SPIRITUALIST SPLIT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22628, 20 July 1935, Page 22

SPIRITUALIST SPLIT

An editorial defence of n report by Dr Harold Cummins, published in London, on ectoplasmic fingerprints, has caused the American Society of Psychical Research to dismiss Mr Frederick B. Bond, editor of its journal. Mr Bond, in the May issue of the journal, approved of Dr Cummins’ report, which ascribed the fingerprints to a Boston dentist rather

than to “ Walter,” who was described as the dead brother of the medium “ Margery.” He said that the society should have declared in the most emphatic manner the vindication of Mr E. E. Dudley, who had long contended that the so-called “Walter” prints were actually those of a dentist using the fictional name of Dr Kerwin. In condemning Mr Bond’s action, the trustees of the society “ apologised ” for the article, which, it was contended, showed that the society, its members, and the

public had been “ victimised by a conspiracy to procure fraudulent publication of the views of the conspirators as being the views of the society.” Following his dismissal Air Bond made the charge that the policy of the trustees was fixed by a group “ more or less pledged to support a particular interest, namely, the mediumship of Airs Crandon (‘ Alargery ’) and the advocacy of its supernormal character.” This is the second time that American psychical circles have split over “Alargery.”