magic and real detectives-第40部分

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holds　true　of　the　professional　part　of　mediumistic　phenomena。

Until　this　homely　but　salutary　truth　is　impressed　with　all　its

importance　upon　all　intending　investigators；　there　is　little　hope

of　bringing　about　a　proper　attitude　toward　these　and　kindred

phenomena。〃



These　remarks　will　make　it　clear　to　us　why　many　men　of　science　have

been　deceived　by　very　simple　tricks　and　fraudulent　devices；　while

investigating　spiritualistic　phenomenatheir　scientific　culture　is

no　guaranty　that　they　are　any　more　capable　of　detecting　fraud　than

is　the　man…in…the…streetin　fact　their　training　has　made　them　very

much　LESS　capable　of　detecting　fraud　than　the　average　person；　who

comes　more　in　contact　with　the　world；　and　is　an　acuter　judge　of

character　and　human　nature。







Anonymous



How　Spirits　Materialize





From　〃The　Revelations　of　a　Spirit　Medium〃a　book　out　of　existence

now；　since　the　plates　and　all　copies　were　bought　up　by

〃spiritualists〃　and　destroyed。　　The　following　is　given　by　courtesy

of　Mr。　Hereward　Carrington：





Reader；　have　you　ever　attended　a　〃seance〃　for　〃full…form

materialization？〃　　Have　you　ever　thought　you　had　met　your　dead

relative's　spirit　at　these　〃seances〃？



If　you　have　never　had　the　pleasure　of　attending　a　seance　of　this

〃phase〃　you　have　missed　a　rare　treat。　　The　writer　has　assisted　at

many　a　one　and　will　relate　to　you　some　of　the　wonderful　phenomena

occurring　at　them　and　the　means　used　to　produce　them。　。　。　。　　There

are　hundreds　of　〃materializing　mediums〃　doing　business　in　this

country；　who　are　swelling　a　good…sized　bank　account。　　Their

business　sometimes　runs　into　the　hundreds　of　dollars　in　a　single

week。　　This　〃phase〃　of　mediumship　is　considered　by　the　spiritual…

ists　as　the　highest　possible　attainable；　and　if　you　are　a　clever

〃full…form　medium〃　your　financial　welfare　is　assured。　。　。　。　　Many

and　various　are　the　methods　employed　by　the　different　〃mediums〃　in

producing　this　phase。　　It　is　in　Boston；　New　York；　and　San　Francisco

that　it　is　worked　the　finest。　　The　full…form　seances　most　often　met

with　are　very　simply　worked；　and　easy　of　performance　by　the　medium。

You　are　usually　given　a　seat　in　a　circle　of　chairs　about　the　front

of　a　〃cabinet〃　made　by　hanging　heavy　curtains　across　the　corner　of

the　room。　　If　you　are　a　stranger　or　one　who　looks　or　acts　as　though

he　would　〃grab〃　the　〃spirits；〃　you　are　seated　at　the　farthest　point

from　the　cabinet；　or；　if　there　are　two　rows　of　seats；　you　will　be

given　a　seat　in　the　back　row。　。　。　。



I　made　my　way　to　the　〃materializing　seance；〃　at　which　my　friends

hoped　to　materialize。　　I　was　admitted　to　the　seance　room　and　found

about　twenty　persons　already　assembled。　　I　was　seated　in　the　front

row　of　chairs。　　The　cabinet　used　was　a　closet　about　six　feet　long

and　four　feet　wide。　　The　ceiling　of　both　the　room　and　the　cabinet

was　of　wood。　　After　a　thorough　examination　had　been　made　of　the

cabinet　by　all　those　who　cared　to　do　so；　the　sitters　were

rearranged　to　suit　the　medium。　　There　were　present　now　thirty…five

persons。　　The　seance　room　was　very　large。　　The　door　had　been　taken

off　the　closet　that　served　as　a　cabinet；　and　in　its　stead　were　hung

heavy　curtains。　　The　floor　of　the　room　was　carpeted　with　a　dark

carpet；　as　was　the　cabinet。　　The　light　was　furnished　by　a　lamp

placed　in　a　box　that　was　fastened　to　the　wall　some　eight　feet　from

the　floor。　　This　box　had　a　sliding　lid　in　front；　controlled　by　a

cord　passing　into　the　cabinet。　　By　this　means　the　〃spirits〃　could

regulate　the　light　to　suit　themselves；　without　any　movement　on　the

part　of　any　of　those　in　the　seance　room　being　necessary。　　When

everything　was　in　readiness　the　medium　entered　the　cabinet；　seated

himself　and　was　tied；　and　so　secured　to　his　chair　that　it　was

impossible　that　he　could　have　any　use　of　himself。　　He　was　most

thoroughly　secured　to　his　chair；　and　his　chair　nailed　fast　to　the

floor　by　passing　leather　straps　over　the　rounds　in　the　side　and

nailing　the　ends　to　the　floor。　　After　it　was　shown　to　the　sitters

that　he　was　utterly　helpless；　the　curtain　was　drawn。　　The　manager

now　placed　an　ordinary　kitchen　table　in　front　of　the　door　of　the

cabinet；　so　that　it　stood　away　from　it　about　two　feet。　　The　table

contained　no　drawer。　　On　the　table　was　laid　writing　materials；　a

guitar；　and　small　bell。　　The　manager　seated　himself　close　to　one

side　of　the　cabinet　entrance；　and　started　a　large　Swiss　music　box。

Before　it　had　finished　the　first　air　the　lamp　was　shut　entirely

off；　making　the　room　inky　dark。



An　illuminated　hand　and　arm　was　now　seen　to　come　from　behind　the

curtain；　and　played　an　accompaniment　to　the　music　box　on　the

guitar。　　We　could　see　plainly　the　movements　of　the　hand；　arm；　and

fingers；　as　it　manipulated　the　strings　of　the　instrument。　　It　did

not　appear　necessary　to　finger　the　strings　on　the　keyboard；

although　the　air　was　in　a　key　that　made　it　impossible　to　tune　the

guitar　so　that　an　accompaniment　could　be　performed　WITHOUT

fingering。　　However；　but　one　hand　was　visible；　and　it　was　picking

the　strings。　　After　the　tune　was　finished；　the　hand　left　the　in…

strument；　and　moved　out　into　the　room　to　the　front　of　the　table；

and　from　the　sound　we　knew　it　was　writing　on　the　tablet　that　had

been　placed　there。　　The　arm　was　of　bluish　light　and　appeared　to　end

just　above　the　elbow；　and　to　have　no　connection　with　the　body。　　It

finished　writing　and　seemed　to　float　into　the　cabinet　near　the　top。



The　light　was　opened　and　the　manager　requested　those　who　had　tied

the　medium　to　examine　his　condition　and　see　if　the　ropes　had　been

tampered　with。　　The　examination　was　made　and　it　was　evident　that

the　fastenings　were　undisturbed。　　The　communication　was　read　aloud

to　those　present；　and　contained　the　following：



〃We　are　pleased　to　meet　so　many　seekers　after　light　and　truth　here

this　evening；　and；　from　the　conditions；　as　we　sense　them；　we　will

have　a　satisfactory　and　pleasant　seance。　　The　way　to　obtain　the

best　results　is　for　each　person　to　maintain　a　passive　condition　and

take　what　we　have　to　give。　　You　may　rest　assured　that　our　best

efforts　will　be　put　forth　to　give　you　entire　satisfaction。　　The

Control。〃



The　writing　was　exactly　on　the　ruled　lines　although　written　in

absolute　darkness。　　The　hand　and　arm；　although　luminous；　did　not

give　out　a　particle　of　light。　　The　arm　had　been　at　least　five　feet

from　the　cabinet　opening　and　seven　feet　from　the　medium。　　Surely；

it　was　not　he。　　The　message　read；　the　light　was　again　shut　down　and

the　music　again　started。



Once　more　a　hand　appeared；　and　floating　out　to　the　table；　again

began　writing。　　Of　a　sudden　the　hand　disappeared；　and；　after　a　few

seconds；　I　was　astonished　to　feel　a　hand　thrusting　a　paper　into　my

top　coat　pocket。　　Now　appeared　two　hands　and　they　played　an　air　on

the　guitar。　　Now　came　three；　then　four　hands　were　visible；　bright

as　the　day。　　Two　of　them　began　writing　again；　and；　when　they　had

finished；　two　more　sitters　were　the　recipients　of　sheets　of　paper。

Soon　the　light　was　opened　for　an　inspection　of　the　cabinet；　which

was　made；　with　the　conclusion　that　the　medium　had　not　moved。　　Those

of　us　receiving　communications　were　afforded　an　opportunity　to　read

them。　　We　found　them　nicely　written；　as　before；　and　all　contained

〃tests。〃　。　。　。



After　the　light　went　out　again；　more　hands　were　seen；　the　table　was

floated　about　over　the　heads　of　the　circle；　as　was　the　music　box；

which　weighed　at　least　fifty　pounds。　　Another　examination　of　the

cabinet　was　made　and　everything　found　satisfactory。　　This　time　the

light　was　not　put　entirely　out；　but　a　very　dim　light　was　allowed。



The　music　box　was　again　set　playing；　and；　while　yet　it　was　playing

the　first　tune；　a　tall　figure；　robed　in　creamy　white；　with　gleaming

sparks　in　her　hair；　and　on　her　head　a　sort　of　crown；　issued　from

the　cabinet。　　She　was　recognized　by　a　gentleman　present；　a

spiritualist；　whose　spirit　guide　she　was；　and　who　addressed　her　as

〃my　queen。〃　　She　stood　a　few　seconds　behind　the　table　and　then

stepped　out　in　the　open　space　between　the　sitters　and　the　table。

The　gentleman　now　arose　from　his　seat　and；　standing　beside　her；

holding　her　hand；　conversed　in　a　whisper　with　her　for　some　seconds。



This　was　most　assuredly　a　lady；　if　appearances　go　for　anything。

Her　hands　were　quite　small；　and　were　warm　and　lifelike；　as　several；

including　myself；　can　testify；　having　been　permitted　to　shake　hands

with　her。　　At　last　she　started　to　the　cabinet；　and；　as　she　went；

appeared　to　grow　shorter；　until；　as　she　disappeared　between　the

curtains；　she　was　not　much　taller　than　the　table。　　The　manager　now

explained　that　the　spirit　had　remained　out　rather　too　long　and　came

near　dematerializing　before　she　reached　the　cabinet。　　Now　came　the

spirit　of　a　young　man；　dressed　in　a　light　suit　of　clothes；　who　gave

his　name　and　said　his　mother　was　present。　　She　was；　and　had　a　few

words　of　conversation　with　him　when　he　disappeared　into　the

cabinet。　　The　lady　said　that　it　was　unmistakably　her　son；　but　there

was　SOMETHING　that　was　not　as　he　had　been；　but　what　it　was　she　was

unable　to　describe。



The　next　spirit　to　present　itself　was　my　son　Eddie。　　He　came　out

from　the　cabinet　calling　〃Papa；　papa。〃　　The　manager　asked　〃Who　is

your　papa？〃　and　he　replied；　〃Mr。　（Smith）。〃　　All　this　time　he　stood

between　the　table　and　the　cabinet；　and　only　his　head　and　shoulders

could　be　seen。　　The　manager　told　him　to　step　out　where　he　could　be

seen；　when　he　came　around　to　the　front　of　the　table。



It　was　rather　dark；　but　I　could　swear　it　was　my　son。　　He　was　just

the　right　size；　with　long　flaxen　hair　and　a　very　pale　face。　　He

wore　a　light…colored　waist　and　darker　knee…breeches　and　stockings；

with　a　large　black　bow　at　his　throat；　Just　as　I　remember　seeing　him

last　in　health。



While　Eddie　was　still　standing　in　front　of　the　table　a　large　man

came　out　and　took　him　by　the　hand。　　Eddie　spoke；　saying：



〃Must　I　go　back；　grandpa