CONVICTION OF "SPIRIT PHO TOGRAPHERS" IN PARIS.

Thames Advertiser, Volume VIII, Issue 2153, 21 September 1875, Page 3

CONVICTION OF "SPIRIT PHO TOGRAPHERS" IN PARIS.

A stjiakgr trial has takon place boforo tlio Correctional Tribunal of Paris, and it has resulted iu tbo conviction of cortuin " Spirit Photographers" for swindling Buguet, a photographer, of No, 5, Boulovard Montmartre, allied himself with M, Lcjmarie, the editor of tho-ftcm Spiriie, iwho wroto about liim aud published fac similes of his portraits, and with an American named Firmau, from whom ho * learned the art of persuadiug people that ho oould, if they only willed strong enough, conjuro up and photograph ,tho likeness of any deceased relative oy friend.' For a long time tho firm did a largo business. Twenty francs was tho ordinary fee, but many wealthy peoplo voluntarily paid 2,000, 3,000, and oven 4,000 francs, Nover was fraud more clearly proved. Tho operator's spirit bos was produced iii court; it contained huudrcds of portraits of men, womon, boys, and girls of all ages. When customers came desiring spirit portraits, a young lady, who acted as cashier, adroitly engaged ihem in conversation in the waiting • room, and qonerally contrived to find some indications of tho physiognomy of tho person whom it was desired to cvoko. Then ono of tbo numorous heads was sclceled, stuck upon a doll dressed up in muslin, and a hazy ))ortraifc of a spirit was produced from it. Buguct guarded himself by saying ho could nover guarantee a likeness, because much depended on tho strength of faith of the applicant, and, moreover, spirits woro- vory capricious, and sometimes when you called for ono another would come j but in very mauy instances the forco of imagination was so strong that his dupes bolieved they saw tho portraits of their relations. They bnrst into tears, fell upon their kucos, kissed the photographs, and woro profuso in expressions of grnliludo to tho professor as well as lavish of gifts to him. Notwithstanding tho palpable oxposuro of th'o imposturo ia opon court, i\ host of reapcctablo witnesses, including a Russian marquis, tho Comte do Bullet, Mr Sullivan, formerly Unilod Slates Minister at Madrid, two French colonels, and several ladies, appeared for th'o prisoners, and, undismayed by tho sarcasms of tho presiding judge, protested that they really bad seen unmistakablo portraits of deceased relatives. Tho eminent counsel for tbo defence, M. Lachaud, spoko for two hours, and alluded to Moses, Isaiah, Tertullian, and other authorities on spirits. Tho Court, however, thought tho charge fully proved, and sentenced Buguet and Lcymario to ono year's imprisonment, and Firman to six month's. It is curious that tbo prosecution was not instituted on tho complaint of any customer, but. spontaneously by' tho police, for reasons not explained. — Daily News.