NOTES ON A STRANGE WORLD MASSIMO POLIDORO

William S. Marriott's Gambols with the Ghosts

"s Spiritualism a fraud? Are the exponent of the theory of fraud in illusions was known as "Dr. Wilmar's spirit-rappings and the spirit- Spiritualism in this country." Spirit Paintings" and consisted in the . forms of the stance, the prophe- Information on him, however, is production of apparently paranormal "i; quite sparse and hard to find. For this paintings, duplicating the claimed psy- cies of the palmist and the clairvoyant, the visions of the trance mediums, gen- reason 1 would be very grateful to any chic phenomena of the Chicago medi- uine evidence of a spirit-world, or are reader who could provide additional ums the Bangs sisters (Nickell 2000). they mere catchpenny tricks, engineered details on his life. This, then, is some of According to writer Leslie A. Shepard, by charlatans to charm money from the what is known. author of Encyclopedia of Occultism and pockets of die credulous?" Parapsychology (1991), this illusion "so impressed a fellow magician P. T. Selbit These are the questions by which the that he agreed to pay Marriott a weekly editor of Pearson's Magazine introduced, royalty for the use of the illusion." in March 1910, a series of articles investi- However, Marriott himself was not gating Spiritualism, "in order that readers entirely straightforward in claiming of Pearson's Magazine may judge for them- rights on the illusion, since he had selves the pros and cons of this tremen- obtained the secret from David P. dously important subject. If Spiritualism Abbot, an amateur magician. When is genuine, it ought to be a vital factor in Selbit presented the illusion at the the lives of us all: if false, then it and its Orpheum Theatre in Omaha in 1911. high priests should be ruthlessly exposed Abbott saw the show and visited Selbit and believers in it disillusioned of a faith backstage, when he learned that Selbit that is altogether vain." had already paid Marriott sonic $10,000 On such a quest, the editor declared in royalties!" of having been "fortunate in securing the co-operation of Mr. William One of his first valuable scoops con- Marriott, who has made a life-long sisted in locating and publicizing a rare study of the occult." copy of Gambols With the Ghosts: Mind Some readers of this magazine may Reading, Spiritualistic Effects, Mental be familiar with the name of Marriott, and Psychical Phenomena and Horoscopy, however it is very likely that the major- William Marriott shows how to fake the a secret catalog of spiritualistic para- materialization of ghosts with props bought phernalia and tricks then circulating ity has never heard of him. This is quite from the Gambols with the Ghosts catalogue. unfortunate, since Marriott proved to be among mediums. The catalog was issued a very capable magician and skeptical Gambols with the Ghosts in 1901 by Ralph E. Sylvestre of investigator of psychic claims well William S. Marriott, a likeable fellow before Houdini turned to the same sub- with a pair of well-waxed moustaches, Massimo Polidoro is an investigator of the ject. The Spiritualist journal Light, the was a British professional magician who paranormal, author, lecturer, and co- then-official organ of the London performed under the pseudonym of founder and head of CICAP, the Italian Spiritualist Alliance, called him "the best "Dr. Wilmar." One of his best known skeptics group.

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER March/Apni 2003 33 Chicago and was designed for private fered bereavement. It is on emotions as "King Draco." He gave a gracious circulation among mediums, on the and affections that ought to be sacred inclination of his head, moved his hands that the mediums trade, holding out understanding that it would be returned as if to bless, and retired into the cabinet. the hope of possible communication to Sylvestre when tricks had been with the departed friend or relative. I I will let Marriott continue the story: selected from it. believe that a great proportion of con- This should have closed the stance. The catalog had an introductory note versions to Spiritualism are traceable Tonight an unrehearsed effect was in which stated: "Our experience during to undue influence used at times like store for the believers. As the form these; and I am certain that this factor the past thirty years in supplying medi- entered the cabinet, he sat down on operates very largely to make the ums and others with the peculiar effects what he thought was the settee. It medium's profession as profitable as it happened to be my knees. I had in this line enable us to place before you often undoubtedly is; for, while (he quickly slipped into the curtained only those which are practical and of use, inclosure and was sitting, waiting for nothing that you have to experiment him to come back. As my arms went with. We wish you to thoroughly appre- around him he gave a yell followed by ciate that, while we do not, for obvious language which I will noc repeat. My friend had the light up in a moment. reasons, mention the names of our And there for the faithful was the edi- clients and their work (they being kept fying sight of the medium, clothed in in strict confidence, the same as a physi- flimsy white draperies, struggling in cian treats his patients), we can furnish the arms of myself! you with the explanation and, where Marriott then went on detailing how necessary, die material for the produc- the various effects seen at the seance had tion of any known public 'tests' or 'phe- been accomplished by trickery. On visit- nomena' not mentioned in this, our lat- ing the house the following day, the est list. You are aware that our effects are magician found that the birds had flown. being used by nearly all prominent The medium had vanished into thin air; mediums of the entire world." though, as Marriott later found, "they This notorious catalog (a copy of contrived to keep in touch with some of which is still preserved in the Harry the circle they had gathered round them, Price Library of Magical Literature at who still, strangest of all, maintained the University of London) included their faith in these incapable charlatans." equipment for slate-writing, self-playing However, as Marriott himself guitars, self-rapping tables, materializa- observed, true believers can't be shaken tions, and a "Complete Spiritualistic in their dearly held beliefs: "Only the Seance." Marriott obtained a number of other day," the magician observed, "I these illusions and had himself pho- was talking to a prominent Spiritualist, tographed posing with them. Gambols with the Ghosts: a secret fake catalogue for fake mediums. whose belief is absolutely fixed; and, in A Spirit on My Knees reply to all my arguments and demon- ordinary seance fee may be anything strations, he merely shook his head, In 1909 Marriott was approached by from half-a-crown to half-a-guinea, and, with a smile, observed: Ah, my Pearson's Magazine in order to conduct, cases have come under my notice of friend, you haven't seen what I have on behalf of the magazine, a series of mediums extorting considerable sums seen." He was wrong. Fortunately, I had investigations on mediums, clairvoy- by foisting alleged messages from the odier world on credulous people. In seen very much more than he had seen; ants, and healers the results of which cases of this sort, of course, the medi- and in that fact lies the whole explana- was afterwards published, in 1910, in ums are bringing themselves well tion of one man's belief and another four issues of the magazine. All of the within reach of the atm of the law, man's disbelief—one sees too little; one articles are wonderful exposes of several but the cases where evidence is too much." then (and still now!) popular fads. obtainable arc unfortunately few. In "The Realities of the Seance!," the He records some hilarious episodes. Embracing a Ghost first installment of the series, Marriott At one seance the medium took a posi- One of die things that most impressed takes aim at Spiritualistic seances and, tion inside a curtained enclosure, the so- Marriott during his investigation of psy- on die basis of his experiences, writes: called "spirit cabinet," and the gaslight chic maners was the fact that illustrious At many of the seances I was particu- was put out. After a while die curtain scientists were ready to stake their repu- larly struck by this feet. A very large parted and a stately form emerged from tation in favor of some badly observed proportion of die regular clientele of demonstration by a medium. But, he the mediums was invariably com- the cabinet. He was partially luminous, posed, as one could judge by the and carried a luminous globe in his hand advised, "scientists, however eminent, questions asked, and by their sombre which he held near the face to make it are emphatically not die people to inves- dress of people who had recendy suf- more visible. The sitters recognized him tigate these matters." Being a magician

3 4 March/April 2003 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER himself, he knew perfectly well that a accordingly did—well, as any gentleman sial Italian medium Eusapia Palladino: physicist is no match for a competent would do under the circumstances." "More has been written about her and trickster: "The scientist who sits where Exclamation marks, italics and all the her phenomena than about any other he is told to sit and looks where he is stereotyped forms of wonder would be medium. She has been detected in trick- told to look is the ideal subject for the wasted on this amazing revelation. "Sir ery again and again, but she has wiles of the conjuror or the medium; William, after walking and talking with undoubtedly succeeded in mystifying and before him effects can be brought quite a large number of scientific men." off that would be impossible before an In his paper Marriott excluded any audience of schoolboys." interest in going after Eusapia: "I am To illustrate this fact, Marriott constantly being told that I really ought, describes the experiments conducted by in the interests of truth, to go out to physicist William Crookes on famous investigate this woman's phenomena. I mediums and observes: "Brilliant as he certainly do not propose to waste is in investigations where chemical pre- months or even weeks on a journey to cision and insight only are required, he add to the exposure of this fraud, proved himself totally unable to make whether in Italy or in America." any allowance for the human equation." However, only a few months after the Crookes's experiments with the publication of these words, Marriott was medium Florence Cook, who claimed to well on his way to Naples to sit with be able to "materialize" a spirit called Katie Palladino. King, illustrate this fact. She was pho- It had happened that Marriott's good tographed on several occasions, and Sir friend, psychic researcher Everard William Crookes wrote at the time: "But Feilding, had persuaded him to change photography is as inadequate to depict the his mind. Feilding, then Honorary perfect beauty of Katie's face as words arc Secretary of the Society for Psychical powerless to describe her charms of man- Research, had sat with Eusapia in 1908 ner." And he proceeds to quote: A fake spirit picture, taken by William Marriott and, along with his colleagues, reached showing Arthur Conan Doyle with some of his the conclusion that "some force was in Round her she made an atmosphere beloved fairies. of life; play which was beyond the The very air seemed lighter reach of ordinary control, from her eyes, Mr. MARRIOTTS DEMONSTRATION and beyond the skill of the They were so soft, and beauti- ful, and rife By SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE. most skilled conjurer" With all wc can imagine of Mr. Marriott has clearly proved one (Feilding, Baggally, and the skies; point, which is that a trained conjurer Carrington 1909; readers Her overpowering presence interested in a critical exami- made you feel can, under the close inspection of three nation of this famous paper, It would not be idolatry to pairs of critical eyes, put a false image kneel. upon a plate. We must unreservedly also known as the "Feilding Report," can find a detailed Marriott was quite impressed: admit it. examination of it in my "In view of this panegyric, one upcoming book Secrets of the cannot be surprised at the fol- j'TziUm £*++*+ £)^xuz 0. Psychics). lowing naive account of the A billet that Conan Doyle had t o sign when he realized that he had been unable However, in 1909 and wonderful seance, found to catch Marriott in the act of faking the spirit picture. 1910, Eusapia had been absolutely convincing by Sir caught cheating in the William Crookes," who wrote fol- a young woman for two hours; after United States. This is how Marriott tells lows: "Katie never appeared to greater holding her in his arms and presumably the story: "On this occasion, Mr. Hugo perfection, and for nearly two hours she kissing her; after emphasizing the Munsterberg, an American investigator, walked about the room, conversing strength of his impression that she was a introduced a man secretly into the cabi- familiarly with those present. On several living woman, still prefers to believe, not net behind Eusapia's chair. From this occasions she took my arm when walk- that she was a mundane being in collu- cabinet various objects are brought forth ing, and the impression conveyed to my sion with the medium, but that she at her seances without any apparent mind that it was a living woman by my was—a spirit!" intervention on her part, this being the side, instead of a visitor from the other 'evidence*—remarkable evidence, in- world, was so strong that... I asked her Catching the Medium's Foot deed—of the truth of Spiritualism, permission to clasp her in my arms. In the last article for Pearson's Magazine, which the medium affords. When the Permission was graciously given, and 1 Marriott commented on the controver- seance had commenced, this man found

SKEPTICAL INQUIRER March/April 2003 35 Eusapia stretching one of her legs out pairs of critical eyes, put a false image LEVITY WITH LIFTERS backwards past the side of her chair into upon a plate. We must unreservedly From page 32 the cabinet, and groping with her toes admit it." match to that on three alleged Roswell for the guitar lying there ready to be Marriott had not demonstrated that documents. Rodigher concludes, "Given produced by 'spirit' agency. He naturally Hope was a fake but had shown that what all this evidence of counterfeit docu- seized hold of her foot, Eusapia had been termed by believers "impossi- ments, we can have no confidence in screamed wildly, and the seance broke ble" to reproduce by normal means could any details of Kaufmann's testimony, up in confusion." actually be done by a clever magician. even though he certainly was in Roswell Feilding, convinced that in 1908 he Contrary to Houdini, who offered money in 1947 and worked at the base (though had witnessed real phenomena, be- to anyone who could perform a psychic in the personnel office, not intelligence). lieved that Eusapia resorted to fraud feat that he could not duplicate, Marriott We can speculate on his motives and only to supplement her genuine pow- simply showed that alternative explana- why he deceived investigators, but that ers, and so decided to return to Naples tions to apparent miracles existed and will probably be of little use today. The to verify his beliefs. He wanted to be then invited the open-minded observers critical point is that we have determined sure, however, and that's why he to decide for themselves which explana- the validity of Kaufmann's testimony, insisted in having Marriott as his part- tion was the more probable. and can now discard it as we seek to ner in this investigation. "If I am one of the 'scoffers'," wrote establish what exactly did, and did not, The attempt was a failure; Eusapia Marriott who was described by Harry occur at Roswell in July 1947." systematically cheated as she had done in Price as "happily still living" in 1942, "it The problem for the Roswell promot- the United States, and as Feilding himself is not because of any original bias, but ers is, however, that with the credibility expressed it, "Everydiing this time was because of the arrant humbug, cheap of "crash witness" Frank Kaufmann's tes- different." The verdict on the five sittings trickery, and pathetic self-delusion that I timony now refuted, as previously was (Marriott was present at the three last) have encountered at every point of my that of star "crash witnesses" Jim was that they were, "in the opinion of all investigations of Spiritualism, and I Ragsdale, Gerald Anderson, and Glen those present unquestionably mainly, and combat the teachings of Sir Oliver Dennis, little or nothing remains of so- in the opinion of Mr Marriott wholly, Lodge and his co-believers because I called "crash testimony." And Roswell fraudulent" (Feilding 1911). believe them to be in defiance of the critic Karl Pflock has recently noted that soundest of all laws—those of common if Kaufmann has not been telling the Conan Doyle Admits Defeat sense and human experience." truth, then it becomes very difficult to believe the story told by Walter Haut, Marriott, along with psychic researcher Acknowledgments founder of the Roswell UFO Museum. Harry Price and Houdini, was also Haut, the Roswell Army Air Field pub- involved in the Crewe Circle drama 1 wish to thank Hilary Evans, owner with his licity officer who in 1947 issued the (Polidoro 2001). In 1921 a journalist, family of the singularly precious Mary Evans famous press release stating that they had James Douglas, had a photo of himself Picture Library in London (www.mepl. recovered the debris of a flying disk, co.uk) for kindly passing along some inter- taken by medium William Hope, of the would have been in a position to know esting material on William Marriott. Crewe Circle mediumistic group, that, that Kaufmann had been lying about when developed, showed the presence working in "army intelligence"—yet sup- References ported his story wholeheartedly. of a spirit extra. Douglas was so impressed by the phenomenon that he Feilding. E., w".W. Baggally. and H. Carrington. But like Charlie Brown who can issued a public challenge to anyone who 1909. Report on a series of sittings with Eusapia Palladino. Proceedings of the SPR always be persuaded that this time Lucy could duplicate the feat without using XXIII, 309-569. will not pull the football away just as he psychic powers. Marriott accepted the Feilding, E 1911. Proceedings of the SPR, XXV, 57-69. goes to kick it, "serious UFOlogists" will challenge and performed not only in Marriott, W.S. 1910. On the Edge of the never wake up to the reality that their front of Douglas but of Conan Doyle Unknown (The Realities of the Seance!, dreamed-of Roswell Field Goal is just an March; "Spirit Messages," April; Healers who and Everard Feilding as well. He pro- do not Heal," May, "Physical Phenomena." illusion. And even in the unlikely case duced a picture of Douglas and Doyle June.) Pearson's Magazine, March-June. that CUFOS and certain other major with a young woman and a picture of Nickell. Joe. 2000. Spirit Paintings: The Bangs UFO organizations were finally per- Doyle with little fairies dancing in front Sisters. SKEPTICAL INQUIRER 23(3), June. suaded to abandon belief in the alleged Shepard. LA. 1991. Encyclopedia of Occultism Roswell crash, the story would still live of him. He then explained in detail how and Parapsychology. Detroit: Gale Research Inc. he had tricked them and Doyle felt Polidoro. M. 2002. Final Stance. The Strange forever in the minds of the public, compelled to write a public statement: Friendship Between Houdini and Conan Doyle. thanks now to Steven Spielberg and "Mr. Marriott has clearly proved one Buffalo: Prometheus Books. many others. Once a story of this mag- , 2003. Secrets of the Psychics: Investigating nitude plants itself in the popular imagi- point, which is that a trained conjurer Paranormal Claims. Buffalo: Prometheus can, under the close inspection of three Books. • nation, nothing will ever lay it to rest-D

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