THE SPIRITUALISM CASE.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1163, 15 June 1894, Page 29

THE SPIRITUALISM CASE.

The trial of James and Priscilla Hackett on a charge of conspiring to defraud by falsely pretending to produce disembodied spirits in a materialised or other form was continued at the Supreme Court on Tuesday morning. Evidence was given by Wm. Skey, colonial analyst, and by Lily Hewitt, who described in a very intelligent manner the proceedings at the three seances, the first two being held in Mr Vaughan's house in Wellington, and the third in Mr Wilford's office, Petone. Miss Hewitt's description of the exposure at the third seance was as follows: —The spirit sup-, posed to be that of the child called " Rcsy " emerged from the cabinet and moved towards the centre of the room. A lady sitting at the part of the circle nearest to the cabinet held some converse with it, " Rosy" answering by flashes of light, three flashes denoting "Yes," and one flash " No." Then Mr Vaughan, who was sitting next to this lady, and second to the cabinet, coaxed " Rosy" towards him. When it came near enough ho suddenly put out his hand, caught hold of it and called for a light. As Vaughan caught hold of it Miss Hewitt saw a pass right in front of his face, as if someone were striking at him. The lights were then turned up, and Miss Hackett rushed towards her brother, who was then outside the cabinet. Mr Vaughan was standing up with the spirit in his hand. His Honor: You mean the muslin ?

Witness: Yes, this muslin (produced).

' Mr Hackett appeared to be in a trance, and as Miss Hackett rushed towards him, she cried out, " Turn out tho lights for God's sake," and then added, " Open the door." A gentleman who was present then came forward and caught hold of Mr Hackett, who struggled with him, but eventually sat down on a chaii. This gentleman proved to be Constable Butler. Mr Vaughan said, "It seems to me I havo exposed a fearful fraud. Give mo back the money that I havo paid you, and I will say nothing about it." Constablo Butler then said, " Oh, no, I havo a warrant here for his arrest. lam a constable." Butler also told Vaughan not to let the muslin out of his hands. Miss Hackett said. " Oh, that is the material, Mr Vaughan. I have seen him stripped in Sydney." Vaughan replied, " Yes, I know it is the material; that's what I've been wanting to get." Witness thought Miss Hackctt's statement was rather funny, as she had been previously told by Miss Hackett that she had never been out of New Zealand. Witness had remarked before the seance began that Mr Hackett looked rather bulky round tho waist for a man of his build. John Bronte, chemist, Wellington, gave an account of an interview ho had with tho Hacketts in which spiritualism was discussed. Koplying to Mr Poynton, witness said he would like to find out that spiritualism was a reality. He had never been able to find a spirit although ho had been looking for them for 25 years. If the spirits of any of his relations wero produced it would chango his mind with regard to tho naturo of things entirely. When another man camo along and said lie had shaken hands with his deceased aunt ho characterised it as a delusion. By Mr Wilford : At tho first seanco witness ever attended ho was convinced it was a fraud because the spirit that appeared wos supposed to be that of a Methodist clergyman. Some porson put a question to tho spirit about Calvinism in spirit land, and the spirit manifested the utmost ignorance of tho merest principles of Calvinism. Ho believed spirits frequently lost the knowledge they possessed on earth, bocauso he had heard of tho spirit of a distinguished Greek who when spoken to in that language was found to havo entirely forgotten his native tongue. He had never seen a spirit, nor had anyono else. Spirits had some substanco ; they were mado out of a kind of gauze or muslin. (Laughter.) Hia wholo experience, and that of generations before, was that from tho witch of Endor downwards, all this kind of thing was a fraud. Mr Wilford : Do you know Mr Marryatt ? Witness: Florence Marryatt is it you mean ? I havo read her books. (Laughter.) Mr Wilford : I mean Mr Marryatt, of Wellington. Witness: No, I do not know him. Constablo said ho was present at a seanco at on May 16th. Mr Vaughan and Miss Hewitt went out there with him, and tho two accused camo out later in the evening. Before the seance Miss Hackett called attention to the fact that there was no blind to tho window, and witness and Mr Henderson rectified tho omission by putting their top coats over the window. All tho timo Hackett was sitting in front of tho curtain he was rubbing his hands together. Ho then went behind the curtain, and the lamp was turned down very low. Miss Hackett told them they were not to talk loudly, and on no account to strike lights. Sho asked somoone to start a hymn, which was done, and they kept on singing for some time. He noticed that as soon as they got half way through tho last verso of one hymn Miss Hackett would stop, and at its conclusion would immediately start another hymn, so that tho singing was kept going. All the time ho could hear the sound mado by James Hackett rubbing his hands together. The singing lulled at ono timo, and James Hackett said they would have to keep it up or he could produce no great results. Before going behind the curtain Jame 3 Hackett said, " I don't think wo will have any great results to-night, I don't feel like it." After they had been singing about 25 minutes he saw something white about the centre of the curtain; at first it appeared dim and then became stronger. Miss Hackett said, "Is that you, Eosy ?" and then said " Come here, Kosy." Rosy did not appear inclined to como and stood wavering in the centre of the curtain. Miss Hackett suggested it might want to go to tho other lady, and told Kosy to go to that person, whose name he forgot. Rosy went across to her, and all the time those present were admiring the spirit, saying haw good it was of her \to como and seo them. Witness then described how Rosy was "grabbed," and deposed that he arrested the accused. Evidence was given by J. Hendorson and Detective Herbert, the latter deposing that tho oil found on Hackett was of a luminous nature. This closed the case for the Crown. Mr Poynton then addressed the jury, and was proceeding to call evidence when the Court adjourned until 10 o'clock next morning. _