[CHAPTER VIII.]
Séances and Miscellaneous Spirit Tricks.
A test which made the Eddy Brothers famous was their “light” and “dark” séances. Horatio Eddy gave what he termed a “light séance,” and William was famous for the “dark séance.” Instead of using a cabinet of wood, Horatio formed one simply by stretching a couple of shawls or curtains across a corner of the room, thus making a triangular inclosure. A table containing the usual musical instruments, bells, tambourine, guitar, etc., is placed in this space. The medium sits on a chair in front of this curtain, to the left hand side. Next to him, on his right, sits a gentleman selected from the audience, and to the right of this gentleman, a lady similarly chosen. William Eddy now pins across the breasts of the two gentlemen a third shawl, attaching the ends to the curtain. (Fig. 39.) Previously to this, however, Horatio has grasped with both his hands the gentleman’s left arm; the lady is requested to grasp the gentleman’s right arm. In this position neither can make a movement but what one of the others would be immediately cognizant of it. Presently there is a commotion among the articles on the table behind the screen; they appear floating in the air above the top of the curtains, some coming through and tapping the trio on the head. A hand comes through the curtain and writes a message on the slate held by William Eddy. Numerous other tests are performed—all in subdued light, not darkness. Now, to raise the veil from this mystery: In grasping the left arm of the person in the center, the medium first grasps the gentleman’s left arm with his, the medium’s, left hand, fingers being spread apart as far as possible. With this hand he presses quite hard, and takes a light hold of the same arm, but above the left hand. If the medium gently and carefully removes the right hand, the action cannot, by sense of touch, be detected. Sometimes, so as to enable him to use both hands, another ruse is also employed. A piece of heavy sheet lead is cut in the shape of the medium’s hand. This is placed in his left hand. With this hand he grasps the skeptic’s arm. Being made of lead, the hand easily conforms or bends to the shape of the arm, and, what is more, if the real hand of the medium be quietly removed, the leaden hand remains behind, giving the same sense of touch as if the actual hand were there. (Fig. 40.) Of course, with the hands free, the medium can stealthily glide between the curtains, grasp and manipulate the instruments, and throw them to the floor, immediately replacing his hands gently.
Fig. 39.—The Light Séance.
Fig. 40.—The Mystery Explained.
A rather clever test used in a dark séance, given by Miss Annie Eva Fay, is one in which the hands are not bound. Miss Fay made cotton, bandage and tape-ties a success, and sometimes varied her séance by not using a tie, but by continually clapping her hands together during the darkness. She also had her mouth filled with water. Nevertheless, the usual manifestations occurred. The horn “tooted,” the tambourine and guitar floated, bells rang, etc. The dodge she employed was this: Instead of clapping her hands together, she slapped one against her forehead, which gave the same sound, and gave her one hand at liberty. She also swallowed the water. She was now at liberty to blow the horn, ring bells or the like. When she was finished, she refilled her mouth with water from a bottle concealed on her person, and again resumed, clapping her hands together instead of striking one hand against her forehead. An investigator suspected the idea of the water and once came prepared with a glass of milk, which he requested the medium to use instead. She consented. The horn tooted just the same, and the medium’s mouth still contained the milk. She had simply inserted the end of the horn in one of her nostrils. Another time she merely emptied the liquid into one of the hand bells on the table and held it upside down in her lap. Still another “wrinkle” is the use of a rubber ball with a hole in it. This can readily be attached to the horn, and squeezing the ball does the tooting.
Dr. Henry Slade was, of course, identified and recognized as the principal slate-writing medium, but at various times he presented other phenomena, one of which was the playing of an accordion while held in one hand under the table. The accordion was taken by him from the table with his right hand, at the end containing the strap, the keys or notes at the other end being away from him. He thus held the accordion beneath the table, and his left hand was laid on top of the table, where it was always in plain view. Nevertheless, the accordion was heard to give forth melodious tunes, and at the conclusion was brought up on top of the table as held originally; the whole dodge consisting in turning the accordion end for end as it went under the table. The strap end being now downward, and held between the legs, the medium’s hand grasped the keyboard end, and worked the bellows and keys, holding the accordion firmly with the legs and working the hand, not with an arm movement, but mostly by a simple wrist movement. Of course, at the conclusion, the hand grasped the accordion at the strap end, and brought it up in this condition. Sometimes an accordion is tied with strings and sealed so the bellows cannot be worked. This is for the dark séance. Even in this condition the accordion is played by inserting a tube in the air-hole or valve and by the medium’s using his lungs as bellows.