The T. G. Hamilton Files: 1924 - Mar 9

1924

Mar 9 - Oct 12

At the seance of March 9, 1924,

the sitters were the medium (Mrs. Poole), Dr. and Lillian Hamilton, Miss Lawrence, Mr. Reed, Mr. Cummings, Mr. Leslie and Mr. D. B. MacDonald.

The visitors were Dr. Puller, Dr. Coulter and Miss L. Melukis(?).

The wax equipment was ready and in the cabinet; hands held in chain formation; lights turned out; singing.

At first trance onset there was more distress noticed in the medium than usual.

Signaled Letters:

Stevensononc(d or e) setteled the unitedstade ...? (sing) where asator im ... (sing) automatic writing: 'sanatorium was built for comsump ...'consumpotion.'

First trance vision:

"(By Post-trance recollection): (" What are these in front of me ... these lights ... what are they?)

The medium regained full consciousness and reported her vision.

"I was away in a big city ... such a lot of traveling the night. (Said as if she were both confused and very tired) I was away on both trains and a boat ... I did not see my friend ... just a lot of people on the streets ... saw a big high building, cars and ... (Asked if she meant motors) kind of buses ..."

I did some traveling on trains the night. (That light is coming up in front of me) I saw no one I knew. I was in some place where there was some men and a woman sitting, talking. I was not two minutes there. I looked on a book ... I saw some writing. Now, when I come to remember, it was more like a waiting room. I traveled too much the night. The buildings in that city were great tall ones ... some were old-fashioned too."

Sitters' hands placed in contact with table - no phenomena given.

The second trance came on.

Second Trance: (Very deep sleep). The medium regained consciousness and gave the following report:

"I was back in that big city. I got the name 'Sanitorium'. I saw my friend ... he was up at the building where I saw the name ... it was white stone but getting black ... windows high up ... there was a big door ... the name was on a poster or something. He was standing there with another man."

The light was turned on and the automatic script examined.

Automatic script:

"In an express wagon."

A violin experiment was tried. The results were negative.

Lights were turned on and interval for rest given.

Mr. Reed's and Mrs. Poole's(?) hands in contact with cabinet wall ... the rest in chain formation.

Raps commenced. Alphabet called by Dr. Hamilton and questions asked:

Did you succeed in getting a photograph? Doubtful. (two raps)

Is there any other type of phenomena to be given tonight? Doubtful. (two raps)

Have you made any molds? No. (one rap)

Was that camera satisfactorily set? Yes. (three raps)

Can we get molds with the netting? No (one rap)

Can you give us a wax form tonight without the netting? Doubtful. (one rap)

Will we get them at another sitting? Yes (three knocks, given twice)

Will you give us your initials? Yes. (alphabet called)

Letters given:

R. L. S. d(e or d) nott ... (power waned).

Third Trance: (This the first time the medium went into a third trance-sleep during one sitting.)

Third trance vision: (post-trance recollection):

"I saw my friend ... (I am all in tonight): he was standing on a step talking to me ... it seemed to be all blackness but where he was standing."

Script: " ... my ... friend."

Sitting closed shortly.

[Note: all came to the sitting eager to learn whether or not the communicator, R. L. Stevenson would again appear.]

There were several reasons why we supposed that he might be withdrawing and a new communicator taking his place; the 'Note' to "Underwoods"' was finished; in the vision of March 6 he did not wish to talk!

A strange man appeared in the second vision of March 6 and so we reasoned that probably all this pointed to his (R. L. Stevenson's) withdrawal.

The medium was allowed to share this opinion with us. Formerly, any query of this nature that might arise in the minds of the sitters was always carefully concealed from the medium.

The result was found to be very interesting: First, considerable reaction was evidently set up against the incoming of the control - which the medium thought to be a strange one, and which she feared; but above all we found it interesting to note that the combined influence of both medium and sitters did not prevent the Stevenson control from manifesting - and that in a remarkably successful manner, as a study of his biographer will show.

At the seance of March 16, 1924,

the sitters were Mrs. Poole, Dr. and Lillian Hamilton, Mr. Leslie, Miss Lawrence and Mr. Reed.

The visitors were Dr. and Mrs. Jasper Halpenny and Miss L. Notiluker (?)

Procedure: Hands were in chain formation with the exception of Mrs. Poole's right hand and Mr. Reed's left hand, which were in contact with the table on which stood the wax equipment.

First Trance writing:

Signaled Letters:

"itisthoughtclevf?rtowriteasoryoriatleastutthoughtakorarawdp//oncrawley (singing )toknitaltogher"

First trance vision: (post-trance recollection): Do you see those lights around me - those faces? I can see lights and a half moon in front of me."

"I was away in a big city that night ... I have been in it before ... I was not in at any place ... I saw a house it is no white ... it sits by itself at the foot of the hill ... beyond it was hills all around the hills were covered with little bushes and stones ... there was a road near ... no fence. The house was two-storied ... there was quite a crowd in front of the door ... all men ... I did not see any women (I saw women on the street.) I didn't see my friend ... he may have been among the crowd. One of the men was bare-headed, the rest had hats on. (That may have been him). The men were going in. I got a name "Rawley" or Crawley." I think it was the name of a person. I got mixed up. I saw this house, then the city, and then this house.

Second Trance:

Hand writes while medium deeply entranced.

Second trance vision:

"I was inside that white house ... they all were writing ... they were sitting on a bench, old-school style ... there was a table in front of them with ink and pens on it and my one ... my friend was doing the talking ... he was dictating to them, telling them something. I got no names.

Later, the writing seemed to be: "He could never ... to make an art of it."

For the wax Experiment the procedure was:

Hands were in chain formation with the exception of the medium's right and Mr. Reed's left, which were placed in contact with the table on which the wax equipment stood.

Order of sitting: The medium; Dr. Hamilton; Dr. Halpenny; Mrs. Halpenny; Mr. Leslie; Miss Lawrence; Lillian Hamilton; Mr. Reed.

Results: When light were turned on two wax molds of finger formations, each about an inch long, were found floating on the water bath and adhering to each other.

[ Photo of wax fingertips of March 16, 1924 ]

Then the violin experiment:

Forces lifted the violin off table (the violin was held by Dr. Halpenny) and carried it up into the air but did not succeed in playing on the strings except once very faintly.

Third Trance:

Medium again writes while in deep trance-sleep.

Automatic script:

'Introduction to an editor' .... (undeciphered).

Medium regains consciousness and describes her vision.

"I was back in that house again. I was writing ... he told me to write. I wrote a word with 'duct' in it.

Séance closes.

The signaled letters were grouped:

"It is thought clever to write a story (i) or at least (ut) thought (akerarawdp// hand signals mistake - singing) to knit al togher"

Complete Psychic Text: "It is thought clever to write a story or at least thought ... to knit all together... he could never... to make an art of it... introduction to an editor"

The Interpretation:

We have here an evident attempt on the part of the intelligences to "speak" on the art of writing. The second idea contained in the psychic script is that of the introduction of "someone" to an editor. The visions would seem to suggest a group of men all interested in writing, with one man in particular who acts as chief "talker". The place of action shown in the vision cannot at present be definitely located. It may be meant for the house at Saranac Lake, (see previous message of March 9) which was situated among hills, was two-storied, and was plainly furnished with benches, etc.. Here also Stevenson had as visitors the editors of both Scribners and McClure's Magazine's, as well as other literary friends from New York.

The house here he himself describes as being on the top of the hill, whereas the medium saw it to be at the foot of the hill. The presence of bushes and stones with no fences would certainly suggest a locality such as the Saranac district would have been at that time. The name "Crawley" has not as yet been verified.

In the psychic text we find the communicating intelligence "speaking" of someone who wished or endeavored "to make an art" of writing. Is this true of Stevenson as a writer? We have only to read his own and his critic's words to realize that such indeed was his distinguishing characteristic as a writer.

"Literature although it stands apart by reason of the great destiny and general use of its medium in the affairs of men, is yet an art like other arts."... " Music and literature, the two temporal arts ..."

"The art of literature stands apart from among its sisters ..." "... the true business of the literary artist is to plait or weave(knit) his meaning..."

"... "knit and knot the logical texture of the style ..." , "the well-knit sentence. (The above are quotes from "Essays On the Art of Writing." by R. L. S.).

(As in the past, we find it wiser not to attempt an interpretation of the visions when their meaning is somewhat obscure.)

At the sitting of March 23, 1924,

the sitters were Mrs. Poole, Dr. and Lillian Hamilton, Mr. Reed and Mr. Leslie.

The visitors were Professor Alison, Mr. E. L. Taylor, Captain Wade, Mr. and Mrs. Morton.

First Trance:

Letters Signaled:

"Butwihenlnghjohnsiliverofthreb?tureislandta (singing)stuck a? squas? (singing) asailorsquaronthebcacdk"

The first trance vision:

"See all the lights around ..."

"I don't know where I have been ... I was away in a new place ... I saw my friend ... he had men with him ... men I never saw before ... I was in a little house or cottage ... before I came to it I passed an inn.

He had some sailors with him ... he had a map and there was quite a lots of talk ... he was showing them the map. There was a little boat, a yacht outside the door.

There was somebody living in the house for I saw some dishes on the table ... he had some books and papers on the table where he had been eating. I passed through a big city but I did not wait there ... I came on to the cottage ... there were no other cottages ... there were some trees about the house. It sat near the road ... a gate on the road side ... the trees were lovely and green."

The Hands of the medium, Mr. Reed and Lillian Hamilton were placed in contact with the table.

The table "walked" on two legs over to the door of the cabinet - then, suddenly levitated and turned one complete turn in mid air and then a second turn when the hands of the sitters caught it and placed it back on the floor.

All this was done suddenly and with considerable force.

For the screen experiment the table was charged by the hands of the medium, Lillian Hamilton and Mr. Reed.

Then the table was placed in the cabinet, the screen held by visitors Mr. Taylor and Captain Wade.

The table kept time to the music and pushed against the netting.

The violin was carried up from table twice by "forces" and twanged once, but not at all vigorously.

Second Trance:

Second trance automatic script:

"Vanity, vanity fair could not be ... work"

"Could not be made the work of art."

Second trance vision:

"I was away in a big city ... in an exhibition or fair. I saw some beautiful works on the walls ... my friend was there ... he was letting me see some statues ... they were figures of different people; one of a lady with hair parted in the middle ... down over her ears"

For the wax experiment there were no results reported.

At the seance of March 31, 1924,

the sitters were Mrs. Poole, Dr. and Lillian Hamilton, Mr. and Mrs. Leggatt, Dr. James A. Hamilton, Mr. Leslie, Mr. D. B. MacDonald, Mr. Cummings and Mr. Reed.

First trance automatic script letters:

"threeyearsaftertheirmarriagetheysettlediosouthfrancehiswifeinspiringhim."

First trance vision:

"I was in that city I have been in before, old, old place ... I saw the red church I saw before ... I went on down the hill with a (....) ... I don't know how I got there ... I came down with my friend and his wife and a boy and a white dog and a kind of a ( ...) ... I never saw that dog before ... they all talked to me. I don't know what they said (a later remark). His wife isn't much taller than I am ... dark hair ... good collar ... the boy would be between 14 and 15, I think.

Second Trance automatic script - not made out.( Illegible?)

Second trance vision:

"All the same places and people. Can't place white dog in France."

During the four months - March, April, May, June, 1924, records show that we received 45 more vision-motor messages, nearly all based on the "Dedication to Underwoods" and "A Note on Spelling Scots." The visions suggested a Stevensonian background, and little else. Taking the long view, it seemed that R. L. Stevenson was merely holding the fort until he obtained better control over the process of automatic writing through his medium's hand. Whether this is so or not, the last hand-slap message came on June 29, 1924.

The hand-slap method had been used for a little more than a year, laboriously, but successfully.

At the April 2, 1924, seance,

the sitters were Dr. Hamilton, Mrs. Poole, Mrs. Leggatt, Margaret MacDonald and Mr. Reed.

The visitors are not listed. (Lillian Hamilton was in Portage la Prairie)

First trance automatic writing:

Letters:

"his nervous system i m f e c f e affeceed b .witgtoxins."

First trance vision:

"I saw a lady and my friend ... he was lying in a stretcher in this cottage ... that white dog bothered me ... I saw a church with a great big rounded dome beyond. Some cathedral ... near this was a large drooping tree ... this came in from my other picture. It spoiled the other picture. The dog would come and bring ( ... several sentences here that are just a mess ... )

"In the cottage she was writing, since he was lying in bed talking ... I don't know how I got there. I went quick ... the dog is like a greyhound."

Second trance:

Automatic writing: (not deciphered)

Second trance vision:

"I was away back in the same place ... I saw the same one ... he was lying on a lounge. They seemed to belong there. The boy would be between 12 and 15.

April 6, 1924.

First trance letters signaled:

"hisphysicaianinsistingcompletechangeclimentcelticmeloncholymeno ralsketchofhisfather"

First trance vision:

"I got the name of that inn the night ... name of the inn was Burford ... I told it to you, didn't I? I looked at the name and I said, 'I must mind that name'. There was a high hill behind it. I went past the inn and then down to that house where my friend was ... I walked a long way the night ... I walked alone. He was in bed ... I saw the doctor ... Dr. Jekyl or something ... I saw the boy ... he was reading ... the lady was sitting beside him ... he looked awful white ... he looked as if he needed a good haircut (said in a joking way) . The doctor said something about 'going away'. I got something to eat there too ... she and the boy and I all went to the table ... he didn't come ... he stayed in bed. There was an easel there with a sketch on it ... someone had been doing it."

Later the medium again remarked about his appearance. "His hair was awful long ... and it came down nearly into his eyes and he looked so poor and white ... it sure would have improved his appearance if he had tidied up a bit."

Second Trance automatic writing:

Writing not clear - something about "in my verseb my busn ..."

Second trance vision: "I was in a yacht ... I was in New York ... I went by boat ... I got off the yacht and walked out into the city ... he was improved in his looks."

Letters grouped:

"his physician insisting complete change climent celtic melancholy menoral sketch of father"

"His physician insisting complete change climant."

"His uncle, Dr. George Balfour, peremptorily insisted on a complete change of climate for a year ... this advice was reinforced by his Bournemouth physician, Dr. Scott ...("Life of R. L. Stevenson" by Graham Balfour)

"Memorial Sketch of his Father."

April 8, 1924.

Automatic writing with the medium in normal condition.

Many attempts were made to rewrite the message of the second trance of April 6, 1924 above.

The communicator succeeded in 'putting through' the words, "in my verse it to my business ...". However, no connection can as yet be established for them. (The medium did not seem to have the least idea of what had been written).

In addition to the above, another and quite remarkable script was given which contained an unusual word which later proved of excellent evidential value.

Now it happened that the writer (this present recorder) had just finished reading two of Stevenson's famous short stories, "The Treasure of Franchard" and "The Pavilion on the Links".

A third story was about to be read - in fact, the first page only had as yet been read; the name of this one was the "Merry Men".

The names of the stories had not been mentioned to the medium nor was there any discussion about R. L. Stevenson.

The medium was under the suggestion that probably an entirely new communicator would appear.

Judge of the surprise to the experimenters when it was seen that the hand had written, "What think ... Merry Mey?"

The pertinence of the question was later recognized when it was found that the "Merry Men" deals with the supernatural, but the word 'Mey' was dismissed from mind as being probably an error in transmission.

But a still greater surprise lay in store. When dipping casually into a new book just purchased - , a book, the chief aim of which in the words of the author "is to provide a commentary on his works as far as possible from Stevenson's own standpoint ... their history in his own hands..."etc, - and on turning to this writer's account of how and where the "Merry Men" had been written, it was found that he had this to say of its title:

"The name of the "Merry Men" is plainly taken from the "Merry Men of Mey", as sailors call certain rocks in the dangerous Pentland Firth."

Nowhere in the story does Stevenson make use of this word 'Mey' nor do any other writers on Stevenson, as far as can be found.

At the April 13, 1924

sitting the sitters were Mrs. Poole, Dr. and Lillian Hamilton, Mr. Reid, Mr. Leslie, Mr. Cummings, Mr. D. B. MacDonald and Mr. Metcalfe.

First trance automatic writing:

Letters signaled:

hestrovefromttrtoranarhis prencetouplifn sing t m b a t i v e o f i s l a n d h e leovedad

Description of first trance vision:

"I was away on an island and I saw my friend ... There was two or three men with him ... they were dark skinned and rather wild looking ... the men had on a kind of pants and a sash about the waist ... he was talking to them, he did not take much notice of me ... he was dressed in a white suit. The men had a kind of cap on their head ... their skin was reddish. They had high cheekbones. They were outside at the foot of a hill."

Second trance script undecipherable.

Second trance vision:

"He was at the foot of two hills and the water was running over a rock. I heard him say, "My Cummie" he was right here beside me; couldn't you hear him ... he touched me."

(The voice that called the medium "My Cummie" seemed to make an impression of a real presence ... the touching seemed to be done by a materialized hand ... this was not part of the description of the vision seen while entranced. As the medium was entranced while in the cabinet, a hand may have more readily build up.)

No other phenomena given.

At the seance of April 20, 1924,

the sitters were Mrs. Poole, Dr. Hamilton, Mr. Reed, Mr. Leslie, Mr. and Mrs. Cummings, Dr. Coulter and Dr. Puller.

First trance script:

Letters signaled:

".... classesofmenaobouve ... ilorsoldernotphysicisian ..."

(After the sitting this was made out to be the following: "classes of men above the common men ... sailor, soldier, not physician a rule")

First trance vision"

"I was away in the old place I've been several times before where I saw a little village between two hills ... I knew the place well enough ... I saw my friend ... and other two men ... I saw one before ... the other was a stouter man ... saw him with R. L. Stevenson before ... the smaller man was looking at the landscape, anyway he had an easel with him ... R. L. Stevenson was directing him where to go. He was talking something about "men" ... he talked to me. I went up from the shore between the two hills ... I did not travel the night ... the pictures just seemed to come. Where I went between the hills it seemed like a glen."

Second trance script:

Hand writes: "Unfrequently" embarrasme..."

"Harcelean"

"cheerfulness"

Second trance vision:

"A man wanted me to go in his boat but I wouldn't go. I left my friend at the door of the cottage. (The medium was asked if it was a two-storied cottage) . I could not say; I could only see as high as the door. I saw some big names. My friend was saying them "to me".

Third trance script:

Hand writes: "He is the flower" ... "as art(?)".

Third trance vision:

"See the eyes". I was in the house this time ... he was writing a letter ... nobody there. There were a good many sheets of paper on the table; he was using a white pen ... square inkwell." It must have been bachelors' quarters by the look of it. I saw a candle and a lamp ... lamp had a reflector at the back ... there was a fireplace ... the candles and a clock were on the mantel".

Of physical phenomena there was very little given at this sitting - only some strong movement under contact of Mrs. Poole, Mr. Reed, and Lillian Hamilton.

The wax ready for use but nothing given. The wax was probably too hot at the beginning of the sitting.

Verification:

After the sitters and medium were gone (except Dr. Puller and Mr. Coulter) Lillian Hamilton found it to be taken from 'Dedication to Underwoods' - the last of which was given January 23, 1924. (three months before)

"There are men and classes of men that stand out above the common herd: the soldier, the sailor, and the shepherd not unfrequently; the artist rarely; rarer still, the clergyman; the physician almost as a rule. He is the flower (such as it is) of our civilization; .... generosity he has such as is possible to those who practice an art, never to those who drive a trade; discretion tested by a hundred secrets.

"Tact tried in a thousand embarrassments and what are more important, Heraclean cheerfulness and courage."

That communicator, it will be seen, by making these quotations from the opening paragraph of the "Dedication" - from which no quotation had before been taken - links up with the next sentence "So it is that he brings air and cheer into the sick room" - which was used in the message of January 13th.

P.S. Wax forms were found the same day after in the water - supposed to have been made during the last part of the trance when the equipment was in the corner.

[ Photo ]

At the seance of April 27, 1924,

the sitters were Mrs. Poole, Dr. and Lillian Hamilton, Mr. Reed and Mr. Leslie.

This sitting was held in the down-stairs living-room from 10:15pm to 11:00pm.

First trance signaled letters:

"spellingisareimyeyesimemenm ... singing,"

Hand writes:

"immenoeable ... imposibly ... difficulty ..."

First trance vision:

"I was away in a little cottage, it had shutters on the windows on the outside ... I saw him, he was writing on something on the wall ... I told you what he was writing. The cottage was on the road side, there were two or three trees on one side and an iron pump and a "stoup" near the door. There are papers and books around. I repeated what was in it ... what he was writing. I went on to an old broken down house and there was no one there ... it looked as if it had been whitewashed at one time

Verification:

The letters were seen to make - "Spelling is ar ... my eyes ... imemenm ..."

Automatic writing: "immenoeable impossibly difficulty.

[ Photo ]

(a) This sentence is from "Note": "Now spelling is an art of great difficulty in my eyes..."

The last "Note" message was given on March 6, 1924.

[ Photo ]

At the impromptu sitting of April 29, 1924,

the sitters were Mrs. Poole, Dr. and Lillian Hamilton, Margaret MacDonald, Mrs. Leggatt.

(Mrs. L. had asked for special sitting for clairvoyance)

At this siting for clairvoyance the "Undesirable" showed himself, then a brilliant light appeared in the cabinet.

Mrs. Poole fell into trance. She indicated a desire to write.

A pencil was put in her hand and guided by Dr. Hamilton.

First trance script: (This was deciphered after the sitting):

"I build my ship on the stairs". R. L. B. S.

First trance vision:

"I was up on a stair and the little boy was playing with a boat ... it looked like a homemade affair. He was dark and had on a little dress. His hair was dark and he was pale-looking. There was some other toys on the stair."

Verification:

Found that Stevenson had a fourth name - "Balfour" which explains the presence of the "B". Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson.

The excerpt is taken from a poem in "The Child's Garden of Verse."

A Good Play

We built a ship upon the stairs

All made of the back bedroom chairs.

Notice the change of the writing: "we" to "I"; "a" to "my"; "upon" to "on"; note that the vision of the one child playing carries out the idea of the one child in the automatic script.

Other phenomena:

Dr. Hamilton's(?) mother described as being present - the medium saw her as younger looking and without the paralysis of the mouth. A small boy appeared beside Mrs. Legatt (?) - he was not recognized. The light in the cabinet was very bright and seen by all.

[ Photo ]

At the sitting of May 4, 1924,

the sitters were Mrs. Poole, Dr. and Lillian Hamilton, Mr. Reed. Mr. Leslie and Mr. Freeman;

Visitors were: Mr. and Mrs. Shand

First trance script:

"Ithebringaircheeriotothesickroomssomtl//imehealing"

First trance vision:

"I was away with my friend but I couldn't get talking with him for a gruff old sailor ... I was away in a place I never was in before ... a white house ... there was (ashycky?) stones all down the paths and along the flower beds ... squares and different things. The roof of the house was kind of red tile. My friend was trying to talk with me but this man was scolding him ... he had a dog and this dog came at me kind of vicious like. This sailor came around the side of the cottage, he came at Stevenson. Stevenson struck his hand in anger on a kind of bench that was there. Then the sailor went aside and Stevenson talked to me."

Remarks:

The medium, while entranced, seemed to be disturbed with something that was annoying her, shaking her head and holding up her hands, as it were, in protest or defense. Also, when signaling, the letters would stop and her hands would push the table about in an impatient manner. This was very unusual - the medium as a rule is placid and quiet.

Physical phenomena:

Mrs. Poole's, Lillian's and Mr. Reed's hands placed on top of the table. Power manifested very quickly. They both felt as if it were "alive" and as if held in "leash" like an angry animal. The table suddenly - after pushing over close to the cabinet - sprang into the air, leaving our hands and turning a complete "flip", landing with its top resting on the floor. All happened in a fraction of a moment.

Power was again built up and the "controls" asked to demonstrate non-contact movements behind the screen in the cabinet. The table again sprang into the air but it was caught and held by Dr. Hamilton to save force - then it was put in the cabinet, the screen was drawn, but there was no movement.

The screen was withdrawn, the hands of Mr. Reed and Mrs. Poole were placed in contact, the power manifested, and hands were withdrawn; as the screen was being put in place, the table again dashed itself against the partially drawn screen and Lillian Hamilton, who was sitting immediately in front of the cabinet within the outer circle.

A third attempt was made to get movement behind the screen, but the medium was observed to be falling into trance. Trance complete and she fell unconscious against Dr. Hamilton, who supported her.

She tried to write.

Her trance was so profound that very little muscular tone remained - at length she succeeded.

She regained a normal consciousness and said that she again saw Stevenson and that he was writing inside the house. She remembered that he said something about "cheer" or "cheering".

The light was turned on.

The automatic writing was examined but it was not plain enough to be deciphered at first glance. Several letters were written one on the top of the other.

Verification: of the Stevenson messages,

Signaled Message:

"If he bring air, cheer io(n) to the sick-room; sometimes healing. (See January 13th)

Automatically written:

"herxaclean cheer ... ess courage gratitude"

"It lame sentimentality?"

Excerpt from "Dedication to Underwoods." (See paragraph 1 and 2.)

Remarks:

The word "air" is now added to the message of January 13th.

The word "sometime" replaces the phrases before "healing" and yet retains the same in meaning - almost.

"Heraclean" is here spelled correctly and the word "courage" added.

Quotation is now made from the second paragraph which has not before been indicated.

On May 11, 1924,

the sitters were Mrs. Poole, Dr. and Lillian Hamilton, Miss Lawrence, Mr. Reed, Mr. Leslie and Harold and Bessie Shand.

The visitors were Dr. and Mrs. Allison; Mr. and Mrs. Cottingham.

First trance script:

"Bounedbyflowerplawrelsunsh (jk) sop shinejh angl(nm)woodruntheclintonman(CD)"

(The letters were later grouped)

"Bouned by flower p lawrel sunsh sop shine j hangin (h) wood run the clinton man.."

(After mistakes were eliminated)

"Bound by flower laurel sunshine hanging wood run the clinton man."

First trance vision:

"I went out through a city ... came to a place where there was flowers in big pots ... overhanging trees around the house.

Vision and described:

"I did not see my friend. I saw a boy who looked like him. I saw a big house, kind of the Villa ... I saw the name ... it had C in it and two 'm's'. I saw an oldish man ... he might be the son's grandfather ... the old man had on a soft hat. The boy might be in his teens, he was long, and thin and had on an Eton suit. He was working among the flower pots watering them. I walked to a town to get to this place. I spoke to them when I arrived. The old gentleman spoke to me." (The old man was standing looking on)

Physical phenomena:

Hands of Mrs. Poole, Lillian and Mr. Reed in contact with the table. The table springs into the air and turns over and rises in the air in this position until its legs strike violently the top of the cabinet, (made of black sateen) and the tambourine is made to jingle. Dr. Hamilton caught the table before it crashed to the floor. The table leaves the hands ... all done in an instant of time. Tried then for non-contact. Power felt to be present but table only moves once, a few inches.

Medium again falls into trance and the R. L. Stevenson control again manifests.

Second trance script not decipherable.

Second trance vision described:

"I was in a church. (I wish they would go away) I was at the place I was at before. There was no organ. There were two boys in front of me. One was the same boy I saw before. There was a choir and a leader. The minister was the man I saw before. His head was very white. There were beautiful stained-glass windows. The boys put their feet on the seats (said in amusement) Then they stood up ... went from one city to another.

Séance closed:

For verification see the essay - "The Manse" (Coluiton (?) page 101, 102, 103)

Automatic writing.

[ Photo - 1924 - May 13 ]

[ Photo ]

At the sitting on May 17, 1924,

the sitters were Mrs. Poole, Dr. and Lillian Hamilton and Mrs. Leggatt.

The first trance script:

"The elder seat we reast

We rest our quite feet"

The first trance vision:

"I was in church ... there was no organ in it. There was two boys in front of me ... one the same as I saw before ... there was a choir and a leader ... there was a man in the pulpit ... the same old gentleman I saw before. The boys put their feet up on the seats in front of them ... I checked them for it. The old man was preaching and they were singing. The seats were upholstered in red plush.

Verification:

Had no idea at first where to look for it. The idea of "Playmate" was followed ... looked in all of the essays dealing with his memories of childhood: "Lantern Bearers", "Child's Play", "The Manse", etc. also, "Child's Garden of Verse." After an hour's hard hunting found it to be taken from the third verse in the first poem in "Envoy" entitled to"To Willie and Henrietta."

Now in the elder's seat

We rest with quiet feet

And from the window-bay

We watch the children, our successors, play.

(Notice the ideas used to illustrate by the vision the word "elder" and "seat" being thus emphasized to the medium.

Second trance script:

"Do your bit, my boy. God bless my boy, Hugh."

Second trance vision:

Seemed to be a strange control: vision of a father saying goodbye to soldier son.

The group had no idea to whom this refers.

Note: Signaling was entirely abandoned June 19, 1924.

[ Photo - 1924 - May 31 ]

[ Photo ]

[ Photo - June 29 ]

July 3, 1024. Literary fun with spelling 'oor' and 'our'

July 6, 1924. Memories of his wife.

Last of the hand automatisms.

July 6, 1924.

Vision-script - Reference to wife's appearance when R. L. Stevenson first met her. Evidential.

July 6, 1924

(seems some confusion here)

[Handwritten note at bottom of page: "Last signaled letters - June 27 (29?), 1924"]

[ Photo - example of undeciphered automatic writing - there were many examples of this in the notes - generally they will be ignored ]

July 17, 1924.

R. L. Stevenson's 'spidery' appearance in youth. (Trance 1).

Trance II. Reference to Cummie and doing sums. Not verified.

At the sitting of July 20, 1924,

the sitters were Mrs. Poole, Mr. Leslie, Mr. Reed and Dr. T. G. Hamilton. (Lillian Hamilton was at Victoria beach.)

Sitting from 9:30pm to 11:15pm.

The sitting commenced by all sitters placing their hands on the table - Mrs. Poole being in the doorway to the cabinet - Mr. Leslie opposite. Mr. Reed on the medium's right side and Dr. Hamilton on her left .

Questions asked and replied to by direct raps on table.

Q. Is that R. L. Stevenson? (Yes.)

Q. Was he influencing Mrs. Hamilton? (Yes.)

Q. Is the object of his communication to prove continuity of life after death? (Yes.)

Q. Did he consider sufficient proof had now been given?(Yes.)

Q. Was he cooperating with Myers and Stead and the others on this? (Yes.)

Q. Was he a member of the Psychic Research group in Edinburgh and now so continuing? (Yes.)

Q. Was he communicating directly with the medium? (No.)

Q. Was there something intermediary between him and the medium? (Yes.)

Trance came on and the medium went into a very deep sleep, leaning for support toward Dr. T. G. Hamilton.

After about seven minutes she recovered to third stage and indicated by her right hand that she wished to write - pencil and paper were placed, she wrote:

"The Lord himself. Pew ... ful ...wailed his ... and pew full ... folks. Important teacher."

Then the medium came out of trance and related her vision:

Vision:

"I was away in a church in an old city and my friend was with me. There was a choir leader but no organ, but lovely singing. I heard the singing. It was paraphrases. It was a beautiful church but very old ... stained windows. The seats were dark and in plush velvet. He looked very tall and much better than I've seen him. The church had lamps ... not oil. They were lit ... a big one in the center of the ceiling. The singers sat on each side of the minister. The leader sat in front of the minister lower down and had a stick in his hand."

"What is that piece they sang?" We Walketh Not Astray"

"He was beside me on my right ... he talked to me. I went with him to the church. I went in the gate and he took me forward to the left side of the path and drew my attention to the tombstones lying down."

"The preacher was elderly, looking baldheaded and with side-whiskers. He had on a cloak. The singing was so good that I kept at it. There was a figure in the stained glass window."

We then continued sitting for further phenomena ... the table commenced to show signs of levitating, and shortly did so ... rising about a foot from the floor ... within the circle and falling over on the side toward Mr. Leslie ... this while under contact by fingers ... again under contact it rose in our midst and gracefully and quietly in about two seconds it inverted itself ... the table legs sweeping upward through the open cabinet door. (The medium now sitting with her right hand adjacent to the side of the cabinet at Mr. Reed's left hand, similarly to the left of cabinet.

As the table inverted position it floated about gracefully ... now hither and thither ... now rising a little ... now falling ... the hands were touching lightly the framework or any parts convenient ... but no sustaining effort was being made by any one of the four present ... nor was anyone entranced ... finally the elevated table swung gracefully with its feet over toward Mr. Leslie and its top toward the cabinet and settled down in this position to the floor.

It was again righted and sat on its feet in our midst. The writing board for direct writing was placed on the table and about five minutes of time spent ... fruitlessly ... trying to secure direct writing.

Then the violin was tried out for about a similar period, but without any result other than an elevation of the table with the violin on top ... table sitting in the air and coming down.

Again the hands were placed on the table and a vigorous levitation took place ... landing it out of the circle, top first, between Mr. Leslie and Dr. Hamilton.

Again it was set in the midst of the circle and this time after it became "charged" the hands were all taken off ... and held in chain formation with the exception of the medium's right hand and Mr. Reed's left hand ... which were on the cabinet wall adjacent to each.

The table suddenly left the floor, mounting high into the air over the medium and coming down - the top falling outward behind her chair.

After this, the hour being late, the sitting closed.

[ Photo ]

July 21, 1924.

Further reference to the "The Returned Scott." (Trance 2).

On July 27, 1924,

at an impromptu sitting at Brandon, Manitoba. Mrs. Poole, Lillian and Dr. Hamilton and Mr. H. Reed.

R. L. Stevenson manifests as usual. Refers to his happy childhood days at the Balfour Manse.

Script: "He seemed to have a gaiety and because of ailing life is praised. R. L. Stevenson seen as a youth at school.

In the vision he appears to be about age ten, playing on the lawn. (See R. L. Stevenson essay "The Manse.") Reference to R. L's youthful poor health. (Trance 1).

"R. L. B. S." (Robert Louis Balfour Stevenson)

R. L. S., B. S., and A. L. H. (Arthur Lamont Hamilton) sign their initials (Trance 2).

Vision of Arthur and R. L. Stevenson in a blue cloud, then on a hill.

[L. H. at Victoria Beach]

[ Photo ]

At the seance of July 28, 1924,

the sitters were Mr. Reed, J. Leslie(?), Cummings and Mrs. Poole. Dr. T. G. Hamilton

Mr. and Mrs. Ross and Margaret came in. Late arrivals.

10:10 P.M. Sitting Commenced.

Hands on Table - Table Commenced Tilting in about Seven to ten Minutes.

T. G. H.: "Will You Give Us Raps?" (Yes.)

T. G. H.: "Will You Give Your Name?" (Yes.)

Letters Signaled R. L.

Mr. Reed: "Is This Robert Louis Stevenson?" (Yes.) ( Raps Very Loud)

J. Leslie: "Will You Give Us a Message in Proof of Survival?" (No.)

J. Leslie: "Do You Consider You Have Given Us Sufficient Proof?" (Yes.)

Lights turned on and Mr. and Mrs. Ross and Margaret Came in.

Lights out:

All Hands on Table.

In about five minutes the table went up with hands on.

Again table under contact. Suddenly went up and turned over violently. It was up about three seconds in the air.

Charged the table and put it in the cabinet, and under no contact the table shuffled out into the center of the circle.

Table standing just outside the circle - was asked for smooth levitation under non-contact.

In about 15 to 30 seconds the table so requested rose smoothly about 3 feet from the floor and then fell over on Mr. Reed.

Trance onset very quick - about seven minutes sleep.

"I saw R. L. Stevenson with a book ... I then went into some kind of darkness and I saw lights floating; one of them looked like R. L. Stevenson.

She then wrote on the sheets and threw the pencil away.

Raps ... here.

T. G. H.(?): "Have to come for anyone?" (doubtful)

T. G. H.(?): "Have you a message for Mrs. Poole?" (Yes.)

T. G. H.(?): "Will you give us your name?" (Yes.) ( W. T. Ste ...)

Mr. Leslie: " Is this W. T. Stead?" (Yes.)

Mr. Reed: "Is that the W. T. Stead that went down on the Titanic?" (Yes.) (very loud and clear)

T. G. H.(?): "Has Stead a message of evidence as to life after what you call death?" (No answer recorded)

T. G. H.(?): "Has Stead a message of a general interest?" (No.)

T. G. H.(?): "Is there anything to be afraid of in death?" (doubtful)

T. G. H.(?): "Does that depend on who it is?" (Yes.)

T. G. H.(?) To R. L. Stevenson: "Would it be advisable to have another medium to increase power?" (Yes.)

T. G. H.(?) To R. L. S.: "Would it be advisable to bring Jim (Mr.) Herling(?)?" (Yes,)

T. G. H.(?) To R. L. S.: "Can you give us any information as to conditions over there on your side?" (No.)

T. G. H.(?) To R. L. S.: "Would you not give it because we would not understand?" (Yes.)

T. G. H.(?) To R. L. S.: "Are there others with you?" (Yes.)

T. G. H.(?) To R. L. S.: "Give a rap for each one." (seven distinct raps - without contact.)

August 17, 1924

Memories of the Balfour Manse (see Essay. "The Manse")

August 18, 1924

Reference to "Arabian Nights" (see Essay. "The Manse").

(Note: The above two references came while Mrs. Poole was visiting in Brandon, Manitoba).

(See R. L. Stevenson Essay "A Penny Plain."

Important - The First "Waverley" reference.

August 24, 1924.

Vision: "I was away in the old city (Edinburgh) and my friend (R. L. Stevenson) was with another young man in a room. Reading something out of a book.

Script: "Would have been without 'Waverley' novels had Dickens died young."

This reference was not understood at the time, but was cleared up later.

First "Waverley" reference.

Unclear.

September 4, 1924.

Reference to young R. L. Stevenson writing history of Moses. True.

September 7, 1924.

Script almost indecipherable. Something about Peebles.

[Tried a larger sheets of paper - No help.]

[ Photo ]

September 9, 1924.

[Poem written by Walter through the hand of Margery. To be read at the funeral of Captain Alexander W. Cross of the British Army.]

The Voyager

There is a plan far greater than the plan you know.

There is a landscape broader than the one you know.

There is a Heaven where storm-tossed souls may go.

You call it death - we; immortality.

You call it death - this seeming endless sleep.

We call it birth - the soul at last is free.

'Tis hampered not by time or space - you weep,

Why weep at death - 'tis immortality.

Farewell, dear voyageur - 'twill not be long.

Your work is done - now may peace rest with thee.

Your kindly thoughts and deeds - they will live on.

This is not death - 'tis immortality.

Farewell, dear voyageur - the river winds and turns.

The cadence of your song wafts near to me,

And now you know the thing that all men learn:

There is no death: there's immortality.

1924 - 1925: By non-contact raps, occasionally Stead claimed to be present, and to help the work.

With the appearance of this prophetic faculty in Mary M. in 1924 ( Mary M. not yet known to us), we see the first event that drew our attention to this highly gifted woman.

The story can be briefly told. The three sisters of Mr. Broad, William O. Hamilton's law partner, were giving an evening party for some of their friends and by way of entertainment had invited one Mrs. Marshall who gave "readings" by cards, merely as an amusement, and for which she received a very small fee - usually a couple of dollars.

When the elder Miss Broad came to have her "Fortune" told, Mrs. Marshall suddenly said, "There is a short fair man who comes to this house; his name is Oliver; and Miss Broad replied, "Yes, that is correct; he is my brother's law partner - William Oliver Hamilton, a very fine gentleman.

Mrs. Marshall went on "Well, his days are numbered; he will die very suddenly, either in his office or in his home. He will die so suddenly that he may have no relatives or friends with him. I see it all."

Next day, around noon, William Oliver Hamilton died of a heart attack in his home (a boarding house), in his room, and nearly alone.

Someone heard him groaning, went to him, and phoned T. G. H. who was with him about three minutes before he passed on. The forecast had been fulfilled almost 100%.

All this of course made a deep impression on the Broads who phoned T. G. Hamilton about the prognostication later and followed this up with a full signed statement by Miss Lena Broad, the lady who had been the recipient of the pre-vision.

With our attention thus directed (for the first time) to this woman, we took steps to meet her; learned that she was aware that she possessed unusual faculties, but faculties which she tried to suppress for fear of people's ridicule and criticism.

She was not a Spiritualist - although she had attended a few meetings of this sort in the "Old Country" and in Winnipeg now and again, but had refrained from allowing her gifts to develop because some sort of inner fear kept her from doing so. However, we asked her to join our Elizabeth M. group as a sitter in hopes that we might see her precognitive faculty at work, record her utterances verbatim, and watch for the fulfillment, if such should come to pass.

September 18, 1924.

Elizabeth. M. stayed overnight at 185 Kelvin Street.

Passed from normal sleep into trance-sleep.

Hand writes:

"Look up travels with mother - age thirteen. (True. See Balfour volume I. Page 59). Vision (described as a dream) of the boy R. L. Stevenson with his mother.

Script poor.

Script - writes of mother's ill health, leading to travels in Europe. Vision complementary. Travels with his mother at his age 13

Vision only fair.

September 23, 1924

Still more arresting was Elizabeth's vision of September 23rd, 1924, a vision which she reported in these words:

"Oh, I saw an awful picture last night, or rather this morning about four o'clock. I saw a man all covered with blood; it was running down his arm; it made me sick! He was awful white. I could see two men holding him up and I could see wheat fields beyond. His arm was hurt bad. I'm going to watch the papers for I'm sure it will be in them."

Roughly five hours after Elizabeth had this vision a farmer living some distance outside of Winnipeg had his arm so badly torn by a threshing machine that he was rushed to Winnipeg General Hospital where it was found necessary to amputate his arm at the shoulder. That there had been a great deal of blood lost - as the imagery suggested - was confirmed by the interne's history sheet from which a week later Dr. Hamilton copied these notes:

"September 30, 1924.

8:00pm. Patient caught right arm in A.M. (morning) in moving belt of thresher. Right forearm torn off at elbow. Right upper arm badly lacerated. Much bleeding before tourniquet could be applied. Patient admitted to hospital 7:00pm. Farmer. Canadian."

Our first knowledge of the accident came however by way of the Evening Tribune of next day, that is more than twenty hours after the patient was admitted and even many more hours after Elizabeth's words had been carefully recorded.

September 28, 1924.

Script:

"In his best days he took the family pride as a matter of course. Father was Commissioner of north lighthouses ... He was harbor engineer ... father a celebrated optical engineer ... Shining to his latest day the beacon tower of Skerryvore ..."

Vision record lost.

October 2. Raps.

October 10, 1924.

[Poem transmitted by Walter, said to be composed by the spirit of F. Myron Clark, an artist of Boston.]

The Horizon

A ship sails forth, till lost from view

O'er their rounded rim of the oceans blue.

The white sails dwindle on the sight,

'Til the hall and rigging are vanished quite.

Yet to the helmsman at the vessel's wheel

Broad sea still stretches 'neath the vessel's keel.

Of steep descent he knows no slightest sign

Nor dreams he of that dim horizon line.

So it will be with the ebbing tide

Over the verge to other shores we glide,

As smoothly, seeming naught abrupt or strange

Death - life's horizon - marks for life no change.

At the sitting of October 12, 1924,

the sitters were Mrs. Poole, Mr. Reed, Mr. Leslie, Mr. Cummings and Dr. and Mrs. Hamilton.

The visitors Mr. and Mrs. Young, Mrs. Didig(?), Mr. E. L. Taylor and Mr. Boyle (of Toronto)

Lights turned out, some hymns sung,

First trance writing.

Stevenson message by trance writing:

"Reached the city in floods of rain, repaired to emigrant boarding place ... sitting bottom of express wagon ... speeding in freight ..."

First trance vision:

"I think I was in this place before. I was in a big city I saw the donkey but I didn't get on. I saw my friend and he went into a wagon and then onto a train. There was straw in the bottom of the cart. I was in the wagon with him and on the train with him. It didn't look like a passenger train. It was day, but it was raining. I went for a long train ride with him. I got off when he got off and went away up the road lane to the house on the hill but I didn't go into the house. I did not see anyone there. It was that big house that I have been in. Stone, I think; it was gray anyway. He had a grip and a carpet bag with him. I got no names except the name he told me about somebody that was sick. He talked to me and I to him. (Did you see any streetcars or autos?). I did not see either the streetcars or autos. I noticed lots of fences and hills as I was on the train and fields.

Another version:

Vision:

"I think I was in this place before. I was in that big city. I saw the donkey in the city, but I didna go on it. I saw my friend and he went into a wagon and then on a boat train. There was a man in the wagon with him. There was some straw in the bottom of this cart. I was in the wagon with him and on the train with him. It didna look like a passenger train. It was raining. I went for a long train ride with him. I got off when he got off and went away up a road with him, trees and hills on the right."

Verification: "We of the second cabin made our escape ... and by six o'clock Jones and I issued into West Street, sitting on some straw in the bottom of an open baggage. It rained miraculously ... We rattled along West Street to our destination. Reunion House, 10, West Street." (R. L. Stevenson, "The Amateur Emigrant.")

Comments: "The vision and script are repeated, but the script is amplified in line with facts: the night at the boarding place is now included. One notes that this is not an original excerpt reduced, but a new set of ideas strongly suggestive of R. L. Stevenson's style of writing. Query: Why Is the donkey in both visions?

This suggests that the communicator is getting ready to represent a most unusual R. L. Stevenson memory. R. L. Stevenson's cousin and official biographer, Lloyd Osbourne, recalls this incident, which is not mentioned in "The Amateur Emigrant":

"Stevenson passed the night at a Shilling Irish boarding house.: "A little Irish girl is now reading my book ("Travels with a Donkey") (published a month before) aloud to her sister. They chuckle, and I feel flattered..." ("Balfour, volume I." Page 166)

Physical phenomena:

Table levitated and inverted. Table contacted on top by Mrs. Poole, Lillian and Mr. Reed. Message by raps from Robert Hamilton. (Dr. T. G. Hamilton's deceased brother.)

All sitters are weighed before and after the séance.

"In his past days he took a family pride as a matter of course father Commissioner."

[ Photo ]

"North lighthouse "

[ Photo ]

[Pause in writing - same trance]

"Bell Rock"

[ Photo ]

"Inchcape" - "Skerryvore ...Argyleshire."

[ Photo ]

[Note: Bell Rock Lighthouse was built by R. L. Stevensons' grandfather, Robert Stevenson, on this reef known as the "Inchcape Rock" on which previously a bell had been placed to warn ships of its presence.

Skerryvore Lighthouse, built by R. L. Stevensons's uncle and father - 15 miles off the coast of Argyleshire, Scotland.]

"... reached the city ..."

[See "Amateur Emigrant"]

"reached the city in flood rain repaired to emigrant- boarding place."