John King

Posted on July 23, 2011 by Richard W. Fink II

A self portrait of spirit John King, as pictured in Henry Steel Olcott's "People from the Other World."

John King was a popular 19th century ghost. Claiming to be the spirit of pirate Sir Henry Morgan, King first appeared in 1874 at a séance hosted by Philadelphia mediums Mr. and Mrs. Holmes.

King would often allow “a number of people to approach him and shake hands or stroke his beard.” During one Holmes séance, King elevated himself seven inches off the floor “to the extreme top” of the room to prove he was an authentic spirit.

Many people questioned King’s authenticity, especially investigator Henry S. Olcott. On January 6, 1875, Olcott asked “If you are really a spirit…make a copy of the note that I have in my pocket.” Two days later, King provided Olcott with an exact duplicate of the note signed “J. K.”

King was noted as “the busiest and most powerful spirit connected with… Modern Spiritualism.” He appeared in several countries and seemed “able to converse in any language with equal ease.” His list of fluent languages included English, French, German, Spanish, Latin, Greek, Russian, Italian, Georgian, and Turkish.

Séance participants identified King by his “loud, sharp, crackling rappings” which were “peculiar and easily recognizable from others.” When he was able to manifest, King was described as wearing “a turban on his head, white gauze hanging over his shoulders,” and a “very thick beard down to his chest.”

Bibliographic Information:
- Olcott, Henry S. People from the Other World. Hartford, CT: American Publishing Company, 1875.

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Uncle Fester

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Richard W. Fink II

An original 1964 Addams Family trading card featuring Uncle Fester of the Addams Family.

Uncle Fester, also known as Gordon Craven, is a member of the fictional Addams Family. He is distinguished as a hairless, hunched, and barrel-shaped man with dark eyes and a deranged smile.

Fester is known for his strange ability to conduct electricity. In several episodes of the original Addams Family television series, he would illuminate a light bulb in his mouth and produce loud, crackling noises as if the bulb had been stuck into an electrical socket.

Perhaps due to his strange powers, Fester periodically suffers from severe migraines. He indicates that the only way to relieve the headaches is to place his head in a screw press and tighten it to levels that normal humans could not withstand.

Fester’s time at the Addams’ residence is spent primarily in a tree-house located in the backyard and a closet of the main house, where he retreated to contemplate various issues. In one episode, Fester is gifted a motorcycle and subsequently crashes it while trying to leave the home.

Little is known about Fester’s origins, except that he was often paddled and disciplined by an extremely strict father. Despite the harsh upbringing, Fester believes the experience was an “exercise in public relations” and points to his own character as proof of its effectiveness, stating “I didn’t become what I am by accident.”

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Mary Todd Lincoln

Posted on May 14, 2011 by Richard W. Fink II
A photograph of Mary Todd Lincoln and the ghost of Abraham Lincoln found within the book "The Strange Case of William Mumler."

A photograph of Mary Todd Lincoln and the ghost of Abraham Lincoln found within the book "The Strange Case of William Mumler."

Mary Todd Lincoln, the wife of United States President Abraham Lincoln, was deeply involved in Spiritualist practices.

She originally became interested in Spiritualism following the death of her son Willie in 1862. In the months after his passing, Lincoln frequented the home of Mr. and Mrs. Cranstoun Laurie, a family of mediums living in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

Lincoln also visited Lily Dale and reportedly held séances in the White House in an attempt to communicate with her deceased son. It is believed there were as many as eight séances hosted in the White House by Mrs. Lincoln.

After one of these sittings, Lincoln remarked that “Willie lives. He comes to me every night and stands at the foot of the bed with the same sweet adorable smile he always has had.”

Following the assassination of her husband in 1865, Lincoln entered a period of deep mourning and began to travel across the country visiting Spiritualist mediums. During a trip to Boston, she attended séances using the name “Mrs. Tundall” and at one particular sitting, the spirit of Abraham directed her to visit spirit photographer William H. Mumler.

Seven years after the death of her husband, Lincoln visited Mumler’s studio dressed in a black veil and other mourning attire. She provided the name “Mrs. Lindall” and refused to take off her veil until it was time to take the picture. Mumler claims that while snapping the photo, he never knew the true identity of Mrs. Lincoln and assumed she was, in fact, Mrs. Lindall.

Lincoln returned to Mumler’s studio three days later to collect her pictures. Mumler’s wife, Hannah Mumler, gave Mrs. Lincoln the envelope with her pictures and asked if she recognized the likeness.

She responded “Yes—yes dear. I do recognize it,” and subsequently revealed her true identity. After weeping at the sight of what appeared to be her deceased husband and son, Mrs. Lincoln asked Mumler “how long before she could join them in their spirit home?”

Bibliographic Information:
- Kaplan, Louis. The Strange Case of William H. Mumler, Spirit Photographer. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2008.

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Embalming

Posted on April 25, 2011 by Richard W. Fink II
An 1870s embalming table made by The Gleason Board Company.

An 1870s embalming table made by The Gleason Board Company.

Embalming is the science of temporarily preserving human remains to forestall decomposition. The goal of the process is to make a corpse suitable for extended public viewing at a funeral.

Embalming was first practiced by ancient Egyptians during the process of mummification. They believed that the preservation of a mummy empowered the human soul to return to its corpse after death.

Some of the best preserved bodies in the world are a product of unique embalming methods practiced around 200 BCE by the Han dynasty of China. It is believed that both the exceptionally low depth at which their tombs were located and the mercury-based liquid the corpses were preserved in created an ideal preservation environment.

Due to widespread death during the American Civil War, embalming methods advanced considerably in the 1860s. The passage of President Abraham Lincoln’s body, which was made possible by embalming, brought wider public notice and acceptance to the practice.

In 1867, German chemist August Wilhelm von Hofmann discovered formaldehyde. The substance replaced alcohol based mixtures and quickly became the foundation for modern methods of embalming.

Modern embalming procedures reflect an accumulation of many centuries of research, trial and error, and invention. While several variations of technique exist, nearly all embalmers begin the process by determining that the individual is, in fact, deceased.

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Ectoplasm

Posted on April 14, 2011 by Richard W. Fink II
A lantern slide depicting ectoplasm emanating from a medium. The photo was likely taken by William Hope and The Crewe Circle.

A lantern slide depicting ectoplasm emanating from a medium. The photo was likely taken by William Hope and The Crewe Circle.

Ectoplasm is a substance or spiritual energy that is secreted by a medium during séances. The term was coined in 1905 by French physiologist Charles Richet after witnessing Spiritualist Eusapia Palladino produce “gelatinous protoplasm” from her body.

Ectoplasm typically consists of a white, transparent formation which is said to resemble gauze or mucus. The substance oozes out of various orifices on the medium’s body including the nose, mouth, ears, vagina, and anus.

Many believe that ectoplasm is a physical manifestation from the spirit world. Notable luminaries like William Butler Yeats and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle risked their professional reputations by endorsing the material as “an absolute confirmation that the supernatural was tangible and proveable.”

Ectoplasm began to lose its validity in the 1920s when several mediums were found to have fraudulently produced the substance. Some would regurgitate pieces of muslin and cheese cloth on demand while others went as far as storing sacks of material in their rectum and vagina.

In 1984 ectoplasm took on a new meaning due to the film Ghostbusters. The movie portrayed the phenomena as a slimy green substance that splattered on paranormal investigators after exterminating a spirit.

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Autopsy

Posted on April 7, 2011 by Richard W. Fink II
An original black and white photograph featuring three doctors performing an autopsy.

An original black and white photograph featuring three doctors performing an autopsy.

An autopsy is a surgical procedure that consists of thoroughly examining a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death. Although autopsies are performed primarily for medical and legal purposes today, ancient civilizations inspected internal organs for religious and supernatural reasons.

The first autopsies were conducted near Cairo, Egypt around 3000 BC. Egyptians would cut tiny slits in the body and remove most of its organs, including the intestine, pancreas, liver, spleen, heart, lungs, and brain.

Once removed from the corpse, organs would then be placed inside of jars and kept at the homes of family members. It was believed that the body parts would attract spirits who had passed into the afterlife and reunite them with the living.

Egyptians also performed autopsies as a method of divination, or predicting the future. Both the intestines and liver were believed to contain messages from the spirit world that could be decoded upon careful examination

The dissection of the human body was forbidden in most other civilizations due to the belief that it prevented a dead person from entering the afterlife. As a result, Egyptians had a distinct advantage over other cultures in issues of anatomy and medicine.

To this day, many scholars study Egyptian writings to supplement their knowledge on human anatomy. 19th century medical research Rudolph Virchow borrowed upon several Egyptian practices when developing the Virchow method, the current standard for autopsy investigation.

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Spirit Trumpet

Posted on February 26, 2011 by curatorialrob
An advertisement for E. A. Eckel's spirit trumpets, sold from his tin shop in Anderson, Indiana.

An advertisement for E. A. Eckel's spirit trumpets, sold from his tin shop in Anderson, Indiana.

Spirit trumpets are long, cone shaped horns used to communicate with ghosts at seances. The instruments were first made popular in the late 19th century by Spiritualist mediums like Etta Wriedt and Johnathan Koons.

During seances, trumpets typically float about in a dimly lit room. A luminous band and the end of the horn helps participants distinguish its movements in the dark.

Spiritualists believe that trumpets work as an amplifier for psychic energy and can increase the volume of a ghost’s voice. Younger and weaker spirits are thought to almost always use a trumpet to communicate with humans.

Johnathan Koons is widely credited as the first medium to use a trumpet for spirit communication. At his spirit room in Athens, Ohio, ghosts would begin seances by saying “good evening friends” through the trumpet and would then ask participants what type of materializations they wished to see.

The first spirit trumpets were often homemade and produced from an assortment of metals. It was not until the early 1900s that E.A. Eckel began to offer commercialized spirit trumpets from his tin shop in Anderson, Indiana.

Today a typical trumpet experience lasts about two to three hours with cones levitating and vibrating on several different occasions. Once a spirit has left the room the trumpet will crash to the floor marking the end of the seance.

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Katie King

Posted on February 12, 2011 by Richard W. Fink II
A 19th century engraving depicting Katie King manifesting at a seance hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Holmes.

A 19th century engraving depicting Katie King manifesting at a seance hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Holmes.

Katie King was one of the most famous spirits to appear at Spiritualist séances in the late 19th century. First materializing at the home of London medium Florence Cook in the 1860s, she made her American debut on June 5, 1974 at a sitting hosted by mediums Mr. and Mrs. Holmes of Philadelphia.

King was unique among spirits because she could appear and disappear at will. While many spirits would communicate with raps and writings, she would “boldly step out before her audience, sensible to sight and touch.”

Among the feats she performed at the Holmes’ apartment, King cut off a piece of her hair and gave it audience members, touched people with her cold hands, and even spoke fluently in several languages.

King’s physical features included a white robe made of fine muslin and a transparent complexion. Since she “scarcely ever appeared of exactly the same height or features two evenings in succession,” she was often identified by her voice and humor.

Male participants typically enjoyed the company of King as she was known to be extremely flirtatious. The relationship between Sir William Crookes and the spirit was widely debated in the popular press while Henry Olcott frequently mentioned that when he stuck his hand in the spirit cabinet, Katie “guided his hand to ‘the place’.”

After appearing at the Holmes’ séances during the late 1870s, King retired to the spirit world. Her legend lived on, however, as most Spiritualists came to refer to any materialized ghost as “Katie King.”

Bibliographic Information:
- Olcott, Henry S. People from the Other World. Hartford, CT: American Publishing Company, 1875.

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William H. Mumler

Posted on February 5, 2011 by Richard W. Fink II
A William H. Mumler spirit photograph featuring Mrs. French and the spirit of her deceased son.

A William H. Mumler spirit photograph featuring Mrs. French and the spirit of her deceased son.

William H. Mumler is widely recognized as the first commerical spirit photographer.

According to his autobiography, in March of 1861 he was developing a self portrait and noticed a ghostly figure in the background. Upon closer inspection, he realized the spirit in the image was his cousin who had died 12 years earlier.

News of Mumler’s discovery spread quickly throughout the press and he was soon beseiged by requests for similar photographs. Capitalizing on his newfound popularity, Mumler moved from Boston to New York City and opened up a spirit photography studio at 640 Broadway.

When visitors first arrived at his studio they were seated in a Chippendale chair and told to remain still until he had “summoned the spirits.” Although it often took several tries before a ghost image developed, customers always left “fully satisfied that the pictures were what they claimed to be—real photographs of real spirits.”

Not everyone believed Mumler’s pictures were authentic and in 1869 he was brought to trial for “fleecing the public.” Even though several samples of fraudulent spirit photos were presented as evidence, Mumler was acquitted when it could not be determined how his images were made.

The trial did little to harm Mumler’s reputation as he continued to make “a fortune out of the spirits” until his death in 1884. Shortly before dying he destroyed all remaining negatives, making any modern claims that his photos were “real” or “phony” purely speculative.

- Quotes taken from: The Strange Case of William Mumler, Spirit Photographer

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William Fuld

Posted on February 3, 2011 by Richard W. Fink II
A 1920s wooden Ouija board manufactured by William Fuld.

A 1920s wooden Ouija board manufactured by William Fuld.

William Fuld was an entrepreneur from Baltimore, Maryland best known for marketing and manufacturing talking boards. Although he is often credited as the “father of the Ouija board,” Fuld was neither responsible nor took credit for its invention.

His career began as a varnisher for the Kennard Novelty Company, a corporation that mass produced talking boards at a factory on 220 South Charles Street. After working at the company for two years, Fuld staged a “hostile takeover” and soon gained full control of the business.

Under Fuld’s direction, Kennard Novelty Company bought out several of its largest competitors including the rights to Elijah Bond’s “Ouija” patent. Ouija boards quickly became Fuld’s most popular product and in 1892 he decided to change his business’ name to Ouija Novelty Company.

Ouija boards originally retailed for $1.50 and promised to be both “mysterious and entertaining” for users. The product became so popular that by 1900 several other companies cashed in and began to manufacture similar talking boards.

Original packaging from a 1920s William Fuld Ouija board.

Original packaging from a 1920s William Fuld Ouija board.

As a crafty businessman, Fuld sued companies whose talking boards infringed upon his trademarks or patents. His lawsuits included cases against his brother Isaac Fuld and a bill of infringement claim toward former associate Charles Kennard.

Fuld continued to manufacture talking boards through the 1920s and expanded his empire to include Ouija jewelry and Ouija Oil for rheumatism. After 30 years in business, he claimed to have earned over $3 million in sales, or approximately $40 million in 2011.

On February 24, 1927, Fuld fell from the roof of his factory during the installation of a new flag pole. While being transported in an ambulance, a fractured rib pierced his heart and he died before reaching the hospital.

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