Ghost Hunters: The Victorians and the Hunt for Proof of Life After Death

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by Deborah Blum


  274: WJ to Flournoy, Feb. 9, 1906, letter contains prediction on ASPR future, Houghton.

  275: “You lack the discretion”: WJ to Hyslop, Feb. 7, 1906, Houghton and ASPR.

  276: the cross-correspondence study: Material throughout this chapter about the cross-correspondence studies is drawn from J. G. Piddington, “Concordant Automatisms”, Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 22 (1908); Flournoy, Spiritism and Psychology, 174-85; Piper, Life and Work, 129-68; Tyrrell, The Personality of Man, 145-50; Conan Doyle, History of Spiritualism, 2:85-93; and Heywood, The Sixth Sense, 69-112.

  281: “Pepper went on trial”: “Mrs. Pepper a Bride; To Stop Spookfests,” New York Times, June 5, 1907; “Vanderbilt Signed Checks for Spook,” New York Times, June 14, 1907; and “Mrs. Pepper Heard on Witness Stand,” New York Times, Sept. 6, 1907.

  286: records of the sittings: James, “Mrs. Piper’s Hodgson-Control.”

  287: Everard Feilding: Feilding is profiled in the introduction to Sittings with Eusapia Palladino and Other Stories, a collection of Feilding’s early-twentieth-century psychical research reports (Hyde Park, N.Y: University Books, 1963); his description of the London medium can be found on pp. x—xi. The accounts of the Palladino sittings are taken from Feilding, Baggally and Carrington, “Sittings with Eusapia Palladino.”

  293: “The paramount importance”: Barrett, Threshold of the Unseen, 1-9.

  12. A Ghost Story

  296: “his analysis of Mrs. Piper’s Hodgson personality”: James, “Mrs. Piper’s Hodgson-Control.”

  300: “few people who looked into the evidence”: Nora Sidgwick lecture, Jan. 25, 1912, which expanded on presidential address, reprinted in Sidgwick, Mrs. Henry Sidgwick, 301-11.

  303: “perish in their ignorance and conceit”: WJ to Carrington, June 15, 1909; in Letters to Hereward Carrington (privately printed, 1957), 41.

  303: “Seriously to investigate”: G. Stanley Hall, introduction to Tanner, Studies in Spiritism. All accounts of the Tanner and Hall studies of Mrs. Piper are taken from this book. For accounts of injuries and the response of Alta and Leonora Piper, see Piper, Life and Work, 173—75.

  305: “By this morning’s post”: Lodge’s exchange with Hall detailed in letters to WJ on Nov. 9, 1909, and Dec. 14, 1909, Houghton.

  307: “Poor Carrington”: TJ to Flournoy, Sept. 28, 1909, Houghton.

  309: “Alice would barely speak to Munsterberg”: WJ to William James Jr., Feb. 27, 1903, Houghton.

  309: “Were it not for my fixed belief”: WJ to Munsterberg, June 28, 1906, Houghton.

  309: “insinuate that I also am one”: WJ to Flournoy, Jan. 26, 1910.

  309: “Fraud with the feet”: Flournoy to WJ, Mar. 15, 1910.

  310: “The Confidences of a Psychical Researcher”: William James, “The Confidences of a Psychical Researcher,” American Magazine 68 (Oct. 1909): 580-89.

  311: “Carrington had tried to repair her reputation”: Carrington’s account of the American sittings and his efforts to control damage afterward can be found in Personal Experiences in Spiritualism (London: J. Werner Laurie, Ltd., 1913).

  312: “Everything this time was different”: Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research 25 (1911): 57-69.

  312: “Man’s character is too sophistically mixed”: James, “Confidences of a Psychical Researcher.”

  314: “I came in with Halley’s comet”: “Mark Twain: A Look at the Life and Works of Samuel Clemens,” www.hannibal.net/twain/biography/.

  314: Podmore’s death is described in Eric Dingwall’s introduction to Mediums of the 19th Century, xxi-xxii.

  315: “Suicide has... been suggested”: Piddington to Hyslop, Nov. 1, 1910, ASPR.

  316: “He wanted to go”: Alice James to Pauline Goldmark, Sept. 14, 1910, Houghton.

  316: “I believe in immortality”: Simon, Genuine Reality, 385.

  317: “Human Beings Only an Aggregate of Cells”: Edward Marshall, “‘No Immortality of the Soul’ says Thomas A. Edison,” New York Times, Oct. 2, 1910.

  319: “Our duty is plain”: Richet, Thirty Years, 625.

  319: “The public is what it is”: Feilding to Carrington, Aug. 15, 1912, in Letters to Hereward Carrington, 19.

  320: “Any man who does not accept”: Introduction to James H. Hyslop, Contact with the Other World (New York: Century Company, 1919).

  320: “unwillingly children of the time”: E. Feilding, “Can Psychical Research Contribute to Religious Apologetics?” Dublin Review, Apr.-June 1925; reprinted in Feilding, Sittings with Eusapia Palladino, 326-334.

  INDEX

  “Abt Vogler” (Browning)

  A-Control

  Agnosticism

  Agnostic truth-seeking

  Alternative medicine

  AMA. See American Medical Association (AMA)

  American Institute for Scientific Research

  renamed as American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR)

  American Journal of Psychology

  American Medical Association (AMA)

  American Museum

  American Psychological Association

  American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR)

  American Institute for Scientific Research renamed as

  annual report on mediums

  conclusion on apparitions

  discrediting evidence

  founding of

  investigator

  James Hyslop’s role in

  rejection of interested supporters

  self-destruction of

  theories to build on

  William James’s concern for survival of

  Anagrams

  Anaphylaxis

  An Essay towards a Theory of Apparitions

  Anti-Fraud Society of Manhattan

  Antoinette, Marie

  Apparitions. See Crisis apparitions; Ghost stories

  Apports

  Argon

  Arrow scripts

  ASPR. See American Society for Psychical Research (ASPR)

  Astral projection

  Automatic writing. See Slate writing

  Baggally, Wortley

  efforts to carry on psychical work

  Balfour, Arthur

  at first meeting of British SPR

  Balfour, Eleanor

  Balfour, Evelyn

  at first meeting of British SPR

  Balfour, Gerald

  Balfour, Nora. See also Sidgwick, Nora

  Banner of Light

  Barnum, P.T.

  Barrett, William Fletcher

  address to Harvard

  desire to work for SPR

  divining rods investigation

  as Fellow of the Royal Society

  founding of ASPR

  grudge against British SPR

  Henry Sidgwick’s invitation to work with the Society

  investigations of thought transference

  knighthood of

  Newcomb’s dismissal of work of

  opinion of Frederic Myers

  as president of British SPR

  publication of On the Threshold of a New World of Thought

  reasons for prejudices against work of SPR

  study of hypnosis/mindreading

  thought transference tests

  Benson, E. F.

  Benson, Edward White

  ghost evenings

  Blavatsky, Helena Petrovna

  ether idea

  fraud perpetrated by

  mahatmas (guide)

  Richard Hodgson’s investigation of. See Hodgson, Richard

  British Association for the Advancement of Science

  British Society for Psychical Research (SPR)

  cross-correspondence study

  founding of

  goal of

  growth in membership

  Henry Sidgwick as president

  initial meeting of

  Mark Twain’s praise for

  member list

  member resignations

  Newco
mb’s criticism of

  Nora Sidgwick as president

  payments to Leonora Piper

  publications of

  publishing of Sigmund Freud’s studies

  reasons for prejudices against work of

  rebuilding of

  research methods

  resignations

  solicitations for personal stories

  William Crookes as president

  William James as president

  William James’ praise for

  Browning, Elizabeth Barrett

  Browning, Robert

  Bryant, William Cullen

  Cambridge Ghost Society

  “The Canterville Ghost” (Wilde)

  Carrington, Hereward

  acceptance of monetary offers for Eusapia Palladino shows

  attempt to repair reputation

  defense of Eusapia Palladino

  efforts to carry on psychical work

  investigation of Eusapia Palladino

  invitation to Eusapia Palladino to tour U.S.

  James Hyslop’s hiring of

  at Lily Dale

  spirit shows

  Carroll, Lewis

  Cathode ray tube

  Cattell, James McKeen

  disagreement with James Hyslop

  reaction to Richard Hodgson’s affirmation of spirit life

  Census of Hallucinations

  continued disbelief by public

  findings

  Nora Sidgwick’s work on

  Charcot, Jean

  Chiaja, Ercole

  Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition

  Chloroform

  Christianity and Agnosticism (Huxley)

  Church of Fraternity of Soul Communion

  Church of Spiritualism

  Civil War

  Clemens, Samuel

  Cleveland, Grover (President)

  Clothed ghost stories. See Ghost stories

  Cocaine

  Coherer

  “The Confidences of a Psychical Researcher” (James)

  Congress of Experimental Psychology

  presentation of Census of Hallucinations at

  Cook, Florence

  investigations of

  Katie King (guide)

  talents of

  Cooper, James Fenimore

  Creery sisters

  Crisis apparitions. See also Hallucinations of the sane

  stories of

  survey of

  testing lab for

  Crookes, William

  belief in powers of Leonora Piper

  belief in telekinesis

  collaboration with Lord Rayleigh

  declaration of belief in supernatural

  discovery of argon

  expansion of research into supernatural phenomena

  faith in work of British SPR

  at first meeting of British SPR

  Florence Cook investigation

  inventions of

  knighthood of

  mainstream scientific pursuits

  opinion of D. D. Home

  opinion on powers of Home

  as president of British Association for the Advancement of Science

  as president of British SPR

  response to Widow’s Mite coin mystery

  rethinking opinion of D. D. Home

  return to mainstream science

  scientific research

  search for “psychic force”

  supernatural experiments

  views on women

  Crookes tube

  Cross-correspondence study

  Oliver Lodge’s public revelation of

  Crowe, Catherine

  story sources

  Curie, Marie

  Dark séances

  Darwin, Charles

  background of

  concern over Wallace’s participation in séances

  genius of

  notions on behavior

  reaction to Crookes

  Davenport, Ira

  spirit shows

  Davenport, William

  spirit shows

  Davey, S. J.

  Decline effect

  The Descent of Man (Darwin)

  Divining rods

  Dodgson, Charles L. (Rev.)

  Dowser

  Doyle, Sir Arthur Conan

  Dr. Phinuit. See Phinuit, Dr.

  Dracula (Stoker)

  Dramatis Personae (Browning)

  Dreams

  Drug use

  Dynamo

  Ectoplasm

  Edison, Thomas

  view of immortality

  Edmunds, Lucy

  Eliot, Charles William

  Ether

  Everett, Charles

  Evolution theory

  The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals (Darwin)

  Faraday, Michael

  Fay, Anna Eva

  investigations of

  talents of

  Feilding, Everard

  criticism of religion and science

  efforts to carry on psychical work

  enjoyment of psychical research

  frauds uncovered by

  as honorary secretary of British SPR

  investigation of Eusapia Palladino

  witness to Eusapia Palladino’s loss of powers

  Fleming, Alice Kipling

  “Francis and Ignatius”

  Flournoy, Theodore

  Eusapia Palladino tests in Italy

  investigation of Helene Smith

  Fox, John

  Fox, Kate

  death of

  investigations of

  later years of

  marriage of

  talents of

  Fox, Leah

  Fox, Margaret

  Fox, Margaretta (Maggie)

  confession of fraudulent practices

  deathbed story

  death of

  investigations of

  later years of

  marriage of

  Seybert Commission report on

  talents of

  Fox sisters. See Fox, Kate; Fox, Margaretta (Maggie)

  “Fragments of an Inner Life” (Myers)

  “Fragments of Poetry” (Myers)

  “Francis and Ignatius”

  Fraud

  Anti-Fraud Society of Manhattan

  Frank Podmore on

  Margaretta (Maggie) Fox confession of

  perpetrated by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky

  reflex fraud

  in spirit shows. See Phony spirit shows

  uncovered by Everard Feilding

  William James on

  Frederic Myers’ belief in

  Freud, Sigmund

  British Society of Psychical Research publishing of studies of

  cocaine use

  Friendly universe

  From India to the Planet Mars (Flournoy)

  Fullerton, George

  Funk, Isaac

  visit to medium in Brooklyn

  Furness, Howard

  George Pellew. See Pellew, George

  George Pellew communicating through. See Pellew, George

  General Convention of New Jerusalem

  Ghost evenings

  Ghost Society, Cambridge

  Ghost stories

  ASPR conclusion on

  clothing

  Nora Sidgwick investigations of

  Gibbens, Eliza

  Gibbens, Margaret

  Greeley, Horace

  Grove, Archibald

  Guides, spirit. See Spirit guides

  Gurney, Edmund

  afflictions of

  background of

  clothed ghost story

  communicating through slate writing

  concerns about Phantasms of the Living

  concerns about thought transference tests

  crisis apparitions

  death of

  favorite story of

  founding of British SPR

  hallucinations of the
sane

  idea about Mark Twain’s dream vision

  immersion in research

  investigations of apparitions

  marriage to Kate Sibley

  mercurial temperament

  narcotic use

  opinion of Richard Hodgson

  partnership with Sidgwick and Myers. See Sidgwick group

  philosophy club

  relationship with William James

  research abilities

  The Scratch Eight

  self-medication

  story based on

  survey of crisis apparitions

  survey of hallucinations

  telepathy tests

  testing lab

  theories on death of

  truth about immortality

  use of phrase “intellectual whoredom”

  Gurney, Kate

  remarriage of

  Hackett, Jimmy

  Hall, Stanley

  investigation of Leonora Piper

  opinion of Leonora Piper

  outcome of sitting with Leonora Piper

  refusal to have Piper findings published in SPR journal

  request for sitting with Leonora Piper

  Halley’s Comet

  Hallucinations of the sane. See also Crisis apparitions

  Census of Hallucinations. See Census of Hallucinations

  continued disbelief by public

  Hashish

  health issues

  Hertz, Heinrich

  A History of Spiritualism (Doyle)

  Hodgson, Richard

  affirmation of spirit life

  anagrams

  antagonizing society members

  attack on Charles Richet

  background of

  belief in spirit communication

  channeled through Leonora Piper. See Hodgson control

  at Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition

  concerns about Eusapia Palladino

  criticisms of Rosina Thompson

  cynicism toward telepathy

  death of

  drug use

  Edmund Gurney’s opinion of

  at Eusapia Palladino sitting in Cambridge

  financial problems

  findings on Leonora Piper

  friendship with George Pellew

  friendship with James Hyslop

  investigation of George Pellew

  investigation of Leonora Piper. See Piper, Leonora Evelina

  investigation of Madame Blavatsky

  investigation of slate writing

  James Hyslop’s correspondence on fake mediums with

  James McKeen Cattell’s reaction to affirmation of spirit life

  leisure pursuits

  management of séances

  manners of

  obsession with Leonora Piper

  opinion of Oliver Lodge

 

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