Thought Reading.

Waikato Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1839, 19 April 1884, Page 6 (Supplement)

Thought Reading.

The following report may interest some of our readers : A ciowdecT audience assembled in St. James' Hall for the purpose of witnessing a public demonstration of Mr. Irving Bishop's alleged faculty for discerning or reading the unuttered thoughts of another person, with no assistance but that of manual contact. Additional interest was lent to the occasion by the announcement that Mr. Bishop had accepted a challenge from Mr. Henry Laboucherc, M.P., for £1,000 to read the number of a bank-note concealed in any manner and known only to the owner, consenting to forfeit £100 in the event of failure, on the understanding that the money in either case, together with the proceeds of the meeting, should be handed over to the Victoria Hospital for Children, Chelsea. On behalf of the meeting, a committee of gentle men were appointed to occupy the platform, including Mr. Waddy, Q.C., M.P., who officiated as chairman, Mr. Passmore Edwards, M.P., Mr. Chas. llussell, Q. 0., Mr. Lane Fox, Mr. G. A. Sala, Dr. Pope, and others. The first part of the programme of clever conjuring performances. By some means, Mr. Bishop managed to extricate his hands from a pair of handcuffs sent specially from Scotland-yard, and fastened on hia hands by a police officer. Securely bound in a curtained cabinet, he was yet able to ring bells, knock nails into wood, and play a guitar, while a committeeman who sat fh with him testified that he felt hands slapping him, and even tugging at his watch. Mr. Labouchere was not present ; and Mr. Bishop explained that as he had not received any answer to his last letter to Mr. I^abouchere, he was unable to explain that gentleman's failure to appear or fulfil his part of the contract. He was ready to deposit his £100 with the chairman, and to go through with his part of the undertaking, and ho proposed to hold Mr. Labguchere to his challenge. Two eiperiments were then given in thought reading. Mr Bishop having retired from the hall, Mr. L. Fox concealed a email pin in &u

opera hat, placing it under a seat near the centre of the Hall. Mr. Bishop was introduced to the front of the platform blindfolded, whore he took Mr Fox by his right hand, passing his disengaged hand over his own and Mr. Fox's forehead. He then led him to the spot where the hat was, and eventually, after much hand waving, drew out the hat, from which he picked the pin, holding it aloft amid loud cheering. Prof. Ray Lankester then appeared with a £5 bank note, but Mr. Bishop refused to accept him as a medium, having failed with him previously. Mr. Waddy declined the office, as Mr. Bishop had succeeded with him on. a previous occasion, and variety was desirable Som9 delay ocoarrad, as the opinion of some ran in favor of tho trial of Prof. Ray Lankester. Eventnally Colonel Stevens was appointed by the ohairman, and Colonel Trench, to whoso bona fides the Hon. Edward Stanhope bore witness, handed up a bank note of which no one, not even himself, knew the number. A blackboard was placed on the platform, and Colonel Stevens having inspected the note, Mr. Bishop came forward and grasped his wrist with the left hand. He had maiked five spaces on the board. Throwing his right arm about in all directions, passing the hand over the medium's and his own forehead, he dotted the figures, 66,894, down on the board at intervals. Amid loud applause, this was declared by the chairman to be the correct number of the note. The conditions allowed two guesses. — English Mechanic.