Experiences in the Investigation of Psychological Phenomena
At the last meeting of the Psychological Society, Mr. C. C. Massey was cross-examined in relation to the following deposition, which he had furnished for criticism by the members:—
(1.) One afternoon, in the autumn of 1874 (the date can be supplied by reference to my notes), I was present at a seance held at 15, Southampton-row, Holborn, Mr. Frank Herne being the medium; 15, Southampton-row is not the residence of Mr.' Herne, but he was permitted to hold seances there by Mr. Burns, the tenant.
We were about a dozen in number. All light was excluded from the window, one gas burner being alight when we took our seats round the table.
There were a tambourine, paper tubes, iron rings, and other things on the table—I think a guitar.
We all joined hands by gaslight. I sat exactly under the gas burner, Mr. Herne three or four off me to my left. I was desired to put out the light. I stood up with my right hand still in my neighbour’s left to turn the cock of the burner. I looked round the table immediately before turning out the light, and saw every one sitting quite quietly, with hands locked.
Hardly had I turned off the gas—not having had time to remove my finger from the cock of the burner —when tambourine, guitar (I think), and other instruments of noise were apparently snatched up with a great clatter, played and beaten about the room, knocked against walls and ceiling, instantaneously and simultaneously. One person, free, could not have produced the effects, and even if Herne had been at once released by bis neighbours he would not have bad time even to snatch up one of the instruments, which were thus carried to a distance quite beyond his reach where he sat, or supposing him to stand. Time was in this case the test. Allowing all, except myself, to have been accomplices, there would not have been time, in the inappreciable interval between my turning off the gas and the effects produced, for the sitters to have unlocked hands and seized the instruments. This was the first satisfactory evidence I ever obtained in my investigations.
(2.) On a somewhat later date than the foregoing I was at another seance with Herne at the same place. There were violent physical disturbances, but as I did not know all the sitters, I was going away, as usual, dissatisfied with the evidence, but said nothing. The stance had been held in the back parlour, and when it was over we all went through the front room, and out of that down stairs. I was the last to leave except Herne. Just as I was going out at the door of the room on to the staircase I turned round to speak to Herne, who was following immediately behind me. Herne had not spoken to me or done anything to engage my attention or make me turn. As I turned, I saw a chair in the very act of being Hung (apparently) after Herne (whose back was turned to it) from near the window. It was in mid air, and fell with some force on the ground just behind him.
(3.) With the medium Slade, I have witnessed this apparently spontaneous movement of furniture in broad light several times, but the following are the most conclusive cases. At New York, on the 8th September, 1875, I sat with him at his own rooms; light from the window was freely admitted. There was no one present but Slade and myself. I sat at one side of a small table, Slade on my left at another. We had some slate-writing, and then Slade’s chair was pulled back from the table—he sitting on it about a foot. His whole person was then distinctly visible to mo. He sat inclined towards me—one leg crossed over the other. I sat in the same position towards him, and his feet were then about a foot distant from mine, and the legs of my chair quite out of his reach/ I then asked that my chair should be moved back with me on it, in like manner. It and I were almost immediately drawn back about three or four inches. This was by broad daylight.
(4.) I sat again with Slade one evening early in October, 1875, at the same place. On this occasion I was accompanied by my friend Colonel H. S. Olcott. Three gas burners at full flare made a brilliant light in the room. Colonel Olcott sat at one end of the table—I on his right, Slade on his loft, opposite me. Opposite Colonel Olcott, on Slade’s loft and on my right, stood an empty chair, at the further end of the table. Slade sat, as usual, with his logs stretched out towards the sitter on his right (Colonel Olcott) throughout the seance, which was chiefly devoted to slate-writing. By-and-by the chair opposite Colonel Olcott was flung down, right away from the. table, a clear space intervening. The floor was carpeted. I carried a tape measure for the purpose of taking distances, dimensions, &c., in these investigations, and at once got up and measured the distance between the nearest point of the prostrate chair, and the point, nearest to that, of the chair on which Slade sat. It was five feet exactly. I resumed my seat, and had then, and throughout, a clear view of the vacant space between the prostrate chair k and the table. I never took my eyes off this space and the chair. I then asked that the chair might be picked up and deposited at my side, particularly requesting Dr. Slade not to move an inch from his position. He could not do so without immediate observation both by myself and Colonel Olcott. In fact lie did not. I watched for two or three minutes, Slade and Olcott meanwhile conversing. I then saw the prostrate chair move a few inches towards me, and then it was suddenly raised, and placed, standing, at my right side. I should add that when I took the measurement I examined the chair for wire, attachment, or other peculiarity. There was none. It was a common chair, to all appearance. I gave evidence on my oath of this fact at Bow-street Police-court, and was cross-examined upon it by Mr. George Lewis, solicitor for the prosecution of Slade. I have not been indicted for perjury! The evidence was reported in the newspapers as above.
(5.) In the autumn of 1875 I accompanied Colonel Olcott to Mrs. Young’s, known as the “piano medium,” in New York. I will give the particulars of what occurred from my notes, which I have not at present at hand.
I should mention that of all the above particulars, except the second case, I have notes made shortly after the seances at which they occurred. I shall not be speaking solely from recollection of what occurred at distant times.
Editor's notes
- ↑ Experiences in the Investigation of Psychological Phenomena by Massey, C.C., London Spiritualist, No. 380, December 5, 1879, pp. 272-73
Sources
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London Spiritualist, No. 380, December 5, 1879, pp. 272-73