The sun., 1899-06-14
HYSLOP ON IMMORTALITY.
HIS views EXCITE COMMENT At
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY.

Not All of His Brother Professors So Easily
Convinced as He of the Value OF the Re-
suits Of His seances with Mrs. Piper,
the Boston Medium-Whnt They Think.
The announcement by Prof James H. Hyslop
o' Columbia University that he believes he can
give scientific proof OF Immortality. based on
the results OF his seances with Mrs. Piper. the
Boston medium, has created n great deal o!
comment among the members OF the faculty
still working at the college on Morningsde
Heights. There Is division OF opinion about
Mr.. Hyslops views. Prof. Nicholas Murray
Butler. dean of the faculty oil philosophy. In
which department Prof. Hyslop's work los
said yesterday:
Il have every reason 10 believe In the trust
worthlness ~ Prof. Hyslop's Investigations
He is keen, sound minded scientist. He has
taken up this matter because he believed It was
n field which needs careful investigator. Prof
Hyslop went at tho task In a most skeptical
spirit He proved hundreds OF instances Of
fraud, but in the case OF Mrs. Piper he can find
no fraud 1t is highly reasonable to believe
there is mono. His explanation OF the phc-
nomcna connected with hor is tho result of
deep and exhaustive study. 1t deserves at
tention He certainly has strong case. but
whether or not it will stand as n complete
proof Of the cxistepcc Of life after death can
not say until examine all the evidence. This
he does not expect ITO publish for some
months"
Prof John McKean Cattell. who conducts
some OF tho courses in Psychology, Is very
skeptical about his colleagues g Views. He said:
"Of course Prof. HysIop 10 thoroughly In
earnest about this matter think. however.
that his Ia the frequent case OF the scientific
man 30 wrapped up in his Investigations that
m n In
along the lines OF his own subject. A man
studying phenomena with preconceved idea
Of the result to be obtained will naturally let
everything tend toward that end. Prof Hy-
slop, l think. has, as scientific man.
been deceived In this matter OF Mrs
Piper. Furthermore. granting the genu-
inencss OF the medium. the phenomena
he experienced are. as see them. entirely OK
plainable on grounds not abnormal or super
to say now"
Dr.. Shepherd I, Franz. an assistant. in the de-
partment OF psychology. said: Il believe there
Is more to Prof. Hyslor's statements than m ost
people are W wlling to admit. He has conducted
Whether OF not the facts he has adduced are
sufHcient to warrant him In announcing con;
phenomena he, has SO far published might he
explained bytelepathy or thought trapsterence
been present in Prof Hysops sublimlnal con-
scinusness."
Prof, George n. Carpenter Of the Depart
said: % l have talked this whole matter over
with Prof. HYs!op. He has an efoeedningIyy
hesitate TO advance his views"
rrof. J. Howard Van Amringe, acting Presi-
dent Of the university. was -communca-
tive. He said he had not examined the matter
with sufficient, closeness. He was not how:
ever. very much pleased with the publicity Of
Prot. Hysop said yesterday that he had been
quoted with entire correctness in Sunday s
SuN. He was asked why 1t is that the men
who had preceded him in this field OF investiga-
ton such as Henry Kiide, once superinte d.
the lawyer. had failed to convince the world
with the results they announced. Simply be-
cause" he replied, they failed to reduce the
thing to a scientific basis; Furthermore, their
so;called facts were not Obtained. as see il; in
did not qy their whole proof before tho world.
as shall do"
The reporter then asked why 1t was that the
communications received from the dead
rent trivialities, such as the placing OF flowers
on grave, or like sentmentalitiesp These
little things" Prof. .Hyslop replied, are the
very means of identifying personality. It's a
sprns at Co.
lumbia University this was proved. I
had two people. acquainted but unknown
to each other. in, this instance. at either
two buildings. They then tried to identify one
another. In each incident the personality was
identified correctly by some little tn ng these
people, had in common. II this is the case IN
from another world"
Prof Hysop will leave for the West day to
Investigate further data he obtained in his sit