few words, was a lengthy one, which covered the entire
slate. He felt convinced that the slate upon which it was contained was
substituted for the other one which the Medium ostensibly continued to
use.

Mr. Sellers (resuming the reading of his minutes): Dr. Leidy then wrote
on the slate the following question, 'Dr. Le Conte--are you engaged now
in the study of Coleoptera?' The slate was then placed below the table,
and, after the Medium had been observed to glance at it repeatedly, as
in the case of former exhibitions of this kind, the slate was finally
reproduced with this answer written upon it, 'Dr. L.C. is not present.'

Then the experiment was repeated of drawing a line, laying a bit of
pencil on the line and then a pencil on the edge of the slate.

The pencil on the edge of the slate was tossed violently over the table,
passed over and fell on the other side of the table, while the piece of
pencil on the mark was not disturbed.

Dr. Leidy: It should be borne in mind that that throw was not from under
the table, because when the pencil went over, the slate appeared on the
outside of the table. I sat near the Medium and saw that slate brought
out as the pencil went up.

Professor Thompson: The Medium claimed that sometimes the pencil
appeared on the side of the table opposite to that at which he was
sitting, but no such thing occurred in our presence. Would not it be
advisable, when you say it was thrown up, to add that it was thrown from
the side at which the Medium was sitting?

Mr. Sellers: In each and every case.

Dr. Leidy (to Mr. Sellers): When the Medium gave you and me a slate to
hold, he said the Spirits would make a communication. We held the slate
away from him and there was not at any time a communication.

(Mr. Sellers here resumed, from his notes): The same experiment of
jerking the pencil over the table was repeated with another pencil.
Then, at the suggestion of one of the gentlemen present, the Medium
repeated the experiment made at a former session, in which a long line
was drawn on the slate while the slate was apparently held without any
motion. The Medium then took one of the slates in his hand and placed it
below the table, when it was suddenly broken. As he produced it, he
called attention to the fact that the slate seemed as if broken from the
top downwards. As he brought it out, the Medium turned the slate over
and knocked it on his knee, and in that way crushed it to pieces. He
th