Spirit Slate Writing and Kindred Phenomena

by Chung Ling Soo

Here is what is known as the cotton bandage test. A ring staple or ring screw eye, the ring being about two inches in diameter, is wound around with unbleached muslin of the same color as used to tie the medium’s wrists with. This ring is fastened securely into the door jamb or any stationary wooden support by one of the investigators. Two strips of muslin about three feet long are given to the investigator; one of each is tied around one of the medium’s wrists and the knots sewed and sealed. Her (for the medium is supposed, in this case, to be a lady) hands are now placed behind her, and the ends of the strips from each wrist are now tied together and the knots tied and also sewed; and what ends are left are evenly cut off near the knots. Another strip of muslin, about the same width and length as the others, is now produced, and one of the committee ties this strip around the knots between her wrists, leaving the ends of equal length. The medium now takes her seat on a small stool, with her back toward the ring in the door jamb. One end of the last muslin strip is passed through the ring and several knots are tied. After tying several knots, the ends of the strips are tacked securely to the woodwork of the door. Another strip is procured and tied around the medium’s neck, and then tacked also to the door jamb. Two more strips are now used, one passed around each arm, not tied, and the ends of each tacked to the door. The committee, having done all the work themselves, of course, are thoroughly satisfied as to its genuineness. They now retire from the cabinet, which has been simply made by a curtain across one corner of the room, forming a triangular space. No sooner is the curtain closed than the usual manifestations occur, such as ringing of bells, tooting of horns, banging of tambourine, etc. Immediately the curtain is opened and the medium found securely bound and not a bandage disturbed. Finally a pocket knife is placed upon her lap, the curtain is closed, and in a few seconds the medium comes forward with her bonds cut, but only the wrists separated; this has been done, she claims, by the spirits, with the use of the knife which was placed in her lap. Now to explain away the mystery. In a convenient pocket in her belt she has concealed a small, sharp, open knife, with which she cuts through the bands between the wrists. She cuts this band between the knot on her right wrist and the knot in the middle made by tying the ends of the wrist bands together. She now slips the loop which was tied around off, leaving it whole and still tied around the ring. She is now free to use both hands, and, as the last strips around her arm were not tied, they are easily managed. She makes what manifestations she chooses, and by placing her wrists one each side of the ring, and clasping her hands together, pressing all tightly together, she is ready for examination. The ring being wound with muslin, one cannot see that anything has been changed; and this is the reason it is wound. Another thing to notice is that the spirit cutting is the last test. The reason of this is, if the investigators were to release her, they would discover the secret. Male performers use the same idea for rope ties from which they find it impossible to release themselves. They have a knife blade soldered firmly on to a brass plate, which is riveted or sewed on the back of the performer’s trousers, the edge of the knife blade being outward. He has simply to run the rope up and down over this contrivance, and he soon gains his liberty.

Fig. 35.—The Davenport Tie.

I will next illustrate a tie made famous by the Davenport Brothers. (Fig. 35.) The rope used is what is known in trade as a sash rope. Silver Lake or Sampson brand is the best. This is a stiff, polished or smooth, hard finished rope. With this style of rope it is an almost utter impossibility to be tied but what you can free yourself. The Davenports, on first being secured, would try and induce or lead the committee who did the tying to do so in a way which would be advantageous to the medium. See Barnum’s “Humbugs of the World,” page 136: “The brothers saw they could not wriggle out of the knots. They therefore refused to let the tying be finished.” Of course, they did not make the request pointed, or apparent, but, in the coolest natural way, and not suggestive of any conceived plan. Their method was as follows:

One of the committee, holding a piece of rope, about twelve feet long, as near the center as possible, would be requested to tie first one of the medium’s left hands, tying two or three good, hard, square knots about the wrist, the knots coming to the inside of the wrist or palm side of the hand. The medium, during this part of the tie, faces the audience. He now explains to the person who does the tying that when he, the medium, places his left hand behind his back, he will place his right hand close against it, and requests the skeptic to tie a few or as many knots on top of that hand as he may see fit. The medium, after this explanation, places his hands behind his back, and then turns around, with his back toward the audience. The committeeman now secures the right hand against the left. The medium now enters the cabinet, is seated in a chair, or on a bench, in which two holes are bored. The ends of the ropes are now passed through these holes, and knots tied in the rope close to the seat of the chair, and thence carried to the front legs of the chair, where it is fastened. Two other smaller ropes are used to tie the medium’s legs to the chair. The usual manifestations, such as ringing of bells, tooting of a horn, hands at cabinet window, etc., take place. After this is repeated a few times, the medium comes forth entirely free from the ropes, which he now holds in his hands devoid of knots. Of course, the medium is really the cause of all the demonstrations, and to accomplish the results he must free himself. Now, let us see how it is done. The first hand is tied fair and square, but when he places his two hands behind his back, that’s the time the trick is done. In placing his hands behind his back, and before turning around, with back toward the audience, he catches up a little slack of the rope, and, pressing the two hands together, manages not to lose that slack as the two hands are tied together. Another plan is employed so as to be certain not to allow this slack to get away from the medium. In the act of placing the hands behind the back, one part of the rope is allowed to go around the middle finger. The ends are then crossed, A going behind B, before the right hand is placed against left. Of course, the right hand covers the rope, or false tie, completely. When the hand is to be released, the finger has simply to bend down, and off drops the slack part of the rope, and gives plenty of room to draw the hand from the loop. With one hand free, it is easy to produce the desired manifestations, also to release the other hand, and then completely untie the rope. Now, whenever the committee cannot be influenced to tie in the above manner, they are allowed to proceed as they wish. Very few persons can tie a medium securely with the stiff rope furnished. The medium will manage, by slight contortion of his body, to secure a little slack rope, by which agency square knots can be easily upset into a slip or running knot, and, when he fails in this, the rope is deliberately cut with the little knife blade on belt, as described previously. This destroyed rope is now concealed on the medium, and he takes also from his clothes a similar rope and walks out of the cabinet with it, stating the spirits had released him. He again retires to the cabinet, and, in a short time, he is found retied, with his hands behind his back, securely fastened. Here is the explanation:

Fig. 36.—The
First Knot.

When he enters the cabinet, he allows both ends of the rope to hang down, holding the rope in center; the rope now, in its doubled condition, has a knot tied near its double end, leaving a knot and loop. (Fig. 36.) Then a single knot, tied in each portion of the rope, each side of this loop knot, far enough away so as to give length enough for the ropes to encircle the wrists, and these single knots come up hard against the loop knot. The ends of the rope are now run through the loop knot, and two loops are thus formed, which can be made larger, as desired, to slip the hands out. (Fig. 37.) The ends of the rope are now run down through holes in the chair seat, and ends fastened, and the medium inserts his wrists in the loop and pulls up taut, and he is ready for an investigation. It will readily be seen the medium can now do as he pleases, remove his coat, place on a borrowed one, etc.

Fig. 37.—The Double Loop.