Evening journal., 1915-09-30
spirit PICTURES PUT
IN THE FRAUD Glass
Keeler, WhoDeveloped "Su-
, pernatural Photographs"
DiScredited Years Ago
MRS. LEE FAILED IN
PERSONAL SEANCES

by a man who was discreditcd and cN-
posed as lar back az 1855 by the Seybcri
Commission. Tor Investigating Modern
Spiritualism. No less man than the
late distinguished Shakespeaream scholar,
Horace Howard Furness. acting as chair-
man of the Seybert Commission, reported
on the professional spirit photogra.
pher." keelcr, 90 the trustees OF the
University of Pennsylvania.
Others who indorscd Doctor Funess
findings in the case of hceler included
such men as William Pepper, Joseph
Leidy. George a. koenig. George s. l'ui-
leriou, Robert Ellis Thompson. Coleman
Sellers, james W. White. Calvin y.
knerr and the late Dr. s. Weir Mitchell.
Eminent scientists laughed yesterday
at the reports of the Mrs. Lee "-prlt
photographs of the dead Philadelphia
clergyman. John Holmes Bocock. treatcu
80 seriously by Dr. james II. Hvslop
secretary of The Society for Psyclncai
Research. in the published proceed
ings' of that body The photographs.
they agreed undoub div were fraudu-
lent Mrs. Lee, it was pointed out.
worked for three months. with no re-
suits, trying TO get spirit photographs
before she intrusted her films TO Keeler.
to be developed. After she gave them to
keclcr she got the results. the late Mr..
Bocock mysteriously appearing, though
urdin2ry cameras that had been trained
at nothing more than black curtains or
films placed in envelopes on Mrs Lees
forehead
Keeler was invited by the Seybert
commission TO demonstrate his me-
diumistic photography before tina.
body Doctor Furness called upon him
and requested him to name his terms
and conditions Doctor Furness re-
ceived from Keeler. under date of No
vember 6. 1855, possibly the most ex-
traordinary letter ever received by the
Seybert commission. For photo
graphic seances," " Keeler wrote, he was
"obliged to ask an observance of con
ditions which the Investigators real
lied at once would preclude the dis
covery of fraud on his part
Keeler demanded $500 for three
seances. He insisted there should be
present at these only the regularly ap-
pointed members of the Seybert COM
mission. and that "to harmonize the
antagonistic element" he should be
privileged to bring an equal number
of his own friends. To all this. al
though his monetary demands were RI
diculously excessive, the commission
ers we're ready to accede.
keeIer's Remarkable Letter.
But when Keller. in his own words,
copied from his letter TO Doctor Fur
ness. demanded "the exclusive use Of
the dark room and my own instru-
ment," the commissioners baked.
Keeler also wanted his full $500
whether or not he produced a single
spirit photograph, and said that IN
the seances TO be held at Doctor Fur
ness residence he expected the mem-
bers of the commission to furnish aim
with the most congenial and har-
monlous conditions possible
After receiving that letter Doctor
! Furness called upon Keeler. He told
the spirit photographer" that the
commission had arrived al a quick
conclusion in his case; that it was
willing land "on my part anxious,
lreported Doctor Furness) to accept his
claims TO spiritual agency if, after
thorough investigation, his process
could not be explained by well-knoWn
]
physical laws
"The conditions he demanded ae-
cording to Doctor Furness, were
such as to render any Investigation
simplv silly. His exclusive use OF the
dark room, which could have nothing
IN do with spirit forces-fOr the
spirits had already done their work
in the camera-utterly precluded us
/
cesses were in anywise different trom
ordinary photography. Doctor fui-
mess told keeler his terms were IN
ltentionally prohibitory,' and heeier
did not deny that such was the case.
"The demand for $500 according
to Doctor Furness, was so eAliaol-
binary we could regard 1t in no otner
light than as a desire to avoid an IN
vestigation altogether ! asked MN
| 0Seeler) what his ordinary charge
was. and he replied 80 for each ST
ting. and that he made from $50 10
4 $40 a day when he settled down 70
i, work"
Keeler so obviously Stunned the
j, investigation that he forgot polite
ness. for, reported Doctor Furnessi
4 His veNation (Which was MANIFEST a
little ran away with his discretion,
Realizing that Keeler was no more a
spirit photographer" than any other
person who practised composite pho
tography," Dr. Furness asked him
sin my private capacity, sitting al
e his earliest convenience aud that
should not be satisfied with less than
cherub on my head, one ON each
shoulder and a full-blown angel on
by breast He lmghingly assented.
In an old volume containing pre-.
liminary report Of the famous sey'
bert Commission. Keeler's name iirsi
= appears directly. following that of 3
, Mrs. Thayer, at the time a well-knoWr
= New York medium. who characterize {
- the commissions members, one ant
- all. "old scOundrels who should never
5 darken her doors" At the same tim
I she confessed unwittingly 10 a mem
z Der Of the commission that the wore
5 had been passed around among thi
Z professional mediums that they shouli
have nothing TO do with "The Seyber
men. for they do you no good In thi
preliminary report the commission
comments:
"There are among mediums certain
; specialists. whose alleged spritua
[, manifestations we have endeavored &
! investigate. not always successfully
as for instance. in the case of w. N
? Keller. through whose mediumshi
5 spiritual photographs are produced
. The conditions which this medium
r. demanded would have made any AZ
:, tempt at investigation a mere vast
T of time. and his terms Of remuner
b alton were. in addition. prohibitor