The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-06
mysteries OF HYPNOTISM
Professor Baldwin on the Fakes OF
the Occult Science.
SONNOMANCY AND MESMERISM
The White Mahatmas Create Lively In.
terest in Rochester Why Baldwin .
Does Not Get Rich BY Means Of
Mrs. Baldwin's Gift.

:. Baldwin and his wife, self-styled the
white Mahatmas," have been enliven
ing Rochester for week and the great
est curiosity has been aroused by their
performances. To a Democrat and
Chronicle reporter Baldwin said: Mrs.
baldwin is really in the hypnotic state
when she gives the answers to the ques-
tions and the descriptions that seem to
you SO marvellous"
Professor Baldwin explained that he
has no religious faith further than a be-
lief in an all-pervading force which he
calls the life-spirit, and positively dis
claims any belief in supernatural or
spiritualistic manifestations. He claims
simply to be a clever deceiver, with the
right to resort to any trickery or Chi
canery to delude his spectators. He is
however, a firm believer in hypnotism
and the startling results that may be
attained by it. On the other hand he
was yesterday free to confess that even
after years of careful study of mesmer-
ism, hypnotism, clairvoyance and kim
dred subjects, he understood only first
principles. that he observed many phe-
nomena for which he was at a loss to
account. Then continuing with laugh
he said:
$50 you didn't know where you We're
at during the performance? There
are good many hundred thousand peo-
pie in different parts Of the globe that
have shared the feeling. Most of the re-
suits that I attain are brought about
through deception and sleight -of-hand,
but not all. utterly disclaim any faith
in spiritualism whatever, not that 1t Is
may not be real. but because in the
course of my forty years Of experience
which has brought me into contact with
many of the prominent so-called me-
diums of the last half century, I have
never seen a manifestation that could
not be duplicated by the skillful use OF
purely natural agencies. l have wit
messed the almost miraculous feats of
the eastern Mahatmas, the Indian
Yogli and Gooroos, the Compass of Thi-
bet, the Kenniahs of BOrneo, the fakirs,
the Zulu witch doctors. and I don't
know what not, and can now with the
proper apparatus, think, perform them
again; at any rate l know how they
are done.
NINE. BLAVATSKY.
"Then there is-or was-Madame Bla-
atsky. Almost every day of my life am
asked for my opinion of her. But why l
should say this to stranger I don't
know, for, really, from q financial point
of view-and we are ali after the dollars
and cents-I find that 1t Is not wise to
commit myself, for many believers In
spiritualism and scoffers at hypnotism
do not like it. l am simply an enter
tainer and claim the right to use any
means to accomplish my ends without
being discourteous, and explain what
think will further my pleasure giving
ends.
But, to return to Madame Blavatsky.
I hesitate to express myself strongly
lest be misunderstood and 1t be fan
cied that I am attacking her because
she has passed into another state long
since, and can not refute my declara-
tions. I have no wish to vilify her. On
the contrary she was a woman for
whom I had the greatest admiration.
Her genius and ability were so un-
doubted that no one could come in con-
tact with her without being impressed
by her power, but she was from birth an
enigma to herself and her friends. To
me personally Madame BlavatsKy was
most complex character. reel quite
deemed herself absolutely honest. I am
ouite sure also that she thoroughly be-
lieved in theosonhicaI doctrine about
which she wrote 30 much. and to which
she sought TO convert the world. I am
fully CONVINCED that she nossessed ab-