The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1904-03-02
PSYCHIC PIANO PLAYER
Chicago Woman Tells How She
Learned to Play.

Professor James HysIop, Who Listen
ed as an Unbiased Observer 10 an
Exhibition In New York by Mrs
McAlIister-Spencer of Her Playing,
Is Not Fully Convinced of Psychic
Influences - DR.. Quackenbos Con-
WINGED.
Music lovers and specialists in psy-
chic phenomena gathered the other
night in the parlors of DR.. John d.
puackenbos, professor in Columbia col
gege, doctor Of medicine and lecturer on
hypnotism, to witness a private per-
Torrance, the first in New York, of
Mrs. Ellen McAllister-Spencer, who is
known to her friends rs the psychic
piano player" says the New York Her
ia.
Mrs. NIcAllster-Spencer is personally
and ancestrally well known in Chicago
and other western cities, She is the
daughter of the late William King Nc
AlHster for many years senior judge OF
the appellate court in Illinois. Her
home is in Rayenswood Chicago. Ac-
y.orliUg TO the story she told the other
gigLt, her father and her mother were
both fond Of music and wished that she
should be taught in her early youth to
play the piano.
Il took lessons" she said, "fOr about
three years between the ages O. twelve
and fifteen years, but my teacher gave
tne up as an impossible subject. In the
tirst place, my hands. as You see''-and
she held up a plump and diminuive
hand, with very short flngers-"are too
small for 4 piano players. Further
more, I could never mcnOrize a piece
and l was not the least bit interested
In my studies. So my parents had to
accept the teachers verdict"
Some twenty years ago the family
was living in Waukeegan, Ill. Spirit
aalism was beginning to be talked
about there. 1t was a fayorite pastime
Tor young people to sit in a circle
around a table with their hands upon
its surface and concentrate their atten-
ton in the hope of making the table
move The table never did move in
che AIcAIlister family, but sister of
FRS, Spencer suddenly BEGAN to move
ler hands as if she We're playing q
piano. It was suggested that she
should herself ut the piano and see
what she could do. This experiment
ais was Il failure.
't-1denly l expressed an ardent wish
chat [ could play" said Mrs. Spencer.
Il felt strange inspiration. My moth
or told me to try. l sat down at the
keyboard, and to the establishment Of
everybody, my own especially, my
hands flew over the keys in an i'm
proyisatiOn. played on for hours, and
everything that played was as new to
everybody rs it was to me l felt that
I was impelIed by some unseen force
within me. Since that time the gift
has never left me-"
''And how do you account for it?'
was asked.
PERSONALLY l believe that the spirits
of masters dead and gone take posses
sion of my mind, for while I do not
play anything that is in their works |
always play in the style of some ia
nous composer"
The guests had gathered by this time
and the performance begun. Professor
James Hyslop of Columbia college was
The master of ceremonies. He came
simply as an unbiased observer to
make up his mind as to the character
of AIRS. Spencers gifts and if they
were supranoImal to make a report to
the international Psychic society, Of
which he is the most prominent New
York member.
This was the method employed. Pro
fessoT Hyslcp whispered in Mrs. Spen-
GERS ear the name of some composer
whose method she was to follow. She
at once dashed into a brilliant perform
ance, Her fingers moved over the
keys with q precision and agility that
seemed TO bespeak the trained per
Former.
AT the close of every selection the au-
xiience was called upon to give its YER
dic1 rs TO the master who had been
2m3tatcd In every case the musical
critics responded correctly. The list
comprised Chopin, Wagner Beethoven,
Mozart, Grieg, Schumann, Gottschalk,
Strauss and Stalsmidt.
Then themes for improvisation We're
suggested and successfully performed.
AT the close of the performance Pro
fesspr Hyslop while acknowledging
THAT 1t was a brilliant tour de force,
said he would have to reserve any de
cisjon as to possible psychic influences