WCP4347

[1]

Copy

62 Granville Park.

Lewisham, S.E.

14 Jany 1880

Dear Mr Wallace.

"To err is human", and altho I should be the last to shirk a responsibility I think you will moderate your censure when you know all the facts of the case. Our reply will appear in the papers tomorrow, but we cannot say all to the public I can to you. Personally I had nothing to do with it & I have said pretty plainly at the Council where I think the blame should lie.

These seances were of a semi-private nature & originated by the Seance Committee, in response to continued application(s) for spiritual manifestations for friends to see. No one was admitted except upon the introduction of one of our members, who paid for them. In selecting Mrs Corner¹ for the medium we thought, with precautions wh. we directed, we were pretty safe: & for the first 2 or 3 times Mr Rogers² who directed them fully tested their genuineness:— thus he sat at the curtain within reach of the medium & notwithstanding careful tying whenever the spirit came out he immediately placed his hand upon the medium & felt her in her chair — on one occasion he had her cress under the chair upon which he sat — the only occasion on wh I attended I distinctly heard Mrs Corner breathing heavily while "Marie" was talking to me. It is not surprising therefore that latterly the tests were left entirely in the hands of the sitters: & on this occasion to Sir G. Sitwell³ & his friend. The facts briefly are these When she came out Sir G. S. rushed forward & seized her (gently) & Mr C. von Buck⁴ went in the chair & found clothes only! The spirit form (so called) was enveloped as usual in lace-like drapery from head to foot, & was so when taken: Mr. Rogers took Mrs Corner from Sir G. S. in this state, & in a few minutes (probably less) while he held her the drapery vanished & Mrs Maltby⁵ took her with petticoat & corset only on. She was quite unconscious when taken. Mrs R. looked into her face & met glazed unconscious eyes (this is admitted by the parties) he did not put out the light I think they now admit was their error, as Mrs M. put it out to protect the medium. Of course it was a deception of the spirit — who had materialized the drapery & brought out the medium. We had there two gentlemen for an hour from the Council and thanked them for the detection but they generously said if they had thought more over it & seen us first they would not have published the letter. However the thing is done & we shall meet it — by an acknowledgement of the main facts, & indicate as well as we can our own explanation.

Mrs Corner went straight to W. Fletcher's where notwithstanding [2] this excitement, she had a more successful seance in wh. she & the spirit were both seen by the company assembled (? both at once).

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Morell Theobald⁶ [signature]

(of the city firm of Theobald & Miall accountants.)