Nelson Evening Mail SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1925 THE FAILURE OF “MARGERY”

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 9 May 1925, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail SATURDAY, MAY 9, 1925 THE FAILURE OF “MARGERY”

THE last issue of llie "Scientific: Amei jean" reports the conclusion of its committee’s investigation of the medium Mrs Craiidon, known in spiritist circles as “Margery." 'This investigation lias created widosnvead interest, in part bc;- . ause the lady is America's foremost

“psychic,” and in part because some six or seven months ago, tbo Secretary „f Committee, Mr Malcolm Ril'd, allowing his journalistic instinct to outrun his discretion, let it go out to the press that the medium had a very good prospect of obtaining a, favourable, decision from 1 1 of .judges. Phis was promptly and definitely denied by a majority of the committee who objected strongly to publication of reports which did not emanate from the committee itself. Dr Free, who had just taken over the editorship of the journal, met the deadlock by agreeing that in future reports were to be supplied by the committee, and by the: committee only. The judges then issued individual statements mi their experiences with Mrs Crandon. To these statements we referred at. the time and need only say here that one member. Dr Carrington, claimed that “Margery” had produced genuine su-per-normal phenomena while, another, tloudini the magician, declared as positively that the. results had been produced by deliberate and conscious fraud. The chairman. Dr Prince, and Dr Comstock stated that, no proof of super-normal powers bad been furnished but did not condemn the medium as fraudulent. Dr. William McDougall, being absent from Boston, did pot furnish a report. There has now- been issued a joint statement by Doctors Prince and Me Dottgail. who continued the investigation. They report that “we have shared in the labours of the committee which has devoted a large amount of tune and careful observation to this case, affording every facility for tho production of phenomena. We have observed phenomena, the method of production of which we cannot- in every ease claim to have discovered. But we have observed no phenomena, of which we can assert, that they could not have been produced by normal means, although we have looked for such phenomena patiently and with open minds. If is obvious that we cannot prove that tiio ‘medium - never has produced and never can. nor will produce super-normal phenomena. But in our opinion wo have afforded the ‘medium’ ample opportunities for the demonstration to us of such phenomena, and no such phenomena has hitherto been made.” Four of tho five members of the committee have now tiled adverse judgments, but apart from this there was a very siul’icient reason, why the tests could not be continued any?further. Wo quote from Dr Prince’s statement, “{since the medium volubly promised me repeated experiments under precisely similar circumstances 1 expected in one or l\vo further sittings to be able to determine whether the sound of a hell actually issued from the bell in the box or from another such as could easily have been concealed between the medium’s knees and under her garments. But all such opportunities have since been denied me, in spite of my repeated efforts to obtain them, nor have I been able to secure any prospect that, sittings in a red light would ,be allowed me. For some weeks Dr Grandon has refused to allow my presence under any circumslauccs.” When the subject of investigation refuses to allow the presence-of tbo chairman of the investigating committee the situation becomes, to say the least, a little strained. l’he natural inference seems to bo that the Crandons had had quite enough oi the investigation and as the committee were.pushing for a fulfilment of tho promises of better lighted and better controlled sittings it was time to ring down the curtain. They therefore took the usual mccUumistic course and terminated the proceedings, complaining of harsh treatment, prejudice and want of sympathy. Tiie plaints are absurd. The Committee treated the Crumpton's, as they treated other mediums, with tho utmost leniency and accommodation. But they would have failed in their duty it' they had not taken measures against the possibility of fraud. Therefore, before they accepted a phenomenon as genuine it bad to be produced under conditions from which the possibilities of fraud were eliminated. This tho mediums term “prevention of the phenomena”; (lie ordinary individual would call if sim ply ' ‘ com monsense.

And why, in the. name of the same eoiumons'cnse, should mediums insist on conditions every one of which throws suspicion on the genuineness of their pretentions. Why must there be darkness? Why must, the objects which are to be manipulated be placed near the medium? Why must some friend or relative take part in the sitting? And wliv should objection be taken to the presence of sceptics? As to tho necessity for (lie dimmest of lights, if not complete, darkness, it must surely bo forgotten that these “spirits,” before they “crossed over,” were accustomed to the brightest sunshine ancl the glare of gas and electric, light. Are the conditions of the after-life such as< lit only the bat and tho mole? Again, why should it be necessary that objects

\\ Jii.ii ,iii' In In' list'll in tin' seance — lii'll>. 1 1 u 11111 *•I s. Inbli'S. i'i r. —sin mill 1"' 111 ai tin medium. It is the spirits which air. Ml|' 1 XiXrl 1 In handle I Ilk'S l '' things. not tiii- rn■ ■ilium. Smrh a. spi.d "liulil i• in■_! a In-11 liii feet away from llir inrilimn as easily as nnc ten inches. lint perhaps the strangest thine' jy tint objection In unhehevers attending seam li spn'ls the atmuspherc, sa\ I in- spiritists. One would thiuit that any public spirited spook would Wi'home the presence n!' a sceptic. l'uf tu inipress an already impressed lie iie.ver is a slight matter: U> convince a doubting opponent would be some credit. lint Mrs CrandiHt says these things must he. If you close all the avenues of fraud, if you shut Iter up in a. box cnhiiief. if you press for a. repetition of a doubtful occurrence under bolder conditions of observation, if you move the bell or the tambourine or the table too Inr away you are not the sort of person to conduct a psychic investigation, “d liese things." says "Margery'’ Crampton, ‘prevent the phenomena.” She in vi.r said a truer word.