magic and real detectives-第44节

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〃The　magician　then　tried　the　experimentof　opening　and　closing　his

hands　rapidly；　and　causing　the　coin　to　be　transferred；　as　promised

but　failed　in　the　attempt；　the　coins　from　the　back　of　each　hand

falling　on　to　the　table　in　rather　a　clumsy　manner。　　They　were；

however；　again　placed　upon　the　backs　of　the　magician's　hands；　the

movement　was　repeated；　and　this　time　successfully。　　The　coins

disappeared　from　the　backs　of　both　hands；　in　one　of　which　was　now

found　three　of　the　coins；　while　the　other　hand　contained　only　one。〃



Such　is　precisely　the　description　of　the　trick；　as　it　would　be

given　by　the　average　person；　on　seeing　it；　and　it　would　represent

his　honest　opinion　of　what　occurred；　as　it　stands；　it　is　quite

inexplicable　by　trickery。　　Needless　to　say；　the　account　is　NOT　a

true　statement　of　what　actually　occurred；　as　the　following

explanation　will　make　clear：



The　first　time　the　coins　were　dropped　on　to　the　table；　the　movement

was　not　so　〃clumsy〃　as　might　have　been　supposed。　　It　was；　in　fact；

intentional；　being　the　principal　factor　in　the　accomplishment　of

the　trick。　　What　ACTUALLY　transpired　at　that　time　was　this：　The

magician；　by　a　quick　movement；　dropped　both　coins　from　ONE　hand　on

to　the　table；　at　the　same　time　dexterously　opening　the　other　hand　a

trifle；　and　allowing　the　second　coin；　on　that　hand；　to　fall　into

the　interior　of　the　hand　itself。　　Thus；　while　both　hands　are　still

seen　to　be　closed；　one　is　empty；　and　the　other　contains　two　coins。

It　is　obvious；　therefore；　that；　when　a　coin　is　placed　upon　each　of

the　hands　again；　the　magician　has　only　to　repeat　the　opening　and

closing　movement；　and　there　will　be　three　coins　in　one　of　the

hands；　and　only　one　in　the　other。



This　trick　illustrates；　in　a　very　simple　and　striking　manner；　the

possibility　of　reporting　a　fact　in　an　entirely　erroneous　manner；

quite　unconscious　of　the　fact　that　this　error　in　reporting　has　been

committed。　　Just　in　this　same　manner；　are　many　slate…writing　and

other　phenomena　misreported；　and　hence　an　explanation　of　the

seance；　AS　REPORTED；　is　rendered　impossible。　　The　trouble　is　that

the　〃report〃　does　not　REALLY　report　what　actually　occurred。



　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　。　　　　　　　　　　。



Many　of　my　readers　may　feel　somewhat　insulted　at　this　accusation

that　they　cannot　detect　such　obvious　trickery　when　it　exists；　and

that　they　are　liable　to　make　such　mistakes　in　recording　a　seance　as

those　here　mentioned。　　They　may　comfort　themselves　with　the

thought；　however；　that　it　is　no　disgrace　to　make　mistakes　and

errors　of　this　kind；　for；　as　Professor　Jastrow　pointed　out：＇1＇





＇1＇　Fact　and　Fable　in　Psychology；　p。　148。





〃The　matter　is　in　some　aspects　as　much　a　technical　acquisition　as

in　the　diagnosticating　of　a　disease。　　It　is　not　at　all　to　the

discredit　of　anyone's　powers　of　observation　or　intellectual　acumen

to　be　deceived　by　the　performances　of　a　conjurer；　and　the　same

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