Evening star., 1922-11-06
"Our American Adventure"
Letter From Spirit of Houdini's Mother Written
Automatically by Lady Doyle at Special Seance
in Atlantic City, British Author Reports
BY SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.

writes, because they refer usually to
family matters, since 1t is our own
people who manifest through her. we
ask for no tests. but take what comes
in a spirit of humble gratitude, with
the result that most convincing tests
come through. On one occasion, for
example. when I was receiving a mes
sage from Hornung. my brother-ln-
law, he mentioned that man VINO
had played good cricket with me IN
old days had just come through. l
asked for the name-which is always
a severe test. A tumble of letters
came In answer. ending up with ClNi.
This is nonsense" said I. III 1t Is
a name at all. 1t Is an Italian one.
and there never was an Italian. so
cricket" That evening we learned
for the first time that Paravicini had
died. I must confess that l cannot
be sure that l ever actually played
with him. but we played in the same
sort Of teams. and it is quite likely
far beyond coincidence.
Lady Doyle Writes.
The reason. however. why 1 refer
to my wife's remarkable power. which
only came by slow development, Is
that my friend, Mr. Houdini, the
greatest of magicians. sat with us
this afternoon and received a fifteen
page letter from his mother which
made him very grave and thoughtful.
convince. 1t was sudden inspira-
tion of mine to ask him up to our
room to see IL we could get any evil
dence or consolation for him. 1t was
a singular soene, my wife, with her
hand flying wildly: beating the table
while she scribbled at a furious rate.
l sitting opposite and tearing sheet
after sheet from the block as it was
pulled or and tossing each across to
Houdini. while he sat silent, looking
grtmmer and paler every moment We
asked him to think a question in
instantly through my wife's hand.
But then occurred the most marvellous
thing of all. Houdini sat playing
with the pencil when his own hand
was suddenly moved and he wrote the
word Powell. Now. DR.. Powell. my
had just died In England-worn out.
l expect. by his own exertions, for
he was a desperately hard worker in
the cause. l was the man he was
most likely to signal to. and here was
his name coming through the hand of
Houdini. Truly. Saul is among the
Prophets" said 1. There was a
sequel to this incident the same even
ing, which 1 shall narrate presently.
COnJurOfD ana Sp1flt1Sm.
Talking of the views of conjurors
which are generally not only unintel-
ligent but quite spiteful about phe-
nomena. as though they regarded
them as some form of Illicit competi-
tion, it interested me to find that
Mr.. Howard Thurston. who is. next
to Houdini. the chief magician in
America, has shown great patience
and acumen in investigating medi-
IL lxy
but he has also admitted that he has
several times encountered real psychic
gifts which are in different cate
CORY to tricks. By this admission
he has placed himself in an enlight-
ened band who number several Of the
creates magicians of the past.
Thurston had the independence Of
mind to give evidence in favor Of
Eusapia Palladino at the time when
that great physical medium. with only
the dregs of her powers remaining,
visited the United States and excited
contemptuous derision by her habit
Of openly pushing or fitting the table.
Whether this is done on purpose or
under the influence Of control. there
Is no question about the fact, and 1t
Is done 50 openly that 1t is more like
a Joke than a real attempt at de-
ception. Mr.. Thurston had the sense
to see that deeper things lay beyond.
II caught her almost at once" he
wrote. lifting the table-a small one
by hand pressure and toe leverage
did not stop the seance with the
discovery of this trick. 1 did not say
anything about 1t. The seance por-
ceeded. The woman produced ma
terializations of hands. faces and fig
ures in the dim light Of a lamp. while
had her under perfect observation.
with full opportunity to detect any
possible trick or device" DR.. Caring
ton gave similar evidence in favor of
Eusapia, but Prof. Munsterberg and
others bore her down so that she left
America under a cloud, which was
certainly largely of her own making
Thurston sat also several times with
Miss Bessinet and has said after one
of her sittings, "One could travel
round the world and not duplicate this
experience" When conjurers sneer at
psychic phenomena they should re-
member that many Of their great
predecessors. Houdini, Harry Kellar.
Bellachini. DR.. Jacob, Hartmann and
others have admitted that the things
Of the spirit are on an entirely differ
ent level to their own art, which is
surd when 1t contradicts the serious
studies of serious men. 1t is natural,
however, that conjurors in America
should be strongly prejudiced. for 1t
is a fact that the villainous fake me-
diums actually come to them and ask
for instruction in their tricks so that
they may impress and swindle their
clients.
for United States and Great Britain.