“Then, after I ‘revived’ him out of a ‘_genuine_’ fainting spell, he begged me to desist from having him arrested and then _he signed the confession_. (Signed) “Remigius Weiss.” CHAPTER VII SLATE WRITING AND OTHER METHODS A remarkably large number of methods have been used at one time and another by the numerous mediums of lesser repute than Slade who prospered on slate writing. Slade himself, like any skilled prestidigitator, had a variety of ways which he used to produce his effects. His usual method was very simple. A common kitchen table with the leaves extended was used, the Doctor being seated at the end and the client on the side against the leaf, at the Doctor’s right. After the slate had been thoroughly washed on both sides he placed it under the leaf at the left of the sitter, holding it in position with the fingers of his right hand, with his thumb above the table. The sitter was requested to hold the left end of the slate with one hand and with the other to grasp the Doctor’s left hand near the center of the table. In such a position it was impossible for the sitter to see the slate or the fingers of the medium. On the forefinger of his right hand Slade had a sort of thimble or ring to which was attached a bit of slate pencil. With this he wrote a short message on the bottom side of the slate, the scratching of the pencil being quite audible to the sitter. When this scratching ceased the Doctor would be seized with a series of nervous spasms during which the slate was snatched from the sitter’s hand for the fraction of a second and, unknown to him, turned over, thus bringing the message to the top so that when a few minutes later it was shown the message appeared as though written between the slate and the table leaf.