THAT £100 CHALLENGE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 593, 23 August 1909, Page 9

THAT £100 CHALLENGE.

■ : :— « — : -'.'. I CONJURER AND SPIRITUALIST. "MONEY,-FIRST-TALK AFTERWARDS." The challenge issued by Mr. T. \V; Driver, 1 professional conjurer, to tho Medium Bailey, of Melbourne, now on a visit to .-Wellington! and' taken up by Mr. W. M'Lean, of this city, has not progressed very' far towards providing the ''test" anticipated. Mr. M'Lean, .it will bel remembered,, deposited with the editor of The Dominion £100, in response to Professor Driver's ; challenge to' perform any manifestation of ■'so-called spirit-power by- Professor Bailey, under certain test, conditions. In. : making his: deposit, Mr. M'Lean stipulated that Mr. : Driver- should deposit a like sum, and the tost conditions should then b,o agreed on, and, if not mutually satisfactory, the money should be returned to each-depositor. This soe'med reasonable enough. There, could bo no objection to making a deposit, provided 1 that .the, sum would-be ..returnecl if '~-no • mutual agreement could bo arrived at as to tho' tost conditions. Mr. Driver appears, however, to have gained the impression that Mr. M'Lean desired'to fix tho test conditions without ■ reference;' to his ' opponent. Writing - on the subject on Friday, ■ ho said: '.'My challenge is that I will plotely, and satisfactorily perform any manifestation: of so-called spirit-power which. I am permitted to witness three times. I challenge Mr.. William M'Lean to allow me to lest Charles, Bailey under .rigid test conditions. Let me. prove to Wellington and himself '.that .a, conjurer knows more- than ho does about a spirit medium. Let us have something' practical.' ' These - are tho plain and' straightforward conditions, and: 'these are the conditions'-' which I, as challenger, imust adbero to:: My challenge is,a:wager; and; 1 am prepared to put : tho■ money; up ■with tho^editor, of'tho 'New Zealand Times' as soon •■ as Mr. M'Lean or-Mr. Bailey 'intimate that they are prepared to go : on with the tosts. -Tho test conditions can be as stringent-'as they-like : Tho only ■ condition that I insist upon ' is. that' my tests shall take place in the presence of representatives of tho three Wellington daily papers. Thcro is no' need to talk vaguely* about 'gambling,' or beat about tho bush. I am the challenger, and,as soon as Mr.;,M'Lean or Mr. Bailor put up their sovereign's in accordance' with my conditions, man and money will be available. If I am beaten tho editor of tho "Times' will bo fully empowored by document to hand over the stakes, provided that' Mr. M'Lean will givo a written assuranco that if the verdict, of the nowspaper men (or any other committee), is given against him; ho will instruct his nominee to pay over tho stakes.'' ' ; To this Mr. M'Lean has replied a3_ follows:—"Your shuffle in this morning's 'Times' is not worthy of .a great artist in tho mystifying'and honourable profession to Which you have the honour to belong.' My 100 golden apports wait to bo covered by you. You are evidently afraid to trust the editor of The Dominion with • tho money. Now, tho only concession I will make at this .stago of tho light—for it is to be a fight to a finish as far as-1 am concerned, and knock-out blows overy time will be permit-'! ted—l havp already engaged tho services of. a local doctor, who will attend to Mr. Bailey..: The fight will be an intellectual one. It' will take place without tho permission of tho Boxing Association or tho Wellington police. Now, tho only concession I will mako at this stage of tho tight is this: Put up your money with the editor of. tho 'Times,'' and I undertake within. forty-cight ; hours after your deposit has been m&do to lodge my conditions with the editor of The Dominion. If the terms are not accepted .by you, you must state definitely "ana, clearly what you will accept,' and you ; havo'my assurance that I will meet you "as far as I can, but'until you put up your money T must decline further correspondence with you on the subject. Money first; talk afterwards."