AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12600, 14 September 1905, Page 5

AN EXTRAORDINARY STORY.

United Press Association—Copyright. Received September 13, 10.30 a.m. MELBOURNE, September 13. An extraordinary story is told by Thomas Welton Stanford, of Melbourne, a brother of the late Mrs. Leiand Stanford, founder of the Stanford University, in California, regarding the collection, of valuable antiquities which wag recently forwarded to that university, and which, he declared, were collected from ancient tombs in Egypt on hi-s behalf by the astral body'of a spiritualistic medium. According to tho latest files of San Francisco papers, Di 4. Jordan, president of the university, was unable to adopt Stanford's explanation of the manner of obtaining the collection, and, despite their great value, ho has been compelled to decline tho proffered gifts. The story surrounding the arrival in Melbourne of these treasures is remarkable. Stanford is a Spiritualist, so was his brother, Senator Leland Stanford, whose death occurred undev sensational circumstances a few months ago at Honolulu, shortly after his departure from Adelaide. About four years ago Stanford discovered Charles Bailey at South Yarra, a laundryman by occupation in the day time, and a communer with the inhabitants of tho astral world at night. Seances were held and extraordinary manifestations were alleged to have taken place. Jungle sparrows from India, sitting in their nests and chirruping excitedly, were sometimes plumped down upon tho circle, and coins of great antiquity and rarity were instantly produced. At one sitting Stafford asked that a live ibis should be brought from Egypt, and it was on'tho table in ten seconds. Another member-; asked that Bailey should bring fish from the sea. As soon as the lights were turned on those present saw a shovel-nosed shark a foot and a half long entangled iv seaweed, from which salt ■ water was still dripping. Tho most interesting articles that arrived, supposedly from Egypt, at a minute's notice, were rare coins of the Bactrian dynasty,': of the reign of tho Ptolemies, and of the day of old. Rameses. There were also octagonal cja-y tablets, covered- with cuneiform inscriptions, which were written in tho dawn of history, and parchment and papyrus containing hieroglyphics of early Egyptians and Jews.