Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-04-04

How the Fests Of Washington Irving Bishop
Were Accomplished.

How the Fests Of Washington Irvi.g Bishop
Were Accomplished.
| ONE WHO Has INVESTIGATED rHR suDyrcr SAYS
| MIND READING Is ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS MIND
| READING N ErrHrR MUSCLE READING Oh DOWN.
RIGHT TRIcKERY-FRAups BY BISHOP.
lnR CHARLES GATCHELL OF THE
~ University Of Michigan. in an article in
the April Forum on THE Methods Of Mind
Readers" says:
Mind reading in the sense in which the
word Is used by those who pretend TO possess
the alleged power, may be defined a. the trans
ference of a thought-that is. Q mental con-
cept, or an idea-from the mind Of one person
TO the mind of another. without the use Of the
known mediums Of communication, which con-
sist OF the nerves Of general sensation and
those OF special sense. Mind readers claim
that this feat 10 possible. In opposition to such
| claims l submit that profaue history contains no
| trustworthy account Of its accomplishment II
never will be brought about 90 long Is man re-
mains constituted as he 10 at present II ID
opposed to the principles Of evolution and to
all known facts Of physiology. Notwithstand-
ing all that may be adduced to the contrary
many believe that mind reading is one of the
possibilities even IL il is not one Of the actuali-
| ties Of life But the belief in every instance is
| founded either on insufficient evidence. or on
faulty observation, or on disposition to mis-
take the marvellous for the miraculous. Many
accounts Of alleged mind reading are purely
incidents or misinterpretations of observed
phenomena. Others still are accounts of muscle
reading. Those cases that do not belong to
.he classes named are accomplished by trick
cry.
WASHINGTON IRVING BISHOP.
After referring to various cases Of persons
VINO during the past century have claimed
undertaking powers, DR.. Gstchell says:
VI modern mind readers the late Washing
ton Irving Bishop was best known in this
country. Mr.. Bishop was at the same time an
expert muscle reader and clever trickster His
most famous feat, the one from which he
gained the greatest aotority and most eclat was
that OF driving n team Of horses. while he was
| ostensibly blindfolded. at break neck speed by
| circultous route through crowded streets. and
hiding, at distant point. an object. or a name
In book. previously selected by committee
or the amusement of INV friends have sew
erai times performed this seemingly impossible
ieat, ana IN no instance have my methods been
! detected Its successful accomplishment
depends upon two things-the fact that
the one who is apparently blind
folded can see distinctly all the time and the
TACT that the members of his committee are
betrayed into becoming his unwilling accom-
pnces The trick is performed in this manner:
Inc mind reader selects a number of persons
ttlree. Tor instance-to act as his committee or
| they may be selected for him BY others One
member OF the committee remains with the
lnind reader, the other members, preferably in
an open surrey, drive to a distant hotel where
they select a name in the register. They have
been Instructed to note also the day of the
| month on which the name was entered They
thel return, driving by q circuitous route but
observing carefully every block passed and
every corner turned. On their return to the
room where the first member of the committee
mas carefully detained the mind reader
they proceed to blindfoid the latter; or rather
ne biindfoids himself, while permitting the
committee to think that they take a leading
part IN the operation He first produces a
heaVy hood. or bag, which he offers for the in
spectlon of the committee. They scrutinize il.
outside and IN, pull it over their own heads
nho themselves IN utter darkness and then
return the hood, with no discoveries made
The mind reader next places two balls of cot
ton, or folded kid gloves. against his eyes, and
over these folded handkerchief is bound
about bis head He pulls the hood. the mouth
Oh winch comes to his shoulders, over all, and
announces that he Is ready for his tack.
TESTING THE COMMITTEE.
At this stage the mind reader goes through n
process that he calls 'tessing the committee
80 thOui tudt II utctshtlry CONDITION OF
mind reading is that all three members of the
committee shall have exact knowledge of the
route, the date and the name, lie gives plaus-
ible reasons why the communications should
not be made by word Of mouth and instructs
the Two members OF the committee who possess
the knowledge TO impart it to their fellow COM
mltteeman by making silent tracings with the
finger against blank wall. They obey: a com
mlttee always obeys a mind reader. By means
OF TINS pantomlne the mind reader gains,
through his peryious hood. ali the Knoviedg,
that he wishes, and the rest is easy. After some
little by-piay he PUSHES with his committee to
the surrey, takes the reins drives at a furious
rate over the selected route, enters the distant
hotel, opens the register, finds the name. writes
l, on slip OF paper and is greeted with ready
applause.
The peculiar method of blindfolding must
now be described. The handkerchief thar is
bound about the head exerts its greatest pres
sure upon the brows. By calling into action
the muscles of the forehead. the handkerchief
anu the gloves are elevated, and vision is per-
United beneath the lower margin. The hood
Is OF peculiar construction. and IL calculated 10
deceive the very elect. 1t is made OF four
thlcknesses OF black cloth, of which the second
and third have apertures opposite the eyes,
me outermost layer Is always of some thin
material. The innermost. which NAV be of
heavy cheviot, has about the crown a circular
seam, which comes in front OF the
eyes when the hood is on the
bead. At one place the seam is 80 constructed
that by proper manipulation, known only to
the mind reader. it will open to the extent Of
half an inch. Through this aperture vision is
easy, for nothing remains between the eve and
the light but the thin outermost LAYER. When
the hood is removed from the head the tenn
porary aperture Is closed, and it cannot be de-
tected even by the closest scrutiny and the
deftest manipulation. The mind readers feat
OF opening combination lock is accomplished
IL a similar manner. The committee. while
being tested in the committee room, reveals
the combination to the mind reader by the
usual pantomime.
MUSCLE READING.
The methods Of mind readers may thus be
shown to be those Of the conjurer and mounte-
bank Muscle reading on the other hand, is a
subject worthy Of serious investigation. It is
the perception by one person of an extremely
slight, involuntary action of the muscles of
another, with whom he is in contact The con-
tact is usually made by taking the hand or wrist
OF the subject, though there are various other
methods. Connection is made sometimes even
by means of copper wire. The muscular ac-
ton that is felt by the principal is 80 slight as
to be almost imperceptible. In fact in MANY
cases it is delicate that while the principalis
own muscles are affected by it, it is not made
known to consciousness In order to attain
success a muscle reader must have a
good subject, that is, person whose
muscles will give the necessary indications.
Not every one fulfills this condition. Ny ex-