The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-03-15
PERILS OF The
SPO0R HG JfT
A Note Of Warning to the New InTGStgat-
ing Committee.
Howard Fielding Tells How the Spirit Of Har.
vey Blake's Grandmother Used Him as a
Toboggan and Then Sued Him.
Written for THE SUNDAY CALL.

1t is reported that number of distin-
guished gentlemen and ladies have banded
themselves together for the purpose of in
vestigating the phenomena Of spiritualism.
They propose to get up series of tests
through which nc fraudulent ghosts and
very few of the genuine can ever pass sue
cessfully.
Let ME hasten to say that it is not my
purpose to criticize or ridicule these inVest-
gators. Some of them live in Boston and
are thus above criticism. while others do not
live in Boston and are therefore objects
OF pity rather than ridicule. Collectively,
if they have fault it is that they are too
good. Tie work requires somebody who is
en- rapport with iniquity. as Boston gen.
tleman remarked in rendering me an inyi-
tation to a spook hunt in that city some
years ago. l did not understand French
at that time, so l simply thanked him, add
ing modestly that l had good bringing
mp, and hoped not to disappoint his expecta-
tions. l now perceive that | should have
struck him with club but it is too late.
The hunt of which have spoken was or
gained by spiritualists. They we're honest
believers who desired to expose frand, as
the surest way of giving the truth chance:
My intentions were as good as theirs, Uut l
lacked ulScTetlOH Shall teli IHc StoiN VI
the hunt as a warning to the above-men-
toned committee not to push investigation
reckleSSly.
We were to expose man who was tempo
rarily named Morse His wife materiallzed
spirits through the power of deceased In
dian princess, who in life had heen called
Bright Eyes. Her vision must have bren con-
siderably dimmcd in the mysterious here
after or she would have been able to see
through such a diaphanous fraud as Mrs.
Morse, and would have reirained from hav-
ing anything TO do with her. When Mrs.
Morse passed into trance she was con-
trUlled so completely by Bright Eyes that
she could speak nothing but pure Choctaw.
Thus the ordinary auditor at one OF her
seances learned little or nothing about the
eternal mysteries.
Our hunting party heard Of this linguistic
difficulty, and 80 we pressed into our ser
vice an eX-cOWb0y. who c0nyersed tuently
in Choctaw. He could also shoot the neck
oil a twO-gallon demijohn at fifty PAGES, and
aiterward drink the entire contents, no
matter what it happened to be. He was an
accomplished gentleman.
He arranged the plan of campaign very
carefully. To each was assigned his share
of the work. Bill Adams, the cowboy, was
to test the quality of Bright Eyes Choctaw.
after which he was TO wait till the signal OF
attack should be given by Harvey Blake
The young man acted as q sort of guide to
ism, who had come to the Morse seanceS in
good faith. until their trickery became too
min to deceive even so partial witness
The Morses thought they had a sure grip on
him, and so lie could easily secure front
sseat at the seance-a favor not shown to
strangers. In his position of advantage he
was 10 wait until il materalized spirit was
well within his reach, and thea he was to
grab it and yell. At his war-whOop Adams
was TO overpower Morse; | was to assist in
OBTAINING the spnoks; and others were to
turn up the lights ana quell any outbreak on
the part of Marse's heelers, of whom there
were half dozen at every meeting.
| noticed them when l first entered the
rooms on the evening selected for the ex-
pOsure. They were short-hHired middle
weights who were engaged al 80 cents
head, as a body-guard. We were given
brief opportunity ofeXnmining the room, one
corner of which was curtalned off. making
the usual cabinet. When we took our seats
Blake was III the front row with Adams and