The Herald-Sun from Durham, North Carolina • Page 34

i (Tlk Third Nowpr Ghosts Decreet Copyright. 3 022. by Public Ledger Company Inside the New Laboratory Where the Psychologists Have Installed All Manner of Delicate Sfiffi I A Wf 'III1 Instruments If the medium will place a certain chemical or drug upon her tongue, and let By CaroZ Bird has been found to materially affect the characteristic of the? curve recorded (e. g. aconite and belladonna). For each sex uii(riraoineHiyTtMii- lor a woman a circular one. THE lastrometer, another odd device, is intended to show the presence in greater or lessed regree of psychic energy generated at a spiritualistic seance. The subjects sit around a table holding hands in tho usual way. The lastrometer is placed in the center of the table. The psychic energy is detected and gathered by the circular brass plate at the top of the instrument. 'It passes down the rod and suspended wires to the plate within the glass jar, which is painted with platinum-barium-cyanidc and luminous zinc sulphide. As fthe energy increases this will glow in the dark, the amount of energy being thus recorded by the increased glow of the plate. In the presence of a "spirit" or any other abnormal psychic phenomenon, it is snid this will be shown by some variation in the glow of the screen. Perhaps the most interesting of all the appliances in this unique laboratory Is the psychic ululomcter or "howler." It is intended to reveal the presence of any energy, living or disembodied, within its field, by a loud noise, which sometimes be w--wT -ssi spirit," or an absolutely "water comes a howl. The electric energy passing through the machine and the large coil at theTwck is affected all (T caused tvrvary by 1 is a fascinating place for Trapping Tromclin and Boradu. There are of apparatus used by if Kir William Crookes and Dr." Hare. Und Di. Alrutz" famous board which registers tin- pressure of the human will. It is, tin-most simple piece of apparatus in the laboratory, and is the same board as that used by 1'aladino. It is so constructed that it does not permit of fraud. The medium places her fingers lightly, on the board, at the end of which is attached a small scale. She wills that the board will tilt downward, but if she attempts bv fraud to cause the board to tip by pressing on it, she will defeat her own purpose, for the board will tilt in the opposite direction and thus reveal her chicanery. The writer, priding herself on possessing a powerful will, experimented, and though she willed herself blue in the face, the little board never budged. The laboratory assistant looked on in disappointment. "WhjV Pnludinn could make that little board jump almost off the table," he "Rui, then, she knew how to concentrate. Perhaps you don't." HIT iiuw can i concentrate wnen tnere are nil sorts of annoying interruptions?" replied the writer, meaningly, picking up a piece of apparatus which resembled a kin- dergii rten toy. Jt was a small rack, filled with red and green wooden balls. "It is a Yogi contrivance, for the purpose of explained the assistant. "You hold the nick, and concentrate, and when you are deep in this, you will unconsciously move one of the little balls. It probably won't work for 'you," and he put it away on a shelf, showing plainly that he thought next to nothing of our powers of concentration. ET us, in imagination, accompany a medium while she is being put through a scientific test at the laboratory, and stajnl beside her as she is being "psycho-ghostal-ized" or whatever you care to call it, by machinery. First of all. Dr. Carrington would endeavor to establish the nature of the phenomena with which the medium was familiar. He would attempt to determine whether her alleged experiences occurred while in a normal or trance state. He would then know, after this questioning and observation, which type of apparatus to use. A'olometer, or will board, previously men- tioned. This machine, the only one of its kind in America, is designed to test the psychic pressure of the will, thereby showing psychic energy. It was sent to Dr. Carrington by its inventor, Prof. Sydney Alrrttz, of I'psala University, Sweden. While the medium looks intently at the further end of the board and wills that it shall be depressed, a definite downward pressure will be recorded and registered on the scales. In only 2 per cent of subjects is a definite downward pressure recorded. Then the medium may use the galvanometer. This instrument shows the action of a beam of light upon the psychic or vital energy coming from her finger tips. If the fingers of the two hands be held at a distance of an inch, energy will pass between rp.lIE "Cold Molasses Flier" was a mixed J- train or. the X. M. and Z. Railroad, scheduled to hit Q-joenviile at 10 P. M. within the memory of man it had not done so. It gem-rally hit the target about midnighi, or ain.oht liny time thereafter, and when Duck Skinner, manager of the Break of Day Theatrical Company, was negotiating for r. performance in the Qicenviile opera house, with the that he and his aggregated stars could get out cf town that night, Iiiliy Watts, the station agt-nt, cssured him that if be could finish off all hia villains nnJ get his heroines safe in their lover?" arms by midnight, he'd have rt least bulf an hour's to make the dej-ot. Ruck billed Quecnsville tnd surrounding country for a Saturday pcr-furman-c. Lij anxiety at You rv, there wtre no trains carrying passengers out of Queemiile on Sunday and to miss the "Cold Molasses Flier" Saturday night Kould up the dates for next week. A full house gathered to witness "Xell the Woods, or the Mystery of Noodle Castle," and things were running along swim GHOSTS with retiring disposition, ware Tsycbic souls with an aversion to publicity, take care Unless you and your shadowy companions are prepared to come out in the open to be photographed, dictographed, analyzed, amplified, recorded and weighed, stay away from the new "Ghost Laboratory." No longer will it be safe to hobnob with little Antigonish ghosts, boast about a dual personality, or cause the hair of timid folks to curl with fright at tales of weird apparitions you have seen. That is, it won't be safe unless you can actually take your occult experiences or companions with you to this laboratory, where the latest scientific methods of analyzing psychic phenomena by instrumental means are put into practice. This weird and unusunl laboratory is the only one of its kind in the world. It is tailed "The American Psychical Institute and Laboratory," and is located at 40 West 'Fiftyrseventh Rtreet, New York City. Dr. Hereward Carrlngton, author of many books on psychic matters, and long nsso- ciated with psychical research, is in charge of it. "Human auras," "telepathic waves," "energy radiating from the human eye." the "vibratory activity of the body," "disem- "bodied energy" all these mysteries and Intangible phenomena are investigated and recorded at this psychic laboratory the aid of odd and marvelous machinery, much of it devised by psychic wizards of different countries of the world. -Laboratories for the study of astronomy, chemistry, physics, biology, in fact any of the natural sciences, are not uncommon Institutions. Much progress has. been made in the study of these sciences, but up until the present time the public has had to depend largely upon hearsay for proofs of psychic matters. Mediums and those outside professional mediums' circles have told startling tales about spirit visions, bodily radiations, hypnosis, dual personality, spirit guides and haunted bouses, but could present little tangible proof for the benefit of the skeptical. Many of these so-called psychic phenomena have been traced to fraud, some of thein to pranks of children, and a great many of them to too well exercised imaginations, or overwrought nerves. HOWEVER, there are those who make a serious study of psychic phenomena who are deeply interested in it in a scientific way and this psychic laboratory has been established primarily for them. By means of specially designed instruments, intricate electrical apparatus, dirtophones and dictographs, voice and sound amplifiers, telephones, luminous screens and cameras, psychic phenomena of all kinds in which they are interested will be investigated, recorded, photographed and even registered on discs. Here "canned proof," as it were, will be obtained of supernatural manifestations, numerous experiments made to discover new phenomena and tests made which will "show up" fake mediums and fraudulent methods practiced by the unscrupulous. The nearest approach to a laboratory equipped to conduct experiments of a like nature is the Institut Metapsychique International, of I'uris, and the In-atitut General Psychologique. Experiments are now being made at this "Ghost Laboratory," as we will call it for the ake of shortening its title, ami mediums, or those believed to possess medium-intle qualities, are the subjects. It was planned by Dr. Hereward Carrington to put Eugenie Dennis, the nineteen-year-oid Atchison. Kansas, girl, reported to jxes-sg supernatural pomer, through the scientific test at once, but he has Earned that the cannot come to Nev York for the experiment until later. ELgenie is tiic discovery of David Abbott, Omaba occult visard, and she is supposed to possess a "super-dynamic" personality. THE "Ghost Laboratory" is a place, filled as it is with Its Strang" and Lair-trigger apparatus There are hypnotic heels, revolving mirrors, biometers, tromometers, photographic and X-rtj apparatus, scales for weighing tests, a kymograph for taking graphic records, as well as various pieces of apparatus devised by anmcb investigstors, such as Boirac, Joire, sfactln, Buyfontaine, Thore, Count de The "Ghost Laboratory" the finger tips. The galvanometer is to test not only the existence of this energy, but the effect upon it of other forces, particularly a beam of light. It is claimed that a beam of light will bo deflected by the bodily force emanating from the finger tips, and that this phenomenon can be observed. This is analogous to Einstein's theory that light is deflected from its course by the attraction of gravitation. PER ERIIAPS a seance will be arranged, and medium undergoing the test will "sit in" on it. A psychic dictophone will be used. The object of this is to magnify and record sounds, otherwise inaudible, and to obtain permanent records of them on a wax disc, such as ordinarily employed in a dictophone. The sounds will be magnified in greatly increased volume. Permanent records will be taken of raps, noises, in a spirit seance, or in haunted bouses where footsteps, whisperings and other strange noises have been reported. It will take a permanent record, also, in the absence of any medium or other pr-rson iii the room. The galvanometer test will be a part of the experiment. A delicate mirror galvanometer is used, which registers slight changes in electric currents. The medium is connected by means of two electrodes, and a current is passed through her body, being supplied by a series of batteries. If any emotion is aroused in the subject, this will tight compartment" in the medium's unconscious mind. Hitherto investigations have failed to show the existence of any such water-tight compartment in cases of hypnotism, mutiple personality, etc. rriHE sthenometcr, or psychic strength i- measurer, a machine of French origin. having been devised by Dr. Paul Joire, of I'aris, is another instrument used in the test thfough which the medium is put. A straw is supported on a needle point, the lower end of which is imbedded in cork. The straw revolves over a graduated disc, showing the degrees which the straw moves in either direction. A semicircular glass cover completely encases the straw, thus shutting off all air currents. medium is requested to put her bands on or near the ends of the straw, on the outside of the glass, and a definite movement of the straw may occur. In psychic subjects this is very marked. Dr. Schofield, of London, uses this machine regularly in his medical practice, and states that in hysterical and neurasthenic patients definite movements can always be obtained. The movement of the straw is due apparently to a vital energy which issues from the finger tips. It is not heat, since a hot iron will not cause the straw to move. It is not electricity, since glass acts ns an insulator. Normal causes are thus eliminated, and the movement of the straw is left to be accounted for by other forces yet unknown. Then the medium gets acquainted with the oscillngraph, the instrument for registering the vibratory activity of her body. In this device, a glass one, containing a small opening at the top, stands upon a circular, graduated disc. Over the neck of the glass is placed a flat nickel plate, which rests upon the neck of the glass cone. The opening at the top of the glass is closed by a flat nickel disc, to the center of which is attached a fine thread. To tha lower end of this thread Is fastened a small ball, which is thus free to swing equally- in any direction. The medium places her hands upon the flat plate near the top of the instrument. Soon the ball is seen to swing in a certain curve, according to the sex, temperament, and chemical, electric and psychic constitution of the reached for a gun, but he was the only person killed as I remember. It was a clear, moonlight night, and the robbers were all on horseback, and were not masked. The whole thing was pulled off inside an hour, and the robbers made a clean get-away. The leader was a nan with three fingers shot off. He rode on the cow-catcher until the train reached Castle Gap, when he fired his revolver in the air, and two men stepped out of the woods and flagged down the train. The engineer was for going ahead, but the leader ran along the running board and, poking his gun in the window, made him stop. The mother-in-law of one of the robbers was on the train. She asked the brakey for a loan of a pistol, and said she'd thin out that gang some, but the brakey said she'd better not raise nnj fuss. It was a tolerably exciting time for us for a while." "Were you one of the passengers on the train?" asked one of the nimrods. "Xot exactly a passenger," returned the Missourian gravely "I was the man out on the cow-catcher." any other energy approaching it. It is delicately adjusted, and the resulting electric changes in the instrument are converted into nudiblo sounds in the telephone receiver-, placed over the observer's ears. If human body approaches, this will cause sounds in the telephone receivers, sounds which nre plainly audible. The electric energy radiated by the heart when beating, by breathing, is thus recorded. As the whole body approaches, the machine will "howl" with very loud, high note, which increases in pitch as tho body approaches nearer and neared the coil. If any form of energy, such ns that possessed by "spirit" or an "astral body." were in the vicinity nnd approached tho machine, it would at once begin to howl. Almost every one, even those not familiar with the parlance of those interested in psychic matters, have heard about the "aura" surrounding the human body. The medium undergoing the scientific laboratory test will have the ether and air changes in her immediate proximity tested by means of chemical screens. These nre made of two slides of glass. Retween these two sheets of glass there is a colored chemical called "dicyanih." This is supposed to render visible to the eye things not ordinarily seen. Even such an intangible thing as a "thought is to be put down in black and white, as it were. There is a series of wire loops, with high frequency electric current passing around them. The medium's head is placed in these coils to see if an effort of thought will send out ctheric vibrations, to be picked up by these colls. Thus thought waves will be registered, and a definite and better understanding of mental telepathy may result. fTIIIERE are also various chemical and contrivances for registering any energy or radiations sent out by the body psychological instruments, crystal alls, hypnotic wheels and a veritable drug store, with its shelves filled with chemicals and drugs of all sorts to use in the psychia tests. Carrington said that those interested in the laboratory and its experimentations have a theory that it is possible to make' visible the "astral body," see it -nd phots) graph it. Experiments to test this theory will first be made on rats and cats. He also hopes to conduct experiments in weighing and photographing' the human body at the time of death. Elaborate apparatus devised by Dr. Matla and Dr. Zoalberg von Zelst, of Holland, will be constructed for tests, and duplications made of Dr. Grune-wald's apparatus. In fact, scientific Inquiry into every possible corner of the scientific realm is to be made, by means of specially designed machinery in this thoroughly equipped laboratory. The purpose of the laboratory is also to expose fraud in connection with spurious manifestations. So, remember, if you have a bona-fids little ghost in your home, have no misgivings. But if ysur psychic experiences are caused by rum, fraud, imagination or Mary Ellens, keep them away from the Psychic Laboratory. It isn't safe to put them through the test. cause the resistance offered by the body to the electric current' to vary, and more current will pass through the subject's body as the emotion is aroused. The variation can be observed in a small mirror which will swing to the right or left, and this can be seen through a slit, through which the observer looks, or it can be caused to reflect a beam of light on the opposite wall. This has been employed in the past to test emotions, and has been applied in criminal investigations, to establish the emotional reaction' of the subject' when asked certain questions in court. It is used in a similar way in psychic investigation. A list of words is read to the medium, when in the normal state. Emotional reactions to certain words will be noted. When the medium goes into a trance, and spirit claims to be talking through her mouth, the question then is: Is this a real spirit or only a part of the subconscious mind of the medium? HITHERTO it has been impossible to prove this by any objective test, but the instrument shows it in the following manner: If the trance personality claiming to be a spirit reacts emotionally to the same words as those to whichthe medium reacted, there is proof that the same mind Is being dealt with that of the medium. If, on the contrary, emotional reactions are obtained to different words, there is proof that a different mind is being dealt with, water road you got in exactly on time?" "Why, pardner," returned the boss of the train, "we heard there was to be a show here tonight and we crowded on steam so as to get here on time to see it!" A MISSOURIAX, introduced by a de-signing friend, joined a fishing and hunting party on the Xorthern lakes. At that time it was the fashion for outsiders to say something satirical about theojames gang when a Missourian was about. The recruit did not escape. He smiled good-naturedly at the ancient jokes, and one night around the camp fire he humored his comrades by a thrilling tale of a Missouri train robbery at "Castle Gap." "The tender was cut off from the rest of the train," he said, "and two of the robbers went ahead with the engine, holding the crew in the cab under their revolvers. The rest blew open the safe in the express car and took $85,000 in gold and currency. Then they lined up the passengers and took their watches, money and jewelry. vThe conductor was accidentally shot when he Little Hot Boxes By Edgar White mingly until about 10 o'clock, when a faraway screech came off the prairie, and the outlook saw a tiny star that seemed to be rolling on the ground. The flier, for once in her life, was on time! The one day out when such an event spelled disaster. I'oor Ruck bad So go out and explain to that intensely delighted audience what he was up againft; the show just bad to make that train or all its datos for next week would be out of keller; it was hard luck, but be saw no way out; those who wanted their money back could get it at the box office, Rack sorrowfully concluded. Then there was packing in hot haste, and a sprint for the little depot. The women folks were mad at being yanked about that way, without time to fix up Shelr h.iir or anything, i.uj Ruck spoke soothingly or good times to when got out of the jungles. The panting show people and the "Cold Moiaises Flier" hit the depot about same time, and Ruck strode up to the coiiduftor, who was beaming over something. "How docs it happen," demanded Ruck, "that for once in the history of this jerk

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