WCP1572

[1]

Frith Hill,

Godalming.

March 31st. 1888

Dear Mr Myers,¹

I return the R. P. Journal. I have read all the letters and articles about Mrs. Wells. You say you fear no answer is possible — to me it seems that in any other case but that of a medium no answer would be necessary- for never have I seen such slipshop, inconclusive, & altogether extraordinary evidence as her two accusers give. Take Mr. Lakey's own account. After having had a long series (how many he does n [typographical error] not say but certainly a dozen) of test seances, he, who is responsible to the circle as secretary, asserts that he caught a confederate in the medium(s [typographical error] bedroom. Now there seems to me only two courses open to any man of common sense or co,mon [typographical error] honesty. (1) To have brought this confederate into the seanse room there & then, so that all his friends (who he asserts had veen systematically deceived for weeks) could see her, & there get her confession and that of the medium, or if they denied confederacy ascertain who the girl was & why she was there. Or (2) arrange quietly with the confederate & the medium to go through the seance as usual,- and at the end of it have all explained by the presence of the confederate.

But he did neither. He actually let the alleged confederate go quietly away! — let the seance go on!!- said not a word to any of his friends!!!

Allowed them to all come again, knowing nothing of what he had discovered!!!! so that we have we have now only his oath against the medium's that any girl was there at all not a shred of proof that there was any confederate! How you, who are always complaining of Spiritualists not knowing what is needed for evodence, [typographical error] — can take this man's conduct & statements as evidence, is more that I can understand.

Then Dr. Hougton behaves in an equally mysterious manner. On Nov. 14th he says he discovers that the cloth side of the cabinet next the door is loose, so that a person can creep in and out. Yet he says nothing to anybody- does not have it secured,- and goes on with it loose until Dec. 19th. — (8 more seances at 2 seances a week)- with this farce of test seances with a confederate all the time coming in and out known to one of the members of the investigating circle under test conditions!

[2]

(2) The thing is really too preposterous. These two men condemn themselves either as fools or knaves. The medium may be an imposter, but the evidence of such donkey's certainly does not prove it.

Yours very truly| Alfred R. Wallace.

P.S. Knowing well how imagination deceives any one suspicious of imposture, I reject all the suppositions & movements of curtains, as not evidence, — and all the facts that might be evidence they carefully abstain from giving us. A.R.W.