The morning call., 1893-11-14
WEIRD WRITINGS.
The PlanChette Craze Has
Broken Out Again.
UNSEEN FORCES AT WORK.
Some Uncanny Franks of Little
Instrument That Once Held the
Attention of the World.
There is planchette fever in San Fran

cisco.
Clubs of patient sitters. anxious to hold
communion with the dead and distant liv-
ing, have been formed here and in Oak
land. Daily and nightly seances are being
held.
Planchette is old, so old that it is alm ost
new again. Early in the fifties the weird
little contrivance was invented and ten
years later nearly the whole civilized world
was teaming with recital of its wonders.
The most uDcanny tales were related OF
the marvellous doings Of the instrument,
and for time the greatest scientific minds
of the world were interested in its queer
pranks. Such men as Tyndall anu Faraday
were drawn into controversies pro and con
over the merits of this occult agency.
Exhaustive essays were written and
learned lectures delivered TO prove that
plaDchette was fraud and to prove that
plan chette's powers were supernatural
But it all ended where it began. The
deepest study and the most careful analy-
sis of the wiles and ways of planchette
developed nothing of scientific value either
to the student of the occult or the natural
forces.
And so the planchette fever died as
went back to their workaday world or con-
tinued their occult studies unGer different
auspices. Plancnette had its little day and
then died a natural death. Or, if it did not
die entirely, it lapsed into state of coma
from when it is only now being resur-
rected. To-day. in San Francisco and in
Oak land, and perhaps in other parts of
The world, great numbers of men and
women are bent on solving the mysteries
that still cling 20 this little continuance.
And it is all because of that irrepressible
desire of man to penetrate the mysteries
of the future.
What does tomorrow hold for me?
That is the question nearest the heart OF
most men to-day. 1t Is very part of the
commercial spirit of the age. And as yet
sciences has made no advances toward
placing the means within reach OF answer
ing it. So planchette comes again to fill
the gap between the known and the un-
known.
What started the fever no one seems to
know. That it has been started and has
already interested hundreds of intelligent
men and women no one doubts, for the evil
dence is clear.
You know what planchette is, do you
not, and how it operates? Some have
thought there was hidden secret in its
construction, but this is wrong. Never
was wonderful device more simply con-
board. Pendant from the points of the
angle are little legs with metal or wooden
casters. At the end of the board is ali
aperture for the insertion OF lead pencil.
Those who sit 10 plancbette for commune
cations from this world or the next place
hand each on the surface of the board,
then wait till the spirit moves" And
the spirit has been moving pretty rapidly
in these parts of the world for the last
few nights. Dire things have been FORE
told and timely warnings given.
Ordinarily planchetie will write out
what it has 10 say il time be given l.. but
the quicker way is to write the alphabet
and the simple negative and affirmative on
large sheet of white paper and let plan
Ghetto spell out its messages by pointing to
the letters.
1t was this method pursued DIV party
of WE'LL known clubmen who began as
skept!cs Friday evening and went home at
dayb break firmly convinced that there were
at least many things that they had little
dreamed of in their philosophy. Only two
members of the party placed their hands
on the instrument al one time. The Others
looked on and scoffed.
1--WE were all unbelievers when we sat
down to that table," said the member of
the party who told the story to CALL
man yesterday. For while planchette
refused TO move and we were almost on
the point OF giving it up for the night.
when, without an instant warning. the in
strument gave sudden jerk and almost
flew from under the fingers Of Jones and
Smith.
Both the men turned pale at this and
in order to rally themselves they accused
each other of having moved the planchette.
On their honor both men denied this, but
since neither had believed his own accusa-
ton the denials were useless.
II think it was wife or sister OF
Jones that came first. l have forgotten
the name of the spirit or influence, or
whatever 1t was, that purported to move
the instrument, but the information ii i'm
parted can be easily verified or disproved
when the next news from Samoa arrives.
at spelled out .Apia' first, very clearly
and unhesitaungly. Then 1t went on to
say that terrible hurricane would sweep
over the Samoan Islands on the 10th of
November and that two vessels would be
lost in the storm. And touching this
event il would say no more, though we
piled it with queries for long time.
Another influence came. L remember
the name, but shall not give It,
Dead or livingY asked Smith.
Living, came the answer, but Smith
knew this already, for the name 1t gave
was the name of his sweetheart.
What have you TO tell me? queried
Smith. and then he wished he had not,
~
sorely.
"T will not marry you.' it spelled out
with painful accuracy.
"'Why mott? was the natural question
that followed when Smith had recovered
his presence of mind and had determined
to face it out.
- Because like D. BETTER came the
answer.
Then two men glared ut each other for
moment, for D. sat DIT the opposite end
of the table waiting his turn to try plan
Ghetto.
Now. if 1t were not already notorio MS
that D. had been a little soft on Smith
sweetheart of late we would have passed
over this little incident as one of the
vagaries of plancnette. But Smith couldn't
take it in this light. He was crushed, and
invited D. to take his place. l needn't
tell you that D. declined the invitation.
but would stake small sum that D.
has his hands on pIancbette this moment.
II took Smiths place at the plancnette
and presently the thing began to move
again. This time it discarded the use of
the alphabet and gave its message in writ
ing.
Now, / am not going to place any reli-
ance on this thing till l see how 1t turns
out, butth message that came to me Is
| important if it is true.
81 am an enemy 1t wrote.
nirnn IN