The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-03-22
MRS. PIPER A TELEPATH
NOTED PSYcHISTS BELIEVE HER
DEMONSTRATIONS GENUINE.

Been En- Rapport with Dr. Hysiop,
Drawing Internationally Upon His Mem
taiity A "Trilby" OF Everyday Life.
Phenomena of the sort that give d
creepy feeling of chill to the layman
In those sciences that border upon
the supernatural were discussed re-
Gently at the meeting of the Psyche
logical Section of the Medico-Legal
Society, at the Plavano Hotel, in West
Thirty-Fifth street.
Mrs. Leonora E. Piper's confession,
or statement concerning those re-
narkable demonstrations of mysteri-
Gus force which she gave while con-
nected as a medium with the Ameri-
can Society for Psychical Research
was the cause of the meeting and was
the subject for discussion. Two wide
ly divergent views were taken.
Prof. Thomson Jay Hudson of De-
troit, contributed a paper in which he
advanced the theory that spiritism
was in no manner responsible for the
demonstrations of Mrs. Piper. He ex-
pressed the belief that telepathic in
fluences we're at work. and by that
means Mrs. Piper unconsciously drew
upon the great depths of the mind of
Prof. Hyslop, who conducted the in
vestigations for which the medium
was used.
DR.. John Duncan Quackenbos, emer-
titus professor of psychology of Column
bia University, read a paper, in which
he argued that hypnotism, telepathy
and spiritism are somewhat allied.
DR.. Quackenbos, referring to his own
experience, told of cases of hypnotism
that changed the entire manner and
method of life of the subject. By sug-
gestion he has, he said, cured many
children of bad habits, and the infer
ence was drawn that hypnotic meth
DDS had been used in olden times
when evil spirits were cast out Of
men.
Explanation was given of remark
able success achieved on the New
York stage by young actress, who
in a single night won popular appro-
val. She was not taught as was Mrs.
Leslie Carter, by master of her art.
She subjected her mind to the hyp-
motto influence exerted by DR.. Quack-
enbos, with the result that she seldom
failed of seven encores after the eli
max of the play in which she appeared.
There was a short general discus
sion before the meeting broke up,
and among those engaged in it was
has dropped populism to lecture on
spiritism. A letter from Luther r.
Marsh was read. which the venerable
spiritualist concluded by saying:
Il have experienced the futility of
trying by argument to convince any
body on spiritual themes"
I have assumed" said Prof. Hud-
son in his lengthy paper, that all the
supernormally acquired knowledge of
which Mrs. Piper was possessed was
not only obtained GEOGRAPHICALLY, but
that it was obtained directly from the
subjective mind of Prof. Hyslop.
This the learned Doctor would
strenuously deny, on the ground that
the great bulk of the information upon
which he relies to prove his case for
spiritism, was never known to him
before he obtained it from Mrs. Piper,
but was, however, subsequently veri-
fed. And I freely admit that neither
Prof. Hyslop nor any other person
present at the Piper-Hyslop seances
was ever in conscious possession OF
any of the facts revealed by the trance
personality of the medium prior to
the date of the seances.
1.-THE question arises, and this is
the crucial question for spiritism,
How did Mrs. Piper obtain that won
derful fund of information which she
so haltingly gave out at those famous
seances?
at seems to me-" he continued,
that it is only necessary to suppose
that Prof. Hyslop was en- rapport with
the members of. his own family, In
order to account for his possession,
subliminally, of all the knowledge
that was in evidence at the Piper
seances. Certainly there is nothing
in the history of telepathic investiga-
ton to negative this proposition"
Indeed, it may be confidently as
serted that If observation at all in
reference to that mysterious power
it is that relatives and friends are
always en- rapport and that they are
always either actually or potentially
in communication. This Is, perhaps,
the most important induction posi-
BILE in the case, and it certainly makes
for the telepathic theory, for all the
communications of evidential impor-
lance. were relatives Of the sitter.
But as yet we know little of the
power of telepathic acquisition of
knowledge. but all that we do know
goes to show that it is enormous.
1.-THE limitations apparently pertain
wholly to the power OF communicating
the acquired intelligence, as l have
already shown. 1t is also known that
the great bulk of subliminal intelli-
gence remains latent indefinitely and
is never. except under abnormal con-
ditions, elevated above the threshold
of normal consciousness. 1t is also
in evidence that subliminal memory
is odigious-potentiail If not &C
tually, perfect; 80 that what once en-
tiers that storehouse of memory is
always available under favorable con-
ditions"
DR.. Quackenbos asserted that the
hypnotist derives fully as much physi-
cal and mental strength from his sub
ject as he imparts, which makes 1t
possible for him to withstand the
strain under which he works. Refer
ring to an actress INSPIRED by me
within the year, and risen at single