Transcriber’s Note: Italic text is enclosed in _underscores_. A MAGICIAN AMONG THE SPIRITS [Illustration: SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE AND HOUDINI PHOTOGRAPHED AT THE AUTO CLUB, LONDON, ENGLAND] A MAGICIAN AMONG THE SPIRITS BY HOUDINI _Illustrated_ [Illustration] _Publishers_ HARPER & BROTHERS New York and London _MCMXXIV_ A MAGICIAN AMONG THE SPIRITS Copyright, 1924, by Harry Houdini Printed in the United States of America _First Edition_ O-Y IN WORSHIPFUL HOMAGE I DEDICATE THIS BOOK TO THE MEMORY OF MY SAINTED MOTHER IF GOD IN HIS INFINITE WISDOM EVER SENT AN ANGEL UPON EARTH IN HUMAN FORM IT WAS MY MOTHER CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE INTRODUCTION xi PREFACE xxi I. THE FOUNDERS OF MODERN SPIRITUALISM 1 II. THE DAVENPORT BROTHERS 17 III. DANIEL DUNGLAS HOME 38 IV. PALLADINO 50 V. ANN O’DELIA DISS DEBAR 66 VI. DR. SLADE AND HIS SPIRIT SLATES 79 VII. SLATE WRITING AND OTHER METHODS 101 VIII. SPIRIT PHOTOGRAPHY 117 IX. SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE 138 X. WHY ECTOPLASM? 166 XI. BY-PRODUCTS OF SPIRITUALISM 180 XII. INVESTIGATIONS--WISE AND OTHERWISE 191 XIII. HOW MEDIUMS OBTAIN INFORMATION 217 XIV. WHAT YOU MUST BELIEVE TO BE A SPIRITUALIST 229 XV. MAGICIANS AS DETECTORS OF FRAUD 244 XVI. CONCLUSION 266 APPENDIX 271 ILLUSTRATIONS SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE AND HOUDINI PHOTOGRAPHED AT THE AUTO CLUB, LONDON, ENGLAND _Frontispiece_ PAGE JOHN D. FOX AND HIS WIFE 10 THE FOX HOME AT HYDESVILLE 10 LEAH FOX FISH 14 KATIE FOX JENCKEN 14 MARGARET FOX KANE 14