WCP6756

[1] [p. 280]

not steeped in stupid ignorance and prejudice, would for a single moment challenge the truth of his statements as he has given them to you. - Very sincerely yours.

P.O.JENKINS, M.D.

Washington, D.C.

December 21st, 1887.

Dr. Alfred Russel Wallace , Godalming, England.

DEAR SIR, — My friend, General F.J.Lippitt¹, has shown me a letter addressed to you by himself in regard to certain appearances of two forms as spirits at séances of Mrs. M. Eugenie Beste, held in this city on the 8th, 17th, 24th and 28th of May, 1885.

I was present at these séances and can say that I heard most of the conversations of the spirits purporting to be Carrie Lippitt² and Nellie Morris. I particularly well remember the séance at which a lock of hair was cut from the head of Nellie Morris. At this séance, P.O.Jenkins, Esq., was present, and handed the scissors for the use of the spirit in severing the lock.

I was very much interested in the effort of General Lippitt to establish the identity of Nellie Morris, of the success of which I could only judge by what was incidentally uttered by the spirits, and by the disclosures of General Lippitt himself, after May 8th, 1885.

I cannot say whether Mr. Jenkins was present at all these séances, but he concurs with me in vouching for the truth of the incident of the cutting of the lock of hair.

Both of these gentlemen are well known in this city, and need no vouchers for their credibility where they are known. As for myself, I must refer to the record of my 24 years of service in the Treasury of the United States, and my studies of the phenomena of Spiritualism since 1845 in proof of my honest endeavour to state facts as they were, — Very respectfully,

DARIUS LYMAN³.

The following letters bear on the character of some of the "mediums" mentioned in the foregoing account:-

5, Boylston-place, Boston, Mass.

March 25th, 1888.

MY DEAR MYERS, - 1. I am writing to Bundy for information about William Beste, Keeler, Mrs C.M.Twing, and Mrs Huston.

2. The case of Mrs Ross was undoubtedly one of complete exposure and clear fraud, and even if she got any genuine phenomena, nothing can be done with her.

4. The Berry sisters, have also been recently detected in fraud, and had been previously exposed. I went one evening not very long ago to a Berry materialisation séance, and had no doubt that it was complete fraud.

5. Mrs Fairchild has also been completely exposed. If I can get the records of these exposures I will forward them to you. R HODGSON⁴.

Chicago

April 26th, 1888.

DEAR MR HODGSON, - You asked me about the following named persons who claim to be mediums:- (1) Mrs. M Eugenie Beste; (2) William⁵ and P.L.O.A.Keeler⁶ (brothers) ; (3) Helen and Gertrude Berry; (4) Mrs. Ross; (5) Mrs Fairchild.

[2] [p. 281] Mrs Beste is a shrewd adventuress, with probably some psychic power. She was detected at Hartford and owned up, but is again running her fraudulent show, at present in California. The Keeler Brothers probably have some psychic power, but they are both arrant rascals. One of them fooled Alfred Russel Wallace most egregiously, I have good reason to believe. The Berry girls are probably mediumistic, but I have no confidence in their materialisation shows. They certainly are incorrigible frauds, though I would not like to say they have no power as materialising mediums, yet I have no confidence in their claims in this respect. Mrs Ross is probably an unmitigated swindler. Ditto, Mrs Fairchild, though plenty of witnesses will swear that all of them are genuine.

Mrs Huston is a comparatively new candidate for public credence, and I know little of her. Mrs Carrie. M. Twing is not a materialising medium, nor a medium for physical manifestations of any sort. She is a woman of good moral sense, and I think means to be honest. She has been for years the unfortunate victim of the opium habit but I am told that within two years she has made a noble fight against it and conquered. I do not consider her mediumship anything very wonderful but I think she is a virtuous and well-meaning woman. All the others of whom you have spoken are, so far as I know, a bad lot. I could give you, if necessary, considerable of the history in print of most of these people, but it would involve a good deal of work in hunting it up from my files, and unless it is important I had rather not undertake it. - Yours truly,

JNO. C. BUNDY⁷

1827, Jefferson-place, Washington.

February 22nd, 1888.

MY DEAR MR. WALLACE, — On the 18th inst. I received your letter of February 7th. I had just mailed to you a slip announcing the final result of the Ross persecution. A short time ago I met Dr. Flower, of Boston, who was on his way to Florida with his family. He told me that Ross's lawyer refused to jeopard his own social standing by offering evidence of the genuineness of the manifestations, and therefore, had the indictment quashed on a purely technical ground. Dr Flower told me also that, finding the Rosses to be in a destitute condition, stripped of all the money they had by the expenses of the legal proceedings, he promised that if he could be absolutely convinced of the genuineness of the manifestations through Mrs. Ross, by a séance at his own house, he would allow them 1,500dol. a year, in order to relieve them from dependence upon public circles for their support. They accordingly came to his house at a time appointed. Dr. Flower⁸ hung a curtain over a recess, and in the course of the séance 52 different materialised forms made their appearance, of both sexes and of all ages. One of them, a girl of about 10, talked for some time with the doctor's own daughter, of the same age, behaving and talking precisely as a bright, mortal child would have done. Afterwards Mrs Ross came to see him in his office. He at once proposed a séance there and then, calling in his wife and his brother and brother's wife. In a short time about 36 different forms showed themselves, and the doctor informs me that he is now redeeming his pledge.