The Case of Eusapia Paladino

Oamaru Mail, Volume XX, Issue 6439, 25 December 1895, Page 4

The Case of Eusapia Paladino

m With regard to the ease of Eosapia Paladiscs the exponent of a "new paycbJe force," with whom we dealt in an article the other day, Mr hfaskelyne, the celebrated conjuror, recently gave an interviewer the following account of the manner in which ha exposed the fraud : «• Eosapia ia subject to epileptJo fits, and such persons often have remarkable muscular powers. Here h an instance of this. I noticed that by pressing the calf of her teg against the table she moved the table to and fro. When I put my knee firmly against her calf the rocking ceased. And to on. By ahe«r muscular power in her leas the woman did all kinds of tricks. I saw it. and there she sat and groaned andaiched and sobbed. It was ridiculous. But Eosapia did not like me. When I suggested two or three little variations in the ordinary programme; when I said I should admire her more in a white dress than in a black, she was offended, and demanded my expulsion from the Uaacc. However, by that time I knew enough. I must say that the Psychical Research Society gave me every opportunity of getting at the truth. What they wanted was also the truth. When I got home I constructed a cage of thin white gauze, which could be fastened to the floor and all round her, and in this cage I suggested that Eosapia should sit. There were just two holes in it at the aides, for a band to be passed through to bold the lady's hand. It was perfectly easy for anyone to ait in this cage. No restrictions whatever, except that yoo could not put your bands or feet out of it, or rock your chair till it moved about towards any object in the room which might be made to fly about through space. But the lady would have none of the cage; she was furious at the idea of it. and when I suggested that a little luminoos paint might be pot on her finger tips, and various other little things by means of which her psychic-superiority ought be established in a dark-room, she became most uncomplimenUry to me. And so I have assisted at no further s4tmcn. The gauze cage is here, and lam here; and Bosapia Paladino has left the country, and the P.R.S. have lost faith in her. But, as I said, it is a case for moralising, and it has shown once more that men of science are far from being the best men for discovering frauds of this kind."