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Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IV, Issue 317, 22 September 1875, Page 3

The following is an exposure of a Tory sueOiissful form of spiritual imposture, of which many specimens in tho shape of photographic cards have of late been circulated in Parisian society. Tho story may be thus told •—Throe men—Edouard Buguet, thirty-four, photo* gropher; Piorro Loymari*, forty, li'era y v man; and Alfred Firman, an American—wore charged w’tb swindling. The course they adopted for beguiling tho public was what is known as spiritualistic photography, and consists in producing, behind or at the side of the sitter, a supposed likeness of some deceased ' relative or friend. Tho second of th 6 accused ■ is tho editor of a publication called the Ernie Spirits, and in each number ho extolled his associate, Buguet, as an especially favoured medium, and gave a proof of a spirit portrait* . with numerous letters from clients expressing their enthusiastic gratitude for the likenesses - of their departed friends or relatives. Tire mode adopted was simple The client arrived < at the studio of the photographer, was received -• by a lady cashier, who, entering into conversation, obtained some information as to tho deceased person desired to bo represented. Buguet was then introduced, and the ordinary - routine of sitting gone through • only, at the commencement, the client was desired to enter into communication mentally with tho wishedfor individual) and during tho exposure tho - operator leaned his bead against the wall and performed a series of convulsive contortions, supposed to bo an invocation of the desired spirit. Tho mission of Firman seems to hftvo ■ been confined to acting as a medical medium, and unmagnetising the overcharged photographer. That done, tho negative, in its slide, was conveyed into another room, dimly lighted, and there again exposed for a short time bsfore a lay figure, which could b» <*hanged at pleasure to represent either • r. Payment was then demanded, 20f., and the poitraits were forwarded a few days later in tho usual way. Some of tho fads came to the knowledge of the authorities, and the com* mifsary of the quarter was instructed to ranko an investigation. Be did so, and Bugu fc; explained the modus operandi', but tho official considered that the case was one which ought lo be decided by a court of law. Fifty-five witnesses were summoned, and roost of them, although they hoard repeated in court tho whole mode of production, remained firmly convinced that the portraits were genuine. One gentleman, who had spent 2000 f, in these photographs, still believes that he pcwmscs the veritable likeness of his sister, M,M. Lachaud, Carrahy, and Craquelin, appeared for the defendants, but with all their eloquence were unable to convince the tribunal that tho ingenuity exhibited was of an innocent description, as Buguet ami Ley marie wvre sen • teneed to one year’s imprisonment and a fine of 500 f. each, and Firman to six months' and 300 f.

The proprietor of a flourishing little news* letter, nearly- hard up, thus pours forth his axioms:—” Silence is golden,” of course ; tut the silence of that man to whom wo have written for our account is g(u)ilt.

A veteran was relating his exploits to a (r wd of boys, and mentioned having been in five engagements. u That’s nothing,” broke in one of his young auditors, u my sister SarfilPe been engaged eleven times,”