Final Séance

Table of Contents

I.
HOUDINI AND CONAN DOYLE:
TWO AMAZING PERSONALITIES
The Intrepid American
The Knight of the Spirits
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle describes Houdini
Houdini describes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
“ Houdini and Doyle: I knew them well”
Both right and both wrong?

II.
A MUTUAL INTEREST
The Davenports
Discussions in Spiritualism
Visiting Mediums
The Eva C. Investigation
The Goligher Circle
The Fairy Photographs
Discussing Famous Mediums
Houdini Returns Home
Conan Doyle in Australia
Sir Arthur Shows Common Sense
Miracle Mongers and Their Methods

III.
FRIENDS IN AMERICA
A Tumultuous Welcome
Spirit Photography
The Case of the Crewe Circle
“ Telepathy” according to the Zancigs
The Doyles Visit Houdini
The Spirit Moulds
Ada Besinnet
An Impossible Demonstration
The Society of American Magicians’ Banquet

IV.
THE RIFT
Fun in Atlantic City
The Fateful Séance
A Surprise Goodbye
A Small Controversy
Writing to a Friend
Sparring with a Friend in Private

V.
THE SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN COMMITTEE
Malcolm Bird and Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle Starts his Second Tour
Houdini and Doyle in Denver
“ Doyle Defies Houdini”
On the History of Spiritualism
Alexander Martin’s Spirit Photographs
Valiantine Accepts the Challenge
The Friendship is Strained
Mediums and Trust
Fraudulent Mediums for the Scientific American
Nino Pecoraro: The Energetic Italian
Conan Doyle Comments

VI.
MARGERY THE MEDIUM
Life at Lime Street
Mina the Medium
The Scientific American Investigates
The Wizard and the Witch
The Second Séance
Houdini’s Wrong Step
The Ruler Incident
The Last Seance
Different Opinions
Margery’s Suspicious Looking Ectoplasm
The Symphony Hall Exposé
The Last Quarrel
A New Award and a New Committee

VII.
A MAGICIAN AMONG THE SPIRITS
Houdini’s Lecture Tour
A Magician Among the Spirits
Doyle’s Books on Spiritualism
Argamasilla: The Man with the X-Ray Eyes
Houdini’s Psychic “Miracles”
Anna Eva Fay: The Mentalist That Baffled Crookes!
The Anti-Spiritualist Crusade
Medium-Hunting
“ Sherlock Houdini”
Margery: The Second Harvard Investigation
The Crusade in Chicago
Houdini in Washington
Reese Unmasked
The Buried Fakir
Houdini’s Last Miracle: Submerged Under Water
Margery Fails Again
J. B. Rhine’s Investigation
Tragedy!
Goodbye, Houdini

VIII.
THE FINAL YEARS
Bess and Sir Arthur’s Correspondence
Conan Doyle’s Latest Spiritualistic Exploits
Pecoraro Tries Again
Arthur Ford’s Message
“ The Message is a Hoax!”
Houdini’s “Psychic Powers”... According to Doyle
Conan Doyle’s Final Days
The Margery Case: Houdini Vindicated
The End of Margery
The Final Séance

CONCLUSIONS

BIBLIOGRAPHY

(Index to Final Séance)