SPOOKS DROP DOWN FOR A SONG

NZ Truth, Issue 1152, 29 December 1927, Page 1

SPOOKS DROP DOWN FOR A SONG

Spiritualist Under Astral Domination Is To Tour Dominion

swore that no ventriloquial powers entered into the thing at all.

Having said this much in fairness to the man, and having heard something, that purported to be voices "Truth" cannot accept the show at its face value. . In the first place, Chapmsh does not appear to welcome criticism, and anybody who questions the genuineness of the show is apt to get him very hot about the collar.

As a showman, he has still a lot to learn when dealing with doubting Thomases, and for a man who, on his own admission, has been ordered by the "spirits" to tour New Zealand and rouse public interest in the subject, he is unusually modest and retiring in spreading the gospel of the direct voice.

Why does he dodge personal responsibility in accepting a challenge issued by a well-known musical citizen of Christchurch to stage a spirit show in the man's own drawing-room and prove that the phenomena is genuine? And further, why does Chapman refuse the request of the same man that he be allowed to play an accompaniment for one of the spirit 'voices, and then back up his curt refusal by a veiled threat that "Charlie" (one of the spirit songsters) will tell him off in a minute?"

Of course, Chapman is full of reasons why he did these things, but in the opinion of "Truth," those reasons are wholly inadequate and border on the ridiculous. He claims that he can do nothing, agree -to nothing without first getting the permission of the spirits.

His means of communication are automatic spirit writing given through the mediumship of Miss Judd, and at the close' pf the second concert which "Truth" attended, some sceptics, desirous of testing spirit power by emulating the party's efforts at table-rais-ing with the same piece of furniture, came off very badly.

Chapman would not hear of this heathen experiment of the sceptics unless the spirits approved.

Miss Judd got busy with pencil and paper and the edict went forth — the spirits could not approve. So that was that.

The musical gentleman, numbered among these same sceptics, then made his challenge for a private show in his own drawing-room, but once again,

Chapm;in was chained by the wishe.i of those beyond the veil.

He would have to obtain their permission first and "Truth's" representative undertook to call on Chapman next morning and find out what the verdict was. A sheaf of automaticwriting, put over that morning, was produced by Chapman, as spook agent, arid once more the spirits were in unaccommodating mood.

"Not this week, next week perhaps, but probably the week after that." Such was the purport of the scribble shown to /'Truth."

"We shall have to wait until they are ready to go on," was Chapman's message, which savored strongly of this year, next year, some time, never.

In any case, the show in the sceptic's own drawing-room was definitely scotched in the meantime, thougli Chappy was confident that the show would eventuate, "but all in their (the spirits) own good time."

Having thus given a bird's-eye view, so to speak, of Chapman and his Blue Room Party of Spook Entertainers (Unlimited) "Truth" readers will be able to judge for themselves after digesting the facts given below just how much reliance is to be placed on the phenomena produced through the agency of Chapman's girl medium and a strumming piano.

"Truth" has no intention of ridiculing Spritualism in itself, but before this journal can accept the truth of Chapman's spirit manifestations it will require a great deal more proof than has been afforded at these song seances.

How he came to take up this occult agency is a story that goes back several years.

Chapman, a little bespectacled man. inclined to be fussy and excitable, told "Truth" all about it when the representatives of this paper introduced themselves to him prior to the commencement of the show.

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Christchurch Representative.)

IF you would know that long after you are dead the privilege of 1 entertaining your friends on earth with song will still be yours, then meet Clive Chapman, ex-farmer, bee-keeper, salesman, aero-plane-maker and now Spiritualist with a mission to act as agent for vocalists long since dead.

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It had taken him six years, he said, to work the phenomena up to its present stage of perfection, and even yet it was only in its infancy.

"The time will surely come when we shall not only be able to hear the voices of the spirits, but seo them on the stage,"' he said with dignified and deliberative air. "The spirits, manifest in this phenomena on sound vibrations of the piano and one of these days they will be heard on the wireless."

Chapman then gave a few personal details of his career and smilingly admitted that he felt he had at last found his life's work. "Do you know that in everything material 1 have touched I have been a

.failure," he said. * "Twenty years ago I built an aeroplane and never managed a flight: I have tried, bee-keeping and failed. I tried selling houses and failed; I have been a farmer and salesman and failed at that, too, but since I have been used by the spirits in this phenomena I feel that I have found my real mission."

He then entered into a lengthy description of what lie was doing.

"I want you to understand that we ourselves are nothing: at all. We don't claim any credit for what is done; as a matter of fact it, is right out of our hands and the spirits control everything."

"Well, what is the object of touringNew Zealand?" asked "Truth."

"We have been instructed to do so by the spirits, in order to arouse public interest," was the reply.

"Are you affiliated with any of the Spiritualist organizations in the Dominion?"

"No, we are affiliated to nobody. We are doing this simply because tllO spirits have told us to do it, and that is all there is to it. They , control everything; we ourselves do nothing — and are nothing-."

Chapman was beginning to get into his stride when one of his party came along and told him it was time to make a start. With that, Chappy ushered "Truth" to a seat and the show commenced. Before the concert proper began, though, there was a little diversion by way of table swinging-.

Miss Reid then sat down at the piano and commenced playing Irving Berlin's valse, "Always."

A thin, piping childish voice, or what purported to be that, came through, singing the song, but again not one word could be distinguished.

There was no mistaking the fact that whatever it was it was a child's voice, and Chapman announced that it belonged to a little girl named Betty.

Betty proved to very communicative that night and after her song she engaged in conversation Avith various members of 'the audience who put questions to hei*

stronger in this number, again not. a word could be distinguished. And all the time the piano was strumming away, mostly it seemed on the loud pedal. As Chapman explained . that the voices came through on sound vibration, the need for a powerful str um m ing was thus apparent. Then came a few intimate remarks to "Charlie" from Chapman, still strumming away on the piano, and "Charlie," when thanked by a. mem--.beii flf^Oj^xaUd^eaaeci expressed- .his~ple;t^ i sure and said that when he sang- the song in future he ; would always think

of his well-wisher

and received answers to them. Then there came through what was supposed to be a.,

"Nothing At All"

violin solo, although. "Truth" while suggesting notb'.n's against the party, has heard a similar effect produced by a clever manipulation of the lips in a private <Vawingroom.

Then a bugle call was heard, and it resembled nothing so much than a child tooting through its fingers. Any gazoo band, in the opinion of this paper, could have produced the same effect and with a greater volume at that.

And so on until the end of the programme. The song, "Angus McDonald," sung and accompanied by Miss Keid, was distinguished by a tenor echo, said to be the voice of "Charlie," and in this number the volume of the "spirit voice" was more apparent than in any of the previous items.

All very interesting, but the musical sceptic already referred to is of opinion that there is nothing remarkable and nothing unusual about the performance which could be reproduced by a clever student of harmonics. For business reasons and on account of his firm belief that the Blue Room Party is not of sufficient consequence to engage in a musical controver sy he declined

Chapman and his medium, Miss Judd, took up their positions at the table and called for volunteers from the audience, which numbered 24, all of whom, except the "Truth" representatives, had parted out their half-dol-lar admission fee. The two newspaper men had a. go at the table and af-•-.er much small talk from Chapman about the possibility of a long: wait, something started. The table certainly moved some and careered all over the >room. Nothing remarkable about this, though, as it is one of the oldest forms of phenomena. Presently, the table subsided once more to the floor and Chappy then announced that the concert would commence. Miss Judd took her seat at the table in the centre of the stage and beamed on the audience, while Chapman with a flourish seated himself at the piano and started off. He played* for several minutes before anything- occurred and then as he commenced the accompaniment for a song: something 1 else happened

Spooks 9 Directorate

Faintly at first a muffled humming noise was heard. This purported to be the voice of "Charlie," who. Chapman told "Truth," • had been a soldier who had been killed on the Indian Frontier some years ago. In any case Charlie was said to &..

be the singer, although no t on e " wa s a oaa word of the songf night for Chapman could be distin- an d a good one for guished. Nothing the sceptics for the save a faint hum- results were very ming, so far as poor compared with "Truth" could hear, the previous night's came through. show. Then commenced But as Chappy another song, explained "It rests "Take a Pair of entirely with them Sparkling Eyes," in £ whether they maniwhich "Charlie" * f est or not." came through again, All thi con . so Chapman said, a piece of pen -work Dy "^.ara," s idered the show e^ho^rf tenor from the Beyond ' who drops in , was a frost. voice was much frequently. ' and left the seep-

to disclose his name for publication. So ended the first night's performance which "Truth" attended. On the second occasion there was manifestly a disruptive element in the hall, and the criticisms of this section caused Chapman quite a good deal of bother. At one stage — during the tableraising preliminary — one sceptic became so disgusted that he forsook the table after he had vainly been waiting for the "spirits" to lift it and conduct the piece of furniture on its nightly perambulations round the hall. This was the first hint of dissension. The second hint came when what Chapman was pleased to call a disturbance occurred amongst the sceptic section of the audience. Chapman broke off in the middle of

an item and engaged in a heated wordy argument with his critics whom he invited to collect their half-dollars and leave the building. The invitation was not accepted and after some haggling the show pro- :• ceeded.

tics and "Truth" absolutely unconvinced. It was not surprising therefore, that when Chapman rung down the curtain a real he-man, argument commenced. The critics wanted information and asked for it auite courteously, but Chappy, already seriously ruffled, did not appear to be in any. mood to explain to doubting Thomases—notwithstanding his mandate "from the spirit world to tour Nevr Zealand spread the good news that life survives after death. Before the barney had been in progress five minutes Chappy was getting quite hot under the collar and shoSved by his attitud© that he had no desire to waste time on sceptics. . "Truth" representatives who were present throughout the argument, are quite satisfied that no fairer questions could have been asked, and they told Chapman that he was not advancing his cause by getting all hot and bothered when sceptics after information'sought it in a courteous manner. Chapman, of course, denied all suggestion of getting hot under the collar, but he finished up by driving the sceptics away, convinced after much futile discussion, that it was a sheer waste of time to talk. "A man ought to be kicked for having wasted two good hours, on piffle Mke that," said one man. But before' the party broke up a definite request was made that the sceptics should be allowed to try out their luck- with': the swaying stunt', on the table, but, oh no!. Chappy could not countenance any such thing. They were by Miss Judd ancHtne . automatic writing reply was a flat smack in the eye for the sceptics. Then came the challenge for a private demonstration in the musical doubter's drawing room, but here again, Chapman had to consult the "spooks." He ought, however, to have a reply through by the morning, and it was arranged that "Truth" should pick up the. cable from beyond next day. Accompanied lay a cameraman the representatives of this journal called on Chapman at his boarding house, but at the mere mention of a photograph of himself he nejarly collapsed. Chappy could not poss* t .'Gly come out into the garden and^^ose. If he <JM', -he feared his medium would bv'very cross and all sorts of ruction^ might ensue. Tbo mere suggestion of a photograph got'hlm quite 'hot and bothered. How,p"/er, he compromised, and ?with the of his medium loaned V'Truth" some "automatic sketches" which Miss

Judd had received through mediumistic agency.

These sketches, photographs of which are reproduced, it was explained by Chapman, are made by the spirits who sing at the seances; and represent how they appeared in the earth life.

It was further claimed that Miss Judd, who is still a girl, is not an artist, and that one sketch was done in a few minutes, while she read a book.

"Now what about this challenge, or invitation, to give a demonstration at this man's private house?" "Truth" asked Chapman.

"Well, it's like this," he replied somewhat fussily. "I am waiting now for an answer to my question as to whether they would agree or -not."

Jl minute later he darted upstairs arid- returned with a. sheaf of papers covered with writing.

Scanning through the sheets, Chapman finally heaved a aigh.- "They say that there is ho hurry and that they will not do It this week, but perhaps next week and probably the week after that." he said.

And so at least one sceptic in Christchurch ivill remain one until the spooks, in their discretion, decide to give him his wish.

During his sojourn in the Cathedral City, Chapman and his Blue Room Party have given private demonstrations in private houses, but inquiries made by "Truth" among spritualists in the city, elicited the information that these private seances were conducted in houses the owners of which, if not actually confirmed Spiritualists, were at least sympathetic inquirers. One man who has been investigating for the past ten years told "Truth" that he believed it to be absolutely impossible for Chapman and his medium to produce the results he claimed in a public hall where every doubting Tom, Dick and Harry could attend. In any case he was of opinion