The Portland daily press., 1896-05-16

night I'm going to give q performance
especially for the benefit of the press,
and 1 shall do every one of the tricks Pve
described, and still another that the Hin
docs arc said to be fond of doing. They
throw a rope into the air ana 1t stays
there, without being secured. man
| climbs the rope, vanishes. and the rope
vanisbes after him. l don't believe they
do this experiment, because they always
work out of doors, and you know one
can't attach rope to the sky. can do
the trick easily on the stage, becau Sc,
YOU know, houses have roofs, and
but what does that matter?"
When asked IL he thinks the people
who claim to have witnessed these tricks
were hypnotized, he replied:
IT have been studying hypnotis m for
thirty years for scientific purposes, and
intend to give an exhibition before the
physiciansin Bellevue Hospital this sum-
mer before I go to London. MY theory
about these tricks is that they are much
overrated, and if there really is anything
them, l shall bring it before the pub
lilo at the proper time Indeed, don't
think that the people who witness these
things are lypnotized. and, as l said be.
fore, I'm determined to find out if these
things are done, and how they are done.
l want to find out whether the travellers
who talk so much about these things
really saw them or if they have been
eating hasheesh or 'hitten' de pipe,' as
Chimmie Fadden says.
Il understand that the theosophists
here, who are high disciples of their
sect, think that they are able to explain
more about this alleged Hindoo magic
now than any commission after returning
from India. So far as the theosophists
ore concerned, have nothing to say
about their belief, for never challenge a
belief and have just as much respect
for theirs as have for that of Roman
Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist, or
a Hardshel Baptist. But do say this,
I'll give them the So 600 that I expect
to spend of this investigation il they will
tell me what These Hindoo magicians do
and how they do it. That sum isn't to
be picked up every day, and it's good
chance for they If them care to take it
up, and of course, I'd rather spsnd the
money in America. ri
Claude Falls Wright. one of the sochief
workers in the Philosophical Sociaty,
was approached on the subject of Hin
doc magic. When one considers that
Mr.. Wright was remarked the other day
to young woman who has bean his
STEADY" off and on in the marriage state
for 5000 years or 70, and that he is con-
stantly dashed with thought waves so
powerful that his red aura is kept in a
perpetual state of bristle, his opinion GER
tainly should be worth something. He
was asked whether he believed Hind 90
magic to be anything more than an APP
plication of natural forces which the high
disciples of theosophy understand. Be-
fore answering hs waited for another
wave to subside, and then said emphati-
cally:
Sc No, we know all about those things
There is nothing supernatural about such
miracles, for nothing is supernatural
There is nothing existent that isn't
magical. The fact that the atoms of the
hand hold together during life is magic;
speech is magic; movement is magic
thinking, hearing, everything is magic.
We could tell Mr.. Hermann the things
that his commission IS going to investi-
gate; but those are exterior matters, Of
little Importance to us-yery minor
affairs''
"But Hermann will pay you $40, 600 to
tell him what the Hindoo fakirs do, and
how they do it," announced the reporter,
"and SO, 900 in cash is no minor mat
ter" But the fve-thousand -year-old
bridegroom was by this time disappear
ing throughsthe door, bending slightly
under the burden OF another thought
wave which called him elsewhere just
then. He left II. 7. Patterson to talk,
however.
Mr.. Patterson is the Pre- sident of a
hard ware company. No one would
dream that he dealt in thought waves
along with machinery, tools and metals,
but he does. He isn't socially connected
with the society, but he has taken a good
many degrees, and what he doesn't
know himself about the occult world,
he knows th at his fellow craftsmen
know.
Certainly theosophists do" he replied
to the same question that had been put
to Red-Aura Wright. "That's precisely
what they are studying. Tho third OBJ
joot of the Theosophical Society Is the
investigation Of the hidden forces in ma
ture, and the psychic powers in man.
The society has been in existence about
twenty one years, and its work would
have amounted to very little il some OF
it's members did not understand some
thing about the real nature of man and
his higher pow IFS which is not under
stood by the mass of people. So far as
the fakirs Of India are concerned there
seems to be no possibility of doubt that
these magicians have learned certain
little details about the use of generally
unk nown forces.
"Prof. Kellar. who should be an au-
Il 4