New Britain herald., 1916-07-22


 izingly You claim to read what is in another mans mind ?"
 Gan you read what is in another mans pocket?"
 "Yes.'
 Calling in from the workshop stolid Norwegian, Edison asked Reese what was in that mans right hand pants pocket. Reese named two or three foreign coins with their dates. The pocket was emptied and there before Edison were the coins Reese had named, even to their dates.
 Then Reese requested this man to write on a slip of paper his mothers S maiden name; on another slip where he was born; and on several other slips other items. These the man was requested to number, fold up, and put in separate pockets. After this was done. Reese started in and stated without an error what question each pocket contained.
 The Question Edison Asked Reese.
 Edison then let Reese experiment. in his presence with other employees. Astonished beyond measure at the re- suit of these experiments, since they proved the possession of a marvellous Sl1l, FQ1SOn DolHOuSII 11l1ilSSll O1 Itlo worrisome battery. Excusing himself self into another building, and wrote down the words: "Is there anything better than nickel hydrOxide for an alkaline storage batterY?'
 EdisOn's own version of what then occurred is as follows:
 At that time I was experimenting 2 with my storage battery, and felt a, hoiro right track Tn the meantime, as 1 folded the slip of paper, I filled my mind with a problem, and kept work ing on it's solution, so that Reese could not by mind-read ding deciphcr what I had written on the slip of pa per. and returned to the room where had left Reese.
 At the moment I entered he said: No. there is nothing better than nickel hydroxide for an alkaline stOr- age battery!
 "TIe had read my question accur- ately, and to this day I am satisfied that there is nothing better than nickel hydroxide. It seemed almost if he had come there for the pur- pose of answering that question and setting my mind at ease.'
 Then Edison continued:
 Reese Is a Prodigy''-Edison.
 ''There are some queer things not yet understoo about what we call intuitiOn.' The word is not quite definite in it's interpretation by the average man, but human beings some times know quite intuitively undoubt- edly.
 "How much Reese's work can be explained by intuition I am not pre- pared to guess, but what he does is mind phenomena, not physical trick cry. There is something very wonder ful about him.
 "I do not pretend to understand his power. I am convinced that the urge of civilization will produce some vast knowledge through men likewise gifted, increasing the worlds achieve ment for the wiser the few in one generation, the wiser the multitude in the next. The normal mind of the fu- ture will develop and readily grasp the work of the abnormal mind of to- day.
 Reese is a prodigy-made so by some combination of strange Circum- stances which I do not claim to under stand any more than I, or any man, at present understands the details of his brain which are omitted from the ordinary brain-the normal brain.''
 Since that first mind-shaking ex- perience with Reese, Edison has had quite a number of interviews with him at his home
 Reese Is Tested By Dr. Thomson.
 The detailed account of this labor atory experience, however, called out some pretty sharp comment from Dr. William Hanna Thomson, the pathol- ogist, former president of the Ameri- can Academy of Medicine, and author of several well-knOwn works. Among other things he said:
 "It was a trick. It was nothing else There is no such thing as mind-read- ing That has been exploded a long time ago.
 This criticism of Dr. Thomson's chafed Edison, and he wrote to Reese as follows:
 October 20, 1910.
 Bert Reese,
 Dear Sir:
 Did you notice that Thomson in
 the Times stated that your exhi-
 bition was just a trick?
 He says my brain is diseased
 or abnormal Perhaps that's the
 reason I can't see through your
 trick. You ought to let him see if
 he can solve it.
 EDISON.
 Reese, though reluctant, was final 1y persuaded to go, and met Dr.. Thomson by appointment at his con- sulting room. Here Reese was put though the sprouts by one of the keenest ana most searching investi- l,I had up to that time never met a single claimant of ClairvOyanCe that could stand up under the tests to which he was subjected. Every one of the claimants fell down somewhere
 Did Reese fall down? Hardly! He unhOrsed the doctor.
 This is the WAY pr. Thomson felt