New-York tribune., 1911-11-13
MEDIUM TRICKS EXPOSED
Joseph E. Rim. of Brooklyn,
Works in the Light.
OUTDOES NINE. PALLADIM0
Philosophical Association Holds
Demonstration in Presence
of Big Audience.

public exhibition of some of the tricks
Of so-callcd mediums. which have been i'm
posed upon unsuspecting patrons of dark
and mysterious seances i'm return for sub
s,antiaI admission fec was given yester-
day afternoon under the auspices OF the
BROOKLYN Philosophical Association. in the
auditorium Of the Long Island BUSINESS
College. i'm williamsburg. Joseph f. Rim
president of the association. acted as 'ne
medium" and without requiring his sub
jects TO be in "a receptive mood OF '"e
lights TO be lowered he worked with an
impartial and representative committee on
the platform and duplicated several OF the
devious spirit" manifestations for when
Eusspia Palladino, the Italian medium
was once famous.
Mr. Rim was a member OF committee
from the philosophical association whlch
laws claim to the disupction Of exposing
Palladino when she came TO this country
two years ago and set up an expensive
establishment for the practice OF her al
legged occult powers. II was not the pur-
pose of the Rim experiments yesterday 10
ridicule the sincere believers In Spiritual
ism, but TO show how easy it is for the
fake medium TO impose upon the credulous.
At the same time. Mr.. Rim and his asso-
ciates who are in the exposing business
declare that no medium, however sincere,
ever laid claim 10 unusual psychic powers
that were not predioated on a delusion OF
some sort.
AS prelude to deeper mysteries the
lecturer ran through the category OF some
Of the simpler methods by which the So
called mediums answer written questions
they have never seen, supposed TO be pre-
sented by strangers in the audience. and
inscribe messages from the dead on states
These things were all done aboveboard
without any connecting wires, by the re-
doubtable Rim. and the simplicity Of the
finished experiments struck the audience
which thronged the hall with such ridicu-
lous force that the laughter was often long
and loud.
How to Read "Unseen Questions"
For example, the reading OF unseen
questions" of course required an accom-
plce. who in any number Of different ways
managed TO communicate the text Of the
question TO the medium. Remembering
that the room is always darkened at the
real performances. II is not difficult 10
imagine that the medium and an aid could
invent more ways than one to deceive even
the spectator who had paid the highest
price for seat. II might be through word
codes. telephonic or telegraphic communi-
cation with the stage or. IN the slickest
manner. by the use of paraffin wax.
II the medium handed YOU pad on
which to write your question. and every
third or fourth sheet Of the paper was
covered with a light solution OF paraffin,
presto. he would get a duplicate Of your
question without your knowing it, The
same would he true il YOU wrote on the
cover Of = hook. under which there was
rsraf1n sheet The questioner in such
cases is usually allowed TO put the written
question in his own pocket, while the
mediums assistant. OF course. returns the
rsraffn copy TO his chief. In case YOU
should insist on using your own paper,
and use something besides the mediums
hook for 2 rest. the various motion or word
codes or other means Of communication
are resorted to-
Slate writing. particularly Of messages
from those who have gone beyond the
border. isn't quite easy, as Mr.. Rim
showed II can be done. though. by the
ordinary layman working under almost
any conceivable handicap which the most
SuSpeCtlnE SUBJECT or patron mlEHl. lH-
pose.
In a subdued light magnets held by the
medium so as not 10 be seen by the sub
feet will draw a tiny piece Of lead across
p slate. leaving legiblo sentence in it's
trail II YOU should happen TO bring your
own slate. what Is there to prevent the
substitution Of another like II by the
third arm" Of an invariable accomplice
while the medium is making few con
fusins passes about your head in suppl
cation Of the answering voices across the
great divide?
Paladinos Favorite Exposed.
And rnu. cnrnns Nine Palladino.s faNor-