Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-10-17
''Our American Adventure"
Psychic Powers of Young Italian Given Test by Sher
lock Holmes Through Efforts of DIR. Alerton
Cushman1 of Washington-Second Lecture.
BY SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.
N May 4 We had been asked by

N May we HAQ Ueeu Aohou W
~ psychic research body. in
~ which my friend. Dr.. Ailerton
Cushman Of Washington. IL in
terested. to attend a seance in order to
test q young Italian named Becoraro.
who was supposed to have psychic pow
ers. He was q stunted. undernourished
youth, with a face Of premature age.
and could only speak few words Of
English. Two italian females Of his
own class were with him and the
party was brought by DR.. vecchio. q
skilled psychic observer and q man
Of high scientific attainment, who has
already written q book upon this
subject.
was Impressed by Vecchio as a
very competent experimenter. The
other sitters were Dr.. cushman, DR..
H. Darlington. . Persian gentleman
named Kervorkian. two young ladies.
whose names I did not catch;, my
wife and myself. A cabinet had been
erected at one end of the seance
room in the Physical Institute and
in 1t the medium was placed. 1t was
merely q screen of curtains, and the
idea is that It holds in those vaporous
materials which are the raw material
Of psychical manifestations.
A Psyehie seanee.
The lights were turned down-ecto-
plasm dissolves in Highland we
waited for some time In patient ex-
[pectation. with only q dim red lamp
to cast its glimmer in the gloom.
Suddenly a perfect scream came from
the cabinet. thin and keen and vi
brant. aida! Aida!" were the words.
1t was so sudden that 1t made US all
jump in our chairs. We hoped it was
the beginning Of some great mani
festation. The name, I understand,
was that Of one of the Italian women
present and the cry was supposed to
come from some deceased relative.
for some words were added. which
were said to mean this.
The woman was absolutely terrified
however. and whinnied with fear when
asked to come close to the cabinet
This seemed to damp down the phe-
nomena. which now took merely
physical turn. the table being dashed
about in all directions, possibly to
signify the impatience OF the spirit
at the backwardness OF the girl. oh
to get near the cabinet. There was
strong cool breeze, the sure sign OF
real psychic power. Do not these
psychic air vibrations throw light
on the constant request from spirits
that we sing or play and so keep the
jumping about and several articles
were thrown out from the cabinet. In
GLIDING the mediums collar and belt
His hands were supposed to have been
securely fastened by wire. out coulo
not guarantee that they could not
'Palladino" was given, and We were
told that the famous medium was
present.
Palladino Invoked.
Again we had great hopes and again
we were disappointed. In vain we
played up to Palladino. welcomed her
spoke of her past. A voice from the
cabinet said in Italian: Il who USED
to call back the spirits now come
back as q spirit myself" I said: fai-
ladino, we send you our love and our
best announcement" The curtains
seemed to blow outward toward US
and for q time We had hopes OF ma
terialization. But again the force was
dissipated in the absurd and violent
dancing Of the table.
It was very disappointing. out noun
ing more could be done, ana atteL IVY
hours we were compelled to break on;
The youn9 Italians pulse was SLOW anu
steady. but it was fifteen minutes oe.
TORE we got him out Of his trance. ~
was not. it must be admitted, very
successful sitting, put when we con-
sidar the strange surroundings II was
not quite a failure. l thought ene
youth was a true medium ana misn.
develop into something remal kaTIs.
since then Dr. vecchio has been aoie
to get very good photographs OF ecso.
nIasm, issuing in long coil from Inc
cahinet in which he was oouna.
This seance was a remarkaole *
annie of the Paul Pry powers OF tne
New York press Every one IN vas
room who could speak Englisn was
aware that the occasion was prlsa a. 9
one and this not because there was
snythinR to conceal, but because Tree
and frank comment and discussion
become impossible SO long as every
word NAV be reported in print. Nexs
day a full and accurate report gu
actually appear in one paper. with sne
Copyright mark below It to snow tnae
II had been duly paid for such are
the incidents which make one eau
ffous In America.