Continuing the story of Katie King (see photogtaph in previous post) : when Florence Cook, the medium present, was accused of being a fraud, Sir William Crookes immediately came to her defence. He pointed out that in 1873, a man called Volckman has suddenly grabbed the “spirit” as it walked around the room ~ this was Katie King. One person present claimed that “Katie’s legs and feet had dissolved away and that she had escaped from Volckman’s clutch with an upward movement like a seal.” The audience rushed to the cabinet and found Florence still there, dressed in black, her knots and seals still intact. No trace of the white gown in which “Katie” had been dressed was found in the cabinet.

Crookes also described how he had once been allowed to hold “Katie” in his arms at a seance, and found her to be quite solid, like a normal woman. Naturally suspicious, he asked her if he could see Florence in her cabinet. “Katie” agreed, and Crookes entered the cabinet and found Florence in a trance. As far as Crookes was concerned, that was conclusive.

From “Afterlife” by Colin Wilson. Check out the best price.