Challenge to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Revision history

TCDE-Team at 13:57, 18 February 2026

2026-02-18T13:57:36Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:57, 18 February 2026
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	== Challenge to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ==		== Challenge to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ==
	[[File:the-people-1928-02-05-p7-challenge-to-sacd.jpg\|thumb\|~~250px~~\|right\|[[The People]] (5 february 1928, p. 7)]]		[[File:the-people-1928-02-05-p7-challenge-to-sacd.jpg\|thumb\|350px\|right\|[[The People]] (5 february 1928, p. 7)]]

	'''SECRET OF the "VOICES" OUT.'''		'''SECRET OF the "VOICES" OUT.'''
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	There is nothing whatever about him to suggest the seer or the visionary, and his education is limited.		There is nothing whatever about him to suggest the seer or the visionary, and his education is limited.

	In short, the only thing remarkable about P. T. Munnings is his mind. ~~Insome~~ ways the man is a genius, and I believe that, if he had turned his talents in that direction he might have made a fortune on the stage.		In short, the only thing remarkable about P. T. Munnings is his mind. In some ways the man is a genius, and I believe that, if he had turned his talents in that direction he might have made a fortune on the stage.

	It was at Bournemouth some nine or ten years ago that Munnings became interested in Spiritualism. He assured me that he first entered the meetings there in a spirit of almost reluctant curiosity. For him, at all events, it was a curiosity that proved fatal to his happiness and his whole career.		It was at Bournemouth some nine or ten years ago that Munnings became interested in Spiritualism. He assured me that he first entered the meetings there in a spirit of almost reluctant curiosity. For him, at all events, it was a curiosity that proved fatal to his happiness and his whole career.
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	All that he had to help him was his native talent, supplemented by a few simple and home-made "gadgets" — a little bag of tricks at which any professional conjuror would give a smile of amused contempt.		All that he had to help him was his native talent, supplemented by a few simple and home-made "gadgets" — a little bag of tricks at which any professional conjuror would give a smile of amused contempt.

	But Munnings used his tools with a ~~naster~~ hand. His mimicry is extraordinarily clever, but it pales into insignificance beside his colossal effontery and his iron "nerve."		But Munnings used his tools with a master hand. His mimicry is extraordinarily clever, but it pales into insignificance beside his colossal effontery and his iron "nerve."

	: ''Think of it! This man, of relatively poor education, sat through thousands of seances, inventing the most extravagant fictions, talking in assumed voices to all sorts of people, flourishing luminous trumpets in the darkness; answering ~~dificult~~ questions, and all the time aware that at any moment the simple turning of a switch would flood the room with light and leave him — the tools of deception in his hand — a swindler caught in the act.''		: ''Think of it! This man, of relatively poor education, sat through thousands of seances, inventing the most extravagant fictions, talking in assumed voices to all sorts of people, flourishing luminous trumpets in the darkness; answering difficult questions, and all the time aware that at any moment the simple turning of a switch would flood the room with light and leave him — the tools of deception in his hand — a swindler caught in the act.''

	But his courage never failed; his marvellous self-assurance never deserted him; and again and again and yet again the seance would end with a wonderful tribute of amazed conviction and with expressions of gratitude to this notorious medium for his phenomenal powers.		But his courage never failed; his marvellous self-assurance never deserted him; and again and again and yet again the seance would end with a wonderful tribute of amazed conviction and with expressions of gratitude to this notorious medium for his phenomenal powers.

TCDE-Team at 13:56, 18 February 2026

2026-02-18T13:56:20Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 15:56, 18 February 2026
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	This newspaper article by Sydney A. Moseley challenges [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]]'s defence of the medium Frederick Tansley Munnings, presenting Munnings's alleged confession of systematic fraud and exposing the mechanics of his "spirit voice" deceptions. Framed as a public challenge, it situates the controversy within wider debates about Spiritualist credibility and [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|Conan Doyle]]'s continued support of disputed mediums.		This newspaper article by Sydney A. Moseley challenges [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]]'s defence of the medium Frederick Tansley Munnings, presenting Munnings's alleged confession of systematic fraud and exposing the mechanics of his "spirit voice" deceptions. Framed as a public challenge, it situates the controversy within wider debates about Spiritualist credibility and [[Arthur Conan Doyle\|Conan Doyle]]'s continued support of disputed mediums.

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	== Challenge to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ==		== Challenge to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ==
	[[File:the-people-1928-02-05-p7-challenge-to-sacd.jpg\|thumb\|250px\|right\|[[The People]] (5 february 1928, p. 7)]]		[[File:the-people-1928-02-05-p7-challenge-to-sacd.jpg\|thumb\|250px\|right\|[[The People]] (5 february 1928, p. 7)]]


	~~CHALLENGE to SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.~~

	'''SECRET OF the "VOICES" OUT.'''		'''SECRET OF the "VOICES" OUT.'''

TCDE-Team: Created page with " ''Challenge to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle'' is an article written by Sydney A. Moseley published in the The People (5 february 1928, p. 7). This newspaper article by Sydney A. Moseley challenges Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's defence of the medium Frederick Tansley Munnings, presenting Munnings's alleged confession of systematic fraud and exposing the mechanics of his "spirit voice" deceptions. Framed as a public challenge, it situates the controversy within wider de..."

2026-02-18T13:54:40Z

Created page with " ''Challenge to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle'' is an article written by Sydney A. Moseley published in the The People (5 february 1928, p. 7). This newspaper article by Sydney A. Moseley challenges Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's defence of the medium Frederick Tansley Munnings, presenting Munnings's alleged confession of systematic fraud and exposing the mechanics of his "spirit voice" deceptions. Framed as a public challenge, it situates the controversy within wider de..."

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''Challenge to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle'' is an article written by [[Sydney A. Moseley]] published in the [[The People]] (5 february 1928, p. 7).

This newspaper article by Sydney A. Moseley challenges [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]]'s defence of the medium Frederick Tansley Munnings, presenting Munnings's alleged confession of systematic fraud and exposing the mechanics of his "spirit voice" deceptions. Framed as a public challenge, it situates the controversy within wider debates about Spiritualist credibility and [[Arthur Conan Doyle|Conan Doyle]]'s continued support of disputed mediums.

== Challenge to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle ==
[[File:the-people-1928-02-05-p7-challenge-to-sacd.jpg|thumb|250px|right|[[The People]] (5 february 1928, p. 7)]]

CHALLENGE to SIR ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.

'''SECRET OF the "VOICES" OUT.'''

'''MUNNINGS the MEDIUM who HOAXED the WORLD has CONFESSED.'''

'''TOLD FOR sake OF TRUTH.'''

Munnings, the medium who has hoaxed the world, in to tell "how it was done" in "The People."

In this first article Mr. Sydney A. Moseley, the well-known journalist and author, to whom Munnings made his confessions, gives an outline of this astonishing charlatan's career.

"Munnings," says Mr. Moseley "convinced husbands and wives of the genuineness of the most intimate messages from their dead partners in marriage.

"The advice of his 'spirit guides' was eagerly sought, not only by people who were themselves suffering from illness, but also by professional doctors."

He was the first medium to broadcast "spirit voices," and it was through him that the "spirit message" of the late George R. Sims was given to the world.

"I do not think there is any story of sustained imposture during the past fifty years," Mr. Moseley adds, "which can compare with the one Munnings has told me. He leaves Dr. Cook and Koepenic cold. Where they spoofed the world once, Munnings did it thousands times."

And it is Munnings' own story, told in his own words, which is to be published in "The People."

By SYDNEY A. MOSELEY.

----

'''SYDNEY A. MOSELEY DEFIES SPIRITUALISTS TO PROVE THAT THE SPOOFER EVER HAD PSYCHIC POWER.'''

TO THE EDITOR OF "THE PEOPLE."

''Sir,''

''You have rightly characterised [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]]'s letter, in regard to the mediumship of Munnings as "remarkable."''

''Yet it ought not to surprise me. [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Sir Arthur]] appears to have developed a habit of defending any medium whom I happen to expose. This may be chivalrous, but it is scarcely discreet, particularly after the "masked medium" affair, in which [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Sir Arthur]] paid £25 as a result of challenging my statements. Yet I still cherish the friendliest regard for this perfectly sincere Spiritualist.''

''Nevertheless, I challenge him in regard to his definite statement that he has "much evidence to show that he (Munnings) actually had considerable psychic powers." In view of the story I shall give to readers of "The People," this is not only a remarkable, but a bewildering statement.''

''I will give £100 to any charity [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Sir Arthur]] cares to name if he can prove that Munnings has any psychic powers whatever.''

SYDNEY A. MOSELEY.

----

Frederick Tansley Munnings, for many years considered by leading Spiritualists to be "the most powerful trumpet medium in the world," will never practise as a medium again.

He was recently denounced as a humbug in open court, and his failure to appear in support of a libel action, against the newspaper which had exposed him, has no doubt discredited him even among people who had previously refused to believe him fraudulent.

But the fact remains that Munnings came to me and gave me the full story of his astounding career some time before his action was called.

Not only did he confess to a series of sustained frauds, which I regard as utterly without parallel; but he also assured me that he had definitely decided never to hold another seance.

There is no doubt in my mind that he was sincere in this assertion. Nor do I disbelieve his statement, simple and without any touch of melodrama, that he deeply repents his career of fraud.

But the sincerity or otherwise of Munnings repentance need not now concern us. I merely wish to make it plain that, having once authorised me to make his confession public, it was quite impossible for him to proceed with any action for libel. I did not hesitate to advise him to this effect, and he was sufficiently intelligent to instruct his solicitors accordingly.

The matter decided. I was left to consider the advisability of placing Munnings' full story upon record, either in a
book, or in some other form. Had it been a story of clever imposture and of nothing else, I should probably have ignored it.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, however, Munnings confessions are of importance to a very large section of the community. They must surely provide food for thought for every Spiritualist in the country.

They do not prove, or attempt to prove, that there are no reliable mediums and no genuine phenomena. But they do prove most conclusively that one widely accepted medium could produce fraudulent manifestations which hundreds of sitters regarded as convincing.

Many of these sitters must by now be disillusioned. Some of them, I fear, are not. Certainly none of them can realise the full truth.

Lest my opinion should be questioned, let me reproduce here a passage from a letter signed by such eminent Spiritualists as [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]], Mr. R. H. Saunders, Dr. Abraham Wallace, and Mr. H. Dennis Bradley.

They wrote of Munnings — and the passage was quoted in court by Mr. Norman Birkett, K.C. — in the following terms:—

: WE KNOW OF CASES WHERE THE PSYCHIC RESULT HAS BEEN BEYOND SUSPICION, and we know of others, notably one recently, where he has been exposed in obvious fraud with the tools of deception in his possession. Warning may prevent any such incident in the future.

The capitals in the above quotation are my own, and I want to make it clear that the letter signed by [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Sir Arthur]] and his friends was published in a Spiritualistic paper some two years ago.

There has been time for these gentlemen to revise their opinion of Munnings' psychic powers. But have they done so?

I do not know what may be the present attitude of Mr. R. H. Saunders, Dr. Abraham Wallace and Mr. H. Dennis Bradley, but [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle|Sir Arthur]] himself still maintains that he has "much evidence to show that he (Munnings) actually had considerable psychic power."

It is in this connection that I have issued the challenge to [[Sir Arthur Conan Doyle]] which appears in this page.

I have previously referred to the pathetic faith of certain Spiritualists who had "listened in rapt awe and wonder to the 'spirit voices' which came to them at Munnings' impudent command."

In many instances that faith was unshaken by exposure. Even at a time when Munnings was known to be suspect, there are hundreds who refused to hear a word against him.

He held seances until comparatively recently, his last venture being a new paychic society in the neighbourhood of King's Cross, where I visited him disguised.

=== Baffling Ingenuity. ===

Upon that visit, which I have described in my book "The Mysterious Medium." I will not now enlarge. It is enough to say that I came away convinced that Munnings was a humbug, but nevertheless, baffled by his ingenuity. Things occurred which I could not then explain.

Some little time afterwards Munnings fell seriously ill and, for a period, his life was in grave danger.

During the time in hospital, when his very life was in the balance, Munnings came to the conclusion that if he recovered he could never go back to his career of fraud.

I am afraid that his confessions will come as a bomb-shell to many hundreds of people. And, if they affect others as they have affected me, they will leave the world wondering how the truth can ever he sifted from falsehood.

Munnings does not denounce Spiritualism, but he assures me that he personally has never seen any phenomena produced which he is unable to reproduce by trickery.

Moreover, he has given me, without comment, the story of several seances at which he did not preside. but at which incidents occurred such as the most ardent and convince Spiritualist may find it difficult to explain.

Munnings has sat during the last nine or ten years with leading psychic investigators and Spiritualistic societies under all sorts of conditions. He has been in constant demand in every part of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales.

"In the North particularly," he told me, "they sat on my doorstep, and even three seances a day were not sufficient to cope with the demand."

Although in many cases Munnings was prepared to give his services for nothing, his innumerable clients provided him with an income, made up of fees, or gifts or expenses, which touched forty or fifty pounds a week.

At the vast majority of his sittings be "manifested" a variety of "psychic" marvels which were fully accepted by men and women in all walks of life.

Munnings convinced husbands and wives of the genuineness of the most intimate messages from their dead partners in marriage. The advice of his "spirit guides" was eagerly sought, not only by people who were themselves suffering from illness, but also by professional doctors, who did not hesitate to submit the cases of their patients to his "spirit" guidance.

He had no difficulty in hoodwinking the Spiritualistic Press over a long period, and he advised — through the "spirit" voices which he produced — all and sundry on every conceivable subject, financial, matrimonial, medical or legal.

=== "Spirit" Advises Actress. ===

: ''On the advice of one of Munnings' "guides" a certain well-known actress, whose then ambition it was to become a star in Hollywood, decided to give up the films for the legitimate stage.''
: ''As it happens, Munnings helped her to a frame of mind which aided her towards success. She was no longer in doubt as to what career she should follow but concentrated on the one suggested by the "spirits."''
: ''"I saw her name emblazoned outside the Gaiety later on," said Munnings.''

I do not think there is any story of sustained imposture during the past fifty years which can compare with the one Munnings has told me. He leaves Dr Cook and Koepenic cold. Where they spoofed the world once. Munnings did it thousands of times.

Munnings is not a man of particularly striking appearance or of great personal magnetism. I think he would impress the casual observer as a good-natured, kindly, rather humorous old fellow, and his sparse silver hair, worn rather long at the back in the Lloyd Georgian manner, adds to his air of general benevolence and respectability.

There is nothing whatever about him to suggest the seer or the visionary, and his education is limited.

In short, the only thing remarkable about P. T. Munnings is his mind. Insome ways the man is a genius, and I believe that, if he had turned his talents in that direction he might have made a fortune on the stage.

It was at Bournemouth some nine or ten years ago that Munnings became interested in Spiritualism. He assured me that he first entered the meetings there in a spirit of almost reluctant curiosity. For him, at all events, it was a curiosity that proved fatal to his happiness and his whole career.

Munnings declares that he was genuine and serious investigator for nearly nine months before he ever attempted fraud. He assures me that he sat regularly, once a week at least during all those months, and never succeeded in obtaining any phenomena at all.

In any case, once he had attempted imposture and succeeded — which he did without the slightest difficulty from the first — fraudulent mediumship proved an irresistible temptation and, in a very short time he had become famous and was making a large income.

Munnings was the first medium to broadcast "spirit voices," and the written testimony of well-known people who witnessed this audacious experiment is the clearest possible proof of his astounding ability to deceive.

It was through his mediumship that the "spirit message" of my old friend George R. Sims was given to the world. I regard this as one of the cleverest, the cruellest, and at the same time the most impudent hoaxes Munnings ever accomplished.

Although Munnings' extraordinary reputation was built up chiefly upon the "voices" he produced, there was no form of Spiritualistic deception he would not practise if the opportunity occurred and if the risk of detection were not too great.

: ''He avoided materialisations simply because he had not thought out the necessary apparatus, but he did, on one occasion, "materialise" a dog for the benefit of an eager and credulous woman sitter. He believes that she still cherishes some hairs from the coat of this "spirit" dog!''
: ''Minor materialisations were very numerous and were eagerly "swallowed," in more senses than one, by his sitters. He caused a sensation in Bournemouth when he first produced hot tea through "spirit" agencies, and the "marvellous perfume of the flowers that grow in other spheres" made Munnings' seance room fragrant on innumerable occasions.''

Munnings was not a specialist in spirit photography, and yet one of the pictures produced under his mediumship was claimed in Great Britain and America to be "the most wonderful psychic photograph in the world."

Truth, says the old proverb, is stranger than fiction, and I have certainly never read any novel with a theme so remarkable as the story of Munnings' life.

All that he had to help him was his native talent, supplemented by a few simple and home-made "gadgets" — a little bag of tricks at which any professional conjuror would give a smile of amused contempt.

But Munnings used his tools with a naster hand. His mimicry is extraordinarily clever, but it pales into insignificance beside his colossal effontery and his iron "nerve."

: ''Think of it! This man, of relatively poor education, sat through thousands of seances, inventing the most extravagant fictions, talking in assumed voices to all sorts of people, flourishing luminous trumpets in the darkness; answering dificult questions, and all the time aware that at any moment the simple turning of a switch would flood the room with light and leave him — the tools of deception in his hand — a swindler caught in the act.''

But his courage never failed; his marvellous self-assurance never deserted him; and again and again and yet again the seance would end with a wonderful tribute of amazed conviction and with expressions of gratitude to this notorious medium for his phenomenal powers.

The nervous strain must have been immense. Undoubtedly it affected Munnings' health and greatly aged him in appearance. He is only fifty-two to-day and you might easily take him for over sixty.

Next Sunday I shall place Munnings' own story before the readers of "The People" as far as possible in his own words.

I am acting in this matter merely as the editor of an extraordinary human document. I have rearranged Munnings' confessions where I thought it advisable and I have suppressed certain items which I thought might be calculated to cause a too painful shock to the parties concerned.

Except in these respects, the story which Munnings will begin to tell next Sunday is the same story which held me spell-bound when it was told to me for the first time in my office some weeks ago.

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