Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1909-04-05
NO MYSTERY IN
CROSS SHADOW
GARRISON DETECTS TRICK IN
FAMOUS PICTURE
LUMINOUS PAINT, WELL RUBBED
IN, THE SECRET
Noted Exposer of Deceptions by Me-
diums Will Give Demonstration
Thursday Night at Temple
Auditorium

& The throngs that have visited the
SHADOW of the Cross" picture, on ex-
hibition at the Y. M. C. A. building,
have been mystified by what appears
to be a strange phenomenon that sug-
gests the supernatural.
According to the story, the artist had
worked laboriously and had nearly conf
pleted his task when one night, on en-
tering the studio, he was astounded to
find across the painting of Christ the
shadow of a cross, one hand holding
the end of the shadow cross, which
rested across the opposite shoulder.
The artist knew it was not his handl-
work and that no one had access to MS
studio. So awe struck was he that he
decided not to finish the picture, which
required only few more strokes of the
brush to make it perfect. But the next
day the shadow was gone only to De
present and distinct at night.
Thus it was all the time, with the
night came the shadow Of the cross.
Appears with Darkness
The picture now exhibited at the z.
M. c. A! building is first shown in a
powerful light. Then all is darkened
and the spectators are amazed as the
shadow of the cross appears in the
darkness, the rest of the picture being
The picture is turned about and
shown, to convince the skeptical that
no mechanical device is responsible for
the change, and as soon as the light Is
turned the cross becomes invisible:
Bishop S. Garrison. who has been
prominently before the public this past
week on account of his exposures of the
tricks of Spiritualism, while giving ex-
pert testimony in the contested will
case of Richard Crawford Smith in the
superior court, has seen the picture and
has given an explanation of the ap-
Parent phenomenon. He states that it
is similar to that used by the Inner
circle" in presenting spirit brides and
other beings from the spirit world.
In speaking of the Shadow of the
Cross.'' Mr.. Garrison said: THE eX-
PLANTATION 1 believe to be simple, ana
think 1t should be known for the benefit
of the members of the Y. M. c. A, in
whom I am deeply interested, and the
public who are misled by it. The fact
is simple when understood. l believe
that over the painting many coats of
luminous paint of the best quality
have been put, great care being taken
not to touch the place where the
shadow is to appear
How the Trick Is Done
when the luminous paint has been
rubbed in thoroughly 1t is smeared with
q coating of blue stone, or some similar
substance, and the result is that when
the light is extinguished the luminous
paint makes the picture stand out bold
~ and distinctly. The shape of the
cross, however, which is free from the
luminous paint remains as is seen-a
dim shadow.
1.-THE trick is very simple, and could
easily duplicate the picture in two
hours and at a slight expense. When
exposed to the light the entire picture
looks alike, but, examining it closely,
/ detected a slight break near the hand
which supports the cross, showing
where the luminous paint had been
worn off.
by retouching the picture with this
paint occasionally the deception can be
kept up for years, as it has been in
many cities in the United States be-
sides Los Angeles. Such work, which
tends to battle the mind, has harmful
effect, as l have proved in the case of
Spiritualism. That is why / have
started my crusade of exposing the
fakes of this so-called modern religion"
Mr.. Garrison intends next week to
set to work in earnest to show up the
fake mediums of Los Angeles. Thurs
day night, in the Temple Auditorium,
under the auspices of the Temple Bap-
fist church, of which Rev. Robert j.
Burdette is pastor, he will give a
demonstration of the methods of decep-
ton practiced by mediums.