A “SPIRIT” MASQUE.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXV, Issue 10307, 17 January 1927, Page 3

A “SPIRIT” MASQUE.

DRAMATIC EXPOSURE. WELL-KNOWN MEDIUM’S -• TRICKS. “THIS IS THE END,OF THE WORLD.” The London ‘‘Sunday Chronicle” recently set up a committee to conduct an investigation, into spiritualism. A number of seances were held, and it was agreed by the committee that a number of incidents occurring at these were difficult to explain. At one of the seances, however, it was clearly' proved that one famous medium, Harold Evans, was an imposter and a fraud.

The sensational exposure occurred at the third of a series of seances with Evans, .arranged by Miss Estelle Stead, the well-known spiritualist, and held at her house. Miss Stead, in a statement to the “Sunday Chronicle,” agreed that what took place proved undoubted fraud. Of the committee were present: Professor Julian Huxley, the eminent biologist; Professor A. M. Low, the famous scientist and inventor; and Mr. J. C. Wilson, the well-known Xray expert. In addition there were present Dr. S. Henning Belfrage, of the New Health Society, deputising for Sir William Arbuthnot Lane, Dr. Harold-Rearclen, Dr. Strauss, and Mr. J. W. N. Sullivan, the scientist.

The exposure was arranged in consequence of certain occurrences at a previous seance which the - committee felt very highly suspicious. These occurrences included a remark hv the alleged spirit figure to. Miss Stead: “Everything is all right tonight—they are all very good.” After careful deliberation the extreme measure of flashing torches upon the figure was decided upon as the only suitable method of testing the medium’s integrity*. The conditions laid down included -pitch-blank darkness in the seance room, the holding of hands, the playing of a loud musicalbox, and the request that the figure should not l>e touched or. interfered with in any way.

MEDIUM’S TWO HANDKERCHIEFS. Before the seance began, the committee was invited by* Miss Stead to search the medium. The search, however. only* included the running of hands over the medium’s clothing, and the examination of his pockets and trousers. He was not asked to strip, although ho expressed his perfect readiness to do so. Two pocket handkerchiefs, one neatly folded, were found in his pockets,'hut he explained their presence by declaring . that he was suffering from a bad cold. After his exposure both were found on the floor in a soiled condition. The binding of the medium in his chair was carried out by Professor Low and Mr. J. C. Y\ ilscn.

A second before the light was turned off Evans uttered a warning. “,Tf the figure that may materialise is touched or interfered with,” he declared, ‘‘it may be a serious matter for me. In all probability* I will leave the body if such a thing happens.” The room was then plunged into darkness, and immediately* was heard the clucking noises which are a feature of Evans’ seances, and which were explained by Mrs. Stead on a previous occasion as denoting that the spirits were “drawing ectoplasm from his body*.” The usual phenomena observable at Evans’ seances then took place, voices spoke, hells tinkled, and finally the draped figure of Sister Catharine appeared.

At the prearranged signal a member of the committee rose to his feet and moved towards the figure, torches flashed out, the electric light was .switched on, and the great'Evans’ myth was over. In the glare of light Evans, draped in a white overall, was seen staggering hack towards his chair, clutching at his vestments as though attempting to tear them from him. He fell to the floor, pretending to be in a swoon, but the doctors present examined and tested him, and pronounced him to be shamming.

While this cs'posurc has little ultimate hearing on the great question of life after death, it rivets attention upon the incredibly* cruel practice cd preying on the hopes and fears ot bereaved men and women.