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Spiritist Magazine — Journal of Psychological Studies — 1858 > May > Varieties: the fake Mr. home
Mr. Home is the victim of a scammer
Some time ago, in the Lyon newspapers, we read the following advertisement, which was also posted on the city walls:
“Mr. Hume, the famous American medium, who had the honor of experimenting before His Majesty the Emperor, from Thursday, April 1st, will give sessions on spiritualism in the great theater of Lyon. He will produce apparitions, etc., etc. There will be special chairs for doctors and scholars, so that they can make sure that nothing has been prepared. The sessions will be varied, with experiences of the famous seer, Mrs…, a very lucid sleepwalker, who will reproduce all the feelings one by one, at the will of the spectators. Ticket prices: 5 francs in first class, 3 francs in second.”
The antagonists of Mr. Home (some write Hume) did not want to miss this opportunity of exposing him to ridicule. In their ardent desire to find where to bite, they welcomed this gross mystification with an enthusiasm that undermines their balance and even more their respect for the truth, because, before throwing stones at others, it is necessary to verify that they will not hit another target. But passion is blind, it doesn't reason and it is often wrong when it tries to harm others. "Look," they exclaimed jubilantly, "this man so much praised, reduced to appearing on the stage, giving so many shows a head!" And your papers giving credence to the fact, without further scrutiny. Unfortunately for them, their joy didn't last long.
Soon they wrote to us from Lyon, asking for enough information to expose the fraud, which was not difficult, especially thanks to the commitment of the many adepts that Spiritism has in that city.
As soon as the theater director learned what it was about, he immediately addressed the following letter to the newspapers: “Mr. Editor. I hasten to inform you that the show announced for Thursday, April 1st, at the grand theater, will no longer take place. I thought I had given the theater to Mr. Home and not to Mr. Lambert Laroche, who calls himself Hume. Persons who have obtained friezes in advance will be able to present themselves at the theater box office for a refund.”
Mr. Lambert Laroche “justifies himself”
On the other hand, the aforementioned Lambert Laroche, born in Langres, questioned as to his identity, felt obliged to respond in the terms that we reproduce in full below, as we do not want to be accused of the slightest alteration.
“Vous m'avez soumis diversse extre de vous correspondence de Paris, desquellesil résulterez that a M. Home qui donne des séancedans quelque salon de la capítalle was trauve at the moment in Italy etne peut para conéquent se trauvir à Lyon. Monsieur gignore 1st la cannaissance de ce M. Home, 2nd je essait quellais son talent 3rd je nais ever rien nue de commun àveck ce M. Home, 4th jait tavaillez et tavaille sout mon nom de gaire qui est hume et dont je vous justi par les article de journaux étrangers et français que je vous est soumis 5th je voyage à vecque deux sugais mon genre d'experriance consists in spiritualism with evocation vision, and in a mot reproduction de ideis du spectateur par un sugais, ma cepécialité est d'operate par c'est proceede sur les personnes étrangere comme on la pue le voir dans les journaux je vien despagne et d'afrique. Seci M. le rédacteur vous démontre que je n'ais poin voulu prendre le nom de ce prétendu Home que vous dites en réputation, le min est sufisant connu par sagrande notoriété et par les expérience que je produi. Agreez M. le redacteur mes salutation empressait”. *
We believe it is useless to say that Mr. Lambert Laroche left Lyon with his head held high. You will certainly go to other places in search of fools to deceive easily. One more word to express our regret at seeing with what deplorable avidity certain creatures who claim to be serious welcome everything that can serve their animosity. Today, Spiritism is highly believed and there is nothing to fear from antics; it is no more debased by charlatans than true medical science by crossroads healers; he finds it everywhere, but mainly among enlightened, zealous people and countless defenders who know how to face the mockery. Far from harming it, the Lyon affair only serves to spread it, drawing the attention of the undecided to reality. Who knows if it was even provoked by a superior force for this purpose? Who can boast of sounding out the designs of Providence?
As for systematic opponents, let them laugh, but not slander. A few more years and we'll see who has the last word. If it is logical to doubt what one does not know, it is always imprudent to manifest oneself falsely against new ideas which, sooner or later, may offer a humiliating denial to our perspicacity. There's history to prove it. Would those who, in their pride, show pity for the adepts of the Spiritist Doctrine be as superior as they think they are? These spirits, whom they seek to ridicule, recommend that good be done and forbid evil, even to enemies; they tell us that we debase ourselves by the only evil desire. Which, then, is higher: the one who seeks to do evil or the one who has neither hatred nor rancor in his heart? Not long ago, Mr. Home has returned to Paris, but will soon leave for Scotland and from there to St. Petersburg.
French text translation
(Translation reproducing the writing and language of a semi-illiterate person)
* “You sent me several extras from your Paris correspondence, from which it appears that a Mr. The home which gives sessions in a salon in the capital is currently in Italy and therefore cannot be in Lyon. My lord, I ignore first the knowledge of this Mr. Home, 2nd I don't know what your talent is 3rd I never had anything in common with this Mr. Home, 4th I worked and I work with a name of war which is Hume and that name I justify by the article in the foreign and French pages submitted to you, 5th I travel with two companions my gene of ixpriença consists of spiritualism or evocation vision and, in a word, reproduction of the spectator's idea by a subject, my specialty is to operate through this process in strangers, as can be seen in the newspapers that come from Spain and Africa. With that, its editor, I show you that I never wanted to take the name of that supposed Home that I tell you that he has a reputation, mine is sufficiently known for its great notoriety and for the ixpriença that I have. Receive, sir, my kind greetings.”
A fact at the Civil Hospital of Saintes
L'Independant de la Charente-Inférieure reported, last March, the following event that would have occurred at the Civil Hospital of Saintes:
“For eight days, in this city, the most wonderful stories have been told and nothing is said except about the singular noises that, every night, sometimes imitate the trot of a horse, sometimes the steps of a dog or a cat. Bottles placed over the fireplace are carried across the room. One morning a bundle of rags was found twisted and knotted and impossible to untie. One night a paper was left on the fireplace, on which it had been written: “What do you want? What do you ask?” The next day, in the morning, there was the answer, written in unknown and indecipherable characters. Matches placed on the table during the night disappeared as if by magic. Anyway, all the objects change places and scatter everywhere. Such spells are only performed in the darkness of night. Once there is light, everything returns to silence; extinguishing it, the noises resume immediately. It is a friendly spirit of darkness. Several people, including ecclesiastics and former soldiers, lay down in that enchanted room and it was impossible for them to discover or explain what they were hearing.
“A hospital employee suspected of being the author of these pranks has just been fired. It is assured, however, that he is not only not guilty, but, on the contrary, was often the victim himself.
“It feels like this story started over a month ago. For a long time nothing was said, for each distrusted his senses and feared being laughed at. It wasn’t until a few days later that the comments came out.”
NOTE: We have not yet had time to verify the authenticity of the above facts. We publish them with due reservations. We note, however, that, if invented, they are no less possible and there is nothing more extraordinary than many others of the same kind, which have been perfectly verified.
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