Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-18
Eliminate the Sordid
Feature
Writer Says if Bad Can
Be Taken Away Much
Good to Humanity
Will Be the Result

P. A. Jensen. S25 Sunset boulevard,
has written letter to The Herald in
which he gives his experience with two
mediums whom he calls "fakes'' and
other hard names. Mr. Jensen is be-
lever in spiritualism, but he is anx-
ious to see the commercial feature
eliminated. His letter is as follows:
"The man referred to in Tuesdays
Herald with the Vandyke beard. ad-
dressing the Truth Seekers society
Sunday evening last is, alas the presi-
dent of the California State Spiritual
lists association. Arthur s. Howe does
not only hold the highest office in the
ranks of spiritualists on the Pacific
coast today, but he edits also the only
splritualist paper west Of Chicago.
THE disappointment voiced in The
Herald that Mr.. Howe had no con-
demnation for fake mediums who
manufacture bogus phenomena to or
der for gullible people is easily under
stood and explained by those who are
In touch with the public movement of
spiritualism
"Spiritualists have a categorical list
of physical phenomena In which many
persons have implicit faith. The most
prominent of them in use are: Mate
REALIZATION, slate writing, trumpet talk
ing, levitation Of objects without physi-
cal contact spirit rapping, table tilt
ing, spirit typewriting and spirit pho
Biography. There are other phenomena
used by mediums, but the above list
contains practically all of what are
termed physical phenomenal All of
them have at one time or at another
been Endorsed by scientific men as le-
gitimate spiritual manifestations. am
not now disputing the fact, or possi-
bility, that such phenomena can be
produced by spirits (although there is
very great doubt that some of them
canNbe). but affirming that at the pres
ent day all the phenomena alluded to
are used by thousands of grafters of
the worst kind, disguised as mediums.
So extensive is this swindling carried
on that 1t has become almost the whole
thing called modern phenomenal spir-
itualism.'
"The fakes have also largely invad-
ed the ranks of mental mediumship.
Clairvoyance and spirit control are be-
| ing successfully initiated. The various
poses of mediums are being initiated
and tests memorized beforehand and
then given from the platform as the
genuine article. Every bogus medium
has a prominent phase to which he
adheres for success.
The Reason Why
"Well, now we are on the way to see
why Mr.. Howe had condemnation
plenty for The Herald, good advice for
persons like myself, but no censure
whatever for bogus mediums. Mr.
Howe was speaking about physical
phenomena to a spiritualistic audience.
1t was the right time and fitting place
in every respect to voice his condemna-
ton if he had any. 1 have said that
the fake element in spiritualism is large
and must be reckoned with. There is
also a large army of gullible people
supporting the fakes that must be
reckoned with. Mr.. Howe knows this,
so do the other members of the board
of the C. S. S. A. To oppose this unde-
sirable class takes not only courage
but love of truth and principle above
selfish interest. Such qualities have
rarely been found in any member in the
past belonging to the c. S. S. A. The
members of the present board are no
better, no worse, than their predeces-
sors. They are bound hand and foot,
gagged as well, by the fake element.
and they subserve no useful purpose
Continued on Page Nine.)