop was having
his eyes bandaged. He took the opportunity
while this was being done TO explain why he
chose TO be blindfolded. He said, II would
like to state to the audience what this
means. place my eyes upward. / have
the bandage tied firmly against them. That
pressure OF the eye produces q sort of tempo
rary paralysis OF the optic nerve. The great
est Of European scientists say that the con-
dition am In whilst l am experimenting re-
sembles semi-hypn0tic one" The first at
tempt to locate the lady was a failure, and
Mr.. Bishop then asked, did you think Of
her TO youY Mr.. Dexter replied that the
name was suggested by Mr.. Sturgis. Alr.
Bishop then requested that Mr.. Stnrgls take
the place. OF DR., Wilson, which was done.
tie then Immediately run up the stairs OF the
first gallery, drawing Mr. Sturgis after him.
found the lady and presented er-with tho
bouquet. In the next experiment-the find
Ing OF a knife hidden by three Of the commit
there was not moments hesitation, Mr..
Bishop ran In advance Of the COMMITTEES,
only occasionally touching the hand OF
one Of them, directly to the spot
where the ,, knife n was concealed and
stated that the mind reader had pur-
sued absolutely the same course taken By
the committee when the knife was hidden,
and that no assistance whatever had been
given him, except that for large part Of the
time he grasped the hand Of one Of them.
instead Of depending on the wire. DIR. Bow
ditch then imagined that he had a pain in
the last joint Of the little finger Of his left
hand, and Mr. Bishop located 1t for him. An
experiment In finding several articles taken
from the audience by Mr.. Ames failed be-
cause the conditions were not complied with.
a second trial, with Mr.. Kennard in the
place Of MT: Ames, was thoroughly success
l ful MIR. Bishop was removed to the ante
| room and blindfolded, and In the meantime
/ Mr.. Kennarh gathered knife from gentle
| man and reserved-seat check and an opera
glass case from two ladies. These he tried
up IN a white handkerchief and made round
q the hall, stopping for a moment to make
the future trace the more difficult. Then he
proceeded TO the upper balcony and deposit
ed the package in the hollow Of the base Of
ADOllOf4 4fafun in giQnT Of all Mr. Utubnr
then announced that the experiment would
be made without any physical contact, In or
der that the qnsstlon Of ''muscle-reading''
nightbe settled. Mr.. kennard placed his
hand about five inches above that Of Mr.
Bishop, and almost instantly the latter start
ed rapidly down the hall, Mr.. Kennard fol-
lowing as best he could. They passed
out at one Of the side doors
toward fremont street, and In q very short
time appeared in the rear Of the second bal
eony. Here Mr.. Bishop paused before a
young man, over whom he passed his hands.
and then without hesitation pushed rapidly
| package. The articles were rapidly redeliv-
| cred, the only hitch proceeding from Mr.
kennard's uncertainty as 10 the person from
| whom he took the knife. Mr.. Bishop next
repeated his feat Of reading the number on
| concealed bank note through the impression
| produced on him by the committee who had
| committed It to memory. II was an exceed
ingly difficult test, being no less figure than
| ls,3lO,793. Mr.. Kennard stated 20 the au-
dience that he thought II was due Mr.
| Bishop to say that nobody but himself had
i ever seen the number OF that note till he had
/ produced II Ia the hall, as II was fresh from
/ the Treasury.
The closing test was with Professor Lyon
i of Harvard, who wrote upon the back OF the
| blackboard a word, In a language unknown to
| Mr.. Bishop and unseen by him. With in
Unite labor Mr.. Bishop, still with his eyes
bandaged, wrote upon the face Of the board,
| In view of the audience, an almost exact re-
/ production of the characters, which were
| Assyrlan. This was the closing test. IL q
| but fair to say that Mr.. Bishop was success
| full in every one Of his attempts, with single
i exception, and that was due 10 the fact that
| his directions were not complied with. Evi-
/ dently the believers in muscle reading will
have to revise their theory.
| Steamer Penobscot.