New-York tribune., 1922-11-18
..llaiiengeaDOyIe::
Put Up $4,000
For Spirit Test
Scientific American Offers
$4,000 for Photograph
and Same for Visible
Psyc hic Manifestation
Mediums Are Invited
Magazine Accepts Challenge
of Sir Arthur for Series
of Rigid Experiments

@The Scientific American" announced
yesterday that it had taken up a chaI-
fsnge by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and
intended TO make first-hand investi-
sation of psychic phenomena. The De-
eember issue of the magazine viii con-
sain the following announcement of re-
wards of $4,000 for psychic manifesto
tons produced under test conditions:
sasYtg a contribution toward psychic
research the Scientific American
oisdges the sum of $4,000 to be award
Ell e. conclusive psychic manifesto
On che basis of existing data we
sys unable to reach definite conclu-
son az to the validity of psychic
eiairas in the effort to clear up this
eeafu on and to present our readers
with rst-hand and authenticated in
forn ion regarding this most battling
Of si tudies we are making this offer.
s2,s0o for Psychic's Photo
"gfhe Scientific American will paw
s2,50o TO the first person who produces
psychic photograph under its test
conditions and to the full satisfaction
Of the eminent men who will act as
judges.
q 1.-THE Scientific American will pay
$2,6o0 to the first person who produces
q visible psychic manifestation of other
character under these conditions and
TO the full satisfaction of these judges.
PuSeiy mental phenomena like telep
sthy, or purely auditory ones like rap
a if1gs, will not be eligible for this
a yard. The contest does not revolve
sl ,ut the psychological or religious
asi sets of the phenomena, but has to
do ,niy with genuineness and objec-
tivt reality.
6 his is merely preliminary an
nou cement. The names of the judges,
the conditions applying to the seances,
the period for which this offer will
remain open, etc, will appear in our
January issue"
Austin C. Lescarboura, managing edi-
ter of the magazine, has written to Sir
Arthur, informing him of the pro-
posed investigation and that it is "in
further reply to your letter of recent
date in which you virtually challenge
us' to Investigate psychic phenomena
at first hand"
a'The Scientific American" writes
Mr., Lescarboura, accepts the chal-
lenge. In return it invites persons pos
sessing psychic powers to lend their CO.
operation in every possible way.
Promises Fair Chance
"The conditions of the investigation,
the names of the eminent judges, the
duration of the investigation and other
relevant information will be sent to
you at the earliest possible moment.
You will note that we are Offering ST.
500 for the first person producing a
psychic photograph under our test con-
ditions, and S2,500 for the psychic
phenomenon of the physical and visible
order. We are not interested at pres
ent in the psychological manifestations,
because they do not lend themselves as
readily to strict scientific methods of
investigation. Furthermore, there is
greater interest, SO far as the public
IS concerned, in physical phenomena.
Perhaps at Il later date we shall in
vestigate psychological phenomena.
AT any rate, I place the announce
ment in your hands; first, because your
challenge has been instrumental in our
making it; and. second, in the hope
that you may influence some of the
more prominent British mediums to
come to this country for the good of
the psychic cause. ! realize that no
medium is likely to commit himself in
the absence of definite details; but we
hope you may be at least able to stir
up preliminary interest. / assure you
and you may state this fact TO me-
diums of your acquaintance--that the
investigation will be conducted in an
unbiased, sympathetic and helpful way
Everything will be done to comply with
the mediums desire, and such mechan-
ical and electrical apparatus as we may
use to give our research work true
scientific value Will in no way inter
fere with genuine manifestations.
May | hear from you at an early
date regarding all these matters, and
may count on your valued co-opera-
tion in this work which we have un-
dertaken?"