July 16th, 2009

 [Hilarie is sitting on a chair wearing a black cloak, holding a book]

Hilarie Burton: Hi everyone. It’s time for this weeks SoGoPro Book Club, and we’re getting a little creepy this week. I think it’s time. I went out to a bookstore and found this incredible piece of literature. It’s the ‘Book of Secrets’ [laughs] and it pretty much encompasses the earth’s history in magic, in sorcery, lots of tricks. And in honor of this I am wearing a cloak that was gifted to me by my dear witchy sister, Mamasita. And I’m sitting here, in my haunted house, reading this chapter about spirit séances. [holds open book] Hmm? So let’s see what we can find out in this weeks book club, and we’ll all learn a little something. [begins to read] ‘Spirit séances vary a great deal. As long as the medium goes into a state of [mystical voice] semi-trance, and apparently converses with spirits, there is no possibility of detecting fraud. When physical phenomena occur, such as those produced by the Davenport Brothers,’ [to camera] We’ll have to figure out who they are later. [continues to read] ‘there is a chance for real investigation. The manifestations actually happen. The testimony of  the average witness is sufficient evidence of that. The question that arises is this. Are the phenomena due to a natural cause? Or to a supernatural agency? If the former condition proves to be the case, the manifestations are fraudulent, being accomplished by trickery.’ [stops reading] That’s such a dirty word: trickery. [continues to read] ‘There have been phenomena which are not explained. That does not prove that they were genuine spirit manifestations. They may have been performed by trickery that was not detected, and if not fraudulent, they may have been dependent upon a natural law that was not recognized or which has not been discovered. The burden of proof that all spirit manifestations must necessarily rest on the medium. Investigators must start with the assumption that all phenomena are due to natural causes. Otherwise their investigations cannot be accepted as conclusive. It is definitely known that fake manifestations have been produced by fraudulent mediums. Such trickery’ [to camera] There’s that words again! [continues to read] ‘should be weeded out and exposed, for if genuine phenomena do exist, fraudulent phenomena will stand in the way and handicap investigators. The following description is of a typical fraudulent séance conducted around a table, the fake medium being held by a person on each side. Horns, tambourines, and bells are placed on the table before the séance. Each hand of the medium is held by another person, [demonstrating] the little fingers being interlocked in a manner illustrated in picture number one.’ [turns book around and points to picture number one] Oh, that’s darling. That’s like a little pinky swear. I don’t think you can see that. [continues to read] ‘At that point the room is still lighted, but then the lights are turned off, causing total darkness. The medium passes into a pretended trance, telling the two persons to be sure and retain their hold on his hands. Soon, the bells and tambourines are lifted from the table and fly around as though guided by unseen hands. They jingle and rattle from every angle and a terrific din ensues. Persons are the far side of the table are struck by the tambourines, while the horns blow from near the medium. Finally, the medium calls out to be released and asks for the lights. They are turned on and the medium is found lying exhausted in the chair.’ [throws cloak off shoulder and throws back hair] I’m so exhausted right now. [laughs and continues to read] ‘This is all accomplished by the medium who secretly releases himself without the people knowing it. The method of release is illustrated in pictures two and three, which shows what happens when the lights are out.’ [looking at pictures] Oh! [shows pictures to camera] He’s using one hand to trade pinkies with these people, and he’s blowing the horn while the lights are out. This is a tricky, tricky medium. Hold on. [brings pictures close to camera] I don’t know if you guys can see that or not. [continues to read] ‘The medium draws his right hand slowly to his left and suddenly it leaves the person’s grasp. The medium tells the person not to let go, and then reaching for the medium’s little finger the person on his right gets a hold of his left forefinger. With his free right hand [demonstrating] the medium produces manifestations. Then he suddenly jerks away his left hand and in trying to grasp it again, the two persons find the other’s hand, thinking that it is the hand of the medium,’ [stops reading] That’s so tricky! [continues to read] ‘who is then free to operate all contrivances at once. He can swing tambourines on the end of telescopic rods, and resort to all sorts of trickery. The hands are released just before the lights turn on, and the two people will swear they held the medium until the very end of the séance. Performed in the dark, this fraud is impossible to detect, especially as sitters have their hands interlocked all around the table, forming an unbroken human chain. [stops reading and closes book] I am so happy that I have shared this with you, lest any of you be tricked into a fraudulent séance. So, go forth. Continue to do your homework in the book club. If you could find a book of secrets, please share some secrets with us! They’re the best! See you later!