The Humbugs of the World: An Account of Humbugs, Delusions, Impositions, Quackeries, Deceits and Deceivers Generally, in All AgesBarnum, P. T. (Phineas Taylor)
General
The Humbugs of the World: An Account of Humbugs, Delusions, Impositions, Quackeries, Deceits and Deceivers Generally, in All Ages
Barnum, P. T. (Phineas Taylor)
Impostors and imposture
A circle being formed, the hands of all the members are joined except at
one place where a table intervenes. Those sitting next to this table
place a hand upon it, the other hand of each of these parties being
joined with the circle. The medium takes a position close by the table,
and during the manifestations is supposed to momentarily touch with her
two hands the hands of those parties sitting next to the table. Of
course, she could accomplish little or nothing if she allowed her hands
to be constantly held by investigators; so she hit upon the plan
mentioned above, to make the people present believe that the musical
instruments are not sounded by her. These instruments are within her
reach; and instead of touching the hands of those next the table with
both her hands, as supposed, she touches, alternately, their hands with
but one of hers, the other she expertly uses in sounding the
instruments.
Several years ago, at one of the circles of this medium, in St. John's,
Mich., a light was suddenly introduced, and she was seen in the act of
doing what she had asserted to be done by the "spirits." She has also
been exposed as an impostor in other places.
As I have said before, the mediums always insist on having such
"conditions" as will best enable them to deceive the senses and mislead
the judgment.
If there were a few more "detectives" like Doctor Von Vleck, the whole
mediumistic fraternity would soon "come to grief."
CHAPTER XIV.
SPIRITUAL PHOTOGRAPHING.--COLORADO JEWETT AND THE SPIRIT-PHOTOGRAPHS OF
GENERAL JACKSON, HENRY CLAY, DANIEL WEBSTER, STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS,
NAPOLEON BONAPARTE, ETC.--A LADY OF DISTINCTION SEEKS AND FINDS A
SPIRITUAL PHOTOGRAPH OF HER DECEASED INFANT, AND HER DEAD BROTHER WHO
WAS YET ALIVE.--HOW IT WAS DONE.
In answer to numerous inquiries and several threats of prosecution for
libel in consequence of what I have written in regard to impostors who
(for money) perform tricks of legerdemain and attribute them to the
spirits of deceased persons, I have only to say, I have no malice or
antipathies to gratify in these expositions. In undertaking to show up
the "Ancient and Modern Humbugs of the World," I am determined so far as
in me lies, to publish nothing but the truth. This I shall do, "with
good motives and for justifiable ends," and I shall do it fearlessly and
conscientiously. No threats will intimidate, no fawnings will flatter me
from publishing everything that is true which I think will contribute to
the information or to the amusement of my readers.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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