Spiritual Photographing
In answer to numerous inquiries and several threats of prosecution for
libel in consequence of what I have written in regard to impostors who
(for money) perform tricks of legerdemain and attribute them to the
spirits of deceased persons, I have only to say, I have no malice or
antipathies to gratify in these expositions. In undertaking to show up
the "Ancient and Modern Humbugs of the World," I am determined so far as
in me lies, to publish nothing but the truth. This I shall do, "with
good motives and for justifiable ends," and I shall do it fearlessly and
conscientiously. No threats will intimidate, no fawnings will flatter me
from publishing everything that is true which I think will contribute to
the information or to the amusement of my readers.
Some correspondents ask me if I believe that all pretensions to
intercourse with departed spirits are impositions. I reply, that if
people declare that they privately communicate with or are influenced to
write or speak by invisible spirits, I cannot prove that they are
deceived or are attempting to deceive me--although I believe that one or
the other of these propositions is true. But when they pretend to give
me communications from departed spirits, to tie or untie ropes--to read
sealed letters, or to answer test-questions through spiritual agencies,
I pronounce all such pretensions ridiculous impositions, and I stand
ready at any time to prove them so, or to forfeit five hundred dollars,
whenever these pretended mediums will succeed in producing their
"wonderful manifestations" in a room of my selecting, and with apparatus
of my providing; they not being permitted to handle the sealed letters
or folded ballots which they are to answer, nor to make conditions in
regard to the manner of rope tying, etc. If they can answer my
test-questions relevantly and truly, without touching the envelopes in
which they are sealed--or even when given to them by my word of mouth, I
will hand over the $500. If they can cause invisible agencies to perform
in open daylight many of the things which they pretend to accomplish by
spirits in the dark, I will promptly pay $500 for the sight. In the mean
time, I think I can reasonably account for and explain all pretended
spiritual gymnastic performances--throwings of hair-brushes--dancing
pianos--spirit-rapping--table-tipping--playing of musical instruments,
and flying through the air (in the dark,) and a thousand other
"wonderful manifestations" which, like most of the performances of
modern "magicians," are "passing strange" until explained, and then they
are as flat as dish-water. Dr. Von Vleck publicly produces all of these
pretended "manifestations" in open daylight, without claiming spiritual
aid.
Among the number of humbugs that owe their existence to various
combinations of circumstances and the extreme gullibility of the human
race, the following was related to me by a gentleman whose position and
character warrant me in announcing that it may be implicitly relied upon
as correct in every particular.
Some time before the Presidential election, a photographer residing in
one of our cities (an ingenious man and a scientific chemist,) was
engaged in making experiments with his camera, hoping to discover some
new combination whereby to increase the facility of "picturing the human
form divine," etc. One morning, his apparatus being in excellent order,
he determined to photograph himself. No sooner thought of, than he set
about making his arrangements. All being ready, he placed himself in a
position, remained a second or two, and then instantly closing his
camera, surveyed the result of his operation. On bringing the picture
out upon the plate, he was surprised to find a shadowy representation of
a human being, so remarkably ghostlike and supernatural, that he became
amused at the discovery he had made. The operation was repeated, until
he could produce similar pictures by a suitable arrangement of his
lenses and reflectors known to no other than himself. About this time he
became acquainted with one of the most famous spiritualist-writers, and
in conversation with him, showed him confidentially one of those
photographs, with also the shadow of another person, with the remark,
mysteriously whispered:
"I assure you, Sir, upon my word as a gentleman, and by all my hopes of
a hereafter, that this picture was produced upon the plate as you see
it, at a time when I had locked myself in my gallery, and no other
person was in the room. It appeared instantly, as you see it there; and
I have long wished to obtain the opinion of some man, like yourself, who
has investigated these mysteries."
The spiritualist listened attentively, looked upon the picture, heard
other explanations, examined other pictures, and sagely gave it as his
opinion that the inhabitants of the unknown sphere had taken this mode
of re-appearing to the view of mortal eyes, that this operator must be a
"medium" of especial power. The New York Herald of Progress, a
spiritualist paper, printed the first article upon this man's spiritual
photograph.
The acquaintance thus begun was continued, and the photographer found it
very profitable to oblige his spiritual friend, by the reproduction of
ghost-like pictures, ad infinitum, at the rate of five dollars each.
Mothers came to the room of the artist, and gratefully retired with
ghostly representations of departed little ones. Widows came to purchase
the shades of their departed husbands. Husbands visited the photographer
and procured the spectral pictures of their dead wives. Parents wanted
the phantom-portraits of their deceased children. Friends wished to
look upon what they believed to be the lineaments of those who had long
since gone to the spirit-land. All who sought to look on those pictures
were satisfied with what had been shown them, and, by conversation on
the subject, increased the number of visitors. In short, every person
who heard about this mystery determined to verify the wonderful tales
related, by looking upon the ghostly lineaments of some person, who,
they believed, inhabited another sphere. And here I may as well mention
that one of the faithful obtained a "spirit" picture of a deceased
brother who had been dead more than five years, and said that he
recognized also the very pattern of his cravat as the same that he wore
in life. Can human credulity go further than to suppose that the
departed still appear in the old clo' of their earthly wardrobe? and the
fact that the appearance of "the shade" of a young lady in one of the
fashionable cut Zouave jackets of the hour did not disturb the faith of
the believers, fills us indeed with wonder.
The fame of the photographer spread throughout the "spiritual circles,"
and pilgrims to this spiritual Mecca came from remote parts of the land,
and before many months, caused no little excitement among some persons,
inclined to believe that the demonstrations were entirely produced by
human agency.
The demand for "spirit" pictures consequently increased, until the
operator was forced to raise his price to ten dollars, whenever
successful in obtaining a true "spirit-picture," or to be overwhelmed
with business that now interfered with his regular labors.
About this time the famous "Peace Conference" had been concluded by the
issue of Mr. Lincoln's celebrated letter, "To whom it may concern," and
William Cornell Jewett (with his head full of projects for restoring
peace to a suffering country) heard about the mysterious photographer,
and visited the operator.
"Sir," said he, "I must consult with the spirits of distinguished
statesmen. We need their counsel. This cruel war must stop. Brethren
slaying brethren, it is horrible, Sir. Can you show me John Adams? Can
you show me Daniel Webster? Let me look upon the features of Andrew
Jackson. I must see that noble, glorious, wise old statesman, Henry
Clay, whom I knew. Could you reproduce Stephen A. Douglas, with whom to
counsel at this crisis in our national affairs! I should like to meet
the great Napoleon. Such, here obtained, would increase my influence in
the political work that I have in hand."
In his own nervous, impetuous, excited way, Colorado Jewett continued to
urge upon the photographer the great importance of receiving such
communications, or some evidence that the spirits of our deceased
statesmen were watching over and counseling those who desire to re-unite
the two opposing forces, fighting against each other on the soil of a
common country.
With much caution, the photographer answered the questions presented.
Arranging the camera, he produced some indistinct figures, and then
concluded that the "conditions" were not sufficiently favorable to
attempt anything more before the next day. On the following morning,
Jewett appeared--nervous, garrulous, and excited at the prospect of
being in the presence of those great men, whose spirits he desired to
invoke. The apparatus was prepared; utter silence imposed, and for some
time the heart of the peace-seeker could almost be heard thumping within
the breast of him who sought supernatural aid, in his efforts to end our
cruel civil war. Then, overcome by his own thoughts, Jewett disturbed
the "conditions" by changing his position, and muttering short
invocations, addressed to the shades of those he wished to behold. The
operator finally declared he could not proceed, and postponed his
performance for that day. So, excuses were made, until the mental
condition of Mr. Jewett had reached that state which permitted the
photographer to expect the most complete success. Everything being
prepared, Jewett breathlessly awaited the expected presence. Quietly the
operator produced the spectral representation of the elder Adams. Jewett
scrutinized the plate, and expressed a silent wonder, accompanied, no
doubt, with some mental appeals addressed to the ancient statesman.
Then, writing the name of Webster upon a slip of paper, he passed it
over to the photographer, who gravely placed the scrap of writing upon
the camera, and presently drew therefrom the "ghost-like" but well
remembered features of the "Sage of Marshfield." Colorado Jewett was now
thoroughly impressed with the spiritual power producing these images;
and in ecstasy breathed a prayer that Andrew Jackson might appear to
lend his countenance to the conference he wished to hold with the mighty
dead. Jackson's well known features came out upon call, after due
manipulation of the proper instrument. "Glorious trio of departed
statesmen!" thought Jewett, "help us by your counsels in this the day of
our nation's great distress." Next Henry Clay's outline was faintly
shown from the tomb, and here the sitter remarked that he expected him.
After him came Stephen A. Douglas, and the whole affair was so entirely
satisfactory to Jewett, that, after paying fifty dollars for what he had
witnessed, he, the next day, implored the presence of George Washington,
offering fifty dollars more for a "spiritual" sight of the "Father of
our Country." This request smote upon the ear of the photographer like
an invitation to commit sacrilege. His reverence for the memory of
Washington was not to be disturbed by the tempting offer of so many
greenbacks. He could not allow the features of that great man to be used
in connection with an imposture perpetrated upon so deluded a fanatic as
Colorado Jewett. In short, the "conditions" were unfavorable for the
apparition of "General Washington;" and his visitor must remain
satisfied with the council of great men that had been called from the
spirit world to instill wisdom into the noddle of a foolish man on this
terrestrial planet. Having failed to obtain, by the agency of the
operator, a glimpse of Washington, Jewett clasped his hands together,
and sinking upon his knees, said, looking toward Heaven: "O spirit of
the immortal Washington! look down upon the warring elements that
convulse our country, and kindly let thy form appear, to lend its
influence toward re-uniting a nation convulsed with civil war!"
It is needless to say that this prayer was not answered. The spirit
would not come forth; and, although quieted by the explanations and half
promises of the photographer, the peace-messenger departed, convinced
that he had been in the presence of five great statesmen, and saddened
by the reflection that the shade of the immortal Washington had turned
away its face from those who had refused to follow the counsels he gave
while living.
Soon after this, Jewett ordered duplicates of these photographs to the
value of $20 more. I now have on exhibition in my Museum several of the
veritable portraits taken at this time, in which the well-known form and
face of Mr. Jewett are plainly depicted, and on one of which appears the
shade of Henry Clay, on another that of Napoleon the First, and on
others ladies supposed to represent deceased feminines of great
celebrity. It is said that Jewett sent one of the Napoleonic pictures to
the Emperor Louis Napoleon.
Not long after Colorado Jewett had beheld these wonderful pictures, and
worked himself up into the belief that he was surrounded by the great
and good statesmen of a former generation, a lady, without making
herself known, called upon the photographer. I am informed that she is
the wife of a distinguished official. She had heard of the success of
others, and came to verify their experience under her own bereavement.
Completely satisfied by the apparition exhibited, she asked for and
obtained a spectral photograph resembling her son, who, some months
previously, had gone to the spirit-land. It is said that the same lady
asked for and obtained a spiritual photograph of her brother, whom she
had recently heard was slain in battle; and when she returned home she
found him alive, and as well as could be expected under the
circumstances. But this did not shake her faith in the least. She simply
remarked that some evil spirit had assumed her brother's form in order
to deceive her. This is a very common method of spiritualists "digging
out" when the impositions of the "money-operators" are detected. This
same lady has recently given her personal influence in favor of the
"medium" Colchester, in Washington. One of these impressions bearing the
likeness of this distinguished lady was accidentally recognized by a
visitor. This capped the climax of the imposture and satisfied the
photographer that he was committing a grave injury upon society by
continuing to produce "spiritual pictures," and subsequently he refused
to lend himself to any more "manifestations" of this kind. He had
exhausted the fun.
I need only explain the modus operandi of effecting this illusion, to
make apparent to the most ignorant that no supernatural agency was
required to produce photographs bearing a resemblance to the persons
whose "apparition" was desired. The photographer always took the
precaution of inquiring about the deceased, his appearance and ordinary
mode of wearing the hair. Then, selecting from countless old "negatives"
the nearest resemblance, it was produced for the visitor, in dim,
ghostlike outline differing so much from anything of the kind ever
produced, that his customers seldom failed to recognize some lineament
the dead person possessed when living, especially if such relative had
deceased long since. The spectral illusions of Adams, Webster, Jackson,
Clay, and Douglas were readily obtained from excellent portraits of the
deceased statesmen, from which the scientific operator had prepared his
illusions for Colorado Jewett.
In placing before my readers this incident of "Spiritual Photography," I
can assure them that the facts are substantially as related; and I am
now in correspondence with gentlemen of wealth and position who have
signified their willingness to support this statement by affidavits and
other documents prepared for the purpose of opening the eyes of the
people to the delusions daily practised upon the ignorant and
superstitious.