The Evidence of W. G. MITCHELL, ESQ., OF DARLINGTON

I first came in touch with Mr. Hope and Mrs. Buxton at Crewe. My second meeting with these good people was at Middlesbrough, where they were spending a holiday. I have thus had an opportunity of experimenting in the atmosphere of their own séance-room and studio, and also under the improvised conditions of a friend’s residence.

The subject of supernormal photography was not entirely new to me. I had met Mr. Edward Wyllie, the “spirit” photographer, when in Ireland, and watched his operations almost daily during his fortnight’s sojourn in that country. I subjected him to the most stringent and ingenious tests that I could devise. As founder and president of a photographic society, I was fully alive to all the possibilities of faking, but was quite satisfied that I had removed from Mr. Wyllie any opportunity to indulge in photographic legerdemain. With all my caution, results persisted. All the ordinary laws of photography, as far as I understood them, were upset and violated.

But to get back to the Crewe Circle. I had arranged with a friend who was at that time editor-manager of an important Northern newspaper to visit Crewe for the purpose of meeting the Crewe Circle. As brother members of a psychical research society, we desired to add to our experiences. Having taken the precaution of purchasing plates locally and following the usual recommendation of carrying them in close proximity to the body, we looked forward to our journey. The appointed day arrived, but no day in modern history could have been more unsuitable or less conducive to good results. It was December 16th, 1914, and the news tapped out over the “private wire” was most disquieting; the Huns were shelling Scarborough and West Hartlepool. My friend realised that it was impossible for him to desert his editorial chair, and he hurriedly gave me his box of plates. I met Mr. William Walker, of Buxton, en route, and together we journeyed to Crewe. A short devotional service was held in the kitchen of Mrs. Buxton’s home, during which I was informed that only one box of plates could be dealt with. I selected the box purchased by my absent friend and expressed a desire that some result should be given that would give him satisfaction and conviction. I was instructed that four plates would be dealt with and that I could select any particular four I desired from the box; I named the third and fourth, ninth and tenth. This selection secured two pairs of plates that would be packed film to film, and would probably be hinged together with emulsion.

The unsealed box was then placed on the centre of the table, and as it bore a rubber stamp impression of the firm from which it was purchased I am quite satisfied that there was no substitution of boxes. Mr. Hope then insisted that I should dismantle his camera. This I did most thoroughly, giving special attention to the dark slides, lens and shutter.

Having placed the dark slides in my pocket, we entered the dark room, where I unpacked the box, selecting the particular plates decided upon, wrote my initials across the corner of each, placed them in the two double back dark slides and placed the remainder of the plates together with the dark slides in my pocket. We adjourned to the studio, where Hope allowed me to choose my position in relation to the background. Mr. Walker sat in the chair, I focussed the portrait on the focussing screen of the camera, placed the dark slide in position and left all ready for making the exposure. I then went and took a seat beside Mr. Walker. Mr. Hope manipulated the lens cap with one hand and with his other clasped Mrs. Buxton’s, thus forming an arc over the bellows of the camera. After the first plate was exposed I went to the camera, closed the dark slide and reversed it, then sat for the second exposure.

The third plate was next used. Mrs. Buxton asked me to place the dark slide containing the only unexposed plate on her forehead, this I did for about ten seconds.

I then retired with Mr. Hope to the dark room, where I personally developed the four plates. On three out of the four supernormal effects flashed up, and after fixing in the hypo-bath we brought them out to the light for examination.

Plate No. 1, in addition to the normal image, showed a lengthy message of exceedingly minute copperplate writing, too small to read without the aid of the magnifying glass. I could just discern that there were Greek characters intermingled with other languages, including English.

No. 2 plate bore only the normal image.

No. 3 plate showed the supernormal figure of a lady draped in some material of fine texture, standing by my side.

No. 4 plate, the one held on Mrs. B.’s forehead, showed a well-defined face of a lady.

The long message on No. 1 contained 145 words, and was written in a jumble of languages, English, Greek, French, and Latin, and concluded thus: “And now, friends, we have given you this advice in mixed languages, so that it will help to support the claim that the unlearned of to-day possess the same powers as the humble fishermen of biblical history. We thank you for the common-sense way in which you have met us....” etc. It was quite two years before I was able to get the Greek portion translated. I eventually met a young Greek, a student of Armstrong College, Newcastle, who told me that it was a very ancient style of Greek. The message, when translated, was quite intelligible to me.

No. 3 plate, with supernormal portrait, proved to be undeniably the portrait of the deceased mother of the wife of my friend. On comparing it with a life portrait it left no doubt in the mind of any reasonable person.

The portrait on No. 4 plate I cannot recognise.

I have a profound conviction that Mr. Hope is a genuine medium, honest and straightforward, and it would take a great deal to shake my confidence in his integrity. I have followed his operations for years, and find them a fruitful source of instruction. It is only those who have experimented in “fake” effects who can realise the difficulties, and with a knowledge of photography I challenge any professional or amateur photographer to produce anything approaching the same effects under any conditions. They find it absolutely impossible under the same conditions.

It is unthinkable that Mr. and Mrs. Buxton would co-operate, aid and abet in a continuous fraud on the widowed wife, the sorrowing parent.

(Signed) W. G. Mitchell.

3, Harewood Terrace, Darlington.