INVESTIGATIVE FILES JOE NICKELL

Undercover Among the Spirits: Investigating Camp Chesterfield

amp Chesterfield is a notorious erfield, which opened in 1891. Even processed the researchers saw that the spiritualist enclave of Chester- today, spiritualist friends of mine roll ghosts were actually confederates dressed Cfield, . Dubbed "the their eyes accusatorially whenever Ches- in luminous gauze, some of whom were Coney Island of ," it has terfield's name is mentioned, and they recognizable as Chesterfield residents. been the target of many exposes, notably are quick to point out that the camp is They had not materialized and demateri- a book by a confessed fraudulent not chartered by the National Spiritual- alized but rather came and went through medium published in 1976. A quarter ist Association of Churches. The intro- a secret door that led to an adjacent century later I decided to see if the old duction to an official history of apartment (Keene 1976, 40; Chris- deceptions were still being practiced at Chesterfield (Chesterfield Lives 1986, 6), topher 1970, 174). One of the re- the camp; naturally my visit was both admits it is surprising the camp has sur- searchers, himself a devout spiritualist, unannounced and undercover. vived, given its troubled past: was devastated by the evidence and In fact, in its 100 years of recorded railed against "the frauds, fakes and fan- The Background history, Camp Chesterfield has been tasies of the Chesterfield Spiritualist Modern spiritualism began in 1848 "killed off" more dian once! There camp!" (O'Neill I960) with the schoolgirl pranks of Maggie have been cries of "fraud" and "fake" An even more devastating expose (and these were some of the nicer and Katie Fox at Hydesville, New York. came in 1976 with the book The Psychic things we have been called!) and of Mafia written by former Chesterfield Although four decades later the sisters course, the "exposes" came along with confessed that their "spirit" rappings the regularity of a well-planned medium M. Lamar Keene. Saying that had been bogus, in the meantime the schedule. Oh yes! We have been money was "the name of the game" at craze of allegedly communicating with damned and downed—but the fact Chesterfield, Keene detailed the many remains that we must have been the dead had spread across America, tricks used by mediums there which he doing something right because: dubbed "the Coney Island of Europe, and beyond. At seances held in CHESTERFIELD LIVES!! darkened rooms and theaters, "medi- Spiritualism." He told how "apports" ums" (those who supposedly contacted Be that as it may, the part about the (said to be materialized gifts from spir- spirits for others) produced such phe- exposes is certainly true. its) were purchased and hidden in readi- nomena as slate writing, table tipping, A major expose came in 1960 when ness for the stance; how chiffon became and "materializations" of spirit entities. two researchers—both sympathetic to "ectoplasm" (an imagined mediumistic As adherents grew in number, spiritu- spiritualism—arranged to film the sup- substance); how sitters' questions writ- alist camp meetings began to be common, posed materialization of spirits. This was ten on slips of paper called billets were and some groups established permanent to occur under the of Edith secredy read and then answered; how spiritualist centers. Stillwell, who was noted for her multi- trumpets were made to float in die air Perhaps none developed such an ple-figure spirit manifestations, and the with discarnate voices speaking through unsavory reputation as Camp Chest- seance was to be documented using see- them; and how other tricks were accom- in-trie-dark technology. While the cam- plished to bilk credulous sitters (Keene Joe Nickell is CSICOP's Senior Research era ran, luminous spectral figures took 1976, 95-114). Fellow; his latest book is Real-Life X-Files form and vanished near die medium's Keene also told how the billets were (2001). cabinet, but when die infrared film was shrewdly retained from the various

2 2 March/April 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER public clairvoyant message services held Rosie who had written a series of exposes first time in over thirty years!), and at Chesterfield. Kept in voluminous files and was banned from the grounds, had replacing my coat-and-tie look with a T- beneath the Cathedral, the billets— the nerve to return. Wearing a "fright shirt, suspenders, straw hat, and cane. I along with a medium's own private files wig," she got into one of Riffle's stances also adopted a pseudonym, "James and those shared by fellow scam and when the "spirits" began talking Collins," after the name of one of artists—provided excellent Houdini's assistants. From July resources for future readings. 19 to 23, "Jim," who seemed There were other exposes . bereft at what he said was the of Camp Chesterfield. In recent death of his mother, limped up and down the 1985 a medium from there grounds and spent nights at was making visits to Cj-' one of the camp's two hotels Lexington, Kentucky, where (devoid of such amenities as he conducted dark-room ma- CKESTERFrt TV and air conditioning). The terialization seances. He fea- results were eye-opening, tured the production of involving a panoply of discred- apports, the floating-trumpet- _* ited spiritualist practices that with-spirit-voices feat, and seemed little changed from something called "spirit pre- when they were revealed in cipitations on silk." To pro- The Psychic Mafia. duce the latter, the sitters' "spirit guides" supposedly took ink from through the trumpet the reporter began an open botde and created their own to demean them. According to Keene Billet Reading small self-portraits on swatches of cloth (1976, 48^49), Riffle recognized Rosie's I witnessed three versions of the old bil- the sitters held in their laps. I investigated voice immediately and went for her. let scam: one done across the table from when one sitter complained, suspecting "Grabbing the reporter by the back of me during a private reading, and two fraud. Laboratory analyses by forensic an- the neck, she ushered her up a steep performed for church audiences, one of alyst John F. Fischer revealed the presence flight of stairs, kicking her in the rump them accomplished with the medium of solvent stains (shown under argon laser on each step and cursing her with every blindfolded. light). A recipe for such productions given profanity imaginable." The first situation—with the by Keene (1976, 110-111)—utilizing a With these lessons in mind, I naturally medium working one-on-one with the solvent to transfer pictures from newspa- did not want to be recognized at client—involves getting a peek at the pers or magazines—enabled me to create Chesterfield—not out of fear for my per- folded slip while the person is dis- similar "precipitations" (Nickell with sonal safety but so as to be able to observe tracted. (Magicians call this misdirec- Fischer 1988). The prepared swatches had unimpeded for as long as possible. When tion.) For instance, while the medium obviously been switched for the blank in my younger years I was a private inves- directs the sitter's attention, say by ones originally shown. tigator with an international detective pointing to some numerological scrib- agency, I generally used my own name blings (as were offered in my case), she Undercover and appearance and, for undercover jobs, can surreptitiously open the billet in her I had long wanted to visit Camp I merely wore the attire that was appropri- lap with a flick of the thumb of her Chesterfield, and in the summer of ate for a forklift driver, steelworker, tavern other hand and quickly glimpse the con- 2001, following a nip to Kentucky to wdiici, oi odiet "role" (Nickell 2001). tents. As expected, the alleged clairvoy- see my elderly mother and other family The same is true for several previous ant knew exactly what was penned on members, I decided to head north to undercover visits to sites and my slip—the names of four persons who Indiana to check out the notorious site. gatherings (including a private spiritual- had "passed into spirit" and two ques- Now, skeptics have never been wel- istic circle which included table-tipping tions—but did not know that the peo- come at Chesterfield. The late Mable and other seances that I infiltrated in ple were fictitious. Riffle, a medium who ran the camp from 2000). Since I am often the token skep- One aspect of the reading, which was 1909 until her death in 1961 tic on television talk shows and docu- held in the seance room of her cottage, (Chesterfield Lives 1986) dealt with them mentaries on the paranormal, I have nat- was particularly amusing. At times she summarily. When she heard one couple urally feared I might be recognized, but I would turn to her right—as if acknowl- using the f-word—fraud—she snarled, rarely made any effort to disguise myself edging the presence of an invisible reports Keene (1976, 48), "We do not and usually had no problem. entity—and say "Yes I will." This was a have that kind of talk here. Now you get However, for my stint at Camp seeming acknowledgment of some mes- your goddam ass off these hallowed Chesterfield, I felt special measures were sage she supposedly received from a grounds and don't ever come back!" called for so I decided to alter my appear- spirit, which she was to impart to me. I Another skeptic, a reporter named ance, shaving off my mustache (for the paid the medium thirty dollars cash and

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER March/April 2002 23 considered it a bargain—although not adhesive strips over her eyes followed by to do. I insisted I had signed the sheet in the way the spiritualise would no a scarf tied in blindfold fashion. This is and let him discover the "error" I had doubt have hoped. obviously supposed to prove that the made. Then, suitably repentant and At both of the billet readings I previously described method of billet deeply disappointed, I implored him to attended uSat were conducted for audi- reading was not employed, but accord- allow me to stay, noting chat there was ences (one in a chapel, the other in the ing to Keene (1976, 45), who per- more than one extra seat. Of course, if cathedral), a volunteer stood inside the formed the same feat, "The secret here the affair were bogus, and the cards pre- doorway and handed each of us a slip of was the old mentalist standby: the peek pared in advance, I could not be permit- paper. Printed instructions at the top down the side of the nose." He adds: ted to participate. Not surprisingly I was directed us to "Please address your billet "No matter how securely the eyes are not, being given the lame excuse (by to one or more loved ones in spirit, giv- blindfolded, it's always possible to get another medium, a young woman, who ing first and last names. Ask one or more enough of a gap to read material held was sitting in on the session) that the questions and sign your full name." close to the body." Unfortunately, at this medium needed to prepare for the On the first occasion I made a point of reading my billet was not among those seance by "meditating" on each sitter's seeming uncertain about how to fold die chosen, so there were no special com- name. (I wondered which of the two paper and was told that it was to be simply munications from the non-existent per- types of mediums she was: one of the doubled over and creased; if it was done sons whose names I had penned. "shut-eyes," simple believers who fancy otherwise, I was told strictly, the medium that they receive psychic impressions, or would not read it. I did not ask why, since Spirit Writing one of the "open mediums," who I tried to seem as credulous as possible, but Another feat practiced by at least three acknowledge their deceptions within the in fact I knew that there were two reasons. mediums at Chesterfield is called "spirit secret fraternity [Keene 1976, 23].) Even First, of course, the billets needed to be card writing." This descends from the without my admission fee, I estimate the easy to open with a flick of the thumb, and old slate effects that were common dur- medium grossed approximately $450. second, it was essential that they all look ing the heyday of spiritualism, whereby The next day I sought out one of the alike. The reason for the latter condition (in a typical effect) alleged otherworldly sitters who consoled me over my not lay in the method employed: After the writing mysteriously appeared on the having been accepted for the stance. She slips were gathered in a collection plate inner surfaces of a pair of slates that showed me her card which bore a scat- and dumped atop the lectern (where they were bound together (Nickell 2000). In tering of names like "Gray Wolf" in var- could not be seen from our vantage point) the modern form (which exists in several ious colors of felt-pen handprinting—all the medium would pick one up and hold variants), blank cards are placed in a bas- appearing to me on brief inspection to it to his or her forehead while divining its ket along with an assortment of pens, have been done by one person. The contents. The trick involves secredy glanc- colored pencils, etc. After a suitable other side of the card bore a picture ing down at an open billet. A sitter who invocation, each of the cards is seen typ- (somewhat resembling a Japanese art had closed his slip in a distinctive way ically to bear a sitter's name surrounded print) that she thought had also been (such as by pleating it or folding it into a by the names of his "spirit guides" or produced by spirits, although I do not triangle) might notice that the billet being other entities and possibly a drawing or know exactly what was claimed by the shown was not the one apparently being other artwork. The sitter keeps the card medium. I did examine the picture with viewed clairvoyantly. as a tangible "proof" of spirit power. the small lens on my Swiss army knife The insistence on how the paper must At Chesterfield one afternoon I which revealed the telltale pattern of be folded indicated trickery. And that was attempted to sign up for a private card- dots from the halftone printing process. confirmed for me at one session through writing seance later that evening at the The woman seemed momentarily dis- my writing the names of non-existent home of a prominent medium (who also comfited when I showed her this and loved ones and signing with my pseudo- advertises odier feats including "pictutes indeed acknowledged that the whole nym. From near the back of the chapel I on silk"). When that session proved to be thing seemed hard to believe, but she acknowledged die medium's announce- filled, I decided to try to "crash" the event stated that she simply chose to believe. I ment that he was "getting the Collins and soon hit on a subterfuge. I placed the nodded understandingly; I was not family." After revealing the bogus names autograph of "Jim Collins" on the sign-in there to argue widi her. I had written, he gave me an endearing sheet for the following week, then showed message from my supposedly departed up at the appointed time for the current "Direct Voice" mother that answered a question I had seance a few hours later. I milled about My most memorable—and unbeliev- addressed to her on the billet. However, with die prospective sitters, and then we able—experience at Camp Chesterfield my mother was actually among the living were all ushered into the seance room in involved a spirit materialization seance I and, of course, not named Collins. the medium's bungalow. attended at a medium's cottage on a The other public billet reading I So far so good. Unfortunately when Sunday morning. Such offerings are not attended was part of a Gala Service held he read off the signees' names and I was scheduled in the camp's guidebook but in the Cathedral. The medium placed unaccounted for, I had some explaining are rather advertised via a sign-in book,

2 4 March/April 2002 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER and, perhaps an accompanying poster, times, according to one critic, "All the The medium handed each of us one on the medium's porch. As my previous spirit voices sounded exactly like the of the seven stones after picking it up experience showed, it behooved one to medium ..." (Keene 1976, 122). Such with a tissue and noting with delight keep abreast of the various offerings was the case at my seance. T h e first voice our reaction at discovering it was icy around the village. So I was out early in sounded just like the medium using cold! This was a nice touch, I thought, the morning, hobbling with my cane up exaggerated enunciation to simulate an imparting an element of unusualncss as and down the narrow lanes. Soon, a "Ascended Master" (who urged the rejec- if somehow consistent with having been small poster caught my eye: "Healing tion of negativity); another sounded just materialized from the Great Beyond— Stance with Apports." It being just after like the medium adopting the craggy although probably only kept by the 6:00 A.M., and the streets silent, I qui- voice of "Black Elk" (widi a message medium in her freezer until just before about having respect for the Earth); and etly stepped onto the porch and signed the stance when it was likely transferred still another sounded just like the up for the 10:00 A.M. session. to a thermos jar. We were told that each medium using a perky little-girl voice to At the appointed time seven of us apport was attuned to that sitter's own conjure up "Miss Poppy" (supposedly had gathered and the silver-haired energy "vibrations" and that no one else one of the medium's "joy guides"). medium ushered us into the seance should ever be permitted to touch it. If room which she promptly secured At the end of the stance, after the someone did, we were warned, it would against light leakage, placing a rolled-up lights were turned back on, one of the become "only a stone." throw rug at the bottom of the outer trumpets was lying on its side on the I left Camp Chesterfield on the morn- door and another rolled cloth to seal the floor, as if dropped there by the spirits— ing of my fifth day there, after first taking top, and closing a curtain across an inte- or, as I thought, simply tipped over by photographs around the village. As I rior door. She collected twenty-five dol- the medium. Finally, we were invited up reflected on my experiences, tilings seemed lars from each attendee and then, after a to get our "apports." to have changed little from the time Keene brief prayer, launched into the healing wrote about in The Psychic Mafia. Indeed service. This consisted of a "pep talk" (as Apports the deceptions harkened back to the days she termed it) followed by a brief session Supposedly materialized or teleported of Houdini and beyond—actually, all the with each participant in which she gifts from the spirits, apports appear at way back to 1848 when the Fox sisters clasped the person's hands and imparted some sdances under varying condi- launched the spiritualist craze with their supposed healing energies. tions—sometimes tumbling out of a schoolgirl tricks. It eventually came time for the spirit trumpet, for example. Keene stance. A pair of tin spirit trumpets (1976, 108) says those at Camp Acknowledgments standing on the floor by the medium's Chesterfield were typically "worthless I am grateful to Brant Abrahamson of desk suggested we might experience trinkets" such as broaches or rings often Brookfield, Illinois, who was prompted by my investigations of spiritualism to send me some "direct voice," by which spirits suppos- "bought cheap in bulk." One medium materials he obtained while stopping at Camp edly speak, the trumpets often being specialized in "spirit jewels" (colored Chesterfield during a trip. The materials used to amplify the vocalizations. The glass) while another apported arrow- helped seal my resolve to visit the site. medium began by turning off the lamps heads; special customers might receive and informing us that "dark is light." something "more impressive." Camp References Soon, in the utter blackness, the voices Chesterfield instructed its apport medi- Christopher, Milbourne. 1970. ESP. Seers cf Psychics. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co. came, seeming to be speaking in turn ums to "... please ask your guides to Hyde, Julia. 1896. Letter IO a Mrs. Peck, written through one of the trumpets. Keene bring articles of equal worth to each sit- ai Lily Dale, April 2>; typescript text in flic on (1976, i 04—108) details various means ter and not to bring only one of such the Hyde house. Genesee Country Village. Mumford, N.Y. of producing "levitating" trumpets, articles as are usually in pairs (earrings Keene, M. Lamar. 1976. The Psychic Mafia. complete with luminescent bands or cufflinks, for instance)" (quoted Reprinted Amherst. N.Y.: Prometheus Books, around them "so that the sitters could from "The Medium's Handbook" by 1997. Kunz, George Frederick. 1913. The Curious Lore see them whirling around the room, Keene 1976, 63). of Precious Stones, reprinted New York: Dover, hovering in space, or sometimes swing- At our seance the apports were spec- 1971.6,80-81. ing back and forth in rhythm with a imens of hematite which (like many Nickell, Joe, with John F Fischer. 1988. Secrets of the Supernatural Buffalo, N.Y.: Prometheus hymn." But here, however, we were left other stones) has a long tradition of Books. to our imaginations. Mine suggested to alleged healing and other powers (Kunz .1995. Entities. Amherst, N.Y.: me that the medium was not even both- 1913). The shiny, steel-gray mineral had Prometheus Books. 17-38. . 2000. Spirit painting, part II. Skeptical ering to use the large trumpet, which obviously been tumbled (mechanically Briefs 10:2 (June). 9-11. might prove tiresome, but may have polished), as indicated by surface char- .2001. Adventures of a Paranormal been utilizing a small tin megaphone— acteristics shown by stereomicroscopic Investigator, in Paul Kurtz, cd.. Skeptical Odysseys. Amherst. N.Y.: Prometheus Books, another trick described by Keene. examination, and was indistinguishable 219-232. Some mediums were better at pre- from specimens purchased in shops that O'Neill, Tom. 1960. Quoted in Keene 1976. 40, tending direct voice than ouSers; some- sell such New Age talismans. and Christopher 1970. 175.

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