The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-18
PROF. nYSLOP'S MEDIUM.
MRS. PIPER OF BOsToN, MEN
TRAECES AND HER MEss<erx

Ino woman with Whose Aid spiritu nliru
Is Being Ipvestigated-Now Under DIR
HodEson's Exclusive Manasement-He
Manner Of Making Communication,
Opinions of Her ny College Professors
BosroN. June 1.-THE Investigation of .,,-,,
ualhm by Prof. James II. Hyslop of Column bi,
University brings before the public again Tn,
name OF Mrs. Leonora A. Piper the m edium
Prot Hyslop Is only one Of a long list OF potet
people who In the last few years have had
sittings with Mrs. Piper and many OF whom
have thereby become deeply interested in tn,
study OF psychology. or at least In its phase Of
spiritual Phenomena. Among them have been
euch men as the late Bishop Phillips Brooks. who
hhd several sittinRs with Mrs. Piper in the last
years OF his life: Prof James OF Harvard Prof
Newbold Of the University Of PennayIyanis
the Rev Minot j. Savage. W. D. Howells, DR..
b. Weir Mitchell OF PHILADELPHIA. Prof L,nuIav
OF the Smithsonian Institution, Profs. Sbaler
Trowbridge Norton and Nichols OF Harvard
and William Z. Gladstone.
Foremost among those who began to inyesti
gate the subject OF spiritualism with the idea
OF discovering fraud. II there was any. was
Richard Hodgson. LII. D.. OF Cambridge Uni
Versty. now at the head Of the American
branch OF the Society for Psychical Reses rob
with headquarters in this city Dr. Hodgson
made all sorts OF tests. and is now what might
be termed Mrs. Piper's manager In a certain
sense, for 1t Is through him that appointments
for sittings have to be made Most OF the per
sons named above saw Mrs. Piper before tina
new regime" as DR.. Hodgson calls Il. which
pesan IN october. 1897: but Prof Hyslop has
known Mrs. Piper only since last December.
since that time he has had twelve direct sittinrs
aud has been represented by Dr. Hodgson at
nVs more. making seventeen in all. Under tho
new regime 1t Is very difficult to obtain a sit
Ting with MRS Piper. as the limited time she
can give Is completely taken up with sittines
given either in the interest OF investigation by
the society or to people who. for one reason or
another. are approved by Dr. Hodgson.
DR.. Hodgson's explanation OF the differ.
ence between Mrs Piper's former metbod
and the new one which came into use
two years ago Is that now the sttinRs are al
most entirely controlled by the trans person.
ahtles. who themselves. in the interest OF ex-
tending the knowledge Of the relations betvee
the two worlds. asked that the MANAGEMENT OF
the mediumistlc efforts be left to them because
OF their greater knowledge OF the conditions
under which they must do their work DR.
Hodgson says the new plan has been a great
success. communications being made much
moro clearly. and evidently with much less
wear OF the machine" itself, as they term
Mrs. Piper's body
Mrs. Piper lives at Arlington Heights about
ak miles from Boston. in a cozy comfortable
nome. with her husband and two daughters Of
10 and ID years. She has a pleasing person.
atty. but one that is not especially remarkable
In any way AS one Of her friends puts It. "she
was born lady would grace any position"
she Is OF New Hampshire birth and OF English
descent. Her parents were fairly well-to-do
people. who gave the daughter good common
school education. She is a woman OF quiet
unobtrusive ways. She 10 perhaps 80 years
old. D feet inches in height. slender. with
chestnut hair~und gray eyes. She impressss
one generally as alert and busin esslike
Her mornings are usually devoted to sittinRs.
which she gives In room In her home and |
her afternoons are given to her household and |
social duties. As a rule either Dr. Hodgson or |
his assistant. Miss Edmunds. is present at the |
fittings. for there must be some ono to give |
Mrs. Piper attention when she is in a trance.
ihe upper part OF the body is almost lifeless at |
iuch times and Is usually supported by cush- |
bns Then the hand that writes often re-
lures some attention. When she began to
Write the hand was held above the head. but
liter repeated efforts DR.. HodRson got the
hand down to the table. where It usually writes
without much difficulty
This writing. by the way. is one Of the most
pronounced features OF the new regime for
although II was often used before 1t is now
employed almost to the entire exclusion OF the
voice. This signifies. believers say, q change
In her spirit control. For many years Dr.
Phinuit was her chief control and he used the
voice. Often the hand was used at the same
time by another control. George Pelham being
favorite direct communication But after Mrs.
flper's illness two years ago. now control.
"lmperator." said that the indlscriminate
experimenting with Mrs. Piper should stop.
that she was battered and worn machine"
and needed much repairing; that he with his
assistant. Dr.."" Rector" 6c.. would repair
II as Tar as possible. and that In tho meantime
other persons must be kept away. DIR. Phin-
uit's last appearance as Mrs. Plper's control
was on Jan. 20. 1897. and other controls since
have stated that he has been sent away on
other work. Rector" and "Imperator" are
usually the direct communicates now. and
they speak for the indirect communications.
who do Lot. apparently. from the spiritualistio
standpoint. know how to com municate directly.
OF course there are occasionally other direct
controls. and among the most noted Of recent
years has been the late Kate Field. from whom
Miss Lillian whiting. the author. has often
had. so she believes important communi oa-
tions. Miss Whiting has occasional sittings.
but very often also DR.. Hodgson sends to her
messages which purport to come to him from
Miss Field through Mrs. Piper Miss Field
always uses the hand. and when Miss Whiting
IL not present her messages are generally very
brief and refer to some matters known only to |
Miss Whiting and Hiss Field In their
intimate relations during the latter'G life. |
A curious instance occurred in conneo- |
ton with bringing Miss Fields ashss
10 the East. As may be rr,naln hered,
they we're brought from San l.'.n.' O.. Ch- ,
caGo In caro- OF Gen. Tayi" 81 the ',us, n
Globe several months after k-r Gearh. Hiss
Whiting wrote to H. H. Kohlsaat OF Chicago.
hn ~ L. - tall .