Al Mann - Dunninger Mystic Series - MS D - Master Billet Tests

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DUNNINGER MYSTIC SERIES r

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EXCLUSIVE PUBUCATIONS

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(201) 431-2429 POST OFFICE lOX 144 •

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Mns. "D" of THE DUNNINGER MYST IC SERIES An Al Mann Exclusive

FOREWORD This may very well be the most valueble manuscript of this series, as within the pages that follow is a gold mine of billet secrets. As the reader can see, it is not the simple secret that sells the effect but the medium's or performer's presentation. Dunninger spent a lot of time and money visiting the parlours of the mediums to study their secrets which he so expertly reports here. Most of t~ese secrets sole individually for $10 or more. The Kara method "A Mystic's Favorite," sold for $501 Dunninger was the first to point out the importance of the "Psychometric" aspect of billet work, which made Charles Foster and Bert Reese world famous. This treatise was also the first to report by eye-witness accounts, the mannerisms and showmanship of the mediums. It is certain that the reader, however knowledgeable he may be in billet work, will find something new here. NOTEI The allegations printed in the Hades letter for September of 1983, that the Dunninger Mystio series had been serielized in the Sphinx and The Jinx is totally untrue. The original Dunninger Mystic Series was Compiled, written, and sold by David J. Lustig with Dunninger's permission. It was named The Dunninger Mystic Series when it was issued and was so exclusive that many well versed Mentalists today had never heard of it.

P.S. All writings under "notes· are by Al Mann. f. ts/m/fm

2

MAST ~R

BILL~

T ~ST S

Ms. "D"

THE DUNNINGER MYST ro SERIES

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The medium sea{s himself apposite the sitter at a table. On the table lies a number of slips of paper. After a lengthy talk on psychic phenomena and billet or message reading, the sitter is asked to tie a large handkerchief over the medium's eyes. Medium sits quietly for a few seconds after being blindfolded and then asks the sitter to write a message or a question on one of the slips of paper. Then to either fold the paper in half or place it writing side down on the table. "Now kindly examine the knots you have tied in the handkerchief. Make sure they are still secure and that I have in no way attempted to untie them. If you find that the blindfold is not tightly placed on my eyes you may open the knots and again tie them as tight as you please. I want you to be convinced." patters the medium. The medium bends across the table and allows the sitter to examine the knots. Medium continues to patter along these lines trying to convince the sitter that everything is fair and square and above board. What really happens is that while the attention of the sitter is misdirected from the billet lying on the table and while he or she is examining the knots, the medium has leaned across the table, opened the billet and sighted the message by looking down his nose. It is a natural move for the medium to lean a bit across the table for the convenience of the sitterl Immediately after the sitter is convinced that the knots are securely tied the medium gives an appropriate answer to the query written. This test is used at private sittings by quite a number of mediums and has completely fooled hundreds. NOTE. Dunninger did a masterful job of minutely noting every move that the medium did in the above effect. The medium presented the test expertly and superbly. Every move made by the medium had a psychological wallop for the observer. First, the medium delivers his lecture in Psi Phenomena. This impresses the sitter of the fact that the medium is indeed genuine and fills the sitter with great expectations. Secondly, before any writing is done, the sitter blindfolds the mediuml Thirdly, after the blindfold is in place, the medium sits quietly for a few seconds. This is done for 'effect,' and to create the atmosphere to impress the sitter, implying a moment of profound silence and deep concentrationl Fourth. It appears that the medium never touches the written message. As he leans across the table, bending over about 90 degrees, his whole back shields most of the table so that opening the billet with one hand becomes elementary. Note that the billet is only folded once or turned over. Fifth. The sitter places the blindfold on the medium and reexamines the knots. Besides, the sitter does not know "that the

J MAST ER

BILLE.~

TEST S

A SIMPLE BILLE.'T TEST

MS. "D"

THE DUNNINGER MYSTIC SERIES

cont. ••

medium can see by looking down his nose. After glimpsing the message, the medium refolds it and leaves it in the same place implying that he has never touched the message slip! The medium can then tell the sitter to seal his question. "Where is the question slip! Do you have it? Please seal it as I will try reading it after you have sealed it." Notel Since the medium is blindfolded while the writing was done, the sitter assumes that he can not see so he does not know just where the question slip is! ANOTHER TEST (IMPRESSION M~'THOD)I A trick board covered with thick paper·under which is placed a sheet of sensitive carbon paper and a piece of white paper is often handed to the sitter to use as a rest upon which to place their paper as they write their questions. A carbon copy of the sitter's message is obtained in this way, either by the medium or his assistant. If the medium "gets" the question he at the proper moment, gives an appropriate reply or advice. If the assistant gets the board, he quickly notes the contents and writes an appropriate answer on a pair of slates which are handed to the medium, who, at the psychological moment, exhibits the writing as a communication from the spirits!

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(The One-Ahead System with billets) Pass out to your circle of sitters, pieces of paper size, 2! by 4i inches square. Ask them to write any question they care to and fold them twice. Now you step among them and collect the billets in a small basket or glass bowl. Stepping to your table, empty the basket and toes it aside. You then pick up the folded billets, one at a time and while holding them in your hand, give a reading to each sitter! SECR~TI After you have collected the billets, you naturally turn your back to step to the table and under cover of this, quickly open and read one, refolding it different from the rest so you know it when you come to it again. After a short talk on psychic phenomena, you pick up a billet and while holding it in your hand, give an appropriate answer to the question you already know, gesticulating with the hand that holds the billet. What you really do is, while under cover of the movements you are making with your hands, you are opening, reading and memorizing, and immediately refolding the billet in the original way. Discard this billet and pick up another and repeat the same routine until all the billets are answered. (NOTE. For the last sitter, you will have to use a dummy billet, since you already know the question but must pretend that you do not and that you are holding the folded billet in your hand.)

4 MASTER

BILLh~

TESTS

PSYCHIC BILLEr READING

MS. "D" THE DUNNINGER MYSTIC SERIES cont. ••

NarE. Those of you who own the original "Acidus" secret will see a similarity between 'Psychic Billet Reading' and 'Acidus!' In Acidus, you give an answer to a folded billet that you hold at the tips of your fingers but without the need for too much gesticulating with the hands or glimpsing a question! Mediums performing before unsophisticated audiences, do the one-ahead as follows. After glimpsing the first question, the medium picks up another billet and gives the answer to the question he knows, while holding the new billet folded at the tips of the fingers. BUT the good spirit medium does a superb job of it. He first challenges anyone in the audience to tell him what is written on the folded paper. "Somebody is always trying to tell me my business." accuses the medium. "Can anybody here tell me what is written on this piece of paper?" "NO! Of course you can't. You are not psychic!" Then the medium calls out the name on the paper, the one he glimpsed originally, and answers the question! The medium thanks the person for being honest and says, "You are a good person. I am going to give you a lucky number according to your handwriting." So the medium opens the folded paper and studies it (?) actually memoriZing the next name and question! He then says, "Your lucky number is 58) and your lucky days are Wednesdays and Sundays, remember that." and tears up the paper. Medium then picks up the next folded question and repeats the same routine, etc. For more critical audiences, the medium must resort to a billet switch. After he glimpses the first question, he refolds , it and palms it. Then he picks up a folded paper and holds it at his fingertips, answers the question, opens the billet and learns the next question and then switches billets and hands out the palmed billet which contains the question just answered, etc~

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(NOTEI In this section, Dunninger treats on the psychometric principle seldom used in billet work. The audiences that witness this eXhibition credit the Mentalist with claivoyant powers. It is awesome in its aspects. The Mentalist not only divines the thought-question but also picks out, from a pile of billets that have been tossed on the table, the correct billet that contains the question that has just been answered! This is a carry-over from the Charles Foster and Bert Reese routines!) TEST AI - Questions are written on pieces of paper, folded, collected and carried to the platform or stage by some member of the audience who is not an assistant to the medium. The billets are dumped out onto the table. The medium then reads the thoughts of someone, without touching the billets, and gives an answer. He now asks the audience, "Who wrote that one?" No one answers.

5 MASTER BILLEr TESTS PSYCHOMErRIC POWER

MS. "D" THE DUNNINGER MYST IC SERIES cont. ••

To prove that the question was written, the medium passes his hand over the tabled billets and picks out one, opens it and reads it and the answer he just gave fits the questionl He now continues to give the contents of another and the answer to that question is claimed by someone in the audience. Selecting a second billet from the table he reads the question that fits the answer he has just finished giving. In this way from ten to fifty questions may be answered. SECREra The first question that the medium gives and answers is a feked one. And the first billet that he picks up is really a genuine one and he learns the contents of the question and the name of the writer, while he reads off the feked question that he knows by memory. This is really the one-ahead method and can be used in many different ways. TEST Ba - Have someone collect written messages on folded billets and place them on the center of the table. Palm and conceal one in your hand. While lecturing, open the palmed or concealed billet in your hand and quickly glimpse and memorize the message and name. Then refold and palm the billet. Now give an answer to this question and state, "I will now endeavor to pick that billet written by Miss Jones from among this pile!" Pick up one (?) pretending to take it from the center of the table but in reality, it is the palmed billet that you pick up and toss to someone in the audience to read asking them to kindly rise and read in a loud voice, the contents of the billet. It is an easy matter while seeking the billet belonging to Miss Jones from the pile on the table to secretly open a few and lay them flat so you can easily read them and give a few more marvelous demonstrations of your miraculous psychic powers! TEST Ca - In this test the medium never touches a single folded paper. An assistant collects the billets and places them on the center of the table on stage, but he manages to steal 20 or 25 billets which he takes back stage and copies onto cards, while the medium is lecturing, and passes the cards to the medium who gives the answers without handing the slips back to the wri'ters. Bear in mind that showmanship is a very valueble asset in this work. Your spectators want to be mystified and it is up to you to please them and it isn't so difficult to accomodate them if you but keep your wits about you. TEST Da - Questions are written and sealed in envelopes. The medium collects them and ~laces them in a pile betwe~he pages of a large bible or book and goes on stage and places the book on the table which stands near a curtained doorway. While medium is lecturing, his assistant steals the questions, opens and reads them and writes the gist of them on the top envelope and replaces the envelopes into the book or bible. The medium then moves the table to the front and answers the

6

MASTER BILLE.C TESTS

MS. liDII

PSYCHOMETRIC POWER

cont. ••

THE DUNNINGER MYST IC SERIES

questions, one at a time, wihtout touching the envelopes 1 Don't overlook the fact that the simpler your method, the more mystifying it will seem to your spectators. Boldness plays an important part with mediums. Most of them have nothing in their favor except unadulterated nerve and a glib tongue. TEST EI - (The magicin's change bag) Billets are collected by an assistant in what is known as a changing bag. This is a bag on the end of a neat turn-handle. Upon turning the handle, a false compartment of the bag comes into view. In one part of this bag is loaded a number of 'dummy' envelopes or billets. When the real billets are collected, the handle is turned and the 'faked' billets are emptied into a brass bowl and set on firel The bag is then tossed carelessly to an assistant who goes off stage and reads the messages and passes the information to the mediuml TEST FI - (NOTEI Here is a technique that is little known. the medium switches three billets at one time, instead of the usual one.) Sitter and medium are seated at a small table. Sitter is asked to write two or three questions. This done, the medium answers them to the satisfaction and mystification of the writer! SECRE.C I This requires a bit of sleight-of-hand and some real· expert misdirection. The medium has palmed three 'dummy' billets. After the sitter has written his questions, instruct him to fold them the same way as the dummy billets. After a bit of byplay the three palmed billets are substituted for the real billets under cover of your talk, lecture, etc. The real billets are lapped or droped into the drawer of the table. Manipulations to open theSe billets with one hand come easy after a bit of practice. The messages are memorized, refolded and changed for the faked ones. Get rid of the faked ones and give answers to the sitter. Then carelessly step away from the table and allow the sitter to examine the billets at his leisure. This is an excellent effect and well worth mastering. (NOTEI In the above paragraph, Dunninger refers to manipulating a folded billet and opening it with one hand. This shows that Dunninger was conversant with the 'Umbrella Move' which was exclusive with billet workers (early 1920's) but which was not known by that name then.) NOTEI I would switch three billets as followsl Have the three dummy billets palmed in the right hand, or left hand if you wish. Then stack the three real billets on the table and then drop the hand with the three palmed billets over the stack and take all six billets together, and simply turn them over. Then drop the three dummy billets on the table while holding back on the three real billets which are then lapped and read in due time. This is all done while pattering, etc. The finger-palm is used. AM

7 MAST ER BILLer TESTS

MS.

"D"

THE DUNNINGER MYSTIC SERIES

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'I: Amon~ the sitters, the medium has an assistint who has a short penc1l and a small pad of paper concealed in his trouser pocket. While the sitters are writing their questions, assistant sees to it that he manages to see and write the gist of these queries on his pad. The medium makes his appearance and after the usual introductory talk, sits in a chair some distance from the sitters with a large book in his lap and a pencil in one hand and a large paper pad resting on top of the book. When about to start writing, the medium accidentally (?) breaks his pencil, and the assistant steps up and offers his pen~ cil for the medium's use. At the same time, the assistant secretly drops the notes from his paper pad onto the medium's lap or into the book! The assistant reseats himself and the readings proceed. The messages never leave the hands of the writers! This test, when properly done, leaves a lasting impression and makes the sitters leave murmuring praises of the medium's marvelous powers!

A CONVINCING TESTa NOTEa Under this caption, nunninger describes the use of the magician's thumb tip for stealing a billet. The thumb tip is left inside an envelope as it is opened. The envelope contains a dummy billet. The real billet taken from the sitter is dropped into the envelope, actually going into the thumb tip. The tip is removed on the thumb and the envelope burned. The stolen billet is then opened in the pocket and taken out behind' a paper pad and the reading is given. This is an unnatural way of doing a billet test but it was most popular with magicians.

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(NOTEa This is by far the most direct, simple, easiest and convincing sealed-message method! In 1926, Paul Kara sold this secret "Karaism" for $50. Later Nelson sold it as "Mind Divination." All the performer needs is a steady hand and the ability to answer questions with a good doze of showmanship!) Small cards are passed out and sitters are requested to write their questions and sign them. You now start collecting them, one at a time and sealing them in opaque envelopes. Stepping back to your platform, holding the envelopes in your hand, you give proper answers , calling names, etc. SECREra The envelopes are gimmicked. There is a slit across the top of the envelope on the address side about one inch down. When the card is inserted into the envelope by the medium, it comes out the back. All the medium has to do is to handle the envelopes and cards carefully so that the card does not flash. White envelopes and white cards should be used to create the perfect illusion. The envelopes must be coin end-opening.

8

MAST ER BILLEC TEST S

MS. "D"

A MYSTIC's FAVORITE

cont. ••

THE DUNNINGER MYSTIC SERIES

Now all the medium has to do is to hold the envelopes and cards in his hand and read them as he goes along giving the proper answers to the queries. NOTE. The figure at right shows the card sticking out the face of the envelope with the message exposed. When inserting the question card into the envelope it is writing-side down. The envelopes used measure 2! by 4i inches and the cards are business size 2 by 3! inches. As each card is sealed into an envelope it is left on the top of the stack of prepared envelopes. Then another envelope is transfered from the bottom to the top to seal in the next card collected. In this fashion the exposed cards are never seen. For the reading, the stack of envelopes is turned over so that the exposed messages will show up facing the medium. As each question is answered, the medium cuts off the top of the envelope and pretends to extract the card from inside the envelope. The envelope and card may be returned to the writer or simply discarded. For the construction of a streamline-fumble-proof gimmicked envelope for the above effect, see 'The Hidden Gate' in the Seven Seals. MYSTERIOUSl (The Bottomless glass) For this test you must have a bottomless glass. Naturally this is unknown to the sitter. He writes his question, balls it up and drops it into the glass. Immediately the glass is covered with a colored silk handkerchief. The billet falls into the hand of the medium and he manages in any manner that suits his style of work, to get possession of the billet's contents. A reading is then given answering the question. Then the glass is picked up, the billet is concealed in the palm of the hand and the glass is placed over itl After the reading, the billet is dumped out onto the table. In a certain medium's hands this is a masterly and most convincing test.

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During Dunninger's visit to a billet medium, he discovered the following modus operandi. Medium had a large bible and at the biginning of the seance read chapters from it. Finally she asked Dunninger to write any question he wanted answered on a piece of paper and seal it in an envelope and initial the envelope. Envelope was then picked up at the extreme fingertips of the medium and placed in a large glass where it remained, ini t~lled side outward, throughout the test. Medium divined the question and signature correctly and then answered the question as near as she could. The sitters were as-

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'9 MASTER BILLET TESTS THE GOOD BOOK SAYS

MS. "D"

THE DUNNINGER MYSTIC SERIES

corrt , ••

tounded, but it was a most simple and barefaced trick. SECRET. When Dunnin~r was asked to write his question there wasn't any place to lean the paper on, so the medium kindly offered him the bible, opened at the page she had been readingl Under the second page of the good book was a sheet of carbon paper under which, in turn, was a plain sheet of paper Which received the carbon impression. Then came the lecture. The sitters were told that the spirits were visiting, etc. (NOTE. The above ruse is a clever variation from the usual book that is used as a clip board. Instead of using the cover of the book for the writing, the medium used the inside pagesl The bible apparently had very thin pages, but by putting the carbon paper two pages down, the carbon paper is not detectedl)

CU'''C ')I4e C'~A ,:;:" t (Some clever misdirection with two billets and a billet switch) Palmed in his hand, when the medium makes his entrance, is a blank billet. Billets are collected and placed in a basket or a tray before the medium, by some member of the audience who is not know to the medium. Picking up a billet, the medium raises it to his forehead and concentrating gives an answer to the question written thereon~ SECRET. What he really does, is that he switches billets and places the blank billet to his forehead held by his fingertips so all can see it. While in his other hand, held at waiste level, he holds the billet which he secretly opens and reads the question and gives the answer. This routine is continued until all the billets are answered. PUZZLING? NOTE. Under this caption, Dunninger gives a variation of the above routine. Here the medium dips his hand into the basket of billets and takes two, in pretense of taking only one. One of the billets is finger palmed while the other is held with the other hand high in the air. The hidden billet is opened and read and the answer given. Then a switch is made and the billet with the question just answered is thrown back to the writerl This routine continues until all questions are answered.

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( NOTEI In this routine, the sealed question is switched twice. Once before the reading, and again after the reading so that it appears that the writer had the envelope in his hands all the time I) There is a certain medium who specializes in billet work who employs the following modus operandi. - Sitter is asked to write a question on a blank card and seal it in any one of the envelopes resting in a tray on the table.

10

MASTER BILLEr TESTS A MEDIUM AT WORK

MS. "D"

THE DUNNINGER MYSTIC SERIES

con t. •.

This done, the envelope is picked up by the medium who at once. so they think, decides the better of his holding it and hands it back to the victim and says, "You have written a question you wish me to answer and sealed it yourself in the envelope. Kindly hold the envelope above your head tightly and keeping your eyes closed concentrate intently upon what you have written." This is done and the medium gives the appropriate reply to the queryl Then again he addresses the sitter, "Have I answered the query you wrote?" and at the same time he takes the envelope from the sitter and is about to open it - when again he thinks the better of it and immediately hands it back to the writer and requests that he tear open the envelope and convince himself that his billet has not been tampered with nor has it left his hands I SECRET. A switch is madel When the sitter writes his question, the medium takes from his pocket and conceals in his hand a duplicate envelope (2i by 41) in which is sealed a blank card. This is switched for the envelope containing the query, but is done in such a subtle manner, that the victim never suspects it. While sitter is holding the 'dummy' envelope tightly in his fingers with his eyes closed - - medium takes out his carbontetra-Cloride soaked pad and rubs it over the surface of the envelope, reads the question and while thinking up a suitable answer, gets rid of the pad. Question is given a proper answer and by this time the envelope is dry and spotless. Again the medium takes the envelope from the sitter's hands and switches it, then immediately hands back the envelope containing the query, which in time is torn open by the sitter and found to be the original, and all that is left for the sitter to do is to look with amazement at this modern day miracle worker. (NOTE. The following methods for switching the envelopes is recommended. The First Switch. After the envelope is sealed, medium picks it up and while pattering switches the envelope under the table in the same fashion that magicians change a playing card just under the edge of the table, using both hands. OR The medium stands up and as he moves his chair back, switches the envelope in a servante attached to the back of his chairl THE SECOND SWITCH. After the question is answered, the medium picks up the loose envelopes on the table and stacks them, adding the question envelope to the top. He then takes back the envelope that the sitter is holding, the dummy, and places it on top of the stack of envelopes which the medium holds in his hand. He then starts to tear the top envelope open but switches it for the second-from-the-top and hands it back to the sitterl) IN PASSING. The main idea the experienced medium aims to convey, without telling his sitters as much, is that at no time does he make moves or manipulations which hint to trickery. He does not, our wily medium, speak of a magician or his work

11

MASTER BILLET TESTS A MEDIUM AT WORK

MS. "D"

THE DUNNINGER MYSTIC SERIES

cont. ••

and in his conversation or patter tries to impress one with the fact that he believes in his own powers. Always preface your mediumistic entertainment with a few remarks about the wonders and seeming miracles told you of some medium by a friend, etc. Explain that you will reproduce the feats of Billet Reading these master 'lifters of veils' present. Remember that misdirection and clever pattering keeps the mind of the sitter from the work your hands must do.

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Entering a small waiting room we are asked to make ourselves comfortable by a trim looking maid. Looking around we see a small table with two bronze book-ends between which rests a number of volumes of current fiction. Several reproductions of famous masters adorn the walls. Cove lighting supplies the illumination. A number of chairs stand around all of the wicker type with colored seats and backs. Looks anything but a medium's reception room. Maid reappears and tells us that the medium, Madame (So ans So) will be with us as soon as she is through with a special reading. We are asked to wr~te our question on our own paper and the maid obligingly hands us a book she takes from between the bookends to lean our paper on. "Use your own envelope, if you have one and prefer doing so, or here are some, if you care to use them." Instructs the maid. Victims finish writing, and the maid obligingly again offers her assistance by taking the book from us. Sealing the slip of paper in the envelope, the maid tells us to write our initials and place the envelope in our pockets and she will see if madame is ready. Maid reappears carrying the book of fiction and tells us madame will ring for us in a moment. She apologizes for the delay and hands us the book to while away the few moments we have still to wait. Maid busies herself about the room. A bell tinkles and the trim young maid tells us to follow her as we are about to be led into the presence of the seeressS Placing aside the book we follow the lady into a dimly lighted room. The medium greets us by nameS and then goes through the usual rigmarole and answers the question, as near as she can. The medium pockets her fee and hopes that not only will we call again but if we have any friends who are worried, she will be happy to receive them and set their minds at rest. If we were members of the uninformed clan, we would leave the medium's house and tell our friends about this woman with occult powers, but when one knows the 'tricks of the trade,' one laughs at how easily the fee was extracted - - painlessly. THE SECRETa Every work of fiction has a paper cover or jacket. The first book we were handed had a sheet of carbon paper glued underneath this cover with the carbon side downward, under whICh was a piece of white paper. The edges of the book's jacket was

12 MASTER BILLEr TESTS

MS. "D"

A VISIT TO A BILLEr MEDIUM

DUNNINGER MYSTIC SERIES cont •••

touched with glue so it would not perchance come off. After the writing is done, the maid takes the book to the medium who exchanges it for a duplicate bookl which the maid carries back when she makes her second entrance, and hands this unprepared 'book to the sitters. Simple? Veryl But convincing. The hundreds who visit this medium never suspect such a thing. And if it was suggested they would argue with you and claim you imagined such a thing. I have used this test time and again in my study and even my friends do not suspect it.

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NOTE. In this final section, Dunninger lashes out against the then leading spiritualist medium and reknown sealed-message reader John Slater. Dunninger does not mention Slater by name, but the implications are clear. Dunninger had a very good reason for despising Slater. On June 2)-26, 1921, The New York State Spiritualists had their convention in The Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, NYC. Houdini and Joseph Rinn attended with the sole purpose of challenging Slater. During his Spiritual Greeting, Slater offered $10,000 to anyone who could prove that he resorted to trickery or confederacy' in his demonstrations of sealed-message reading. Rinn jumped and challenged Slater offering him $1000 if he could tell him what was written on a piece of paper Rinn held. The brothers and the sisters rose en mass and attacked Houdini and Rinn with hat pins, umbrellas and fists and forcibly ejected them out of the hall. Luckily, a ring of newspaper reportes defended them of mayhem. The same scene was repeated eight years later. On June 21-2), 1929, the New York State Spiritualist had another convention at the Hotel Pennsylvania, NYC. By this time Houdini had died and Rinn had retired, so the task for challenging Slater fell to Dunninger and Joseph Krause, who represented the Committee for Psychic Investigation of the Science and Invention Magazine. Krause would offer Slater $21,000 if he could read a sealed message! By this time, Slater had changed his challenge. He was now offering $5000 to anyone who would prove that he tampered with or examined the sealed envelopes. No body could prove that since Slater never did touch the envelopes! until the end. Neddless to say, the whole group from Science and Invention were forcibly ejected from the convention hall. Since then, Dunninger had little use for religious fanatics. Slater was virtually untouchable. He operated only within the spiritualists camps, where religious freedom is protected by law. Slater amassed a huge fortune!

1,3

MASTER BILLEr TESTS THE

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MS. "D"

THE DUNNINGER MYSTIC SERIES

OF OBrAINING (?) SPIRrT COMMUNICATION

cont. ••

WHAT I HAVE SEEN. - Thousands of well dressed, intelligent looking men and women believers in the so-called "veil lifters· hocus pokus, entering a large hall in a leading hotel after paying the admission fee. In the foyer, attendants, a few human, most of them robots, with welcoming smiles and eyes that flicker with touches of insanity ••• greet you with, "Do you want 'Mr. Faker' to give you a. message?" You are handed a small piece of paper and you write a message or query (much as you do when a crystal gazing entertainer is on a vaudeville bill •• only, a mind reader act or crystal gazing theatrical specialty IS entertaining) and the main "gazaboo" will get in touch with the spirits of another world by direct wire! Now you walk into the hall, seat yourself facing the platform, and await the coming of the marvelous one (?). If you can manage to keep awake during the hot air the speakers shoot about seeing the light and seeking the truth (as they see itll) after what seems to be a year and a half of waiting (or was it an hour and a half?) the main world's famous Message reader walks onto the platform. Ahl what a marvel he is? What stupendous powers (?) and supernatural aids (?) this wonderful nervous, high-tensioned fraud possesses! He admits it himself. So how can it be other than the truth??? Soon a large basket is carried up onto the platform by a faithful watchdog. The sealed messages are emptied onto a table, one is picked up and immediately - wonders of wondersl a message comes from "an elderly lady who has passed beyond. She is happy and wants Miss So and So to know she is happy, and is standing back of her guiding this young lady's destinyl" And so goes on this fraud who offers $5000 to anyone who can prove he is not genuinel But he never says. "I'll take that challenge and read your message, Mr. Skeptic." Indeed notl $5000 is a lot of money these days and .• well, Mr. Skeptic would win it without further ado, unless the fraudulent reader of spirit messages COULD GET A MESSAGE from the denizens of the shadow world he claims he communicates with. And the people who fall for this charlatan look and seem to be intelligent. They think he is a marvel. That his work is genuine and he is the greatest of them alII It is certainly laughable I This man, who ought to be taught better by our laws, is the greatest faker and humbug that ever was allowed outside of prison! But the tragic part of it all is that he goes on his merry way, bouncing on his toes, with his bird-like actions and mannerisms and fears not the law BUT HE DOES FEAR PSYCHIC INVEST IGATORS I Message after message is obtained from the "little spirit hovering over there who tells me, etc., etc." and the gullible fools sit and listen in awe to this man who makes chumps of

14 MASTER

BILL~

THE MErHOD OF

TESTS O~AINING

MNS. "D"

THE DUNNINGER MYST IC SERIES

(?) SPIRIT COMMUNICATION

cont •••

them all and who allows them, at so much an interview, to see him and receive private advice and more humbug in private WHAT IS DONE' - A mind reading performance and the specialty of a crystal gazer IS entertainment but the real performer does not DARE claim supernatural aids. But this faker. under guise of religion, claims and gets away with anything, piling up the golden shekels as he goes along. There are laws which entertainers can not break but the faker who parades as a master of a certain religious sect, breaks the laws as he sees fit and gets away with it. AND HERE IS HOW IT IS DONE, The questions are collected after they are written and sealed in the foye~ by well meaning dupes who . act as assistants and many of these so-called dupes are not . as dumb as they look. Many of them are private detectives (or think they are) in the pay of the world beater who communicates with the deadl Most of them are not in the "know." He wouldn't trust many of them that far - but even if he did and they turned the searchlight of truth on his work and exposed his method (if they knew them) who among that large following of dupes would believe them? The messages are sealed and carried back to some private room where either the GREAT MOGUL or one of his trusted assistants open them and jot down the gist of the message on the edge of the envelope which is later torn off by the message reader. These are re-sealed and when they are dumped out, by the medium himself or under the supervision of this "miracle worker" the envelopes are so dumped that the writing on the envelopes 'will be face down so the lecturers and reverend gentlemen, who pay so much for their diplomas, and who sit in the seats of honor on the platform cannot see what it is all about. All the message reader has to do is to pick up an envelope and read what is written on outside edge of it. Envelope is torn open, by tearing a strip (with the writing) on the narrow end, while the answer is being given and under the pretense of varyfying what he, the great and only, has said, he, employing a bit of Coney Island showmanship (carnival), confirms to his own satisfaction that the answer he has given is the correct onel Now and then, to make it more impressive, he tosses a crumpled envelope and slip into the audience, retaining in his hand the strip he tore off with the notation. This method is interesting and will prove very entertaining when properly presented before an audience. It is so simple that anyone can do the message reading without pretending to communictae with spirits or what have youl This is the method which the so-called world famous spirit message reader employs and streases the fact that he is not a fraud but a genuine message medium who receives the various vibrations from spirit formsl He knows better, but his gullible, religion-stricken dupes do

MASTER BILLEr TESTS

MNS.

IID II

15 THE DUNNINGER MYSTIC SERIES

THE MErHOD OF OBrAINING (7) SPIRIT COMMUNICATION

cont. ••

not

•• and that is the sad part of it. His fees are exorbitant and any professional vaudeville performer can give better readings and far more convincing answers to questions than this fraud, but as there is real money in the racket, he, knwoing his is on the safe side of the fence, plays his little game for all it is worth! FINIS

NOTE. A few years after these notes were written, the Amazing Joseph Dunninger went on to become the greatest Thought-Reader, Psychic and Medium the world had ever seen. Many believed in him and credited him with supernatural powers although Dunninger disclaimed it every time! To many he was a miracle worker. He followed his own advice as above stated, that a performer could do better and he did! The lay public that believe in the Thought-Reader are not 'dupes.' The naked fact is that we all believe. We all believe in, seek and expect miracles. That is what life is all about. He believes, and he believes and they believe! She believes and she believes and she believes! The Mentalist, the Psychic and the Medium, in their masterful roles reaffirm many's beliefs and bring fulfillment to many.

Pen drawing of Joseph Dunninger by artist Ronald ClYne (1955) from the AME collection