The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-05-07

he is the president. The writer hav-
ing access to the private records of
the society, has selected some Of the
most remarkable of these recent cases
reported both to the American and
English branches during the past year.
These cases are reported for the most
part by members or associates of the
society and the evidence of the per-
sons concerned is weighed by a pro-
cess which appears to exclude fakes
and shams.
SIMPLE EXPERIMENTS.
The society has lately been urging
merlbers to try experiments in thought
transference with the agent and per-
cipient, or more clearly speaking-the
transmitter and receiver--as far sep
arated as possible This separation is
considered important since the receiv-
er even with the most honest intent
cannot help being guided by even un-
conscious indications given by the
trans -nitter when he is within seeing
or hearing distance.
Simple experiments in this line of in
vestigation can be made by any two
interested persons in the following
manner: Make an agreement with
wellzknown friend who lives in an
other City that-say on the. first of
the following month--you will each
evening, say at eleven O'Clock devote
a half hour to experiments in thought
transference. Agree that one shall act
as transmitter and the other as re-
ceiver during the whole exl .ment,
or, If preferred, that you will alter
nate every other night Understand
between yourselves that the transmit
ter must concentrate his mind upon
the receiver, who at the same time
must avoid concentration and nut his
mind in passive state. Both receiver
and transmitter should have a blank
diary or memorandum sheet before him
in which to record his exact thoughts
! and impressions as they occur.
Similar. experiments giving very in
teresting results have recently report
ed to the society. They probably rep
resent the greatest successes in this
line which have yet resulted from such
tests honestly and scientifically made.
Those of two English ladies, Miss
Campbell and Miss Despard, the form
er in London and the latter in Surbi-
ton about. fourteen miles therefrom,
are of particular significance. In all
or these tests Miss Despard acted as
transmitter and Miss Campbell as re-
ceiver. The thought transference was
to take place at eleven o'clock each
night after a given date. The order of
the experiment was to be alternating,
every other night the transmitter was
to nix her mind upon an object and on
the alternate nights upon a diagram
which she was to draw upon paper.
Each was to mail to the other every
few days a letter containing a diary of
the experiments. On the first night
OF the, tests, Dec. 27, according to the
copy of her letter read by the writer.
the transmitter at 11.04 o'clock con-
centrated her mind upon brass can
dlestick in her room. She felt that the
result would not be very satisfactory
since she found difficulty in con-
centrating her mind. "Not having de-
cided previously what object to think
or, says she, II looked over the man
telpiece first and rejected two or three
things before fixing upon the candle
STICK. A very noisy train was also dis
tracting my attention, so 1 wonder If
you will think of that" In her notes
concerning this same night the re-
ceiver states: 81 am sorry 10 saw
forgot our projected experiments nm
I'll l was Just getting into bed, when
l suddenly remembered, and Just then
heard train making a great noise
and as l have never noticed il like that
before l wondered If 1t was one of
your trains" Concerning her other
Impressions the receiver says that
clock, watch, bath-all fitted past"
as well as "a circle of freight" The
only word that came to her was sand"
and a sound like "k' or "g." II will
be observed that sand" and "cand."
the latter in candle" are similar and
that the sound of *" would be cor
rect for the beginning of candle"
Having noted these impressions the
receiver says she heard the clock strike
ll.SO. In the morning she found that
the clock was twenty minutes fast, the
time OF her impression therefore hay-
ing been just after II.
On the second night the transmltter
thought of a cross inscribed in a -tri-
angle, but the receiver failed to OBJ
tain theV correct impression of this
message. On the third night the trans
mltter was conscioussof greater sue
cess when she concentrated her mind
upon "a small Bristol ware jug about
SIX inches high, the lower part being
brownish red, of a. metallic coppery col
or, the upper part having. band of
reddish and light purple flowers of n
somewhat conventional rose pattern;
handle greenish." She also remarks;
Il do not think you have seen this jug,
as 1t has been put away in; a cupboard
and only lately brought ont savv tba