The body was taken to an undertaking establishment to be cared for until the funeral and on the day before the service the widow attended a seance at which her husband told her: “You go to my coffin to-morrow morning before the ceremony and I will speak to you, giving you my final instructions from my mortal body.” The next morning, accompanied by a nurse, the woman went to the undertaker’s and was taken to the room where the body lay in its casket. She spoke and to her astonishment the corpse opened its eyes and said: “I want you to give half of the fortune I willed you to B---- and M----, the mediums. They have helped me for years and I would like to show them my appreciation. Farewell, I will speak to you at seances but never again from the body.” The astounded widow threw herself on the body crying: “I promise! I will! I promise!” “Promise?” asked the corpse. “I promise faithfully,” she replied. True to her word, the widow divided the fortune with the mediums, who are now in foreign countries living a peaceful life unless troubled by their consciences. The deception was worked as follows: the mediums, taking advantage of the undertaker’s weakness, kept him intoxicated and were thus free to do whatever they cared to around his establishment. The casket was arranged with a false bottom which ran in and out on ball bearings and one end was made to open. Just before the widow’s visit to the undertaking establishment this false bottom with the old man’s body was run out of the casket and hidden in an adjoining room and one of the mediums, made up to represent the dead man, was placed in the casket. As soon as the act was over the corpse was put back in its proper place. This is not the only instance of this sort by any means. I have known of two other instances in which corpses have been used for purposes of fraud. In one a man was dying. A lawyer was sent for and the nurse gotten out of the way on some plausible excuse. After the man died, but before the lawyer arrived, his body was hidden under the bed. One of the gang took his place in the bed and dictated a will with gasping breath and afterwards made his mark in the presence of a perfectly honest attorney and witness. Before the nurse got back the corpse had been placed in the bed and there was nothing to show that a fraud had been committed. To show that such things are possible and that exchanging bodies in a coffin can be accomplished, I want to call attention to the coffin act which I did for the Boston Athletic Association. A solid oak coffin was furnished by the National Casket Company and delivered to the Association. Six-inch screws were used to fasten down the lid but I managed to escape nevertheless, leaving no traces.