IN SPIRITLAND.

Gisborne Times, Volume XIX, Issue 1558, 14 September 1905, Page 3

IN SPIRITLAND.

VALUABLES SHOWER DOWN.

Kg telegraph, Pres* Aaa’n, Copyright Melbourne, Sept. 18. An extraordinary story is told by Thos. Welton Stanford, of Melbourne, brother of the late Mrs Leland Stanford, founder of the Stanford University, California, regarding a oolleotion of valuable antiquities whioh were recently forwarded to tbat University, and whioh he deolared were collected from aooient tombs in Egypt on bis behalf by the astral body of a spiritualistic medium.

I According to latest files of San , Franoißoa newspapers, Dr. Jordan, president of the University, was nnable to adopt Stanford’s explanation of the manner of obtaining the oolleotion, and despite their great value bo has been compelled to deoline the offered gifts. The, etory surrounding the . arrival in Melbourne of these treasures -is remarkable. Standford is a spiritualist; so was his brother,- Senator Stanford, of the United States, and Mrs Leland Stanford, whose death ocourred in sensational cironmatanoes a few months ago at Honolulu. Shortly after her departure from Adelaide, about four years ago, Stanford discovered Charles Bailey at South Yarra, a laundryman by ocoupation in the. daytime and oommuner with the inhabitants of tho astral world at night. Seances were , held, and extraordinary manifestations! alleged. Jangle sparrows from lodia, sitting in their nests and chirruping excitedly, wore sometimes plumped down upon the' circle. Coins of great antiquity and rarity were instantly produced. At one sitting Stanford asked that alive ibis .should be brought from Egypt, and it was on the table in ten aeoonds. Another member asked Bailey that he should bring fish from the sea. As soon as tha lights were turned on those present saw a shovel-nosod shark, a foot and a-half long, entangled in seaweed, from which salt water was still dripping. The most interesting articles that arrived, supposedly from Egypt, at a minute’s notioe were rare coins of the Baotrian dynasty of the reign of Ptolemies and of the days of old Rameses, octagonal olay tablets covered with onneiform inscriptions whioh were written in the dawn of history, and parohmants and papyrus, containing hieroglyphics of the early Egyptians and Jews.