The herald., 1893-10-07
EXPERIMENTS IN TAEPATHY
Results Of Investigations by the
Los Angeles Branch.
Inter- Mental Communication Outside
of the Five Physical Senses.
Three Ont Of Every -Four Experiments
by the COMMITTEES Successful.
An OficiAl Report of the
COMMITTEES.


A branch of the American Psychical
society was organized in Los Angeles
several months ago. Under date OF July
Goth last committee OF the local so
ciety has fled the following written re-
port:
In pursuance OF the plan indicated at
the organic meeting of your society In
March, 1898, the committee engaged in
the work of investigating "mental phe-
nomena" respectfully make the following
report:
This committee is composed of the
following named members OF the society
Mr.. and Mrs. w. A. Spalding. Judge
and Mrs. w. A. Cheney. Prof. Kinza M.
Hirai of Japan, p. w. Dooner. Mrs. q.
Il. Huntley, Mrs. knight and Miss ]. G.
Williams--Mr. Spalding acting as chair
man.
The first regular meeting OF the COM
mittee was held at the residence OF
Mir. Spalding, in the month of April.
The subject of the evening was the oues-
ton of thought traneference, under
which designation were intended to be
included all phenomena that should in
anywise indicate the operation OF one
mind upon another by means not gener-
ally recognized as practicable methods
OF communication.
Mr.. Dooner, by request, explained his
attitude upon the question, holding the
view that the transterence of mental i'm
pressions from one person to another 10
a scientific truth susceptible OF demon
stration and explainable by the laws of
vibration. In support Of his theory. Mr..
Dooner introduced the following expert
ment: Half dozen tapes were prepared
so as to fasten tightly around the heads
of as many persons (whom we will desig-
nate ''eitters," for convenience) forming
circle around o center-tsble. The
sensitive, or person most likely to re-
ceive impressions, judged by physical
and mental constitution, was placed at
one end of the table. and the other sitters
were disposed at the sides and opposite
end, as far away from the sensitive as
practicable. Pieces of fine copper wire
were then used to connect each sitter
with the persons at his right and left,
until q closed circuit was formed, in
Guiding the sensitive. The wires so
used excepting those connecting the
sensitive with her immediate neighbors,
which we're somewhat longer) were each
about two feet in length, having each
end OF every wire coiled upon itself 30 as
to form disc about the size of five-
cent piece. The connection was made by
bending the disc at right angles with
the wire, and passing the former be-
tween the head and the tape SO that the
disc should rest firmly against the
temple.
TIE circle or circuit being prepared in
this manner, the sensitive was blind
folded by having handkerchief tied
across the eyes, after which pile OF
books about Is inches in height was
placed upon the table about two feet
distant from, and in front of, the senei-
tive, go that the opposite side of the pile
and the portion of the table thereby
concealed from the sensitive (if she had
been able to see) were in plain view OF
all the other eitters.
Cards upon which simple geometrical
figures in heavy lines were drawn in red
ink, were then successively produced
from Mr.. Dooner's pockets and laid upon
the table behind the pile of books, rela-
lively to the sensitive, but in full view
Of the other sitters. These latter were
requested to concentrate all their atten-
tion upon the whole figure as soon as
it should be exposed.
First experiment, Mre. W. A. Cheney,
sensitive-A simple cross was placed
upon the table as above indicated, be-
fore the following named sitters: Judge
w. A. Cheney, w. A. Spalding, Mrs.
Spalding, Mrs. Knight and Professor
Hirai, and the sensitive was requested
to describe any impression that she
should receive. Hall minute had not
quite elapsed when che said, II see
croae--a plain cross." TO the question,
"What is the color of the object?" che
answered, "It seems dark or black"
The cross was then removed and a circle
of the diameter of two inches was sub
stituted. After few moments OF wait
ing. the sensitive referred to confusion
of objects without distinct OF. permanent
outline but upon the suggestion that
the sittere should concentrate upon the
more satisfactory. After the lapse of
some three minutes the sensitive said
she saw a black circle having dot at
one aide OF the center. She insisted
tnat the dot was clearly perceptible
within the circle. This circle, like the
cross, WAS drawn in red ink which
spread or blotted to some extent at one
point, which is the only explanation
that could be offered of the presence of
the dot"
There were further experiments at
this meeting in which one or more, but
less than ali the sitters named, sought
to convey the impression to the sensitive
by contracting the circuit. all of which
we're attended with more or less success.
The next meeting was held in May at
the residence of Mr.. Spalding, Mrs.
Spalding acting as. sensitive. The ar
rangements were all similar to those
adopted at the former meeting. There
were sitting, Judge w. A. Cheney, Mrs.
| Cheney, Mrs. E. F. Huntley, Miss j. G.
Williams, Professor Hirai and Mr..
Dooner.
card upon which rhombus, a
diamond-shaped figure, was drawn in
red ink, was exposed in the usual wey.
Only a few seconds of the exposure had
elapsed before the sensitive exclaimed,
''I see q large black diamond" The
diamond was then removed, and the
s'star'' figure formed by two intersecting
triangles wss substituted. After some
minutes' uncertainty the sensitive said
she saw shifting figure that seemed
like star.
Some further experiments were tried,
in which single individuals were con-
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