Spiritualism: A Reply from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Spiritualism is a letter written by Arthur Conan Doyle published in The Weston-Super-Mare Gazette on 27 october 1923.
Letter
Sir, — A statement has been forwarded to me, published in your paper and signed "Anti-Bunkum." The date is Oct. 13th. I have seldom seen so many falsehoods compressed into so short a space.
First of all, the article by Mr. Oursler to which the writer refers is itself largely a fabrication. Secondly, if that article were true, it does not contain the statements put forward by this anonymous correspondent. Mr. Oursler did not claim to have been present at the seance, and described it admittedly from hearsay. I never either recognised my mother or kissed her hand. I did not inform a friend of the medium that the police would be after him. There was no intervention by the police at the only seance at which I was present. Mr. Stefansson, the traveller, and I both considered that the proceedings were fraudulent and said so at the time. As he is in London at present he could confirm all these points.
I think that your correspondent's "competence as a witness seems to be a little shaken" by this incident, which is quite typical of the wild and unprincipled statements with which I have continually to deal. — Yours faithfully,
- ARTHUR CONAN DOYLE.
- 15 Buckingham Palace Mansions, S.W.1.
- Oct. 18.
