Evening star., 1923-10-27

Equipped with a black cabinet,
tables which moved under mysterious
touches. jars. ropes and a clever bag
of tricks, Rev. C. M. Heredia. S. j.. of
Mexico, at Georgetown College last
night in the presence of large au-
dience launched a broadside against
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's "spiritism"
and score of phenomena. such as
table rapping. astral bodies and
clairvoyance.
Father Heredia, who is author of a
book on spiritisn. exposing what he
considers the trickery in spiritual
seances," treated his subject in a
novel manner, with deft comedy.
mystify his audience. and with stere-
opticon pictures Of "ectoplasm" and
astral bodies.
Understand" he said seriously, Il
do not deny the existence of some
phenomena. But l do disagree with
the explanation of them given by peo-
pie who claim supernatural powers"
Scientific Easily Fooled.
The more scientific a man is," said
Father Heredia, 1.-The more easily you
can fool him in this kind of phe-
nomena"
Pictures were cast on the screen,
said by the speaker to be some of
the most famous evidences ~bf So
white. filmy substance about the per-
son in the picture. Fathef Heredia
displayed two large rubber combs.
like those worn, he said. by the
woman in the picture. from which
he withdrew lacy material. This he
in civ 1or
fashion as 1T had appeared in the
picture and declared, with irony,
'Ectoplasm!" From his mouth he
exuded slowly a strange rubber sub
stance, which proved to be a pneu-
matte rubber doll. Holding this aloft,
he cried out in glee. "Ectoplasm!"
Criticizing the pictures which have
been declared by exponents of the
supernatural theories to he evidence
in support of their belief, Father
on the photographs by the "ecto-
plasm which. he claimed, could only
have been cast by an actual object
of material nature.
Apparition in Darkness.
The room was darkened, the audi
ence asked to sing, and there ap-
peared in the space over the stage
long. white ghostly looking light.
which moved to and fro. diminishing
in size and finally disappearing.
My astral body" declared the
speaker. Did you see that spook
arm floating in space?"
Persons from the audience called
to the stage lifted tables with their
finger tips evidently placed on top
of the table. Persons were seated
about a table on the stage holding
hands tightly when the lights went
off. In few seconds the lights
came on, and their hats and coats
would be exchanged, or, perhaps,
found in the audience. A girl was
hypnotized, and in sepulchral tones
gave the names and intimate per-
sonal history of certain persons in
the audience. Friends of these per-
sons laughingly verified the facts. AS
Father Heredia passed through the
, audience, she, blindfolded, with her
back to him, identified objects, such
as fountain pens, scarfs, pocketbooks,
etc, held aloft.
Bound to a Chair.
Submitting himself to be tightly
bound with a rope. tied by one Of the
huskiest athletes in the audience,
Father Heredia sat on a chair facing
his audience, and called persons to
stand by him. touching his feet. In
few seconds of darkness their coats
flew inside out into the audience,
beads were transferred from one neck
to another, and hats went from WON
ems to mems heads. 1t was all very
myStifying and amusing to the au-