TALKING HAND MYSTERY

Shannon News, 18 May 1926, Page 3

TALKING HAND MYSTERY

A 'Sunday Chronicle' representative was present at a remarkable "seance" conducted in London by MiArthur Prince, in which the famous ventriloquist reproduced to the amazement of those present some of the tricks resorted to by fraudulent mediums, and here describes the remarkable things he saw. A hand severed at the wrist lay in the centre of an oblong piece of board. lit was .not a real hand, but it was grimly life-like, and the four men and two women who were gripping the edges of the board with their fingers could not bring themselves to look at it without an involutary shudder. Suddenly a voice whispered: "Ask the hand any questions you like, and it will endeavour to answer jthem." It was the medium's assistant. For a moment there was silenet Everyone started at the dread object on the board as though fascinated. Then a girl .wide-eyed with expectation, marshalled her courage: "I should like to know- if my mother is there?" she quavered. Slowly, trembling, the fingers they were all watching had commenced to move. Once, twice, three times they rose and fell . The answer was "Yes." = Other people asked questions, and the hand quivered and rose again. Tap, tap, tap went its fingers ,on the board. It was uncanny, baffling. How was it done? There were no visible signs of any human agency; there was ' no deception whatever; yet the medium was not acting like other mediums. In fact, he was laughing outright. Astonished, at the anti-climax .the audience stared at him, awaiting an explanation. "Well, I think you were fairly taken in that time," he exclaimed "Did anyone spot how it was done?" Not one of the sitters spoke. How it Was Done. The "Medium" was Mr. Arthur Prince, the famous ventriloquist, and he was demonstrating. at a special "seance" how easy it is for professional spiritualistic mediums to dupe the credulous. "None of the phenomena produced at seances," he declared, "is ttic work of psychic agency . Almost any conjuror or professional magician who knows his business can imitate them well enough to baffle even an acute investigator.'" i Mr. Prince then proceeded to show hoAv the "faking"—as he termed it —was accomplished. First he explained the trick of the talking hand. "You have all examined the board," I he said, "and you have all come to the conclusion that it is just an ordlnay piece of wood studded with a few brass screws.

The audience nodded its assent. "Very well. Now watch." With a deft flick of his thumb Mr Prince gave a half-turn to one of the brass • screws. From a microscopic hole" in the centre of the board popped the point of a tiny needle. "That's all," he said simply 'Whenever' I want the hand W mov<> I press the stud, the needle comes up,- and the fingers lift. Neat, isn't it?" "Pure Bunkum." On-- after the other the ventriloquist reproduced all the phenomena of the seance. Trumpets flew through the air, guitars twanged mysteriously messages appeared by magic on seal, ed slates .and voice spoke out ot tne void—all in broad daylight. "Pure bunkum," was the demonstrator s comment. . , Taking two ordinary writing slates such as are used in schools, he passed them round the audience, "You win see "''he said, "they are quite clean on 'both sides. Now watch me very carefully." , With a piece of broad ribbon bound the two slates tightly together face to face. "Now will someone .rive me a message?" he asked A voting man wrote some words on 9 piece of paper and handed it up. '•\ro those who have passed ov ' happier than they were on tms , earth?" read out Mr. Prince. I The slates lay on the table untouched, intensely curious, the audience watched them unwrapped, and saw that the message, \os, mucn happier," had been written. Sleight of Hand. How had it been done? "Just a. UUie sleight of ton*/' owloinod the ventriloquist. You all think the writing was on the inside of the si ate M vaLt. Miracles are beyond me What happened was this. When menage was handed up I scrawied tie answer on the outside and covered it with the ribbon. On hig the slates it was a simple mattci S manipulate one so that I appeared to lift the side with the writing on traight from the face of the other.'