Eusapia Palladino and her phenomena online

Eusapia Palladino 135

afterwards M. Brignola called the attention of the ex-
perimenters toward the ceiling, where the trumpet appeared
suspended in the air between the two curtains, and a little
behind them, at a height of not less than a yard above the
medium's head. It was placed transversely, with the open-
ing toward the right side, on which I was seated, and the
other extremit>- toward my wife, who had taken her place
opposite to me and to the left of Eusapia. The hands of the
latter were lying motionless on the table, controlled by ours,
and perfectly visible to everybody. After a time the trumpet
withdrew, and in retiring it again emitted various sounds
several times."

At a seance held at the Minerva Club, May 22, 1900,
and attended by Professors Morselli, Porro, and a number
of distinguished men and women, the following incident
occurred :

"The control was more strict than ever. The guitar sus-
pended on the wall was heard to move. It was unfastened
and carried in the air; it passed round the table, rapped re-
peatedly on the head of Professor Porro, and finally stopped
on the table. A little later it rose to the height of more
than a yard, and again began hovering round the heads of
the sitters before returning to the table. The tambourine,
which, as we have said, was placed on a chair in the cabinet,
also moved. At one time the guitar rose up again, and
moved about in the air at the same time as the tambourine.
This time the guitar zuent very high up, and it was distinctly
seen crossing the room at the level of the top of the curtain\
{more than ten feet from the floor) followed by a streak
of light, due probably to the reflection of the light of the
candle coming from the anteroom and falling on the back
of the guitar itself. The control remained very strict. Sud-
denly a bulky object was heard to be placed on the table,
and by the dim light it was seen to come from the corner
of the room to the left of the medium. Dr. Venzano, who
was at the end of the table farthest from the medium, was



136



Eusapla Palladino



able to see this bulky object rise in the air, from the left
corner of the room, pass over the head of Professor Mor-
selli and place itself on the large table in front of him. It
was found that this object was the large No. 6 'Barlock'
typewriter, weighing thirty pounds. Soon afterwards the
seance was closed on account of the lateness of the hour."

Three days later, in the same place, the following incident
took place, which certainly is remarkable in character:

"Suddenly Professors Morselli and Porro perceived that
Eusapia had been raised, along with her chair, and carried
up to a level above that of the surface of the table, upon
v/hich she redescended in such a ivay that her feet and the
two front legs of the chair rested on the surface of the table,
which was partially broken. Mcnnwhile the medium
moaned, as if intensely frightened, and asked to be put back
with her chair on the floor. But almost instantly she was
carried up again with the chair, and this levitation
lasted some seconds, so that M. de Albertis and Professor
Porro, u'ithout preconcerted arrangement and with com-
pletely simultaneous thought, succeeded in passing their
hands under the feet of the medium and of the chair. Short-
ly afterwards Eusapia, still seated, redescended on to the
table ; she was held by those to right and left of her, the chair
was pushed or thrown down backward on to the floor; and
the medium, seized by several of those present, while still
moaning was carried to the floor and seated again in her
place."

The above is taken from the report made at the time, and
we are glad to confirm it by a few brief remarks from Pro-
fessor Porro, in which this distinguished astronomer clearly
expresses the impressions made on him by this incident.
Referring to the levitation of Eusapia along with her chair,
he writes :

"It was a moment of great anxiety and amazement. The
levitation was accomplished without blow or shaking, swift-



Eusapia Palladino 137

ly, but not by jerks. In other words, if one wished, by
dint of supreme distrust, to imagine that this result had
been obtained by artifice, one should have to suppose a
pull from above (by means of a cord and a pulley) rather
than a push from below. But neither of these hypotheses
will itand the most elementary examination of the facts.
Palladino was actually drawn up and sustained in a posi-
tion absolutely contrary to static laws, by an invisible
force, inexplicable in the present state of our knowledge
of physics."

Professor Lombroso, in his interesting book, After Death
— What? (pp. 69-70), tells the following incident which
occurred at one seance at which Professor IVIorselli was
present. He says in part:

"At the sitting of the 26th, Morselli having taken a place
In the chain, Madame Palladino remarked suddenly that she
perceived a young man who came from a distance, and, after
being questioned, specified 'from Palermo' ; and afterwards
said 'portrait made in the sun.' Whereupon Massaro re-
marked that he had in his letter-case a photograph of his
son taken out-of-doors (in the country). At the same time
he was aware of being sharply tapped on the breast at the
very spot where he had that picture of his son, and felt him-
self kissed twice on the right cheek through the curtain that
hung near him ; and tlie kisses were followed by very arch
caresses, though most delicate withal. Then all of a sudden
the significant touches were repeated, but this time by a hand
that insinuated itself with eager movements into the inside
pocket of the coat just where the letter-case was. This it
opened just at the compartment that held the portrait. Dur-
ing the second appearance caresses and kisses were held back
at first; then he felt himself seized round the body, drawn
near the curtain, and repeatedly kissed. Finally there was
projected on the curtain the apparition of a head bound with
a white bandage — a head which he recognized as that of his
son.



138 Eusapia Palladino

The materializations generally seen at Eusapia's seances
are those of heads and faces, and very rarely does the full
form manifest — particularly of late years. Usually, also,
the form is felt through the curtain, and it issues from be-
hind their shelter and advances into the room but seldom.
Nevertheless, the materializations are unmistakable. The
hands and faces may be felt, and on more than one occasion
they have been grasped and found to melt in the experi-
menter's hands. These bodies, which appear to be real
human beings, or at least parts of human beings, some-
times show themselves directly, and have the consistency of
flesh. Occasionally, also, the medium carries the sitters'
hands to the materialized face, and allows them to touch
it, both behind the curtain and when exposed. Dr. Ven-
zano, M. Barzini, Professor Bottazzi, and others, have all
asserted that these hands, if grasped, will melt away, as
did the so-called spirit hands observed by Sir William
Crookes, in the presence of D. D. Home.

The following incidents are typical of the materializa-
tions that occur in the presence of Eusapia. The first in-
cident occurred in the same series of seances, at the Minerva
Club, from which some of the previous incidents have been
quoted, and is taken from Dr. Venzano's original report:

"The Cavaliere Peretti having approached the curtain,
he felt himself suddenly grasped by a hand which gently
pressed his own. This hand, as everyone could see, came
from the interior of the cabinet, keeping itself all the time
covered by the curtain, and its form was distinctly recogniz-
able under the curtain. This unexpected occurrence excited
the curiosity o: those present, who, in turn, offered their
hands and received in the same way an affectionate pressure.
Professor Morselli, for the second time, and M. Ferraro,
who until then had stood apart, put forward their hands at the



Eusapia Palladino 139

same moment, but the desired phenomenon was not pro-
duced again. Dr. Venzano and M. Schmolz, who had ap-
proached the medium while the phenomenon was being re-
peated, were able, while the curtain swelled out, to turn
their attention to the interior of the cabinet, which was en-
tirely empt}', except for the chair and the lump of clay, while
outside could be seen the relief, formed in the texture of
the curtain, of the hand which grasped those of the sitters."

At a later series, held in July, 1905, at the house of
M. Berisso, the following incident occurred, and is reported
by M. Berisso thus:

"At a certain moment, within the cabinet, in which a
bottle full of water and a glass had been placed on a chair,
a noise was heard, evidently caused by these objects being
knocked against each other. Shortly afterwards we heard
the sound of water being poured from the bottle into the
tumbler, and almost at once the curtain was shaken and
a hand covered by the curtain placed the glass of water on
the table in front of Mme. Palladino. IMeanwhile the left
hand of Dr. Venzano and the right hand of Mme. Berisso
were distinctly seen on the table, holding the hands of the
medium. As soon as the glass had been placed on the table,
Eusapia expressed a desire to drink. We did not think it
advisable to let her do so, knowing by long experience that
this might result in nausea and vomiting. She persisted in
her request and we still refused it.

"Eusapia became nervous and excited. Suddenly the right
side of the curtain swelled out and partly covered the fore-
arm of the medium, which was controlled by Dr. Venzano.
Shortly afterwards my wife, Dr. Venzano, and I distinctly
saw a hand and an arm covered by a dark sleeve issue from
the front and upper part of the right shoulder of the me-
dium. This arm, making its way above the free end of the
side of the curtain which was on the table, seized the glass
and carried it to Eusapia's mouth ; she leaned back and drank
eagerly. After that the arm replaced the glass on the table,



140 Eusapla Palladino

and we saw It withdraw rapidly and disappear as if it
returned into the shoulder from which we had seen it
issue.

"Dr. Venzano, who did not let the smallest detail of this
phenomenon escape him, asked the sitters whether they also
had seen the arm, which seized the glass, issue from Eusapia's
shoulder. My wife and I confirmed this fact. M. Bozzano,
who sat at the end of the table opposite to that at which
the medium was seated, affirmed that, for his part, he had
seen a black mass detach itself from Eusapia's shoulder, and
shortly afterwards advance under the side of the curtain
lying on the table ; the arm ended in a hand of living flesh
which seized the glass ; he was at once seized with the con-
viction that this was a case of a double, and he was about
to communicate this impression to those present, when he
was prevented by the exclamation of Dr. Venzano. Mile.
Venzano and Dr. Gellona, on account of the position which
they occupied, were not able to observe the first part of this
phenomenon. It should be noted that during the period of
the production of the whole of this phenomenon, Eusapia's
hands were under control and did not cease for a single
moment to rest on the table, visible to everybody."

The next report is taken from a seance which occurred on
the evening of December 27, 1901, in the rooms of the Miner-
va Club. I quote from the report:

"At this moment there were fresh and repeated appear-
ances of a child's hand, previously mentioned, ab'.;ve the
head of Eusapia. It was a little hand, evidently a right
hand of the color of pink flesh, with tiny fingers, somewhat
long and thin, which might belong to a child of seven years
old. These appearances were so numerous that it was im-
possible to count them. The little hand sometimes showed
the palm, sometimes the back. At times it was seen with
the tips of the fingers upward, at other times with the tips
pointing downward, and it often moved with a gesture of
salutation. Sometimes it remained visible for a very short



Eusapia Palladino 141

time, sometimes for about ten seconds. Dr. Venzano and
M. Vassallo, who was seated on his left, got up, and with-
out breaking the chain of the control, they bent toward the
curtain, so that they were able to observe it at a distance of
a few inches only. Dr. Venzano expressed a desire to be
touched by it, and almost at once the little hand approached,
with its fingers in front, and stroked his cheeks repeatedly,
so that the doctor felt the warm touch. At a certain mo-
ment, the little hand seized his nose and two fingers pulled
it gently, then took the lobe of his right ear and pressed it
with a certain amount of force.

"The medium was awakened. The little hand retired,
and after a few moments it reappeared with another little
hand, the latter being certainly a left hand. As they ap-
peared, the two hands parted the curtains, then disappeared
and reappeared several times. The phenomena ceased for
about a minute, during which M. Vassallo and Dr. Venzano
sat down again. Suddenly, while the medium continued
awake, and kept her hands, visible to everyone, on the table
and under strict control on the part of those sitting next
to her, on the right and left, the curtain sv.-elled out, and a
hand much greater in bulk and in dimensions than that of Eu-
sapia, and at the same level as the small hands previously
described, came out of the opening between the two cur-
tains, seized the head of the medium and drew it violently
backward. The medium alarmed, tried to free herself, and
began to crj' out for help to the sitters. But the hand did
not let go of her head and continued to drag it forcibly
backward, as if to carry it into the cabinet. At a certain
moment the hand withdrew but it reappeared almost at
once, along with another hand. The two hands, like the
former ones, by the disposition of their thumbs, were mani-
festly right and left hands and by the identity of their char-
acters seemed to belong to the same person, this time
apparently a man. While Mme. Palladino cried out and pro-
tested, they seized her on both sides of her head, and con-
tinued to drag it backward so that it twice disappeared into
the cabinet and was covered by the curtain."



1142 Eusapia Palladino

The following incidents are related by M. Arnaldo Vas-
sallo, in his work, Nel Mondo delgi Invisibili. The seances
took place in the rooms of the Minerva Club, in December,
1 90 1. The report reads:

"When the room had been darkened, M. Vassallo felt
himself seized from behind by two arms, which embraced
him affectionately, while two hands with long, thin fingers
pressed and caressed his head. Meanwhile a head, ap-
parently belonging to a young person, approached his face
and kissed him repeatedly, so that those present could dis-
tinctly hear the sound of the kisses. While the phenomenon
was being produced, the head of Eusapia, who was com-
pletely entranced, rested on the right shoulder of Mme.
Ramorino.

"M. Vassallo asked the name of the entity who manifested,
and at once the table began to move, and gave by typtology
the word: Romano. M. Vassallo then remarked that this
was one of the three names of his only son, usually called
Naldino, whom he had lost a few years before, when he was
barely seventeen years of age. He added that this name was
unknown even by some of his near relatives.

"He continued his interrogations. Having asked for a
proof of identity, a finger passed inside his jacket and rested
against his inner pocket, in which, said M. Vassallo, there
was a pocketbook containing the portrait of his son.

"M. Vassallo persisted in asking for more complete evi-
dence and, if it were possible, a visible manifestation. The
table replied affirmatively, and by typtology asked that semi-
darkness might be made, which was done by placing a
lighted candle on the floor of the anteroom adjoining. In
this way a very feeble light was produced, but sufficient to
make it possible to distinguish the faces of Mme. Palladino
and the experimenters. Eusapia, still in a state of profound
trance, kept her head, as before, resting on Mme. Ramorino's
shoulder. Suddenly, Dr. Venzano, who was seated almost
opposite to Mme. Ramorino, saw a vaporous mass rise be-
tween her and Eusapia ; it was of an oblong form, gradually



Eusapia Palladino 143

condensing at the top into a pear-shaped formation of the
size of a human head, on which appeared successively a very
abundant growth of hair, and the eyes, nose, and mouth of
a human face. Dr. Venzano, in order to assure himself of
the phenomenon, got up, and was about to communicate
his impressions, when Cavaliere Erba and Professor Porro,
who were beside Mme, Ramorino, exclaimed at the same
time; *A profile, a profile!' M. Vassallo, who, in expecta-
tion of the apparition of a materialized form, was looking
toward the back of the room, which, on account of the light
coming from the anteroom, was somewhat better illumi-
nated, turned toward the cabinet and was also able to see the
head, which advanced repeatedly over the table in his di-
rection, and then dissolved. The small white electric lamp
was lit up. Dr. Venzano traced with a pencil on a piece of
paper a sketch representing the form he had seen, and at
the same time M. Vassallo, who was very clever at drawing,
reproduced with much accuracy the head in profile of his
lost son. Then he showed the photograph in his pocket-
book to those present. The points of resemblance between
the face which appeared, and the sketches drawn by M. Vas-
sallo, and Dr. Venzano and the portrait in M. Varsallo's
possession were then recognized with lively surprise. In
fact, the outlines of the head, and its pear-shaped aspect,
produced by the ver\' abundant hair above the oval face with
the thinness of youth, corresponded marvelously. IVI. Ramor-
ino, from his position behind Dr. Venzano, and M. Vassallo,
both standing, and consequently shutting out his view, de-
clared that he had not seen the apparition ; also Mme. Ra-
morino, seated somewhat on one side, and in front of the
apparition, said she had not observed it either."

The second incident is also remarkably interesting. M. Vas-
sallo, after being touched several times by a hand, and his scarf
pin having been gently removed by it, felt himself suddenly
seized under the armpits by two hands which lifted him up,
obliged him to stand upright, and drew him about two paces



144 Eusapia Palladino

from the circle and behind his own chair. That Is to say,
more than a yard away from the medium. Under these cir-
cumstances, M. Vassallo, in order not to lose the hand of the
medium, passed it from his right hand into his own left
hand. In contact with that of Dr. Venzano — so that Eusa-
pia, remaining motionless, was under the vigilant observa-
tion of three controllers.

"Then M. Vassallo felt a human body, of about his own
height, leaning on his left shoulder, and a face, which, in his
opinion, had the character of the deceased Naldino, remained
for sometimie pressed against his face. He then received re-
peated kisses, the sound of which everyone could hear ; and
meanwhile, broken sentences were heard, uttered in a soft
voice, which replied to the repeated questions of M. Vas-
sallo. Dr. Venzano, getting up without abandoning the
control, advanced In the direction of the voice, and suc-
ceeded In hearing several words pronounced in the Genoese
dialect, among which were the words: 'Caro Papa.' The
conversation between M. Vassallo and the entity lasted for
sometime, until after the sound of a kiss. Dr. Venzano suc-
ceeded in catching this sentence : 'Questo e per la mamma'
(This for mamma.)

"Almost at once the materialized form disappeared, and
the table requested, by raps, that the light might be raised.
As soon as the white electric light had been lit, there was
seen advancing toward M. Vassallo, who was still standing
up, a human form enveloped in the curtain of the cabinet,
which embraced him, while a hand, also covered by the cur-
tain, seized that of M. Vassallo and held it for sometime.

"The medium remained all the time motionless in the
chair, her hands in contact with those of the controllers."

The next incident Is quoted from the minutes of the sit-
ting which took place in the rooms of the Minerva Club,
on the evening of December 29, 1900, in the presence of




Mme. Fusapia Pnllaciino seatetl at our Seance table, in Italy.
Reliiiul lier aie seen the Mack curtains of the cabinet; to herrigiit,
tlieiocketi iloor leailing to Mr. Baygally's room. Directly in front
of her is the Seance table, and beneath it is the small stool, referred
to on several occasions.



Eusapia Palladino 145

Professors Morselli, Porro, and other eminent investigators.
The account reads in part as follows:

"Suddenl}^, Dr. Ven/.ano, who held the medium with his
left hand, she resting her head, visible to all, on the shoulder
of Professor Porro, saw forming to his left, at about a hand's
breadth from his face, as it were a globular, vaporous, whitish
mass, which condensed into a more decided form, that of an
oval, which gradually assumed the aspect of a human head,
of which the nose, the e5'es, the mustache, and the pointed
beard could be distinctly recognized. This form came and
touched his face, and he felt a warm and living forehead
press against his own and remain there for a second or two.
Then he felt the contact of the whole profile of the face
against his own, with a pressure as of a caress, then the im-
print of a kiss, after which the mass seemed to vanish into
vapor near the curtains. The other sitters, meanwhile, were
only aware of a vague luminosity in the direction of Dr.
Venzano; but they distinctly perceived the sound of the kiss."

Dr. Venzano asserts that the vaporous mass which con-
densed into the form of a human face came into direct con-
tact with his own face, shutting out his sight of surrounding
objects, but furnishing forcible evidence through tactual
sensation. He recognized in the face an extraordinary re-
semblance to a very near relative whom he had lost some
years before. This relative had not been known in life either
to Eusapia or to any of the sitters present at the seance.

The next account is one of great interest, and is taken
from Dr. Bozzano's book, Ipotesi Spmtica e Theoriche
Scientifiche. The seance occurred in the dwelling of M.
Avellino, June 16, 1901. The seance is recorded by M.
Eozzano, as follows:

"To my left and a little more than a yard away there
was a small doorj through the opening of which a faint light



146 Eusapla Palladino

penetrated. Suddenly the hands of 'John,' laying hold of
my temples, forced me to turn my head in that direction.
I understood that the action was done with a purpose, and
I redoubled my care of observp.tion. Very soon I noticed,
low down, something like a kind of black cone with uncer-
tain, smoky, and changing outlines. It seemed as if this little
mass gradually condensing in front of me were animated,
or rather convulsed with a rapid rotan,- motion. It rapidly
Increased in size and length until, in a few moments. It
attained the height and size of a man. Then, in less time
than I can tell it, I was aware that this form had assumed
the aspect and profile of a human being. This form was
not more than two paces from me. My companions all
noticed that the light from the doorway was unexpectedly
and almost entirely obscured. Our sensations therefore coin-
cided and supplemented each other.

"Mme. Palladino at this point raised my hand and carried
It in the direction of the form. Immediately two other
hands took possession of mine, and carried it upward. I
then felt a soft, long beard, which passed and repassed over
the back of my hand, causing a tingling sensation. After
this my fingers were caused to pass over the features of a
face. / was thus able to assure myself that the face was not
that of 'John.' Eusapla then pulled my hand sharply toward
herself. A moment afterwards the same figure began to
advance behind my back; at the same time the gleam from
the doorway reappeared.

"Almost Immediately Dr. Venzano announced that a hand
had taken possession of his own, and was drawing it upward.
Soon afterwards we all heard the sound of a sonorous kiss
above his head. And now the same ven- fine and long beard
began to brush over the back of his hand, passing backward
and forward. The impression felt by Dr. Venzano was suf-
ficiently distinct to enable him to declare that this beard
was shaped to a point. Then he was made to feel the hol-