The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-18

| fuence to trouble her. for 1t might interfere
| seriously with her work as a medium. from
which. from q scientifc standpoint. the stu.
| dents hope to learn much. Sittings are also
granted on the condition that the reports shall
DO given to the society for such use as II sees
| 1T In reports to be made from time to time.
| 30 far as Mrs Piper goes she seldom receives
strangers. and positively will not talk to any
but the favored few Of her experiences. In
fact. she probably could tell very little Of them
II she would. that is. accepting the hypothesis
that she is not fraud. She is not woman OF
| broad education. and it is declared that In her
normal self she simply could not discuss the
| subjects that are dwet upon in the society s
reports as coming from her tongue or pencil.
Mrs. Piper was married In 1881. Her first
child was born in May. 1884 and the second
| in October. 1885 Her first trance was on Juno
20. 1884. Soon after this she began to attract
| the attention OF students OF psychology. In
May 1887. Dr. Hodgson met her for the first
time. being introduced to her by Prof. James
OF Harvard. Late In 1880 she went TO Eng
land with her two children and remained there
about three months. giving eighty-three sit
tings under tho supervision Of Prof o. G.
Lodge. Walter Leaf and F. W. H. Myers. Mr.
Leafs conclusion at this time was that It was
case OF thought transference from the sitter
Prof. Lodge held that 1t was "teepathy OF
some kind. as distinct from any conceivable
method OF extracting information from any
persons present
Up to 1892 Mrs. Plper's control was DR..
Phinuit. but. according to the statement OF
DR.. Hodgson. the sudden death Of George Pei
ham In that year had great bearing upon her
work. Pelham. formerly Boston man. but in
the later years Of his life resident Of New
York. lawyer and writer OF some note. was
h. Nf fhn De ynhIn RI
search Society. About four weeks after his
death IL was announced that he had made him
self known through Mrs. Piper's trance. and UP
TO about two years ago he was very prominent
a. q control. II was he. again. according to
DR.. HodGson. that developed the writing By
Mrs Piper's hand. q method which snow used
AIM oct entirely by her.
In September. 1897. DR.. Hodgson returned
TO London. where he remained about year
During his absence he gave several people per-
mission to have Sittings with Mrs. Piper and
many Of the sittinGs we're attended by Prof
James Of Harvard. who had to some extent
shared with DR.. Hodgson the supervision OF
Mrs Pipors efforts. Since DIR. HodRson's re-
turn he has. with Prof. JAmss's consent. as
Aumed entire charge. and has begun a course
Of systematic investigation. the results OF
which he will publish In the form OF report
10 the society In the course OF year or so.
Meantime what goes on between Mrs Piper
and the little circle OF the chosen few Is closely
guarded secret. 80 far at least rs names
OF Sittsrs and i'm Portant details go. Mrs. Piper
II. to all lntents and purposes. the property Of
the society. which will tell the world what it
pleaSsS whom II DleGses.
Among tho latest sittsrs whose experiences
are now public property are Prot Newbod Of
the University OF Pennsylvania. who had
twenty six sttinEs with Mrs. Piper, and Frank
PodmorS. who also had many sittinEs. The
former says: with regard to the origin OF the
Information given have no theory to offer
can frame mono to which / cannot myself
Gllegs unanswerabls objections. / am sat-
iSned. however. as 10 every one. so far a.
know. who has studied the case
at any len 9Th. that It was not consciously got
by Nrs. Piper during waking life and then
traudulently palmed of on the sitter aS SUPER
normal There 10 evory reason for believing
that there Ia no memory bond between MIRA
Pipsr's waking consciousness and that Of her
trance life"
Mr.. Podmore makes comparisons OF Mira
Piper'S work with that Of other noted mediums,
somewhat 70 the dstrimsnt Of the otherN ana !.