Swindling with Spiritualism.

Te Aroha News, Volume VI, Issue 358, 10 April 1889, Page 4

Swindling with Spiritualism.

SwixDLrsa by spiritualism has just been tried with great success in Paris by n band of British pickpockets, the member^ of which gave themselves out as mediums A few nights since great jubilation was caused among a select set of Paris spiritualists who commune with shadowy forms every evening in rooms in the Line .St. Lazare. One of their number begged to introduce William Torry, a fair-haired Saxon young: man, and two friends, as they had been deputed by the late lamented Leibnitz, the philosopher, to visit the votaries of physical research of the Rue St. Lazare, Torry and his confederates were accordingly invited to take a seat at a table with the brethren, and supernatural operations were at once | begun. Snddenh' the table quivered, there was a tap of a toot on the floor, vaguo mystical forms seemed to float in the air, and Torry was understood to pay that he was the spirit of the great Melebranche. More wonderful still, he amazed the assembled Gauls by writing an eloquent message from Melebranehe on a slate in capital French, although he was a Saxon unable to wield that language with accuracy or ease. The French ppiritualists were delighted. Torry and his friends were lauded to the fhmament and asked to repeat their wonderful experiments, and to commune with other deceased French philo&ophers and poets on the next evening, which they did. Again the shadowy figures moved about in mystical vapour and the spirit of Victor Hugo was heard speaking amid semi-darkness, when some of the spiritualists felt tugs at their watchchains and hands fumbling 1 about in their pockets. Immediately the alarm was given, the lights were turned up, and the spirits had disappeared, together with the British mediums, several watches, purses, and chains belonging to the company, in addition to yarious objects of art which had been on the mantelpiece or the tables in the room where" the seances were held. The police are now on the track ot the mediums. He: "Hullo! there's your brother's! cutter.' What's he going to name her 1" She : " Well, he thinks of naming her after the cook, because she makes such heavy rolls, you know." Dunedin Presbytery have decided to invite Professor Rainy — who with Dre. McGregor (of Edinburgh), Lind (of Glasgow), and Fraser (of London), is a deputy from the Home churches afc the Jubilee cele bration to be held at the end of July in, Australia— to visit New Zealand.