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IV. .''.-
IV
HjmanRays?.
The Strange "Power" of
Mdlle. Tomczyk to Lift
Bells, Bottles and Other
Objects Without
Touching Them Ex
plained by a Hovel
Scientific Theory
0
"These phenomena seem only explicable on the theory that there are
invisible rigid rays, as little understood as : the X-rays once were, which
possess a power of raising solid ' objects; proportioned to' the psychic
force of the subject"
O
9
"Mdlle. Tomczyk held her hand at' a distance of fourteen inches
on each aide of (he bell, and It roae at the raued them."
THE cue of Mile, Tomczyk, a
young medium of Polish
origin, Is exciting intense In
terest In parts and In psychical re
search circles all over the world.
The account of her latest doings Is
reported by the Journal' of the
Amorl'-an 8oclety for Psychical Re
search, edited by Professor James
H. Hyslop.
Mile. Tomczyk exhiblU a power to
raise objects without touching them
to a degree never before observed.
With each hand held more than a
foot away from a small bell she was
able to raise It several feet In the
air and lift it up and down.
The extraordinary power she dis
played and her manner of doing
these things have given rise to a
theory among the scientists who
observed her that her body gives
forth what they call "rigid rays."
which have the power of moving
solid objects. Other observations
have led to the belief that many
human bodies emit these rigid rays.
Mile. Tomcsyk has been brought
to Paris by Dr. Ochorovlc. a physi
cian of standing In his and her own
country. The experiments described
here were performed In the pres
ence of Professor Rlcbet, of the Sor
bonne, the leading psychical re
search investigator of Paris; Mme.
Curie, the great radium expert, and
ether scientists, who were satisfied
of the absence of fraud. Mme.
Curie was especially Interested in
the theory of the rigid rays.
Associated with the phenomena
was a psychological personality
known as "Little Stasia." Mile.
Tomciyk's name is Stasia and she
Is sometimes spoken of as "Big
Stasia." During the experiments
Mile. Tomcxyk waa in a hypnotic
condition and she stated that "Little
Stasia" waa hovering about
"Little Stasia," according to spir
itistic expert, appears to be a pro
jection from the personality of two
living persons. She has exhibited
a power to move concrete objects.
The explanation of the phenomena
here described may be traced to
this personality or to the rigid raya
or to both.
In the first experiment Mile.
Tomczyk, after being put into a
hypnotic condition, placed her bands
on each side of the bell at a dis
tance of about fourteen Inches.
After several effort It rose
about two Inches and moved away
from the medium. The observers
verified the fact that daring these
movements the hands of the me
dium did not budge. At the re
qaest of the watchers the bell
moved and occupied the position it
had at first, without, however, leav
ing the support of the table.
"About fifteen minutes later,"
says the report, "the medium de
clared that she felt a larger amount
of force and asked again for the
belC assuring ns that she would
succeed better this time and re
questing a photograph of herself
with the bell."
The exhibition that followed was
remarkably successful. The bell
immediately rose to a considerable
height in front of the medium.
This was photographed.
"The observers," says the report,
"were able to guarantee again that
the hands of the medium had been
examined before the experiment.
After the examination the medium
did not touch any one or conoeal
her hands, and she did not touch
the bell either before or during the
experiment The movements of the
bell and her bands were not always
synchronous.
"No one observed, either during
the examination of the hands before
or after the experiments, or at the
moment of the trial, or in the pho
tographs taken, any material con
nection between the handa of the
medium and the object levitated."
Then a very interesting experi
ment was performed with scales.
A little celluloid ball waa placed
on a pair of scale, making a weight
Just sufficient to put the scale
down on that side. The medium
held her bands under the scales.
"Some minutes later," says the
report, "the tray with the ball
arose violently and then waa ar
rested, while the ball leaped oil the
tray, as if hurled by a shock ol
some kind."
A very peculiar chemical experi
ment was then carried out A drop
of ferrocyanide of potassium and a
drop of chloride of Iron solution
were placed on a white cardboard,
a few inches apart. The medium
moved her hands above them at a
height of several inches and blue
lines were found connecting the
two drops.
In order to prove that no thread
could be employed to produce these
reaults a photographic apparatus
was used which would have shown
the finest kind of silk thread.
The finger nails of the medium
were examined by passing a knife
under them and the most rigid pre
cautions in other ways that science
could suggest were employed to ex
clude fraud.
In a later seance a celluloid ball
was laid upon a dynamometer on
the table.
"After a brief period of waiting,"
the report continues, "w remarked
some insignificant movements of the
ball, which Immediately afterward
roiled aa much as one-half the
length of the dynamometer.
"During these movements the me
dium several times raised her
hands above the table as much as
eight Inches. At her request Dr.
Ochorovics put his hands behind
the medium's head, after which the
ball rolled again to the centre of
the dynamometer, but instead of
continuing Its course it Jumped
on to the table and turned toward
the medium.
"She then moved her hand toward
the ball without touching it and
ordered It to mount the dynamome
ter, which It immediately did, after
some ascending actions were exe
cuted by the hands of the medium."
A very curious phenomenon 'ob
served after thb experiment was
the beating of the ball to the tem
perature of the human body.
Another experiment consisted of
an attempt at mediumlstlc action
through a transparent screen. The
assistants took a transparent cellu
loid funnel and placed under It a
mall celluloid ball.
The hands of the medium, after
examination, were placed flat on
the table on . both aides of the
funnel. At first they remained Im
mobile some minutes and then the
medium raised them to an altitude
of an Inch or two. Some ten sec
onds later the funnel Itself moved
fliwt, but Imme
diately at the re
quest of the assist
ants It remained
still, while the ball
rolled toward the
body of the me
dium. After another ex
periment Mile.
Tomcsyk. trembling
and sobbing, ap
peared exhausted.
The most obvious
explanation of the
phenomenon of the
raising of objects
would be that some
extremely minute
thread were used.
Every Imaginable
precaution waa ex
ercised to exclude
such a fraud. Kin
ally an experiment
waa devised In
w b I e h, If any
thread connecting
the medium's hands
had been used It
muirt have passed
through a solid
brass rod.
From all these
facts Dr. Ochoro
vics came to the
conclusion that the
phenomena were
produced by cer
tain invisible rays,
which produced the
same effect as a
physical thread.
"When the medium has accumu
lated the current," do says, ino
rigid rays surround and clasp the
object In the given position which
most frequently remained the same
while It waa being raised."
Dr. Ochorovics has investigated
a number of raya whicn have ap
parently been photographed by
him In connection with these ex
periments and he distinguishes two
kinds at least '
One of these he call "rigid rays." -They
are not visible to the eye and '
can be photographed only la a.'
special manner. - He think It It
these "rigid rays" that enable the
trance personality to levitate the '
object mentioned. ' ' "
The personality calling herself '
"Little Stasia" appeared, to be in
some way connected with these ex-.
perlments. . - ' '
"It appeared clear to me at first .
that It was a simple etheric and
psychical double," writes Dr. Och
orovics. "My later experiments have
somewhat shaken' this ' 'animlc'
point of view, using the terminology
of Aksakof, aud especially an un
expected phenomenon the obtain
ing of 'Little Stasia's' - photograph
In an empty room, with all light ex
cluded, while the medium. In a .
normal condition and myself were
In an adjoining room." -. f
Entirely without warning, dur- .
dig a conversation between Dr. Och
orovics and Mile. Tomczyk, "Little.
Stasia" sent the following message
by alphabetic raya: '
"I wish to have a photograph of .
myself taken. Prepare the ap-,
paratus, place It near the . middle
of the room. , Adjust It for 1 two
metres." ' . ' '.
"Little Stasia" further demanded
that a Turkish towel should be fur- '
nished with the other apparatus ao
that she could cover herself. Dr.
Ochorovics left a camera - with a
newly purchased photographlo plate
!n the room, a chair and other ar
rangements as requested. The room
was left entirely dark and Dr. Oeh-,'
orovics says that no oneentered
the apartment
The doctor and the medium sat
watching the door of the room' for
! . I . .
some minutes, . when Mile. Tarn
cxyk declared that sbe'sawa light
like a fisih of lightning.' . -
The doctor took the plate and de
veloped from It a picture of a fe
male head with many curious fea
tures about IV '.:."'.'
' "In examining' very carefully tha
relative-position of the camera, tha
. table and the chair," he says. "I ar
rived ' at , this . conclusion,, that It
k.ws physically .Impossible, for aar
'living person, adult pr not, to place
herself in -tha position .necessary to
obtain a negative such aa-thia; If
seated' the head ' would ' be .beyond
the. level of the camera. ; ''
-. "Kneeling down she would not bo
able- to' show ss .much: as en image
. of her stomach.' Only a person
smaller, than'un Infant of six year,
having a head still smaller, and wtth
neither legs nor ' stomach, could
possibly take a position 'necessary
for producing a corresponding neg
ative.". ,;. t . '' ,r''T1' ..','
. Dr Fontenay, - aj psychical' r
. search 'expert,- came to the conclu
sion that "Little Stasia;" having the
- power to move ' physical ) object,
had arranged a picture before the
camera and. had. In some way fur
nished the necessary, light
- -"I think,", says. Dr. Fontenay, "we
are' before a photograph of a photo
graph; before the. photograph of a
plane, object, cut out and placed oa
.the back of the chair and. a towel
"Dr. Ochorovics recogniiss - that
Lit) le Stasia' has" the power ta
-produce apports.. What then might
.have occurred?;, 8he .'might hare
.brought' In a cut-out picture; she
might 'have brought 'In some mag-
' neslum; aha might -have "operated
as I. have supposed In order to get
th plate. . ' . ,- .
"it is extraordinary It I Insane,
If .you will. But this Is the least
' removed from koqwn precedents."
M
Old Fashions Make the Ugliest Woman Pretty".
Says Mile. Mistinguette, Polaire's Only
Rival for a Minus Record in Looks '
to prove that certain old fashions will mk
Paris, January IS.
'LLE. MISTINGUETTE, the quaint lit
tle Parisian actress, who claima to be
uglier than Mile. Polalre, who claim
to be the ugliest woman In the world, ha
found a new way of Interesting Parisians.
Having proved that she was as ugly as It
was possible to be, she ha now undertaken
The Scrawny, Homely Mistinguette
Changed Into a Grande Dame by
Madame de Moniespan' Costume.
cen me ugiim wurau imchj. ...hi-mI
MistlngueUe, by the way. was a bit nettiea
by that delightful widely discussed romance
that the ghost of the great Napoleon wa
making love to Polalre in the house where
he first courted Josephine. She planned to
do something to offset Polalre vogue and
she has succeeded.
Mile. Mistinguette now appears both In so
ciety and on the stage in various costume
of earlier generations, ranging from 1830
back to the time of Marie Antoinette, Gains
borough' Ducheas of Devonshire, and
earlier,
She explains that she believes In embellish
ing the female form divine aa much aa pos
. sible. If she believed in scanty costume she
would wear nothing, or next to nothing. But
she doesn't
Lota of frills, fold upon fold of rich mate
rial, Niagaras of lace and silk these are
the things that Mile. Mietlnguette says a
woman needs to make her look pretty.
And here are her photographs to prove the
truth of her assertion. One of them sbowa
a costume similar to that worn by the famous
Marquise de Montespan, in the time of King
Louis XIV.
It is made of dark brown ailk velvet. The
abort waist appears still shorter by the ex
treme length vjf the white lace yoke, which
extend also over the shoulders. The sle-ves
have large puffs, while below the elbow ex
tend tremendous cuffs of lace ruffles reaching
well over the wrist
The skirt Is fastened to the waist line with
i double row of ahirring. The very wide skirt
has a shirred rufTle a little below the knee,
and Is finished with four small ruffles. The
top of the skirt is embroidered In a lighter
shade of brown. The collar shows the same
lace ruffle aa the sleeves.
And now look and see If you think these
costumes make an ugly woman pretty.
Of course, neither Mile. Mistinguette nor
Mile. Polalre Is really as ugly aa she pretends
to be.
"I have a flat, pancake figure," Jd one.
"I have a clothes-rack shape," retorted the
other.
"I have a wasp waist and barrel body," said
one.
"I have a long body and short legs," re
torted the other.
"I have big. flax feet." said one.
"I have candlestick calves," retorted the
other.
"I have a fish-like profile," said one.
"I have goggle eyes with ragged lashea." re
torted the other.
"I have big teeth and a silly grin." said one.
"I am so ugly that 1 scare people to death,
retorted the other. '
The fact la that each has youth, sprightll
ness. Intelligence, good teeth and plenty of
deviltry. And ugliness, like beauty. Is a mat
ter of taste, after all.
mm f? fa mS
,i;',7 'f, V7 ) i
mli .VivA'-A M'
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L i.MT.
Mdlle. Mistinguette , in an Eighteenth - Cetitory Coatnme Wbiek
Transform Her Inline Into Prettine.
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