Challenge to “Argus”

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 389, 25 June 1928, Page 1

Challenge to “Argus”

THOUGHT-READING OR CODE? Manager Offers £2OO Wager DECLARING that the mind-reading of Argus is nothing more than “a code between confederates,” Professor H. W. Segar, Professor of Mathematics at Auckland University, has written challenging the “boy prophet” to a test, in which his manager is not to speak. Mr. Copeland, manager for Argus, accepts the challenge and, moreover offers to back his opinion of the telepathist with £2OO or a greater sum.

In a letter to The Sun, the professor writes: “There is only one way by which such performances as those given by Argus are achieved, namely, by means of a code used between the confederates. That a code should be capable of achieving such apparently wonderful feats seems to many of the uninitiated so incredible that, rather than accept this explanation, they prefer to espouse a belief in telepathy if they have not already such a belief. As a matter of fact, these codes are both simple and short. “They are so arranged that the average spectator will not suspect they are being used. The effort required to become familiar with one is only a fraction of 1 per cent, of the effort required to prepare an individual for any of the ordinary skilled trades or professions. These codes are easily added to or otherwise modified in order to attain greater proficiency or to meet the special requirements of some particular occasion. “There was one famous case of a ‘thought-reading’ performance, exactly like Argus’s, that was exciting London. One daily paper set its staff to work to discover the code being used. Their efforts soon met with success and the paper published the code. At the next performance following this many of the audience were able to tell the unknown object as well as the performer on the stage simply by reference to the code. “When I was present a private performance • given by Argus and Mr. Cope-

land, many years ago, I asked that I should be allowed to ask the questions and that Mr. Copeland should remain silent. This challenge was not accepted. I make a similar request now. Will Mr. Copeland keep quiet, in speech and movement, at one of his performances, while some reputable and disinterested citizen communicates with Argus in his own way? Mr. Copeland, so long as he keeps quiet, may think as hard as he likes, and so increase the energy of his ‘brain waves.’ His silence will assist him in this, but I claim that nevertheless the performance will break down.

“We are told that now it is proposed to use radio in a performance between Auckland and Wellington. It need not be limited. Any distance will do over which it is possible for Mr. Copeland, if he is allowed, to deliver his own questions in his own way to Argus. And the most remarkable feature of the performance would still be not the distance, but the number of times Argus and Mr. Copeland can come back to the same town and continue to mislead so many of its otherwise intelligent inhabitants.” Professor Seagar’s challenge in the above letter was accepted by Mr. Copeland, manager for Argus, to-day. “I am willing to back my opinion to the extent of £2OO or more that Argus will answer correctly a fair proportion of a test without my speaking at all,” he said. “Argus, I am sure, would convince a committee of people, say from the legal profession. This committee should be selected neither by myself nor by Mr. Seagar.”