The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-07-18
SPIRITS AND MEDIUMS.

An event OF very unusual note has hap
pened In London. Mr.. j. ~. Maskelyne,
the celebrated conjurer OF the Egyptian
hall. has accepted challenge made
through the referee, 10 investigate the
phenomenon known as spirit material
ization."
The conditions surrounding the expert
ment are stringent. in all conscience the
challenger. who calls himself "A Search
er after Truth. says Mr.. Maskelyne.
with his forty years experience and his
peculiar gifts. can render me valuable
assistance. and l therefore propose to
reproduce in London the experiments
conducted in Paris last summer by Pro-
fessor Richet, the well-known savant, the
lady medium being I'm London at the
present time. Mr.. Maskelyne will be in
vited to attend one or more seances. to
be held I'm room selected by third party,
TO be mutually agreed upon, such room TO
be quite unknown to the medium until
the actual time nxed upon for the seance.
The medium shall not be permitted TO
bring any parcel nor bag with her, and
shall be searched by police searcher 10
be selected by Mr.. Maskelyne, and shall
then dress herself In clothes provided by
MIR. Maskelyne, 10 be worn only during
the seances. Further, she shall be bound
In any reasonable way by him, and all
knots shall be sealed with his own seal
and she shall then be sewn into a bag
or sack TO be provided by Mr.. Maskelyne
IL, under these conditions, and with u
light burning in the room, able to produce
one or more human forms. as she did in
the presence OF Professor Richet and 9TH
er investigators, such forms TO leave the
medium and move about the room, and
are also able 10 show themselves and the
medium TO all present at the same mo-
ment. think Mr. Maskelyne will admit,
as great scientists like Sir w. Crookes,
r. X. x. and Professor Alfred Russell
Wallace have done that this is a subject
worthy OF very careful investigation. I
should then propose that Mr.. Maskelyne
should attempt to produce the same re-
suits under exactly similar conditions.
and there would be no objection on my
part TO his taking reasonable time be-
fore commencing his attempt. so as to
give him every possible chance OF sue
cess In accepting this offer, Mr.. Maske-
lyme will be rendering to the public and
myself a very great service, and l trust
that nothing may occur 10 prevent this
final settlement OF the knotty point as
10 whether the phenomena OF spiritism
are genuine or not"
IL is a mistake 70 suppose that this sub
ject has never been scientifically probed.
In the early seventies of last century
Sir William Crookes. F. r. S. carried on
a series of researches, which he details
In his enthralling work--surely a classic
on it's acknowledgements in the Phe-
nomena OF Spiritualism." The present
writer has seen note from Sir William,
a., .xrl,f ,fn. -
clusions he then formed; while a couple
OF years ago the illustrious chemist pub
licly declared he had nothing to with
draw nor further tests to suggest. A
brief account of his investlga tions will
accordingly, prove at least interesting.
Psychical researches are often accused OF
self-delusion.
c.. ii. Lewes advised the Dialectlcal
society in their dealings with spookology
TO distinguish betwixt fact and inference
from fact. Sir William Crookes-he was
then plain Mr.-took the utmost care sa-
gacious forethought could inspire 10 make
certain Of the evidence of his senses He
devised fashlight with which he pho
tographed, he used a balance with which
he registered weights. lie took precau-
tions 10 prevent jueglery. His me
dunn was Miss Cook n lady still
alive on one occasion. in presence OF
four friends, by means OF his flash-light.
he took forty-five photographs OF the
'materialzed spirit" In several cases the
medium appeared on the same plate. The
spirit" beautiful young woman. who
said she lived some time In the early sew
enteenth century. called herself Katie
King" Once, for two hours. she walked
about and chatted, with the company.
Frequently. when on the move she took
Sir Williams arm. Sir William used his
library as cabinet. and OF one exper-
fence. In IL he tells this; Katie now said
she thought she would be able to show
herself and Miss Cook together. went
cautiously with my phosphorus lamp into
the room and felt about for Miss Cook
1 found her crouching on the floor. Kneel-
ing down, ] saw the young lady dressed
in black velvet as she had been in the
early part OF the evening. She did not
move when I took her hand and held the
light close TO her face. Raising the lamp
! looked round. and saw Katie standing
close behind Mss Cook She was robed
I'm flowing white drapery as we had seen
her during the seance. Holding one OF
Miss Cooks hands I'm mine. 7 passed the
lansW up and down so as 20 illuminate
Ksties whole figure and satisfy myself
that was really looking az the veritable
Kaie and not the phantom OF disorder
cd brain. She did not speak. but moved
her head and smiled In recognition. Three
separate times did I carefully examine
Miss Cook crouching before me. 10 be
sure that the hand held was that OF n
living woman. and three separate times
did 7 turn the lamp 60 Katie and exam
ine her with steadfast scrutiny. until I
had no doubt whatever of her objective
reality"
Sir William by his balances found that
n spirit" when ~ "materiaiized" had
weight He also found that the medium
decreased IN weight during the ma
terialization."
The day came when the lovely Katie"
announced n would be no longer possible
for her 10 manifest Sir William still re-
tains lock of hair cut from her tresses
Such q narrntlvA haa the lnnk 81 a fair..