Los Angeles herald., 1909-04-09
TELLS OF WEIRD
SEANCES SMITH
HAD ATTENDED
THINKS SPlRlTUALISM NOT EN-
TIRELY FRAUD
TEsTAToR FIRMLY CONVINCED
BY WHAT He SAW
Well Known Real Estate Man Says
He Began investigation as
skeptic and Ended as
Believer

Il believe it is possible for certain
sensitive beings to receive the thougnts
of others on the other side or lie, not
necessarily through mediums. rms Is
what Mr.. Smith believed"
With this statement William u. brao-
shaw, a we'll known real estate man,
named by the late Richard Crawford
Smith as one of the two executors OF
codicils to his will, began his testimony
in Judge Rives' court yesterday. smith,
who beQueathed large sums OF money
to members of a spiritualist organlza-
ton, was, according to the witness, IN
frequent attendance at seances ana cir
cles, and expressed a strong belief IN
the manifestations that occurred here.
II visited three different seances with
Mr. Smith," said Bradshaw, and we
were both greatly impressed with what
happened I felt there was truth IN all
the mass of fraud that surrounds splr-
itualism, and it was to find this truth
that l made my Investigations. In
mental way / have seen the veil lifted
many times, and things were revealed
to me which l knew could not be
brought about through the work of me-
diums. In determining the truth or
falsity of these manifestations per-
son must study them with an open
mind, using his own judgment"
Spirit Wife Named
In the relation by Bradshaw of oc-
currences at one of the seances attended
by himself and Smith, the name of the
latter's spirit wife was mentioned for
the first time during the proceedings.
Smith was greatly impressed with
what had taken place." said the wit
ness, land inspired, he claimed, by the
spirit of Marian Blake, recited some i'm
provised poetry. L cannot remember the
words, but I know they were beau
tiful"
DO you know who Smith believed
was his spirit wife," asked Bradner
Lee, counsel for contesting heirs.
IT understand it was this woman,
Marian Blake" responded Bradshaw.
During the same seance, said the
witness, a trumpet was placed, bell END
down, on the floor, and its movements,
apparently unaided by any person pres
ent, impressed everyone in the gather
ing of thirty.
When the Trumpet Moved
"The room was darRened," said Brad
shaw" and an hour elapsed before any
thing happened. There was little con-
versation. Finally we heard the trum-
pet moving across the carpet. Several
times it would collapse with crash, or
strike some persons knee After 1t
started there was no cessation in the
movements for two hours. Then the
lights were turned on and we saw the
trumpet lying on the floor. The me-
dium's wrists were tied, and it was i'm
possible that she had anything to do
with the manifestations"
when 1 first began investigating
spiritualism believed it was all fraud,
continued Bradshaw. Now l believe
any reasonable man can, if he invesu-
gates it with an open mind, become a
believer, and that he can make test
conditions such that there can be no
possibility of fraud"
Elma Hyam, a professional nurse,
who attended Smith for ten days before
his death, said she believed he was
sound in mind, and William V. john
ston, retired contractor, who was in
timately acquainted with Smith for ten
years, said he was a man of sound
mind and good business judgment
The hearing will be resumed Tuesday.