Photographing the Invisible Practical Studies in Spirit Photography, Spirit Portraiture, and other Rare but Allied Phenomena ^ Jambs Coatbs LIBRARY s*A(WV4*19YCHOLCXJY LA«ORAT«RY *»UKE UNIVERSITY DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY FRIENDS OF DUKE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GIFT OF Dr, J, B, Rhine Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2018 with funding from Duke University Libraries https://archive.org/details/photographinginv01coat Photographing th Invisible Practical Studies in Spirit Photography, Spirit Portraiture, and other Rare but Allied Phenomena By James Coates, Ph.D., F.A.S. Author of “Human Magnetism,” “Seeing the Invisible,” “Self-Reliance,” etc., etc., etc. fVITH 90 PHOTOGRAPHS 19 I I Published by ADVANCED THOUGHT PUBLISHING CO., Masonic Temple, Chicago, III. LONDON L. N. FOWLER & CO. 7 Imperial Arcade, Ludgate Circus, E. C. Copyright 1911 by THE ADVANCED THOUGHT PUBLISHING CO. In The United States of America Entered at Stationer’s Hall by L. N. FOWLER & CO. sill Rights Reserved PREFACE As a further contribution to Psychic Science, I have written this work — which represents some of the results of my inquiries and personal research. In a former book, “Seeing the Invisible,” which His late Majesty King Edward was pleased to accept, 1 touched—among other studies—upon Thought and Spirit Photography. Sir William Crookes, 0. M., F. R. S. the distin¬ guished Savant, commended the book most favour¬ ably :— “It is written in a fair spirit which invites un¬ biased criticism. The incidents related in it and the arguments put forward are such as to demand the careful attention of thoughtful men, and the author impartially points out some difficulties and discrep¬ ancies. ’ ’ In the present work I give a fuller and more com¬ plete record of Spirit Photography than was at all possible in the ages of “Seeing the Invisible”—I trust also, in a fair spirit which invites careful read¬ ing before criticism. Spirit photographs, Spirit Portraiture and Spirit iii IV PREFACE Writings belong to the rarer phases of Psycho-phy¬ sics. They are either produced by the operations of Intelligences in the Invisible—through appropriate media—or man possesses psychic faculties and pow¬ ers which have not yet received the attention they demand. Spiritualists believe that Spirits can be photo¬ graphed. Experts—many of whom have never inves¬ tigated—declare all spirit photographs fraudulent. To both my answer is:— “The evidence does not support either hypothesis but for the FACT of SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHY, the evidence is most conclusive.” Many problems, puzzles and difficulties met with in the course of investigations are clearly stated. I have—however—omitted all reference to the experi¬ ments of Dr. Baraduc and the photographing of in¬ visible radiations from radio-active bodies and mat¬ ters already dealt with in “Seeing the Invisible.” I have not touched upon the discoveries of Dr. W. J. Kilner, by which he has been enabled to render vis¬ ible the hitherto invisible human auras, and their re¬ lation to health and disease, as that would carry me beyond the scope of the present work. And lastly, I have not attempted to deal with tire results of Dr. Ochorowicz’s experiments with his new apparatus, with which—it is declared—he can photograph spir¬ its—without the aid of a medium. The information is too late and too meagre to be considered in this PREFACE v book. Notwithstanding these limitations, I give a fairly comprehensive resume of the phenomena of Spirit Photography. In a lesser degree I deal with Spirit painted Por¬ traits. Although I have not personally investigated these, from the abundant material at my disposal, i have arrived at certain deductions, and these I give. Psychography—Spirit writing—is briefly treated, and the conclusions reached are also given. I am indebted for some quotations to the Articles by the late Air. Stainton Moses, “M. A. Oxon,” in Human Nature, Vols. viii & ix, (James Burns, Lon¬ don, 1874-5) ; Chronicles of the Photographs of Spiritual Beings and Phenomena Invisible to the Ma¬ terial Eye, by Miss Houghton, (E. W. Allen, Ave Maria Lane, London, 1882) ; The Veil Lifted, by Andrew Glendinning, (Whitftiker & Co., London) ; Borderland, W. T. Stead, (London 1894-7) ; Un¬ seen faces Photographed, by Dr. H. A. Reid, Los Angeles, Cal., U. S. A., 1901, and to other sources men¬ tioned in the body of the book. I wish to express my thanks to the editors of Light, London; The Two Worlds, Manchester, England; The Harbinger of Light, Melbourne, Australia; to the subscribers to the Wyllie Fund, who enabled me to experiment in Psychic Photography under my own roof, and to the numerous correspondents for testi¬ mony and photographs submitted. I have not been able to use all, but have edited a selection in order to present various phases of the phenomena. I now VI PREFACE present this work to the consideration of all thought¬ ful persons interested in man’s spiritual nature and the scientific aspects of modern psychic research. Glenbeg House, James Coates, Rothesay, Scotland, Sept. 1, 1911. CONTENTS CHAPTER PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIP.LK Preface . i I INTRODUCTION .vii I The First Medium Photographer . 1 The remaikable photograph of Mrs. Lincoln and her hus¬ band, the former president. Mr. Moses A. Dow and psychic extra of Mabel Warren. Mrs. Emma Hardinge Britten and psychic portrait of Beethoven. II Mr. Hudson’s Mediumship . 22 Mr. T. Martheze, with psychic full-length figure of his mother. Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace and spirit picture of his mother. M. A. Oxon and psychic portrait of a spirit form. III Parkes, Peeves and Buguet . 44 The Count de Medina Pomar, with psychic portrait of his father. IV Mr. David Duguid’s Mediumship . Go Photograph of Mr. Duguid. Mr. Andrew (ilendinning and Mr. James Robertson and psychic portrait of “Hafed.” (Prince of Persia). Mr. James Robertson and psychic portrait of “The Cyprian Priestess.” The enlarged psychic portrait of “The Cyprian Priestess." Mrs. X. J. Anderson and Mrs. An drew (ilendinning and the psychic portrait of Mrs. Anderson's child. Mrs. Duguid and psychic portrait of “The Cyprian Priestess." V Mr. R. Bournell’s Mediumship. 90 Mr. H. Blackwell and psychic picture of his niece Louie. Mr. A. W. Jones and psychic picture of his father. Mr. II Blackwell and psychic portrait of Professor ltlackie. Mi. Barnes and psychic picture of Empress Elizabeth of Austria. W. T. Stead and psychic portrait of Piet Botha. VI Mr. Bournei.i.’s Mediumship—Continued .117 Mr. Jas. Roberts! ti and psychic portrait of Mr. John I.a mont. Mr. John Dewar and psychic portrait of his sistei Mrs. Shaw and psychic picture of her grandmother. Mr. John Auld and psychic portrait of the author's father. Mr. A Mackellar and the psychic picture of his daughter. Mr. Charles Davieson and psychic picture of his brother. Mr. A. P. Sinnett and psychic picture. VII Some American Casks . Ill Mr. F. Rice, Greigsville. N. Y.. with several spirit faces. Mrs. Flood and psychic pictures of friends. Dr. Morrow and psychic picture of a young lady. Mr. A. K. Venning with psychic portrait. Chinaman and spirit picture of his son. Photograph of a Negress with a number of spirit pictures ot friends. Some American Cases—Continued .164 Mr. Ed. Wyllie and psychic portrait of iris mother. Hr. Cook and psychic picture of Flora Loudon. Flash-light of a VIII CONTENTS CHAPTER PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE PAGE materialized form and a number of spirit faces. Croup of spirit children's faces. Mr. Brittlebank and psychic picture of a former servant. Mrs. Horne and psychic picture of a lady. IX Three Psychic Photographs and a Spirit Mes¬ sage .188 Spirit pictures received from a letter and lock of Hair sent by Mrs. A. S. Hunter. Madame L. Pogosky. and Oscar E. Drummond. X Experimentation with Mr. Wyllie .205 Letter and hair of Mr. and Mrs. Coates which they sent to Los Angeles with spirit faces. Mrs. Coates and psychic pic¬ ture of her grandmother. XI Experimentation with Mr. Wyllie—Continued.226 The Jensen photograph with extras. The author with psy¬ chic extra, said to be his father. Mrs. Coates and psychic portrait of her aunt. Mr. John Auld and psychic picture of Mrs. Auld. Mrs. Coates and psychic picture of her daughter. Mr. J. J. Morse and psychic picture of Miss Florence Morse's guide. Mrs. Hector and psychic portrait of Miss Armour. Mr. Whiteford and psychic picture of a little boy. Mr. Whiteford and psychic picture of old woman. Miss M. Mc- Callum and psychic picture of her cousin. Mrs. Payne and psychic picture of her cousin. XII Experimentation with Mr. Wyllie—Continued.260 Miss M. McCallum and psychic portrait of Rev. Mr. Nicol- son. Mrs. Shaw and psychic picture of Mrs. Coates’ daugh¬ ter. Mrs. Grant and psychic portrait of her son. Mr. A. W. Orr and psychic portrait of his wife. Mrs. Clara Ashworth and psychic portrait of Miss Alice Whittaker. Mr. W. Walker and psychic portrait of Mr. Alfred Smedley. XIII Portraits Painted by Invisible Artists.292 Spirit painting of a little boy. of who there was never a picture taken. Spirit-painted portrait of Mrs. Ella Leamon- Leach. Spirit-painting of the daughter of a prominent family. XIV Portraits Painted by Invisible Artists—Con¬ tinued . 314 Percipitated painted portrait of Poyesh Kanti. Spirit painted, daughter of Dr. Thurston. Spirit painting of The Temple of Light. Percipitated painting of St. John. Spirit painting of Mrs. Lee Baxter. XV PSYCHOGRAPHY . ..337 Psychograph of Signor Ricci. Psychic picture obtained without light or camera by Mr. Andrew Glendinning and a lady. Psychograph of Mrs. Jones. XVI PSYCHOGRAPHY-CONTINUED . 356 Dr. T. D'Aute Hopper and three spirit extras. Six psycho- graph plates with messages. Message received by Mr. W. Walker. XVII Concluding Observations .382 Most favorable conditions for psychic photography. Photo¬ graph of Elsie Reynolds with many psychic extras. INTRODUCTION The various phases of psycho-physics published under the title of this book are so puzzling; the claims so extraordinary.; the evidence so start¬ ling, and the material at my disposal so abundant, that I have only produced a tithe of the facts and as many illustrations as space permits. The major portion of these pages is devoted to Spirit Photography; that subject calling for some explanatory notes I think it well to give a few just now. I view photography as applied to the visible, the material invisible, and the immaterial invisible or the psychic. The art of Photography is of comparatively recent date. With its history 1 do not deal, except to recall that the discovery was made in 1839, when the pro¬ cesses of Daguerreotypeing were patented and Talot’s invention announced. Since then the science and art of photography have made vast strides, until it has now become an art of the highest utility, and widest application, not even guessed at by its usual patrons. For these it is enough that they get a “good picture,” vii INTRODUCTION viii generally as flattering as the photographer’s skill can supply. That photography renders invaluable aid to the physician and surgeon, the chemist and student of physics and others, in the more serious studies of Na¬ ture’s problems, is very evident. That it should be applied in photographing the Invisible, the Unseen and the Unknown, does not oc¬ cur to the usual patron; or if so, he dismisses it with derision and contempt. Indeed, it may be said that the average photographer is not much wiser, since he does not concern himself with the laws of photogra¬ phy, the work done by the majority being confined to visible objects, persons or things, and mainly per¬ formed in a routine fashion. When men so trained come to say what is and what is not possible in pho¬ tography, they reveal their want of qualifications and put themselves out of court as experts. To say that the invisible cannot be photographed, even on the material plane, would be to confess igno¬ rance of facts which are commonplace—as, for in¬ stance, to mention the application of X-Ray photog¬ raphy to the exploration of the muscles, bones and the internal organs. Astronomical photography af¬ fords innumerable illustrations of photographing the invisible. In the foregoing and analogous eases, the photographing is that of material, though invisible, objects. Space will not admit of my dealing with the re¬ markable application of photography to Sound, by INTRODUCTION IX which the latter can be secured on negatives, and re¬ produced by Photo-phonographic records. Surely this is photographing the invisible. Photography, too, reveals the recently discovered “N-Rays,” which proceed from the human organism, and which fluctu¬ ate according to oiie’s state of health, and mental ac¬ tivities. These rays are invisible, but can be demon¬ strated on a phosphorescent screen, be photographed, and a valuable record made of them. However, important as the application is, it does not directly concern us here, except to lead us to surmise that N-Rays, i. e., Human Magnetism, may be operative in Psychic Photography. But, can apparently im¬ material (invisible) objects be photographed? Those who have investigated Thought, and Psychic Photog¬ raphy say Yes; although it is granted that many photographers who have not, say No. I give some facts and reasons for the conviction that Yes is the correct answer. So far, reference lias been made to the fact that material, but invisible, objects and substances have been photographed. I show that in addition to in¬ visible objects, persons—some of whom are departed , and hence no longer clothed in the vesture of the flesh, or existing on the present plane of sense percep- tion—have been photographed. In “Seeing the Invisible” I dwelt on Thought Photography, and out¬ lined Spirit Photography, but in these pages I pre¬ sent a greater variety of cases, supported by remark- s INTRODUCTION able evidence, including the results of my own ex¬ periments. The subject for clearness, is divided into three nat¬ ural sections:— The Historical-Modern Spiritualism made its ad¬ vent in Rochester, New York State, in 1848, and the first spirit photograph was obtained by Mumler, in Poston, U. S. A., in 1861, just thirteen years after¬ wards. Chronological order is followed as far as con¬ venient. The Evidence or Statements of Reputable Persons either known to me or known to Correspondents of mine. The Results of Experimentation carried out in our own home with Mr. Edward Wyllie, Cal., IT. S. A., with the Testimony of the Sitters and the Nature of the Tests conducted. Where possible and permissible, photo-half-tones are given in illustration. To simplify matters, I ask and answer three questions:— (1) . What are spirit photographs? (2) . What are spirit (painted) portraits? (3) . What are psychographs? In answer to the first queston, I make the follow¬ ing citations: Of what is called spirit photography, it is impos¬ sible to doubt that such photographs have been hon¬ estly produced or obtained by Sir Wm. Crookes, Mr. Traill Taylor, Mr. Glendinning, Rev. Stainton Moses, Madame d’Esperance, and others. They are of three main classes: (1). Portraits of living discarnate INTRODUCTION xi beings or spirits; (2). Pictures of effigies or lay fig¬ ures, often very incomplete, and not necessarily hu¬ man-like. (3). Reproductions of physical pictures, or other objects. (1). B. M’Lachlan, in the Journal of the S. P. h., Feb. 1900, p. 185.). The following may serve as a rough classification of what are called spirit photographs: (1) Portraits of psychical entities, not seen by normal vision. (2) Pictures of objects not seen or thought of by the sit¬ ter or by the medium or operator; such as flowers, words, crosses, crowns, lights, and various emblematic objects. (3) Pictures which have the appearance of being copied from statues, paintings or drawings; sometimes the busts or heads only. The flatness in some photographs of this class is supposed by persons who have not investigated the subject to be proof that the photographs are produced in a fraudulent man¬ ner. (4) Pictures of what are called materialized forms, visible to normal sight. (5) Pictures of the “wraith” or “double” of persons still in the body. (Mr. Andrew Glendinning,—“The Veil Lifted,” pp. v.i-vii.) To 1, 2, 3, and 5, most attention is given. No. 4, while adequately testified to by Sir William Crookes, and others, does not fall under any section of Photo¬ graphing the Invisible. What are Spirit-Painted Portraits? These are pictures of departed and living persons, painted in the dark or in the light by Intelligences in the Invis¬ ible, and not by the hand of a medium or other mortal. What are Psvchographs? These are portraits of departed persons, reproductions, replicas and writ¬ ings, similar to what arc termed Spirit Photographs, INTRODUCTION xii but which come on the plate without the use of the camera , and light, necessary in photographic pro¬ cedure. Psychic Photographs and Psychographs do not lend themselves to artistic treatment, retouching being out of the question. They are mostly inartistic, doing poor justice either to sitters or the psychic “extras.” Those taken by camera are frequently over-developed to get the “extras” defined, and do not lend them¬ selves to the making of good half-tones. There is no help for it; I can only give them as they are. In spite of the sweeping statement made in a Lon¬ don paper that—• “Where experiments are carried out under scien¬ tific conditions, so as to preclude any possibility of deception, spirit photographs cannot be produced.” I am convinced to the contrary, and these pages contain the refutation. I have selected the two Reports on which the state¬ ment is based, issued by a “Spirit Photography Com¬ mission,” for comment. A careful reading of these Reports furnishes the astounding fact that no experi¬ ments of any kind—scientific or otherivise—were car¬ ried out by this Commission. There was plenty of theorising, various meetings, much letter-writing, and quite a number of psychic photographs exhibited. The latter were extolled, defended on the one side and condemned and refuted on the other. But there was no experimental procedure. Could there be greater folly? Yet this is loudly proclaimed as re- INTRODUCTION xiii search, and on this wise basis Spirit Photography was condemned. A Mr. Marriott wrote a series of articles during 1910, in Pearson’s Magazine. They were neither complimentary to Spiritualists nor to the intelligence of the readers. In them we have a good deal about Mr. Marriott, with many photographs of himself and the cleverest things he could do and did. In delight¬ ful, egotistical fashion, he dealt with Spirit Photog¬ raphy. He “assumes” and “suggests,” but in no instance does he indicate a practical acquaintance with his subject. I hardly find it necessary to deal with the futility of a person dominated by “fixed ideas,” of fraud and stupidity in his fellow men, ap¬ proaching the study of any subject in a calm, clear¬ headed and scientific spirit. I have, however, treated him tenderly and fairly. Suppose I admit that me¬ dium-photographers may be guilty of methods that are reprehensible, such procedures will not, and cannot account for the facts. No undertaking, much less photography could exist for months, much less years, conducted on the methods suggested. Yet, Mr. Frank Forester has been taking psychic photographs for forty years; Mr. Edward Wyllie for twenty years; and the late Mr. Boursnell was located in one centre of London and gave his “shadow pictures” or spirit photographs for about eighteen years. The Bangs Bisters produced spirit portraits for over twenty years. The explanation of the facts is not to be found in fraud. XIV INTRODUCTION There is, to my mind, the possibility of self-decep¬ tion being a factor in the recognition of the “extras,” as portraits of departed persons. But even this will not account for the facts. It should not be more diffi¬ cult to discount than those cases of mistaken identity, which occur in ordinary life. Faulty memories, per¬ version of the judgment, from some cause, may account for the recognition of some of these photo¬ graphs. Not all. That’s all. Whether the psychic pictures, symbols, etc., come on the plates on, before, or without exposure, there are two constant factors present:— (1). For every figure, image, portrait, etc., re¬ vealed by the process of development, some unknown cause has produced a material, chemical change in the substance of the film; and (2) Through the process of developing, a further chemical change is brought about which is necessary in order to reveal the image or portrait produced by the unknown factor or fac¬ tors. Those who possess knowledge based on actual ex¬ periment can vouch for the genuineness of these “ex¬ tras”—whether symbols or portraits—as they have carefully scrutinised all operations, from the opening of a virgin package to the finishing processes of de¬ veloping and printing. I give several instances: Sitters have chosen their own time, position or place for operations, and yet, extraneous heads, faces and forms have appeared. At times, a clearly iden¬ tifiable portrait of a departed person is obtained, of INTRODUCTION xv whom no similar likeness has ever been taken in life. Clairvoyants, too, have sometimes seen the spirit form in the room before it has been photographed. By what kind of actinic rays, whether those con¬ tained in ordinary light or not, the plates have been chemically affected cannot be definitely known, but it can be stated that something has been photographed which was invisible to normal vision. Both from personal knowledge and a calm review of the testimony of reputable persons, 1 respectfully aver: (1) That genuine photographs of departed persons have been taken. (2) That in a great num¬ ber of instances these have been of men, women and children unknown to the sitters. (3) That in a les¬ ser degree many portraits have been obtained recog¬ nizable, but unrelated to the sitter and the operator. (4) That identified portraits are obtained of de¬ parted ones related to either sitter or operator. (5) That portraits of persons unrelated and unknown to the sitter have subsequently been recognized by rela¬ tives as those of persons who had never been known to the medium, and whose spirit photograph differed from any taken in life. (6) That in many cases portraits have been immediately identified as those of departed friends—and of living persons—file double. (7) That many of the so-called, unrecognized spirit photographs have been identified subsequently by persons related to the departed, but neither knew the operator-medium; the sitter; nor the occasion when the same was taken: showing in many cases—at least XVI INTRODUCTION —that the psychic “extra” was not that of a thought- form within the sub-conscionsness of the medium, or the picture of a departed produced by the desire of the sitter, but rather a portrait produced—by Invis¬ ible operators—as best they could, either hoping for oi' actually anticipating recognition ultimately. This is a reasonable deduction made from several cases re¬ ported. (8) That persons thought of have been photographed, in accordance with promises made through a psychic. Some forms have come on the plate in absence of the embodied relative, as subject, and when the promise to come had been forgotten. The term “Spirit Photographs” is used as being convenient and not as either being accurate or the best term. As to the character of these “extras,” espe¬ cially where they are pictures of departed persons, it is difficult in our present limited knowledge to say. To assume that they are portraits of spirits in discar- nate states is as absurd as the vacuous conclusion that they are fraudulently produced. Psychical research in its plodding inquiries has established—as the result of nearly a quarter of a century’s labours that which has been known all along—the possession of psychic faculty in man. These faculties have been variously labelled, clairvoyance, second sight, crystal vision, elairaudience, telepathy and other modes of aware¬ ness or cognising that which exists in the Invisible, whether the same be a reflection of impressions on the super-sensitive backgrounds of sub-consciousness or an actual knowing through psychic processes that the INTRODUCTION xv n reality has been demonstrated by substantially con¬ vincing cases and by photography, etc. The play of the psychic faculty appears to be fugitive in most cases. Some persons can recall one or two instances of psychic appearance of the dead( ?) and the double in their lives, while others, called “Psychics,” mediums, or sensitives, have had many such experiences; yet to none, as far as my studies anti personal knowledge have gone, do I find the exer¬ cise of psychic faculty a continuous feature. Not only are the psychic faculties established by scientific inquiry, but likewise are apparitions of the dead and phantasms of the living. While they have occasionally apparently been detected by ordinary vision in the experience of the persons affected, I am forced to the conclusion that all these extra-ordinary —super-mundane appearances of the living and the dead have been observed only through the sudden functioning of psychic faculty. It is also clear that while all that which is seen by psychic vision—clairvoyance and telepathic awareness —cannot be and is not confined to seeing apparitions of the dead, or doubles of the living, yet these have been most truly seen. These have not been hazy and illusive, but are veridical hallucinations. In other words, that which was seen had a veritable existence in the invisible. Careful study of crystal vision, while it reveals that there is nothing in tin* crystal at periods but what tin* mind of server, or Seer, puts into it, it must not, how- INTRODUCTION xviii ever, be forgotten that mind has a deeper significance than is usually attached to it. What the Seer observes is not only what is projected from self, but that which has been conveyed there by other minds—telepathy. This is not all. Often that which is visualised is pre¬ sented in the crystal by discarnate minds. The crys¬ tal is merely the focusing centre where the thoughts of the discarnate and the vision of the psychic meet. I now make a further inference from the study of psychic faculty, and that is, many of these appari¬ tions—in or out of the crystal—are real. They are often most correct in every detail of feature, pose, dress and adornment, of what the originals were once in life. I take it to be a fact that the photographs and paintings obtained are correct, or, as correct as the memory—consciously or otherwise in operation— of the departed can produce. But they are neither photographs nor paintings of spirits in discarnate states, although it must be convincingly clear, from the evidence produced that the departed are intelli¬ gently interested in the production of these photo¬ graphs and paintings. The fact that many, if not the most of these photographs, portraits and psychographs, are ob¬ tained, when neither the medium, sitter, nor those most interested, are aware of what is being produced, points unerringly to the conclusion that whatever part the mediums and the sitters play on the mate¬ rial plane, they are not the primary factors in their production. Intelligent discarnate spirits in the In- INTRODUCTION xix visible are the controlling, directing and primary- factors. There are many puzzles and difficulties to be con¬ sidered. These are not to be met by- claiming too much as, regrettably, is done by those who insist, for instance, that all these photographs of departed per¬ sons are those of spirits. There is no evidence for that, but for the production of pictures of the de¬ parted, as they were on earth, there is abundant valu¬ able evidence. Take two common cases which occur in this investi¬ gation, that of persons who have died in childhood, whose photos are those of adults—“what they would have been had they lived,” and the truly identified portraits of children who died, say many years ago. It must be clear that the first are only imaginary por¬ traits. Admitting their remarkable resemblance to existing members of the family, it cannot be clearly maintained—in the absence of proof—that the same are correct likenesses of the departed. As to chil¬ dren who passed away years ago, and whose psychic photographs or paintings correctly represent them, as they were on earth, it is more than certain that these cannot be likenesses of them as they are now in the spirit. But the fact remains that genuine psychic portraits of both these classes are obtained. From the universal experience of mankind in all ages; and from the investigations of modern Spirit¬ ualists and the work of psychical research, we learn XX INTRODUCTION (1) That both persons and things exist in the In¬ visible—outwith the range of ordinary sense-faculty. (2) That man possesses psychic vision, and other faculties, by which the realities in the Invisible can be perceived. (3) That some of the objects and persons per¬ ceived are not all hazy illusions, old memories, and mere thought projections, but veritable things and be¬ ings existing in the Invisible. (4) That from the number of cases given it will be seen that not a few of those invisible have been photographed or painted. Although the existence and the perception of ghosts, apparitions, doubles, is not new, the idea of their objectivity in the Invisible and that they can be photographed is. (5) That these persons, or other Intelligences knowing what they were like during earth life, take a lively interest in giving their photographs, psycho- graphs and paintings, is shown in the fact that many of these have been pre-arranged and in accordance with promise. (6) That in no case can these photographs and paintings be obtained except through suitable me¬ diums—few in number. 1 am compelled—slightly varying the emphatic statement of the world’s greatest living scientist, Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace, F. R. S., O. M.—to say “ 1 see no escape from the conclusion that some spir¬ itual beings acquainted with our departed friends (during life) have produced their recognisable im¬ pressions on plates and canvas.” INTRODUCTION xxi The foregoing constitutes my claim, which—if any weight is to be placed on human testimony—is fully substantiated in the pages of PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE CHAPTER I THE FIRST MEDIUM PHOTOGRAPHER Mr. Mumler, of Boston, an engraver by profession, through the discovery of Spirit Photography and the subsequent inroads on his time, was compelled to be¬ come a professional medium, and he was the first— since the inception of Modern Spiritualism—to ob¬ tain what are called “Spirit Photographs.” In the following I give briefly an outline of his mediumship and the trial which specially brought his name into prominence. Owing to the extreme faintness of some of the Mumler photographs now available, I have not been able to produce them. I give three: The first is a reproduction of an old photograph of Mrs. Lin¬ coln and her husband the former president of the U. S. A.; the second of Mr. Moses A. Dow and Mabel Warren; the third that of Mrs. Britten—then Emma Ilardinge—with psychic extra. Beethoven. When Mr. Mumler, whose reputation in the early 1 9 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE sixties for obtaining spirit photographs had created some stir among the better class of investigators, Dr. (then Mr.) Andrew Jackson Davies, Editor of the Herald of Progress, engaged Mr. Guay, a practical photographer, to investigate Mr. Mumler’s procedure. Mr. Guay, in his report, says:— “Having been permitted by Mr. Mumler every fa¬ cility, I went through the whole process of selecting, cleaning, preparing, coating and silvering and put¬ ting into the shield, the glass upon which Mr. M. proposed that a spirit form should be imparted, never taking off my eyes, and not allowing Mr. M. to touch the glass until it had gone through the whole of the operation. The result was that there came upon the glass a picture of myself, and, to my utter astonish¬ ment—having previously examined and scrutinised every crack and corner, plate holder, camera, box, tube, the inside of the bath, etc .—another portrait. Having since continued, on several occasions, my in¬ vestigations, as described above, and received even more perfect results, than on first trial, I have been obliged to endorse its legitimacy.” Other reputable photographers were either called in, or went into this matter on their own account to see what they could discover about this Spirit Pho¬ tography and expose, if possible, the “gross fraud and deception.” They obtained every facility from Mr. Mumler to make their investigations, with the usual results, that there was no detectable fraud. Nay, more, if fraud there be the investigators must have been culprits, for in all their investigations, “Spirit Portraits” were obtained; some of these be¬ ing identified, and this occurred when these practical THE FIRST MEDIUM PHOTOGRAPHER 3 photographic experts had everything their own way and indeed were (on the visible plane) the sole and only operators, Mr. Mumler taking no part, save giv¬ ing the use of his studio and the fact of his presence. The one striking circumstance which brought Mr. Mumler and his mediumship into special prominence was his trial before Justice Dowling, in the Tombs Police Court, New York, on the charge of having “by mean? of what lie termed spiritual photographs swindled many credulous persons.” It would be im¬ possible to give more than the gist of this remarkable trial. The procedure at the Tombs, in those days —and I suspect even now—did not suggest that a fair trial was possible. Anyone having a “po¬ litical pull,” unless, indeed, the crime was of such a character as to make hushing up impossible and squaring and “straw bail” of no avail, could get off. In this case Mumler had no political friends, and the charge w r as one which, if proved, would get the de¬ fendant severely punished. The trial lasted several days. Mr. Mumler was prosecuted by Marshall J. II. Tooker, on the informa¬ tion supplied by Mr. P. Y. Hickey, of the World, who —by the suggestion of the Mayor—acted as the get¬ ter-up of the case. Mr. Hickey, acting in the inter¬ ests of truth (!) and in order to defend the credulous, assuming a false name, went to Mr. Mumler to get a “spirit photograph,” and while he was at it to get some copy for the World. He swore in Court that after Mumler had taken him he showed him the nega- 4 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE live, on which was a “dim, indistinct outline of a ghostly face staring out of the corner. ’ ’ Mumler told him that it represented the spirit of his father-in-law. He avowed that it was neither like the old gentleman, his relatives, nor anyone else he knew. Marshall Tooker, on these and other grounds, instructed the prosecution. The Tribune and other leading papers were full of the alleged swindle. The reading public was treated to striking headlines, and the veracious writers—drawing on their imaginations for their facts—were pretty certain that this latest imposter and wonder-worker would be sent to “The Island.” But so far from this being the outcome of the trial, so strong was the independent evidence of practical pho¬ tographers who had tested Mr. Mumler, and of lead¬ ing citizens who had been photographed, many of whom had received identifiable portraits of departed friends and relatives, that Judge Dowling, having heard Counsel, decided that the Prosecution had not made out a case to go before a jury, and discharged the defendant. The evidence in favour of spirit photography which was produced at this trial was overwhelming. Some of it was given by Judge Edmonds, Justice N. Y. Supreme Court, 1847-51, and the U. S. Court of Ap¬ peals, also a Senator for N. Y. State, for many years. The learned Judge was the author of a remarkable work on “Spiritualism,” in two volumes, 741 pages, published in New York, about 40 years ago. He had sat to Mr. Mumler before this trial and had two phot- THE FIRST MEDIUM PHOTOGRAPHER 5 graphs taken on which there were “psychic extras,” or portraits of invisible persons; one of which was recognised. These were produced at the trial, and in his evidence Judge Edmonds said:— “I know a great many persons who have visited Mumler, some of whom have met with astonishing success in procuring spirit pictures of departed friends. Mr. Livermore, of Wall Street, has been particularly successful. (Another photograph was shown, that of a young man sitting in a chair in pensive attitude, with his eyes cast down, and behind him was the spectral, white-clad form of a lady, with her hands resting on the sitter’s shoulders. The pho¬ tographers in the Court declared that by no means known to them, other than the bodily presence of the lady behind the chair, could the lady’s hands be pro¬ duced.) Spiritualists reason that these photographs are actual pictures of disembodied spirits, but they do not know. I am not prepared myself to express a definite opinion. I believe, however, that in time the truth or falsity of spiritual photography will be demonstrated, and I therefore say it would be best to wait and see. The art, is yet in its infancy.” Upon being cross-examined, the Judge said:— “I watched the operator closely when he was tak¬ ing the picture, but could detect no fraud; of course, with my limited knowledge of the photographic art, I would not have been able to tell if he had used fraudulent means to effect his end. I have no def¬ inite opinion as to these pictures, having many years ago made up my mind never to form an opinion with¬ out knowledge; invariably, when I have done so I have made an ass of myself. I believe the camera can take the photograph of a spirit, and I believe also that spirits have materiality—not that gross materi¬ ality that mortals possess, but still they are material 6 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE enough to be visible to the human eye, for I have seen them.” Judge Edmonds was one of the foremost jurists in the State and possessed an unspotted reputation both as a man and as a lawyer. It was no easy matter in those days, however convinced one might be of the presence of spirits, to risk one’s good name, reputa¬ tion and position by the announcement “for 1 have seen them,” as his Letters testify. Among other important witnesses cited and ex¬ amined was Mr. C. F. Livermore, to whom Judge Ed¬ monds referred in his testimony. Mr. Livermore, of the firm of Livermore, Clews & Co., whose evidence I condense, said:— “I went there with my eyes open, but as a skeptic. I went into the dark room with him, and I saw him put the collodion on the plate; then sat down and saw him subsequently develop the plate. I looked at the glass first and saw it was clean. When he developed the picture he held it up to the light, dripping with the water. There were two pictures upon the plate, one of which I recognised thoroughly at the time. Then I had a little quarrel with Mr. Mumler. I re¬ fused to pay him as they were so entirely unsatisfac¬ tory to me. He then said he would give me an oppor¬ tunity at another time. I left the place. But to provide against the case of substitution, I had pictures taken off the negative. I showed them to a friend of mine, Dr. John F. Gray, a physician, who immediately recognised one of the pictures as a relative of his ; then 1 recognised it myself. I then went again to Mum¬ ler ’s, and made arrangements to go again the follow¬ ing Tuesday, but went on the Monday morning following, early, so as to take him by surprise. When I went there he said that I had expressed so much THE FIRST MEDIUM PHOTOGRAPHER 7 dissatisfaction on the previous occasion that I might sit till 1 was satisfied; consequently I sat five times in succession. I think that the first two sittings amounted to nothing but a shadowy background. I made the same examination that I had previously. I accompanied him before the operation into the dark¬ room, and saw him pour the collodion upon the plate. / changed my position each sitting. This one—it showed the picture of a lady standing behind him, bearing a bunch of flowers in her right hand, which rested upon his right breast—being in the same atti¬ tude as the woman occupied upon the picture of Judge Edmonds, mentioned in last Thursday’s report. He then showed another which, in answer to Counsel, he said he recognised. Continuing—I examined the camera after this, but saw nothing out of the way. I made a study of elec¬ tricity and magnetism. I also made a study of the spectroscope; in these instances I did not discover any fraud or deception or anything that looked like it.” A severe and prolonged cross-examination elicited, in addition to amount paid to Mumler for services, in¬ teresting facts relating to identified extras. The wit¬ ness’ testimony was unshaken. It would serve no specially useful purpose to recall and reprint the evidence given by various persons at this trial, all of which not only went to prove the hona fides of Mr. Mumler’s procedure, his exceeding fairness, but demonstrated that there were men of standing and ability ready and willing to stand all the obloquy which would surely be theirs by declar¬ ing t.hiat + hey sat for these photographs and had really obtained portraits of the departed. Witness after Avitness gave evidence, and all of them spoke of 8 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE pictures received of those who had passed away, whose features were recalled by these spirit photo¬ graphs. As to Mr. Mumler, we learn from the trial these three facts:— 1st. That he was not a photographer. 2nd. That he was not a Spiritualist, although not ignorant of the subject; and 3rd. That the first spirit photograph was obtained in 1861; and that prior to this discovery he was not aware that he possessed mediumistic powers of any kind. The photographs given are chosen simply beef use of their interest, rather than for the evidence which they present. Vet that evidence must be seriously considered. Owing to the fact that the pictures are copies of the original, but now very faint, photo¬ graphs, they do not reproduce very clearly. The form of the President is seen standing behind Mrs. Lincoln, with his hands affectionately laid upon her shoulders. That attitude alone tells its own tale. No similar photograph of this group was ever taken in life. This photograph was among some of the earlier pictures taken by Mumler. Mrs. Lincoln, when in Boston, visited Mr. Mumler and gave the name of Mrs. Tyndall. She was in mourning and veiled prior to being taken. Mr. Mumler did not know who she was and had no rneane of kno But this was a frequent occurrence and called for no special comment. When a print was taken, Mr. Mum- THE FIRST MEDIUM PHOTOGRAPHER 9 ler recognised the spirit as that of the late President. Mr. Mumler showed it to his visitor and asked her if Fig. 2. The remarkable photograph of Mrs. Abraham Lincoln (on which appears the portrait of her late husband, the late President of the United States, and of his son), both almost too faint for reproduction. she recognised it. She replied that she did. Another lady present, on seeing it, exclaimed, ‘‘Why, this looks like President Lincoln.” Mrs. Lincoln then said, ‘‘Yes, it does. I am his widow.” 10 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Mr. Moses, A. Dow and Mabel Warren. Writing to “M. A., Oxon,” Mr. Dow, whose letter I condense, says:— “Dear Sir,—Your note of the 17th inst. reached me this morning, and I will try to give you an outline Fig. 3. The Photograph of Mr. Moses A. Dow, who was the Editor and Proprietor of the Waverley Magazine, and Psychic Extra of Mabel Warren. Done by Mumlcr. of my experience in spirit photography. There is no more important subject before the public than that of Spiritualism. I employ in my publishing office of the Waverley Magazine some fifteen young ladies, TIIE FIRST MEDIUM PHOTOGRAPHER 11 some setting types, some laying paper on the presses, some laying paper on the folding machines and some are employed in mailing papers, and others in read¬ ing and preparing MSS. for the compositors. Among the latter class was a girl who came to my office in 1861, and remained with me till 1870, when she was suddenly taken sick and died, aged about 27 years. The latter years of her stay in my office developed her into a very intellectual, amiable and beautiful lady. Her long continuance with me, and her unsel¬ fish interest in my welfare, created in my mind a deep interest in her, and that interest was recipro¬ cated and several times expressed by her. In just seven days after she died, I happened to be in the presence of a medium, and the controlling spirit (an Indian girl) says, ‘You have got a beauti¬ ful lady to see you, and she has roses in her hand and they are for you, as she loved you the best of anyone, because you was so good to her.’ I was surprised, for I did not suppose that an earthly affection could ever be expressed by our friends after they had left the body. I went to Saratoga, about 150 miles from Boston, and while there met Dr. Ileale, the renowned medium. I had a seance with him (a perfect stranger), and he placed a common school slate under the table, which he held with his right hand, while the left one rested on the table, in contact with my own. Immediately the pencil was heard to write, and on taking it out, the words, ‘1 am always with you,’ and signed with her true name was written on it. I had sittings with Mrs. Harley, in Saratoga, every week for three months, saying nothing about the pic¬ ture; at the end of that time I asked her (Mabel War¬ ren) if she was going to give me her spirit picture, when she replied that she was ready to do so. T asked her how it would be taken. ‘By photography,’ said she. ‘Will the same artist take it who took your earth picture?’ ‘No; it must be done by a medium 12 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE artist.’ ‘When will you have it taken?’ ‘I will tell you when you call next week. ’ ’ ’ At the end of another week I was at Mrs. Harley’s. Mr. Dow had several sittings with Mrs. Harley, and under directions received he went to Mumler, with whom he had several sittings and failed to get what had been previously arranged, dress and other things which were to be given for identification. I now give in Mr. Dow’s own words the obtaining of this special spirit picture. “I told him (Mumler) I had the promise of a pic¬ ture, and he said he must keep trying, and sometimes he tried five or six times before he got a picture. He placed a third plate in, and I sat just five minutes by his watch, which he held in his hand, and his back towards me, and his hand resting on the camera. He took it out and went out of the room. After he had gone, Mrs. M., a medium, came into the room, and seemed to be under some influence. I asked her if she saw any spirit, and she said she saw a beautiful young lady standing near me and instantly was in a trance; and my first, spirit friend said to me ‘Now, I shall give you my picture; the dress will not be pos¬ itively striped, but the lights and shades will imitate stripes; I shall stand by your side, with my head resting on your shoulder, and shall have a wreath of flowers on my head. I put in all the magnetism I possessed.’ Then Mr. M. came in with the plate and said he had got a picture. I looked at the negative, and saw evidence of there being my picture, and a lady’s face by the side of mine. Mr. M. said he would send me a proof of it the next day. I told him to send it to my box in the P. 0., directed to Mr. Johnson. I did not get it till the third day. I was on my way home at night, and called at the THE FIRST MEDIUM PHOTOGRAPHER 13 P. 0., and found an envelope for Mr. Johnson; and on opening it I found the proof. I took it home; and having a good microscope, I used it, which made it look as large as life, and I saw the correct picture of my lost friend. The thought was very exciting to my feelings. I wrote a note to Mr. M., and told him who I was and that I considered him as commissioned by the angels to do this work, and that I was perfectly satisfied with the picture. My friend asked me to have it taken large, while she was in a condition to influence the medium. I urged Mr. M. to throw it up, and I have it in a frame, 2% feet square, in a cabinet in my office. I consider it an honest and true picture; and she has often assured me that it was a truthful picture. The pictures enclosed will enable you to see if there is a likeness.—Yours for the truth, Moses A. Dow.” In the foregoing condensed narrative there is abundant material for thought. The departed one manifests, through several mediums, giving directions and finally appears to give her late employer and friend an identifiable portrait. Among the many advocates of Spiritualism with whom I came in contact in the early seventies was the late Mrs. Emma Hardinge Britten. This lady testi¬ fied to the genuineness of Mumler’s gifts and sterling honesty. I give her own statement, slightly condensed, which she contributed to the Medium of December 17th. 1871:— ‘‘About a fortnight ago I called on Mr. Mumler for a sitting. The result of my first sitting was the pro¬ duction of a female form, bending over me in the 14. PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE attitude of affection; but although the spirit bears some resemblance to a dear departed friend, it is not Fig. 4. Photograph of the late Mrs. Emma Hardinge Britten, and the Psychic Portrait thereon of Beethoven. This is a rough reproduction from the original (but faint) photo¬ graph, done by Mumler. sufficiently obvious to constitute a likeness. At my next sitting, a large and remarkable-looking bead THE FIRST MEDIUM PHOTOGRAPHER 15 appeared on the negative, but ere the prints were taken I could not trace clearly any well defined like¬ ness. I remarked to Mr. Mumler that the negative appeared to present the appearance of some musical character, as there were indications of a lyre shad¬ owed forth in the negative. Upon this, Mr. Mumler immediately wrote on a slip of paper backwards, the name of ‘Beethoven.’ When the prints were at length produced they clearly showed the portrait of Beethoven hovering over me, and holding a faintly defined musical instrument in his hands, so placed as to present the shadow hetiveen my dress and the watch chain which falls across it. Now, the circum¬ stances which render the appearance of the great mu¬ sician upon my photograph singularly significant are these:—My principal occupation during my late resi¬ dence in England was to write certain musical criti¬ cisms, in which the life and works of Beethoven formed the chief theme of my analysis. The very last piece of musical writing which I executed was an essay on the Beethoven Centenary at Bonn, celebrated just as I was about to return to America. Whilst engaged in these writings, I have the best of reasons for believing that the spirit of the noble German was frequently with me, and by a variety of test-facts convinced me and others that he was interested in what I wrote, and not unfrequently suggested ideas, or dic¬ tated corrections upon points of his life and musical intentions. These circumstances considered, I think the remarkable resemblance of the spirit portrait to the well-known head of Beethoven may be taken as a striking and conclusive test of the spirit presence. A vast number of persons witli whom I am well ac¬ quainted have received admirable portraitures of their spirit friends from Mr. Mumler, and that they themselves were strangers to him and that no possi¬ bility could exist of his procuring any likeness or knowledge of the spirit friends represented is certain.” 16 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Nearly every medium photographer whose photo¬ graphs I have seen appears to have some influence in the characteristics of the work turned out. It is in¬ teresting to note what were some of the special features of Mr. Mumler’s spirit photographs. We learn from comments in The British Journal of Photography, on the evidence of Ur. Child, of Philadelphia, in 1863, that he “applied to various practical operators here and else¬ where for information; and he had had prepared ghost pictures by all the well known processes. Armed with these and the information received with them from their makers, he wended his way to Bos¬ ton. He found this medium (Mr. Mumler) very will¬ ing to give him every opportunity of investigating the matter, and, as he said, earnest himself to find a rational solution of the mystery. He permitted him to watch all his operations in the dark room and out of it; and allowed him to examine all his apparatus. Dr. Child showed the pictures made at that time, while he and several friends were watching the whole process, from the plate cleaning to the fixing. He took the precaution to mark each plate with a dia¬ mond before it was used. Yet, on each was a spirit image, and he failed in toto to discover any human agency concerned in the formation of the spirit pic¬ ture. As to these, they differ very considerably from any that he had ever seen, and he knew of no way of imitating them. The spirit is never a full length fig- lire; always a bust or three-quarter length, and yet it was impossible to tell where the figure disappears. An examination of the prints showed that some of the spirit portraits, by their whiteness (high lights) were the first to be seen in developing the plates. There were general features pretty well marked, but except the very intense part of the face, the surrounding ob- THE FIRST MEDIUM PHOTOGRAPHER 17 jects are distinctly seen through the image, and yet there was none of that clearness of definition usual in under-exposed figures in (made or simulated) ghost pictures.” From the foregoing, which I have curtailed, we learn:— 1st. That while every precaution was taken, these “psychic extras’ appeared on marked plates. 2nd. That in every case they differed materially from any “made” photograph which the well- equipped practical photographers could supply. 3rd. That the spirit picture frequently had the appearance of not being synchronously taken with that of the subject or sitter, and often not in focal relationship. 4th. All the evidence points to the genuineness of their character. 5th. Neither will-power nor any other human agency—as far as could be detected from an expert photographic standpoint—was concerned in their production. It is reasonable to conclude or assume at this stage two things: That these “extras” came; and that as no human agency was the means of their production, there was some other agency at work of an unseen, unknown character, and yet of an intelligent and human-like nature. In some instances, as in the re¬ markable evidence of Mr. Moses A. Dow, the spirit picture came on the plate as the result of previous declaration and appointment with one “departed.” 18 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Of the many spirit photographs received by “M. A., Oxon. ”, of which particulars were given by him in Human Nature, I will refer only to one, and that merely to illustrate the character of some photographs taken at this period: This is a picture of Master Harrod, of N. Bridge- water, Massachusetts, and shows three spirits stand¬ ing behind him—a European, an Indian and a Negro. Respecting this remarkable picture, Mr. Mumler testifies:— “When the above picture was taken, the young man and his father called and desired a sitting—not stating who or what he desired or expected to come on the plate. After developing the negative, I brought it into the room. On looking at it Mr. Har¬ rod exclaimed, ‘Mr. Mumler, that is the most won¬ derful picture that you have ever taken.’ I asked him to explain. ‘Well,’ he continued, ‘my son has been controlled a few months, and before coming here a spirit took possession of him, and said if he would come to your studio three spirits would show themselves, representing Europe, Africa and Amer¬ ica ; and there they are, ’ he cried excitedly, ‘ A Euro¬ pean, a Negro and an Indian.’ Subsequently the young man called on me for another sitting, and re¬ ceived on the negative an elderly lady and gentleman, who, he declared, were his grandfather and mother, as had been promised. It then occurred to me to take his picture while entranced, to see if I could get the controlling power; and to that end I asked if there was any spirit present to please entrance the medium. In a few moments he threw his head back, apparently in a deep trance. I then adjusted the focus and ex¬ posed the plate, and took the picture as represented. The spirit seen here is undoubtedly ‘his double,’ as it is unmistakably a true likeness of himself.” THE FIRST MEDIUM PHOTOGRAPHER 19 The above case throws an interesting sidelight on the phenomenon of the double. The S. P. R. of later days has established the double in its Proceedings, but I think that this is the first time in the history of Spirit Photography that the double has been photo¬ graphed. The second occasion which I can recall was that of a double of Herne, a physical medium in Lon¬ don, ten years later. Whether the double is a factor in trance and in spiritistic phenomena—such as in the production of trance and of that which takes place subsequently to the trance—is a matter which, al¬ though suggested here, must be dealt with elsewhere. It is, however, both an interesting and legitimate sub¬ ject for inquiry. We learn from these instances of spirit photography that while they are not and could not be produced by will-power, as far as those, at any rate, on this plane are concerned, it is a notable feature that some of these identifiable portraits came in response to exchange of thought as between the in¬ carnate and discarnate. I will conclude my refer¬ ences to Mr. Mumler by the more recent testimony of Dean Clarke, who is so well known on both sides of the Atlantic. In Light June 9th, 1900, he not only testifies to the mediumship of Mr. W. II. Mumler, but also to his readiness to be tested. I condense that article, as follows:— “I visited him at his rooms, Boston, for the pur¬ pose of testing his powers. I was a stranger to him, but, on telling my object, he readily consented to give me a sitting, and to afford me every opportunity to test the genuineness of his productions. I examined 20 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE his room, his entire apparatus. He was but an ama¬ teur in photography and had no place but his parlour in which to take his pictures. ’ ’ Having superintended the entire operations, which I need not detail. Dean Clarke adds “When he washed the negative and held it up for me to see, to my great surprise I saw above my own a clear cut face of a cousin who had been 22 years in spirit life, and who never had any picture of herself taken while on earth. Her image could not be ob¬ tained from my mind, for it was fixed on my brother. Her photograph has been recognized by all to whom it has been shown- who knew her in earthly form. Accompanied by an intelligent and skeptical friend, we visited Mumler again, when all the criti¬ cal processes of testing were repeated. My friend sat and watched the processes. He obtained the face of an old lady wearing a ruffled cap. It was the face of his mother, who had been dead eight years. I then sat and obtained the picture of my own mother, whom I had hoped would have come at the first sitting. The likeness was unmistakable, even to the side curls, which were in the same style and number as in life. There was no portrait of her in existence, except a small daguerreotype, and though the face in that and in Mumler’s picture are clearly the same in every other respect, the poses of the head are different. ’ ’ Other photographs were obtained, and he con¬ cludes :— “Our crucial experiments proved beyond question the truth of spirit photography.” I am compelled by want of space to refrain from THE FIRST MEDIUM PHOTOGRAPHER 21 giving other particulars in favor of this remarkable medium, and not from want of material. All those who have testified in his favour were not Spiritualists. The intelligence and position of those whom I have selected lend great weight to their evidence. CHAPTER II MR. HUDSON’S MEDIUMSHIP The success of Mr. Mumler’s mediumship in the United States and the discussion of the subject through the Press in London led many there to have a keen interest in the matter. I deal with some of these early experiences in this chapter. Mr. Hudson was the first professional medium in Great Britain to obtain spirit photographs. When he commenced, he had a small studio in the Holloway district of London. He subsequently moved from there when his mediumship came into note. The first spirit photograph taken by Hudson was on 4th March, 1872. At that time, Mr. Hudson,—although not a Spiritualist—was interested in Spiritualism, and was more or less in touch with Spiritualists. Mr. and Mrs. Guppy were friends. He knew Herne and Williams, who were well known physical mediums, but was not certain, or probably not aware, that he had any mediumship in this direction. In response to directions received from spirits through table-tipping—at the home of the Guppy’s— it was arranged that a sitting should take place at Hudson’s studio. Mr. Guppy was the sitter in front 22 MR. HUDSON’S MBDIUMSHIP 23 of the screen, and Mrs. Guppy sat in an extemporised dark cabinet behind. Mr. Guppy, sitting in daylight, felt a wreath of flowers placed gently on his head, and so appeared when the photograph was developed, and there was a large veiled figure standing beside him. This was the first sign of spirit photography re¬ ceived in this country. On the same day, and only a quarter of an hour afterwards, with the same sitter, another white figure came, but as yet no defined por¬ traits. A third sitting gave a similar result. That was the beginning. On 7th March, 1872, there were other sittings, with certain precautions taken. Miss Houghton, the author of “The Chronicles of Spirit Photography” (to which I am indebted), was the sitter. On the first plate there was beside herself a veiled spirit form, or white-clad figure, with a hand resting on her (Miss Houghton’s) shoulder. The hand was clearly defined and human to all appear¬ ance. On the second plate taken there was a spirit figure and traces of a face, and on the third and last attempt that day with Miss Houghton, there appeared a symbol of a dagger pointing towards her head. So much for the beginning of this phase of physical phenomena in Great Britain, on which T will make three comments. 1st. The wreath which was placed on Mr. Guppy’s head was one of artificial flowers, which belonged to the requisites of Mr. Hudson’s studio. This article was lifted by invisible means and placed on his head. This indicated that either through Mrs. Guppy’s me- 24 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE diumship, or that of Hudson, there was what Sir William Crookes called “Psychic Force” present, or in other words, there were intelligent spirits present, who were able to act on material things. 2nd. That before that particular sitting in which the white figure came and placed its hand on Miss Houghton’s shoulder, Miss Houghton’s deceased mother promised to come and be photographed. Miss Houghton says:— “While Mr. Hudson was in his dark-room prepar¬ ing the plate, Mrs. Guppy told me that she had a message from the spirit to the effect that Mamma would try and manifest herself and place her hand on my shoulder. Of course, as soon as Mr. Hudson began to develop his negative, we questioned eagerly as to whether there was anything to be seen, and hearing there was, went in to feast our own eyes as soon as we could be admitted, and behind me there is a veiled figure, with a hand advanced almost to my shoulder.” In this case we have evidence of an Intelligence in the Invisible being at work, and the promises made through the lips, or from impressions made on Mrs. Guppy’s mind (she was a remarkable medium in private life in her day) were fulfilled. 3rd. The symbol of the dagger, when examined, was produced by a further display of unseen physical force, being nothing more or less than a dagger which Miss Houghton had in her hair being withdrawn and suspended in the air long enough to be photographed. On another plate taken there was a brilliant light, MR. HUDSON’S MEDIUMSHIP 25 in which there appeared two figures to the bust. From the faintness of the figures and the brightness of the light, they were not very well defined. On careful examination with a powerful glass, Miss Houghton was able to distinguish and identify them as her father and mother. I summarise from Miss Houghton’s letter March 14th. 1872 to the Christian Spiritualist the follow¬ ing:— “I have just returned from Holloway, after an¬ other attempt. While Mr. Hudson was taking the first negative, I felt the signal by which my dear nephew, Charlie Warren (who was lost in the ‘Car¬ natic’), makes his presence known, and some little distance above my head appears his hand, quite per¬ fect, with a glimpse of the wristband; the thumb is bent across the palm, as if pointing to the ring on his little finger, which had been papa’s diamond ring, that we had reset for Charlie after papa’s death. On the second plate, just above my head, is a small hand holding a leaf; it is the same little hand that with¬ drew the dagger from my hair on a previous occasion. While the third negative was in progress, I felt some¬ thing on my head for a moment, and then a young rabbit (from Mr. Hudson’s rabbit hutch in the gar¬ den wherein the studio is built) was placed in my lap, where it did not remain very still, so that it is not very clear, but sufficiently to show what it is. There is a male figure behind, stooping slightly forward, but having had to move in consequence of the vaga¬ ries of the rabbit, it is of course hazy.” The Editor of the Christian Spiritualist, comment¬ ing, adds:— “Copies of the photographs to which the letter re- 26 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE fers have been received by ns. They certainly do il¬ lustrate, in a striking manner, Miss Houghton’s nar¬ rative, and we should strongly advise persons interested in the subject to put themselves into com¬ munication with Mr. Hudson, the photographer, or with Miss Iloiighton, or better still, with both.” From this time onward there were greater suc¬ cesses. The veils which obscured the faces of the figures became thinner, so that the features could be discerned and latterly the veils were dispensed with altogether. There was naturally great excitement. It soon became evident that the claims made for photo¬ graphing Invisible persons—especially those who had departed this life—must be thoroughly investigated. The first competent expert to do so was Mr. Thomas Slater, optical and philosophical instrument maker. His letter (owing to its importance; the ability of Mr. Slater, and the early day of his inquiry) I give in full. It will be remembered that the first spirit photo¬ graphs were obtained in March, and as Mr. Slater’s investigations were in the early days of May, not much time was lost in putting the matter to test. Mr. Slater’s letter, which appeared in the Spiritualist, 15th May, 1872, says:— “I visited this artist (Mr. Hudson) and told him my object in calling. He took a negative of me, and it turned out to be a very good one, viz., a clear, sharp negative—nothing more. I requested him to try another, which he did, taking one indiscriminately from some previously used and dirty plates. After cleaning it in my presence, he poured on the collodion and placed it in the bath. I remained in the dark- MR. HUDSON’S MEDIUMSHIP 27 room all the time the plate was in the bath. I saw it put into the camera frame and then into the camera, which had been previously focussed to me, and all that Mr. Hudson did was to draw up the slide and uncover the lens. I saw the slide drawn up, and, when sitting, saw the cap or cover of the camera re¬ moved, and, after the usual exposure, replaced on the lens. I then accompanied him into the dark-room, and saw the developing solution poured on the plate, but not a vestige of anything appeared, neither my¬ self nor background, but a semi-opaque film all over the plate, as if it had been somewhat over exposed. I then asked for another attempt, which was carried out under precisely the same circumstances, viz., that I witnessed the whole process from beginning to end. I asked, mentally, that if it were possible, the spirit of my mother would come and stand by my side, and portray her presence, to do so. On the plate is a fine female figure, draped in white, standing before me, with her hand resting on my head. The drapery nearly covers the whole of my body, leaving only the side of the head and one hand visible. I am certain Mr. Hudson played no tricks on this occasion. Having read in the Journal of Photography that the editor thought it very unlikely that he would get any spirit picture if he took his own instrument and plate, I took the hint and did as he suggested. I made a new combination of lenses, and took a new camera and several glass plates; and I did, in Mr. Hudson’s room, all the looking on, focussing the in¬ strument to the sitter, and obtained, in the same man¬ ner as before, a fine spirit-picture. This was repeated with another sitter, and with like success. Collusion or trickery was altogether out of the question. After the last attempt 1 felt further induced to carry out the optical arrangement for the spiritual photography; and, knowing, as most scien¬ tists do, that the visible end of the spectrum is the actinic, I resolved to exemplify to skeptics that, with 28 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE such an instrument as I now had made and would use, we could take portraits of sitters, although the colour of the glass was such as only in the strongest light you can see the sitter at all. And no one was more astonished than Mr. Hudson, after seeing me focus the instrument to a lady sitting in the chair, to find not only a sharp, well defined negative, with good half-tone, but also that standing by the lady was a fine spirit figure draped in black and white. Nor was the exposure any longer than with the usual lenses of same aperture and focal length, namely 2Vi> lenses with 2 in. stops, the focus from the back lens 5 in. We tried another with, if possible, better success. The sitter was a little child belonging to the lady just alluded to, and the result was a female figure stand¬ ing by the child. I think Mr. Hudson was quite satisfied that other persons’ instruments and plates answer the purpose just as well as his own; and if he is not satisfied on that score I am; for not a move did he make, nor a thing did he do to these my own plates unobserved by me, and there is no room for any transparency to be placed in the frame of the camera; nor was there any other device used on these occasions. I may now ask the skeptical if they can explain why we are able to take portraits of persons through instruments that exclude so much light that the sitter is scarcely visible; so that in fact you can no more discern with human eyes the details of the features or the dress of the sitters than you can discern the disembodied spirit. When the scientists explain this they perhaps may also expalin why and how it is the spirit-dress—which is also material yet intangible —impresses itself so vividly upon the photographic plate. I am now carrying on experiments upon this part of the spectrum, and am convinced that much may MR. HUDSON’S MEDIUMSHIP 29 and will be discovered that is useful in photography by making use of invisible light. Thomas Slater.” 19 Leamington-road Villas, Westbourne Park, W., May 8th, 1872. It will he noted also that two or three things hap¬ pened. 1st. Sometimes the sitter is not photographed; something obscures the sitter, and that something evi¬ dently comes between the sitter and the lens, and cuts off the usual rays of light by which an ordinary photograph is taken. 2nd. That genuine psychic photographs can be obtained by other cameras, etc., than that of the photographer. 3rd. That while not absolutely necessary to the manipulation of the camera and the processes of photographing, the presence of a specially gifted me¬ dium is necessary. No spirit photograph, or psychic “extras” can be obtained without such sensitive be¬ ing in the room. The following is an extract from a letter written by Mr. Howitt to the Spiritual Magazine :— “Dear Sir: . . . During my recent short and hurried visit to London, I and my daughter paid a visit to Mr. Hudson’s studio, and through the me- diumship of Mr. Herne—and perhaps of Mr. Hudson himself—obtained two photographs, perfect and un¬ mistakable, of sons of mine, who passed into the spirit world years ago. They promised to thus show them¬ selves, if possible. 30 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE These portraits were obtained under circumstances which did not admit of deception. Neither Mr. Hud¬ son nor Mr. Herne knew who we were; Mr. Herne* I never saw before. I shut him up in the recess of the back of the studio and secured the door on the outside, so that he did not—and could not—appear on the scene. Mr. Benjamin Coleman, who was with us, and myself, took the plates at haphazard from a dusty heap of such; and Mr. Coleman went into the dark chamber with the photographer and took every precaution that no tricks were played there. But the greatest security was that not knowing us and our visit being without previous announcement or ar¬ rangement, the photographer could by no means know what or whom we might be expecting. Mr. Coleman himself did not know of the existence of one of these children. Still further, there was no existing likeness of one of them. On sending the photographs to Mrs. Howitt, in Rome, she instantly and with the greatest delight, recognized the truth of the portraits. The same was the case of a lady who had known these boys most in¬ timately for years. A celebrated and most reliable lady medium whom they had spiritually visited many times, at once recognized them perfectly, and as re¬ sembling a spirit sister, whom they told her had died in infancy long before themselves, which is a fact. It was my full intention to have made another ex¬ periment with him, but found it impossible, much to my regret. I feel it, however, only due to Mr. Hud¬ son, and to the cause of spirit-photography, to say that my visit to him was thoroughly satisfactory—that by no earthly means could lie have presented me with the photographic likenesses which he did; and that I, "Mr. Herne was then a well-known physical medium, a professional. At this period of experimenting in Great Britain it was thought necessary to have a physical medium present in the studio, hence Mr. Herne’s presence as narrated.—J. C. MR. HUDSON’S MEDIUMSHIF 31 moreover, feel an inward and strong conviction that he is an honest man. Were he otherwise, he would, in fact, be a very great fool, since my own experience with him is proof positive that he can and does pro¬ duce realities. I may add that the two portraits in question are the best and the most clearly developed of any I have seen, except that of Annina Carbomi, obtained by Chevalier Kirkup, in Florence. Yours faithfully, William IIowitt.” Dietenheim, Austrian Tyrol, August 10, 1872. At this early stage of the manifestation in Great Britain of this special phase of physical phenomena, it was not at all surprising, owing to the very nature of the claim—so extraordinary—that the spirits of the departed could be photographed, that the easy and ignorant cry of “fraud” was so soon raised. Mr. Howitt’s eminence as a thinker and writer, and his reputation as a man of honour must be at once conceded. His experience furnishes the best possible answer of a something superior to all tests, viz., that of receiving two clearly identifiable portraits. Not only that, but these portraits were received as the re¬ sult of a previous promise obtained from the departed through a sensitive. Here we have evidence for a super-normal intelligence at work in the production of the pictures. (a) The departed spirits suggest through a me¬ dium and induce their father to go and have a sit- 32 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE ting, that they may appear, if the conditions are at all favourable. (b) They succeed in appearing and are photo¬ graphed, and of one of them no portrait was ever taken in life, and of the other no similar picture or photograph ever existed. (c) The intelligences testify to their resem¬ blance to a spirit sister who had passed on long be¬ fore themselves, which was a fact. (d) The conditions under which these photo¬ graphs were obtained, even though the operators and the sitter were disposed to connive at fraud—which was impossible—were such that the proceedings would not account for the results. About this time there were others besides Mr. Hud¬ son by or through whom these photographs were ob¬ tained. I only briefly notice these, if for nothing else than to emphasise the rarity of the mediumship. Chevalier Kirup, of Turin, had been getting some, in¬ deed many, well defined portraits, some of which were recognised. The spirit Annina had appeared in cir¬ cles in which materialisations took place and was the spirit to which Mr. Howitt referred in one of his let¬ ters. Of others nearer at home who obtained photo¬ graphs at this time were Mr. Guppy, Mr. Jones, Mr. Beattie, a retired photographer at Clifton, who, in conjunction with a Hr. Thomson, obtained phantas¬ mal figures, human-like, but so far as I am aware, nothing in the way of a recognisable portrait. When in London, in the year 1875, acting as locum MR. HUDSON’S MEDIUMSHIP 33 tenens for Dr. Mack, in Southampton Row, I had a sitting with Mr. Hudson. I was accompanied by the late Dr. James McGeary (Dr. Mack) for that pur¬ pose. From a psychic standpoint Mr. Hudson was a puzzle, that is to say, this mediumship came to him late in life. (His first picture came in 1872.) At the time I visited him I should think he was about sixty years of age. Mumler and Parkes were much younger men, more in their vital prime, and better able to throw off that X aura or nervauric atmosphere which is the special endowment of these mediums, and with¬ out which, spirit-photographs cannot be obtained. Possibly financial cares, which his mediumship pro¬ voked, contributed to his aged and careworn appear¬ ance. He was most certainly not a man of astuteness or competent to deceive the ablest photographers in London. We were greeted openly and would have been afforded every opportunity for investigation, had we had the time at our disposal. The spirit-photograph received by Dr. Mack was that of the face and the upper half of a male form draped in white nebulous stuff; the lower part of the figure disappearing, leaving the background clearly visible below. On my own was a somewhat similar figure, showing a three-quarter dark face, with aqui¬ line nose, mouth invisible, hidden with moustache and a dark, pointed beard. The head, shoulders and the body were clothed in more opaque white, as if a table¬ cloth had been utilized for the purpose. Dr. Mack 34 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE appeared to recognize the spirit-photograph which he had obtained. As to the one which I received, I have never been able to obtain a clue as to who it was. I Fig. 5. Tlie Photograph of Mr. T. Martheze, with the Psychic full-length figure of his Mother thereon. From Miss Houghton’s collection. regret I have had no further opportunities of sitting with Mr. Hudson. While I did not test Mr. Hudson’s mediumship, I knew a great number of discerning and well-known persons who had had spirit-photographs with Hud- MR. HUDSON’S MEDIUMSHIP 35 son, under satisfactory conditions. Of these 1 will mention a few in addition to those to whom reference has already been made: Mr. and Mrs. James Burns, 15 Southampton Row; Mr. Win. Tebb; Mr. E. T. Bennett, Editor Christian Spiritualist; Mr. Thomas Shorter, the author; Mr. Guppy ; Dr. George Sexton; Mr. C. W. Pearce; and Mr. Thomas Blyton, London; Mr. John Lamont, Mr. Archibald Lamont and Mrs. A. Lamont, of Liverpool; Mr. T. Martheze, of Brus¬ sels, then in London, a very able and enthusiastic in¬ vestigator. This able man spent a very great deal of time and money in his careful research. lie was de¬ lighted in getting, among others, a clearly identifiable photograph of his mother. He told me the whole story, but I am indebted to Miss Houghton’s ‘ ‘ Chron¬ icles,” for the portrait which is given here. Mr. Andrew Glendinning,* was among those who ob¬ tained some of these photographs with Mr. Hudson; Dr. Thomson, who, like Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace, obtained the picture of his mother: Mr. Beattie, Mrs. Everitt, and Mr. Adshead. The wife of Mr. Desmond Fitzgerald, M. I. C. E., an eminent electrical engineer in London, and at one time on the Council of the then National Association of Spiritualists, obtained a fully identified portrait of her own father. The lady went to Hudson, with *While revising the Mss. I learned that the veteran reformer had passed into the land of spirits, in his eighty-fourth year, on the 25th of October, 1910. He was an esteemed corre¬ spondent for whom I had great reverence.—J. C. 36 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE her daughter, for a spirit-photograph, but she did not tell the photographer either what she wanted or the special character of the picture she expected to re- Fig. 6. The Photograph of Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace, and the Spirit Picture of his Mother, copied from Miss Houghton’s Collection. ceive. She thought of her father, and longed, nat¬ urally, to have his photograph. She hoped that if he came he would appear wearing the old black cap which he had been accustomed to wear in his last ill¬ ness. She neither told her daughter, who was with her, nor the photographer, of this test. It was not MR. HUDSON’S MEDIUMSHIF 37 until the plate was developed and the clear features of her father revealed, that she made known the test which was in her mind. This particular spirit-photo¬ graph was published in the Daily Graphic, in June, 1892, and was reproduced in Mr. Glendinning’s in¬ teresting work, “The Veil Lifted,” now out of print. DR. ALFRED RUSSEL WALLACE AND HIS MOTHER Owing to the importance and unique standing in science and literature of this eminent Naturalist, I give Dr. Wallace’s own account* slightly abbreviated, of this remarkable photograph :— “On March 14th, 1874, I went to Hudson’s by ap¬ pointment. I expected if I got any spirit-picture it would be that of my eldest brother, in whose name messages had been received through Mrs. Guppy. Before going to Hudson’s I sat with Mrs. G. and had a communication by raps to the effect that my mother would appear on the plate if she could. I sat three times, always choosing my own position. Each time a second figure appeared on the plate with me. The first was a male figure, with a short sword; the second a full length figure, standing a few feet, apparently, on one side, and rather behind me, look¬ ing down at me, and holding a bunch of flowers. At the third sitting, after placing myself, and after the prepared plate was in the camera, I asked if the figure would come close to me. The third plate ex¬ hibited a female figure standing close in front of me, so that the drapery covers the lower part of my body. I saw all the plates developed, and in each case an *“Miracles and Modern Spiritualism.” By Alfred Russel Wallace, D.C.L., LL.D., F.R.S. George Redwav, London. Foot¬ note pp. 196, 197 and 198. 38 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE additional figure started out, the moment the develop¬ ing fluid was poured on, while my portrait did not become visible till perhaps twenty seconds later. I recognized none of these figures in the negative; but the moment I got the proofs the first glance showed me that the third plate contained an unmistakable portrait ( Fig. 6 ) of my mother—like her both in features and expression; not such a likeness as a por¬ trait taken during life, but a somewhat pensive, idealised likeness —yet still to me an unmistakable likeness. The second figure is much less distinct; the face is looking down; it has a different expression from the other, so that, I at first concluded that, it was a different person. On sending the two female por¬ traits to my sister, she though the second was much more like my mother than the third, was, in fact, a very good likeness, though indistinct, while the third seemed to her to be like in expression, but with some¬ thing wrong about the mouth and chin. This was found to be due in part to the filling up of spots by the photographer; but when the picture was washed it became thickly covered with whitish spots, but a better likeness of my mother. I did not see the like¬ ness in the second picture till I looked at it with a magnifying glass, and I at, once saw a remarkable special feature of my mother’s natural face, an un¬ usually projecting lower lip and jaw. This was most conspicuous some years ago, as latterly the mouth was somewhat contracted. A photograph taken 22 years before shows this peculiarity very strongly, and cor¬ responds well with the second picture, in which the mouth is partly open and the lower lip projects greatly. This figure had always given me the im¬ pression of a younger person than that in the third picture, and it is remarkable that they correspond respectively with the character of the face as seen in photographs taken at intervals of about twelve years, yet without the least resemblance to these photo¬ graphs either in attitude or expression. Both figures MR. HUDSON’S MEDIUMSHIP 39 carry a bunch of flowers exactly in the same way; and it is worthy of notice that while I was sitting for the second picture the medium said, ‘ 1 see someone and it has flowers,’ intimating that she saw flowers distinctly, the figure only faintly. Here then are two different faces representing the aspect of a de¬ ceased person’s countenance at two different periods of her life.” Dismissing as untenable the probability of Hudson getting access to portraits of the deceased, and using them, he says:— ‘‘I see no escape from the conclusion that some spiritual being, acquainted with my mother’s various aspects during life, produced these recognisable im¬ pressions on the plate.” The doctor sent a copy of the third print—as re¬ produced here—to his brother in California, and re¬ ceived the following reply:— “As soon as 1 opened the letter 1 looked at the photograph attentively and recognized your face, and remarked that the other one was something like Fanny (my sister). I then handed it across the table to Mrs. W., and she exclaimed at once, ‘Why, it’s your mother!’ We then compared it with a photo¬ graph of her we had here, and there could be no doubt as to the general resemblance, but it has an appearance of sickness or weariness. Neither my brother or his wife knew anything of Spiritualism, and both were prejudiced against it. We may there¬ fore accept their testimony as to the resemblance tc my mother, in confirmation of myself and my sister, as conclusive.” Concerning the next picture, the late Editor of Light wrote Mr. Hudson the following: 40 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE “June 2, 1876. Dear Sir : You ought to know that the photograph taken of me three weeks ago is a re¬ markable instance of a recognised portrait of a per¬ sonal friend. You will find it described by me at Fig. 7. Photograph of “M. A. Oxon,” and Psychic Portrait of a Friend, taken from Miss Houghton’s Collection. length in Human Nature of this month, and it forms the subject of a Spirit Teaching which I am about to forward to the Spiritualist. It is the first case in which I have secured the likeness of a friend, though I have several times succeeded, under test conditions, of getting ‘spirit pictures’ in your studio. The pres¬ ent picture is by no means one of your best; indeed, the image is rudely made, and the photo is not good. MR. HUDSON’S MEDIUMSHIP 41 But the face is there, and that makes it valuable, i am glad to add this testimony to that which I have already printed in your favour. M. A. Oxon. ” MR. J. TRAILL TAYLOR S TESTIMONY A gentleman who went to Mr. Hudson obtained a spirit-photograph, and, having recognised the spirit- portrait, he published an account of it, and being much elated, he showed it to Mr. John Beattie, of Clifton, Bristol. That gentleman pronounced it to he a fraud, and Mr. Hudson got into much disfavour in consequence. In June, 1873, a gentleman called on Hudson to have sittings. He wished to go through all the processes of photography himself, and to this Mr. Hudson consented. In a few days afterwards, Mr. Hudson received a leter signed “John Bruce Beattie,” saying that the spirit-picture was that of a nephew, and that he had sent it to the mother for identification. He subsequently sent a long account of the whole procedure to the British Journal of Photog¬ raphy, and as a result he obtained several portraits, by which he was convinced, in addition to his expe¬ riences elsewhere, of “the possibility of photographing forms invisible to ordinary eyesight, and forms which indicate the pres¬ ence of unseen, intelligent beings of some sort con¬ trolling the forms so photographed.” Further than this, I do not propose to quote the long article. I will, however, reproduce—somewhat summarised—the comment's of Mr. J. Traill Taylor, 42 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE then the editor of that journal. Both Mr. Beattie’s article and Mr. Taylor’s remarks appeared in the issue for August, 1873. The editor says:— “The main facts, once admitted, the question arises: By what means are these figures formed upon the collodion film ? The first impulse is to attribute it to a double exposure on the part of Hudson, the pho¬ tographer. But here a difficulty interposes—Mr. Hudson need not be present at all, indeed it is but an act of justice to that gentleman to say that when we were trying experiments in his studio to determine the truth of the ‘so-called spirit-photography,’ we ob¬ tained entire possession of his dark-room, employed our own collodion and plates, and at no time during the preparation, exposure or development of the pic¬ tures was Mr. Hudson within ten feet of the camera, or the dark-room. Appearances of an abnormal kind did certainly show on several plates, by whatever means they were caused. The photographer had noth¬ ing whatever to do with their production. Neither will the ‘previously used plate’ theory apply in this case, for the plates were quite new, and were obtained a few hours before they were used, and apart from the fact of their never having been out of our pos¬ session, the package was only undone just before the operations were commenced. ’ ’ In closing this chapter, I have dealt pretty fully with the evidences in favour of spirit-photography at this period. Mrs. H. Sidgwick—without personal knowledge—ridiculed Professor Wallace’s account of getting his own mother’s photograph, maintaining that Hudson certainly produced bogus spirit-photo- graphs, giving as an instance of “fraud,” the fact that a spirit-picture was no other than a photograph MR. HUDSON’S MEDIUMSHH 43 of Herne, the medium, dressed for the part. In a similar way, this eminent psychical researcher con¬ demned Mumler’s psychic photograph as the portrait of a living man. Actual experience and reliable testi¬ mony of competent experts go for nothing because this clever woman assumes fraud. “Phantasms of the Living,” existed before they were established by the Society for Psychical Research. “The double” has been photographed. Herne was not dressed and posed as a “spirit” for someone else, but was photo¬ graphed while in trance, and his “double” in auric garments, appeared (as the “extra”) standing by his side. CHAPTER 111 PARKES, REEVES AND BUGUET As we have seen, when dealing with Mr. Hudson’s mediumship, there were others at this period who suc¬ ceeded in obtaining, by the aid of spirits, photographs of men and things. In fact, there was a little “boom” in spirit photography from 1872 till 1877. Among the accredited were Messrs. Parkes and Reeves. Both were contemporary with Hudson, Beattie, Thomson, Slater, Jones, and Mr. and Mrs. Guppy, in England; Mumler, in the States; and Buguet, in France, be¬ sides a few others of lesser note. Neither were professional mediums. I did not know either personally, but I knew several who had sittings with them. Mr. James Bowman, a well- known photographer in Glasgow, whom I knew, and whose skill in photographic matters could be fully depended on, was among those who tested Mr. Parkes, and was fully satisfied. I can only make a few extracts from the statements of Mrs. J. W. Jackson, wife of the eminent anthro¬ pologist; Dr. Sexton; “M. A. Oxon ”, and Mr. E. W. Wallis, the present editor of Light, all of whom I knew, and in whose testimony I have the fullest confi¬ dence. 44 PARKES, REEVES AND BUGUET 45 Mrs. Jackson, writing to the Medium, 24th May, 1872, says: “Mr. Dear Mr. Burns: I went to Mr. Reeves, in York Road, who is not a professional photographer, and therefore has no interest or motive for producing astounding results. When the very simple arrange¬ ments were made, I sat down, and in a few seconds longer than is usual for ordinary photos, I distinctly recognized the face of my husband standing over me. The expression and the chiselling of the features, con¬ tour of the head, the curling length of beard, and outline of form, were as perfect as when he was on earth. There could be no imposition in this instance, for Mr. Reeves never saw or knew anything of my husband during his life. A few days afterwards I took a lady friend, who sat for her photograph also, a stranger to our kind friend Mr. Reeves. On the other side of the small' table at which the lady was seated, when the plate was taken from the camera there appeared two spirit forms, which were immediately recognized as two of my friend’s ancestors who had left tins earth many years ago. E. B. Jackson.” I suppose the latter were identified from family portraits, but Mrs. Jackson would not have made this statement except on good ground. For a time Mr. Parkes and Mr. Reeves experi¬ mented together, uniting their mediumship to get re¬ sults. Mr. Reeves emigrated to Canada, and Mr. Parkes continued to take pictures. He had sometimes the presence of other mediums, but as often as not proceeded without such aid. The photographs ob¬ tained when these two earnest men were together, were in many ways different in style from those after 46 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE wards secured. Without the presence of Mr. Reeves, or his own wife, Mrs. Parkes, Mr. Parkes could not get full form and clearly defined pictures, only white patches and cloudy appearances, like the Clifton photos of Mr. Beattie. Dr. Sexton (who obtained through Mr. Parkes, too, “a likeness of the late Mr. J. W. Jackson, who had passed away just before”) gave the following account in the Christian Spiritualist, January, 1875:— “As a dark-room is indispensable in photography, and as in the case of spirit-photographs, there appears to he a necessity for the photographer to have the plate in his possession in some such room, for the pur¬ pose of magnetising it previous to its being placed in the camera, a suspicion naturally arises that this of¬ fers an opportunity for playing a trick, and thus im¬ posing upon the sitter. Mr. Parkes had an aperture made in the wall of this room through which the spec¬ tator can see the plate through its entire process. A few days since, we selected a plate from a packet; this we marked to be used on the occasion, and never lost sight of it up till the time that there appeared upon it, in conjunction with our own portrait, that of a spirit figure. As to the camera, it remained in the room all the evening, and was open to the inspection of anyone. We may remark here that, being evening, the portrait was taken by means of a magnesium light, which was found to work admirably on the oc¬ casion. Spirit photography is, therefore, an estab¬ lished fact, beyond the possibility of dispute, and Mr. Parkes is one of the most successful mediums by means of which this wonderful phenomena is now ac¬ complished. ” Mr. Parkes not only magnetised the plates but the 1 PARKES, REEVES AND BUGUET 47 camera. He did this in consequence of the directions which he had received. It appeared to be one of the conditions necessary, lie had evidently great faith in the process. So we see that at this early stage of spirit-photography in the United Kingdom, “magnet¬ ising” was one of the processes which was adopted and one of the conditions to he obeyed in order to get these photos. Among those who wrote to “M. A. Oxon, ” was the father of Mr. Parkes. This gentleman was opposed to both spiritualism and the spiritistic theory con¬ cerning these portraits. I give an extract from his letter, which appeared in Human Nature, 9th Feb., 1875 — “I freely admit that I was, and probably still am, an unbeliever in what may be said to be compre¬ hended in spirit photography. I cannot believe in the presence of spirits, but that the likenesses of the de¬ parted are produced and faithfully represented I have now not the least doubt. This was followed by his opinion as to the char¬ acter of his son, and testimony to the fact of having himself sat, and obtained the likeness of his father. “There is no mistaking the likeness, and my family all immediately recognized it. Others of our kin¬ dred sat, and similar results have followed. Dismissing the thought of trickery, he concludes:— “I look forward with some uiterest to the time when the subject will be well ventilated, and which I think will end in a natural solution. 48 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE It will be well to bear this shrewd observation in mind later on. “M. A. Oxon ”, who examined 110 of these photo¬ graphs, of which he gives a full report, in Human Nature, says:— “A considerable number of the earlier pictures taken by Messrs. Parkes and Reeves were allegorical. One of the earliest, taken in April, 1872, shows Mr. Reeves’ father holding up a cross above his head, and displaying an open book on which is written ‘Holy Bible. ’ Another shows a cloud of light covering two- thirds of the picture, and made up of the strangest medley of heads and arms, and flashes of light, with a distinct cross in the centre. Another in which Mr. and Mrs. Everitt are the sitters, taken June 8, 1872, is a symbolical picture of a very curious nature. Mr. Everitt’s head is surrounded with a fillet on which Truth is inscribed, while three pencils of light dart up from it. There are at least two figures in the pic¬ ture which blot out Mrs. Everitt altogether. In a later photograph in which Mr. Burns is the sitter, is a giant hand, of which the thumb is half the length of the sitter’s body. It is just as if a luminous hand had been projected or flashed on the plate without any regard to focus. Another very startling picture is one which shows on a dark background a huge luminous crucifix. Then we have angels with ortho¬ dox wings, hovering over some sitters. One is a very striking model; the face of great beauty and of pure classical design. The figure floats with extended arm over the sitter, and below it, almost on the ground, appear nine faces, and strangest of all, close by the sitter’s head, a large eye, with beams of light pro¬ ceeding from it. The eye is larger than the head of the sitter, and the whole picture presents a most cu¬ rious appearance. Some show mere faces; some, heads; some again, whole bodies floating in the air; PARKE'S, REEVES AND BUGUET 49 and some, partially formed bodies projected on the plate, apparently at haphazard.” At this early stage in spirit-photography, it dawned on some of the leading thinkers and investigators con¬ cerned, that while Intelligences in the invisible have been at work—as claimed by them, through mediums —the psychic “extras” thus projected, or which came on the plates, were not the photographs of spirits, but rather of plastic designs, crude portraits or paint¬ ings, scrolls, and other more or less weird fancies. Amid all this experimenting, with most conclusive evidence of genuineness, there were, however, ob¬ tained many identifiable portraits of the departed, as they once appeared when in the body. As I have known Mr. Wallis (Secretary of the London Spiritual Alliance), who is a well-known lec¬ turer, and writer on Spiritualism, for over thirty years, I thought it best to elicit his opinions and ex¬ periences—if any—in connection with psychic pho¬ tography. In reply, dated 12th September, 1910, he says:— ‘ ‘ The most satisfactory instance of spirit photog¬ raphy that 1 have been associated with occurred with Mr. Joseph Cotterell. lie was instructed by auto¬ matic writing—through his own hand—to go to Mr. Parkes, who was at that time obtaining spirit photo¬ graphs, as his departed wife desired to give him her picture. An appointment was made without divulg¬ ing to Mr. Parkes what was expected. When the day arrived it was very foggy, and Mr. Cotterell was dis¬ inclined to make the journey from Vauxhall to Bow. T urged him to keep his appointment, and suggested 50 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE that by the time he reached his destination the fog might lift. On his arrival the weather had much im¬ proved, and several photographs were taken, one of which Mr. Cotterell recognised as the portrait of his departed wife. He wrote to each of her three sisters, then living in different parts of the country, and— without comment—enclosed with each letter a print of the spirit photograph. From each sister he re¬ ceived answers, and they all desired to know how he obtained the picture of their sister—thus admitting the recognition—but when he explained how it was taken, they were equally unanimous in expressing the opinion that it was the devil’s work—forgetting that in that case their beloved sister must be acting as his Satanic Majesty’s agent! It has always seemed to me that the real value of spirit photographs is in the recognition—provided that there is no possibility of faking up an already existing portrait. In Mr. Cotterell’s case no such portrait existed.” This is a case where the sitter was influenced—in fact directed—by an Intelligence in the Invisible to go and be photographed, with the result that he ob¬ tained his late wife’s picture. In this and in similar cases, we get a glimpse of the directing powers behind —shall we say—these psychic phenomena; and with this I conclude my reference to Messrs. Parkes and Reeves. BUGUET MEDIUM SHIP In dealing with M. Buguet, I am compelled to rely on the experiences and the opinions of others. I knew Mr. W. H. Harrison, Editor of the Spiritualist, as a man of scientific attainments and an expert pho- PARKES, REEVES AND BUGUET 51 tographer. Most ot' those to whom he refers I knew by reputation, as among the most sincere, intellec¬ tual, and careful investigators of psycho-physics at this period. Mr. Harrison, in The Spiritualist, 26th June, 1874, says:— “On Thursday, last week, 1 was invited, with other friends, to observe the manipulation in the studio of M. Buguet, spirit-photographer, of Paris, who is tak¬ ing pictures at 33 Baker Street. Mrs. Macdougall Gregory, Mrs. Ross Church, Mrs. Showers, Mr. Cole¬ man, Mr. Ivlmey, Mr. Martheze, and other friends were present. I offered to take the negative myself, he merely standing by to get the influence of his mediumship upon the plate. This lie declined, saying that the manifestations were more likely to be successful if he handled the plates and the chemicals throughout. After trying one picture, on which no spirits came, he began to take another as follows: He cut a corner with a jagged fracture of a bare plate of glass, and handed the little piece to the sitter, who was a friend of Mr. Coleman. The object of cutting off the piece was to show by the separated corner afterwards fit¬ ting the plate with its finished picture, that the plate had not been changed during the operations. From this point, preparation in dark-room, its examination and all procedure to putting the plate in the dark slide, which he ‘had previously opened and examined’ is graphically described by Mr. Harrison. 1 examined the camera and the lens thoroughly, taking them to pieces to a considerable extent. I took part in the focusing, and saw only the sitter on tin 1 ground glass—no spirits. During the exposure of the plate, M. Buguet stood near the camera, with his head leaning against the wall; he seemed to go into semi-trance. Afterwards I followed him, with the dark slide in 52 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE his hand, to tip developing room, saw the plate re¬ moved from the slide, the developer immediately poured over it, and two spirits made their appearance on the plate behind the sitter. Their features came out distinctly; it was not a good photograph, artisti¬ cally speaking; the chemicals were working badly, and threw down much loose silver deposit. The operations all through lasted from seven to ten minutes. Invisible pictures may be painted on a background with sulphate of quinine, aesculine, or other fluores¬ cent substance, which invisible pictures can be photo¬ graphed so as to appear in any negative taken before that background. The photograph now under notice was not one of that nature. The background was the ordinary wall paper of the private room in which the photographs were taken. The spirits on the negative and the finished prints have not been recognised. Obviously, it is not possible to say much about spirit photography on the slender experience of one experiment, but I do not know how to produce by artificial means a similar picture under like condi¬ tions.” In the foregoing we have all the watchful proced¬ ure of a skilled, scientific observer, recorded with modesty in statement. Out of the many identified “extras” obtained through this medium I produce one. Lady Caithness, formerly of Barragill Castle, Wick, Scotland, but who principally resided in Paris, sent an account of bar experiences to the Spiritualist, 24th July, 1874, from which I summarise the following:— “I experience so much happiness every time I look at the photograph obtained through the celebrated PARKEfl REEVES AND BUGUET 53 French photographer, Monsieur Ed. Buguet, that I feel bound ... to make the fact known. One lady in Edinburgh to whom I sent copies has written me—‘ I recognised every one; darling Fig. 8. The Count de Medina Pomar, with the Psychic Portrait of his Father, General the Count de Medina Pomar. The above is copied from Human Nature. Ellen (my sister) is most wonderful, and your late husband and father not less so. ’ . . . Percy came to me at four o’clock in the morning saying, ‘I can¬ not sleep for thinking of those photos;’ I truly echo the words and endorse them. I went with my son, Count de Medina Pomar, both of us perfect strangers to Mons. Buguet, and found 54 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE him as courteous and amiable as Mr. Burns had de¬ scribed him in the Medium.” After describing the almost empty room and the procedure of posing and taking the sitters, Lady Caithness says:— “After a short absence from the room, at the close of every pose, Mons. Buguet returned, bringing the negatives for our inspection; he had an anxious, con¬ cerned look, until rejoiced by our recognizing, even on the glass, some dear and well-remembered features long passed away from our midst. Sometimes no spirit form whatever was visible on the glass, but be¬ tween my son and myself we were successful thir¬ teen times; and out of the thirteen ive distinctly rec¬ ognized the spirit forms of five dear ones whom we had never hoped to see again on earth. One of these, my father, appears no less than three times; once with my son, once with me, and once as if floating over us both, and enveloping us With part of his fluidic drapery. Strange to say, in order that there may be no doubt about the identity of my late hus¬ band, he brings in his hand the family crest and emblem. To those who still hesitate to believe ... I will point only to this extraordinary and beautiful test, and to these perfect- likenesses, recognised by each and every friend who has seen them, and again bid them remember that we were perfect strangers to the medium, who had never heard of us before. I must also mention one other wonderful circum¬ stance, and that is the appearance of the late Allan Kardec, on one of my cartes. This is most satisfac¬ tory to me in more ways than one, as it also gives me a proof that he is near, and watching over me in the work I have undertaken, of translating one of his wonderful books, La Gcnese, into English and in mak¬ ing known his other works in England and America. PARKES, REEVES AND BUGUET I have gathered a large collection of spirit photo¬ graphs, commencing last year in America, through the aid of Mr. Mumler, and have now completed the album with those of Mons. Buguet. Amongst the lat¬ ter I have five others of Allan Kardee—three with his widow, one with Miss Blackwell, and one with the celebrated French astronomer and talented author, Mons. Camille Flammarion. Allan Kardee’s ap¬ pearance on my own carte forms the sixth .... The test I allude to is most conclusive, for each is per¬ fectly distinct in appearance and position from the other, and yet all perfect likenesses of the great phil¬ osopher. Marie Caithness.” Lady Caithness, Countess de Pomar, was a woman of marked ability, author of several works of psychi¬ cal interest, and her salon was the centre to which flocked the brilliant intellects of Europe. In the Palace there was a large lecture-hall, in which Mrs. Emma Hardinge Britten, as well as many able men anti women, delivered inspired and cultured lectures. Owing to her culture and eminent position, I have given prominence to her testimony. Among the well-known writers of this period Mr. S. C. Hall, F. S. A., stands in the first rank. For many years he was editor of the Art Journal. Besides be¬ ing an authority on Art, Literature, Science and Phil¬ anthropy, he was well able to write on Spiritualism, which he investigated with care. He wrote to the Medium and Daybreak, 4th Sept., 1874, and from his contribution—which I have curtailed—I take the fol¬ lowing :— “I wish to state a simple fact. . . . While Mr. 56 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Buguet was in London I went to him. I was not only not expecting any result, I was more than suspicious. He produced of me three photographs; in each there was a form besides my own. There was no medium* present. I watched his proceedings narrowly. Of the three, I could not help recognizing my father; I will tell you why. The face is so obscure, that I cannot determine the likeness by the features; but the face is round, the head bald, there are neither beard, moustache nor whisker. That was exactly my father’s head. But there are thousands of heads to which a similar description would apply. There was one peculiarity, however, which not one in a thousand could have had; I explain it. My father, Colonel Hall, was an old officer, and he wore the queue up to his ‘death;’ it was buried with him. That was in his time, sixty or seventy years ago, the ‘common head costume’ of soldier officers, but it has long gone out. Now, in the photograph to which I refer, this queue is perfectly distinct—as clear as if a brush had painted it in; white (he was a very aged man when lie died, and had been an officer more than sixty years) and proceeding from the back of the head down the back of the body—- standing out indeed and apart from the shoulders. I ought to add that on an¬ other of the photographs the features are much more distinct; but that is a full face, and of course the queue is not seen. S. C. Hall.” In the foregoing, Mr. S. C. Hall obtains two photo¬ graphs, which he identifies as those of his father. First, from the form, the pose, and the queue , the features not being distinct; second, from a full face photograph in which the features were cpiite dis- *With Hudson, Messrs. Herne and Williams, sometimes Mrs. Guppy, and other mediumistic persons were present at sit¬ tings.—J. C. PARKES, REEVES AND BUGUET 57 tinet. Tlie late S. C. Hall had the eye of an artist and the judgment of an intelligent man and as such could not be classed with those who would recognize ‘a broom and a sheet’ photographed for the picture of a relative. Mrs. H. Sidgwick, in her article on Spirit-Photo¬ graphs, in the S. P. R. Proc. p. 280, in her anxiety to make a case, ignores the second photograph and as¬ sumes that Mr. Hall was deceived in basing his recog¬ nition on the pigtail, the queue “practically the only point of identification.” This procedure—whether deliberately or unintentionally carried out —wan a suppression of the truth, and an omission of a most important statement of the late S. C. Hall. One lias to ignore the writings of persons, posing as scientifi¬ cally fair, yet so misleading in statements. The same lady condemns another photo as fraudulent—it might be for all I know—as the “extra” therein was either that of or resembled a living person. That it resembled a living person there is no doubt. All doubles are photographs of living persons. In this case it was a matter of disputed identity in which one of the groups concerned were mistaken. “Mis¬ taken identity” is no new thing. This French medium obtained among other recog¬ nised ‘extras’ fully identifiable portraits of ‘The Double.’ I give the account here, as well as the evi¬ dence of the Rev. Stainton Moses as to the fact of his own double being photographed by Mons. Buguet. Summarised from Human Nature, Vol. ix., 1875:— 58 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE “Hotel del’Athenee, Rue Scribe. Paris. I. the undersigned William Julian , Count de Bul¬ let, certify to having obtained at M. Buguet’s Photog¬ rapher, Boulevard de Montmartre, by ordinary methods of photography, at several sittings, the fol¬ lowing portraits: 1. The double of my sister, now living at Balti¬ more, U. S. A. 2. My uncle. 3. M. de Layman, an intimate friend. 4. One of my aunts. In assurance of which I freely sign the present attestation. Paris, Dec. 10, 1874. G. J. de Bullet. ” “M. A. Oxon” was so much interested that he sought information on the following points:—1. Whether the sister was asleep at the time the photo¬ graph was taken; 2. Whether he has seen the double at any time: 3. Whether the likeness was recognised by others; 4. Whether he had ever tried to impress his thoughts on his sister by will power; 5. Whether the phenomenon occurred more than once. To the foregoing questions, I summarise the Count de Bullet’s replies, which were dated Paris, 13th Jan., 1875. “1. It is probable that my sister was asleep. I calculated the hour. 2. I have never seen her double ht any time, al¬ though I have felt her impression by intuition, always at a time when she would be likely to be asleep. 3. The likenesses are so striking that everyone who knows her has instantly recognised it. I have had her likeness in eight different positions. There is not the slightest doubt about the likeness. 4. T have never tried to impress thoughts on the PARKES, REEVES AND BUGUET 59 mind of my sister. Between her and me since child¬ hood there has always existed the deepest affection. 5. When I pose before the camera I simply put the question I wish, and ask her to come if possible. On one plate she comes with a card in her hands, with her answer to me written quite distinctly. The writ¬ ing is in French, except when she does not want M. Buguet to know, then it is in English.” The foregoing was followed by a long account full of interesting details giving procedure at Buguet’s, and the obtaining of these remarkable photographs of persons living 1200 miles away. With regard to the photographing of the double of “M. A. Oxon,” I would gladly give his account in full, not only as testifying to the fact of the double being photographed at a distance, but owing to the great value and high esteem in which the late “M. A. Oxon,” is held by all Spiritualists at home and abroad, but space forbids. From his own articles in Human Nature, pp. 97-99, I summarise the follow¬ ing :— ‘ ‘ The action of the incarnated spirit beyond the limits of the body which it occupies is a familiar fact to me. ... It seemed then that a plan might be arranged to obtain on the sensitised plate a perma¬ nent record of the presence of an embodied spirit, apart from its physical body. (Italics are mine. J. C.) Such an arrangement was actually made by my friend, Mr. Gledstanes, of Paris.” As the outcome of this arrangement, Mr. Gled¬ stanes posed in M. Buguet’s studio. Sunday morn- 60 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE ing, 31st January, 1875, at‘11.15 a. m., or 11.5, Lon¬ don time. ‘‘On the first plate exposed appeared a faint and indistinct image of my face. A second exposure at 11.15 (Paris) produced a perfect result. The first half of the plate contains a decided likeness of me; the second half one of an old man with a very strik¬ ing head and commanding figure. The portrait of me is quite unmistakable, no one who lias seen me in the flesh could fail to recognise it. The eyes are closed and the face bears the indefinable look of trance. The body is shrouded in fluidic drapery. The only per¬ sons present in M. Buguet’s studio, besides himself, were Mr. Gledstanes, the sitter, and the Count de Bullet. I turn now to my own part in the experiment. At the time when the photographs were taken I was lying in bed in London, in a state of deep trance. I had a half consciousness of awaking at 10.25 a. m. I fell into a state of dreamy listlessness between sleep and waking. The sound of the church bells fell upon my ears and I had a flash of recollection of the experiment proposed for eleven o’clock. Complete unconsciousness supervened before that hour. When I regained consciousness it was 11.47 am. About this interval I have no recollection whatever. It is an absolute blank, as is all the time during which I am completely entranced. So it was on this occa¬ sion.” “M. A. Oxon,” had other experiences of a similar kind, which T will not reproduce, but conclude this pari with a few words of his succinct claim:— “I have recorded with literal exactness the facts connected with this remarkable phenomenon. All comes to this. Here is the photograph of the spirit of a living person taken in Paris while the body in PARKES, REEVES AND BUGUET 61 which it is incarnated is in London. I may be ex¬ cused if 1 estimate highly the value of this experi¬ ment. I may lay personal stress on the evidence which, so far as it concerns this world, is perfect, and which so far as it concerns the invisible oper¬ ators is assured to me by those whom I have never found tripping yet. . . . That it is a fact I am as certain as 1 am of anything.” I cannot conclude these testimonies without empha¬ sizing the fact of the “double,” which, as we have seen, has been a feature in the photography of Mum- ler, Evans, Hudson and Buguet. Mumler left Bos¬ ton owing to the picture of living men as an “extra.” Evans was “suspect” owing to the “double” of a gentleman asleep by a stove and out of reach of the camera, being photographed; Hudson, for the double of Herne; and Buguet, for the photo¬ graph of a living person, which was taken as the spirit picture of one Mons. Edouard Poiret. Of 120 photographs examined by “M. A. Oxon, ” he furnishes evidence of the recognition of forty. He could have given many more, but from the nature of the photographs and the standing of the witnesses, so to speak, forty attested photographs would be most convincing to those who really understand the value of evidence. In M. Buguet’s case, we have the fly in the oint¬ ment; the counterfeit among the coins. His con¬ duct is among the causes which helped the man in the armchair, who has never experimented, to say, “All the ointment is bad, all the coins are counter- 62 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE t'eit; all your psycho-physical phenomena are fraudu¬ lent, and all your mediums are imposters.” As to others, whose bona-fides we have no reason to doubt, the charges of fraud came from those who assumed fraud—as an hypothesis—but when it came to evi¬ dence before the courts, as in Mumler’s case, the hypothesis and the facts DID NOT SQUARE. Mediumship neither implies manliness, honesty nor spiritual worth, and in this case Buguet’s medium- ship did not save him from being a worthless fellow. Still, I am sorry for him, as he is an outstanding in¬ stance of how the weak and the foolish are exploited, and how the lust for gold—with the hope of salva¬ tion thrown in—has tempted men not so innocent and inexperienced as our Father Adam to put exped¬ iency before principle. This self-confessed knave could not and did not explain how all his spirit pic¬ tures were obtained, and his demonstrations only went to show how some could be made. The photographs which “M. A. Oxon” had dealt with were within two classes, all others being re¬ jected. The first consisted “of those only recognised by one or more persons (generally more than one) as portraits of friends who had departed from this life.” The second “included only pictures taken under test conditions.” The latter were valuable only so far, as the testing conditions meet all the requirements of skilled photographers. When the history of Buguet’s “Confessions,” and trial and subsequent repentance are fully considered, PARKES, REEVES AND BUGUET 63 it will be found that he was more fool than knave. That he was both needs not to be denied. The Revue Spirite had flouted the Catholic- Church in the person of the Archbishop of Toulouse, as per¬ haps Spiritualistic organs everywhere are liable to flout priestly intolerance and theological tyranny of all kinds, irrespective of the particular creed or Church to which the priests belong. Such insult by the Revue Spirite was not to be tolerated by an all- powerful Church, and that in a country where—at this time—the whole civil and military forces were at her command. Mons. Leymarie, the editor of the paper, was tried and condemned. Buguet was a pawn in the game for the double purpose of inflicting injury on Spiritualists, and punishing the editor as well, who was condemned and sentenced equally with Buguet, to twelve months’ imprisonment. These trials were organised by the emissaries of the then State Church of France. Buguet’s trial did not and could not efface the facts of genuine psychic- photography. Still, it must be admitted that his Confession vitiates all that can be said in favour of his pictures recognised as genuine. But as no refer¬ ence to the subject of spirit-photography could be complete without calling the attention of the reader to M. Buguet; his pictures, the class of people who testified, and the trial in which he stood as a self- condemned trickster, T feel it my duty to give an outline of the whole miserable business. 64 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Of him, “M. A. Oxon, ” in a letter to Human Na¬ ture, 20tli Aug. 1875, says:— “The poor wretch was bribed by promises of im¬ munity and told his tale. His judges had not even the honesty to keep faith with him, and he found himself in a dungeon, in spite of his false swearing.” Since the trial of M. Buguet, the authorities of the Holy Mother Church, through various agents and in the Press, have acknowledged the genuineness of spiritistic phenomena, but condemn both the prac¬ tice and their investigation outside the pale of the Church. CHAPTER IV MR. DAVID DUGUID’S MEDIUMSH1P It would be impossible, within my limited space to do justice to either Mr. Duguid or his mediumship. He was born in 1832 and died in 1907. 1 became acquainted with him in 1878, shortly after “Hafed” had been published. I knew not only Mr. Duguid, but all the members of the “Hafed Circle,” and have been several times witness to his trance painting gifts. Out of the hundreds who could bear testimony, I have selected a few and these mainly from those whom I knew as possessing undoubted authority and fitness. My remarks are confined to Spirit Photog¬ raphy, which was only one phase out of the psycho¬ physical phenomena which took place in his presence. The characteristic feature was not so much the num¬ ber of identifiable psychic portraits as the evidence— scientifically demonstrated—of the Fact of Spirit Photography. In addition to tins, through him were obtained the clearest possible cases of what are called in these pages “Psychographs,” i, e., pictures ob¬ tained without sunlight, phos, lens or camera. In giving this original and hitherto unpublished photograph, I do so not only because of its genuine- 65 66 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE ness, but of its history. No one can say whether it is a true likeness or not of the reputed Ilafed, seeing Fig. 9. Photograph of the late Mr. David Duguid, the Glas¬ gow Trance Painting Medium, at the age of Sixty-two. taken after the Series of Test Experiments conducted by Mr. J. Trail Taylor, in London. that this spirit claims to have lived in the body when Jesus lived and taught on earth. MR. DUGIJID’S MEDIUMSHIP 67 Mr. David Duguid was not a cultured man; that cannot be denied. Of the volumes of information Fig. 10. Photograph of Mr. Andrew Glendinning, and Mr. James Robertson, and Psychic Portrait of “Hafed,” taken on marked plates supplied by Mr. Glendinning. which fell from his lips, “Hafed, Prince of Persia,’’ is a notable instance; unique in literature. The con- 68 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE tents of the volume and the manner of its production, and the “direct” illustrations which were undoubt- Fig. 11. Photograph of Mr. James Robertson and Mr. Andrew Glendinning and the earliest Test Psychic Portrait of “The Cyprian Priestess,” taken in Glasgow. Mr. Robertson was present but is Cut Out of the Print. Both Messrs. Robertson and Glendinning Superintended the experiment, Mr. Duguid merely making the Exposure. Two other Test Pictures of this “Extra” are produced further on. edly beyond the intellectual capacity of the medium, are striking evidence of the existence of Intelligences in the Invisible. MR. DUGUID’S MEDIUMSHIP 69 Mr. James Robertson, being present at and taking part in the majority of cases when Mr. Duguid took psychic photographs, is my first, important witness. Writing me on 6th August, 1910, from 5 Granby Terrace, Hillhead, Glasgow, Mr. James Robertson says:— Dear Mr. Coates,—I may not be able to compre¬ hend the process by which spirits are able to impress their forms or thoughts on a sensitive plate, but as I believe the spirit body is a substance and substances can be photographed, I have no difficulty in accept¬ ing the fact that eyes do not catch all this universe presents—we have neither the microscopic nor the telescopic power—but who would deny what these discoveries have brought to view? We see in the process of materialisation solid forms built up, which we can touch; at other times these forms are vapoury and we can see through them, and so by degrees our sight fails to take in all there is. What to our eyes becomes invisible is caught up by the more subtle eye of the instrument. All this will be found to be in harmony with the laws of Nature, and experiments made outside the domain of the psychic will come into touch and accord with what has been done by us. In David Duguid we had a rare instrument for giving forth that aura through which the unseen world could manifest. He readily lent himself to all experiments which were suggested and took as deep an interest as anyone. The phenomena in his case gradually developed. There were but hints at first, some vague markings it may he, but sufficient to show that something was added from an external source. The success was so limited at first that the matter was discarded for some years till the arrival of a friend from New Zealand, who was an ardent investigator, and this gentleman induced Mr. Duguid to sit with him. The experiment was made in my 70 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE dining-room, and a form came clearly on the plate. The face was quite distinct, though the drapery was shadowy and we could see through it the knobs of the shutters in front of which the plate was exposed. A new interest was created after this and several experiments were made in my garden with good re¬ sults. I can remember the fervour with which I wit¬ nessed the development of the plates and the satis¬ faction when we were rewarded. My old friend, Mr. Glendinning, was soon informed of our success, and he eagerly entered with us on our investigations. All these were made with the greatest carefulness, not that we had any doubt of Mr. Duguid’s bona fides, but that we wished to be in a position to speak posi¬ tively that there was no room for fraud. The same care we took was afterwards carried through by Mr. Traill Taylor when he was asked to give the weight of Lis authority as to the genuine nature of psychic photography. Nothing more forcible could be penned than Mr. Taylor’s report, which was reproduced in Mr. Glendinning’s ‘Veil Lifted.’ ” “When carrying out these experiments, Mr. Du- guid did not complain much of loss of power, but ever after there seemed to be a great drain on his constitution, when he lent himself to these sittings, ft seemed to me that his ‘Controls’ after Mr. Tay¬ lor’s scientific report, felt that he need not give him¬ self more to this work. His honesty and the facts of psychic photography had been established. ‘ ‘ One of the most effective tests of spirit power and spirit identity given through Mr. Diiguid’s medium- ship was obtained by a well-known legal gentleman in Edinburgh, who had long desired the portrait of his deceased son. Nothing could be more satisfactor¬ ily attested. The parents ever spoke in the highest terms of gratitude for the blessing granted to them. As years went on they were again and again fa¬ voured with other pictures of the boy, grown-up, but still revealing the features so loved. This stands out MR. DUGUID’S MEDIUMSHIF 71 as one clear bit of evidence that the dead, so-called, can make their impress on the sensitive plate. The gentleman who got the picture was no weakminded enthusiast, but a man of culture, trained long in criminal investigation. Mr. Taylor’s support built up to the full the great fact that in the presence of some human sensitives it is possible for those gone on to give consolation to those left behind. “Mr. David Duguid was in my service for over twenty years. 1 knew the man thoroughly; a more honest, modest person—with ideals of truth and right—I never met. Yours fraternally, •Jas. Robertson.” T have known Mr. James Robertson intimately for 33 years, and can safely say that no man is better known throughout Scotland as a shrewd, far-seeing man of business. For nearly forty years he has been an investigator of Modern Spiritualism, wields a vig¬ orous pen, and has never hesitated to advocate what¬ ever he knows to be true. He has found leisure, amid his great business concerns, to lecture and write on Spiritualism. In journalistic circles he is held in high esteem. Were it not for the facts of modern Spiritualism, Mr. James Robertson would have been a hardheaded, dour, Scotch Agnostic—a Materialist —without guile. No one living is better qualified to testify to Mr. Duguid’s character and gifts. It was the good fortune of Mr. Glendinning to get beside us on one occasion a most exquisite face of a lady, full of each charm and grace that make up the womanly character. The term “angelic” might be 72 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE applied to it. Such a face the seraphic painters have ofttimes drawn; a Raphael might have painted it. Fig. 12. My Copy of the Enlarged Psychic Portrait of The Cyprian Priestess, from “The Veil Lifted,” concerning which I take from page 92 the following, contributed by Mr. James Robertson, From somewhere must have come this form. And Spiritualism demonstrates what Mr. Justice Groves, in the “Co-relation of Physical Forces” gives as a probable theory: myriads of organised beings may exist, imperceptible to our vision, even if we were among them. MR. DUGUID’S MEDIUMSHIF 73 Mr. Andrew Glendinning, to whom Mr. James Rob¬ ertson refers, was a man among men, who lived a full and strenuous life. I knew of no one in connection with Spiritualism who possessed bis ripe experience. He was a life-long total abstainer, and advocated temperance when to do so was not fashionable. As a friend of William Lloyd Garrison, and of Elihu Burritt, the learned blacksmith, he was an anti-slav¬ ery man in 1850-60, when it was fashionable to find excuses for slavery. He waged war not only on ne¬ gro slavery but on the white man’s slavery to intem¬ perance, debasing passions, intolerant theology which made infidels, on materialism, then fashionable in scientific circles. Over thirty years ago, he and an¬ other were pioneers of the vegetarian and fruitarian restaurants in London, which helped to familiarise thousands with the physical benefits and economies of reformed diet. Amid his many interests in life, he found time to investigate Spiritualism, which came to him 47 years ago in Scotland. When satisfied he had found something real, he did not hesitate to state the facts as he knew them. In his letter to me, dated Dalston, 23rd April, 1910, giving me permission to use certain extracts from “The Veil Lifted,” he authorised me to say he had nothing to withdraw as to his good opinion of the late Mr. J. Traill Taylor and Mr. David Duguid; the thoroughness of the London test experiments; and said “When I reprint, T shall put emphasis on this.” Our friend did not live to carry out this proposal. 74 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Writing on 19th August, 1910, and thanking me for a number of the Parkes and Duguid photographs which I submitted to him, he says:— “It may interest you to learn that at a private se¬ ance here, on 17th inst., Mr. J. Traill Taylor materi¬ alised, also my wife, my daughter and many other friends. The Rev. ITaraldiur Nielsson, of Reykjavik, Iceland, was with us, and he conversed in the Danish language with one of the materialised forms, who was known to him in his earth life. “The Rev. Mr. Nielsson visited Mr. Wyllie and got a photo, on which is the face of his uncle, the late Bishop Savinsson. This was in fulfilment of a prom¬ ise. The face of the Bishop is quite distinct. Mr. Nielsson has kindly given me a print of it.” The foregoing were among the last letters received from Mr. Glendinning, who passed into the Higher Life in October, 1910. Referring to the above, Mr. Andrew Glendin¬ ning, in “The Veil Lifted,” (pp. 143-144) says— “ ... Another child’s portrait was got unex¬ pectedly at a test seance in April, 1892. The ar¬ rangements and operations were under my superin¬ tendence. I invited a lady (Mrs. J. N. Anderson), to take a place near the sitter, in order to try whether her mediumistic power would aid in the experiment. “ I was vexed at not getting the result I wanted, but soon I had cause for gladness in the joy which the portrait obtained brought to the hearts of the child’s father and mother. The child’s dress exhibits what was not known to any person outside of Mr. Anderson’s family. That test is of a kind to impress the mother’s mind. Previous to the child’s depart¬ ure, lie was lying cold in bed, when his mother took from a drawer a nightdress of one of her older boys MR. DUGUID’S MEDIUMSHIF 75 and put it on the ailing child. This nightdress had a certain kind of frill round the neckband, and that nightdress, with its long frill, and long sleeves, is represented in the photograph. There was no picture in existence from which the photograph could have Fig. 13. The Original Photograph of Mrs. .T. N. Anderson, and Mrs. Andrew Glendinning, and the Psychic Portrait of Mr. and Mrs. Anderson’s Child. Mr. David Duguid, medium. been copied. The likeness is not only attested by the parents, but by friends of the family, and by Mr. James Robertson, who had often seen the hoy. “Someone may ask how was the photograph of the child obtained, seeing he was too young to come un¬ aided to stand before the camera? An interesting 7(j PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE question, no doubt. To it I reply, I do not know; I am stating facts, not trying to explain. ’ ’ The facts concerning the above were well known in Glasgow, where Mr. and Mrs. James Anderson re¬ sided. I wrote Mr. Robertson, who not only sent me the original print produced above, but the statement: “This was taken in my dining-room in Glasgow, and is the portrait of Mr. James Anderson’s child, whom I knew. It is a good likeness.” This is one of the many well substantiated cases obtained through Mr. Duguid in the months of April and May, 1892, when several sittings were held in Glasgow, under strict test conditions. Mr. J. Traill Taylor was fortunate enough to have Mr. David Duguid introduced to him by Mr. An¬ drew Glendinning, who was, in fact, one of the “two extremely hardheaded Glasgow merchants, gentlemen of commercial eminence and probity,” mentioned as among the witnesses present. Mr. James Robert¬ son, of Glasgow, was another, when Mr. Taylor con¬ ducted his experiments. So struck was Mr. Taylor with the results of these with Mr. Duguid that he read a paper on “Spirit Photography, with Remarks on Fluorescence,” before a meeting of the London and Provincial Photographic Association. The lec¬ ture, and discussion which followed, were printed in' full in the British Journal of Photography. (Vol. xl., No. 1715. March 17th, 1893.) and afterwards in Mr. Glendinning’s work, “The Veil Lifted,” pub¬ lished in 1894. MR. DUGUID’S MEDIUMSHIP 77 While the paper is of deepest interest, much of it was really intended for the consideration of practical photographers, and need not be repeated here. Mr. J. Traill Taylor was admittedly head of the profes¬ sion in his day. He had investigated psychic photog¬ raphy with mediums, and speaking with the author¬ ity of one who knew, says:— “My conditions were exceedingly simple. They were that I should use my own camera and unopened packages of dry plates, purchased from dealers of repute, and that I should be excused from allowing a plate to go out of my own hand till after develop¬ ment, unless I felt otherwise disposed; but that, as 1 was to treat them as under suspicion, so must they treat me, and that every act I performed must be in presence of two witnesses, nay, that I would set a watch upon my own camera in the guise of a dupli¬ cate one of the same focus—in other words, I would use a binocular sterescopic camera and dictate all the conditions of operation. All this I was told was what they very strongly wished me to do, as they desired to know the truth and that only. There were present during one or other of the evenings when the trials were made representatives of various schools of thought, including a clergyman of the Church of England; a practitioner of the healing art, who is a Fellow of two learned societies; a gentleman who graduated in the Hall of Science, in the days of the late Charles Bradlaugh; two extremely hardheaded Glasgow merchants, gentlemen of commercial emi¬ nence and probity; our host, his wife, the medium, and myself. Dr. G. was the first sitter, and. for a reason known to myself, T used a monocular camera. T myself took the plate out of a packet just previ¬ ously ripped up under the surveillance of my two detectives. T placed the slide in my pocket, and ex- 78 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE posed it by magnesium ribbon, which I held in my own hand, keeping one eye as it were on the sitter, and the other on the camera. There was no back¬ ground. I myself took the plate from the dark slide, and imder the eyes of the two detectives, placed it in the developing dish. Between the camera and the sitter, a female figure was developed, rather in a more pronounced form than that of the sitter. The lens was a portrait one of short focus; the figure, being somewhat in front of the sitter, was proportionately larger in dimensions. 1 do not recognise her or any of the other figures I obtained, as being like anyone I know, and from my point of view, that of a mere investigator and experimentalist, not caring whether the psychic subject were embodied or disembodied. Many experiments of like nature followed; on some plates were abnormal appearances; on others, none. All this time, Mr. D., the medium, during the exposure of the plates, was quite inactive. If the precautions I took during all the experiments are thought to have been imperfect or incomplete, I pray of you to point them out. The psychic figures behaved badly. Some were in focus, others not so; some were lighted from the right, while the sitter was so from the left; some were comely, others not so; some monopolised the major portion of the plate, quite obliterating the ma¬ terial sitters; others were as if an atrociously badly vignetted portrait, or one cut oval out of a photo¬ graph by a can opener, or equally badly clipped out, were held up behind the sitter. It is due to the psychic entities to say that what¬ ever was produced on one half the sterescopic plates was reproduced on the other, alike good or bad in definition. But, on a careful examination of one which was rather better than the other, T deduce this fact that the impressing of the spirit form was not consentaneous with that of the sitter. This 1 consider an important discovery. I carefully examined one in MR. DUGUID’S MEDIUMSHIP 79 the stereoscope, and found that while the two sitters were stereoscopic per se, the psychic figure was abso¬ lutely flat. I also found that the psychic figure was at least a millimetre higher up in one than the other. Now. as both had been simultaneously exposed, it follows to demonstration that, although both were correctly placed vertically in relation to the particu¬ lar sitter behind whom the figure appeared, and not so, horizontally, this figure had not only not been im¬ pressed on the plate simultaneously with the two gentlemen forming the group, but had not been formed by the lens at all, and that, therefore, the psychic image might be produced without a camera. I think this is a fair deduction. But still the question obtrudes: How came these figures there? I again assert that the plates were not tampered with by either myself or anyone present. Are they crystalli¬ sations of thought? Have lens and light really noth¬ ing to do with their formation? The whole subject was mysterious enough on the hypothesis of an invis¬ ible spirit, whether a thought projection or an actual spirit, being really there in the vicinity of the sitter, but it is now a thousand times more so. There are plenty of Tycho Brahes capable of supplying details of observations, but who is to be the Kepler that will from such observation evolve a law by which they can be satisfactorily explained?” I read in The London Magazine a statement to the effect that Mr. J. Traill Taylor, shortly before he died, withdrew from the position he had taken as to Spirit Photography. This 1 am in a position to deny in toto. In the first place, Mr. Taylor—while admit¬ ting the fact of Psychic or Spirit Photography— never stated that the “extras” obtained were those of spirits; and, secondly, Mr. Taylor was thoroughly 80 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE convinced there were no errors in his experiments, and of the fact that these psychic figures came on the plates outside the ordinary laws of photography. Both Mr. Andrew Glendinning and Mr. James Rob¬ ertson were, among others, in touch to the last with Mr. Taylor. So far from denying the genuineness of the phenomena, he eventually became thoroughly con¬ vinced that our spirit friends did affect the plates, even to the extent of producing identifiable portraits. As to the questions raised by Mr. Taylor at the conclusion of his paper, I do not propose to deal. It is, however, interesting to note: 1. Psychic pictures are obtained under scientific conditions. 2. ‘ ‘ The Psychic figures behaved badly; ” in a word, looked fraudulent, were genuinely produced. 3. While Mr. David Duguid was present, he had nothing whatever—photographically—to do with the results. 4. That Psychic images might be produced with¬ out the camera. THE TESTIMONY OF “EDINA” “The gentleman who . . . was no weak-mind¬ ed enthusiast, but a man of culture, trained long in criminal investigation,” referred to by Mr. Robert¬ son, was no other than the late Mr. Duncan Antonio, a legal luminary whose figure, for forty years, was well known in the Court of Session, Edin¬ burgh. As “Edina,” he was a frequent contributor MR. DUGUID’S MEDIUMSII1R 81 to Light, and other publications. IIis testimony to Mr. Duguid’s gifts and to psychic photography was of the most valuable and convincing character. With reference to obtaining the psychic photograph of his son, “Edina” says:— “It has been with considerable reluctance that I have alluded to so much that is sacred and personal in our family, but in the interests of spiritual truth, and for the sole purpose of showing that spirit pho¬ tography, by an honest medium like David Duguid, is possible, 1 have deemed it necessary to give the facts, and they have been stated with all the care and minuteness of detail in my power. We are cer¬ tainly under a deep debt of gratitude to Mr. David Duguid for the beneficent use of his mediumistic powers in literally ‘giving us back our dead,’ or rather, showing us our dear one, clothed as he now is, in his spiritual body, as on the other side. These are the consolations of Spiritualism, which the unin¬ structed cannot understand or appreciate. In my humble judgment, Spiritualistic research should be prosecuted in the home, as there only results will be got of the best and purest kind. That at least has been our experience, and we gratefully acknowledge the mercies bestowed upon us.” Owing to the standing of the writer, I give the above. T have been privileged to see the psychic pho¬ tograph of this child alluded to. T regret T did not succeed in getting permission to produce it in this work. THE PUZZLING REPRODUCTION CALLED THE CYPRIAN PRIESTESS Many were the pictures obtained of this lady, of S2 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE whom two photographs have already been given. 1 produce two more, which a tyro in psychic photog¬ raphy would denounce as fraudulent. Before giving “Edina’s” evidence, (summarised from pp. 439-463, Light, vol. xvi.) I wish to state that this gentleman (who was an expert amateur photographer) and a friend, Mr. G., an accomplished photographer, who is not to he confounded with the late Mr. Glendin- ning, three years after the conclusive tests of Mr. J. Traill Taylor, had a series of test sittings with Mr. Duguid in May, 1896. The test procedure was simply effective. The plates were purchased in Edin¬ burgh by Mr. G., who there loaded his camera with twelve plates. These were brought to Glasgow, and except when Mr. Duguid was asked to take off the cap and make an exposure, the same was untouched by him. The camera urns never for a moment out of sight, while the experiments were conducted. The plates (with the camera) were taken back to Edin¬ burgh and developed there. Concerning the results, some plates revealed nothing, but on three were dis¬ tinct “extras,” one being Mr. G.’s brother Alexander —who had already shown himself to his surviving brother, at Cecil Husk’s, in Peckham; one of an old lady, identified by a lady in Edinburgh as her mother, and the third was the reproduction of a fe¬ male, similar to one obtained three years previously. This seance thus gave two identifiable portraits and one replica. At the test seance held in June, Mr. G.’s brother MR. DUGUID’S MEDIUMSHIP 83 Alexander came again, and the portraits of a mili¬ tary man and that of two females unknown. I wish Fig. 14. Photograph of Mrs. Duguid, and Psychic Photograph of the so-called Cyprian Priestess. to emphasise neither Mr. nor Mrs. Duguid, who were present, saw or handled the plates, which were de¬ veloped in Edinburgh and prints taken off them there. 84 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE At further test sittings, held in July, 1896, with similar precautions by these honourable men, Mr. Da¬ vid Duguid, Mrs. Duguid, and a niece of Mrs. Du¬ guid’s were present. Sometimes G., Mrs. Duguid and her niece sat as subjects. The plates were brought from Edinburgh and taken back there for develop¬ ment. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Duguid or the niece saw or handled them. What were the results? The first psychic photograph was that of the so- called Cyprian Priestess. Although the face is dis¬ tinct, the drapery is different from that in former photographs, but reveals in quite a natural position a plump hand and arm held across the lower portion of the chest. On another plate of Mrs. Duguid’s trio, there was a reproduction of a spirit face, obtained by Mr. G. four years before. Of the three plates, where Mr. G. was the sitter, one was blank. On one was found the Cyprian Priestess, and on the third the face and form of a lady clad in modern costume. She stood by Mr. G.’s side, clasping his arm. I have called “The Cyprian Priestess” a reproduc¬ tion, for, whether as represented, it is the photograph of a spirit who manifested in the Duguid circles or not., one thing is now clear, that before this photo¬ graph was obtained there was in the possession of Mr. Brodie Innes, an Edinburgh solicitor, a photo¬ graph of a German picture called “Night.” The discovery was made, I believe, by Madame de Stei¬ ger, F. T. S. Upon examination, the face and head MR. DUGUID’S MEDIUMSHIP 85 in “Night,” and on Mr. Duguid’s photographs and psychographs were found to be identical. Great pub¬ licity was given to the matter at the time, and five, among other, things are clear: 1. Mr. Brodie Innes, W. S., was not a Spiritual¬ ist, and Mr. Duguid neither knew of nor ever had access to the portrait. 2. With all the publicity in Light, and Border¬ land, which “raged” for several years, and search in Great Britain and Germany, neither the original painting nor a copy of it have been obtained. 3. Under the strictest test conditions, both pho¬ tographs and psychographs of this re-production have been obtained by experts, including Mr. J. T. Taylor. 4. To the very last, Mr. David Duguid believed in her reality as a spirit, and those most familiar with the Hafed and other circles were impressed by the story that in earth life she was dedicated to the Temple of Venus on Cyprus. I cannot recall when she was called the Cyprian Priestess, but this name was given to her by the habitues of Duguid’s circles. 5. The critical investigators, even those who were non-spiritualistic, upon a crucial examination of the whole circumstances, acquitted Duguid of dishonest procedure. Mr. A. J. Riko, Editor of The Sphinx, The Hague (who at one time made a thorough study of these productions wrote a critical article and severe con¬ demnation of them) sent Air. W. T. Stead the follow- 86 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE ing amende (which appeared in Borderland, p. 179, vol. iv.) — “Your readers remember my article on ‘The Cyp¬ rian Priestess.’ ... I need not say that I wrote so in perfect good faith, as I do now. Well, I have since then followed with attention all that has been written on the same subject by my old acquaintance, Mr. Glendinning, by ‘Edina,’ and others, and I frankly confess that my suspicions are greatly shaken, and that now I admit also the most perfect honesty at least of the operators on this side, Mr. Duguid and consorts. On the other side there remains, however, still, I will not say fraud, but an amount of mystery in relation to that perfect beauty of the ‘Priestess, whom I offer my homage.’ ” The Hague, Holland, Feb. 1897. I have given this as the most striking and inex¬ plicable case of re-production in the history of spirit photography. It is another illustration that spirit photographs are not necessarily photographs of spir¬ its. Mr. W. T. Stead, and his son, Mr. William Stead, experimented with Mr. Duguid later on, but in a very hurried manner. The results were neither of a test character nor conclusive. With Mr. Duguid’s stereoscopic camera and magnetised plates, Mr. Will¬ iam Stead developed one plate and Mr. Duguid the other. A female form was obtained. This was sub¬ mitted to Mr. J. Traill Taylor, who said:— ‘ ‘ The figure of the female was not, as on some spirit photographs, the result of photographing a plane surface. The photograph indicated the existence of MR. DUGUID’S MEDIUMSHIP 87 a body with sufficient substance to indicate rotundity and solidity. The pictures were stereoscopically cor¬ rect. ’ ’ Attempts made by Mr. William Stead to get psy¬ chic pictures with his Freno Kodak failed. Notwith¬ standing this, Mr. Stead says:— “I know that Mr. Duguid is a thoroughly honest man. It was my own fault that the photograph was not taken with my own plates. Mr. Duguid assented to my conditions, and was annoyed that 1 had no time to carry out test experiments. It was only at my suggestion and with much reluctance he consent¬ ed to use the oidy two plates of his own which he had left in the house.” Had Mr. Stead brought plates and been able to give a few days to these experiments, so as to place himself in touch and sympathy with the medium and his surroundings—as Mr. Taylor, Glendinning and “Edina” had done—no doubt better results would have been obtained. I have frequently come into contact with Mr. Du¬ guid and also with many who were familiar with the man and his varied gifts of mediumship. I had evi¬ dence of his psychic powers, in having photographic plates impressed while in his hands, the experiments being carried out in Glenbeg House. The plates were bought by me from Mr. Jamieson, chemist, Rothesay, wrapped up in pairs, film to film, as taken out of or¬ iginal packet, and after they were held, 1 took them away and had them developed for me by Mr. Howie, photographer, Rothesay. All the plates held pre- 88 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE sented indications of the abnormal—but not due to light. On two of these plates were portraits, one a positive and the other a negative. One of the faces I knew, but the history is not of sufficient importance to have a half tone produced for these pages. Other plates were held, by friends, while Mr. Duguid was present. He had nothing to do with the plates. On one pair, held by Mrs. Coates and Mr. Auld, there was a long message written on the plates. This was in accord with a message which he (Mr. Auld) had received some three months previously to making our acquaintance. Unfortun¬ ately, the plates taken under the above circumstances were accidentally broken. Upon plates held by Mrs. Coates and Mr. Duguid there were two im¬ perfect forms, one said to represent “Silver Eagle,” a Blackfoot Indian, who was one of Mr. Duguid’s controls, and the other that of the late Professor Blackie, whom I knew personally. The psychic impressions were valueless from an identification standpoint, but from the standard of test and scien¬ tific inquiry, most valuable. We had in our home many other such experiments, but never had any¬ thing like the results obtained with Mr. Duguid, when that gentleman and his good lady were our guests at Glenbeg House. I may say in passing, that the experiments with Mr. Duguid were suggested by me and the matter was spontaneously entered upon. There was no pre-arrangement. That Mr. Duguid was a medium—among other things—for psychic pho- MR. DUGUID’S MEDIUMSHIP 89 tography 1 can endorse. I think, however, that the testimony of Mr. Traill Taylor, Mr. Andrew Glendin- ning, “Edina,” (the late Mr. Duncan Antonio), Mr. W. T. Stead, and Mr. James Robertson, a group of shrewd, independent investigators, is much more im¬ portant than anything which I can advance myself. CHAPTER V MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP The late Mr. R. Boursnell, who passed away in December, 1909, and who liad been taking psychic photographs in London, for about twenty years, was the last of the British professional mediums to do so. He was not a cultured man, and as a photographer did not rank higher than Hudson, but as a psychic he was a man of many gifts. No man has been more discussed and certainly none have been able to give consolation to thousands more than he. With the ma¬ terials at my disposal I should be compelled to issue another book to place the facts and the controversies before the public. I, however, confine myself to a few cases, out of many, given me from correspondents and friends upon whom I can rely, and introduce some facts as they relate to myself. It appears that before Mumler got his first picture in 1861, Mr. Boursnell got curious appearances on his plates, not only spoiling them but leading to dis¬ agreements with his employer, who accused him of not cleaning the glass properly. These splotches came at intervals. For a long time there was a lull. Boursnell was a medium; that was the trouble. He 90 MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 91 was influenced by one, “Tulip.” I do not know who “Tulip” is or was, but I do know that her picture frequently came on the plates, and that under test conditions, Mr. H. Blackwell, a first-class amateur photographer, had over fifty sittings with Mr. Bours- nel! and frequently brought his own plates, marked them, filled the single slide, and developed each plate, after exposure, invariably getting something. Not a few of these were identifiable portraits. I also know that many others did so. Reproductions and dupli¬ cations were common and threw unmerited suspicion on Boursnell’s work, especially from Spiritualists and others ignorant of the elementary facts of psy¬ chic photography. One day Mr. Boursnell informed Mr. Blackwell, “There is an old gentleman here who says you have a painting of him at home in your din¬ ing-room, near a book case.” Mr. Blackwell sat and obtained a capital likeness of his grandfather, wear¬ ing the white stock as in the portrait at home, the photograph not being that of spirit but of the figure in the old oil painting. Another feature of his medi umship was that many departed ones were either de¬ scribed by Mr. Boursnell or by some clairvoyant prior to exposure and development of the plate. The de¬ scriptions were sometimes accompanied by the name of the original of the “extra.” In reply to me, Mr. II. Blackwell was good enough to send me a number of cases, but of those sent I se¬ lect the following as being specially interesting. 92 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Fig. 15. Photograph of Mr. 11. Blackwell and his little Niece Louie, who came according to promise made through a medium, not only a stranger to Mr. Blackwell but to Mr. Boursnell; a remarkable Picture carrying the Evidences of Genuineness on the face of it. The attitude of the child itself proved a striking Test to not only the lady who taught her but to others. She always adopted this attitude when thinking before answering a question. MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 93 London, 9-10-09. “Dear Mr. Coates, “In August, 1901, at a sitting in Glasgow with Mrs. Stevenson, to whom I was a complete stranger, the medium said ‘First comes to you a little girl with blue-grey eyes. She has on a light holland dress, Fig 16. Photograph of Mr. Blackwell and the little Spirit Friend, taken fourteen months later by Mr. Boursnell. The time period is the same (but the attitude of the Child is Different). trimmed with braid, a kind of belt, and little shoes. She says she will show to you like that when you get back to London.’ Then followed other descriptions which proved quite accurate. Soon after my return to London I had a sitting with Mr. R. Boursnell, tak¬ ing my own plates and, being an amateur photog¬ rapher, assisting in the development. A clairvoyant 94 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE who accompanied me, saw a little girl posing for her picture, and the plate when developed showed that my niece had kept the promise given in Glasgow. The dress and sash were remembered by her mother, with whom she has since been photographed.* About fourteen months later I was again at Mr. Boursnell’s, accompanied by a lady who is a fine clairvoyant. She noticed a little girl holding out her hand to me, and this was endorsed a moment later by Mr. Boursnell, who, on entering the room, said, ‘Why, there is your little niece and she is holding out her hand to you. Be quite still and we’ll try to take her.’ ” This photograph is an extraordinary one as she has come in the same dress as before, with the folds only slightly altered, but the position of the arms and hands is quite different. This was on one of my marked plates and I assisted in the development. She had been taken with me on several other occa¬ sions and has materialized both in London and New York through four different mediums. The only por¬ trait taken of her when in earth life, about this age, is reproduced; the next one was about six years later. This is but one of the many instances known to me where the spirit friends have redeemed their prom¬ ises, made in some cases thousands of miles distant through the wonderful gift possessed by Mr. Bours¬ nell. His work is known in all parts of the world and has been of immense value in introducing and proving the truths of Spiritualism. IT. Blackwell. Although I withhold Mr. II. Blackwell’s London address, and the mother’s address from publicity, they can be obtained privately. I am much indebted *1 have seen Mrs. -- photograph with Mr. Blackwells’ niece, also testimony concerning, but think Mr. Blackwells’ present account sufficient.—J. C. MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSIIIP 95 to this gentleman for the amount of valuable in¬ formation placed at my disposal during the last three years and for lending me out of his large private col¬ lection so many spirit photographs. Of that collec- Fig. IT. Photograph of Louie-, taken (1871 in life at four years of age. and who passed away at ten years of age. the time period given in her Psychic Photographs. tion I prize most those of his niece and have produced two of them. No man living is in a better position to testify to Mr. Boursnell’s bona-fides than he. Some of the most interesting cases 1 have to withhold ow¬ ing, as Mi. Blackwell says in his letter, dated London. 96 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE 9 -1 -09—‘ ‘ It is very difficult to get people to allow their photographs and names to be published.” I know Fig. 18. The photograph of Mr. A. W. Jones who is cut out of print and the psychic picture of his father. I have seen two other photographs of this spirit form in imperfect states of development as if the same were being photo¬ graphed in the process of building up before the camera. 1 have produced the one identified, sent by Mr. Blackwell. MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 97 this to be too true. Therefore, I appreciate Mr. Blackwell’s photographs and testimony all the more. Mr. A. AY. Jones, in his account of the photograph says:— “In January, 1904, through the introduction of a friend, I went with my wife to the well-known spirit photographer, Mr. R. Boursnell, for the purpose of getting a spirit, photograph. AVe arrived at the house at 12:30 pm., and were invited into a front parlor and sat down and chatted for a few minutes with the photographer, who was advanced in years, hut a very genial old gentleman. Then, with but lit¬ tle arrangement, he proceeded to take a photo of my wife. After exposing and developing three plates, he said that there appeared something on the negative and that he would send prints of same in a few days. My wife had quite decided in her mind that if a spirit photo was obtained it would of coiu’se he that of her mother, who had passed over a few years pre¬ viously and of whom she thought a great deal. Upon returning from business a few evenings la¬ ter, my wife said to me ‘The photos have come, and my mother’s portrait is not upon them, hut a man’s face.’ Her disappointment was great and I just glanced at the photo and then threw it aside. Later in the evening, whilst my wife was out, I took up the photo and was examining it closely when my wife returned and as soon as she came into the house she said to me, ‘Do you know that whilst walking along a sudden impression came to me (she is highly sensi¬ tive) that the photo of the man is that of your fa¬ ther. ’ Now my father had been dead forty-five years and I was about eight years of age at the time of his death, so that my recollection of him was not vivid, but upon looking closely at the photo, I was able to recognise the likeness. Having two brothers and three sisters older than 98 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE myself, I decided to put the photo before them and hear what they had to say. My eldest sister calling upon us a few days later, was told by my wife that she had got a spirit-photo, but that she was disap¬ pointed as it was not that of her mother, but the photo of a man whom she did not recognise. There¬ upon she showed the photo to my sister, who imme¬ diately said ‘Why, Jessie, that’s a portrait of my fa¬ ther ; wherever did you get it from ? ’ She was most startled at the great likeness, as she knew that my father had never been photographed in his life, and she did not believe in Spiritualism. Not being at home at the time of this visit, I was at home when she called again, and our conversation turned upon the photo and I then asked her to take a good look at it and if she had any doubt about it, I begged she would express it, and revoke her previ¬ ous decision. She then said ‘The more I look at it the more convinced I am that it is the portrait of my father.’ Now this lady is a most skeptical individual, especially with respect to the existence of spirits, and is of such a practical nature that she fails to see the use of spirits returning, even if it were her own hus¬ band, unless he was able to pay her rent and other incidental expenses. One of my brothers and the other two sisters also considered it a striking likeness of my father. A. W. Jones.” Mr. Blackwell in sending me the next photo says:—“I had pleasure later in the same year of giving a copy of it to a Presbyterian minister in Newfoundland, who was delighted to receive a spirit portrait of his old Professor. It may have been given for that purpose.” As Dr. Wyld, Pro¬ fessor Blaekie’s brother-in-law, was one of my oldest correspondents, not only in psychic matters, but MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 99 on hygiene and smoke abatement, over twenty-five years ago, Professor Blaekie himself had been an Fig. 19. This Photograph of Mr. H. Blackwell and the late Professor Blaekie was taken by Mr. Boursnell on the 21st of May, 1901, but was not recognized at the time by either Mr. Blackwell or Mr. Boursnell. esteemed guest of ours when we resided in Crosshill, Glasgow. The photograph possesses for us a double 100 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE interest. Possibly to Scotchmen at home and abroad the portrait of this virile and truly noble, if some¬ what eccentric, scholar may be of interest too, and for that purpose I add it to my collection. I give with pleasure the Testimony of Mr. Elliott, London and Trinidad, who believes with the poet "Whittier— “I have friends in Spirit-land, Not shadows in a shadowy band, Not others, but themselves are they. ’ ’ This gentleman, who paid me a visit in Nov., 1910, prior to his return to Trinidad, told me of his ex¬ periences in spirit-photography. During a visit to England he had a sitting, on the 3rd of March, 1903, with Mr. Boursnell. When he saw the plate—which was developed immediately after exposure—it had, in addition to himself—the spirit form of a female friend. Two days later he went to a seance—Mr. Husks—during which several faces came and were recognised by the sitters. Three came to him. The first was that of his father. The second he did not know; and the third was the psychic face of the or¬ iginal of the photograph. “I knew her at once,” he said, and added, “Mr. Boursnell did not know and I did not know either that I should be at this seance. At this time the photographs were not printed.” About a week later, i,e., 12th March, 1903, he went again. This time he had the photograph of this spirit friend in his pocket, a fact only known to himself. There were the usual phenomena. Several new faces MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 101 (*arae and were recognised by the sitters. Two— whom lie recognised on the first occasion—came to him. One of those was his friend of the photograph. For several minutes they conversed together and he had ample opportunity of examining her features, which were also seen by several persons present. Af¬ ter the sitting was over, he showed the photograph to these and all immediately recognised the (mate¬ rialised) face from the photograph. As links in the chain of evidence, one is that of obtaining a spirit form of a female on a photograph ; of obtaining a written description of her on the same day hv auto¬ matic writing; of seeing the original—in materialised form—twice in subsequent seances and having the spirit identified by several other persons, from the photograph which he had in his pocket. He was so convinced that he sent a full account (with a copy of the photograph) to Light. He had several other pho¬ tographs taken by Mr. Boursnell—one of which was that of his own father—and these he took with him to the Port of Spain. He left England to resume his duties in Trinidad and for some months thereafter—for reasons 1 can well appreciate—he said nothing about these photo¬ graphs. On showing them to some friends, one was recognised by Miss Cathie M’Kay, as that of an in¬ timate acquaintance, not only of herself but of Mr. Learmond’s family, in Demerara, where she had re¬ sided. The original of the psychic picture had not only passed away four years previously, hut had since 102 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE frequently controlled a member of Mr. Learmond’s household. Miss M’Kay sent a copy of the photo¬ graph to Demerara, and Mr. Elliott saw the reply, stating that they all recognised “Pat’s” picture, be¬ fore they read her letter which accompanied it. It is interesting to note—taking for granted that the statements of this clear-headed gentleman are cor¬ rect—that Mr. Boursnell—about four thousand miles away—produced an identifiable photograph of a de¬ parted, who had lived and died in Demerara, and of whom the sitter had no knowledge. Mr. Elliott was a stranger to Mr. Boursnell. This psychic picture might to this day have been marked “unrecognised,” had Mr. Elliott not taken it to Trinidad. Acting on the information given me, I looked up the file of Light, and found that Miss Cathie M’Kay, 70 Oxford Street, Trinidad, Port of Spain, in her letter dated April 8th, 1904, certifies to the photograph, adding— ‘ ‘ He had always promised us his photo, but we did not know at what time or place he would ‘sit.’ We are all very pleased to have the photo, and will al¬ ways treasure it as a precious souvenir.” Owing to Mr. Elliott’s official position, I have not given his designation, and address, but these can be supplied, if desired. THE REPRODUCTIONS PUZZLE Bv reproductions I mean pictures of material ob¬ jects produced by psychic or occult processes. I am indebted to Mrs. Annie Bright, the able Edi- MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 108 tor of The Harbinger of Liglil (Melbourne, Austral¬ ia), for this interesting case of re-production, and the cuts which illustrate it. Eig. 20 . Portrait of Elizabeth, the Empress of Austria, taken from "The Martyrdom of an Empress.” Mr. F. C. Barnes, a well-known business man of Brisbane, Australia, had occasion to visit London, 104 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE and availed himself of the opportunity to investigate Spiritualism, and therewith Spirit Photography. We learn that in the year 1908, a friend lent him “The Martyrdom of An Empress.” This book deals with the life and assassination of the Empress of Austria. The frontispiece is a portrait of this beautiful woman. Mr. Barnes often thought of this picture and the Em¬ press, after he returned the book. He says:— ‘ ‘Before I left Brisbane, my wife, speaking through a medium, told me to go to England to a Spirit Pho¬ tographer, and she would try to reflect herself. When in London, I went to Mr. Boursnell. . . As he was old and had given up practice, it was with much difficulty that I persuaded him to give me a sitting. Two others were present at the first sit¬ ting, which took place in an ordinary drawing-room, with two windows. Behind me was a wall covered with a black cloth as a background. Mr. Boursnell said—‘ There is a spirit of a beautiful lady here, who seems in a very bright light, and suffered greatly on earth. ’ I concluded at once that it was my wife, and on receipt of the proofs was greatly disappointed to find it was not. I asked those present if they could recognise it. ‘No,’ said the lady, ‘but it looks like royalty.’ This was inexplicable. Then the impres¬ sion came to me that it might be the Empress of Austria.” On arriving at this conclusion, Mr. Barnes took the trouble to get several books, in the hope of getting a portrait of her. He also ordered a copy of the book which he had read in Brisbane, from The Times Book Club. On comparison, it is clear that the spirit photo was a reproduction of the portrait in the frontispiece referred to. MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 105 Mrs. Bright, commenting on the ease, says:— “The most surprising thing to myself, and which opens a large subject as to reflected thought forms, is the absolute identity of the spirit photo with the Fig. 21. Photograph of Mr. Barnes, and the Psychic Re-produc¬ tion of a Portrait of the Empress Elizabeth of Austria. one in the book, even the cross worn there. . . In the late Mr. E. G. Bennett’s valuable book, ‘The Direct Phenomena of Spiritualism,’ he gives side by side illustrations to ‘Hated, Prince of Persia,’ given under the mediumship of David Duguid, as ‘Direct 106 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Spirit Drawings,’ and copies of almost identical pic¬ tures from ‘Cassell’s Family Bible.’ This caused a great stir at the time, and caused the withdrawal of the first edition of ‘Hafed.’ It does not necessarily show that David Duguid’s mediumship was fraudu¬ lent, but simply that ive do not know hoiv the image of a picture may be retained in the mind, and re¬ produced, unknown to the medium * Mr. Duguid had probably seen the illustrations, and they would naturally impress his mind. This is the direction in which modern scientific research is tending. The ‘facts’ are accepted. Our task lies in the future in their interpretation. ... It may be mentioned that at a second sitting with Mr. Bours- nell, when Mr. Barnes was accompanied by two of his children, a remarkable series of spirit photographs were produced, including those of his wife and sis¬ ter. ’ ’ In the experiences recorded of Mr. Barnes, a shrewd, energetic Antipodean, we glean that the In¬ telligent Operators in the Invisible, working within the mediumistie aura of the late Mr. Boursnell, and that of his sitter, evidently reproduced a face which they found easiest to secure, and having succeeded, were then able at the next sitting, when Mr. Barnes brought his two children (making still more favour¬ able conditions) to give him the photograph of bis late wife, and thus redeem the promise made to him by her before he left Australia. The power by which the re-production of the Empress’s portrait was made, was also the power by which Mr. Barnes was enabled to get the identifiable photograph of his wife and sister. That is the central fact. It was singu- ltali.es are mine.—T. C. MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 107 larly appropriate that the re-production of the Em¬ press should be given to the one man who had such a special interest in her life. The conclusion appears to be this that we have as much evidence for the psychical reality in the re-pro¬ duction —which is not the photograph of a spirit but of an earthly object—as we have in the identifiable portraits of the departed produced by similar or psy¬ chical means. THE SPIRIT PHOTO OP PIET BOTHA Mr. W. T. Stead’s article “How 1 Know the Head Return,” in The Fortnightly Review (January, 1909) bears testimony to some interesting facts in the author’s experience as to spirit return, and with spirit photography. He tells—among other cases— how he obtained the photograph of Piet Botha; the description of the tierce-looking old Boer; the name, etc., all of which were given to Mr. Stead by Mrs. Boursnell, before the exposure of the plate. Mr. Stead knew several Bothas, but none of the name of Piet. The medium was doggedly firm and insisted “that’s what he says,” meaning the name given by the spirit. Mr. Stead kept the matter to himself till the Conference held in London after the South Afri¬ can War. The photograph was sent to General Botha, and it was recognised by a relative and sev¬ eral of the late Commandant’s confreres. The statements made by Mr. Stead in The Fort¬ nightly Review were not long unchallenged. Mr. J. 108 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE N. Maskelyne, of Eyptian Hall fame, did so in a Journal called the Magic Mirror. The redoubtable Fig. 22. The Photograph of Mr. W. T. Stead and the Psychic Picture of Piet Botha, taken by Mr. Boursnell in 1902. The above is my copy of the much handled original in Mr. Stead’s possession. Dr. Andrew Wilson rescued Mr. Maskelyne’s criti¬ cism from obscurity. To be perfectly fair, I quote MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 109 the exact words. Both Maskelyne and Wilson have the usual qualifications of “experts.” They possess no knowledge whatever of the subject, but make up for this with abundant animus. Neither of these qualifications are helpful in scientific research, nor do they justify confidence in their conclusions. Dr. Wilson, in The London Illustrated News (March 5th, 1909) says:— “With Mr. Stead Mr. Maskelyne deals very effect¬ ively. One of the series of spirit-photographs was claimed by Mr. Stead to be that of Piet Botha, a Boer Commandant killed in the war. It was alleged that no one has had access to a real portrait of Piet Botha, Mr. Stead saying that ‘no one in England, so far as I have been able to ascertain, knew that any Piet Botha ever existed.’ Critically regarded, Mr. Stead’s spirit-photograph was obviously a reproduc¬ tion, not a direct photograph. Mr. Maskelyne states that Botha was killed at the siege of Kimberley, on Oct. 24, 1899. Four days later the news of his death arrived in England, and on Oct. 28, the Daily Graphic published a portrait of the deceased. The value of Mr. Stead’s assertion regarding the impos¬ sibility of a photograph having existed, and that no¬ body knew of Botha’s existence, in England, may be judged from the foregoing details, and also from the fact that, as Piet Botha was one of the first Boer Commandants slain in the war, his name and identity were made familiar to the whole world.” This great authority modestly adds:— “I have often urged the extreme importance of every statement made regarding occult matters, from dreams and apparitions to spirit-photography, being thoroughly tested by the rules of ordinary and ex¬ pert evidence. Few of us have the opportunity to 110 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE undertake such a task, but when it has been accom¬ plished the result is invariably the same—the relega¬ tion of the marvellous to the domain of the common¬ place or that of fraud. (Italics are mine.—J. C.) ” l wrote Mr. Stead in March, 1910, calling his at¬ tention to the Wilson—cum—Maskelyne explana¬ tions (?), and asking for a reply, which I now submit in full:— “Bank Buildings, Kingsway, London, W. C. March 16th, 1910. Dear Mr. Coates, You ask me for my testimony about spirit-photog¬ raphy, especially the photograph of my late friend, Mr. Boursnell. What I have to say is very brief, but I hope it is to the point. I have always in discussing the question of spirit-photography admitted more than is necessary to the adversary for the sake of ar¬ gument. I say I am quite willing to admit, if they like, always for the sake of argument, that it is absolutely impossible to prevent a clever photogra¬ pher, who is also a skilful conjurer, producing faked photographs which have the appearance of spirit pic¬ tures. I am also willing to admit, although it is quite contrary to reasonable commonsense, that even if you take your own plates, place them yourself in the cam¬ era, and afterwards develop them yourself, without allowing a photographer to have any access to them, it is still possible that the spirit picture which ap¬ pears in the negative may be the result of fraud. But when all that is said and done, my faith in the real¬ ity of some spirit photographs is invincible, and for this reason. Fraud can do many things, conjurers can deceive the eye of the most vigilant observer, but there are limits to fraud and conjuring, and this limit is reached when a photographer is confronted with¬ out notice by a sitter who asks him to take a photo- MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 111 graph and produce the portrait of a deceased friend or relative on the same plate. The photographer has no means of knowing whether the relative desired is a man or woman, adult or child. If, in these circum¬ stances the photographer can then and there produce an authentic portrait of the spirit form of the de¬ ceased friend or relative of his unknown sitter, then I say that such occurrences cannot be explained by any conceivable hypothesis of fraud or conjuring. Such spirit photographs have repeatedly been re¬ produced by Mr. Boursnell and the portraits of the spirit people have been so clear and unmistakable as to be instantly recognised by the sitter. The ablest conjurer in the world may safely be challenged to produce such likenesses with his own camera in his room, when he has had ample notice and afforded every facility for using the tricks of his trade, but he cannot do it. Mr. Boursnell did do it. Hence, whatever may be said about many of the pictures of Mr. Boursnell which were not recognised, there re¬ mains a sufficient number of those which were in¬ stantly recognised to entirely preclude the notion that spirits cannot be photographed or that Mr. Boursnell did not photograph them. The story of the Piet Botha photograph is well known. When I went to sit with Mr. Boursnell I did not know that Piet Botha was dead. He appeared much to. Mr. Boursnell’s siirprise in the studio, was photographed standing behind me, and when asked by Mr. Boursnell, at my suggestion, what was his name, he said it was Piet Botha. Subsequent re¬ search proved that a Botha, whose name was not given as Piet, had been killed at an early period of the Boer War. A portrait of this Botha had been published in a London illustrated paper. It bore not the least resemblance to the Piet Botha on the Boursnell picture. I kept the print until the end of the war, and then submitted it to the Boer Delegates who came to London after peace had been made. It 112 PHOTOGRAPHING TPIE INVISIBLE •was instantly recognised as a striking likeness of Commandant Pietrns Johannes Botha, who was the first Boer Commandant killed at the siege of Kimber¬ ley. It was recognised by his own relative, one of the Free State Delegates, and by others who had served with him during the war. At the time the portrait appeared on the plate, and as far as I know, up to the present time, no photograph of the living man has been seen in London. I was not expecting any such picture, and his relatives were furious at the appearance of his portrait in the background of my portrait. They did not believe in Spiritualism, and they said it must have been produced by some fraud, but they did not dispute the authenticity of the likeness, nor could they dispute the accuracy of my statement as to how it had been procured. There is much that can be said on this subject, but I forbear. Yours sincerely, W. T. Stead.” That the psychic portrait of Piet Botha was not a reproduction of the one which appeared in the Daily Graphic, (28th Oct., 1899) is clearly seen by placing the two photographs together, a method which might have occurred to gentlemen accustomed to test re¬ ported facts “by the rules of ordinary and expert evidence.” Possibly, as these experts did not want “the opportunity to undertake such a task,” they as¬ sumed, conjectured and decided what they thought must be the case, in the absence of evidence. Had the portraits been produced side by side, it would have been seen there was no resemblance between the two to stamp the Boursnell photo “a reproduction.” Had it been, however, that would not prove it to be MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 113 fraudulent, as in scientific investigation of spirit- photography we are perfectly familiar with repro¬ ductions, duplications, and other puzzles; and we can testify to their genuineness. Since the receipt of Mr. Stead’s letter, another Sol¬ omon has come to judgment in the person of Mr. Wm. Marriott. In his article on “Spirit Photographs,” in Pearson’s Magazine, (Aug., 1910) he is much more interesting than Maskelyne, and writes a better ar¬ ticle than Dr. Wilson. He is “an expert,” for what¬ ever qualifications he possesses, he is quite pleased with himself and says:— “The famous spirit-photograph of Piet Botha, taken during the Boer War, was recognised by those who knew him in South Africa. This seems curious at first sight, but the mystery vanishes on considera¬ tion. Piet Botha was recognised, after his death, in Boursnell’s picture. A glance will show that this might be due to imagination, as the spirit face is ex¬ ceedingly fuzzy and indistinct. But let us go a step further. The spirit face does bear a striking re¬ semblance to the face of Boursnell himself.” Mr. Marriott gives his readers the .benefit of his gifts as a conjurer, and illustrates his article with a very “fuzzy and indistinct face of the Boer General —in no way like the original photograph—and then produces an equally indistinct face of Boursnell, adorned with a false beard, and the addition of some drapery, by which—he assumed—Dir. Boursnell was enabled to convert himself into a tolerable likeness of Piet Botha :— 114 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE “My strong suggestion is that this was, in effect, BoursnelPs method in this case.” If Mr. Maskelyne was right in asserting that this Boursnell photograph of Piet Botha was a reproduc¬ tion of a Daily Graphic print, then Mr. Marriott is wrong in his “strong suggestion.” Before accepting Marriott’s “fuzzy and very indistinct” pictures and equally lucid explanations it would have been better- had these two eminent conjurers and experts com¬ pared notes before sending their articles to the press. Mr. Marriott’s luminous remark that: “Piet Botha was recognized, after his death, .in the Boursnell’s picture,” is very subtle and mysterious, and worthy of “an expert.” But having no sense whatever in it, it may be taken as a fair specimen of the conjectures and inanities by means of which this writer exposes—himself. The spirit photograph was recognised by the per¬ sonal friends and by a relative of the late Boer Gen¬ eral, who could not be deceived by a “fuzzy and in¬ distinct.” faked picture of Boursnell, not even if they were presented with it, backed by Mr. Marriott’s “strong suggestion.” These men were in a better position than anyone else to recognise Piet Botha, after his death, seeing they knew him in life. Nei¬ ther Maskelyne, Marriott, poor Boursnell, nor his in¬ trepid defender, Mr. W. T. Stead, possessed that knowledge. To suppress the truth and suggest that which is false, has ever been “the guiding rules of ordinary and expert evidence” of the Cagliostros of MR. R, BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 115 the stage. In this case, Marriott’s evidence (?) breaks down under cross-examination. I sent the foregoing account to Mr. E. W. Wallis, author and journalist, who (like Mr. Stead and a host of others) knew Mr. Boursneli well. Comment¬ ing, in Light, Mr. Wallis says:— “The two suggested identifications would destroy one another even if both were not equally fantastic. Again, portraits can be converted almost ad lib.; and we are no more likely to see the features of Mr. Boursneli in the ‘fuzzy and indistinct’ photograph of Marriott’s alleged concoction than we can in the other much more definite and striking face of Piet Botha, in the print sent us by Mr. Coates. The rec¬ ognition of the deceased Commandant by his relative and friends in a photograph obtained by a process which they designated as ‘superstitious,’ and appar¬ ently regarded with the utmost distrust, is a proof of identity which it will need much more than the ‘strong suggestions’ and suppositions of the Maske- lynes and Marriotts to overthrow. The whole atti¬ tude of the Free State Delegates, as described by Mr. Stead, was that of men who were forced to admit the fact of identity in spite of their own strong re¬ ligious pre-suppositions as to the impossibility of any such photograph being taken in England. We do not see that anybody can go behind such testimony, as it is not that of persons predisposed in favour of Spiritualism.” I will conclude by pointing out that Mr. W. T. Stead’s account of the Piet Botha spirit picture and bis published interviews with Mr. Fischer, Mr. Wes- sels—Piet Botha’s relative—and the other Free Staters, have now been before them for several years, 116 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE and none of these gentlemen have denied the identity of the original in the photograph, or repudiated the statements which they are said to have made. I have taken some trouble to get at the facts. This is my case. CHAPTER VI. MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP— CONTINUED Mr. Robertson, in his testimony to the facts of Spirit-Photography, and the genuineness of Mr. Boursnell’s mediumship wrote me (5th Aug., 1910) to the following effect:— “When Mr. Stead, in the pages of Borderland , began to write about the work of Mr. Boursnell, I was deeply interested. As usual, a large amount of cyni¬ cism of the usual snarling kind followed Boursnell. I took with me upon going to him a packet of marked plates. (Though my feeling is that all this careful testing rarely brings satisfaction to the mind. Better to go in the spirit of ti ust and await results. If what is obtained lacks something in the nature of a crucial test, then wait till something which gets beyond all possible tests is presented.) Mr. Boursnell had been so oppressed by the burden of assaults made upon him, that he declined my request to experiment with my plates. I did not feel in the least annoyed. I recognised how readily the sensitive can be affected by the thoughts of others and sat chatting with him for an hour or so. lie evidently felt that I was an honest truth-seeker, with some ideas of what the con¬ ditions of mediumship required, because he said at parting, that if I came the next day he would try and meet me. I weighed the man up and felt con¬ vinced that he belonged to the great group of instru- 117 118 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Fig. li.'i. Photograph of Mr. Jas. Robertson, and the Psychic Portrait of the late Mr. John Lamont, I/lverpool, who was an ardent Spiritualist, and a life-long Friend of the Author. MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 119 ments I had met with, men and women, who could not explain themselves, but only knew that certain phenomena transpired in their presence. I was out the next morning, with my marked plates, and was rewarded to the full, some five forms appearing on the six plates 1 had brought. I did not recognise any of the figures, hut there was much evidence of a col¬ lective kind which followed the showing of the pic¬ tures, which I need not particularise. I was given the fullest opportunity to follow all the processes, including development, and seeing the full results, hut all this is of little value to those who have a bias agaipst the honesty of mediums. The test has to transcend all observation of sitters. I have seen sev¬ eral hundreds of the Boursnell pictures. I have had strong assertions of men, clear-headed, scientific in the best sense, who vouched that amongst these were the veritable portraits of their decea'sed friends. Men and women in position do not care about associating their names with a subject which the world has not come in line with, hence I cannot use their names. All over the country I have been shown pictures which brought cheer to the hearts of those wdio got them. “The picture (Fig. 23) of John Lamont, of Liver¬ pool, a man loved and admired in the ranks of Spirit¬ ualists, appeared on a plate beside me at one of my sittings, when Mr, Boursnell said ‘This man says he is going to be with you when you lecture to-night.’ I scarcely think the remark had any impression upon me, as I had no thought it would be corroborated. The next day I called upon a well-known medium, Mrs. Manks, who said at once, when 1 came into her presence, ‘I see a man who gives the name of John Lamont. Why,’ she said, ‘1 saw this man standing by your side last night while you were speaking.’ ’’ Mr. James Robertson, writing to me at my request, says:—• 120 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE “The ease of Janie Dewar, whom I knew well in the body, is one of those authentic bits of evidence Fig. 24. The Photograph of Mr. John Dewar, Glasgow, and the Psychic Portrait of his Sister Janie.* *Mr. John Dewar, Jr., went to Mr. Boursnell’s, hoping to get a picture of his mother, but received instead a good por¬ trait of his deceased sister Janie. Last month Janie material- MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIHMSHIP 121 revealing identity from which there is no getting away. There she is (Fig. 24) by her brother, the veritable form that 1 had followed to the grave years before. However often 1 look at it and recall the features, there comes with greater force and con¬ viction that this girl (from the knowledge of Spirit¬ ualism received on earth) used her opportunity, after the change, to let her friends know that she was still awake in that other life. The story was told by me in the pages of Border¬ land, and had I no other bit of evidence, I would bring this to my mind as something authentic from the land of spirits. No doubt in some future year, some¬ one will gather together the scattered evidences of Mr. Boursnell’s gifts, and many will wonder that such a thing did exist and so many remained in ignorance. The most transcendent of facts has been obscured by the politics and the gossip of the hour. I hold the man in reverence that lie worked on amid the calumny which assailed him and was content to scatter what blessings he could among mortals. A poor, illiterate man no doubt, but one of those instru¬ ments whom the spirit people recognised had the highest virtues.' ’ ized at my family seance, stood beside me and kissed me. I went twice with Mr. Dewar to Boursnell’s, Mr. Dewar taking his own plates with him. Mr. Boursncll invited Mr. Dewar to examine the camera and also invited us both into the dark room and requested Mr. Dewar to put the plates in the slides. After exposure of the plates in the camera, Mr. Boursnell asked Mr. Dewar to take the slides to the dark-room, to remove the plates and to develop them. I was with them in tiie dark¬ room during the process of development and fixing. Others were privileged in the same way when Mr. Boursnell felt cer¬ tain that they were honest and earnest.-—Mr. Andrew Glendin- ning, in special letter written to Mr. J. J. Morse, Manchester and reproduced in “A History of Spirit Photography " 1909. 122 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Mr. Archibald M’Arthur, Laurel Bank House, Crow Road, Particle, who is a shrewd business man and is well known in engineering and shipbuilding circles in the Clyde, bears somewhat similar testimony to Air. Boursnell’s bona-fides and courtesy. Not only did Mr. M’Arthur watch all the processes carried out with his own plates, but was fortunate to receive the un¬ doubted likenesses of departed relatives. Mr. and Mrs. M’Arthur had several sittings at different pe¬ riods with Mr. Boursnell, and are emphatic in their testimony as to the genuineness of Boursnell’s med- iumship and as to the identification of psychic por¬ traits received. Mr. Duncan Mackintosh, 2 Royal Terrace, Spring- burn, Glasgow, brought for my inspection three photo¬ graphs taken by Mr. Boursnell, for Mrs. Shaw, 303 Sauehiehall Street, Glasgow. (Mrs. Shaw is the lady with whom Mr. Wyllie obtained the second and much better picture of Mrs. Coates’ daughter, described elsewhere.) Mrs. Shaw states that on the occasion when these photographs were taken Mr. Boursnell was in a more or less trancelike state, and in every instance he gave a full description of each invisible before the exposure. Concerning portrait (Fig. 25), Mrs. Shaw says:— I was only six years of age when grandma died, so that my recollection of her would not be thought of sufficient weight by itself, but all who knew my grand¬ mother have recognised this spirit picture of her. Mr. Boursnell, the photographer, was unknown to me be¬ fore I sat in his place. I know of no means by which MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 123 lie could have obtained and produced for me this fully identified picture of my grandmother, whom I so well remember. Fig. 25. The Photograph of Mrs. Sliavv, anil the Psychic Pic¬ ture of her Maternal Grandmother. In addition to Ibis statement by Mrs. Shaw, I asked for corroboration. Mr. Duncan Mackintosh (date 8th Oct., 1910) writes:— 124 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE “The people who recognise the ‘extra’ as Mrs. Shaw’s grandmother are Mrs. Shaw’s own mother and her cousins in Halifax, Yorkshire. When Mrs. Shaw's mother first saw the photograph, she exclaimed ' I hope that you have not disturbed mother in her grave!’ I called the other evening and spoke to the lady herself. She admitted that these were the words she used. This lady is a fresh, keen, critical sort of person and not likely to make a mistake in recognising the portrait of her mother. Other members of Mrs. Shaw’s family recognise the psychic picture of her grandmother, but as they are so averse to Spiritual¬ ism. they will not give their names for publication in your book.” I again wrote Mr. Mackintosh and said that I con¬ sidered the testimony of Mrs. Shaw’s mother more im¬ portant than her own. In this favour of 14th Oct., 1910, I received the following:— “I authorise you to say that the spirit face which appears on the photograph of my daughter, Mrs. Shaw, is that of my mother, Hannah Ivaye, who died Dec. 27, 1874. She is.also recognised by Mrs. IT. E. Shaw. Sarah Ann Easton, 37 Newcomen Terrace, Coatham, Redcar, Yorks.” I know Mi-. Mackintosh personally, and several good people who know Mrs. Shaw, and all testify to the latter’s good repute. As to those who recognize the spirit photograph, but decline to give their names, I can only say this is a common experience. It. is not surprising, as we find that many convinced Spiritual¬ ists do the same, although the motives may lie differ¬ ent. MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 125 Mr. John Auld visited the late Mr. Boursnell in the hope of obtaining the photograph of his wife. In¬ stead, he received two prints of a man and that of two females as “extras” and none of these were recog- .Fig. 2G. Photograph of the Author is introduced for com¬ parison with the assumed Psychic Picture of his Father. nized by him. Of these three, that of the man is, I sincerely believe, the psychic portrait of my own father. That named Lizzie represents one whom I knew for many years. The second female, not recog¬ nized by Mr. John Auld, has claimed to be a relative, and is certainly remarkably like a daughter of 126 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE hers now living. I produce the attempt of the Invis¬ ibles to give me the psychic portrait of my father, who entered the higher life twenty-five years ago. At my time of life, my relatives are few in num¬ ber and are non-Spiritualists. I sent the photograph to three. One would not look at a psychic picture. Another said, “Yes, we know who you think it is. It is physiognomically and ethnologically correct.” A third was of the opinion that I must Have used my will power and in some way caused the portrait to come on the plates. Strangers to the original, resident here, who have known me for the last twenty years, are all struck with the likeness of the psychic picture to myself. My relatives are agreed that 1 am now much like what my father was. The evidence which I offer is very meager, and my readers can judge for themselves by examining the two photographs given. I have not been in London for thirty odd years. I neither knew nor sat with Mr. Boursnell. No similar photographs have been in existence! Why these “ex¬ tras” came on the plates with Mr. Auld, I can only surmise—which is neither ordinary nor expert evi¬ dence—but my surmise is that the Intelligences in the Invisible took advantage of the opportunity to have these—psychically produced—faces photographed. Mr. John Auld and I have have been associated for years in the study of the psychic. I give extracts from Mr. Auld’s letter of 1st July, 1909, in further substantiation of the foregoing:— MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 127 Pig. 27. The Photograph of Mr. John Auld, and the Psychic Portrait of the Author’s Father. 128 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE “Dear Mr. Coates: In September, 1908, while visiting London, I embraced the opportunity of call¬ ing upon Mr. Boursnell and got my photograph taken, in the hope that some psychic figures might come on the plate. Mr. Boursnell met me at the door and escorted me upstairs to a large room, apparently a dining-room, with two windows facing the street. Before taking my photograph, he said there were three psychic forms present in my surroundings, a man and two ladies. He also got the name of ‘Lizzie.’ In broad daylight, he exposed two plates in succession, withdrew the slide and put in a fresh one, and the plates in this were rapidly exposed. On the receipt of the cabinets I found on two the face of a gentle¬ man about 70 years of age; snow-white hair on head, silvery whiskers, moustache and beard; expressive eyes, a countenance of much refinement, glowing with intelligence and advanced spirituality. On the other two plates were two ladies, unknown to me. Mr. James Robertson, who has an extensive collec¬ tion and has seen hundreds of psychic photographs, says they are new to him. Mr. Robertson has obtained through Mr. Boursnell, photographs of departed friends under conditions beyond cavil. Mr. Wm. T. Stead, of the Review of Reviews, and Mr. John Lobb, editor of the Christian Age for over thirty years, have had speaking likenesses of departed friends, and from other sources of testimony, together with my own favourable impressions on seeing Mr. Boursnell, I did not think it necessary to have my photographs taken under test conditions. John Auld.’’ Mr. A. Mackellar, 17 Calderwood Road, Merryea, Newlands, Glasgow, whom I know as a man of integ¬ rity and sound judgment, having considerable ex¬ perience in psychic photography, wrote me (29tli May, 1910,) in response to a note I sent him. He enclosed MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 129 a large parcel of prints and negatives for inspection, including the identified photographs of a sister, a daughter and of a late family doctor, well known to some of us in Glasgow, and says:— “My own photographs are very faded and they cannot be of any weight, for your hook, as they were not taken under conditions that would satisfy the skeptics. This is very unfortunate, as I have no doubt of the genuineness of the one selected (the doctor.— J. C.) and I am not at liberty to give the names for publication.” This shows the inherent fairness of the man. He as well as I know that Boursnell could not produce the identifiable photographs of persons unknown ex¬ cept under mediumistic conditions. Out of Mr. Mac- kellar’s large collection, I produce one and refer to two others. Mr. Mackellar’s account is accompanied by a photo¬ graph of his daughter taken in life three or four years before she passed away. The hair, nose, lips and eyes present by their strong resemblance evidence of the correctness of the father’s statement. Relatives and friends recognize the psychic photograph, and it was because 1 knew Plorrie in life and had seen her photograph at a previous time that I wrote Mr. Mac- kellar for particulars. The psychic photographs of Mr. Mackellar’s sister, while quite recognisable, are too faded for process blocks. 1 regret this, as the evidence is equally good and is supported by a photograph taken in life. I did not know this lady. 130 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE As to the doctor's psychic photograph, I cannot do better than produce, summarised, Mr. Mackellar’s account:— Fig. 28. The Photograph of Mr. A. Maekellar and his Daughter Florrie, done by Boursnell. “I called on Mr. Boursnell, along with my daugh¬ ter Nan, in the hope that I would get a photograph of my late wife (her mother). I had previously received very remaikable spirit photographs from Mr. Bours¬ nell, and hoped that on this visit I would be success¬ ful, from the fact that my wife in her lifetime was a splendid medium. I was on holiday and in the best of spirits, but when I sat down before the camera a MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMS I LI l* 131 severe depression eaine over me anti an irresistible inclination to weep, which, however, soon passed off. Mr. Boursnell described the spirit (a clergyman) with whom, he said, I had been associated in my earlier days. 1 did not recognise the description. When l received the print, I at once recognised the striking photograph of the family doctor who had at¬ tended me from childhood until well on in life. He had attended a daughter of mine constantly for over a year, (The italics are mine.—J. C.) in which the subject of Spiritualism often came up. I showed the photograph to his son (also a medical man in the City) who admitted it was a remarkable likeness of his father. Dr. L. is not a Spiritualist, but I have reason to know he was much impressed with it. That Mr. Boursnell described him as a minister is easily accounted for by the fact that the late doctor had quite a clerical appearance. This to me is one of the points that tell, along with others, as it showed Mr. Boursnell was describing what the spirit seemed to be. I have shown this photograph to others and also to a doctor who knew Dr. L. in London. He did not recognise the likeness. Here is a photograph recog¬ nised by bis son and not a Spiritualist, and not recog¬ nised by a colleague, a Spiritualist, whom one would expect to know. As to the depression I experienced at the time of sitting, I have since learned it was due to the disap¬ pointment of the spirit who wanted to show herself, but was unable—from some cause not understood—to manifest. A. Mackellak. ” The evidence in these cases is excellent, although not sufficient for a skeptic ignorant of the facts and having no personal experience of a like character. I wrote to Mr. John Lobb, F. R. G. S., F. R. Hist. 132 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE S., who had been for thirty years editor and proprietor of the Christian Age, and who had not become less Christian but more so from his investigations of Spir¬ itualism. His testimony I esteem of value, he being a man of affairs, having an outstanding reputation in London as journalist, author and lecturer; a man hon¬ oured by Her Majesty Queen Victoria, and by his fellow citizens. THE TESTIMONY—SLIGHTLY CONDENSED—OF MR, JOHN LOBB TO SOME EXPERIENCES IN SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHY. “In the year 1904, I was introduced to the late Mr. R. Boursnell, the well-known medium, of 15 Richmond Road, Shepherd’s Bush, W. I was startled by his clairvoyant, and clairaudient powers. While sitting in front of the camera, he described the spirit forms of old friends with whom I had been associated in public life, and some of them appeared on the sen¬ sitive plates. Up to the time of his passing, on Dec. 21, 1909, hardly a week passed but I had to meet the wishes of bereaved by an introduction to the dear old, simple, unpretentious mediumistic photographer, for the portrait of their dead, who for upwards of twenty years dried the tears and lifted sorrow from aching hearts. On Friday evening, May 3, 1907, the beloved wife of Mr. Andrew Glendinning, the editor of The Veil Lifted, manifested to Mrs. Lobb and my¬ self, and urged that we both visit Mr. Boursnell on the following Tuesday, May 7th, and we were to in¬ sist that Mr. Glendinning go with us. Neither Mrs. Lobb nor myself knew that that date was the birth¬ day of her husband. She came, and to the delight of husband, children and friends, her sweet face appears on the sensitive plate, with others, from the Spirit- World. After nine months in the spirit life, the be- MR, R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 133 loved wife returns and is photographed on her hus¬ band’s 81st, birthday.”* They are now no longer separated by the veil of time and sense, and seeing no longer as through a glass darkly, they pursue the pathway of eternal progress, illuminated by the love of God, which united them on earth. The power of spirits to cause representations of their forms to be impressed upon the sensitive sur¬ faces of chemically prepared plates of the photog¬ rapher has, like other psychic powers, been denied *In confirmation of the above, my late much esteemed cor¬ respondent, Mr. Andrew Glendenning, correcting an error of mine, referred me to a communication of his published in The Tivo Worlds, in 1909. “I fear I am sending too long a letter, so now I pass on to mention the crowning glory of my life, so far as regards spirit photography. This is a wonder¬ ful—very wonderful—portrait of my dear wife, obtained through Mr. Boursnell nine months after her translation to the higher life. It is quite different from all the photographs of her taken during her earth life, and yet it is her very image as she was shortly before and during her last illness. When my family saw an enlargement of it they were all so delighted with it that I had to get seven copies made, so that each might have one to frame. The doctor who attended her gazed at the remarkable photograph and astcen how I got it. He not knowing of Spiritualism, I did not try to explain, but merely said, ‘You see it is my wife’s portrait.’ He re¬ plied, ‘Yes, and it is an excellent likeness.’ “She always materializes at our family seances, is very fre¬ quently with me, and says she will be until I pass on. She says to me ‘I am not separated from you as you are from me.’ Such are the joys and comforts of Spiritualism. Those called dead still live and love us. They can and do return to cheer, to guide and bless us.—Andrew Glendinning.” 134 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE and ridiculed, but the possession of this power is now a well established fact. Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace, O. M., F. R. S., the famous scientist, and collaborator with Darwin in establishing the doctrine of evolution, in his famous book, “Miracles and Modern Spiritual¬ ism,” pp. 188 to 205, deals with spirit photography scientifically, supplying an accumulation of indisput¬ able evidence of the fact that spirits from the unseen world do materialise for their portraits, and are iden¬ tified by their friends. Sir William Crookes, F. R. S., etc., an expert with the photographic camera, has in his possession forty-four negatives. Others, both in England and abroad, possess numerous portraits of their departed friends. ‘Doubtful Thomas’ has seen his own plates used, and seen for himself the operator develop his sensitive plate on which one or more of his loved ones show themselves. The portrait of my sister, after a residence in spirit life for many years returns as she now appears in spirit life. She was my only sister. She died young; I attended on her in her dying hours, and she touchingly recalled incidents. Dear C. H. Spurgeon, my old and valued friend of thirty-five years’ close connection in religious work, constantly seen with me on the platform, after fourteen years and five months in spirit life, materialises for his photograph. . . . So sorry to have forgotten your request, but so many callers keep me busy. Mrs. Lobb joins me in loving thoughts and prayers for the Dear Master’s blessing on you and yours, Sincerely yours, John Lobb.” In Mr. Lobb’s P. C. dated Jany. 5th, 1911, he states in the most matter of fact way:— “Dear Friends: Mr. Andrew Glendinning ap¬ peared here at 6:30 this evening smiling . . . John Lobb. Considering I have recorded the passing MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 135 away of Mr. Glendinning in October, 1010, the state¬ ment is arresting.” Fig. 29. 'I'lie Photograph of Mr. Charles Davieson, and the Psychic Picture of his Brother, Mr. Edward Davieson, done by Mr. Boursnell. Mr. Boursnell took three photographs of Mr. Charles Davieson, and the “extras” on these were two females 136 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE and one male. The two former were not recognized. They are well defined, full length figures. The latter was Mr. Davieson’s brother, between whom and him¬ self there was a strong attachment. The evidence consists of the recognition of the spirit photograph by Mr. Charles Davieson, who resides at Leipzig House, 22 Church Road, St. Leonards-on-Sea; by Dr. David Davieson, another brother at present in practice at South Broadway, St. Louis, Mo., U. S. A.; by bis surviving sister, Mrs. Fred Simpson, Beech Hurst, Preston Road, Cliorley, Lancashire; and by Mr. Ru¬ ben Jordon, 28 Drayton Road, Harlesden, London, all of whom knew the late Mr. Edward intimately. He passed away twenty years prior to the photograph be¬ ing taken. Mr. Charles Davieson is a son of Dr. Davieson, Liverpool, an able medical man—himself a Jew—having a large practice there some years ago. Mr. Davieson is of the Jewish persuasion (a descend¬ ant of Mendelssohn) and a musician, having gradu¬ ated at the Conservatorium in Leipzig. Mr. Davieson became interested in Spiritualism through the force of facts, and is a most competent witness to psychic experiences. He testifies to the remarkable medium- ship of Mr. Boursnell. THE TESTIMONY OP A. P. SINNETT, THE THEOSOPHIST. I thought I should like to obtain the opinion of a leading Theosophist on what is termed Spirit-Photog¬ raphy, and as Mr. A. P. Sinnett, Author and Journal¬ ist, and Editor—at one time—of a prominent maga- MR, R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 137 zine, is one of the best known and most advanced Theosophists in the world to-day, I wrote to him on 20th August, 1910. Fig. 30 . Tlie Photograph of Mr. A. P. Sinnett, and Psychic “extra,” unrecognized by the Sitter, taken under the Test Conditions detailed in Letter. 138 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE “59 Jermyn St., London, S. W. Sept, 1, 1910. Dear Sir: I received your letter of the 20th ult. I send you a photograph done by Boursnell, but on a plate of my own, taken from a new packet, opened by myself in his dark-room, and put by me into a dark slide and used in a camera I have examined, which was certainly free from tricks. I sat as you see —went back with Boursnell into the dark-room and saw the plate developed. I do not see how I conld be cheated under these conditions. Yours very truly, A. P. SlNNETT.” As Mr. A. P. Sinnett had not only taken an active part and was in fact the initiator of the Daily Mail Spirit—Photography Commission, and once wrote a paper about “Photographing the Unseen,” I further addressed him, sending him the above summary of his letter, which I proposed to publish. I inquired whether he had any experience with other mediums, had he recognized the psychic portraits and what was his opinion as to the nature of these “extras.” I give his characteristic reply:— “69 Jermyn St., S. W. Sept. 6, 1910. Dear Sir: I have no objection to your proposal to publish my former letter, as enclosed. I have had no experience of any other photographic mediums besides Boursnell. I do not recognise the figure on the print I send you—nor do I attach any importance to the circumstance when such figures appear to re¬ semble persons known to the sitter. Entities on the astral plane seem to have the power of personating others to an unlimited extent. Yours truly, A. P. Sinistett.” MR. R. BOURSNELL’S MEDIUMSHIP 139 Mr. Sinnett (whose experience with Mi-. Boursnell was by no means confined to the obtaining of the test recorded) is convinced of the genuineness not only of the medium and of psychic-photography, but not, as it will be noted, that these spirit-photographs are the portraits of departed persons. 1 give Mr. Sin- nett’s opinion as a side-light on the subject. But whether “Entities on the astral plane have the power of personating others to an unlimited extent,” I con¬ fess 1 do not know, and regret that my ignorance lias to be confessed. Mr. Sinnett requires no introduction to the reading public. His testimony to the Fact of psychic-photography is deemed by me of sufficient im¬ portance to produce here. Owing to the pressure on my space, I have had to rule out many interesting cases, and would merely mention in conclusion that in many instances of late years Mr. Boursnell declined to submit to the pro¬ posals of “experts.” In this he was quite right. There is no doubt his identifiable spirit photographs furnish their own best evidence. At the same time it is due to him to state that he frequently submitted to be tested—and under these conditions “extras” were ob¬ tained, hundreds of which were identified. 140 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Fig. 31. Photograph of Mr. F. Pice. Greigsville, Livingston Co.. New York State, U. S. A., with several Psychic Portraits showing the advance made from Mumler's time. Mr. Rice was a friend of the late Mrs. Emma Hardinge-Brltten. The above was intended for the Ency¬ clopedia of Spiritualism which that lady prepared for publication. Mrs. Wilkinson, of Stretford, Mrs. Britten's surviving sister, presented it for this work. I put it in for her sake. The photograph is credited to Mr. Frank Foster. CHAPTER VII SOME AMERICAN CASES In this chapter I give a few unrelated cases, rang¬ ing from the days of Mumler to the present time. I regret I have none of those taken by Drs. Haus- mann and Keeler, of Washington, U. S. A. The late Professor Gunning, one of the ablest geolo¬ gists in America, sent a long and interesting letter to the New York Tribune. Although it was written just about the period (1872) when experiments in Spirit Photography were first attempted in Great Britain, the thoughts suggested are as appropriate now as then. Space will not admit the production in full of the letter. After contrasting the treatment and dismis¬ sal of psychic facts by Mr. Herbert Spencer on a’ priori grounds, with that of his friend Dr. Wallace, “one of the first Naturalists of Europe,” he gives the results of his experimentation—assisted by a com¬ petent friend—with a photographer on four after¬ noons when they obtained several times the psychic form—bright though vapoury—of a woman. Dupli¬ cations of the same form which came on his plates 141 U2 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE when having an ordinary sitting with the same photographer a short time previously. The operator in this instance was a non-Spiritualist and had a horror that his name should be mixed up with Spirit¬ ualism in any form. Professor Gunning states that this photographer gave the use of his rooms, chemicals and time without charge; that he (Professor Gun¬ ning) and his expert photographic assistant, took every precaution to prevent and detect trickery. Throughout their careful experimentation this psychic form persisted. In the same letter he gives a long and carefully de¬ tailed account of a psychic picture obtained under remarkable circumstances. The sitter, a young lady, as well as the operator were non-Spiritualists. Pho¬ tographing the young lady on a new sheet of tin, giv¬ ing eight portraits, there were on the plate and on each portrait a pair of hands clasped round the sit¬ ter’s neck, the right hand coming on the chin and the left partly thrust under the girl’s collar. The hands are shown up to the wrist and then fade away. Pro¬ fessor Gunning had the utmost confidence in the photographer. In his case, as in the former one, these so-called Spirit Pictures occasionally came and the photographers had no control over the phenomena. His deductions from these experiments, and from the evidence produced at the Mumler trial are:— First .—That the sensitive plate may be more sensi¬ tive to light than the human eye. Second .—That men and women—spirits, but not in- SOME AMERICAN CASES 143 corporeal—can, under certain conditions, clothe their persons with elements of sufficient substance to retiect light. In the account given by “M. A., Oxon” of how his “double” was photographed, he stated that he was asleep, in London, at the time when his “spirit ” was photographed in Paris. lie was a medium and ac¬ customed to go into trances, and the photograph rep¬ resents him on a state of trance, or at least with his eyes closed. In the following account the tale that is told is more prosaic. In the early winter months of 1875, Mr. Evans, a Spirit Photographer, was taking pictures in the studio of a Mr. A. C. Maxwell, in New York City. A Mr. Uemarest called, in the hope of getting a spirit picture. The proprietor, Mr. Maxwell, was sitting asleep by the stove, which was situated some ten feet in rear of where the camera stood. Mr. Evans, after making the usual preparations, posed Mr. Demarest and “took his picture.” When the plate was devel¬ oped, there was on it, beside the figure of the sitter an “extra,” not of a departed, but of the face and full form of Mr. Maxwell—the man dozing by the stove. Air. Demarest was not only annoyed, but very suspicious when he saw the purported spirit beside him It was in his opinion none other “than the pic¬ ture of Mr. Maxwell, produced by some hocus-pocus on the plate.” The latter demurred and declared that he did not know, and could not tell, how his profile, face and figure, got on the plate. All he knew was 144 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE that lie had been dozing at the stove at the time when Mr. Demarest was taken. Being confused and sur¬ prised at the charge, Mr. Maxwell took the plate and showed it to liis wife—whose room was adjoining the studio—and asked her “Whose likeness is that beside Mr. Demarest?” She said “Why, yours to be sure.” Mr. Maxwell was more confused than ever and re¬ turning the plate to Mr. Demarest declared that he (Maxwell) knew nothing about it. The curiosity was shown to Mr. Fanshaw, artist, and he concluded that it was a repetition in New York of the phenomenon of the “Double,” as reported in the attestations of Count de Bullet, as having taken place in Paris. After weighing all the statements which are given in this case, and which I do not propose to quote at length here, it is clear—to use the words of the nar¬ rator—that while Mr. Maxwell, the mortal, was doz¬ ing at the stove, his dual existence, his spirit, was having its likeness taken with that of Mr. Demarest, on the photographic plate. If we substitute “double” for “spirit” in the above, I think the statement would be more accurate. In our present state of knowledge we do not really know what our spirit friends in dis- carnate states are like, but we do know that in all cases “the double” is as like the man in the flesh as two peas are like one another. I am not in position to vouch for the accuracy of the account sent from New York, July 8th, 1875, to Human Nature, but I can believe the incident to be possible, as other cases pre- viously stated, indicate. When dealing with Mr. Ed. SOME AMERICAN CASES 145 Wyllie, medium photographer, I gave a case of the photographing of “the double" of a little girl well- known to us, for which there is no explanation. This Fig. 32 . Photograph of Mrs. Flood, and the Psychic Pictures of Friends, done by Mr. Evans. is equally true whether the extra be that of one in the body or that of a person departed. The facts are there. The why and how does not meet with a ready solution. I am indebted to Mrs. Wilkinson, of Stretford, near Manchester, for the above early example of Mr. 146 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Evans’ work. The subject of the photograph is her own mother, Mrs. Flood, who accompanied them to the United States, as related in the “Autobiography of Emma Hardinge Britten,” her sister. Mrs. Flood is seen surrounded by several “extras.” Who these are, Mrs. Wilkinson—now a very old lady—does not remember, except one. This is the lowest one on the left, concerning which she often heard her mother de¬ clare that it was the spirit picture of her old nurse. The ease is given not so much as evidence but as an illustration of one of those early psychic pictures. In this we see a departure from the fiat, full form “ex¬ tras” of Mumler, the three-quarter length sheeted forms of Hudson, the scrolls and crudities of Reeves, etc., to the American type of psychic photograph which obtains to-day, viz., a face or groups of faces sufficient for identity, the whole suggesting that the spirit workers in the Invisible had, as the result of experimenting, decided on a policy of concentrated effort to produce identifiable pictures and at the same time economising energy and psychic force. This account is summarised from the Cincinnati En¬ quirers: “Mr. Jay J. Hartman has been producing ‘spirit pictures’ at Teeple’s Gallery, No. 100 West Fourth Street. He has been bitterly denounced as a fraud and trickster by the skeptics and unbelievers. Al¬ though he gave private ‘test sittings’ that seemed satisfactory, yet even many of his friends began to doubt him until he, last week, published a card that on Saturday morning, December 25th, he' would give SOME AMERICAN CASES 147 a free, public investigation addressed to the public generally, and to the photographers especially; stat¬ ing that he would place all the arrangements in the hands of those taking part in the investigation; they Fig. 33. An Old Woodcut of Dr. Morrow, and Psychic Picture of Young Lady, taken under Test Conditions by Mr. Jay J. Hartman, in Cutter’s Studio, in Cincinnati, in March, 1876. to choose the room where the trial was to be held; bring their own marked plates; furnish their own camera, chemicals, in fact everything—Hartman simply asking to manipulate the plates in the presence of practical photographers, to show that he used no fraud or trickery. Christmas morning came, bright 148 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE and cheerful, and found sixteen gentlemen, five of them practical photographers of this city, assembled at his rooms. Putting the question to vote, it was de¬ cided to adjourn to the photograph gallery of Mr. V. Cutter, No. 28 West Fourth Street. Mr. Cutter being an expert in detecting the ‘spirit-picture trick¬ ery,’ and, as Mr. Hartman had never been in his gallery, he would be at the double disadvantage of being in a strange room, surrounded by skeptics and practical men quick to detect fraud.” I do not propose to detail the nature of eacn experi¬ ment ; of these there were several, and all failures ex¬ cept the last, when to the surprise of the skeptics and the joy of the medium’s friends, ‘‘There was a pic¬ ture ! ’ ’ The report states :— “Hartman had never touched the plates or entered the dark chamber during the manipulation! How it got there he didn’t know; there it was! While Messrs. Cutter, Murhman et at, do not admit the “spiritual” origin of the form on the plate, yet they all agree that Mr. Hartman did not and could not, under the circumstances of never touching the plate or enter¬ ing the dark-room, produce the ‘spirit-picture’ by fraud or trickery. There is the face of Dr. Morrow, with the face of a young lady, with something re¬ sembling a wreath arching over their heads! Whence came it? If it is not what it purports to be, a ‘spirit form,’ what is it? And how came it there? All finally agreed to sign the following certificate: ‘We, the undersigned, having taken part in the public investigation of ‘Spirit Photography’ given by Mr. Jay J. Hartman, hereby certify that we have closely examined and watched the manipulations of our own marked plates, through all the various work¬ ings, in and out of the dark-room, and have been un¬ able to discover any sign of fraud or trickery on the SOME AMERICAN CASES 149 Fig. 34. Test Photograph obtained by Mr. A. K. \ enning, who not only took every precaution as to camera, plate, holder, lens, &c., but at the last moment placed his hat in posi¬ tion shown. The Lady sitting with him is now passed over. The “extra” above her—which is identified, is the portrait of a late member of the British House of Com¬ mons, and related to a distinguished family, the mem¬ bers of which made their name in India. (Name can be had if desired on application to the writer.) 150 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE part of Mr. Jay J. Hartman. And vve further certify that during the last sitting, when the result was ob¬ tained. Mr. Jay J. Hartman did not handle the plate nor enter the dark-room at any time. J. Slatter, C. II. Murhman, V. Cutter, J. P. Week- man, F. T. Moreland, T. Temple, all practical photog¬ raphers; E. Saunders, Wm. Warrington, Joseph Kin¬ sey, Benjamin E. Hopkins, G. A. Carnshan, Wm. Sullivan, James P. Geppert, D. V. Morrow, M. D., E. Hopkins, Robert Leslie.’ Dr. B. F. Austin, B. A., editor of “Reason,” and director of the Austin Publishing Co., Rochester. New York, U. S. A., writing me recently says:— “Spirit Photography once proved, the continuity of life is demonstrated, and with spirit communica¬ tion in its various forms is rendered so inherently probable that we may regard the case for Spiritual¬ ism as proven. Let us grant at once that there are many ways of producing ‘faked spirit photographs.’ Dr. William Lockwood, an authority on photography, and for years lecturer to the American Association of Photog¬ raphers, an able author, physicist and philosophical teacher, while pointing out many ways in which the ‘fake’ photographs can be produced, is a strong wit¬ ness to the fact of genuine spirit photography. Some years ago I had, from bis own lips, the story of the conversion + o Spiritualism of Mr. Ruthven Macdonald, of Toronto, Canada, a famous baritone soloist, who, while a Methodist, accepted an engage¬ ment to sing at the Lily Dale Assembly of Spiritual¬ ists. While there,—believing, as he had been taught, that all mediumship was essentially fraudulent—he thought he would visit a few mediums as pastime, and among others, selected a spirit photographer, who was of course a complete stranger to him. When SOME AMERICAN CASES 151 the first photograph was developed, the photographer asked him to sit again, as the picture was unsatis¬ factory. Mr. Macdonald asked to be shown the nega¬ tive, but the photographer demurred and wished to destroy it. Mr. Macdonald insisted, and on seeing it beheld to his amazement the form of his spirit mother standing behind him in the picture and holding up a hand with two clearly recognisable thumbs. This struck the photographer as ‘uncanny.’ Mr. Mac¬ donald, however, on seeing it exclaimed ‘Destroy that! Why, that is my mother! She had two thumbs on one hand! ’ Mr. Macdonald got many remarkably clear photo¬ graphs of spirit friends. 1 saw the photograph of his mother. The face and form were clearly defined and the hand with two thumbs made an impression on me—as Mr. Macdonald told the story—which I shall never forget. Mr. Macdonald received in this way, and through other forms of mediumship, so much overwhelming evidence that he became a convert to Spiritualism and an ardent advocate of its teachings.” I am obliged to Dr. Austin for calling my attention to the case of Judge Levi Mock. He says:—You can depend thoroughly on the accuracy of the statements made. I know the Judge well. He was president of the Chesterfield Camp at one time. You can safely quote him. Leaving out all references to the Judge’s eminent position, and his well qualified training for the weighing of evidence, and his family and State con¬ nections, which appeared in Reason, Oct., 1908, I summarise his important testimony in favour of spirit photography:— “Four years ago (1904) Frank Foster, of Grand 152 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Rapids, Mich., was at Chesterfield Camp meeting, posing as a spirit photographer, charging two dollars for producing the pictures. I first sat for my pic¬ ture, and then went to the camera and he placed his fingers on the same and I placed my fingers on his hand. He was in a quiver till a shock came, and he said ‘That is sufficient.’ Within a few days he gave me the developed pictures. I recognised none of them. I went to Mrs. Herbine’s cottage, taking the pictures along. None of the persons whose pictures I had were related to me. While Mrs. ITerbine is a slate-writer, in her sit¬ tings independent voices converse with the sitter; and on that occasion my father, who had been in the Summer-land several years, told me to go back and have another picture and that I should get pictures that I should recognise. Believing him, I went to Foster and had another picture. I at once recognised four of the spirit pictures. I immediately wrote out five questions asking the names of the persons repre¬ sented, locating each in the group, and went to Mrs. Herbine’s cottage. We sat down to a small stand. 1 took a double slate and placed it under my foot, and reached in my pocket and got one of the ques¬ tions and placed it under one of my hands on the stand; I not knowing what question I had and she not having seen any of the questions or pictures. The first question I drew out of my pocket was as follows: Dr. Coulter (the medium’s control) What is the name of this dog on the picture in my pocket? His answer was thus: ‘ Blood. ’ I recognised the picture of ‘Blood’ as my favourite foxhound (who is in dog heaven, or some other place) and called him ‘Blood’ because he would never cease running till he caught the fox. I took out the questions one by one, and the. pic¬ tures as I knew, were named. The picture first above the dog is my Aunt Polly Reitnour; just over my head my sister Rachael; the one above to the left. SOME AMERICAN CASES 153 Colby Luther (our famous lecturer), and that to the left is named Williams—Dr. Coulter said that he was not related to me, and I do not recognise him. When l came home many of my neighbours recognised ‘Blood’ and my sister. What I have stated is literally true. I have no rea¬ son to state an untruth. Bluffton, Indiana. Levi Mock.” I very much regret that the American reproduction of the photograph does not come out very clearly. We see in the Judge’s statement that not only was be advised to go back and get another sitting, when be would get pictures which he would recognize, but other processes in evidence showing Intelligence in the Invisible somewhere operating and demonstrated in the results obtained through different mediums and by differing processes; the psychics being strangers to the Judge. From the foregoing statement of the Judge it will lie noted that Mr. Frank Foster’s methods differ from those of most mediums. In this case the operator takes the sitter’s portrait in the ordinary way and then uses the camera itself as a dark chamber, and obtains the “extras” on the plate at the time when the shock is experienced by both sitter and medium. For this we find an explanation in psychography. From reliable information I learn that Mr. Frank Foster, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, is the oldest medium photographer now living. lie has been tak¬ ing “spirit pictures” for nearly forty years, in dif¬ ferent parts of the States, and is still at work obtain- 154 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE ing thousands of' “extras” and his identifiable pic¬ tures are the best testimony as to the genuineness of his mediumship. The method usually adopted by this medium and his son, Mr. Bennie Foster, is to make one exposure on sitter in the light, and then darken the room and make another exposure to get the psy¬ chic “extras” on the plate. I presume that in taking photographs at a Camp meeting where his operating room would be a tent, darkening would be impossible, lienee the method described by Judge Mock. Mrs. Jane M. Samson, of Pasadena, (at one time lived in Boston, and was, with her husband, a member of the Rev. Minot J. Savage’s congregation there) had a sitting with Mr. Wyllie. Of this lady Dr. PI. A. Reid (in “Case Eight” reported in “Unseen Faces Photographed ’ ’) says:— “She is an intelligent and reputable lady and at¬ tended sittings for psychical research at which Prof. James, Rev. Minot Savage, Rev. A. A. Miner, D. D., and others were critical investigators. In April, 1900, she sat to Mr. AVyllie in Los Angeles. He knew nothing of her former residence, relationship or ex¬ periences, and this plate was produced.” I do not reproduce it here, but mention that the “extras” thereon in addition to herself, were the faces of her deceased husband who died in Boston, the wife of a brother of the sitter and the face of her husband’s father. Now, Mrs. Samson has a brother, a practical photographer, Mr. C. B. Scott, carrying on business at 340 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, N. Y. She SOME AMERICAN CASES 155 wrote him about this photograph. He recognised the faces on it, and I give his reply (dated May 6th, 1900) as throwing a light, and a favourable one, on the procedure of Mr. Frank Foster. • “We have considerable to do with spirit photo¬ graphs. Mr. Foster, a spirit photographer, and me¬ dium, has been bringing and sending photographs to us to be enarnmelled. He has no studio, but goes from one place to another and he sends us work from different cities. All his have from two to five spirit faces, and we have always been watching, as he sent prints from different cities, to see if we could detect the same faces, but we have never been able to do so. When he sends them from Philadelphia they are cov¬ ered with Indian and Quaker faces. I don’t think the spirits have much to do with the matter, but there is something about it that is hard to detect.” This is another out of several instances where a practical photographer does not believe in the spirit theory put forward for these psychic pictures; know¬ ing not of any method of “faking” by which they can be produced, but admitting that they come, and that there is something about spirit photography hard to detect. THE PHOTOGRAPH OP A CHINAMAN I relate as nearly as possible the story of the Fig. 35 as given me by Mr. Wyllie one evening in Nov., 1909. I have been fortunate enough to receive the original photograph, and have the story confirmed by my esteemed correspondent, Mr. A. K. Venning, of 613 South Flower Street, Los Angeles, Cal., U. S. 156 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE A. Mr. Wyllie’s account is accepted for the simple reason that he gave evidence, when in our house, of Fig. 35. The Photograph of a Chinaman, with “Extras,” which was taken by Mr. Wyllie, as requested by sonic members of the Pasadena Psychical Research Society, of which Dr. H. A. Reid was the President. being a genuine medium for this phase of phenomena, lie said:— SOME AMERICAN CASES 157 “I had been giving tests to some gentlemen in Los Angeles in connection with the Psychic Research So¬ ciety. Some were convinced of the fact of psychic photography and others were not. It was suggested by one member it would be a good thing if I could obtain ‘extras’ on the plate of someone wholly ignor¬ ant of both the subject and of Spiritualism. Then it could not be said that their knowledge or attitude had anything to do with the results. It was not easy to get someone with the qualifications desired. When one day ‘Charlie,’ a Chinese laundry man, called for my clothes, it struck me to ask him—‘Charlie, like to have your picture taken?’ ‘No,’ he replied. ‘No likee that.’ He knew that I was a photographer, but had a dislike, I think, to photography, as most Chinese have. I tried to persuade him, after he had called two or three times. 1 showed him that there could be no harm in it, and I would take a ‘glass,’ (as negatives are called) for nothing, and print him some nice pictures of himself. Charlie wanted to go home and change his clothes, hut I knew it would not do to let him slip, and got him to sit. lie was very much scared. I made his mind easy and asked him to come in a few days, and I would give him the pictures. When I developed the negative there were two ‘extras’ on it—a Chinese hoy and some Chinese writing. When Charlie came round I showed him the print, and he said—‘That my boy, where you catchee him?’ I asked him if it was not one of his cousins in the city. He said—‘No, that my hoy. He not here; where you catchee him?’ I asked him where his boy was, and he said—‘That my boy. He’s in China. Not seen him for three years.’ Charlie would not believe that I had not by some magic got his ‘boy here.’ Charlie then brought other Chinamen—friends of his own—to see the picture, and they all recognised the youngster. Charlie did not know that his son was dead. As far as he knew, lie was alive and well.” 158 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE As to the Chinese writing, Mr. Venning informs me that it has been shown to several Chinamen, and each one has refused to give a translation. Charlie’s explanation is a curious one. He said the meaning of the letters was ‘ ‘ A fall; a crooked path; and a big house.” It appears that he left China in trouble, that was the fall; he had lived a bad life, that was the crooked way; he was now “a Christian man,” and he had no doubt that the big house meant that he would be prosperous yet, and return to his father’s big house, at home. Such is the story as told by Mr. Wyllie. I do not know whether the “extras” were correctly read or not, symbolical or not, but as for Charlie, he appeared to be in the crooked way still, as he fell into the hands of the police and had to leave the city. On the next page (Fig. 36) I produce the photo¬ graph of a negress as it furnishes a suggestive answer to the question “Are spirit photographs the photo¬ graphs of spirits?” Judge Edmond says:—Spiritualists reason that these photographs are the actual pictures of dis¬ embodied spirits, but they do not know. I am not prepared to express a definite opinion. The above is an extract from the evidence given by the learned Judge at the 'trial of Mumler. The Judge knew of a certainty that these psychic “ex¬ tras” were genuinely obtained and gave evidence to that effect, but he reserved his judgment when it came SOME AMERICAN CASES 159 to claiming that photographs were those of disem¬ bodied spirits. Fig. 36. Photograph of Negress, anil a number of Spirit Pic tures of Friends. This is a Wyllie photograph, which Mr. A. K. Venning of San Francisco, sen! me. Mr. A. K. Venning, who possesses a life experience of spirit photographs, in his letter to me, dated 10th Dec., 1909, says:— 160 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE These portraits are probably taken not from the individual spirit, but from a thought-form-picture, or something of that sort. This may be as difficult to grasp as the fact of spirit photography. The evidence is favour of what are called “Thought-forms” is too strong to be lightly cast aside. Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace is of opinion that the photographs are those of “forms” made up and presented to the camera, and not the photographs of actual spirits. Mr. Blackwell, whose belief in spirit photography is undoubted, is convinced, however, that the photo¬ graphs are those of spirits. He fell foul of me for em¬ ploying the term “psychic extras,” for spirit photo¬ graphs. Yet this experienced investigator, in that let¬ ter, makes the admission:—- “Some spirit people seem to find it very difficult to remember how they looked in earth life, and re¬ fresh their memory by referring to a photograph or portrait. This they sometimes transfer so exactly that undeserved suspicion is cast upon the unfortu¬ nate medium. Further, I have had the privilege of photographing some partially materialised spirits in my own house. They were perfectly clear and visible to my visitors and myself. Yet, two of these forms are ex¬ actly like their last earthly photographs except that they are now surrounded with spirit drapery. — (The italics are Mr. Blackwell’s own.) They (the spirits) have exerted their will power to build up a new form and have appeared in quite a different pose.” The deduction to my mind is that these are photo- SOME AMERICAN CASES 161 graphs of something equivalent to the thought-forms or the double of the living, or some material form— Fig. 37. Photograph of a (Gold-hearing) district in California, referred to in Mr. Geo. Gartling’s letter. I am not at lib¬ erty to give identifiable particulars. It is a Psychic Pic¬ ture not of a Spirit, but of a Terrestrial Scene, to which are added Symbols having a meaning only to the recipient. I am indebted to Mr. A. K. Venning for the photograph, and to Mr. Gartling for his emphatic testimony to the Fact of Psychic Photography. 162 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE albeit invisible —representing what the originals were like in earth life. “California Well Tool and Machine Works, 114- 116 College Street, Los Angeles, Cal., Oct. 17, 1910. James Coates, Esq., Glenbeg House, Ardbeg, Rothesay, Scotland. Dear Sir: I have received both your letters, of July and Sep¬ tember respectively. Yes! I am well acquainted with Mr. Wyllie and his work, and can vouch for his honesty in his mediumship. Whatever one gets through Mr. Wyllie’s photography is genuine. I very much doubt that there is another person living who has tested his genuineness as thoroughly as I have, and besides being a pure medium, Mr. Wyllie is also well worthy the name gentleman. He has my best wishes wherever he may be. I have got quite a good many messages and pictures through Mr. Wyllie’s photography; but none that I would want to go into public print at this time. The most important are written messages which no one except myself—not even Mr. Wyllie—knows what they read like. These messages are an explanation of a principle which I am to work out and not to divulge at this time. I have a few photographs which Mr. W T yllie has made that are good enough to convince anyone who is not en¬ tirely obstinate, but conviction could not be brought about through publication. Anyone wishing to get proof of this would have to come here and then I would have to take the party about 400 miles distance from here to effect the proof. I have gone there my¬ self to test it, and I found it just exactly as it is de¬ scribed in the photograph, but it cost me fifty dollars to prove to myself that the photograph is correct. Then, I have also some faces of departed ones who SOME AMERICAN CASES 163 have come on my photographs, whom I recognise, but such would be no conviction to others. But my real experience has proven to me that anyone who is sincere in wanting to know as to the truth of spirit phe¬ nomena will certainly be given that knowledge just as soon as ready for it, and as much of it as one is capa¬ ble of absorbing. I am, Yours very truly, George Gartling. ” The Gartlings, of Los Angeles, California, are known and respected as shrewd, level-headed men of business, the heads of a large concern there, and Mr. George Gartling has everything to lose and nothing to gain by giving his testimony to the fact of spirit photography. CHAPTER VIII SOME AMERICAN CASES: CONTINUED I am indebted to the Rev. Charles Hall Cook, D. B., A. M., Ph. D. (Diocese of Colorado, U S. A.), 1845 Grant street, Denver, Col., for notes from his investi¬ gations. These were made in his capacity of Member and Representative of the American Society for Psy¬ chical Research. In these reports he deals not only with his experiences in psychic photography, but in other phases of psycho-physics, such as apports, ma¬ terialisations, psychography, direct writing, &c. I, however, only quote a few notes on psychic photog¬ raphy, giving prominence to the Flora Loudon case, wherein the testimony of Dr. Cook gets unanticipated corroboration. The whole affords evidence of the operation of Intelligences outwith that of the medium, Wyllie and the doctor, as well as the doctor’s scien¬ tific procedure to get at the Facts. Photographs have been obtained through Wyllie, Martin and a boy named Charles Bartel, 16 years of age, who only used a Kodak. The reports were made on psychic photography, and sent to the A. S. P. R., but have not been published. The late Dr. Hodgson had then such a mental bias against psycho-physical 164 SOME AMERICAN CASES 165 phenomena that the facts recorded did not appear in the Journal. Not only so, but no steps were taken Fig. 38. Photograph of Mr. Ed. Wyllie, Medium-Photo¬ grapher, and the Psychic Portrait of his Mother, identified. The enlargement which Mr. Wyllie had of this was lost with all his belongings in the great San Francisco earth¬ quake. The above reached me from an esteemed corres¬ pondent in the States. Air. Wyllie was unaware there was a copy in existence. 166 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE to officially investigate the truth of the statements made. There is nothing new in this; similar treatment was measured out to Dr. IT. A. Reid by the Secretary of the S. P. R., London. The doctor furnished careful reports, with evidence corroborating his mode of pro¬ cedure and the psychic results obtained with Wyllie. But beyond a few quibbles, and a courteous acknowl¬ edgement by the secretary of the reports, nothing was done. Dr. Cook freely gave of his valuable time and of his means in traveling and investigation. To all Dr. Cook’s conditions as member and representative of the A. S. P. R., Mr. Wyllie readily consented to sub¬ mit. Notwithstanding the careful procedure adopted and the evidences submitted, the A. S. P. R. acknowl¬ edged, but suppressed the reports. From Dr. Cook’s unpublished reports, I sununanse a few cases, with photographs. “In the summer of 1901 I conducted a series of twelve experiments in Psychic Photography with Mr. Edward Wyllie, 507-13 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, Cal., U. S. A. Mr. Wyllie granted me the use of his gallery, dark-room, camera, and all acces¬ sories, and unhesitatingly complied with all condi¬ tions I prescribed—all this gratis on the part of Mr. Wyllie. The photographic 4x5 plates I myself provided, being a box purchased from a regular dealer for the trade. This box of plates was always kept either in my coat pocket or inaccessible except to myself. The developing work was done at differ¬ ent galleries, except in three instances, when Mr. Wyllie assisted by my request, but efficient precau- SOME AMERICAN CASES 167 tion was taken to prevent the possibility of exchang¬ ing plates. Before every trial, 1 made a thorough examination of Air. Wyllie’s camera, lens, plateholder, background and all accessories. I made no arrangement or engage¬ ment with Air. Wyllie at any time for a succeeding experiment; in fact I did not know whether I should make another. Nine of the twelve experiments were successful, i. e., invisible faces, forms and other phenomenal effects, appeared upon the plates besides the sitter. (The prints referred to were sent me for inspection. —J. C.) Experiments 1 and 2. In the first two successful experiments, June 25 and 26, Mr. J. II. Disler, a capable investigator and experienced photographer, assisted me. Mr. Disler and I made a most critical and thorough examination of Mr. Wyllie’s camera, lens, plateholder, background and all accessories. Mr. Wyllie at no time came in contact with them, but stood at one side as a specta¬ tor, in the custody of special witnesses. On one plate there was the appearance of a ‘bright spot,’ or ‘spot of light’ resembling a cube-shaped diamond, near the elbow of my right arm, emitting rays of light in lateral directions. On the other plate there was a phantasmal face, blurred and splotched on the upper portion of my vest, with the forehead partly hidden under my collar. Experiment 3. In the third experiment, June 27, Mr. Wyllie acted as photographer, on my request, and did only what I asked him to do. While the conditions of this ex¬ periment were, by reason of my most careful observa¬ tion and direct knowledge of them, as satisfactory— even more so—as those of the preceding ones, yet the 168 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE result of the experiment, and the developments of evi¬ dential facts that followed later on have proved it to Fig. 39. Photograph of Dr. Cook and Psychic Portrait of Flora Loudon, with Symbols. be superior to all other experiments that T have made. After Mr. Wyllie made an exposure upon me, we retired to the dark-room and I watched the develop¬ ing- process, and saw coming out on the plate an ob- SOME AMERICAN CASES 169 ject or face before the face of the sitter became vis¬ ible. It became more clearly defined as the developing process was nearing completion. Returning to the gallery room, as Air. Wyllie held the negative up before the window, I saw on it a face that was very distinct, even more so than my own. Comparing it with that of the preceding ex¬ periment, we saw that it was the same face that had appeared upon the plate the day before. It covered my left shoulder, extended upon my breast and was larger and much more distinct than the first attempt, with additional accompaniments, flowing and wavy hair, encircled with a halo or luminous radiance, star- shaped flower or lily in the hair, just above the fore¬ head, and symbolic representations of a cross and heart below the face. Recognition. Aside from the conditions under which these ex¬ periments 1, 2 and 3 were made, I quote from my original notes, which were written out in full on the third day after the experiment, i. e., June 30, 1900, and attested under the seal of legal authority. This affidavit was also inserted in an extended report, on Psychic Photography, afterwards made to the Society for Psychical Research. It is as follows: ‘This face I recognised as that of the young lady or girl whom I first met in the month of September of the year 1866, as a student of Antioch College at Yellow Springs, Ohio. We were classmates at that institution and passed two years of student life to¬ gether. Her home was at Higginsport, on the banks of the Ohio, twenty miles above my old home. She passed into the other life about four years after the short period of our student life together, that is, in 1873. The name is Flora Loudon.’ ‘State of California, County of Los Angeles. William Loudon, being first duly sworn, deposes: 170 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Being in Los Angeles, Cal., about the 7th of May, 1905, as an idle visitor, I chanced to see a posted handbill announcing that Dr. Cook would deliver a lecture that evening on ‘Psychical Research.’ I had never up till that time known Dr. Cook but attracted by the nature of the subject announced, I went to hear the lecture. During the course of his lecture, the doctor ex¬ hibited a number of stereopticon views of pictures, purporting to be photographs of human forms that were at the time they were caught by the photo¬ graphic plate entirely invisible to the eye. Among these pictures was one which I distinctly recognised as that of Flora Loudon, who died more than thirty years ago. Her death occurred shortly after her return from Washington, D. C., where she had been with her grandfather, General Loudon, to witness the ceremonies of the Inauguration of Gen¬ eral Grant as President of the United States. She was my niece, and during all her life I was in her company very often, and knew her intimately, and hence am able to aver, from my own personal knowledge, that aforesaid photograph bears a most striking resemblance to the original, as I knew her near the time of her decease. So far as I know, there was never taken during the life of Flora Loudon a photograph of her, with such symbols as are seen on said photograph, shown me by Dr. Cook. William Loudon. Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 29th day [Seal] Edward G. Kuster, Notary Public in and for Los Angeles Co., Cal.’ Testimony 2. On the same day (May 29th) that Air. Loudon made the affidavit, I met his wife who, examining the psychic photograph, said—‘Yes, it looks like Flora. ’ Mr. Loudon explained that Mrs. Loudon was his second wife and had had but slight oppor- SOME AMERICAN CASES 171 tunity to know his niece. But Mrs. Loudon’s recog¬ nition was from a different point of view from that of her husband. She said: ‘It resembles very much a picture I once saw of her.’ Several days after this (July 3rd) referring to a picture of Flora she had seen many years ago, Mrs. Loudon said ‘I took occa¬ sion to examine and study the face carefully, as I thought it resembled a daughter of mine.’ Several days later (July 23rd), describing her remembrance of the picture she had seen many years ago, Mrs. Loudon said, ‘The picture I referred to was taken of Flora when—I think she was about 16 at the time ■—her hair was down on the forehead and the face, a front view—just like the one you have. I think it was in the possession of her (Flora’s) grandmother at Georgetown, Ohio.’ Testimony 3. Flora’s Photograph. In reply to a letter to surviving members of the Loudon family at Georgetown, Ohio, they sent me a photograph of Flora Loudon (the only one obtain¬ able). It had ‘May, 1872’ on the back of it. This photograph was taken of her at the age of 22, six years after I knew her in 1866-7 as a classmate at Antioch College. Although the lapse of six years at that period of life in a woman usually works a great change, and although the position of the sitter in the photograph is different from that of the psychic one—the former being a side view and the latter a front view—comparing the two faces, Mr. Loudon repeatedly affirmed that the psychic photograph was ‘an excellent likeness of Flora.’ Testimony of the Symbols. The symbols in the psychic photograph are pro¬ nounced in size and distinctness. These are, star- shaped flower or lily in the hair, just above the fore- 172 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE head, cross and heart below the face. Mrs. Loudon observed that the flowers in Flora’s hair were five in number, had five points and were of the same form or shape as the flower in the psychic photograph. There are in Flora’s photograph five small or minia¬ ture flowers in her hair, above the left ear, and near the top of her head; they have five points, and are of a star shape or form like a lily. The large flower in the hair of the psychic photograph, just above the forehead, has five points, resembling a star or a lily, and is of the same shape or form as the miniature flowers in Flora’s photograph. Also there is in Flora’s photograph, among the ornaments on her person, a small or miniature Cross, fastened to the centre portion of her breast. This Cross serves both as an ornament and a pin holder, to which are attached her watch chain and another chain holding a ring. Examining them under a magnifying glass, there is plainly to be seen a strong resemblance between the Cross on her breast and the Cross in the psychic photograph—indeed a striking resemblance. The Cross on her breast is Roman in design, and so too is the Cross in the psychic photo¬ graph. They are alike in design and in the same position. Comparing the symbols and ornaments of both .photographs, the only difference is their size. The Cross on her breast is a miniature compared with the Cross in the psychic photograph, just as the flowers or lilies in her hair are miniatures compared with the large shaped flower or lily in the psychic photograph. (Whatever other purpose the symbols signified, it is evident from the foregoing they proved a subtle mode of identification.—J. C.) Soul-Life. The symbols of a Star-Lily, Heart and Cross were perfectly appropriate to Flora Loudon. They con¬ firmed even more impressively than anything else SOME AMERICAN CASES 173 my recognition of the psychic photograph as being the likeness of my classmate and friend of bygone years. Associated with her daily in the classroom and in the various social relations of student life, I came to know her inner life quite well. I knew Flora was an intensely aspiring soul, noble, pure, childlike, untainted by worldly ambition. Iler ideal of attain¬ ment, was high, she sought most earnestly to realise it; she strove for this with the utmost application of all her powers. A Star, in the likeness of a Lily, just above the fore¬ head, is certainly a fitting symbol of such aspiration. Flora was heartily in sympathy with humanitarian and altruistic principles, not because she was a stu¬ dent at a Unitarian College where such principles were favored, but because it was her nature to live the principle of love, to place emphasis upon the law of progress, the law of universal love. We know that the symbol of a Heart appropriately expresses such sentiments. Hut in the psychic picture it represents the real, true life of the soul, the dominating prin¬ ciple of a transfigured soul in that other world. After a year of absence. Flora returned to student life at Antioch. But it soon became manifest that a change had taken place. She did not resume the regular course preparatory for College, but pursued only a few selected studies. She appeared isolated and solitary. It seemed that circumstances over which she had no control had thwarted the realization of high aims, and suffering arid sacrifice were factors of her inner life. At the end of the year she left College. The symbol of a Cross, as we know it, is the most fitting symbol to express such sentiments. Rev. Charles Hall Cook, D.B., A.M., Ph.D. (Diocese of Colorado, U. S. A.), Member of the American So¬ ciety for Psychical Research, New York; American School of Metaphysics, New York; English Society for Psychical Research, London (American Branch, 1900-1007.) ” 174 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Three and a half years after the foregoing investi¬ gations, Dr. Cook visited San Diego, Cal., U. S. A. (in Jan., 1905) and learned that Mr. Wyllie was put¬ ting up at the Albion Hotel. The doctor determined to have a new series of experiments. For this pur¬ pose, he purchased a new camera, with a supply of 4 x 5 Stanley plates and all necessary accessories, from Paterson’s Photographic Supply House. With these, and his travelling wrap, which he used as a back¬ ground, he commenced his second course of investi¬ gations. As a measure of precaution, he loaded his carriers in his dark-room at the Willard Hotel, and, after exposure, took them with his camera back and there developed the plates exposed. Giving the ac¬ count of one of these experiments—too long to pro¬ duce here—Dr. Cook found, on developing the plate: There was plainly visible upon the lower part of my breast a man’s face, with moustache, whiskers and other interesting features. I did not recognise the face, though it seemed that I had seen it somewhere. The facts to be noted in connection with this ex¬ periment are: (1) A definite result was obtained without using the medium’s camera, and without con¬ tact on his part other than his personal presence; (2) I used my own camera and was my own photog¬ rapher, whilst Mr. Wyllie, and the lady assistant, were merely witnesses, the former of the experiment (photographing in the Albion), and the latter of the result (that of the developing in dark-room at Mr. Patterson’sj gallery.—J. C.) In a note on this experiment, Dr. Cook says:— About a month later, in conversation with an ex¬ pert photographer, at Los Angeles, I described in de- SOME AMERICAN CASES 175 tail the conditions of this experiment, and then asked him if there could have been an invisible picture or image on Mr. Wyllie’s hand transferred to the plate at the time he “magnetised” it. He said it was im¬ possible without the action of light, and if the photog¬ rapher had a phosphorescent or “radium” picture in his hand, the light or luminosity of it would easily be discoverable in the dark-room. Also, if it were possible for light to have any effect afterwards by an exposure through the camera, the impress of the in¬ visible picture or image on the photographer’s hand would not only have to be that of contact, but espe¬ cially that of a very strong pressure upon the plate; and even then the result, he said, if any, would probably be very indistinct or much blurred. In Dr. Cook’s investigations with Mr. Alex. Mar¬ tin, a photographer in Denver City, he noticed the frequency with which groups of children and baby faces appear on his plates. Here the factor of identi¬ fication did not enter, but another important one did, viz., the faces came under test conditions. Why? Wherefore? Cui bonot are questions not readily an¬ swered. Mr. Martin has been successful in obtaining identifiable “extras.” But, as the baby faces are so charming—not psychic figures behaving badly—I pro¬ duce two photographs out of those sent, each obtained under different conditions. Mr. Martin is an old man now, but still carries on business. Ilis studio is at 2953 Zuric Street, Den¬ ver City, Colorado, where he has resided nearly forty years. He is a man of upright character, retiring dis¬ position, and is esteemed in the community. He is not supposed to give sittings for psychic photography 176 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE now. Much to liis regret “Spirit Pictures” still in¬ trude on his plates, and “spoil” them from a business standpoint. Fig. 40. Flash-light Photograph of Materialized Form, and also of Invisible Faces, and a head and bust. For Dr. Cook, as representative of the A. S. P. R., he took photographs, under the doctor’s own con¬ ditions. SOME AMERICAN CASES 177 From Dr. Cook’s hitherto unpublished reports 1 summarise the following:— THE INVISIBLE PHOTOGRAPHED AT A MATERIALISATION. I was present, April 15, 1903, by invitation at a materialisation in Lincoln Ilall, Denver, Colorado. The phenomena were extremely interesting. Occupy¬ ing' a seat nearest to the cabinet, within about twelve feet of the platform and about five feet from the camera, I saw distinctly a white form appear. Mr. Alex. Martin, photographer at 1639 Platte Street, made (under flash-light) two exposures upon the white form that stood in front of the cabinet. There were no flowers or decorations in front of the cabinet or anywhere about it or on the platform. In the rear of the cabinet there was only the plain wall of the hall, with one picture hanging on it and just above the cabinet, the motto, “ Welcome.” Upon developing the two plates exposed on this occasion there were other phenomenal effects than the white form which I saw appear from the cabinet and stand upon the platform. On one plate there was td the right a column of children’s and baby faces, ex¬ tending from the platform to the top of the cabinet. In front of the white form there were masses of flowers and to the left, the bust and face of a female on the platform. On the other plate there was an oval cloud of baby faces, enveloping the bust of the white form and totally obliterating its face, numbering not less than twenty faces. (Fig. 41.) Without giving full details from Dr. Cook's re¬ port, it is sufficient to say the doctor’s confidence in Mr. Martin is of the most emphatic character. What 178 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE he says about materialisations and photography I can accept—not so much because of this particular in¬ stance, as from the testimony of Sir William Crookes; other eminent investigators and my own actual experiences. As confirming the possibility of photographing the Invisible at materialisation se¬ ances, I give the evidence of Prof. Willy Reichel. Apart from his eminent standing, he has been and is associated in France—if not in Europe—with the brightest scientific men of the age, who do not stultify psycho-physical phenomena with the shallow flippancy of egotistical conjurors, but bring to their investiga¬ tion calm reserve and the keen watchfulness of the cultured intellect. Professor Reichel is one whose ob¬ servations demand respect. He had been investigat¬ ing in California the phenomena of materialisation with Mr. Miller. The number, variety and the nature of these were so extraordinary that he says:— On October 29th and again on Nov. 2, 1905, I sent for a San Francisco photographer, Mr. Edward Wyllie, to see what impression would be made on a photographic plate by the beings who appeared. Some remarkable pictures were taken by flashlight. Be¬ sides the fully materialised forms there were shown on the photographs several spirits who cotdd not he seen by the physical eyes. In one of the latter figures I instantly recognised an uncle of mine whom I had made acquainted with Spiritualism about twelve years previously through the assistance of another medium. (The italics are mine.—J. C.) I may add that among the spirit forms which ma- SOME AMERICAN CASES 179 terialised one was that of Mine. Reichel’s sister, which the Professor recognised, and which helped to en¬ large his views of these phenomena. Mr. Wyllie on several other occasions, although not stated in this book, took photographs equally interesting to those mentioned, for Professor and Mine. Reicliel. Whatever may be thought of the foregoing state¬ ments concerning materialisations, testimony of this nature cannot be lightly thrown aside. Here we have evidence of the presence of intelligent persons— albeit invisible—at materialisations, and the Fact of Identification. Dr. Cook, following up his experiences, on the 15th April, 1903, decided to have a series of test experi¬ ments with Air. Alex. Martin. The doctor called upon Mr. Martin and explained his object and Mr. Martin not only granted him the privilege, but gave him his services without remuneration. Not only were the conditions severe in their simplicity, but certain In¬ telligences had promised through the hand of an automatist to assist and give their “pictures.” The plates used and bought by the doctor were never out of his possession, save when he himself put them in the carrier. After exposure, these were taken away by him to his residence 1906 Pearl street, and developed by him. So Martin had nothing to do except to take off the cap of the camera, time and make the ex¬ posures. From beginning to end Dr. Cook had con¬ trol of all the photographic procedure. In two ex¬ periments out of eleven, in addition to the camera, 180 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE lens, carrier and all accessories being carefully ex¬ on lined, all the rugs from the floor, and the back Fig. 41. Group of Children’s faces, which enveloped the Face and Bust of the Lady, so as to hide them from view. i. e., the Visible is not but the Invisible is photographed. screens were removed, so that there was nothing in the room save the camera, and a wooden chair to sit SOME AMERICAN CASES 181 on. The white wall of the room was used as the back¬ ground. The weather being warm, Mr. Martin was in his shirt sleeves. There were no mirrors or trick ap¬ pliances either in the room or about the old man, and under these conditions invisible forms and faces were obtained upon the plates. Concerning this concluding experiment of the twelve, which took place 14th May, 1903, Dr. Cook says: On my way to Mr. Martin’s, 1 called upon Miss Elizabeth Maud Weatherhead, the automatist to whom I referred, thinking that her presence might help in my experiments. I explained to her that I was going to try for a “spirit” photograph at Mr. Martin’s and wanted her to be the sitter. She said she would take the next car to the Gallery. Before Miss W. arrived, I examined carefully the interior of Mr. Martin’s camera, lens and plate-holder, removed the rugs from the floor, and the screens behind the sitter’s chair, and there was only the white plastered wall as background, which I also carefully inspected. On Miss W.’s arrival, at my request, Mr. Martin removed the plate-holder from the camera, and we went into the dark closet together. I then took a plate from the box I carried in my side coat pocket, and at my request, Mr. Martin drew back the slide and we together, he holding the plate at one end and I at the other, placed it in the holder, fastened it and closed the holder. With one hand resting on the plate-holder, I opened the door. At my request, Mr. Martin, with the other, took hold of it and we went into the Gallery. Miss W. took the sitter’s chair (whilst Mr. Martin had placed the plate-holder on a chair near the camera.) We focussed the camera upon Miss W. Mr. Martin adjusted the holder in 182 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE it, uncapped the leM> and timed an exposure. Re¬ moving the holder from the camera, we went into the dark closet. I took the plate and put it into an empty box that I carried in my coat pocket. This plate 1 took to my residence and locked it up till I had time and opportunity for developing it. This was done shortly afterwards by an amateur photog¬ rapher and myself, in the rooms of the former. The experiment was a success, for on the upper half of the photograph there was a cloud of baby faces, num¬ bering more than thirty over and about the head of Miss Weatherhead. PSYCHIC PHOTOGRAPHY IN SOUTH AFRICA The photographer Mr. Blond referred to in these papers has been testified to by several correspondents. Of these, Mr. A. Brittlebank’s testimony is the most important. He is not only a photographer of forty years’ experience, but has had ample opportunities to investigate. He sent me a parcel of photographs. In reply to a request for details, Mr. Brittlebank, writing from the Salisbury Hotel, Johannesburg, 19th June, 1910, says—- As regards the photographs, I am not able to recog¬ nise any. I can only imagine that on the photo where Mr. Horne and I are together, the female is the spirit form of my sister, to whom I was attached years ago. The greater part of the photographs were taken under conditions which would satisfy any practical photog¬ rapher as to the genuineness of the spirit forms. The photographer, Mr. Blond, was, at the time, carrying on business at Dorrnfontein, a suburb of Johannesburg. In my opinion he had excellent psychic powers, but as seen from the pose of his sit¬ ters, he was not an artistic photographer. He was a SOME SOUTH AFRICAN CASES 183 very nervous man and terribly afraid of being ac¬ cused of fraud. The opinion which I formed of him Fig. 42. Photograph No. 7 of Mr. Brittlebank’s Parcel; and Psychic “Extra” of Kaffir, taken under Test Conditions. Umfaan or servant hoy of the sitter. was and is that he “would not if he could, and could not if he would” impose on anyone. So far as my experience goes, Mr. Blond is a perfectly honourable 184 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE man. 1 vouch for all photographs when I am the sitter. In No. 1, where the subjects are a gentleman sitting and a lady standing, the form of the gentleman is al¬ most obliterated by the “extra’s” aura, while in the left hand corner is a full-sized figure of a lady draped in white, and surrounded by flowers. The “extras” are differently focussed and out of proportion to the material subjects photographed. No. 2. The subject is a lady and the psychic “ex¬ tra” is the faintly defined face of a female surrounded in auric light. No. 3. Photograph of lady in which there appears the three-quarter length figure of a female, classically clad, and sorrowful in expression. No. 4. This photograph was taken in total darkness. There is no subject. The psychic form is not unlike a Greek peasant. The dress, style and pose suggest that. The scientific value of this picture arises from the undoubted fact of its being taken by its own light. Exposure, eight minutes. No. 5. The subjects are Mr. Brittlebank and a friend. The psychic “extra” is that of a little gii'l standing behind a chair, on which the friend rests his hands. No. 6. Same lady sitter as in No. 1, and two psychic forms (features ill defined) clad in white flowing robes. Of scientific but no identifiable value. No. 7. Sitter a friend of Mr. Brittlebank’s, with psychic face of Kaffir boy, well defined on background. SOME SOUTH AFRICAN CASES 185 No. 8. Same lady subject as in No. 1, with psychic “extra” of old gentleman possessing intelligent fea¬ tures and graceful, flowing white beard. No. 9. Photograph of Air. Brittlebank and Air. Ilorne, and the identified psychic portrait of Air. Brittlebank’s sister. However valuable, the photo¬ graph is somewhat faded and does not lend itself to reproduction. No. 10. Photograph of Mr. and Mrs. Ilorne and the graceful face and bust of a young lady. Bust partly illuminated. No. 11 is that of Mr. and Airs. Horne and the clearly definable face of an elderly person with whiskers. The last two pictures were taken under test condi¬ tions by Mr. Horne, who purchased the plates used from Mr. Davies, photographer, who loaded Mr. Blond’s slides. When the portraits were taken, Mr. Ilorne took the slides and contents back to Mr. Davies for development. Mr. Blond, the psychic photog¬ rapher, had no opportunity of doing other than make the exposure. The photograph of No. 7 (that of the Kaffir boy) and No. 10 (of the young lady) are given, not on ac¬ count of recognition, but because of scientific value. In addition to the photograph sent me by Mr. Brit¬ tlebank, I received photograph of Mr. 0. W. Menzel (of the Union of South Africa Department of Agri¬ culture, Pretoria) who writes, dated 13th Dee., 1910:— 186 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE I have no objection to the publishing of my name in connection with spirit photo, which I maintain lias Fig. 43. The Horne Photograph No. 10 and unknown Lady Taken under Test Conditions, by Mr. Blond, psychic photographer. a great resemblance to my father. I am not a con¬ vinced Spiritualist. SOME SOUTH AFRICAN CASES 187 This testimony is valuable as testifying to the fact of psychic photography by one not warped in his judgment by a bias towards Spiritualism. On examination of the batch of photographs, I find the same old problem to solve as in most psychic pho¬ tographs taken in the United States and in Britain, viz., that of focusing and light. These problems are not solved until we find the key in psychography. CHAPTER IX THREE PSYCHIC PHOTOGRAPHS AND A SPIRIT MESSAGE Before Mr. Edward [Wyllie was induced to come to this country, Mr. A. K. Yenning', well-known to the readers of the Spiritualistic Press, sent a letter to The Two Worlds (1st Jan., 1909) to the effect that some simple plan be carried out to test Mr. Wyllie’s abilities. He suggested that “half a dozen of those interested send locks of hair for Mr. Wyllie to photo¬ graph. ” He had no doubt they would receive proof. A nominal fee of two shillings was to be sent with the article. The editor was invited to arrange. There was no arrangement and instead of six, probably forty applied. All got something, and some obtained iden- fitable portraits, of departed friends. I could give some of these, but confine myself to those in which I have a special interest. Among those who complied were two ladies, viz., Airs. A. S. Hunter, widow of Dr. Archibald Hunter, Bridge of Allan; and Madame A. L. Pogosky, Lon¬ don. As we are concerned in the statements made by these ladies, I wish to emphasize my convictions as to their intelligence, sincerity and probity. Mrs. Hunter 188 THREE PSYCHIC PHOTOGRAPHS 189 has been resident in Bridge of Allan, Scotland, for forty years, where her late husband practised as IIv- Fig. -14. Photograph of letter and lock of hair sent by Mrs. A. S. Hunter, and three “extras,” done by Mr. Edward Wyllie. gienic Physician of the well-known Hydropathic Es¬ tablishment, which lie built and which lias been car¬ ried on for over half a century. 190 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Madame Pogosky has resided in London for twenty- six years, where she directs a philanthropic under¬ taking, the Russian Peasant Industries. This lady and Mrs. Hunter have long been friends and both are interested in kindred subjects. I now produce the photographs and the results of the experiments. Mrs. Hunter received the photo (Fig. 14) early in February, 1909. Taking a casual glance at it, and disappointed at not obtaining, as she had hoped, her husband’s likeness, she posted the card to her friend, who sent it back with the card she had received. On Madame Pogosky’s card there was Dr. Hunter’s face, and another not recognized. Before closing this ac¬ count. I will deal with this unknown “extra.” Mrs. Hunter immediately acquainted Mr. Wyllie of the strange fact that her husband’s portrait came on Madame Pogosky’s card. In Mr. Wyllie’s reply, dated Los Angeles, 17tli March, 1909, he says, “It is cer¬ tainly hard to understand, but these have happened many times.” Mrs. Hunter’s photograph was returned to her, but she being seriously ill, it was put aside and overlooked. I had written to her about Mr. Wyllie and the ar¬ rangements for his coming to Great Britain. In her reply, which I summarize dated 2nd Aug - ., 1909, she said:— I think I told you my Russian friend held the photos which she and I promised you. My long and severe illness this Spring seems to have played tricks THREE PSYCHIC PHOTOGRAPHS 191 with my memory, for I have found the card, which I must have got back from Madame Pogosky—after she had shown it—(with her own, which had my hus¬ band’s face in it) to Mr. Stead. I must have laid it away and forgotten I had it. But strange to say, I seemed to remember that I did not recognise any of the faces on my card—only Dr. Hunter on Madame Pogosky’s. Yet, yesterday, when I got sight of it, I was at once amazed to find three faces, all quite clear and familiar. One, an old schoolfellow who passed away a few years ago, and whom I saw the day after she passed—here—as if lying in bed and face muffled up. On' inquiry, my sister told me that was how she lay in her last illness. The other two are relatives of mine. The youngest was named after me. There were two girls and a boy. One of these sisters passed away before and the other after him. This child is very like the photos of several sisters of hers that we have in the house. The other is older and more like what she would be now. All three came to me several times through the medium- ship of Miss Macreadie of London. . . To this is added the remarkable statement:— I am certain that this photo has become more defi¬ nite and clear and legible than when it arrived months ago. Granting that there is no mistake in identification, and that the “extras” bear a striking family likeness to those portraits in her possession, and confirm com¬ munications received prior to being taken, this would he fair evidence from the spiritualistic standpoint. As to the photograph becoming clearer, although this is the reverse of usual experience, I have taken the 192 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE trouble to search all available records and find that there have been similar cases. Fig. 45. Photograph of Lock of Hair sent by Madame L. Pogosky, on which appears the face of Dr. Hunter and a Lady’s face. Before recording- what Madame Pogosky says, it is to be noted that Mrs. Hunter’s identification was THREE PSYCHIC PHOTOGRAPHS 193 promptly given me in two letters sometime before her illness took place. The evidence of identity is sub¬ stantiated by portraits of the doctor in the Bridge of Allan. I knew Dr. Hunter well. He frequently vis¬ ited me in Glasgow. I think it is a very good likeness of him. Mrs. Coates knew him too, as the doctor was a friend of her father, the late Mr. David Anderson, of Glasgow, and says it is much older, and not so vir¬ ile as when she saw him last. I have shown the photo¬ graph to others, and all say it is a good likeness. One who knew him intimately, but declines publicity, says, “ It is very like him as he looked towards the end.” From Madame Pogoskv’s letter 1 take the follow¬ ing :— 41 Old Bond Stieet, London, 3rd May, 1910. Dear Mr. Coates: I read your note on Mrs. Hun¬ ter’s experience. Now I send you mine. The spirit- photo enclosed was done at the same time as Mrs. Hunter’s, in Los Angeles, by Mr. Wyllie. You can see my own handwriting on the envelope, and behind it Dr. Hunter’s face. Why Dr. Hunter appeared on mine and not on his wife’s photo puzzled us not a little. I expected my own brother, and never thought to get Dr. Hunter, as he never saw me while on earth plane. Psychic experiences cannot be taken in this frag¬ mentary way, because they have a much deeper mean¬ ing and significance, and form not a separate happen¬ ing, but are part of our life, and it seemed to me can be understood only in connection with this life. When the photo arrived from Los Angeles I asked my unseen correspondent why he came on my photo 194 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE instead of Airs. Hunter’s; he laconically said, ‘You needed it more.’ Now, this was perfectly true. 1 was at the beginning of my resurrection—meaning evolution—from a state of total negation of long years to one of truth, or glimpses of it. There has been awakened in myself a consciousness of survival and life eternal. Only those who have passed through painful processes in rebuilding every atom of one’s being to the new truth know how often such souls are beset with doubts. Now, when you have examined this, you will understand why the doctor said “You needed this more.” Mrs. Hunter is a Spiritualist of twenty years, standing, perhaps longer. She required no proofs. Now, that is the explanation ... If Mrs. Hunter thought her photo got clearer, I am in¬ clined to think mine got hazier. I hope you will get a good reproduction of it. Yours sincerely, A. L. Pogosky, Madame Pogosky at first used to get messages from the doctor through Ouija. Then she developed im- pressional or telepathic writing, and many short but clearly individualized letters were sent through her hands to Mrs. Hunter, who knew their import when Madame Pogosky did not. Latterly this lady devel¬ oped both clairaudient and clairvoyant faculties and was able to see and converse with her friends, includ¬ ing the doctor, and this photograph, most prized, tv her was the crowning evidence. Just one point here. The lady is a stranger to me—not unknown, how¬ ever—but her remark that the doctor’s reply was a laconic one is to me very convincing. Tie had a quiet, direct and often humorous way of speaking. It was just his style. THREE PSYCHIC PHOTOGRAPHS 195 This is the first case on record where the Invisible has been only clairvoyantly perceived and whose pho¬ tograph has been recognized on that basis. In this in¬ teresting case Madame Pogosky never saw Dr. Ilnnter in the body. Photography demonstrates that that which is clairvoyantly perceived has often an object¬ ive, although invisible existence. What the Psychical Researchers call “A veridical hallucination” is dem¬ onstrated by photography. Here again we are on the borderland of Thought Photography, dealt with in ‘‘Seeing the Invisible.” The hitherto unrecognized face, Fig. 45 of a lady proved to be that of the late Mrs. John Auld. As soon as we saw this face, I at once notified Madame Po¬ gosky that we identified it. In her letter dated 6th May, from 41 Old Bond Street, London, W., she says:— I am glad that you and Mrs. Coates recognised Dr. Hunter, and even the other face. I have given this experience as a proof in my article to the Russian Theosophical Messenger , as in Russia there are also so many who have no real Faith, and look for tests. I mention the foregoing to show that it was not an afterthought on our part, the recognition. I now give the testimony of the gentleman to whom this unidenti¬ fied face (by others) proved of most interest. Mr. Auld first saw this likeness on Friday, 20th May, 1910. He had been abroad for the winter. Had he been home sooner, I could not have shown him the photographs, which I had only received, with Madame 196 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Pogosky’s letter of the 3rd May in which he learned that Dr. Hunter’s and Mr. Auld’s portraits had been taken by Mr. Wyllie in Los Angeles long before his arrival in this country. In giving Mr. Auld’s statement, I desire to say that I have known this gentleman, who is a neighbour, for about sixteen years. He is a practical man, one of the heads of an important firm of engineers, whose inventions are employed by all leading engineers. Ilis caution, discrimination and integrity I never have had reason to doubt. He has little to gain and much to lose by publicity in this matter. I now summarize his re¬ marks on seeing the photograph. It is the portrait of my wife. I am surprised to get it in this way. It is better than the one on my breast (alluding to a psychic picture taken in Rothe¬ say, dealt with elsewhere). It is clearer. It is a bet¬ ter test than if I obtained it in your house. It is her face. Lest I should be misled by general resemblance, I recognise every feature in detail. It is a remark¬ able test. But it is not what I expected. I thought if I obtained her spirit photograph she would be more like what I thought one would be from the happy messages which I received through Mrs. Coates. But instead of the likeness which I conceived would be given me, this face represents her as she was in her last illness, and is a very striking likeness indeed. As the remark “It is a better test than if taken in your house,” is somewhat cryptic, I may explain that when Mr. Wyllie’s mediumship was talked over in Rothesay, some ten months before Mr. Wyllie’s arrival in Scotland, Mrs. John Auld was asked, when con- THREE PSYCHIC PHOTOGRAPHS 197 trolling Mrs. Coates, if she could not get a photograph given us through Mr. Wyllie’s mediumship. She said, “I will try, John,”.and we laughingly replied, “If you succeed, it will he a good test.” Shortly before Mr. Auld left Rothesay, when the subject was again discussed, Mrs. Auld informed him that he “would get a great surprise,” and he did; for I received this photograph just 17 days before his return. When Mrs. Coates and I saw the unrecognized (?) photo, it was, indeed, a surprising hit of evidence. We knew the face at once, having seen the same face on Mr. Auld's breast, in a photograph taken of that gentleman by Mr. Wyllie, in Glenheg House in Octo¬ ber, 1909. No one who has given any attention to spirit-photog¬ raphy but realizes that identifiable portraits are the crux on which the value of evidence turns, as far as Spiritualists are concerned. All the rest—testing— is so much research, scientific or otherwise, into the possibilities of photography. Here we have an identi¬ fied photograph of a lady, taken by a stranger six thousand miles away, wholly ignorant of either Mr. Auld or ourselves. I had not written this medium till the 17th of March, 1909, nearly two months after this picture was obtained, and of its existence none in Rothesay were aware till it was sent from London in May, nearly fourteen months afterwards. Truly truth is stranger than fiction. Whether coincidence or design, the fact remains that Mrs. Auld’s first photograph was obtained in Los 108 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Angeles. Mrs. Coates’ grandmother was obtained there also, and neither Mr. Anld nor Mrs. Coates were aware of the fact for months afterwards, and both ob¬ tained confirmatory psycho—portraits of these de¬ parted ones, in Glenbeg House, as shown elsewhere. A SPIRIT ON SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHY On Sunday evening, 22nd May, 1910, at a little pri¬ vate sitting held in our house, Mr. Auld spoke about the two portraits, which he had received of his good lady, the one which came on his breast, and the other and better—or at least clearer portrait—which was obtained in Los Angeles. Mrs. Coates, being controlled by Mr. Auld’s wife, said in reply to Mr. Auld’s questions:— I wish to dispel sadness from your mind, John, about myself, owing to the photograph which you have received. Even now I feel sad in coming back, when I think about my last illness. There were com¬ plications to make me doubly sad at that time. I did not feel prepared to go. I had in mental vision over and over again portrayed the many happy days we would have together. The change came so soon and so severely, I cannot honestly say that I was either willing or ready to go. No wonder that I was sad. I did not look upon life then as I do now. Everything then seemed so cross-purposed. I had not the oppor¬ tunity to develop my own powers, or to do you justice. I always felt something behind telling me that I would not be a long liver. I had the impression that there was something wrong. When having this photo¬ graph—unknown to myself—I was overcome with the memories of the past. The few short years and the many troubles rolled over my mind again. I tried to THREE PSYCHIC PHOTOGRAPHS 199 get over it, but the deed teas done. My face had on it the impression of my last illness. I certainly went to Los Angeles as you suggested, and tried to influence the photographer, but when I was photographed, 1 wish to tell you that I was not aware of it at the time You cannot understand this. You know as much about photography as we do. What you have got, John, is not me as I am, but what I was, and ivhat you remembered me to be in those last days. I cannot explain it otherwise. When we think what we were like upon the earth, the ether condenses around us and encloses us like an envelope. We are within those ether-like substances which are drawn to us and our thoughts of what we were like and what we would be better known by produce not only the clothing, but the fashioning of our forms and features. It is here the spirit-chemists step in. They fashion, according to their ability, that ether substance quicker than thought, and produce our earth features so that they may be recognised. Our thoughts produce our garments, the cut and colouring of the same, and the chemists, using their own magnetic power over the etherialised matter mould it so, and give to it an appearance such as we were in earth life. It is made to look like what we were, and instantly after we are photographed, this etherealised or materialised figure or face is disin¬ tegrated. Many faces are presented and photo¬ graphed of which we have no idea until that fact is made known to us; many forms are photographed of which the originals are not aware, but when I was photographed and coming into contact with the me¬ dium at Los Angeles, that etherialised matter was attracted or clung to me, taking on the features fash¬ ioned by my thoughts, which were by some sudden impulse or mysterious law, those of my last illness on earth. There is a creative power of thought which is used by all, although little understood, and this power is used by us more fully and determinately 200 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE than I can explain. We are employing it freely here and using it continuously in producing phenomena on earth. We are limited by many things, and prin¬ cipally by the skepticism, indifference and want of sympathy of those on earth. We are clothed in beau¬ tiful garments of many colours and our garments correspond to our spiritual and mental conditions. Our homes are fashioned by our thoughts out of grosser ethers, and many other things out of the finer ethers. But the substance drawn to us (on the earth plane) when we are photographed is grosser still than anything we have in the spirit world. It is this ma¬ terial which is used for spirit pictures. If you were less anxious to get a spirit-photograph—for anxiety is a great hindrance, too, John—you would be more successful, for then you would furnish better condi¬ tions both for us and the spirit chemists to utilise the thought forces and this etherialised matter therewith to produce our pictures. It is when you and we are in passive states that the sub-conscious thought forces are liberated, and when the physical mediums on earth realise too that mental passivity is as necessary as moral and physical states of health, then on your side we will have better material to work with. We have to economise, hence symbols are given to convey important lessons, and faces instead of full forms. And all that which is given is within your own at¬ mosphere of thought and Toeing. Maybe when the spirit chemists on our side, and the mediums on your side, and the sitters on both sides, are more united and in sympathy it may be possible to give you pic¬ tures of ourselves as we are, but till then you must be content to get what you can, namely, the work of spirit acting on your sub-conscious planes of thought and on material substances, although that in its re¬ fined and etherialised condition may be considered by you to be spirit substance. I know that all this is difficult for you to understand, but my photographs given you should help you to appreciate that in this THREE PSYCHIC PHOTOGRAPHS 201 matter we are governed by laws, and that which is given are earth pictures and not of ourselves in the life of spirit. Fig. 46. Photograph of Envelope and Contents with Psychic Picture of William Adolphus Drummond, done by Mr. Wyllie in Rothesay. Mr. Auld, to whom this message was given, con¬ sented to its publication, and the two photographs, 202 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE one of which is presented here, with Dr. ITnnter’s psy¬ chic picture. Alfhougli somewhat out of chronological order, J give another case where articles photographed pro¬ duced an “extra,” but the photograph was taken in our house. It is of interest to note that the first iden¬ tifiable psychic portrait which was obtained through Wyllie’s mediumship in Great Britain, came in this fashion. Mr. Oscar E. Drummond called at Rothesay shortly after Mr. Wyllie’s arrival and asked me if I thought the medium could obtain the portrait of his father, if lie (Mr. Drummond) gave Mr. Wyllie some articles to photograph. I said it might be worth a trial. He gave me a letter from his mother (in India), a pho¬ tograph of his father (deceased), and another of his mother. These I placed in a large envelope and gave it to Mr. Wyllie. That gentleman pinned the envel¬ ope on the back screen and photographed it. Upon the plate being developed, there appeared on it, besides the envelope, a man’s face. Both the negative and the print were shown (29th Sept., 1909) to Mr. Drum¬ mond, who declared “It is the head and face of grand¬ father . . . when I return to Glasgow, I will make an affidavit in support of my statement. ’ ’ In due course I received his attestation, from which I take the following extract:— I wish to testify to the following extraordinary facts: I called on Mr. Coates, Rothesay, where I had several sittings with Mr. Edward Wyllie, medium- THREE PSYCHIC PHOTOGRAPHS 203 photographer. The first sitting- was from a package containing a letter from my mother, a photo of my father (deceased), and a photo of my mother, now living. The above were placed in an envelope by Mr. Coates, and marked by Mr. Wyllie, No. 3, and then pinned on the screen. When the plate was developed, there appeared on it what Mr. Coates called a “psychic extra.” Upon examination of the print, T found—and here certify my conscientious belief that the same is—-the portrait of my grandfather, the late William Adolphus Drummond, who died in India in 1866. I knew him from a photograph which was in our house, and from descriptions from my uncles, and found a resemblance to my eldest uncle, who was his living image. The psychic picture is exceedingly like him, with this difference, grandfather had a beard in the photo, and my uncle in life was clean-shaven. As a family likeness the spirit-portrait is remarkable. . . . Oscar Eric Drummond. Keig Villa, Bishopbriggs, Glasgow. Sworn attestation before, and signed by, John Mac¬ donald, J. P. for the County and the City of Glasgow, 20th Oct., 1909* ' i Mr. Drummond had several sittings subsequently with Mr. Wyllie in Rothesay and in Glasgow, and ob¬ tained several psychic pictures, interesting enough, but from the point of identification-—blanks. Each testimony given in this chapter has been that of sane, clear-headed and sincere persons, and if not corroborated by other evidence, the combined effect is substantial, as the testimonies interlink. In these cases I know that evidence could be given in substan- *Reprodueed from The Two Worlds, Manchester, in which it was originally published.—I. C. 204 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE tiation, but is withheld because of the fear of being associated with what might be illegitimate—Spirits or Spiritualism. I could fill a large work with photo¬ graphs and the most telling evidence if I would only suppress the names and addresses of those most con¬ cerned and the witnesses. I have given the foregoing cases and thank the writers—who through modesty shun publicity—but in the interests of truth, have given me the facts recorded. If some of the good people who had articles photo¬ graphed by Mr. Wyllie in Glenbeg House, and who obtained identifiable portraits of departed friends, had consented to permit these to be produced, and allowed the details, with their names, to be published, I could— because the photographs would make better blocks— have given some striking eases. The foregoing shows Mr. Wyllie’s methods and what we suppose he did with the locks of hair sent him to Los Angeles. That a lock of hair, or other article, should form a nexus between the owner of it and (the photograph of) a departed requires some thinking out. But those who have read my book, “Seeing the Invisible,” will find a possible clue to the solution. CHAPTER X EXPERIMENT WITH MR, WYLLIE The story of the Los Angeles photograph is very in¬ teresting, especially as that photograph has been the means of causing considerable discussion of a nature which I little anticipated when the facts, as I knew them, were first related by me. I sent a letter to Mr. Wyllie, with two small locks of hair—one of Mrs. Coates and the other of mine— With the exception of our signatures, the letter and the address on the envelope were type-written. That letter was dated and posted at Rothesay, on 17th March, 1909. I did not get a reply as I expected, and on waiting two months, I wrote again reminding Mr. Wyllie of the letter and its contents. His, of later date, informed me that he had sent on “pictures,” and that he was surprised that I had not received them. Although negotiations were entered into which subsequently brought Mr. Wyllie over to Scotland, nothing further was heard by me of the experiment till lie arrived, when unpacking, on 24th September, 1909, in our house, his trunk, which held his camera, with other tilings, he came across a print of the photograph which 205 206 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE he took in Los Angeles. He seemingly was unaware that it was there, and it must have been put there by a friend who did his packing. Of the date of taking Fig. 47. The photograph of envelope and contents sent March 17th, 1909, to Los Angeles, with psychic “extras” of an old man; old lady; and letter with initials “E. D. G.,” done hy Mr. Wyllie in June or July of that year. EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 207 this last picture for me Mr. Wyllie has no remem¬ brance; but he thinks he took it in July, 1909. The print discloses the envelope, the date and the address of the letter, also my name and address printed in the top left hand corner. In addition to the en¬ velope and letter which form the subject of the pho¬ tograph, there appear as “extras” three (psychically- produced) pictures. These are two clearly defined heads—a man’s and a woman’s—and what looks like a letter with the initials “E. D. G.” written on it. As soon as Airs. Coates examined this card she at once recognized the portrait of the woman as that of her maternal grandmother, Airs. Tweedale, who resided in Rothesay many years before passing over. I did not know the old lady, hut her photograph, owing to the death of her son-in-law (my father-in-law) came into our possession about three years previously. Whatever has been said about the man’s face, that of the old lady has been fully identified. A critical ex¬ amination of the psychic portrait and the photograph in our possession clearly demonstrates two things: First, that of identification; and Second, that the psychic extra is neither a copy of the latter, nor of a corresponding period. With reference to the identification of Mrs. Coates’ maternal grandmother, I will mention, in addition to Mrs. Coates’ opinion, the following:— Mr. J. J. Morse, Editor of The Two Worlds, Man¬ chester, who had the opportunity on 29th September, 1909, of examining both the enlarged photograph of 208 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE the old lady, in Glenbeg House, with that of the orig¬ inal Los Angeles print, cordially endorsed the fore¬ going statement in The Two Worlds of 22nd October, 1909. As to the two other psychic productions, viz., the man’s head and the symbol, with the letters “ E. D. G. ” thereon, the solution did not come so readily, but I was impressed to send a copy of the Los Angeles print to Mr. E. W. Wallis, Editor of Light, with a note. He says:— In Light of September 25th we announced that we had received a.telegram from Mr. Coates dated Sep¬ tember 22nd, that Mr. Wyllie had arrived. Writing three days later, on September 25th, Mr. Coates says: ‘I have now a photograph lying on my desk which somehow had been mislaid, and which turned up when Mr. Wyllie was unpacking yesterday, and contains, with two other ‘extras’ the undoubted likeness of Mrs. Coates’ grandmother. You will remember that this came from photographing a lock of hair in Los Angeles, and the likeness is corroborated by a like¬ ness which we have in the house. Of the other ‘ex¬ tras’ there is a profile of a man, older and not un¬ like myself—so I am told—but who it is I cannot truly say, although the face appears familiar. The other item seems to be a letter on which is written, largely, the letters “E. D. G. ” The handwriting is familiar to both of us, but what they mean and what this symbol is w^e cannot yet tell. On receipt of the print of the photograph referred to above the written initials reminded us of those of our esteemed correspondent the late Mr. E. D. Girdle- stone, whose letters appeared in Light for many years, and although we had seen him but once the face on the photograph seemed to resemble his. Conse- EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 209 quently, we communicated with Mrs. Girdlestone, and in her reply that lady stated that in the Autumn of last year she sent portraits of Mr. Girdlestone and of herself to Los Angeles, Cal., U. S. A.— in the hope that Mr. Wyllie would be able to let us have some of his spirit photographs back. He sent us a photograph with the portraits of my husband and myself in the centre and a lot of faces all over—but neither he nor I could in the least recognise a single one. ’ With her letter Airs. Girdlestone kindly sent us a print of the photograph of Mr. Girdlestone that had been sent to Mr. Wyllie. On comparing this with the photograph received from Mr. Coates we found them to be identical, save that the face had been reversed, and in the Wyllie photograph the left side was ap¬ parently shown. We say ‘apparently’ because the hair was exactly the same in both. We then sent the Wyllie photograph to Mrs. Girdle¬ stone, who, when returning it, wrote as follows:— This photograph of my husband is CERTAINLY A REVERSED copy of the one I sent to Mr. Wyllie a year ago. My husband never parted his hair on the right side of his face, as it appears here. The signature “E. D. G.” is mine, and not my husband’s. I signed all letters dictated by him to me with his initials; his handwriting is quite different. If you compare this photograph with the one I sent you, you will see that it is a poor copy of a reversed one; which is easily done by printing from the glass side instead of the film side of the negative. I am a photographer of considerable experience, although only an amateur and therefore know. Printing from the glass side gives a blurred print. The importance of the facts stated by Mrs. Girdle¬ stone is indicated in the following comment written 210 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE by a Spiritualist, who, like ourselves, would have been greatly pleased to have a completely convincing photo¬ graph. He writes:— A photograph showing (apparently) the left side of a head and not showing the parting that ought to he there cannot be a real photograph of a spirit form, and it is in every probability and according to all normal physical laws a print from the reverse side of a negative showing the right side of the head. To take such a photograph normally would be impossible. It can only be done by the reversal of a photograph previously taken. As regards the initials “E. U. G.,” which Mrs. Girdlestone says are in her handwriting, Mr. Coates says: ‘The initials to be imitated would have to be actually forged at least eight times as large as the original letters to appear as they do in card all out of proportion with the letter sheet with which they appear to have connection.’ With reference to the portrait of Mrs. Coates’ grandmother (on the same plate) Mr. Coates says:— ‘It has been identified by one of our local magis¬ trates who knew her when he was a youth and re¬ members her perfectly; and it is also sustained by a local photographer—a thorough skeptic as far as psychic photography is concerned—although that is no qualification, who compared the photos, the one in the house and the ‘psychic extra,’ and it is his opinion that while the identification is complete there are several differences, viz., the photograph in the house is a finished, touched-up photograph of later date, and the psychic portrait of earlier date, as Mrs. Coates remembers her, and is not touched-up in any way. He cannot account for it, or for those done in the house.’ EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 211 So far for the Los Angeles photograph and the re¬ ception of the matter by Light. From the foregoing it will be seen that Air. Wyllie is—by suggestion—charged with fraudulent practices. The charge amounts to this, that Wyllie, for a paltry sum puts himself to a great amount of labour (which no ordinary photographer could possibly do for the money) and produce a photograph which would re¬ quire at least the following operations:— (a) To take a photograph of the head of Mr. Girdle- stone. ( b ) To take a reduced photograph of the reversed side of a print of (a). (c) To carefully and exactly forge the initials E. D. G. on a blank sheet of paper. ( d ) To fold the paper and take a photograph of it. ( e) To pin up my letter and contents, as seen in the Los Angeles photograph, with the forgeries on the back screen—or in some other manner—and while photographing them get the so well attested genuine psychic photograph of the late Mrs. Tweedale. Both the lady and the Spiritualist may be competent amateur photographers, but the assumption of fraud makes one thing clear, that they are not experts in spirit photography. They do not seem to know any¬ thing of the history of the subject, nor do they appear to have heard of the reproductions, duplications, and other efforts made by the intelligences in the invisible to make their power and presence known to us. The fact of the recognized and fully identified spirit por- 212 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE trait of Mrs. Tweedale is overlooked by these amateur experts, in their haste to charge Mr. Wyllie with dis¬ honest practices. A c.areful examination of even the copy of the Los Angeles photograph and of the Girdlestone head re¬ veals the fact that although it is that of the reversed side of the head, and a very much reduced one at that, it is neither a poor nor a blurred print, such as print¬ ing from the glass side of a negative would give. Dis¬ missing this, we have the two facts so common in spirit photography, two reproductions, viz,., of a head, and of the initials E. D. G., and it is admitted at once that the pictures of material things at present or hav¬ ing been in existence are not and cannot be photo¬ graphs of spirits. That is, if psychic photographs of departed persons, of themselves, as they appeared in bodily form while on earth can be called photographs of spirits. Letting that pass for review elsewhere, it is agreed that these two “extras” are not and cannot be called spirit photos. Does this mean that they have been dishonestly made? By no means. Even on the other charge, I have submitted both this and similar photographs to non-spiritualistic, practical photog¬ raphers, and asked them if they would produce me a similar photograph, and they admitted that they could not. There is another item left out of the calculations of those in haste to condemn, rather than investigate, and that is as follows:— Mrs. Coates obtained a second picture of her grand- EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 213 mother Fig. 48 on 17th October, 1909. This portrait is not only larger but clearer than the first received in Fig. 48. Photograph of Mrs. Coates, and the psychic picture of her Grandmother, taken by Mr. Ed. Wyllie, in Glen- beg House, Rothesay. the Los Angeles photograph. When Mr. Wyllie was packing up his old and favourite camera, and all his 214 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE accessories, prior to leaving for Glasgow on the day mentioned, Mrs. Coates was suddenly impressed to ask for a sitting. She did not like to do this, as we knew that Mr. Wyllie was bnsy packing. When Airs. Coates went into the room everything was packed up save a Kodak camera and some 7x5 inch plates, sup¬ plied by Air. Wm. Meldrum, AI. P. S., chemist, Victoria Street, Rothesay, of which four were put aside in car¬ riers, for three visitors who were coming before he left. Air. Wyllie said he had a plate to spare and he would use that. My back screen was wheeled into the room, the Kodak mounted and adjusted and the one plate exposed on Airs. Coates. When developed there was an “extra” on it. That “extra” was this other fresh portrait of Airs. Tweedale, larger, fuller and in a dif¬ ferent position than in the much discussed and, as we have seen, much condemned Los Angeles photograph. It is well to note the fact that Mr. Wyllie’s special camera and accessories were packed away; his favour¬ ite black back screen and the negatives of pictures taken in Glenbeg House, of which prints were taken, were in my possession. That he did not even have the negative of the Los Angeles photograph, that be¬ ing left behind in America, and yet this psychic pic¬ ture of a relative came in response to Mrs. Coates’ obedience to the sudden impression received by her to sit again. I merely state the facts and truly think they are corroborative of the genuineness of the other photograph under review. I sent all letters received from Mr. AVallis, with EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 215 marked copies of ’Light, to Mr. Wvllie, and obtained the following:— 30 Corunna St., Glasgow, W. Saturday, October 23, 1909. Dear Mr. Coates: 1 gave the (Glasgow Test) Com¬ mittee another sitting this afternoon. As to the Girdlestone affair, I can only say that if it is he, (which must be, as his widow says so), she certainly thinks l placed it there. So, Mr. G. has passed out? (I never heard he had). It may be a reproduction. I do not know, for, as you know, I have had many of them. Yes. I got the photos, as Mrs. G. says, but do not remember it. I cannot really say whether this is a reproduction or not. 1 told you of many which 1 had had. Yours faithfully, Edward Wvllie. In the subsequent note, returning the prints which Mr. Wallis was good enough to send me, Mr. Wyllie says:— Sorry I omitted to post these in my last. If you look at the first photo you got you will see the head is perfectly sharp, instead of being out of focus. This is quite true, not only in the copy sent to Mr. Wallis, but in the first photograph the head is sharp and well defined. Mr. Wyllie did relate to me some instances of not only reproductions which came under peculiar circumstances, but of other cases in which the double of living persons were also photographed. While I do not say 1 know, of either the one or the other in his case, his statements have been vouched for by investigators. Not doubting the same, however, for anyone acquainted with the history of this subject 216 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE is quite familiar with these puzzles. I might also add that whether these “psychic extras,” faces, heads or symbols, are faint, blurred, clearly defined or unrec¬ ognized, mere copies of prints, reproductions, duplica¬ tions. differently lighted to that of the subject, in or out of focus, or most perfectly definable pictures of either the living or the dead—so-called—has abso¬ lutely nothing to do with the greater problem of gen¬ uineness. All the foregoing have been obtained under rigid test conditions, when there could be no question of the genuineness. I sent Mr. Blackwell, among others, a copy of the Los Angeles photograph. I knew he was engaged in writing up his experiences in spirit photography, and called his attention to the discussion in Light, and co special articles in the Two Worlds. He went into the matter and sent a letter to Light, Nov. 27th, 1909, treating ably the whole from the standpoint of actual experience. It was not only an .explanation, but a tes¬ timony to Mr. Edward Wyllie’s bona-fides as a me¬ dium-photographer. In a private letter dated 25th Nov., 1909, Mr. Black- well wrote me as follows:— I went to Light Office to see Mr. Wallis and the photograph complained of. So far from being a poor copy of a reversed one, it shows a painstaking en¬ deavor on the part of the spirit to give satisfactory evidence. You will see my defence of Mr. Wyllie in this week, but I wish I had known about that splendid further bit of evidence of Mrs. Coates’ grandmother coming again and claiming to be taken. EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 217 I brought into my letter several other matters I was reserving, but as there has been a great deal of preju¬ dice and suspicion, I thought it would be useful to bring them forward now. Mr. A. K. Yenning, writing from 613 Flower Street, Los Angeles, Cal., U. S. A., sent the following to Light, and it appeared in its issue of 25th December, 1909 With reference to Mrs. Girdlestone’s statement in your article on experiences with Mr. Wyllie {Light, Nov. 6th) that a reversed print from the glass side of a negative gives a blurred picture, may 1 say that among the photographs taken for me by this medium years ago, there are three examples of‘reversed por¬ traits; that is to say, portraits of spirit friends who came at one sitting, and came in reversed position at another, but they are all equally distinct. These re¬ versed pictures are so frequent among this medium’s photographs that they seem to be purposely given for some object. Is it not reasonable to suppose that the reversing is done on the spirit side—these portraits being taken not from the individual spirit but from a thought-form-picture, or something of that sort. Many of the facts of physical mediumship go to prove that the operators on the other side constantly make use of material objects in the medium’s surround¬ ings as aids in producing phenomena. I do not know enough about spirit photography to dogmatise, but throw this out as a hint to those better able to judge. At the same time it seems to me that those who fancy that these reversed pictures are evi¬ dence of tricky mediumship have not thought out the subject. Take this case of Mrs. Girdlestone’s. First, the photograph of Mr. Girdlestone sent to Los Angeles would have had to be photographed, then a print 218 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE made from the negative from the glass side, this again photographed on to the plate after, presumably, be¬ ing worked up and clearly defined in some manner. All this work and waste of time the supposed medium undertakes at considerable loss to himself, all for the sake of what? To play the fool and impose on the public for a joke! Is not all this very absurd, impracticable, hyper¬ critical and far fetched? No one could carry on such a tricky business for a couple of weeks without being caught and exposed.-—Yours, &c., A. K. Yenning. Suppose we admit that the conclusions of our skep¬ tical friends are correct, then it must b.e conceded that Wyllie is not only an imposter, but an idiot as well to waste all this time and energy for 50c. in produc¬ ing this Los Angeles photograph; a conclusion at which any practical photographer would laugh. Acting from a thorough study of my subject on the view which I was led to accept, “that while it is not judicious to conclude that all these spirit-(produced) photographs are the photographs of spirits, it is a greater folly still to accept fraud as the first and only hypothesis to account for the appearance of these ‘ex¬ tras’ beside the subject on the plate.” I thought it best to wait, and see what further light might yet be obtained on the vexed subject of the head of E. D. Girdlestone, which appears in the Los Angeles pho¬ tograph. Early in February, 1910, I wrote to the Ven. Arch¬ deacon T. Colley, Rector of Stockton, Rugby. On the 12th of that month I received a very interesting reply, EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 219 with copies of the spirit photographs of his father and mother. In reply, I sent the Ven. gentleman, among other things, a few copies of spirit photographs, in¬ cluding the Los Angeles photograph. His acknowledg¬ ment contained elements of surprise; namely, that he himself, under totally different conditions obtained a head of identical character. I now append the portion of his letter which refers to the matter:— Stockton Rectory, Rugby, Feb. 15, 1910. Dear Dr. Coates: Thank you very much for spirit photographs, with letter. . . . Most of my plates, pictures and writing, have never been exposed in camera; therefore I term them Psychographs and not photographs, since Phos, as we understand it, does not play any part in the matter. I want you to give me, as soon as possible , ALL the information about the face above the envelope— Girdlestone. For I have the same face, which came as a psychographic production at my Leamington Hall Parlour, with friends, with a Welsh County J. P. on a visit. I also have heard of his coming for another friend in London—just in the same way as my long-ago friend, Mr. Thomas Everitt, came for my friend Glendinning, in spirit photograph, even in Ihe very same pose and look that he afterwards came to me in, in my own psychograph cluster of about sixteen other faces, including the faces of my father and mother again, as in the spirit photograph of which you have the photo engraving. We are in very deep waters aground, however, as yet as to these replicas. Please tell me all you can of the face of Mr. Girdlestone, and the letter, and whose hair was in the envelope; when and where it was taken, and if through camera, and all you know of him—for one 220 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE of my closest friends at Oxford was a Girdlestone. I should like to know all about the matter, on which for the world—in this particular case—perhaps next to my father and mother bring the most conclusive evidence that will arrest public attention. Believe me, faithfully yours, T. Colley. In reply to this letter, I sent in brief the informa¬ tion contained in the foregoing pages. I, however, did not know at the time the following facts, viz.:— That Mr. E. D. Girdlestone had passed away at Sutton, Coldfield, in February, 1909. My letter was sent to Los Angeles on 17th March, 1909; the print which I received was done in June or July of that year. It was not a photograph taken in Glenbeg House—as assumed by Mr. Venning—but given to me by Mr. Wyllie on the day when he unpacked his trunk, which arrived 23rd September, 1909. A copy of this photo was made in Glenbeg House. It was forwarded to Mr. Wallis as soon as I could thereafter. There is a coincidence here which I was not aware of till now. 1 could not have informed Mr. Wyllie when he asked about Mr. Girdlestone. It is clear, then, that the psy¬ chic picture of this gentleman ivas taken subsequent to his death. Subsequent correspondence with the Ven. Archdea¬ con Colley, brought to light the following facts re¬ vealed by Mr. W. T. Stead, in his pamphlet, “How I Know the Dead Return,” pp. 14-17. Although the name of the titled lady is suppressed, and the name of the medium too, through whom another psychic EXPERIMENT WITH MR, WYLLIE 221 photograph of the Rev. E. D. Girdlestone was ob¬ tained. I condense the long and interesting statement made there by Mr. Stead, and it amounts to this:— A Society lady well known in literary and scien¬ tific circles lost an esteemed friend. She went to London, having been advised to go to Mr. Williams, an old medium, for materialisations. At a circle held in the latter’s house, she suddenly heard herself called by a familiar name, and was informed that she was wearing a watch in her breast which once belonged to the owner of that voice. There was much more, but as it has nothing to do with photography, I refrain from further reference, except to say that this lady’s heart was greatly comforted. By direc¬ tion, she went to a septuagenarian photographer (the late Mr. Boursnell, London), being careful not to announce her name. Poor old Boursnell thought she was a duchess, lie afterwards told Mr. Stead. The old man described a spirit invisible in her surround¬ ings, but who came in with her. The lady inquired if a spirit photograph could be obtained. Mr. B. could not tell; he would try. To her intense surprise, the photoplate showed the beloved features of this friend, whom she never hoped to see this side of the grave. Upon learning from Archdeacon Colley that this special photograph was no other than that of E. D. G., T wrote Mr. Stead for a copy and particulars. This he could not give, as the lady had ordered the negative to be broken and had forbidden the mention of her name and further publicity. But this being not an unusual experience, that not only are the evidences of these genuine psychic photographs suppressed, but the names of the mediums (through whom the genuine 222 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE evidence has come) are suppressed too, I was not sur¬ prised. On 25th June, 1910, I received a long account from Archdeacon Colley, from which I take the following:—• Stockton Rectory, Rugby, June 24, 1910. Dear Sir: ... In Warwickshire we have a mystery surpassing even the case related by Mr. Stead, and a tilting conclusion to the facts which you have presented of the Los Angeles photograph—a mystery touching all human knowledge, yet beyond us to fathom, pertaining as it does to happenings in Warwickshire about the same time occult events were taking place at Los Angeles on the Pacific, so many thousand miles west of Leamington. The Rev. E. D. Girdlestone, known in earth life to the writer of these perplexing facts, from his resi¬ dence in the Brighter and Better Beyond, had his spirit face impressed on a photo-plate in a camera of one there to whom he had acted as Army tutor years ago, while the elder brother of E. D. G., the Rev. A. G. Girdlestone, who had predeceased his brother by two months, was, in 1868, my tutor at Oxford, when I was reading for Holy Orders. Last year, viz., July 9, 1909, the same face of E. D. G. came on a photo-plate (no camera used) held in the hands of eight members of a devotional circle of psychical researchers, held in my residence, at Leam¬ ington. The lady of whom Mr. Stead speaks, and others, recognise the face which, on or about the same period, —under wholly different circumstances and in dis¬ tinct hemispheres—came on the plates, as the face of the Rev. E. D. Girdlestone, of whose departure from this life Sir Oliver Lodge so regretfully wrote in Light , March 6, 1909. The Warwickshire worthy, with impressive scholarly look, was last seen in the EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 223 repose of death at Sutton Coldfield, March 1st. His concurrent return, therefore, to show himself at Leamington and Los Angeles gives us furiously to think of all the perplexities involved and of the facts so puzzling. But as the sacred Scriptures say, ‘It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, and the honour of kings to search it out.’ The kingly-minded will patiently try to do so in these and many other instances re¬ corded of occurrences parallel touching psychology and spirit photography. . . . Truly yours, T. Colley. I had several other letters from the venerable gen¬ tleman confirmatory of the above, as well as nine cases for this book. 1 now close this chapter of interesting testimony with what 1 esteem good evidence of spirit direction in these phenomena. 1st. We were influenced to interest ourselves in S p i rit 1 ’ hotogra p by. 2nd. Led to write to Mr. Wyllie, and ultimately to get him over to this country from Los Angeles, Cal., U. S. A. 3rd. On photograph received there were two “ex¬ tras” in addition to visible articles photographed. These were the portraits of the late E. D. G., and Mrs. Coates’ long-departed relative. 4th. It has been ascertained that the Rev. gentle¬ man departed this life March 1st, 1909. We wrote to Wyllie on the 17th of the same month. There had been delays. This particular photograph was taken somewhere in the early days of July, in Los Angeles. 224 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE 5th. In the Stead account, noticed, E. D. G. ap¬ peared to clairvoyants; spoke, was seen and felt at a materializing seance in London; was again seen and photographed by Boursnell. As Mr. Stead says:— There was no doubt as to the resemblance. It was he and no one else than he, yet he had not been in tbe spirit world a week when he returned and was photographed in the way I have described. 6th. On 9th July in the same year, the Rev. E. D. Girdlestone was psychographed in Leamington, about the same period, if not on the same day on which he was photographed in Los Angeles. 7th. The photographs and the psychographs have appealed to and been recognized by tbe titled lady referred to. by Mr. Stead and by Archdeacon Colley, whose statements are emphatic and circumstantial. 8th. While none of these circumstances were known to me, I was influenced almost on the receipt of the Los Angeles photograph, to write to the Editor of Light, and later on to Archdeacon Colley, when the matters discussed in this story came to light. The de¬ sign or coincidence—call it what you please—was most remarkable. 9th. E. D. G. appears several times and is photo¬ graphed in three different places—Los Angeles, Cal., Leamington, Eng., London, Eng.—by persons miles apart anil wholly unknown to each other, and by dif¬ ferent means. 10th. Mrs. Coates’ grandmother, whose picture is given on the Los Angeles photograph, is taken again EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 225 in Rothesay when Mrs. Coates obeyed the impulse or impression to be photographed. From the foregoing and other considerations, I conclude that the evidence is remarkable. I also as¬ sume that the Unseen Intelligences—some of them our friends and relatives —have some higher aim in all these efforts, than merely to console or gratify those to whom these phenomena come. CHAPTER XI EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE: CONTINUED I thought I could not do better than produce this photograph (Fig. 49) as an introduction to my per¬ sonal experience with Mr. Wyllie. The negative men¬ tioned was found in a house where Mr. AVyllie had been, and the hasty deduction is, that the medium- photographer employed it and similar plates to put “Spirits” on his patron’s photographs. This is Mr. Jensen’s charge. The next charge was one by a Dr. Woillard, who said he paid Mr. AVyllie to be taught how to take “spirit pictures.” This gentleman de¬ clared lie had discovered the trick, viz., that Mr. AVyllie put the “spirits” on the plates by “magnetis¬ ing,” i. e., holding in the hollow of his arched hand a photo prepared with luminous paint over plate in dark room, prior to exposure. He had found two such min¬ iatures prepared with Indian ink and luminous paint, and—Wyllie confessed that was how the thing was done. Air. P. A. Jensen had a notoriety to sustain as a modem witch finder. According to his own state¬ ments about his friendship (?) for Air. Wyllie, and 226 EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 221 Fig;. 49. Photograph from the Negative upon which a Mr. P. A. Jensen Founded his Charges against Mr. Wyllie’s bona-fides in The Progressive Thinker. 228 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE his general tactics, lie must have possessed all the virtues of the detective sleuthhound of the Dime novel. He appears not only ignorant of the most ele¬ mentary facts in photography, but of psychic photo¬ graphy. Apparently he has never heard of a ease where the subject stood alongside of the back screen, instead of sitting before the camera. In the case reported in Borderland (pp. 269-70, Vol. IV.) by Mr. J. Wade Cunningham, 327 South Spring Street, Los Angeles, Cal., Mr. Wyllie obtained the psychic picture of a beautiful lady and that of a living but invisible dog. A very remarkable, but by no means an isolated case, where the subject did not sit before the camera. There are well authenticated cases where the living subject could not be photographed. This has occurred with hypnotised subjects. Indeed, I have recently had the facts presented to me by Mr. Bailey, of Bir¬ mingham, where he failed to photograph Dr. Hooper when the latter was in a semi-trance state. The tes¬ timony in this case was most conclusive. Sir William Crookes, F. R. S., was greatly interested in the facts, which were presented to him by my esteemed corres¬ pondent the Ven. Archdeacon Colley. This Mr. P. A. Jensen has not been able to produce a single case where the foregoing negative has been used to produce by double printing “spirits” on the photograph of any living person. His repeated charges have been widely read in the States and in EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 229 Great Britain, but they remain until to-day unsub¬ stantiated. The merest tyro in photography knows that Dr. Woillard’s statements are not true. But there are many persons including “experts,” who will readily believe piffle of this kind. Having been kindly tutored by the Press and cor¬ respondents as to what to expect from Mr. Wyllie before he arrived, I took heed to my ways and experi¬ mented accordingly to discover the truth for truth’s sake. Mr. Wyllie arrived with two cameras, a few printing frames, other accessories, but no portrait negative (except one of his brother taken in Newark, N. J., be¬ fore leaving the U. S. A.) on 22nd September, 1909, and on the 25th of that month took his first photo¬ graphs in our house. His “gallery” was our drawing¬ room ; the plates used and the back screen were mine—- the dark-room being our bathroom, fitted up for the purpose. Two plates out of a new box were exposed as follows. Mrs. Coates was the first subject. On de¬ velopment there was nothing on the negative save herself. Jennie Mathewson, our maid, was the next experimented on, the second plate being exposed on her. Upon development, there appeared as “extras” the clearly defined face of a woman at her left side and a very young infant, dressed, lying across her lap. This was the first psychic picture obtained by Mr. Wyllie after his arrival in Rothesay, and in this country. I do not produce the photograph owing to 230 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE the indecision of her relatives about the female por¬ trait. As to the baby. Jennie’s mother lost a similar Fig. 50. Photograph of the Author, with Psychic “Extra” said to be that of the late Mr. John Adamson, of Messrs. Adamson & Son. Expert Naval and Portrait Photograph¬ ers, Rothesay. little one, but identification is not possible. This was 11k; beginning of a successful series. I do not propose EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 231 to give the details of all the photographs taken. Many of the best psychic photographs were not definitely identified; many were , but owing to the dread of pub¬ licity, the subjects declined to permit the use of their names and addresses. The following selection will suffice:— The photograph (Fig. 50) was taken on 1st Oct. 11)09. The plate came out of a new box, was marked X before, and developed by me after, exposure. Mr. Wyllie simply took the cap off the lens. At a seance held the previous evening Mr. Wyllie— who sometimes appeared to be clairvoyant, described a man who was present (invisible to us)" making special note of his peculiar cap or headdress. In the negative I noted the peculiarity, but it was not till I saw the print that the likeness to the late Mr. John Adamson was detected by Mrs. Coates and myself. Many of those I have shown it to said it was Mr. Ad¬ amson. Mr. Whiteford, photographer, who was for many years in his employment, told me he was not sure, but it certainly was very like him. Mr. Robert¬ son, of Glasgow, said “That’s Adamson and a splendid likeness, too.’’ Further than knowing and doing busi¬ ness with Mr. Adamson, I had no special interest in him. Why I obtained this “extra” I do not know except that the bulk of the “furniture” used by Mr. Wyllie was originally Mr. Adamson’s. I do not posi¬ tively insist that this is his portrait, but I do that this photograph was taken under perfectly satisfactory 232 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE conditions which would satisfy anyone—except an ex¬ pert. Fig. 51. Photograph of Mrs. Coates and the Psychic Portrait of her Aunt, the late Miss Isabella Tweedale. The photograph (Fig. 51) was taken by Mr. Wyllie on 3rd October, 1909. Mrs. Coates on seeing the print EXPERIMENT WITH MR, WYLLIE 233 a few days afterwards immediately identified it as that of her Aunt Bella, viz., Miss Isabella Tweedle. Fig. 52. Photograph of Mr. John Auld and the Psychic Por¬ trait of the late Airs. Auld with Roses. The photograph (Fig. 52) was obtained on 4th Oe- tober, 1909, and the face is a duplication of the one 234 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE on the Los Angeles Photograph of Madame Pogosky, mentioned in a previous chapter. The rose and bud Fig. 53. Photograph of Mrs. Coates and her daughter Agnes, with Lilies. are specially significant to us. At a sitting held in our house three years previously to Mr. Wyllie’s ar- EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 235 rival, Mrs. Coates, under the control of “White Rose,” Mr. Auld’s daughter—who passed over shortly after birth—promised among other things, that we would have a photographer in Rothesay in three years from then, and she would give her father a photograph of herself. Mr. Auld asked her how would he know her? She said she would come with roses, as a symbol of her spirit name. The matter was overlooked till we saw this print. There was, however, no portrait of Rosie, but with her mother came this large rose and bud, symbolical of mother and child. This photograph was obtained on the same day as Mr. Auld sat for the photograph on which the roses came. Now it happened on the same evening, when Mr. Auld got the promise about the roses, that Mrs. Coates in trance, under the control of her daughter Agnes, said ‘ ‘ I am coming too. ’ ’ Mr. Auld said, ‘ ‘ How can your mother know you, having passed over in childhood?” She said, “Oh, yes, she will know me. I will come with wdiite lilies, symbolical of my spirit name, White Lily.” The photograph given presents her, w'e are told, as she would have been at the age of 38. Whether so or not no one can tell. I relate the matter as it occurred. I consider it worthy of note that Mr. Auld, Mrs. Coates and I had forgotten all about the promise of a spirit photographer coming to Rothesay, and the prom¬ ise of the departed ones to be photographed through his mediumship, till we saw the prints. Then, sud¬ denly impressed, we realised here was the fulfilment 236 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE of the promises in a most remarkable manner. Mrs. Coates, on seeing the photographs said, “Our spirit friends are far more in earnest than we are; they en¬ deavour to keep their promises, and that under great difficulties, when we carelessly forget they ever made them, till the fact of fulfilment brings conviction home.” The foregoing certainly does suggest the work of Intelligences in the Invisible. Ilazelcliffe, Rothesay. Mr. John Auld’s Certificate On Sunday evening the 7th May, 1911, I read the foregoing brief descriptions and certify that the same are correctly stated. John Auld. The Testimony of Mr. T. T. Morse Mr. Wyllie knew nothing of Mr. Morse’s visit until he arrived at Glenbeg House (29th Sept. 1909). At the time had been taken up with interview and dinner, and as the day was dull and unsuitable, the taking of the photograph was an afterthought. There was only one plate exposed and this was developed by the writer after Mr. Morse had left. From the Editor’s full account in The Two Worlds, 29th Oct., 1909, I take the following:— On the previous Sunday we filled an engagement with the Glasgow Association of Spiritualists, and being in Scotland, availed ourselves of the oppor¬ tunity of visiting Mr. Coates at his residence in EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 237 Rothesay for the purpose of obtaining a personal in¬ terview with Mr. Wyllie, who was then the guest of Fig. 54. The Photograph of Mr. J. J. Morse, Editor of The Two Worlds; and Psychic Picture of Miss Florence Morse’s Guide, “My Friend.” Mr. and Mrs. Coates. We found Mr. Wyllie to be a modest and retiring gentleman, quite devoid of any 238 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE sort of assumption. He replied to all our questions with the utmost frankness, and manifested an evident sincerity in all he said, either in response to our questions or when making any voluntary remark. In brief, he impressed us, after a two hours’ chat, as he has all who have met him, as a straightforward man. We examined his camera. . . . The sitting took place in Mr. Coates’ drawing-room, and he, Mr. Wyllie, and ourselves were the only visible persons present. The cap of the lens was removed and replaced in the ordinary way, and the sitting ended. The “slide” was then taken into the bathroom, which was the im¬ provised dark-room. We were impressed with a de¬ sire to examine the “slide,” which we did and all it contained was the plate. There was absolutely noth¬ ing else, no trick appliance, extra plate or anything else. AVe awaited the receipt of a print, which leached us after our return to Manchester. On in¬ specting the print, we found our portrait was there, and on the left hand side of the print was the psychic extra—a marvellously clear and well defined face of a man. The face was unknown to us. AVe knew of no spirit friend whose description would in any way fit the face before us, when suddenly the impression came, “Take it home, it will be recognised.” We did so and submitted it to Miss Morse, who remarked, “Yes, I know it; it is ‘My Friend,’ and it is exactly as I have seen him many times.” I may explain that “My Friend” is one of Miss Morse’s guides, who has been intimately associated with her for a number of years. She wished to make assurance doubly sure and said, ‘Won are going to London next week; take the picture with you, and show it to Air. Vango. He has seen him elairvoyantly at various times. Do not say anything to him but see if he recognises it.” We did as suggested, when Mr. Vango at once repeated almost the same remark as Miss Morse made, i. e., “Yes, I know the face.” EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 239 Then later, he remarked, “Yes, I have it, it is Flor- rie’s ‘Friend,’ and a good likeness too.” We do not know the name of this spirit who simply describes himself to Miss Morse as “Your Friend.” For several reasons we consider this a far better piece of evidence of Mr. Wyllie’s bona fides than if the picture had been someone whom we personally knew. Mind and thought transference are out of court for, apart from our not desiring anyone in particular, the portrait is of someone of whom we absolutely knew nothing as to appearance. The in¬ terested party, Miss Morse, was 250 miles away at least, and did not know on what day we intended visiting Mr. Wyllie, so, no “waves” could have reached Rothesay from her. The above is a simple narrative of the facts in the case and the picture can be seen at this office. Mrs. Coates’ daughter, Mrs. Hector, having heard that Mr. Wyllie was with us, paid on the 8th Oct., 1909, a flying visit to Rothesay, and decided suddenly to sit for a photograph. It was taken in the usual way—one plate mine—and a single exposure. When it was developed by me there was an “extra of a little girl on it in addition to the subject. Upon examining the print, they had reason to conclude it was the psychic picture of Mrs. Coates’ eldest daugh¬ ter (Mrs. Hector’s sister Agnes), who had passed away at an early age. The points of identification are sat¬ isfactory to us. We possess a crayon portrait of the departed, also a .photograph of her sister Mrs. II., taken when a child. From the first comes the identi¬ fication and the second shows a remarkable family likeness. The psychic has on the little bead rings on 240 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE her fingers which her mother (my wife) made for her as a child, and on her arm a little snake bracelet Fig. 55. Photograph of Mrs. Hector and the psychic picture of the late Miss Armour. which her aunt Mary used to place on her when on a visit. EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 241 About twelve months after this picture was taken a niece of Mrs. Coates’ and a daughter of Aunt Mary paid a visit from South Africa to Rothesay. She was shown a number of spirit photographs, including this and the better one taken with Mrs. Shaw in Glasgow. This lady said “IIow funny, mamma has an old bracelet just the same as that, ” little knowing that the old bracelet and the one on the child’s arm was identical. In the next chapter I gave the photograph of Mrs. Shaw and Agnes, as the latter comes out much clearer than on Airs. II.’s card. On another day Airs. Coates and Mr. Auld sat together for a photograph. Mr. Auld had been hoping to get a clear photograph of his wife. Mr. Wyllie proceeded as usual. A little later in the day Mrs. Hector thought she would have a sit¬ ting. Mr. Wyllie went into the dark-room but did not trouble to light the red lamp, picked up what he thought was a fresh plate, put it into his single slide and exposed it on Mrs. II. Upon developing, two facts were discovered. 1st, it was a double exposure, viz., the plate previously used on Mrs. Coates and Mr. Auld; 2nd, there were two “extras” thereon, viz., a relative of Mr. Auld’s whom we all recognised, and the other was recognised by the said niece and Mrs. Coates, as being exceedingly like a Miss Armour. This double exposure by inadvertence is the only one in our experience. The psychic “extras” were defined enough for recognition, but not for production in these pages. Subsequently to this, Mrs. IT. sat to Mr. Wyllie 242 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE in Glasgow and obtained a beautifully defined por¬ trait of the late Miss Armour, which was somewhat spoiled in the prior double exposure accident. I had discussed the subject of Spirit Photography with Mr. Robert Whiteford, sole partner in the firm of Messi's. John Adamson & Son, expert Marine and Portrait Photographers, Rothesay, whose firm has car¬ ried on business in Rothesay for over half a century. This gentleman is not only a practical photographer himself, but he stands high in the community as a man of character and responsibility, whose word may be fully depended on. Mr. Whiteford, like many practical and professional photographers, was wholly skeptical about psychic photography, specimens of which on being shown to him elicited. critical and not always flattering remarks. On 8th Oct., .1909, Mr. Whiteford came to Glenbeg House and had a sitting under Mr. Wyllie’s own con¬ ditions. Mr. Whiteford, however, selected the day and hour as well as his position before the camera. He watched keenly all that was done, but otherwise took no active part in the procedure. The plate—only one was used—was taken from a box purchased by me from Mr. William Meldrum, M. P. S., chemist, Vic¬ toria Street, Rothesay. This plate was developed— with all others taken on 8th October—in my presence, and there was on it, besides the sitter, Mr. Whiteford, the psychic picture of a child about fifteen months old. The negative was taken into Mr. Whiteford’s and ex¬ amined by that gentleman, and a print of it taken by EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 243 him. It appears Mr. Whiteford had a little hoy, whose photograph was never taken, who passed away at this Fig. .">0. Photograph of Mr. Whiteford and psychic picture of little hoy unknown. age. lie says it has the Whiteford features, but he does not recognise it as his child. The next sitting this gentleman had with Mr. Wyllie was on the next day, 9th Oct., and was held under Mr. Whiteford’s own conditions. The plates used were taken from a fresh box of 5 in. by 7 in., supplied by Mr. William Meldrum, M. P. S., it being the only box 244 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE of this particular size sold by him during the season. For this, as the former, Mr. Whiteford chose the day, Fig. 57. Photograph of Mr. Whiteford and the Psychic Pic¬ ture of an old woman, unknown. moment and position of the sitters, of whom I was one. I will note in passing that on two occasions Mr. EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 245 Whiteford did not turn up, owing to the climatic con¬ ditions being unfavourable for even ordinary pho¬ tography. ATTESTED REPORT OF MR. ROBERT WHITEFORD. John Adamson & Son, Photographers. Studio: 23 Argyle St., Rothesay, October 22, 1909. I, Robert Whiteford, Photographer, Rothesay, solemnly and sincerely declare 1 entered upon this investigation on the understanding that I should have a free hand to make my own conditions, and this was agreed to by Professor Coates and Mr. Wyllie. Al¬ though I had inspected Mr. Wyllie’s old camera and lens, with which he had taken my photograph the previous day, for convenience, I declined to take its single dark slide with me. I then inspected another and more modern ordinary outdoor camera—by Kodak, Limited—which Mr. Wyllie had, and which he used for outdoor work. I took away a double dark slide belonging to the latter and filled it with two plates from a box—-supplied by Mr. Meldrum—which was opened by me in my own studio. I marked the plates with my initials and the date, viz., “R. W., 9-10-09” just prior to leaving for Glenbeg House. When there I again examined the Kodak camera thoroughly, and neither in it nor in or about the lens was there anything out of the way. Air. Wyllie and I entered into the dark-room, where he asked me, ‘‘Is the light satisfactory?” I said ‘‘No.” He then desired me to turn up the light to suit myself. This I did, at the same time opening the slide and showing him the plates. Closing one shutter and leaving the other open, I held the dark slide with one of the plates uppermost for Mr. Wyllie to magnetise, but the dark slide with the plates was never out of my hands or sight. Mr. Wyllie proceeded 246 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE to do what he called “magnetising the plate.” I then closed the shutter and went into the operating room, where 1 was joined by Professor Coates. 1 again examined the camera and lens and posed Mr. Wyllie and focused him, and set the shutter of the camera ready for exposure, and made everything ready for taking the subject. Mr. Wyllie then rose, and I took his place as sub¬ ject, and Mr. Wyllie exposed the plate for about six¬ teen seconds. I then rose and closed the slide, took it out of the camera and posed Professor Coates. When finished, I took away the dark slide to our studio in Rothesay. Upon developing the plates, I found to my astonishment what is called “a psychic extra” on my own plate—apparently that of an old woman. On that of Mr. Coates there was nothing save himself as subject. I entered into this matter with an open mind, with neither knowledge of the subject as claimed by some, nor with the slightest faith in it. In fact, as to the so-called spirit photographs which I have seen, I have put them down as “faked” pictures or double ex¬ posures, except some of Mr. AVyllie’s for which I could not account. The test picture taken of me is not and could not be a double exposure. I went into this test as a photographer, with my eyes open, and thoroughly on the alert to detect fraud. I found none. Mr. Wyllie never refused to submit to any test conditions which my knowledge of photog¬ raphy could put him to. Nothing would have given me greater pleasure had I detected fraud of any de¬ scription than to expose it. I claim this photograph of myself to be a genuine psychic photograph. With regard to the other photograph, taken the previous day in Glenbeg House, on which there ap¬ pears a child holding with its little hand the lapel of my coat, although I did not see the pLate fitted into the dark slide or that plate afterwards till developed and dry, I will state that there was only one exposure EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 247 made while I was in the operating room. I subse¬ quently examined the negative and made a print from it. I now conclude, based on this examination, and on the experiment of the test photographs, that this too, is a genuine psychic photograph. It may be asked “Why did you not make further tests?” My reply is “I am a practical photographer, and the test made, producing the result mentioned is as fully evidential as if I had made a dozen similar tests. ’ ’ I wish now to state emphatically that I am favour¬ ably impressed with Mr. Wyllie himself, and with his mode of working, he having granted me all I asked for. Based on 24 years’ practical experience as a photographer, I assert, whatever the result, that I could not detect, either in himself or in his work any signs of fraud or double dealing. Robt. Whiteford. Sworn Attestation: Sworn at Rothesay in the County of Bute this 22nd day of October, Nineteen hundred and nine years, before me, Donald Grant, Solicitor in Rothesay, No¬ tary Public. Two facts not mentioned in the Affidavit are—1st., Air. Whiteford saw that there was nothing concealed in Mr. Wyllie’s hands; and 2nd, as the dark slide was a reversible one, he reversed it in carrying it from the dark-room to the camera, so that had it been possible to put a “contact” figure on it by magnetising (?) that would at once have been detected. THE GENUINENESS OF MR. WYLLIE’s MEDIUMSHIP ESTABLISHED. REPORT OF GLASGOW ASSOCIATION TEST COMMITTEE.* The Glasgow Association of Spiritualists ap- * T aken from The Two Worlds, by permission. 248 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE proaclied Mr. Wyllie for a test sitting, stipulating that a camera, plates and slides other than those of Mr. Wyllie should be used. Mr. Wyllie, recognising the purpose of this arrange¬ ment, readily acceded to the request. Two test sit¬ tings, however, were held, one in Rothesay on Oct. 9th, and the other in Glasgow on Oct. 23rd, and both, considering the stringent nature of the tests and con¬ ditions, and also taking into account the adverse at¬ mospheric conditions and the natural nervous tension of the medium and sitters, were eminently successful and satisfactory. Every precaution was taken that experience could suggest. The test committee consisted of expert photographers chiefly directed by Mr. II. H. Thom¬ son, the Association’s Treasurer—a lecturer on pho¬ tography of twenty-five years’ experience, and a fre¬ quent prize-winner in open photo competitions. Other members were Mr. Richard Thomson, vice-president, Mr. John Sclator, Financial Secretary; Mr. Roehead, and myself. Full reports were independently given by each member of the committee, and a synopsis made. The camera used was Mr. H. H. Thomson’s half- plate teak-wood camera, fitted for the Mackenzie- Wishart patent slide, with envelopes for the same. The plates were purchased at the nearest chemist’s twenty minutes before the sitting. Two of the com¬ mittee entered the chemist’s dark-room, and filled up eight plates in the slides. At Rothesay the committee were introduced to Mr. Wyllie by Mr. James Coates in Glenbeg House and the second sitting took place in Mr. Wyllie’s apart¬ ments in Glasgow. The process adopted was simple. Each sitter en¬ tered the dark-room separately with the medium and the sitter carried the slide, which never left his possession. The medium took hold of the opposite EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 249 corners to the sitter, and held it there for a short time. Presently the medium asked the sitter to draw out the slide, and placed his left hand below the slide and his right hand arched over the open plate. After some minutes a series of raps or percussion sounds were heard below the wooden slide, and this signal being given, the sitter was requested to close the slide and place it in the camera. Mr. Wyllie’s hands were examined frequently. No phosphorescent or other suspicious appearance was observed by any of the committee, who were specially instructed to use their keenest faculties of observation. Before development the plates were examined minutely to detect any markings of the gelatinous surface. None were dis¬ covered. Each member of the committee went through this part of the test process. All the exposures in the camera (with one exception, when he himself sat) were made by Mr. H. H. Thomson. Mr. Wyllie merely held his hand above the camera and gave instructions as to the period of exposure. After the plates were exposed they were imme¬ diately placed in the camera bag and taken away by the committee for development in a specially fitted ■up room in Ebenezer Church, Glasgow. All the com¬ mittee were present and watched all the stages of development. The following is the result: ROTHESAY TEST SEANCE. First Plate Developed—Mr. R. Thomson, sitter. Small face on right arm. Second Plate—Mr. Roehead, sitter. Small figure in centre of body. Third Plate—Mr. II. II. Thomson, sitter. Large face over sitters; also one in centre of body, and a symbol. Fourth and Fifth Plates—Blank. 250 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE GLASGOW TEST SEANCE. First Plate Developed—Mr. Young, sitter. Bou¬ quet of large lilies near region of heart, probably symbolical. Second Plate—Mr. R. Thomson, sitter. Large face showing on left side and arm. Third and Fourth Plates—Blank or faint markings too indistinct to be mentioned as results. These psychic “extras” obtained under such con¬ ditions of control sufficiently testify to the highly developed powers of Mr. Wyllie as a psychic photog¬ rapher. The test committee unhesitatingly and unanimously testify to Mr. Wyllie’s marked and convincing me- diumship, and publicly thank him for his uniform courtesy and honourable dealings. Signed on behalf of the Sub-Committee, Geo. P. Young, President. R. Thomson, Vice-President. H. H. Tomson, Treasurer. Miss M. M’Callum, residing in Gourock, hearing through the Press that Mr. Wyllie was taking photo¬ graphs for subscribers, in Glenbeg House, wrote for a sitting, and came on Saturday, 9th Oct., for that purpose. She was an entire stranger to both the photographer and the writer. Mr. Wyllie had just been giving sittings under strict test conditions to a special committee sent for the purpose by the Glasgow Association of Spiritualists, but hearing that this lady wanted a sitting, he agreed, but suggested, as she was dressed in white, that she had better have something dark on, as white often obscured a psychic face, which otherwise might be an identifiable one. Miss M’Cal- EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 251 lum at once put on her dark waterproof coat and Mr. Wyllie made one exposure. I was present at the de- Fig. 58. Photograph of Miss M. McCallum with psychic pic¬ ture of her cousin, the young lady to the right. velopment of the plate, and there were two “extras” on it, a man and a woman’s head. The print was sent 252 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE on to Miss McCallum, and she was delighted to recog¬ nise in the female face that of a cousin. Concerning this photograph she said “This is very good. The lady is my cousin, but I do not know who the man is vet.” Fig. 59. Tlie Photograph of Miss Payne and the Psychic Por¬ trait of her cousin, by Wyllie, taken at Rothesay. Miss Payne, in answer to a request for her account of photograph received by her, gave me the follow¬ ing:— EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 253 Kames Bank, Port-Bannatyne, February 17, 1910. Dear Mr. Coates: In reply to your inquiries as to the photograph which I obtained the second time I sat in Glenbeg House, Oct. 17, 1909, Mrs. Coates and I went upstairs together. I sat down in front of the curtain, and Mrs. Coates on a couch to my left. Mr. Wyllie took me and said “I think you have got some¬ thing this time, for I saw a light near you.” On the Friday evening following, at a seance held in your house, Mr. Wyllie said “I hear the name of “Addy.” I had a cousin of that name. She was dead. I did not get the photograph before he left for Glasgow. I received it afterwards by post. The face on it is that of my cousin, Adeline Jones. Addy and I were very fond of each other. We went to school together. When I last saw her, she was keeping house for her brother. She had very pretty fair hair, which she dressed and wore on the top of her head; she had blue eyes and her mouth and chin were as they ap¬ pear in this photo. She was 45 or thereabouts when she died. The resemblance to her is so marked and her likeness to the family so strong I am convinced that it is she. This spirit photograph—so unexpectedly received, for I was hoping that I should get someone else—has given me great pleasure. It is only recently I have learned that our loved ones are neither dead nor in¬ different to the welfare of those left behind. I be¬ lieve that she has given me this to comfort me and I prize it very highly. Yours faithfully, Maria Payne. Miss Maria Payne resides in the district, is a mem¬ ber of St. Ninian’s (Parish) Church, and is one who, having taken an active interest in church and the Lit¬ erary Society’s work for the last seventeen years, is 254 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE well known and of good repute. By “accident” she was led to take an interest in Spiritualism. In com¬ ing' she hoped to get a photograph of a certain friend. Miss Payne was much surprised to obtain the spirit portrait of one of whom she had not thought for many years. As to the “extras” of departed persons being ob¬ tained when instead of a subject sitting articles were placed before the camera. We had the case of Mr. Oscar E. Drummond to which we have already re¬ ferred. There were two others. Mrs. Elector had one of her children’s hats—with some small articles of apparel—in it, pinned to the back screen. With these were obtained another, but different, likeness of her sister Agnes; and the other of an aunt of her mother’s, a Mrs. Dalglish. Another of our regular visitors had a photograph of her late father and some other articles placed in an envelope. These were at¬ tached to the back screen and photographed. AVith these, as the subject, there appeared on development of the plate a high, irregular head and face. No one could really tell till we saw the print. It proved to be the portion of a head and face in which half the fore¬ head was not visible, but the nose, one eye, cheek and side head came into view. AVhen -Miss A. saw this she said, ‘ ‘ How funny! This is Uncle James-. ’ ’ That evening two of Miss A.’s sisters arrived, and without hesitation said: “That is Uncle James.” I was pres¬ ent when the above identification was made; but I am sorry I cannot give either further particulars or the EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 255 photograph, as “the fear of man,” hinders publicity. There are one or two points to consider in relation to these. Mr. Drummond thought of and expected to get the photograph of his father, but instead obtained that of his uncle Adolphus. Airs. Hector had no defi¬ nite ideas, just wanted an experiment, and obtained persons of whom she had not consciously thought. Miss A. certainly hoped to get a picture of her father, and instead obtained a curious, but thoroughly identifiable portrait of an uncle. Many other similar results have been obtained, but not with me. In the next chapter I give the remarkable testimony of Mr. Henry Standfast, (Belize, British Honduras, Central America) as to his wife’s photograph and others, which came in this way and which should cause some serious thinking—complimentary or not, matters little. Concluding my notes of personal experimentation with Mr. Wyllie, 1 have had no “reversions” and “re¬ productions,” except the “E. I). G.” case mentioned. Concerning what Archdeacon Colley calls “repli¬ cas” I have had several with Mr. Wyllie. For in¬ stance, those of Mrs. Coates’ maternal grandmother. The one taken in Los Angeles and the other in Rothe¬ say. The duplication of Mrs. Auld, psychic photo¬ graph also obtained in Los Angeles and repeated in Rothesay. Mrs. Coates’ daughter Agnes, whose psy¬ chic portrait was first obtained when her sister was the subject in Rothesay and on the second occasion, with Mrs. Shaw, in Glasgow. In these there were dif- 256 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE ferences; nevertheless, they were practically duplica¬ tions. Mr. A. W. Orr of Didsbury reports the dupli¬ cation of Mrs. Orr. The foregoing are of identified psychic photos of departed persons. There were others not identified. Mr. Auld obtained twice the face of one who claimed to be a relation. Another duplication was that of a man’s face, which appeared on one of Mr. Auld’s photographs and again on the photograph of a. visitor well known to us. In a photograph of Miss M’Callum, of Gourock, with the identified portrait of a military chaplain, there is also an unidentified face, which that lady thought resembled a Boston professor. The features are duplicated on a photograph taken by Mr. Wyllie in Middletown. It is of the type of face which re¬ peats itself in the Wyllie photographs. I have found other duplications. The psychic ‘ ‘ ex¬ tra” of a little hoy (which I have produced) obtained in Mr. Whiteford’s experimentation, is duplicated on a plate with Mr. Wallis, of Middletown. I might mention other cases. Why do these things happen? Mr. Wyllie does not know. He possesses no control over the phenomenon. He thinks there are two explanations. 1st, that these “astral” forms or figures are made up within his surroundings and are either produced when the con¬ ditions are not so favourable—weakness in himself, bad weather, or 2nd, the repetition is due to the desire of the Spirit EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 257 Intelligences for recognition and these “extras” are given again and again till recognized. There seems to me something in both these sugges¬ tions. In the latter case I have had proof, viz., un¬ identified psychic portraits have been repeated again and again till recognized. My procedure with Mr. Wyllie (while our guest and acting as the representative of those ladies and gentle¬ men who subscribed to the Wyllie Fund, and also as Special Commissioner to The Two Worlds newspaper, was sympathetic, simple and effective. 1st. Sympathetic. In making due allowance for a stranger among strange people, and our unfortunate weather, I allowed Mr. Wyllie to have (apparently) his own way for a short time, except using my plates, back screen and dark-room arrangements. 2nd. Simple. No plates were used without my knowledge and only one exposure was made on each subject. Whenever I thought fit, 1 marked the plate— which in all cases was my own, purchased either from Mr. Wm. Meldrum, chemist, or other reputable agent— and I was either present or frequently developed the plates myself. 3rd. Effective. While honouring, and doing noth¬ ing to stultify mediumship, or forcing my presence on the visitors—the majority of whom 1 knew person¬ ally—when not present in the operating room, 1 learned from my visitors that only one exposure had been made. This eliminated at once double exposures and double printing from the category of operations. 25S PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE As I knew what was on each negative, I also knew what should he on each print. Practically all opera¬ tions were done under my supervision. Mr. AVyllie operated where I wished; in one room or another, with my back screen or his own, with my marked plates when desired, only making the exposure; subse¬ quently submitting to the test experiments of Mr. Robert Whiteford, as reported in that gentleman’s affidavit, and to the tests required by the Committee of experts sent down by the Glasgow Association of Spiritualists, Mr. AVyllie cordially consenting. The whole of these proceedings—forming a complete prima facie. CASE FOB SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHY —was submitted by me with vouchers and ten psychic photographs, to Sir Oliver Lodge, but failed, beyond courteous acknowledgments, to bring about an inves¬ tigation under circumstances so freely offered. No medium-photographer’s psychic gift has been so thor¬ oughly examined and powers tested as have been those of Ah'. AA 7 yllie in the short month during which he re¬ sided in our house. About sixty per cent, of the photographs taken ex¬ hibited psychic “extras” and twenty-five per cent, of these were identified as those of departed persons. To all the subjects Air. AVyllie was a complete stranger and of the origins of the psychic “extras” or portraits he could have no knowledge, and except in the cases where flowers—roses and lilies—were produced, there EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 259 was a marked absence of symbolism in the photographs taken. Owing to poor eyesight, Mr. AYvllie frequently over-developed his negatives and often did not see defects before sending prints out. Coming from a land of almost perpetual sunshine, he appeared to be un¬ acquainted with carbon processes, but he was evi¬ dently a thoroughly practical photographer. He had no interest whatever in making a portrait of the sub¬ ject, always sacrificed in psychic interests; and lastly, there was no touching-up. The sitter got what the exposure produced—nothing more and nothing less. CHAPTER XII. EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE: CONTINUED Miss M’Callum, shortly after Mr. Wyllie left liere, had a sitting in his rooms, 9 Corunna Street, Glasgow, and was fortunate to obtain (Fig. 60). On this there are two psychic faces, one of which she again was able to recognize, the Rev. Mr. Nicolson, late of Tighna- bruaich, a gentleman, well known on the West Coast and in the Highlands. I wrote to Miss M’Callum ask¬ ing her permission to get a copy of these photographs from Mr. Wyllie and informed her of my intention to make use of the same. In her reply from Lome Place, Gourock, dated 10th Nov., 1909, she says:— In the photograph taken at your house the spirit face is that of my cousin, who died a. year ago in the South of England. As to the second picture, taken in Glasgow, the gentleman with the military cap is my brother’s late master, Roderick Nicolson, of Tighnabruaich. He was a retired minister and had been a Chaplain in the Army. His brother founded the Nicolson Institution in Stornoway and the Rev. Roderick left his money to that too. My brother William was with Mr. Nicolson for eight years and nursed him on his deathbed. I did wonder how it was that this gentleman came, but it may in¬ terest you to know that I was wearing his gold albert, 260 EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 261 Fig. GO. Photograph of Miss M. M’Callum and the psychic portrait of the Rev. Mr, Nicolson. which was made up as a bracelet. He left a legacy tn my brother. It is just he. I hope you will find this of use to you. Yours truly. Maggie M’Callum. 262 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE I requested Miss M ’Galium to write her brother for his testimony, and she sent me the following somewhat laconic reply:— Lome Place, Tighnabruaieh, May 1, 1910. My dear Maggie: I consider the photo an excel¬ lent likeness of my late master, Mr. Roderick Nicol- son, of Ravenswood, Tighnabruaieh. Your loving brother, Willie. Miss M’Callum wrote me on 3rd May, 1910, to the effect that she had been able to recognise the other photos and that she had another satisfactory photo taken by Mr. Wyllie at Christmas. This is an example of one of the puzzles of psychic photography. It is not a reproduction of a previous psychic portrait, although similar in attitude in feat¬ ures and pose, but not either in focus or position as when taken with her own sister at Rothesay some weeks before. Mrs. Shaw is a stranger to us, but when Mr. Wyllie discovered what he had obtained, he immediately sent the results to Mrs. Coates. And Mrs. Shaw gave her permission for the disposal of the negative, from which the above has been taken. Why we should get a better and clearer picture with a stranger than with the mother or sister as sitters, is a question not easily answered. Particulars concern¬ ing identification given in previous chapter. I wrote to Mrs. Grant about the above photograph on the 6th September, 1910 and that lady accom¬ panied with her daughter, Miss Jean Grant, called upon me on the 10th, same month. In reply to ques- Experiment with Mr. wyllie 263 tions, I learned that Mrs. Grant felt strongly im¬ pressed to go to Mr. Wyllie and sit for a photograph. She called at his rooms in the month of November, Fig. 61. Photograph by Ed. Wyllie of Mrs. Shaw, and the psychic picture of Mrs. Coates’ daughter, Agues Tweedale Simpson. 1009. "While going up the st;;i:.s, she had a second im¬ pression through feeling a hand patting her cheek. Mr. Wyllie owing to the foggy weather at first de¬ clined to take her, but rather than disappoint her did so. She was very pleased because she felt that she 264 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE would get someone, and said so to Mr. "Wyllie. “But,” she said, Fig. 62. Photograph by Wyllie of Mrs. Charlotte Grant with the psychic portrait of her boy Alexander Grant. “I was not thinking of Alex, I was hoping and ex¬ pecting to get the photograph of another person. When I got the proof I was both delighted and sur- EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 265 prised to get the picture of my son Alex. I never had a photograph taken of him in life.” The above statements were corroborated by Miss Jean Grant. Miss Ross—residing in West Princes St., Glasgow —an old friend of Mrs. Grant (who knew little Alex well and was with him in his last hours in life) called to see the Grants, a few days after they obtained this photograph. Airs. Grant, knowing her friend was not a Spiritualist, merely mentioned to her that she had her photograph taken, and let her see it without com¬ ment. AVhen Miss Ross saw it, she exclaimed:— “Oh! that is little Alex with his smiling face. How did you get that?” Mrs. Grant said:—“He is dead, you know.” Miss Ross said that she knew that, but was anxious to know how Mrs. Grant got it. Airs. Grant explained as best she could. Miss Ross could not understand, but expressed delight at the marvel. I sent the above to Airs. Grant for confirmation and received the following:— 30 Derby St., Glasgow. Sept. 23, 1 f) 10. Dear Sir: Please find enclosed with signatures. I forgot to mention to you on the 10th. inst., that when little Alex took the illness from which he died, he was very fevered, so 1 cut his hair to try and cool him. I did not cut it very evenly. AVhen I received his spirit photo from Air. Wyllie, his hair was just as I had cut it before he died. A T ours truly, Charlotte Grant. 266 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE “We have read the foregoing account and beg to testify that it is correct. “We also add that Alexander Grant was three years and seven months old when he died, and that this photograph of him was taken twenty-six years after his death. Signed by: Charlotte Grant, 30 Derby St., Glas¬ gow; Margaret Ross, 351 W. Princess St., Glasgow; Jean Grant, 30 Derby St., Glasgow; Isobelle M. Grant, 30 Derby St., Glasgow. The testimony in this case is most conclusive. A stranger to Glasgow, and this family, produces the photograph of a boy who passed away many years ago. The identity and the evidence is as complete, as the laws of both ordinary and expert evidence de¬ mand. THE STORY OP MAGGIE’S PSYCHIC PORTRAIT. While I have to suppress the names of both the sit¬ ter and the originals of the psychically-produced “extras,” the evidence will be sufficiently strong to permit the case being recorded as “identified.” I am indebted to Deacon Convener John Duncan, of Edinburgh for the photograph. To this gentleman Mr. Wyllie left all his Edinburgh negatives, save one, that of his own mother’s psychic picture, which he obtained when a relative of his sat. When we examined the prints taken from the negatives men¬ tioned, Mrs. Coates and I immediately recognized the psychic portrait of Maggie. We told the story to the Convener, at which he was astonished. He wondered what the lady on whose photograph this had come EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 267 would think. The history may be briefly summed up as a story of a woman’s imprudence and a man’s Fig. 63. The Photograph of Miss B -, Edinburgh, and the Psychic Extras of Margaret, M-- and Child, taken by Mr. Edward Wyllie. selfishness. The young woman was in our service many years ago, and had to leave. She went to re- 268 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE latives in -shire, and for eighteen months there¬ after she corresponded with Mrs. Coates. We knew the reputed father, too, and the child is very like him. Maggie was a foolish girl, but not a bad one. Whether dead or living we do not know, as the correspondence had ceased suddenly, but the follow¬ ing, which took place many years after she left us, suggests she is on the other side:— One evening (Friday, 8th October, 1909)—a short time after (Mr. Wyllie had so successfully passed the tests described elsewhere—we had our usual weekly sitting, at which Mr. Wyllie and several othei*s were present. That evening Mr. Wyllie described a spirit of a man wearing a peculiar cap or fez on his head, and who was looking at me. Next day this man’s face, as described, came on a plate of which I was the subject. At the same sitting, Miss Kate M- described a tall, dark-haired woman, who said, “Do not despise me, Mrs. Coates.” The latter said, “I do not despise anyone. AVho are you?” “Don’t look down on me, I am your servant, Maggie.” Mrs. Coates remembered, and so did I, but neither Miss Kate M-nor the rest knew what was meant in that plea. Certainly we both had forgotten this young woman, but Miss M- never knew her. The in¬ cident was a very good bit of psychic evidence. I append the names of those present that night in cor¬ roboration of this incident, of which the psychic photographs were unexpected and remarkable se¬ quels. EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 269 We were present on the evening of the 8th October, 1909, when Miss Kate M- described a tali, dark spirit, and heard the message which Miss M-said she heard clairaudientlv, and bear testimony to the fact that the said description and message were imme¬ diately recognised by Mr. and Mrs. Coates. John Auld, Hazelcliffe, Rothesay. Maria Payne, Karnes Bank, Port Bannatyne. Flora Stewart, Stratford House, Port Bannatyne. Agnes M-, ) Ina M-, > Ladies residing in Rothesay. Katherine XI-,) James Coates, Glenbeg House, Rothesay. Jessie Coates, Glenbeg House, Rothesay. Rothesay, 7th October, 1910. I can offer no explanation. Mr. Wyllie was cer¬ tainly our guest, and present at that sitting. He did not know and could not have obtained a photograph of her, as none existed. The portrait of this woman must have been produced by some psychic process of which we are ignorant. Humanly speaking, it is not a case of mistaken identity. The points of interest are as follows:— *1. We had a female domestic, whom we both knew intimately. 2. She left under certain circumstances as to doubly impress her features on our memory. 3. She had passed out of our thoughts till either herself (or some intelligence in the invisible) influ¬ enced a lady—a recent acquaintance—to describe her and give us a very striking and thought-provoking message. 270 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE 4. Several thoughtful and intelligent persons were present on that occasion, and noted that we recog¬ nized the spirit described and the message. 5. Some months afterwards a lady in Edinburgh —a stranger to us—sits for a photograph to a stranger to her. She obtains two extras on her photograph. They are not recognized. 6. Another stranger, Convener John Duncan, of Edinburgh, visited us (April, 1910), and having shown us a number of prints, we recognise Maggie’s photograph, the only photograph in the whole collec¬ tion which has been recognized. In all this we have evidence of the work of intelli¬ gent operators in the invisible who are able, through a suitable medium, to produce psychic pictures. Cui bono? And to what purpose? These ques¬ tions I cannot fully answer, but I do suggest as to “what good,” that we have a hint here that the rec¬ ord of what we are and have been exists in the Akasa or thought-atmosphere of the psychic world wherein we partly exist now and where we will see ourselves as we really are ultimately. And the purpose is probably to show us that neither change of name nor place, neither in the body nor out of it, can we escape from our real selves; that we begin our progress in the discarnate state where we left off while in the body, no better or no worse. If poor Maggie has been the means of driving these thoughts home, we should welcome her visit and prize her spirit photo¬ graph. EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 271 The foregoing was sent to John Duncan, Esq., who brought us the prints and the psychic picture of Maggie, with the request: “If the statements are cor¬ rect I will he glad to have your certificate to that effect.” I append it:-— 6tli October, 1910. I, John Duncan, residing at Dunearn, Granton- road, Edinburgh, do hereby certify that the story of “Maggie’s” psychic portrait as related by Mr. James Coates in his work, entitled “Photographing the In¬ visible,” is correct in every detail. I have known the young lady who sat for her photo with Mr. Wvllie for a number of years. The negative was in my possession, and the prints Mr. Coates refers to taken from it. I was also present at the sitting in Mr. Coates’s house when Miss Kate M-at once recog¬ nised the photograph as being that of the young woman she had described to Mrs. Coates at a previous sitting. I may also say that the young lady in Edin¬ burgh who sat with Mr. Wyllie is a Spiritualist, but knew nothing of the young woman or child, and she has never been in Rothesay. John Duncan, Convener of Trades, Edinburgh. I have always maintained that the intelligence at work in the invisible have a higher object in the pro¬ duction of psychic photographs than the mere com¬ fort and gratification of the sitter. This is a case in point. The sitter was not personally concerned, but the lesson for all is most obvious. The photographer and the subject are instruments in the production of the picture, but wholly ignorant of the purport—a story of true human interest, with a moral. 272 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Mr. A. W. Orr, writing from 15 Moorland Road, Didsbury, Manchester, 19th April, 1910, says:— Fig. 64. Photograph of Mr. A. W. Orr and the Psychic Por¬ trait of his Wife. Done by Mr. Edward Wyllie. I enclose you a copy of the photograph on which appears the likeness of my wife and also a copy of another later photo on which I hoped to get another likeness of her, but in this I was disappointed. I enclose statement as to the identification of the “ex¬ tra” as being the likeness of my wife, signed by peo¬ ple who knew her well and used to see her frequently during the many years of our life here, face to face, if I may so express myself. No similar photograph was taken of her in life. EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 273 Miss Lee used frequently to be in our house for days together, and Lucy Turner was my wife’s maid. Mr. Shaw, a neighbour and friend, living opposite to us, knew us both intimately. Testimony referred to above. Same address and date. I consider the psychic “extra” on the photograph of Mr. A. W. Orr, taken by Mr. E. Wyllie, to be a good likeness of the late Mrs. Orr. Mr. W. Shaw, Grove Lane, Didsbury. Miss L. M. Turner, now of 113 Fairfield R., Buxton. Miss A. Lee, now of 113 Fairfield R., Buxton. Regarding the second photograph which I think is of sufficient importance to produce, Mr. Orr, writ¬ ing on the following day, 19th April, says:— 1 know neither face which appears, but one after¬ noon I showed it to a friend, who said he thought it was his uncle’s likeness, his mother’s brother, of whom he had only a faint recollection, as he (the uncle) had gone abroad when my friend was a child. He showed the print to his father, who declared that it was a very good likeness of the uncle, after whom he was named. Shortly afterwards, without comment, I showed the print to another person, who said “Isn’t there a like¬ ness to Air. R. (my friend) in the man’s face?” There is a resemblance between the “extra” and my friend, as often seen in family likenesses, and I give the foregoing not so much as evidence as being very suggestive. Yours truly, A. W. Orr. In interesting confirmation of the fact of Mrs. Orr’s psychic portrait, Air. Orr wrote me from Men- dip Cottage, Coombe Warren, Kingston-on-Thames on 26th April. 1910:— 274 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE I may mention that the day before I left Man¬ chester, the photographer who (a great skeptic him¬ self) is printing from Mr. AVyllie’s negatives, showed me a print of an “extra” only which had come on a negative taken a few days previously by Air. Wyllie, and asked if I could recognise the face. I at once said that it was extremely like my wife. He said that he was so much struck with the likeness that he had made a copy of the print to show me it. This “extra” is a better and clearer likeness of my wife than that which appears on my photograph. I sup¬ pose that she and the spirits who direct these matters happened to see that through this particular gentle¬ man they could probably build up a mask substan¬ tial enough to appear on the plate, and they took the opportunity accordingly. No doubt many spirit peo¬ ple are around while Air. AVyllie is taking photo¬ graphs and those who are able—finding the conditions suitable—press forward and produce the “extras,” quite or very largely indifferent to the question of who the sitter may be. trusting to luck, so to speak, to being recognised by somebody at some time or other. As to the face of the little girl on the second photo¬ graph, when Airs. Coates and I saw it we at once commented on the amazing likeness of the “extras” to that of a child of a friend of ours. AVe coidd not be mistaken about the face, as the little one had a strongly individualised physiognomy. Although wondering if the child had passed over, we did not like to write to the parents. Hoping that we should hear from them or have a visit in due course, we did not write. Our friends called on 9th September, 1910. Among other photographs we showed them EXPERIMENT AVI TIT MR. WYLLIE this, Both were extremely surprised when they saw the face of their own child on the photograph of an Fig. G5. Second Photograph of Mr. A. W. Orr with Two Psy¬ chic “Extras.” taken by Ed. Wvllie in Manchester, in March, 1910. The face of Little (Jirl, is that of a living person. entire strange:—in fact to see it at all. T need not dwell on their conjectures, hut summarise lie result of their certificates:— 276 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE I have examined the photo thoroughly and am con¬ vinced that the face of the child is that of my daughter. James S. Paterson, Glenkiln, Belmont Drive, Giffnock. I have also examined the photograph and am con¬ vinced that the face of the child thereon is that of my daughter Mattie. Martha Paterson. Both certificates were written in our presence, in Glenbeg House, Rothesay, on the 9th September, 1910. James & Jessie Coates. Now for the facts, which I have been able to verify. The psychic photographs were taken in Manchester, March 22nd, 1910. Neither Mr. Orr nor Mr. Wyllie ever saw the child. Little Mattie is very much alive. The photograph cannot be that of a departed, and if anything it is a picture of her “double.” Mr. Orr says:— I am obliged for your letter of the 27tli (Sept. 1910) and the photographs which accompanied it, which are extremely interesting. ... I am glad that the little girl’s face on my photograph has been recognised. As the photograph was taken in the afternoon I believe she would be wide awake and ‘all alive’ as to her state of consciousness; so that the question How came her face on my photograph is a mystery of an extra degree of mysteriousness. The face is so clear that its recognition can hardly be erroneous. It is a face having a good deal of in¬ dividuality. I am content to state the facts. As to explanation, life is too short for that. A word as to the testimony of Mr. A. W. Orr, I find that he is a man of standing in the community of EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 277 Didsbury, where he has resided for 29 years. He became interested in Spiritualism in 1894 for a sim¬ ilar reason to that given by Ur. Alfred Russel Wal¬ lace, F. R. S.; O. M., viz., “The facts were too many Fig. 66. Photograph of Mrs. Clara Ashworth, and the Psychic Portrait of Miss Alice Whittaker. for me.” He was many years president of the Man¬ chester Psychic Research Society. He is held in high repute in Manchester and district as a man of probity and strong scientific tendencies. He has been and is now one of the directors of The Two Worlds Publish- 278 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE ing Company. As a man of integrity, his testimony and opinions merit consideration in these cases, as they would have due weight in a Court of Law. Mrs. Ashworth, 17 Kent Street, Milkstone Road, Rochdale, at my request sent me three photographs. In two of these Mrs. Ashworth is the subject and the “extras” are the psychic portraits of her own sister —a very clear and convincing likeness, and well at¬ tested. The second photograph gives as an “extra” the likeness of Miss Alice Whittaker. The third photograph, in which Air. Eli Holt, seanor, of 4 Franklin St., Rochdale, is the subject, the “extra” is the psychic picture of his little brother, who was eight weeks old when he passed away. When Mr. Wyllie was at Rochdale, Mrs. Ashworth —who is herself a psychic—sat twice for a photo¬ graph, viz., on 4th June, 1010, when she obtained the likeness of her sister, and on 5th June, when she re¬ ceived that of AI iss Alice Whittaker. At the time of sitting she did not know what she had got on the plates, but went, hoping to get the photograph of her father. In this respect her hope did not materialise. Of one thing, however, she is certain, that Mr. Wyllie, the photographer, a perfect stranger in the com¬ munity and only there for a brief visit, could neither know nor get photographs of either her sister or the late Miss Alice Whittaker. On the morning before getting her prints, Mrs. Ashworth saw, in luminous letters, the name “Alice Whittaker.” She did not know what this meant until EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 279 she secured the photographs. I have only her word for this, but I at once accept it. Mrs. Ashworth is much respected in the world in which she lives, and many of her psychical experiences have been thor¬ oughly substantiated. We, the undersigned, knew the late Miss Whittaker well. Some of us actually worked with her when she was at Scho¬ field’s Mill, in Rochdale, ■where she lived the most of her life. Miss A. Whittaker was an active, energetic woman, well known in the town. She was found dead sitting in her chair, April 18th, 1910. The spirit photograph we all recognize as hers. Mrs. M. I. Ashworth, 26 Crawford St., Rochdale. Jane Ingham, 32 Mere Lane, Rochdale. Nellie Parry, 18 Talbot St., Rochdale. Mary Ellen Whelden, 87 Durham St., Rochdale. Miss Wilson, Woodford St., St. Annes-on-the-Sea. Frank Crossby, Miss E. Furness, Mrs. E. E. Lord and Airs. Parry worked with her in the same mill. Airs. II. A. Wilkinson knew her all her life, Mrs. Ingham and Mrs. E. Holden for years traded with her in business, and Mr. James Cooper, 141 Osborne St., Rochdale, was a co-worker with her for several years in church and mission work. I have omitted the address of some of these wit¬ nesses, but as all of them except Miss Wilson are at present residing in Rochdale, their opinions and sig¬ natures can be readily verified. The evidence to the fact of Spirit Photography can not he easily gain¬ said. Before completing the evidence in favor of psychic photography and Mr. Edward Wvllie’s genuine med- iumship, I wish to contrast all the foregoing sub¬ stantial and corroborating testimony, with that of 280 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE the “Expert,” Mr. William Marriott, who (without experimentation with Mr. Wyllie or any experience whatsoever in psychic photography) denounced Mr. Wyllie, as “a fraud,” in Pearson’s Monthly. Com¬ ment is needless. TESTIMONY TO WYLLIE’s MEDIUMSHIP. FROM A NOTED LECTURER, MRS. R. S. LILLIE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL. This lady was among those who occasionally de¬ nounced Spirit Photography and physical phenomena from the platform. Her influence was very great—- under inspiration. She was a most effective and charming speaker. Mr. J. J. Morse, editor of The Two Worlds, says:—Mrs. Lillie was a truly good wo¬ man, and beloved literally from Maine to Texas, from New York to California. She will be much missed upon the Pacific coast, where she was for many years an honoured resident, and a tireless worker for our cause. She passed out on the 28th Feb., 1911. Her letter to Mr. Wyllie has been in my possession since Oct., 1909. It is as follows:— Montecito, Cal., July 12, 1905. Mr. Edward Wyllie, Dear Brother Co-worker: The proof of photo is at hand. Many years ago N. B. Starr, of Port Huron, Mich., who was controlled to paint spirit pictures, presented me with a life-size portrait of my guardian spirit, a beautiful female form. The picture hangs by me as I write. I have always valued it very highly. The form by my side in your sitting is a good like¬ ness of that portrait; the face is very like it; the posi- EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 281 tion is different. The painting is a bust, while yours is full length. The face in the folds of my garment 1 do not recognise, but I shall be greatly obliged if you will send me a finished copy of the picture. Am sorry I did not sit earlier. With many thanks 1 am, Sincerely and truly yours, R. S. Lillie. Our readers who have doubts about spi: it-painted pictures, are referred to the Chapters devoted to that subject. In the above letter we have testimony, in good faith, given not only to the foregoing, hut also to the fact of spirit-photography; an unwilling con¬ cession compelled by the resemblance of the psychic¬ ally produced picture to that of the psychic painting. I am not concerned here with the honest belief in her guardian spirit, but with her testimony—in con¬ junction with that of others—to the reality of the phenomenon of Spirit-Photography. CONCLUDING TESTIMONY TO MR. WYLLIE’s PSYCHIC ABILITY. Some months ago I wrote to Mr. Wyllie informing him that I was engaged in writing a work on Spirit- Photography. I was somewhat surprised he did not give me cases, or the names and addresses of those who had received “extras” which had been identified. I recognised the value of his objections, which rested mainly with the sitters, who generally refused to give particulars for publication. Some did not like their names given; others thought the matter too sacred for publicity. However, in due course 1 was informed that Mr. Henry Standfast, of British Honduras, had 282 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE sent an account to his old friend and correspondent, Mr. J. .J. Morse. It appeared in The Two Worlds, 21st April, 1911, in the same number containing the account of Mr. Edward Wyllie’s transition. The friends to whom Mr. Standfast had shown the photograph, knew his wife in life and were astonished and more so as the simple facts were put before them. Mr. J. J. Morse says: It is a remarkable testi¬ mony to the medial powers of Mr. AVyllie, the noted medium for spirit-photography. Air. Standfast, the writer is well known to me as a thoroughly honourable man and his plain, straightforward testimony can be accepted without reserve. He has resided in Belize, British Honduras, for many years, holding a respon¬ sible position in the United Fruit Company, there. I very much regret, owing to the miscarriage of the negatives, I have not been able to produce the photo¬ graphs. Air. AVyllie posted them, but unfortunately. Air. Standfast never received them. The photographs were too precious to forward with the account given of them. In his article in The Two Worlds, Air. Standfast says:— I had read notices of Air. AVyllie’s gifts, and not finding his address, I sent to Air. Alorse a package containing a lock of hair and letters, one to Air. AVyllie and one to my wife, who had gone to the “other side” about two years before. I furnished no information about age or cause of death, but asked Air. AVyllie to do the best he was able for me under the circumstances. The letter to my wife contained words to this effect: EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 283 “You know we have seen spirit photos before, at the time of the Gurneys’ Studio law suit in New York some years ago. Now I want to express plainly that the extremely accurate likeness to the earthly person was a sort of disappointment to me—it looked so earthlike. A photo sometimes takes you at your best, even idealising, as everyone knows; sometimes at your worst, and both are exact. Now, I want you to give me one of yourself at your best, or as you are now. if that be a possible thing. I do not dictate what I know nothing about, but just request this as definitely as I can, so my thought may be clear to you on the other side of the veil. I am not wishing for an an¬ atomical duplicate of the fleshly face. 1 want a por¬ trait of the being.” I received a photo depicting my letter addressed to my wife attached to a dark screen. Enderneath the letter, in the light hand corner, was a painfully accu¬ rate portrait of my wife as she was a few days be¬ fore her death. She was tortured to death by cancer, which wasted the flesh off her body, and was 72 years of age. 'Above the letter, in the left hand corner, is a. portrait of her at about 30 or 35 years of age, except there is a sort of serenity of expression, and a deep, penetrating or soul searching look about the eyes, very difficult to describe. The features are exact in all details. Noticeable is the way she has fixed up her hair. She would curl her hair in a particular manner, not in her everyday style, but curled all over her head and down the fore¬ head. When finished, she would come and look at me straight in the eye, to see if I really admired it. •(Being an artist, and she having good features, I preferred the classic style.) T used to laugh at her earnestness over decoration, and tell her she was beautiful in any style. When I saw this photo I could not help smiling, and thought 1 could see the personal effort to please me. answer my request, and put me in mind of other 284 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE times, and to show me that is how she is now. The actual and well known features and the idealised expression are complete. In the portrait showing the face at the latest period there is the shoulder on one side down to the breast, given with a dress she sometimes wore of a peculiar pattern which I could identify in the dark. It is pleated or folded or embossed or raised, I don’t know the proper feminine name for such work, but it is not printed, and not what any lady might happen to have, because it was arranged by herself for occasional wear. It would be a difficult matter for me to think of any particular thing I could ask for in the way of a so-called “test,” more than what is given in these portraits of my wife. I wrote again to Mr. Wyllie, enclosing a lock of hair, and another letter to my wife, asking for a three-quarter view, (for a particular reason.) In ilue course I received another photo. The second let¬ ter was made fast to a dark sheet, and at the lower right hand coiner was a repetition of the first por¬ trait, with some little change, but above the envelope to the right was a portrait of a little child who left us at an early age, showing as far down as the shoul¬ der, unusually wide, a characteristic feature (over each spirit portrait there is a radiance.) Now, in regard to this latter, about this same period I had written to Miss Florence Morse, asking her if she would kindly try to get something for me from my wife. I enclosed a letter to my wife, part of which was written in shorthand, asking her to give me some news about that child in any way she could find possible. I may say it causes no particular strain on the imagination to feel that she sent me this por¬ trait in reply. I have written in shorthand and various languages to spirits and find it does not make any difference what language you use; they receive the sense, if it is clearly defined! Such personal points as these are more satisfying EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 285 and convincing - to a plain mind like mine than years of lectures and stacks of hypotheses. I only know that anybody exists by their personal characteristics and the personal phenomena attending them, intel¬ lectual or physical, whether the other side of a wall, at the end of a telephone wire, or in what we call another world, but which is only another state of being. Nothing at all can be proved anywhere in the universe except by corroborative evidence. I have had a very gratifying experience and want to make it as widespread as I can. Henry Standfast. Belize, British Honduras, Central America. Please note that the photographer was a stranger residing at a distance of over 5,000 miles from Belize, and the nexus was a lock of hair in each case. See Chapter XVII on “Most Favourable Conditions.” TRANSITION OF MR. EDWARD WYEEIE Mr. Wyllie passed to the Higher Life on April 10th, 1911, in his 63rd year. Although barely a month with us in Rothesay dur¬ ing September and October, 1909, it was long enough for us to appreciate his quiet heroism and his genuine medial gifts. From experimentation in our home, I gleaned a keen insight to his character and our sym¬ pathies unasked went out to him. Coming from the summer land of California, although in moderately fair health when he arrived in Rothesay, he soon suf¬ fered severely from the cold weather and almost per¬ petual rain and fog which he experienced during his stay in Glasgow. There he had an attack from his 286 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE old enemy, malarial fever, contracted many years ago, and in Edinburgh he was again attacked with in¬ fluenza, and he went an invalid to Manchester and never really recovered. Mr. Wyllie, after an eventful and most varied life, and considerable prosperity till he became a medium, was at the zenith of his power as a psychic when he lost all save his life and his mediumship at the great San Francisco earthquake. Due to that and the ex¬ posure and hardships in the Public Park, his wife, Mrs. Louie Wyllie, died six months afterwards, and all trace of his son Willie Avas lost since the disaster. Mr. Wyllie concealed the fact, but it Avas evident he neA^er got over the mental shocks sustained. I am inclined to think that Ave in Rothesay and perhaps the friends in Glasgow obtained whatever Avas best in his mediumship, but after the illnesses con¬ tracted in Glasgow and Edinburgh, I do not think he ever was the same. He concealed his ill-health to the last from his relatives and wrote a pleasant letter to his sister a short time before his last attack. Throughout all his trouble he remained the quiet suf¬ ferer and the gentleman. He had been a captain in the NeAv Zealand A. C. and took an active part in the Maori campaign. He Avas of the Scotch family of Wyllies, who, as statesmen and soldiers have been connected with India for over a hundred years. The Late Lieut.-Col. Sir W. H. Curzon Wyllie, K. C. I. E., C. V. O., who Avas shot in London, was his cousin. Mr. Wyllie was born in Calcutta in 1848, his father being EXPERIMENT WITH MR. WYLLIE 287 the late Colonel Robert Wyllie, of Elderslie, North Devon, who was for many years Military Secretary to the Government of India. With his departure the last of our gifted profes¬ sional mediums for photography is gone. Mrs. Coates and I will ever cherish pleasant recollections of this gifted hut misunderstood man. TESTIMONY OF MH. WALTER JONES, STOURBRIDGE. Stourbridge, 19th April, 1911. Dear Mr. Coates: Your letter of the 17th duly to hand. Poor Wyllie passed over in harness, as he him¬ self desired, and I believe it was infinitely better than a lingering, painful illness; so we will hope that all is for the best. I quite agree with you that he was honest, genuine, and too simple to be a fraud. In fact he was a man without guile; I am thankful that I made his acquaintance, which came about as fol¬ lows : My first meeting with Mr. Wyllie was in a London hotel. I invited him to dine with one lady and two gentlemen friends who were, I believe, Agnostics. The four were strangers to each other. When we had nearly finished dinner I remarked to them—“Our friend here is a psychic, and takes psychic or spirit photos; I don’t know whether he is clairvoyant also.” lie replied “I am not a good clairvoyant, although I see things occasionally, but I am not the only clair¬ voyant in the company.” I looked at him and he continued—“The lady opposite is also clairvoyant; are you aware of it, madam?” “No,” she replied. “Well, I see a young girl by your side, with long curls and bright blue eyes, looking at you intently and I am sure you often see that girl.” “Yes,” she replied, “that is my sister Jessie, who died in my arms eighteen years ago. and 1 have seen her every day since.” This was a greater surprise to her husband 288 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE than to any other member of the party. With kind regards, believe me, Yours faithfully, Walter Jones. In concluding my testimony to Mr. Wyllie’s char¬ acter, and mediumship, it is singular that at the close Fig. 67. The photograph of Mr. W. Walker, with Portrait of the Late Mr. Alfred Smedley, taken at the Crewe Circle, Crewe, England, Nov., 1910. of this chapter I have also to record his passing into the Invisible. His departure has brought abundant evidence of his great gifts. But what I have given must suffice. EXPERIMENT WITH CREWE CIRCLE 289 As I have had abundant testimony to the fact of Spirit Photography, obtained at the “Crewe Circle,” all private mediums—I conclude my reference to Spirit Photography by giving the following:— The testimony of Mr. Walker, 3, Palace Road, Bux¬ ton, to psychic photography. This gentleman has been an investigator of Spiritualism for twenty-five years. I cannot do better than give a recent case obtained at the Crewe Circle, under test conditions. I premise the account by stating that although Mr. Walker is a Spiritualist, he is also an old photographer whose ex¬ perience goes back to the beginning of the wet plate days. To this I add that the mediums at this re¬ markable circle are non-professional—give their serv¬ ices free to the cause—but owing to having to earn their daily bread by labour, they have to limit the number of the sittings and by request I do not furnish their names and addresses. Air. Walker says:— On Nov. 7, 1910, I sat with the Crewe Circle, and was photographed by the cainerist of the Circle. Two plates were exposed on me—time, 15 seconds each, the day being dull. On one plate, in addition to other “extras” is the portrait of my friend Mr. Alfred Smedley, late of Park Mount, Belper, so well known years ago in Spiritualism. On the second plate Mr. Smedley appears again, but on the opposite side of me, with another “extra,” said to be that of the spirit responsible for the phenomena produced at this Circle. The background used was the grey side of an Ameri¬ can cloth table cover, and the plates were mine. I purchased the plates, which no one handled after 290 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE the maker packed them save myself. In the dark¬ room I cut open the box and after carefully examin- Fig. 68. Photograph of Mr. Walker and of the Late Mr. Smedley taken on second plate. ing the dark slide, I inserted two plates. The remain¬ ing ten plates in the box were carried in my pocket. The camera, which I examined, was empty and the lens clean. I inserted the dark slide. After exposure, EXPERIMENT WITH CREWE CIRCLE 291 I took it, with plates, into the dark-room and de¬ veloped the latter with results which I have already sent to the Two Worlds. I now send you the photo¬ graphs, which I have enlarged at your request, for “Photographing The Invisible.” The camerist with¬ drew the shutters and made the exposure, hut neither lie nor anyone else touched the plates. Apart from the signed certificate obtained from all present as to the facts recorded, my confidence in Mr. Walker’s skill and honesty is unbounded and his evidence suffi¬ cient. Mr. Alfred Smedley and Mr. W. Walker were life¬ long friends and there can be no doubt as to identifica¬ tion. But since receiving the foregoing account, I have obtained the following:— Derby Road, Helper, April 8, 1911. Certificate. I have much pleasure in certifying that the Spirit photographs taken with Mr. Walker at Crewe in November last, are of my father, the ascended Alfred Smedley, and also that the portraits are identified by the undersigned, whose names are appended to this certificate. Lilian R. Smkdley. Thomas F. Smedley, Derby Road, Helper. Geo. Wheeldon, Joseph Street, Helper. IIY. Wigley, Bridge Street, Helper. CHAPTER XIII PORTRAITS PAINTED BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS For years I have heard and read of the medium- ship of the Bangs sisters, of Chicago. They are as well known at Chesterfield, Indiana; Lilydale, New York, &c., as at Chicago. Consequently they have been tested in the exercise of their mediumship in residences not their own. Although super-normally produced, “spirit-paintings and portraits” stand apart from psychic photography. I thought, as the agents for their production—intelligent operators in the Invisible—were identical, it might be possible that a little research would reveal a similarity in the laws underlying both the paintings and the photographs. It has. This will be seen in the agreement running through the statements made by various reputable per¬ sons in their letters. It must be borne in mind that the writers are unknown to each other. I have pur¬ posely selected as evidence the testimonies of reputa¬ ble persons in centres as wide apart as the United States, Canada, India and Great Britain. For obvious reasons, the greater number of the writers and the attestations are American. The Bangs sisters have been mediums since child- 292 PORTRAITS RY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 293 hood, but it was not till the Autumn of 1894, that they began to get spirit paintings. It was necessary to curtain the canvas, or place it in a dark chamber, p p 1 |U j klip J I, Fig. 69. The manner of sitting for portrait painting. In a well-lighted room, the canvas selected by the sitter is held at the cornel’s by one or both those mediums. The whole results from the beginning clouds to the finished portrait witnessed by the sitter or sitters. and several sittings were required to finish one pic¬ ture. Then locked boxes were used, but all these processes, where the canvases were out of the sight and control, so to speak, of the visitors, suggested the 1294 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE possibilities of fraudulent procedure, and of charges made to that effect. Latterly the pictures, have been obtained in broad daylight, and are finished in one sitting, lasting about twenty to forty minutes. The room is shaded sufficiently to cause all the light from the window to pass through the canvas, thus enabling the sitter to witness the development and detect the least change in the shadows. No two sittings are exactly alike. Usually in the development of a portrait the outer edges of the can¬ vas becomes shadowed, showing different delicately coloured lines, until the full outline of the head and shoulders is seen. AVhen the likeness is sufficiently distinct to be recognised, the hair, drapery and other decorations appear. In many eases, after the entire portrait is finished, the eyes gradually open, giving a life-like appearance",to the whole face. , I.Wv, ,, ; The above statement (by Miss May Bangs, in letter, 17 Sept., 1910) is supported by the letters and state¬ ments produced. In spirit photography, as much of the processes do not lend themselves to the observation of the sitters, this rare phenomenon of portraits painted by Invisi¬ bles is enhanced by the fact that all the work can be followed from the purchase of the canvases to the “precipitation” of the finished portrait. There are two styles of work. For the more deli¬ cate and spiritual and symbolical pictures, the spirit artists furnish their own colouring matter, but for the usual portraiture, coloured French pastels are placed in front of the canvas and these are used by the spirit artists—by a process called “precipitation.” PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 295 The effects are harmonious, and the refined blending truer to Nature than if similar portraits were pro¬ duced by material portrait painters. I now give a few concrete cases from their medium- ship :— Statement by Mr. John W. Payne, director of the Citizens’ Bank, New Castle, Indiana. This gentleman went to the Chesterfield Camp in 1905, and obtained the picture of his own father, who had died 14 years previously. I summarise the State¬ ment furnished in The Light of Truth, 9th Septem¬ ber, 1905:— It was made in the daytime in an ordinary room that was not darkened. The frame con¬ taining the canvas set on a stand before the win¬ dow. Mrs. Charles Payne and Mrs. John AVees- ner, who do not believe in Spiritualism were with me, and we sat within five feet of the pic¬ ture. The two Bangs sisters, the mediums through whom the likeness was produced, sat on either side of the table and supported the frame, each with one hand. No brushes, paint, crayon, or other substance of any kind was used as far as we could tell, and it was light enough to have seen a pin on the table. The sisters had never seen or heard of my father, nor a photograph or likeness of him. All they ashed was that / fix his features in my mind. (Italics mine. J. C.) The picture was not made in spots or a little at 296 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE a time. At first it was a faint shadow, then a wave appeared to sweep across the canvas, and the likeness became plainer. It was a good deal like a sunrise—got brighter until it was perfectly plain and every feature visible. Until the pic¬ ture was completed, the eyes were closed and then they opened all at once, like a person awakening. It did not take more than a half hour, and is the best picture of my father we ever had. I do not pretend to say how it was done, simply that the picture was produced before our eyes without the mediums having ever seen a photograph or other copy. This picture of the late Mr. John Payne is now hanging in the Citizens’ Bank, and the owner of the portrait is a level-headed business man and one of the most substantial in Spiceland, Indiana. THE TESTIMONY OF A CHICAGO BUSINESS MAN. Edward G. Pierce, 12007 Eggleston Avenue, Chi¬ cago, writes:— In less than half an hour I recognised the picture of my nephew, in life-like colours. There was no pic¬ ture of the child present. The only picture ever taken of him was about three years before he passed away, and this was in possession of his folks, ten miles from the psychic’s home. His mother readily recognised the spirit-picture as a true likeness of her boy as he appeared just before he passed out. It proves to us that our boy still lives and is with us the same as when in earthly form. The Testimony of Mr. Lyman C. Howe, a Noted American Writer and Lecturer, who says:— PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 297 There were two photographs of Maude enclosed in a sealed envelope and placed against the lower back side of the canvas. These had not been opened or in any way exposed to view until the sitting was closed. The sisters had never seen her, and so far as I know and believe, they had never seen her photo. The pic¬ ture is unlike either photo, and is more perfect and lifelike than any photograph she ever had. I mentally asked her to have a yellow rose in her hair, and to write her name, “Maude,” on the lower margin, and when the picture came out, the rose appeared in the hair, and “Maude” is written on the lower margin, as I mentally requested. I did not tell anyone of the request until the picture was finished. It is the most beautiful ana satisfactory phenomenon I ever wit¬ nessed. THE TESTIMONY OP VICE-ADMIRAL W. USBORNE MOORE. 8 WESTERN PARADE, SOUTHSEA, HANTS. I know of no one in Great Britain in whose powers of observation I could place greater reliance than those of Admiral Moore. This distinguished Naval Officer occupied several important positions and served the Government of his country in command of warships specially fitted out for scientific research— which need not he detailed here—all of which re¬ dounded to his credit, and received his country’s thanks. In writing to me, of date, 18th July, 1910, the Ad¬ miral expresses the utmost confidence in these re¬ markable mediums:— Since I returned from America (he says) a con¬ juror, Mr. W. Marriott, has endeavoured to prove to me that the pictures precipitated in the presence of 298 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE the Bangs sisters are fraudulent. The result of our many conferences has been to confirm me in my orig¬ inal belief. I have six pictures here which I should have much pleasure in showing you, if you are ever down here. In his second favour, dated 21st July, 1910, refer- ing to his articles in Light , the gallant Admiral writes: The Bangs sisters are quite genuine. There was a suspicion about them last August (1909), but all was satisfactorily cleared up.* In looking up the tiles of Light, I have omitted ref¬ erences to his other experiences with these mediums and have taken the Admiral’s account, which I con¬ dense, of how he obtained the spirit-portrait of his wife. The next day a portrait was precipitated on to a Steinbach canvas within two feet of me. The Bangs sisters each held one side of the canvas, which was put up against the window, while I sat between them and watched the face and form gradually appear. A few minutes after they began to appear, the psychics (apparently under impression) lowered the canvas toward me until it touched my breast. Mary Bangs then got a message by Morse alphabet on the table: ‘Your wife is more accustomed to see me in the other aspect. ’ Up went the canvas again and I saw the pro- *1 have made a special study of the trial in 1909 of Mary Bangs for violating section 2 of an Ordinance passed by the City of Chicago, on the 16th day of December, 1907, against the practice of mediumship, and obtaining money for so do¬ ing, &c. Although, and most conclusively, no fraudulent prac¬ tices were proven, the lady was fined. Not only so, but sub¬ sequently, the false evidence led against the lady was thor¬ oughly exposed.—The Author. PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 299 file and bust, but turned round in the opposite direc¬ tion ; instead of the face looking to the right, it was looking to the left. The portrait then proceeded apace, until all the details were filled in. and in twenty-five minutes it was practically finished. Beyond a little deepening of the colour, and touches here and there by the invisible artist, the picture is the same now as when we arose from the table. The precipitated por¬ trait is very much l ike a p hotograph of the person, taken 35 years ago (shortly before death) that I had in my pocket during the sitting, (The italics are mine. J. C.), but which the Bangs, of course, had never seen. The expression of the face, however, is far more ethereal and satisfied than in the photo. These instances are but two out of many manifesta¬ tions I witnessed at the Bangs sister’s house. I learn that in all precipitation the portrait appears on the side next the sitter. Admiral Moore, referring to one beautiful full-length portrait which he ob¬ tained, says:— On this occasion the canvases arrived from the shop wet, and we had to wait half an hour for them to dry. The next day I went to the shop and com¬ plained. The women who attended said, ‘The boy who brought your order said you wanted stretched canvases. When he came to take them away, we found he wanted the paper as well, so we put it on at once, and of course they left the shop wet.’ I relate this little incident for the benefit of those who vainly imagine that the phenomenon of ‘precipitation’ may be due to normal causes. As the gallant Admiral will soon publish his com¬ plete experiences with these and other mediums, the foregoing, which I take with his special permission, will suffice. 300 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Following the important testimony of the Vice-Ad¬ miral, the attested evidence of several intelligent wit¬ nesses will be appropriate. Attention is called to three points. 1st. The portrait was produced under test condi¬ tions ; the canvas selected by committee. 2nd. A correct, identifiable portrait of a late asso¬ ciate was artistically finished in eight minutes. 3rd. No photograph taken in life of the late Alex. P. M’Kee was produced as a probable basis for the portrait. The Bangs sisters are themselves convinced that they get undoubted portraits of spirits. I give this case in illustration:— Chesterfield, Indiana, August 21, 1909. State of Indiana, Madison County, S. S. Tom O’Neill, President of the Indiana Associa- tion of Spiritualists; James Millspaugh, Vice-Presi¬ dent of said Association; Lydia Jessup, Secretary of said Association; Henry Bronnenberg, Treasurer of said Association; and Rebecca M’Kee, J. M. AValker, S. J. Louiso and Lewis Johnson, Trustees of said Association, being duly sworn, upon their oath de¬ pose and say. That on the 20th day of August. 1909, they were present at a seance held by the Bangs sis¬ ters under test conditions, for these affiants above to receive a portrait of some former member of said Association, deceased, which portrait is to become the property of said Association, to be hung in the auditorium; that these affiants witnessed the develop¬ ment of said portrait, which portrait they recognised as the portrait of Alex. P. M’Kee, a former member and Treasurer of the said Association; that said pic¬ ture was developed upon a canvas, or stretcher on a PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 301 frame, which stretcher and frame were selected by one of these affiants from an assortment of such arti¬ cles, all similar in form and appearance, without any suggestion or indication from the said Bangs sisters; that said portrait developed upon said canvas or stretcher in the period of eight minutes within the full view of all of these affiants, in daylight; and affiants further say that they are firmly convinced that said portrait was so developed by spirit powers solely, and that no human, earthly agency contributed to the development of said portrait. That said affiants recognise in said portrait the excellent likeness of the said Alex. P. M’Kee. Tom O’Neill, President. James Millspaugh, Vice-President Lydia Jessup, Secretary. IIenry Bronnenberg, Treasurer. Rebecca L. M’Kee. S. J. Louiso. J. M. Walker. Lewis Johnson. Trustees. Subscribed and sworn to before me, this 21st day of August, 1909. (Stal). William Rowland, Notary Public. (My commission expires March 15th, 1913.) The following Letter of Experience is from Mrs. Gertrude Breslau Hunt, a well-known student of eco¬ nomical and social questions, who has lectured all over the United States on Child Labor, and other like evils. Both for the supreme interest of the letter and the prominent position of the writer, I give her letter in full 302 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE 1 take great pleasure in telling the story of iny investigations into the phenomena of Spiritualism, begun only three months ago, yet revealing so much! I was a skeptic until that time, regarding the few people I knew who believed in such things, with pity, perhaps slightly mixed with contempt, for their ab¬ normal credulity and imagination. I am therefore all the more anxious to make expiation for my former prejudice and dogmatism. After years of study and thought, I had given up the belief in a continued life after death; but last October, a dear friend, a loyal comrade, a brilliant, but martyred friend of humanity, passed out under circumstances so terribly sad as to make his life a supreme tragedy. I had looked death in the eye for months that same year, and never quailed for myself, but now death seemed a terrible monster. If a beautiful and noble life of service and love toward humanity could be ended in such fash¬ ion ; broken heart, wrecked hopes, ignominy and neg¬ lect heaped upon him, when the natural and just reward should be love, honor, health, long life and ‘every good and perfect gift,’ I said to myself, ‘If this be all, life is not worth living, I could only die damning so terrible a universe. I dare not wait to see my beloved husband and precious mother face such awful exigencies.’ In this hour of anguish the thought came of the claims of Spiritualism, and now I decided to ‘ investigate. ’ I went to the best mediums and there learned that I was wise. While the body of oiir friend and comrade was being cremated, I went to the Bangs Sisters and asked for a letter. I wrote four questions addressed to my friend, folded five blank sheets of paper around my note, sealed all in an envelope, and placed it between two slates, in broad daylight; put strong rubber bands about the slates, and never took my eye off it where it lay be¬ fore me on a bare oak table, and under my hand. After a time, Miss Bangs, who sat back in her chair, not touching the slate, said I might open the enve- PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 303 lope. I saw the writing through the envelope before I tore it open, for it was sealed and the seal undis¬ turbed. I kept up my investigations and finally de¬ cided, with the consent and co-operation of friends upon getting a spirit-portrait of our comrade, espe¬ cially for a memorial meeting we proposed to hold for him. To me, this transcends all other phenomena, for you have something you can retain, carry away with you, and show to friends, and relate the wonder of seeing it produced. I informed myself of the devices claimed to be em¬ ployed in certain newspaper “exposures.” I learned that the only negative of the deceased was destroyed, and I held the only copy in this State. I examined floor, table, windows and every part of the room, and selected a life-sized canvas from a lot of fifteen or twenty. It was placed in a window and I sat facing the canvas. I did not remove my eyes from the can¬ vas, and would stake everything I possess that no hand touched that canvas after I placed it in the bright light of the window, until the picture was finished. Three pairs of eyes showed on the canvas at once in different poses and places. The background appeared first, as though successive layers of dust had been thrown on, then in a few minutes the whole face ap¬ peared, with the colors of life. I criticised the pose, and asked for a full face view. The whole face faded out and was rapidly sketched again. I was requested to take the picture out and set it on the floor in such a light as it would be likely to have when finally placed. I did so, and remarked that the hair was too light, and there, where it sat, I saw the shadows creep into the waves of hair and it darkened. I asked that more color be put into the cheeks and the canvas blushed to the tint it now bears. The sleeves of the robe were corrected and in two hours the picture was complete, and a competent artist has stated that he could not finish such a picture in less than three days, working eigh t hours each. 304 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE The mediums did not know the name of the person, whether man or woman, had never seen or known Dr. Burson, never saw the 'photograph, and had no chance to copy it. (The italics are mine.—J. C.) I am there¬ fore forced to conclude that life continues after death and that we may receive messages and that this por¬ trait is a spirit-portrait. I have had many other con¬ vincing evidence, some of them in other cities where no one could possibly know anything of me. Nothing- lias brought me so much happiness, except the hope of the Co-operative Commonwealth and the resulting abolition of poverty and incentive to crime, when I believe we shall all “feel the soul within us climb,” and reach heights scarce dreamed of now, and prob¬ ably evolve, so that each may communicate with those in the spirit world without the aid of any other medium. Norwood Park, ill. Here we tind the spirit artists i esponding to the express wishes of the still embodied friend of the de¬ parted, and they comply with her wishes and also pro¬ duce as a spirit-portrait a picture which can be, and was, identified by a photograph taken in earth life of the late Dr. Burson. It does not make the spirit (pro¬ duced) portrait any the less valuable, but more so, that Mrs. Hunt possessed a clear mental vision of the departed, and its independent identification from the unseen, but solitary print in that lady’s possession strengthens the evidence. At this stage the question arises: Are these spirit-portraits the portraits of spir¬ its in disearnate state, or are they the portraits of something which exists—although invisible—on the psycho-metaphysical plane ? PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 305 Elsewhere I have given the Statement of his Hon¬ our Judge Levi Mock, of Duffton, Indiana, concerning psychic photographs which he obtained of relatives, and of a dog, at Chesterfield Camp, through the me- dtumship of Mr. Frank Foster. In this I give his ex¬ perience, and that of a friend who obtained a portrait, at the same Camp, through the Bangs Sisters. Dr. J. H. Annis, whose article to The Light of Truth, 16th Sept., 1905, I condense, says:— The Judge selected a canvas from a pile of fifty or more on which the picture was to be made. This was all the preparation necessary. One of the sisters sat on either side of an ordinary center table, supporting the mounted canvas by one hand, while the bright sunlight shone in through the open window. Mr. Rip¬ ley and Judge Mock sat directly in front of and about four feet from the canvas. In this position they watched the development of the picture. First, the outline appeared, then disappeared. Then it came again and continued to grow brighter, life-like fea¬ tures filling in. The eyes were closed; but to their surprise, they suddenly opened, and gave an expres¬ sion to the face that they felt that it ought to speak. Up to this time, neither of the Bangs Sisters had ever seen the photo which Mr. Ripley had concealed in his pocket. But, upon his bringing it out, a comparison showed an exact copy. (The italics are mine.—J. C.) Tn earth life the friend usually wore a Masonic pin, but from some cause he did not happen to have it on when he sat for the photo. Mr. Ripley desired it on the painting, and so made a mental, not verbal, re¬ quest for it, and immediately it appeared upon the lapel of the coat, just as he used to wear it. All this occupied about twenty minutes. This is one out of a hundred other cases I might re- 306 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE late, with the Bangs Sisters, that are just as good in their respective eases. In the foregoing, we see that the Artists Invisible responded to the mental request, as well as producing Fig. 70. Photograph of the Portrait obtained of a little Boy, who passed out of the Material Life twu years previous to the Precipitation of the Portrait, and of whom they had absolutely no Likeness, not even a Kodak. a portrait of the deceased, a likeness similar to that contained in an unseen photograph. PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 307 (Copy) 122 Lancaster Ave., Syracuse, N. Y. Bangs Sisters, Chicago, Ill. Our Dear Friends: For such we must call you. The painting arrived safely, and to say that we are both well pleased with it does not half express our sentiment. Our little darling looks just as though he w r as ready to step down and out of the frame, he is so natural. We fully realise no earthly artist could possibly pro¬ duce such wonderful work. One cannot see where the picture is started or finished, so perfect is the blend¬ ing of the colors. We notice the appearance of a certain little ring on the third finger of his left hand, the partial request of his mamma’s. This marvellous work has been a great revelation to us; one year ago we would hardly have thought this manifestation possible, and we feel very grateful to you for your efforts in securing for us such a wonderfully satisfactory likeness. May you have grand success in all the coming years of your life, that we trust the Over-Ruling Intelli¬ gence may prolong to a ripe old age, that others may have similar blessings that we are in possession of through your instrumentality. Very sincerely your friends, Mr. and Mrs. Milford Badgero. Particulars of the artistically finished portrait (Fig. 71) reached me from good sources. It was on exhibi¬ tion at Leach’s Opera House, Wamego, Pollawatomie County, Kansas, during the whole month of April, 1910, where it was fully recognised by many persons, intimate friends and many others who knew the late Mrs. Leach. The matter was also fully reported April 308 PIIOTOGRAPIITNG THE INVISIBLE Fig. 71. Photograph of the spirit-painted Portrait of the late Mrs. Ella Leamon-Leach, Pro¬ duced in the Presence of the Hangs Sisters. PORTRAITS PY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 309 28, 1910, in the Wamigo Reporter in the town where Air. and Mrs. Leach are so well known. The facts of obtaining the picture are these. Mr. Louis B. Leach, desirous of obtaining the portrait of his wife, arranged to have a sitting with the Bangs Sisters. They were holding seances in a room on the fourth floor of 1200 Pasco, in Kansas City. Air. Leach called upon them at 3:40, on 30th March, 1910. Ilis wife, Airs. Ella Leamon-Leach, had passed into the spirit-world little more than three years before, and her personal appearance was not known to the mediums. About seven minutes’ time was employed in discussing as to the style of picture which would be most appreciated. The following took place. The canvas, on a frame, 36x48 inches, was selected and placed before the window—which was four stories from the ground—in such a way that the light fell on the back of the framed canvas. The colours be¬ gan to develop in about four minutes, particularly rose red, quickly followed by darker colours and green. In thirty-five minutes the picture was practi¬ cally developed in the presence of Mr. Louis B. Leach and the Bangs Sisters. The former states:— No pigments or colors were furnished. No human hand, agency, mechanism, or contrivance rendered any assistance to the spirit forces executing the work. In this picture there are trees, vines and flowers, with a depth of scenery that is not often observed in por¬ traiture. It is a striking likeness of my late wife. The dress she wears is to me a well known study in Parisian Art fashion. The hair and eyes are perfect; the expression is hers, and in this beautiful picture 310 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE the colors of the trees, vines and flowers are distinctly true. I pronounce it a good likeness and a gem of art. Louis B. Leach. Since obtaining the above, Mr. Leach, writing on April 30, 1910, from Warnego State Bank, to the Bangs Sisters, says:— I have engaged a photographer to take a negative of Ella’s picture, and will send you a cabinet, as soon as they are ready.. I am very glad to let you have the use of the picture, or help you in any way I can. Your success will do us all good. I hope your experi¬ ence will lead to prosperous issues. I believe they will. My admiration of your work is only equalled by my love of the cause of truth. On my application to Mr. Leach for a photograph of this painting, in his (Dec. 4th, 1910) he regretted he had none available, having given the last away, and added:— You may take it from me that I am in favour of the Bangs Sisters and their work and nothing has happened to make me change my mind in regard to their genuineness. Louis B. Leach. This gentleman is a man of standing in Warnego, where he is President of the Warnego State Bank of Kansas, and he is also Proprietor of Leach’s Opera House. I have a long list of names, including Dr. Carson, and various prominent citizens of Warnego and of Kansas City, to whom Mr. Leach is well known. But I think the foregoing statements adequate. As to (Fig. 72) I give _the portrait, although I withhold the names, for the simple reason that the PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 311 Bangs Sisters obtained this picture in their first public demonstration for spirit paintings held in the pres¬ ence of a large number of people. It took place at Fig. 72. Photograph of Spirit Painting of the daughter of a prominent Marion family who are not Spiritualists. the Chesterfield Camp on the evening 30th, Aug., 1908. The Nuntie Morning Star says:— Upon a table on the stage was placed a frame with an opening large enough to hold an ordinary sized crayon portrait mat. Behind the aperture was placed a coal oil lamp. . . . The mats remained in posi¬ tion in full view of the audience, until the developed picture was completed. 312 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE A few moments after the mats were placed in posi¬ tion the canvas assumed a mottled cloudy appear¬ ance, and gradually the outline bust form of a person appeared in the center of the canvas. Gradually the picture became more distinct and the features were distinguishable; then the colouring of the hair and the face developed, and lastly the eyes apparently opened, and the picture of a girl about twelve years of age was completed and plainly distinguished by all the audience. The work required a period of about twenty minutes, and when the eyes opened the audi¬ ence cheered the young women. The picture was handed about the audience for inspection. The Bangs Sisters are the only persons known to develop pictures in the manner described and have produced portraits for many people in this city, among whom are Fred Macomber, who has a portrait of his mother-, Mrs. B. F. Timmons, Mrs. Richard Hunt, C. M. Payne of Newcastle, and J. W. Payne of Spiceland, Ind. The only explanation of their work given by the sisters is that spirit artists do the work. The picture then obtained proved to be the like¬ ness of a daughter of a prominent Marion, Indiana, family, who are not spiritualists in belief, and this was their first visit to Camp Chesterfield. The mother wore around her neck, hid from sight, a locket con¬ taining a photograph of her daughter almost dupli¬ cate in likeness of the picture obtained,* but different in poise and position. The Psychics had not seen the locket picture or any photo of the child. I am aware that since the foregoing exhibition of the Bangs Sisters certain imitations have been pro¬ duced in public and called “Spirit Paintings.” I also know that Mr. Wm. Marriott of London, Eng., says that he can produce them. Since this book was writ- *The Italics are mine.—J. C. PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 313 ten, Mr. Careward Ilariington, another expert, de¬ clares that lie has a friend who can do so. Were it worth while, I might give more attention to these claims. Have they produced pictures under similar condi¬ tions to those obtained by the Bangs Sister's? For this there is no evidence beyond the usual ex¬ pert assertions. Have they produced identifiable portraits, of per¬ sons whom they never saw, and from photographs which they have never seen? NO. Have any of their productions presented evidence of intelligences outwith their own? The answer is in the negative. CHAPTER XIV PORTRAITS PAINTED BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS —CONTINUED Mr. G. Subha Rau, Editor of the West Coast Specta¬ tor, Calicut, India (and who is not a Spiritualist) visited America some two years before Vice-Admiral Usborne Moore, and gives a detailed experience in the number for March, 1909, of The Hindu Spiritual Magazine. I do not propose to give his account in full. When he obtained the precipitated portrait of his wife, he had the photograph of that lady in his, pocket , which, however, the mediums did not see. In his statement—which I summarise—Mr. Rau says:— I had heard that the Bangs Sisters could produce through spirit agency a portrait of any deceased per¬ son. I had found it hard to believe such a claim, and when I arranged to have a sitting for a portrait of my deceased wife, I did so with no little incredulity. The Bangs Sisters claim that they can get a deceased person’s portrait precipitated on canvas even when no photographic or other likeness exists. In my case there was a photograph, which I was carrying with me. I took every care to see that neither of the mediums, nor any of their friends saw it. At this sitting both sisters took part. In the course of con¬ versation, one or the other would describe what she 314 PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 315 professed to see. They saw apparently a life size image of the photograph I had with me and described, it correctly in the details. (The italics are mine.— J. C.) For instance they saw that I sat; that my wife stood behind, with her hand on my shoulder; that her face was round; that she wore a peculiar .jewel on the nose; and her hair was parted; that a dog lay at my foot, and so on. Incidentally, 1 may mention that they described visions of one who, from the description, could be my mother; a third, my friend with whom 1 had been try¬ ing to communicate, and so on. But to proceed, they asked me to pick out any two canvas stretchers that lay against the wall, adding that I might bring my own stretchers if 1 liked. 1 took out two which were very clean and set them on the table against the glass window. 1 sat opposite, and the two sisters on either side. Gradually I saw a cloudy appearance on the canvas; in a few moments it cleared into a bright face, the eyes formed themselves and opened rather suddenly, and I beheld what seemed a copy of my wife’s face in the photograph. The figure on the canvas faded away once or twice, to reappear with clearer outline; and round the shoulder was formed a loose white robe. The whole seemed a remarkable enlargement of the face in the photograph. The photograph had been taken some three or four years before her death, and it was noteworthy that the merely accidental details that entered into it should now appear on the canvas. For instance, the nose ornament already referred to, she had not usually worn. Some ornaments were clumsily reproduced. One that she had always worn, but which was not distinctly visible in the photograph, was omitted on the canvas. I pointed out these blemishes, and as the result, when I saw the portrait next day, all the orna¬ ments had disappeared. I was satisfied that the por¬ trait had been precipitated by some super-normal agency. As soon as the portrait was tinished, I 316 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE touched a corner of the canvas with my linger, and a greyish substance came off. The portrait is still in my possession, and it looks as fresh as ever. I had omitted to say it was all done in twenty-five minutes. The above remarkable testimony by a skeptic and an eye-witness must be of great weight. The fact of reproduction does not take away from the value of the undoubted psychic action. Mr. Ran is perfectly satisfied that the portrait was a case of precipitation; that the photograph in his pocket was the basis of the likeness, and not any men¬ tal picture which he had in his mind. He is also cer¬ tain that the Bangs Sisters are genuine psychics and the phenomenon obtained through them arose through occult causes, but he did not think either his wife or the spirits, from whom he desired to hear, had any¬ thing to do with the production of this portrait. Mrs. Lucy E. Adams, 356 East 60th Street, Chicago, Ill., (in her letter to me dated 2nd July, 1910) says:—- 1 have had very little experience with spirit-photog¬ raphy, but I have for my friend, Mr. Ghose, Editor of The Hindu Spiritual Magazine , obtained a pre¬ cipitated picture of his son through the mediumship of the Bangs Sisters. Mr. Shishir Kumar Ghose will be interested in your book on Spirit Photography, and so will I. There was a desire expressed that I should investi¬ gate personally the powers of these ladies. I wrote the esteemed editor of the Hindu Spiritual Magazine, for he, being a man of standing in Hindu society, and lately honoured by the Indian Government, I would PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 317 highly esteemed his testimony. I received the follow¬ ing letter from his son, Air. P. K. Ghose:— Hindu Spiritual Magazine Office, Calcutta, September 29, 1910. Dear Sir: Your favour, dated the 30th July. My revered father, Babu Shishir Kumar Ghose, has been lying seriously ill for the last two or three weeks; hence he could not reply directly to your letter. I am, however, enclosing you, by his direction, a full description as to how the picture was precipitated. Tf possible, we shall try to send you a photograph of the picture. Yours very truly, P. K. Ghose. Manager. (The photographs were duly received 7th Dec., 1910.) I should much prefer to give the report in its lucid completeness, but lack of space compels me to sum¬ marise it. I may state in passing that it was owing to the successful personal experience of Mr. G. Subha Rau that Mr. Ghose was induced to try and get a por¬ trait of his departed son. Air. Ghose could not pro¬ ceed to Chicago and had to depute the mission to a most trustworthy resident in that city, viz., Airs. Lucy E. Adams, an esteemed correspondent. From the testimony of Babu Shishir Kumar Ghose. referred to in Air. Piyush Kanti Ghose’s letter, I take the following:— Having heard from a friend of his experiences with the Bangs Sisters in Chicago, I determined to get, if possible, the portrait of my beloved son, Poyesh Kanti. I could not go in person, so I wrote to a very dear friend (distinguished for her exceeding piety and 318 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE sound judgment) who resided in Chicago. I asked her to visit the Bangs Sisters and get me a picture. Fig. 73. The Photograph of the Precipitated Painted Portrait of Poyesli Kanti, the departed Son of Babu Shishir Kumar Ghose, Calcutta, done by the Bangs Sisters. Not believing in mediums, she objected, having no desire to help me to throw my money away. I in¬ sisted, however, and sent her a photograph of my PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 319 son, so that she should have decided and available means by which to identify the picture, but she teas not on any account to permit the sisters to have a glimpse of the photo. She finally consented. Taking her own canvas, and accompanied by an intimate friend, Mrs. P.,—who had no faith in Spiritualists— she called on the Bangs Sisters. There was only one of the sisters present, by whom they were taken into a small room, where there was one small window, which was open to the street. Before it the canvas was hung, so that the light fell on its back, enabling my friend and her companion to see how the picture was drawn. That window formed the upper part of a door. The canvas could not he affected from with¬ out. There was no space under the door through which anything could be passed. But in either case, any attempt from above or underneath would have been detected at once. It must also be borne in mind that it was the side of the canvas away from the windpw on which the picture was precipitated. The two ladies sat before and the medium stood on one side, touching it. Im¬ mediately they saw a cloud over-spreading the can¬ vas, and by degrees the picture was finally precipitated in the manner described by Mr. Subha Ran, in the Hindu Spiritual Magazine, March, 1909. These ladies had a watch before them, and when three raps announced the completion, they saw it was finished in exactly twenty minutes. Any human artist would, in my opinion, take at least twenty minutes to select the colours and blend the tints. In this delicate work of art no sign of brush work is visible, no crudities, as in portraits painted by competent artists. It was not done by the coarse hand of a material being, but by some means unknown to artists on earth. Most assuredly it was not done, drawn or painted by the only medium pres¬ ent or by the witnesses. The question arises, Was the picture a painting of 320 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE my son as the subject, or was it from his photograph? It. may be alleged that the medium saw the photo¬ graph elairvoyantly and that the spirit artist saw it through her. This is supported by the fact that the picture is very much like the photograph. There is one little circumstance which suggests that the spirit of my son was the subject of the picture, and that is the complexion■ is correctly given. The medium could not have known that from the photograph. The Hindus of the higher classes in Bengal have a peculiar complexion, which has its distinctive characteristics. Again, the sisters allege that they can get pictures precipitated in a similar fashion without a photo¬ graph. I have no reason to doubt the evidence, there¬ fore I conclude that the painting was that of the spirit present, and not from the photograph. The evidence is also conclusive that the picture was not done by mortal hand, but was finished by occult means: By Invisible Intelligence or spirit. The above account may have suffered a little by my curtailment, but the central fact stands, i. e., that an identifiable portrait of a departed was obtained through the agency of intelligent artists in the In¬ visible, by the aid of a medium. This is supported by the testimony of Mrs. Adams and her lady friend. The first was doubtful of the legitimacy of the pro¬ cedure and the genuineness of the mediums; and the second, if not both, were non-believers in Spiritualism. There is also the identification by the hitherto unseen photograph; that of the honoured Babu; the testi¬ mony of his son and the brother of the departed one. If this were not enough, the united testimony of the adult members of possibly the largest family in India, PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 321 consisting of Babu Shishir Kumar Ghose’s* immediate defendants; his brothers and their wives, children and grandchildren; his sisters, their husbands, children and grandchildren, together with not a few other rel¬ atives, with the servants and dependents of this great household. My only comment is that the fact of the painting and the manner of its accomplishment being estab¬ lished beyond doubt, and while it may be possible that the departed presented an image of his bodily form to the psychic artist or artists for production, the factor of the reproduction of the unseen photo¬ graph cannot be well excluded. It would still remain the portrait of an Invisible produced by no mortal hand. This is the central fact and to my mind the most important. The Testimony of Dr. and Mrs. C. II. Thurston, l give their account in full, as I consider the evidence of value, and of interest as being recent:— "Since writing tin* above Babu Shishir Kumar Ghose passed to the higher life 10th of January, 1911. Although the late head of this family was a modern journalist, author, man of affairs, founder of The Daily Amrita Bazar, Patrika, (the most influential paper in Bengal) the head of other businesses, landed interests, and proprietor of various publications, he was also a patriarch. His household is a survival of the patriarchal rule which in ancient times obtained in the Orient, although now almost non-existent in India. Honoured by the Indian Government, his reputation was of the highest; he was and is revered by his family and many people as a saint. Such is the character of the man whose testimony is given in these pages. 322 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Hagerstown, IncL, U. S. A. April 5, 1910. Desiring a spirit portrait of our daughter, who Fig. 74. Photograph taken by an Amateur of the Spirit- Painted Portrait of the Deceased Daughter of Dr. and Mrs. E. H. Thurston, of Hagerstown, Indiana, U. S. A. passed into the spirit life at the age of thirty years, and having viewed some of the results obtained for PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 323 others, through this remarkable phase of the Bangs Sisters’ mediumship, we decided to make a test of it ourselves. Visiting Chesterfield Camp, Indiana, we called upon the Bangs Sisters in their cottage and arranged the date for our sitting, the hour set being the following afternoon. At the stated time we again called at their cottage. Entering the seance-room, and finding only three canvases, I selected two of them, took them out in the sunlight, in company with one of the Miss Bangs, exposed them for fifteen minutes to the strong rays of the noonday sun, examined the surface thor¬ oughly to fully assure myself that they were not chemically prepared, at the same time to secretly mark them for identification. Returning to the seance room, I placed the canvas on the small table before a well-lighted north window, and by examination of table and surroundings, convinced myself that every¬ thing was void of any and all mechanical apparatus. The Bangs Sisters, seated on each side of the table, merely supported the canvas in an upright position with one hand, myself and wife being seated directly in front of and not more than two feet from them. After sitting a very short time, a dark shadow passed over the canvas, followed by the outline of the head and body, then, to our wonderful amazement, the per¬ fect features of our daughter appeared, with the eyes closed; a few more seconds, and the eyes opened, and before us was the beautiful spirit-portrait of our de¬ ceased daughter, perfectly life-like in every feature, and which has been instantly recognised by all who knew her when in earth life. When the picture was completed, the identification marks previously spoken of showed that the canvas had not been tampered with in any way. While the portrait has much the appearance of pastel work, we have since removed particles of the material or substance of which the picture is made and find it perfectly soluble in water, without impart- 324 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE iug any colour whatever to the water, which is not the case in pastel work. Being - somewhat familiar with photography and photographic processes, especially solar print work, we are fully convinced that the picture is not the product of any photographic process, and we desire to say right here there was positively no evidence whatever of any trick, of sleight of hand performance; everything was perfectly straightforward and honest, as far as the physical eye could discern, and we went away from that cottage at beautiful Camp Chester¬ field more convinced than ever before of the con¬ tinuity of life after death, and the beautiful philos¬ ophy of Spiritualism. The Bangs Sisters will ever have our highest re¬ gards, for we believe they are thoroughly genuine and honest. Dr. and Mrs. H. E. Thurston. Dr. and Mrs. II. E. Thurston did not state whether they had a photograph of their daughter taken in life, but I assume that to be possible as the doctor was himself a photographer. It does not affect the facts stated whether they had or not. I now give an interesting case in which no photo¬ graph had been taken. The account—which I sum¬ marise—was given by Mr. George C. Holland, of Ot¬ tawa, Canada. In Light, 15th May, 1909, he (after describing procedure at the cottage of the Bangs Sis¬ ters, at Lilydale Camp, the test measures adopted and the fact that Mrs. Holland and himself had no pho¬ tograph of their son in their possession) says:— First, a cloud seemed to roll over the face of the canvas and disappear. It was followed by other PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 325 clouds, each time some of the color remaining on the canvas until a background was formed. Then ap¬ peared a faint outline of a human head, which dis¬ appeared and reappeared several times before re¬ maining on the canvas. Rapidly the features seemed to grow, and finally the eyes, which for a time were indistinct and apparently closed, opened, and re¬ mained open on the canvas. In about twenty minutes the picture was completed. In a general way it re¬ sembled our son, but it was not even a fairly good portrait. All the foregoing was. carried out in a well lighted room and executed with the sunshine directly bearing on the canvas, which was selected by the investigators, and the mediums had no intimation of what sort of portrait was desired. The test adopted was a remark¬ able one, namely, two canvases were held face to face, and the portrait of the son appeared on one of them. The one point I wish to note was the failure to pro¬ duce a good likeness of the son of Mr. and Mrs. Hol¬ land. It will also be remembered that they had no photograph of their departed son with them. Possi¬ bly, too, they had not a clear mental picture of him, or what is most likely, the mother had one conception of him and the father another. And the spirit-artists produced a composite picture of the two. I have omitted, from lack of space, Mr. J. M. White’s graphic report of the great exhibition of over one hundred psychic portraits, and allegorical pic¬ tures of scenes in the Invisible, done by these medi¬ ums, held last January in Kansas City. Two of these 326 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE have been held in the Galleries of Psychic Art, in the Temple of Health, corner of 12th and Washington Streets, Kansas City, Missouri—the one above men¬ tioned, in January, and the other in December, 1910. These were visited by thousands of people on both occasions. To use Dr. Carson’s words in his “An¬ nouncement” and invitation to the December ex¬ hibit—“Nothing before seen can compare with the marvellous beauty of these psychic pictures and crea¬ tions from an unseen world. To one interested in Divine Revelations, a view of these pictures would be ample reward for coming thousands of miles to attend the Convention.” As to the nature and character of this Convention, I have nothing to say in these pages except that it was a remarkable one, where highly intellectual men and women gathered together to discuss matters of Health and Well-being. Among the objects which were dis¬ cussed was the building of the Temple of Light. In this Temple a new system of education was to be car¬ ried out. What is of interest to us is that in addition to the hundred odd pictures, done by the Bangs Sis¬ ters, adorning four Art Parlors in the Temple of Health, there is the psychic painting of the proposed Temple of Light. Dr. Carson says —■ The photograph is taken from the psychic painting executed in The Temple of Health. The Temple of Light will be of the Grecian-Roman-Ionian school of architecture, adhering to the beautiful lines of the PORTRAITS BY INVISIBLE ARTISTS 327 ancient temples that were erected in the Old World and which withstood the ravages of Time for hundreds of years. The Temple of Light will be built in the form of a cross, with four fronts, each 210 feet long, and a dome of magnificent proportions will surmount Fi=>~XX -~ v*. XJiv. V ■*«'» ^ ,v r .» ^ V ‘**“ ^ .riv > s,\- >X ^ >tX ; *•** iv. q.~WV VN^ -^. J^vS."*. V-XA --- V._- ^ -fev.-V*. r^N^Xl & Nftft^x^aXx X...Vx v. ^ t J **~ >,,v * ’** '' \ .-Nv- \^»*.V " ^ V >— « ixN TA k. i, "••«'« - i- -W- ,^ , ^ ' ->^- V > -, Vv^»»-v^ >J**^*- V^V 'V.^ *i«Wi'v . 1 ">&. -r -^»V /»>> * »- >*N>V- v «^»*S\ i s« »V iV ", ^ #»C >~N» V*\ V* kX. A^-rx. ^ v. » \*r » v ***»»^ >V*V " rt -^V |M^W*X *^*1 xj »X*» V^\ >A\ , tijW\ )vj- -x» V **^- >^Ux*V w> 4 I S<* IWV “V*4H,r*lvjrxfc» VkvXoKvK^ A>. * MHV «r^A^vw\ \ ^J-J^r- *Av. m- '' •*vAv , v»«- t * X**s»vvvJ . *X(. N , ^4AJ> *»', *' '‘nil \»N.. I ,-i *>*•*.»... Fig. 84. No. 1 Plate of Birmingham Psychographs. deacon again carefully examined the box of plates and being satisfied, cut the outer wrapper around the box, keeping the two ends intact to prove that they had not been tampered with, and removed each end as a sliding cover. 364 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE We then adjourned to the dark-room, the Ven. Arch¬ deacon opening the box, and carefully examining the wrappings, snapping the film that hinged the plates film to film and developed them two at a time in a half-plate dish, with pyro developer. Then after a few seconds we could see writing coming up through the developer, the writing being black in a transparent ground, being in fact a positive instead of a negative, which, when printed forms mirror writing. Five plates are covered with minute, neat writing in Eng¬ lish, and one entirely in Latin. Neither of the three present knowing sufficient of Latin to translate it. Many of the things mentioned in the psychographs are known and one circumstance has come to pass. The message from Robert I take to be from my brother, an artist who passed away a few years ago. It seems also that they knew of the unexpressed wish of the Ven. Archdeacon, for there is a note in the characteristic handwriting of his old friend, with the Greek Epsison used instead of an E, as the Arch¬ deacon pointed out, always appeared in his writing whilst on earth. I give the other five plates and a transcript of their interesting contents, in addition to a “free” transla¬ tion of the Latin, a brief note of explanation about the departed, as well as of the living persons referred to in plate No. 4. T ranscript. Friends, Greetings. In this my first communion through this phase of mediumship, I do not wish you to treat this as a concio ad clerium (1) but rather for the commium bonum (2) and I hope, dei gracia, thousands will be comforted thereby. The old saying was de mortuis nil nisi bonum (3), and then a more modern school of skeptics altered it to de nihilo niJii- lum, in nihilum nil posse reverti (4) trying to prove (1) Signifying archaic; discovered to clergy. (2) Tlie com¬ mon good. (3) Speak no evil of the dead. (4) Out of noth- PSYCIIOGRAPHY 365 that the dead being nothing, nothing can come from them. But it is only necessary to read history and the sacred works -of antient peoples and nations to Fig. 85. No. 2 Plate of Birmingham Psvehographs. ing, nothing comes, to nothing nothing returns. (5) To their fathers: that is, dead. (6) Let justice prevail though the heavens fall. 366 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE know that what is termed modern Spiritualism is as old as the world. Sacred History teems with abun¬ dant evidence of the fact. The media were Prized by the Medes and Persians. The Delphic Oracles, the Cyprian Priestesses, who were brought forward at certain feast days that the populace could commune with their ad patres (5). We live, we move, we have our being, we are only bidden by a thin veil that at times we can rend apart and commune with those whom we love still in the tiesh. Mediums should be cherished, for without them we are helpless. This peculiar organic fitness that is necessary, that is the very essence of our success, should receive full recognition. Investigators could not receive the evidence of our return if it were not for our mediums. Therefore fiat justicia, mat coelum (6), for no one has the right to abrogate unto themselves that power which they have not. “Honour to whom honour is due” is a trite saying among us, therefore, be just to the worker. You must not think, my friend, that we do not appreciate the stand you have taken in the matter, now you have come into the open and thrown down the gage to stand by the principle that you kno\y to be true. We are helping from our Side, and we hope before long to help in bringing about a happy condition of things and circumstances by the aid of Umbolo* in the affairs in which he was known so well to you in the land of his fathers. He swears by the beard of his fathers and the honour of a ringed man to bring it to a happy termination for the combined benefit of yourself and our desire for you to spread the truth. We wonder why that the denizens of earth will read and think contrary to the spirit of the teaching in their Holy Writ. It is only necessary to read and calmly compare the phenomena of olden days chron- PSYCHOGRAPHY 367 idea therein and modern happenings To Prove they are one and the *same, only given in different times of the world’s history. %*•***' SCV~»X.V- IS' NV.AV’^ 1**^ V v~~» ~*v* Nvi H ^ vO. e—^ **> —^ w ..«»'-■- v -*> v''^~rV . V . v ^ W-WW . * n NVX V .f V V ^ N mM*X V .Sx^v/X^'A v \' . x . t, ,UK £ . V' A * d ,w * * ' V -7" «^r ' „ '' , ul n< v- ’ V* A . M i5v ‘H v>kv " ©t AH'” V V ^ v \\ U,!|o ^6 . ,/ ,.,»V>t\v,i> f.nw.yH '. v v - ,,A^W' w ~ Ai '■ x ' "''" "' vt> V'V X v ,s- v' vv ‘" N ' v ' < ' NK ^ A' it n X . .'V'' * *^ svK '* ' ' . *' . *VV J (»>.**! -V ( .\A' • ..•NvvS.'Y , A \u< ■ ^i«*'K v d ^ » , , \ \Mt»*> "* 4 »Vk\* S. .i\ VvA> x..V v •" ' * T V'" * • ' , . „ J .v"** >,CJ 'As*. J.t.SI'k oi'-'V ■ r \ \ ( \\X > i\ '•'•'W A V..» V.„. »•» wsa S.7.N.N ..v*. N:' ; ^ > Gx. .£ v;-v * v ^ .. *>, *V» >V*A » ^ \ . w. ■ ^TTxJ ^ .-* — ^- l --'V~* , -X... . _ V V -V '** ^ ' X '~ SVVr '~ ~VV ~~v V.X- -V r*Vw^ »VXa. .« ^ ... Jn . ^ i .—• ‘ *“*S£-—- K --s. .'. . “ ’ A v V * v^-'' *.. jSv.^v \,vV .'•*• •^■’“* “' V. V.,.^ ~ X -- .. . .. .— A ^ ,.„.. , - v v-»"..^.>V- .■**.v^.._,y. ..... AN> " v ^:a.., y,. ..y v .y -•'*-VV> *A V. li «*\ , >-—"V *^ , ' v * i »-'>3* vUj- ,’ ^ »m\ .V...|y :?V-iy,v«i , ..*'Y''cY^ s * v 'yO * , ' Jv -’ 'tV**** ^ ‘ > ■ <. '\ K '- A > v N ' v ^ x ''Vy' v »~ j^iK .w~v «.«’...VC ' .'K^Vs, . ^.s. X w ^ Cv,0,..X>D\ *> . “ *^\ _ tyiAJ't ' V' ‘•Vjk A -- r -»' i ^V.^, l->a« «vv'V. '•W? .\ A,„a - ■' Fig. 87. Plate 4 of the Birmingham Psychographs. shall see.” Therefore strive to know and understand, and when the knowledge is given unto ye, pass it on, hide it not, give as freely as ye are given, for there is 370 PHOTOGRAPHING TPIB INVISIBLE no Proprietorship in the knowledge of the communion of the seen with the unseen. It may be for a short time here, “ extinct us ambitin idem ” (7) the same as the noble Nazarene. There¬ fore I would exhort you let not your light grow dim. A poor, weary soul whom you knew and gave light unto his feet, sends greetings unto you. F. W. Neville, a colleague of yours. Note : The persons mentioned on plate 4 are: Rev. F. W. Neville, who held a living near Leamington. He had learned a great deal about Spiritualism before he passed over from John Thomas, Esq., J. P., High Sheriff of Cardiganshire a friend of the Ven. Arch¬ deacon. Mr. Neville’s demise occurred from a fall, which took place within four months of the death of his wife, who was killed by lightning. The sad story of these sudden deaths made a profound impression in the neighbourhood. The Rev. gentleman has fre¬ quently communicated since passing over, through Dr. Hooper, and by means of psychography. “Rob¬ ert”—Mr. Bailey informs me—is his late brother, who in his lifetime was an accomplished artist and one to whom the late Sir Henry Irving was a warm friend. “Frances Helene” is unknown. It is surmised—ow¬ ing to reference to Frances Dudley—she came for Lord Leigh, who had attended a seance the week be¬ fore. “Lily” is the ascended wife of the Ven. Arch¬ deacon. Mrs. Colley has also frequently manifested in this and in other ways. “Clarence” is the Ven. gen¬ tleman ’s son, viz., Captain Colley, of the Royal Horse (7) Can make nothing of this. PSYCHOGRAPHY 371 and Field Artillery. “A. W. C.” is Captain Colley’s son. lie was baptised Arthur Wellesley, after the Duke of Wellington, whom the Archdeacon informs me was a Colley. “Violetta,” whose bright psychic photograph I have seen, cannot be identified by the ordinary canons of evidence. She claims to be the daughter of the (or a) Duke of Lancaster, who lived in feudal times. Whether this is so or not, her ap¬ pearance and personality are well known to the mem¬ bers of the Hooper Circle. Her powers of divination and of repartee—a curious combination—are noted. “Dumpy” is her word-picture for the Archdeacon. “My Lord College” is her appellation for the medium, “who was very popular among the students and mas¬ ters of Clifton College, on account of his hypnotic powers and gift of thought-reading.” “Pecky” is her designation for Mrs. Hooper, who had occasion to correct “Violetta” for her flippancies. “Sad Eyes” is Mrs. Sharman (a member of the Circle) who has passed through much suffering. “Saxon Sides” ad¬ mirably describes Mr. Bailey, who is fair. “Ajax,” who frequently manifests in the Colley-Hooper psy¬ chographs, was, I am informed, an American divine, who frequently controls the medium. “Samuel” was the Rev. Samuel Wheeler, who controlled and meterial- ised through Dr. Francis Monck, in the seventies. It was at Monck’s seances that the Rector of Stockton obtained his first proofs of Spiritualistic phenomena; and since then the Ven. gentleman has proved himself 372 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE both a sincere friend and resolute defender of the de¬ parted medium. I regret the exigencies of space prevent a fuller ; -Tv .* »«. » 4 ^. ' ^ ^ > -* ’As* »N »\ ^ "V'i ’ 1 > n j, ; ,»>V\....s \..... -..^:;:7c";V’A;A v xrT' t> .. \ _ > J ‘ ^ «n i»iSk. v\ s t vN ' s^ •> ->V v < ,*SSi H J. N »3 i-» ».»««.* .>*jjsy y..>.\j<.,».ssv »iiv5s> ii»£ ' * ksSnl * * kk » < > l l t 1S1 >** k iV_f , < .iIH lsV)) , Y \ ■si t ss\\ ^ ^\«Ss»jSy ,,7sv\*svy>t t wSrMw'fc js\\ iv».«siV.^Viss. (Al-tv c\jO t'^s\=»WS» t 'Ni p**^U5. Aw Ay >\v>\ "v N ,S, .^si >»* >>i MtV>\PY '^>» V5 iV a .»Ar-'A^ ' J, * vS V'?s'^v L ,„»A .\.V k C • ~*> iXS •• ~** ’'’“'A A 'V~* x lote. The : nvisibles a hese invest: graphs. ;y of the jrned in 1 on for PSYCHOGRAPIIY 373 many years now in Birmingham and elsewhere, in which Dr. Hooper has been the principal agent. A spirit known as Robert wishes to make his pres¬ ence known to some one here, also a spirit lady known as Prances Helene, inquires for Francis Dudley, and keeps repeating “All comes from God.” Lily sends her love to A, W, C, Clarence and yourself. Violetta sends her love to “Dumpy,” and says, “Don’t forget your promise.” Greetings to “My Lord College,” “Pecky,” “Sad Eyes,” and “Saxon Sides.” Good¬ bye, good-bye, Deus dit, you will be spared to spread the truth, is the prayer ab imo pectore, Ajax. Hail friends! Greetings. Samuel. In the following, several words are inaccurate, but Latin scholars will know what is meant. Eheu fugaces, Posthume, Postliume, Labuntur anni; nec pietus morain, Rugis et instanti senectae. Afferet, indamitalque morti, Non, si trecenis, quotquot eunt dies, Amice, places illachrymabilem, Plutino tauris qui tir amphim, Geryoren Tityanque tristi Compescit unda, Scilicet omnibus, Quicunque terrae munere vescimur, Enavigauda, Sive reges Sive inopes erimus coloni. Frustra cruento Marte carebimus Fractisque racui fluctibus adrial; Frustra per autum nos nocentum Corporibus metuemus Austiam: Visendus ater flumine languido Cocvtus errans, et Danae genus Infame, damnatusque longi Sisyphus Aeolides laboris, 374 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE Linquenda tellus, et dormus, et placens Uxor; neque harum, quos colis arborum Te, Praeter invisus cupressos, Ulla brevem dominum sequetur Absumet haeres Calcuba dignior Servata centum cavibus, et mere Ting et pavimenthum superbum Pentificum Poture, coenis. “Free” Translation, II Horace, Ode xiv. Ah, Postumus, Postumus, the fleeting years glide by, bringing in their train to just and unjust alike, wrinkled age, inexorable death. No, my friend, not even by lavish sacrifice from day to day can you appease remorseless Pluto, who confines the monster Geryones and Tityos with sullen stream, that stream which must at last be crossed by all who enjoy earth’s bounty, by prince and beggar alike. Bootless is it to avoid the blood-stained field and the surging billows of the angry deep; of no avail to guard against noxious winds of Autumn. All must cross the dark, silent stream to join the daughters of Danaus and the son of Aeolus, doomed to everlasting toil. Fatherland, home and loving wife must be left be¬ hind. Of all these trees which for a brief time you tend with anxious care the hated cypress alone shall follow you. A worthier heir shall quaff the wine you so jealously guard and recklessly spill your most treasured vintage. Archdeacon Colley, Rector of Stockton, delivered an Easter sermon on Sunday evening, 3rd April, 1910, in the Parish Church of Stockton. The sermon was found written on a half-plate which PSYCHOGRAPHY 375 had been sealed up in a light-proof packet, and was held—says the veil, gentleman—between the hands of six Christian Spiritualists for 39 seconds only. I do not propose to re-produce the sermon—which was re¬ ported at length in the Leamington Spa Courier, 15th April, 1910; as we are less concerned with the opinions expressed therein—albeit it is worthy of re-produc¬ tion—than with the phenomenon described, viz., one thousand seven hundred words written (by no mortal fingers) in 84 lines within the compass of a half-plate. The Archdeacon says:— The smallness of the copper-plate-like writing ren¬ ders it impossible to be re-produced by any engraving; while at times, with our greatly esteemed unpaid me¬ diums in various circles, the writing on our usual quarter-plates is so microscopic that to enable us to read it a high power lens is necessary; and the char¬ acter of the caligraphy in English, archaic Greek, Latin, Hebrew, Italian, French, Arabic, varies con¬ tinually in our several, separate, devotional and pri¬ vate gatherings, in places from twenty-four to seventy- seven miles apart where—like (1), (2), (3)—we meet as directed (St. Matt. vi. 6) in Faith and Love, know¬ ing from long experience the inscrutable power of Almighty God, “the God of the spirits of all flesh’’ (Numbers 16-22 and 27-16) who thus and in other ways permits the angel world to be operated in this, and the Kingdom of Heaven to dwell abidingly with us on earth. I am inclined to think that not only the psychograph sermon but the six plates produced when the ven. gen¬ tleman was the suggester of the nature of the mesaage he desired to obtain, that the Intelligences, operating 376 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE through the mediumship of these psychics, found their material in the subconsciousness of the Archdeacon as the subject-matter is of the character of knowledge either present now or at one time possessed by a clergyman. I have seen an enlargement of the original psycho¬ graph which contained the sermon referred to. It was certainly a remarkable psychograph. Many— almost as phenomenal—psychographs, have been and are obtained through the psychics of the Crewe Circle. In giving this concluding case I wish to note that Mr. W. Walker, (3, Palace Road, Buxton, my corre¬ spondent, a photographer of forty years’ experience, who obtained the psychic photograph of the late Mr. Alfred Smedley, at Crewe), had the promise of getting next day, 8th Nov., 1910, a message in three languages. For this purpose Mr. Walker brought his own plates and these (wrapped in light-proof paper) were not out of his possession save for a quarter of a minute, while being impressed between the lady medium’s hands. Even then the packet was never out of his sight. lie developed the plate. At my request he was good enough to enlarge the photograph for these pages. The original writing can only be read through a magnifying glass. The above not being sufficiently clear, I give with it a rough translation of the French and Latin. Dear Friends,—The following are a few words in¬ tended to prove an Intelligence at work far beyond PSYCHOGRAPHY 377 the capabilities of the sitters. It is a le chef d’oeuvre as far as they are concerned. Our advice to you at present is to aucli alteram partem de crainte que. 378 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE You may make a mistake and be misjudged. Cedant arma toga . and adfinem asto fidelis, and in all you do ccdo Deo. A ROUGH TRANSLATION. Dear Friends,—The following are a few words in¬ tended to prove an Intelligence far beyond the capa¬ bilities of the sitters. It is a masterpiece as far as they are concerned. Our advice to you at present is to hear both sides, lest you make a mistake and be mis¬ judged. Let the opponent give way to the law, and be faithful to the end, and in all you do submit to Providence. The “a” before le chef d’oeuvre is a slip. But in¬ accuracies are of no importance in the face of the manner of production. None of the sitters could have produced the message, even if they had the opportu¬ nity, which was non-existent. The message can only be read from the film side, as if taken by camera; the latter being out of the question. Mr. Walker has had a certificate signed by all pres¬ ent, but this is not produced as the members of this Circle have to earn their living at their respective daily employments and are unable to give sittings to all and sundry, which further publicity would bring to them. I have taken special pains since the Loclge-Colley controversy to acquaint myself with the bona fides of the Crewe Circle, and of the mediumship of three of its members, and the excellent character which all bear. I have therefore all the more pleasure in giving the above case reported by Mr. Walker. PSYCHOGRAPIIY 379 Since the foregoing psychograph was sent me (the meaning of which at the time was not clear to Mr. W. Walker, except that the evidence of its genuineness was remarkably complete) I obtained the following on 15th January, 1911 :— Dear Mr. Coates,—When I last wrote I said “At present it is cryptic to me.” Now the part of the message, “Our advice to you at present is to hear both sides lest you make a mistake and be misjudged. Let the opponent give way to the law and be faithful to the end,” has become clearer to me:— A question concerning a boundary fence to prop¬ erty had been put into my hands to see it through. I had the matter in correspondence at the time the message was given to me. However, the owner, who is a very old person, having been annoyed by trespass, ordered a fence to be put up, and it was completed. I was not made aware of this until notice had been given by the adjoining owners to remove a portion of the fence, which is said to be on their land. On my visiting the site, I found it necessary to see the other side and to hear their version, as directed in the mes¬ sage. After fully considering the various points raised, it was decided to take this fence down and “give way to the law.” This I consider has a just bearing upon the case. It shows the spirit friends who gave me the message knew of the case, and knew how it stood, as well as knowing what would follow, of which I at the time was not only ignorant, but our friends at Crewe could not have known. Yours faithfully, Buxton. W. Walker. And with this I conclude—not from want of ma¬ terial, but want of space—my case for psychography. 380 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE In the foregoing eases the plates were either in the usual photographic slide, or wrapped up in light¬ proof material, and were held between the palms of the hands of experimenters and psychics. In some cases the corners of the packet containing the plate or plates were held only. We reach another point, and that is: we infer that there comes from the hands of the psychic and experimenter an aura or magnetism, which affects the plates, and prepares them for the operations of the unknown—but actinic—light. With¬ out repeating the evidence given in “Human Mag¬ netism” and “Seeing the Invisible,” it is clear that the plates can be chemically altered by the radiant rays—invisible—which proceed from the hands of the experimenter. But admitting that it is scientifically demonstrated there are light and others emanations—of a subtle and occult character—radiating from the human body, or, as believed by some, produced by spirit power these would not account for the psychic figures, faces and written messages which are obtained. The invisible light and the nervauric or psychic forces must be directed by intelligence. Intelligent mes¬ sages can only come from intellects capable of send¬ ing them. Whose intelligence is operative in all these cases, capable of giving the features of departed persons, in¬ struction by symbols, and communications clearly written? This question is not one readily answered. But as we have seen that many psychic pictures have actually come in response to the sitter’s thoughts; have come in fulfilment of promises made—through psychics—from those who are no longer clothed in the flesh, it is a reasonable deduction that their thoughts, too, were operative, if not the actual cause of psychic results. In the final analysis it is thought-power, and that only, which is operative, and thought suggests the thinker. Such is the power of thought—not ordinary PSYCHOGRAPH Y 381 every-day thoughts, but thought acting subcon¬ sciously—it is not only impressed, and our lives for good and ill affected thereby, but the photographic plates are also made the means of its transmission; psychography, as well as spirit photography, present¬ ing distinct evidence for the claim that “Intelligences in the Invisible are still operative in this life.” We know that our thoughts—under certain conditions— have not only psychic, but motor force. The facts of psychology demand examination, and the subject is here tentatively submitted for consideration, as the whole throws an important side-light not only on Telepathy, psychic force, but on the physical phe¬ nomena of Modern Spiritualism. CHAPTER XVII CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS MOST FAVOURABLE CONDITIONS FOR PSYCHIC PHOTOG¬ RAPHY In bringing my notes on Spirit Photography to a elose, I think it appropriate to deal 1st with the best conditions under which a psychic picture can he ob¬ tained and 2nd to refer to “experts” and their methods. For a psychic photograph taken under best possible conditions. Subject Elsie Reynolds, a noted American materialising medium—one giv¬ ing off fine auretic conditions. Wyllie in vigorous health and harmonising power. Weather condi¬ tions of the finest; and lastly, the Spirit Intelli¬ gences capable of using their powers effectively. I give the photograph as a challenge to experts. Mr. Wyllie often assured me that when lie and the weather were in good condition, he was frequently more successful in getting identifiable pictures from a lock of hair than with the living subject, as the latter was too often excited, over-anxious, or perhaps sus¬ picious. There was something lacking—Harmony. 382 CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS 383 What then appear to be the best conditions revealed by actual experimentation? These are four in num- l’ig. 90. For a psychic photograph taken under best possible conditions. Subject Elsie Reynolds, a noted American materializing medium — one giving off fine auretic condi¬ tions. Wyllie in vigorous health and harmonizing power. Weather conditions of the finest; and lastly, the Spirit Intelligences capable of using their powers effectively. I give the photograph as a challenge to experts. 384 PHOTOGRAPHING TUB INVISIBLE her, and there are a few accessories which seem to be helpful in obtaining psychic photographs: 1st. The first essential is the condition of the sitter. In contradiction to the idea that psychic photographs are crystallisations of thought and the sitter should desire earnestly for the appearance of some special person or relative. This is the very attitude to avoid at the time of sitting. The sitter should not have the mind fixed on any special person, and should avoid states of anxiety and perturbation. For instance, a widow who has lost a loved life companion, a mother a child, and being anxious to have a portrait of hus¬ band or child, will, in consequence, bring undesirable conditions with them. Calm, pleasant, cheerful, non- anxious or lion-excited state is the best possible atti¬ tude of mind for Spirit Photography. This calm, passive condition makes for harmony. The ultra skeptic and the person who views each action of the photographer with suspicion will also make a bad sit¬ ter. These two aspects—that of anxious, suffering mourners, and the mental attitude of the antagonistic skeptic—are alike unfavorable. Let it be ‘at once pointed out that an equable state of mind, a willing¬ ness to take what comes, and sitting as if for an ordi¬ nary photograph, the sitter will throw off the best possible psychic and nervauric conditions, which will blend with that of the sensitive-operator. Owing to the natural excitement which overtakes many at the first sitting, “repeat sittings” are desirable as in sub¬ sequent seances there is less mental disturbance'and CONCLUDING observations 385 more harmony between sitter and sensitive. To this may be added a hint about accessories. Men gener¬ ally dress in dark clothes. This is favourable for showing up faces or other “extras” which might ap¬ pear. Ladies like to be well dressed, wearing light blouses, using costumes and ornaments which are meant to enhance personal appearance. This is all right in its place, but for spirit photography it is un¬ desirable. A simple dark dress or blouse—not silk which shines—without ornaments, will serve the pur¬ pose. If “extras” appear, as they often do, they will have a dark background in the lady’s dress to show up the high lights. So far, for the first essential and accessories. With Mr. Wyllie, most of the psychic pic¬ tures, &c., appear over the vital organs of the sitter. 2nd. The next essential is the condition of the sen¬ sitive-photographer. (That a medium is necessary is borne out by the fact that there are several thou¬ sand photographers in Great Britain alone, and prob¬ ably there are not five who are able to obtain these photographs. Such persons are endowed with certain faculties which the others do not possess.) The sensi¬ tive requires to be in a fair state of health and in an equable state of mind, and if these are disturbed from any cause—poverty, anxiety or harassment, unsuit¬ able environment for his work, inconsiderate and thoughtless treatment by the self-important—then, obstacles are placed in the way of successful results. It is also desirable that the sensitive’s camera should be the one employed—longer in use the better. Be- 386 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE ing well charged with his nervaura, or magnetism, and whatever other influences which have been drawn thereto, all manipulations in the first instance should be done by the sensitive photographer, whatever ar¬ rangements may be made subsequently by mutual consent, between sitter and medium. 3rd. The next essential is good atmospheric condi¬ tions. These cannot be so readily controlled or de¬ fined. But extremes of heat and cold, violent storms, thundery weather, fogs and mists which rise from the ground after heavy rains, not only act unfavourably on the sitter and the medium, but are objectionable as far as photography itself is concerned. All atmos¬ pheric conditions otherwise, which are fairly clear, pleasant or tolerable, are helpful. As to accessories, a well lit room, of comfortable temperature, in which sittings can be held, a dark closet supplied with run¬ ning water. Also if the medium’s sleeping apartments and living rooms are convenient to the foregoing, so much the better for psychical results. 4th and last essential, but first in order of impor¬ tance are the Unseen Intelligences and the x or un¬ known forces which operate through the medium and in conjunction with the sitter. Whatever these are, be they intelligent beings, human but discarnate, who indicate their presence by raps, lights and other modes directing the medium or sensitive, or forces emanat¬ ing from the medium, spirits or both, neither I nor anyone else can positively say. What we really do know is this, that there are Intelligences at work, that CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS 387 the light that produces the psychic pictures, signs, sym¬ bols and portraits, identifiable or not, is not the ordi¬ nary light by which the embodied sitter is taken. It is conjectured that there are spirit photographers and chemists on the other side, using not only the unknown x forces on their side, but supplying others. It may be only conjecture, but it is a reasonable hypothesis to go on with. As to the fourth essential, no psychic photograph can be taken without its co-operation. To recapitulate, the four essentials for psychic pho¬ tography are: The condition of the sitter, who should present a calm, passive, cheerful attitude, and in this way throw off suitable personal magnetism; persons who are over-anxious, in pain, or suffering from seri¬ ous ill-health, and skeptics who hinder, persons and mediums who expect and demand too much, do not furnish what is required. Secondly, the medium should be in a non-harassed condition, and be able to give off undisturbed magnetic vibrations. Thirdly, atmospheric and climatic conditions should be free from disagreeable extremes. And fourth, the x forces and Spirit Intelligences should have their condi¬ tions, as far as we understand them, accepted. The latter can be helped or hindered, conciliated or re¬ pelled by the attitude of the sitters, the medium, or by the state of the weather. All these essentials must blend harmoniously before a psychic effect or picture can be obtained, and most assuredly be present in all cases when an identifiable portrait has been secured. I have now pointed out the favourable conditions and 388 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE indirectly the unfavourable, but a few direct words concerning the expert may be useful. “The Expert” is sometimes a photographer and as frequently not. In the majority of cases he claims to be a Spiritualist actuated by the highest motives, and Ids main object is to rid the movement of persons who indulge in fraudulent practices. The persons sus¬ pected and banned by him are usually physical me¬ diums; of these the few photographic mediums before the public are his special aversion. To not under¬ stand is a sufficient reason for condemnation. He may or may not have had a sitting, possibly he has had one. On the strength of this, he is prepared to pose as an “expert.” To that sitting he brought his doubts and suspicions. When he received his print, there was probably a face on it he did not recognise or one which someone else had already obtained; it may have come across the plate or actually upside down. There may have been other “things” on it which had no meaning for him. The whole looked like faking and very badly done at that. It became an easy mat¬ ter—following the line of the least resistance—to de¬ cide that this photograph was produced by misplaced ingenuity. Another “expert,” who knows seven different ways of producing bogus spirit photographs (but not one genuine one) says that almost anything can be done with a photographic plate, and what appears is the result of that anything* *The host “Faked Spirit Photographs” which the art of an CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS 389 Another suggests that there are certain laws in pho¬ tography without which nothing can take place. He does not say definitely that psychic photography is fraudulent, but avers that all sitters should be pho¬ tographed by two cameras and the plates should be independently developed. Without this, all so-called investigation of psychic photography is worse than useless. This looks very fair and very formidable. Judged by the well known laws of photography, noth¬ ing can come on the one plate which does not appear on the other. This is very plausible and is correct as far as ordinary photography is concerned, but does not touch psychic photography at all. It leaves out the four main conditions noted. The blending of all four in a more or less favourable state of harmony and lastly, but also essential, the camera mostly used and impregnated with the ner- vaura or magnetism of the medium. These factors are either not studied or overlooked by the “expert.” The sitter brings—in addition to his state of mind— accomplished photographer could produce are those by Mr. R. Child Bayley, the well known author, editor and expert in photography. These appeared in the London Magazine, Jan., 1910. In the following August, Mr. Win. Marriott gave a few more, of his best faking, but much inferior to those of Mr. R. Child Bayley. Comparing these best efforts, obtained without let or hindrance, with the work say of Mr. Wyllie—taken im¬ promptu—undoubted portraits of persons he never knew—and these faked absurdities they demonstrate at once how little these noted experts know either of Psychic Photography or of its claims. Their best work, under their own conditions, fur¬ nishes the best repudiation of their own claims.—J. C. t 390 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE certain psychical entities, thought forms, and images of departed persons liable to be shattered by the fussy and dominant mannerisms of “experts,” whose object is not to obtain psychic photographs but to demonstrate a foregone theory. I respectfully maintain that the photographic plate does faithfully record what is presented to it; that it is an impartial witness on account of its purely me¬ chanical processes; that the plates are not'subject to either hallucination, suggestion or auto-suggestion, and so far can be relied upon to reproduce whatever is presented—seen and unseen in light or in dark¬ ness—according to the laws of photography. Opinions may be divided as to the nature of the things, objects or persons chemically recorded on the plates; but they are there because something from them—reflected or refracted light—has been gath¬ ered up by the lens and passed on to the plate. Whether by accident or intention the object or sub¬ ject be there, its presence is recorded all the same on the exposed plate. This is a simple statement of fact. When we come to psychic photography—with or with¬ out the camera—we enter into a region in which the ordinary laws of photography are not set aside, but are subordinated to other laws—forces in opera¬ tion—not at present fully understood. For instance, visible objects and subjects have not been photo¬ graphed, of which I have several cases; whereas on the other hand, that which is invisible—of no mate¬ rial substance and of the nature and character of CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS 391 thought—has been. The operations which take place in psychic photography are not wholly chemical as far as camera, lens, light—plies—and chemical results are concerned. We have all these, plus something else. That something is of the nature of a nervaura or vital magnetic force emanating from a peculiarly en¬ dowed individual—the medium. This force—some¬ times called “fluid”—may be enhanced by the pres¬ ence of sitters similarly affected. Under these cir¬ cumstances the films are affected by ordinary light, and by a light emanating from the unseen object. By this invisible light photographic plates—both in and out of the camera—are impressed with images, sym¬ bols, reproductions of things material, and in many cases with the faces and forms of living persons—not visible—and by portraits of the departed, but only in the presence of a medium, specially gifted, and never otherwise. Anyone who has taken pains to study the late Mr. J. Traill Taylor’s experimentations with two photo¬ graphic medium^, of whom the late Mr. David Du- guid was one, will find abundant material for reflec¬ tion. In the presence of Mr. Duguid—with whom Mr. Taylor was in friendly sympathy—results were ob¬ tained OUTWITII all the known laws of photography. I have had similar experiences with Mr. Edward Wvll ie. Mr. W. Walker, of Buxton, reported simi¬ lar cases obtained at Crewe recently. But I wish to emphasise the results obtained through the medium- ship of Mr. Duguid by Mr. J. Traill Taylor. Tlmse 392 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE results have been condemned by “experts,” ignorant of all the facts, as fraudulent. This has always been the case, where experts “opinionate” without having all the facts before them. The most, so pronounced, outrageously fraudulently-looking ‘ ‘ extras, ’ ’ were genuinely produced. If not so, the evidence of the then highest authority in the photographic world, i. e., Mr. J. Traill Taylor, and of competent witnesses, must stand for naught with these “experts,” who assume to know but do not understand, and many of whom have not seen, much less carefully investigated that which they so readily declare to be fraudulent. In psychic or occult photography I do not assume that spirits can be photographed. I am content to ad¬ mit, on the strength of the evidence I have collected and obtained at first hand, that some things are pro¬ duced by Intelligences in the Invisible. This only happens when the mechanical, chemical and other processes of photographic procedure are supplemented by appropriate mediumship —and never without it. When the camera is not employed the plates are af¬ fected by invisible light, heat and other unknown forces emanating from mediumistic persons, plus something which proceeds from Spirits said to operate within the sub-conscious self or selves of the mediums. “The extras,” obtained through camera and the “things” impressed which appeared on plates held in the hand never appear without the presence of suitable media. This brings me to the point overlooked by those who CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS 393 suggest that for scientific investigation of photo¬ graphic work of this description, it should be a sine que non that in every experiment there be at least two cameras, and that the plates exposed in these be immediately and independently developed. I will ad¬ mit that it is not of much importance who develops the plates. But why two cameras and not half-a- dozen, and each with a self-important operator de¬ liberately antagonising the psychic effort. Mr. J. Traill Taylor employed a stereoscopic cam¬ era, which he operated himself, but not excluding the presence of Mr. Duguid or the presence of sympa¬ thetic and intelligent witnesses whose object was to get at the truth and not to discover fraud. Mr. Du¬ guid was treated as a medium should be, as a man, a friend, and not as a suspect, which would be to de¬ stroy the harmony essential to obtain successful re¬ sults. Under careful testing, hundreds of “extras” were obtained, but not one identifiable picture of a departed. Psychic photography was established be¬ cause the medium was not ignored. Experts do so completely. I can guarantee that they can experi¬ ment day after day, year after year, with two or more cameras; develop the plates independently, in full distrust or in accord with one another and succeed in obtaining—nothing. With a suitable psychic, properly treated and with whom harmonious relations have been set up, it is probable, as with the Taylor-Duguid experiments, something would be obtained and that in defiance of the very laws of photography so much talked about. 394 PHOTOGRAPHING THE INVISIBLE The sine qua non- is not two cameras and independ¬ ent development, but an identifiable portrait of a de¬ parted obtained under satisfactory and harmonious conditions. Never in the history of psychic photography has an identifiable portrait of a departed been obtained as the result of this so-called scientific investigation with one camera or several, but because of the presence of a vitally vigorous and sufficiently imperturbed me¬ dium, whom the Intelligences in the Invisible were able to use and with whom the subjects were in har¬ mony. Expert photographers, scientific investigators, and the would-be dabblers, who claim to be Experts, start on the wrong basis in assuming that this matter can be settled on the ordinary lines of practical photo¬ graphy, ignoring and condemning mediumship with¬ out which psychic photography is impossible. Psychic photography is a phase of physical phe¬ nomena. The mediums for this phase are very rare and are treated by these expert Spiritualists with sus¬ picion. Physical phenomena are becoming non-exist¬ ent through the treatment of mediums by “Experts.” It would be much wiser, in my opinion, to patiently study mediumship and co-operate with the Intelli¬ gences controlling them and in this way obtain the better results. Then the phenomena presented would bring their own best evidences. This has ever been the experience of those who have gone thoroughly into the matter. Finis.