“Ties” have always been one of the great standbys of mediums, second only to slate writing.

The following is a simple test with a rope or piece of string: A long piece of rope is given for inspection, and, on its return to the medium, he coils it up and lays it on the table; the two ends are tied together and sealed fast to the table. The coils of the rope are now allowed to drop on the floor. Lights are lowered, and, in a few minutes, when the lights are relighted, the coil of rope is found with numerous knots tied in it that could not naturally have been accomplished without the ends being untied and unsealed. This mystery is accomplished by simple means. When the medium receives the rope back he does not coil it up as a person would, in the ordinary fashion, but makes the coils so they really form half hitches, and, as he lays them on the table, he runs one of the free ends through all the coils, then ties the two ends together. Each coil will now form an overhand knot. An easy manner of manipulating the rope is as follows: The rope is held in the hands, with palms upward; now, to form the coil, or half hitch, the right hand is given a half twist; this brings the palm facing the person’s breast and back of hand outward, and leaves the rope as seen in Fig. 33; this loop is transferred to the left hand (Fig. 34), and the operation repeated until the supply of the rope is exhausted. Now, to make the knots, one end of the rope has simply to be passed through all the loops.

I have seen the above test worked also as follows: Two skeptics were used. One end of the rope was fastened to one of the skeptic’s wrists and the other end to the wrist of the second skeptic. The knots were sealed. The rope in this case was quite long, about twenty feet. The medium now makes the rope up into a few coils; out go the lights, and, in a few minutes, on the lights being turned up, the rope is found with knots. This is what happens: When the lights went out, the medium went up to one of the skeptics, and, while talking to him and moving him two or three feet further away from the other skeptic, he has passed the coils over this one man’s head, and allowed the coils to drop to the floor. As soon as the skeptic steps out of these, the job is done.

There is another test on somewhat similar lines. A short piece of rope is examined and the performer holds it in one hand and then tosses it into the cabinet, which is empty. On opening the curtain in a few seconds the rope is found with a knot on it. The performer himself actually ties the knot with one hand in the act of tossing the rope into the cabinet. The rope is held in the hand palm upward, very near one end, the short end in the hand being with the long end hanging down, the shorter part being between the thumb and the forefinger. The hand and arm are given a kind of half circular sweep in tossing the rope into the cabinet; this causes the long portion of the rope to swing under, then over the wrist, and across the fingers of the hand. This end is then seized between the fingers and drawn through the loop just made; at the same time the loop is dropped off the wrist as the rope is tossed into the cabinet. In reading the above description it seems like four or five different movements, but with practice they all blend into one.

Here is another test. A single knot is tied in the center of a piece of string; now the ends are tied together and knots sealed. The lights turned down; on their again being turned up, the knot from the center of the cord has disappeared. The moment there was darkness the medium started to work, and kept slipping the knot along the string until it joined the rest at the top of the string, where there is not much fear of its being seen. To further protect himself he uses the following plan: He chews gum colored the same as the sealing wax used. Now in the dark, when he has the single knot up against the others at the end of the string, he covers this knot with part of the chewing gum and blends it in with the sealing wax.

I will now explain a few ties, rope and otherwise, by which the mediums allow themselves to be tied. It is almost invariably the rule for the medium to suggest to the investigator the general way he wishes to be tied. They must have certain conditions, so they say, or the spirits will not work. It is safe to say the conditions are very strict and always in favor of the medium. The female medium has a preference for ties in which tape or muslin, or cotton cloth torn into strips, is utilized. The male performer, as a rule, uses rope and wire. I will first describe what is known as the braid or tape test. Take a piece of tape about three-quarters of an inch wide. Have one end of this securely tied around the wrist; now the person who is conducting the test seats himself in a chair with his hands behind the back of the chair; now have the loose end of the tape passed between the uprights forming the back of the chair; have the other end fastened around the remaining hand. The moment you are in the dark, or hidden from view, you can produce any manifestation that requires the use of one or both hands, by following these instructions. The first hand can be tied as the investigator pleases. Now, when the second hand is to be tied, keep a strain on the tape enough to keep it taut. By so doing a square knot cannot be tied on the tape, but simply a running knot, or a knot around the strand of the tape—a knot that can be slid backward and forward.

Here is what is known as the cotton bandage test. A ring staple or ring screw eye, the ring being about two inches in diameter, is wound around with unbleached muslin of the same color as used to tie the medium’s wrists with. This ring is fastened securely into the door jamb or any stationary wooden support by one of the investigators. Two strips of muslin about three feet long are given to the investigator; one of each is tied around one of the medium’s wrists and the knots sewed and sealed. Her (for the medium is supposed, in this case, to be a lady) hands are now placed behind her, and the ends of the strips from each wrist are now tied together and the knots tied and also sewed; and what ends are left are evenly cut off near the knots. Another strip of muslin, about the same width and length as the others, is now produced, and one of the committee ties this strip around the knots between her wrists, leaving the ends of equal length. The medium now takes her seat on a small stool, with her back toward the ring in the door jamb. One end of the last muslin strip is passed through the ring and several knots are tied. After tying several knots, the ends of the strips are tacked securely to the woodwork of the door. Another strip is procured and tied around the medium’s neck, and then tacked also to the door jamb. Two more strips are now used, one passed around each arm, not tied, and the ends of each tacked to the door. The committee, having done all the work themselves, of course, are thoroughly satisfied as to its genuineness. They now retire from the cabinet, which has been simply made by a curtain across one corner of the room, forming a triangular space. No sooner is the curtain closed than the usual manifestations occur, such as ringing of bells, tooting of horns, banging of tambourine, etc. Immediately the curtain is opened and the medium found securely bound and not a bandage disturbed. Finally a pocket knife is placed upon her lap, the curtain is closed, and in a few seconds the medium comes forward with her bonds cut, but only the wrists separated; this has been done, she claims, by the spirits, with the use of the knife which was placed in her lap. Now to explain away the mystery. In a convenient pocket in her belt she has concealed a small, sharp, open knife, with which she cuts through the bands between the wrists. She cuts this band between the knot on her right wrist and the knot in the middle made by tying the ends of the wrist bands together. She now slips the loop which was tied around off, leaving it whole and still tied around the ring. She is now free to use both hands, and, as the last strips around her arm were not tied, they are easily managed. She makes what manifestations she chooses, and by placing her wrists one each side of the ring, and clasping her hands together, pressing all tightly together, she is ready for examination. The ring being wound with muslin, one cannot see that anything has been changed; and this is the reason it is wound. Another thing to notice is that the spirit cutting is the last test. The reason of this is, if the investigators were to release her, they would discover the secret. Male performers use the same idea for rope ties from which they find it impossible to release themselves. They have a knife blade soldered firmly on to a brass plate, which is riveted or sewed on the back of the performer’s trousers, the edge of the knife blade being outward. He has simply to run the rope up and down over this contrivance, and he soon gains his liberty.

I will next illustrate a tie made famous by the Davenport Brothers. (Fig. 35.) The rope used is what is known in trade as a sash rope. Silver Lake or Sampson brand is the best. This is a stiff, polished or smooth, hard finished rope. With this style of rope it is an almost utter impossibility to be tied but what you can free yourself. The Davenports, on first being secured, would try and induce or lead the committee who did the tying to do so in a way which would be advantageous to the medium. See Barnum’s “Humbugs of the World,” page 136: “The brothers saw they could not wriggle out of the knots. They therefore refused to let the tying be finished.” Of course, they did not make the request pointed, or apparent, but, in the coolest natural way, and not suggestive of any conceived plan. Their method was as follows:

One of the committee, holding a piece of rope, about twelve feet long, as near the center as possible, would be requested to tie first one of the medium’s left hands, tying two or three good, hard, square knots about the wrist, the knots coming to the inside of the wrist or palm side of the hand. The medium, during this part of the tie, faces the audience. He now explains to the person who does the tying that when he, the medium, places his left hand behind his back, he will place his right hand close against it, and requests the skeptic to tie a few or as many knots on top of that hand as he may see fit. The medium, after this explanation, places his hands behind his back, and then turns around, with his back toward the audience. The committeeman now secures the right hand against the left. The medium now enters the cabinet, is seated in a chair, or on a bench, in which two holes are bored. The ends of the ropes are now passed through these holes, and knots tied in the rope close to the seat of the chair, and thence carried to the front legs of the chair, where it is fastened. Two other smaller ropes are used to tie the medium’s legs to the chair. The usual manifestations, such as ringing of bells, tooting of a horn, hands at cabinet window, etc., take place. After this is repeated a few times, the medium comes forth entirely free from the ropes, which he now holds in his hands devoid of knots. Of course, the medium is really the cause of all the demonstrations, and to accomplish the results he must free himself. Now, let us see how it is done. The first hand is tied fair and square, but when he places his two hands behind his back, that’s the time the trick is done. In placing his hands behind his back, and before turning around, with back toward the audience, he catches up a little slack of the rope, and, pressing the two hands together, manages not to lose that slack as the two hands are tied together. Another plan is employed so as to be certain not to allow this slack to get away from the medium. In the act of placing the hands behind the back, one part of the rope is allowed to go around the middle finger. The ends are then crossed, A going behind B, before the right hand is placed against left. Of course, the right hand covers the rope, or false tie, completely. When the hand is to be released, the finger has simply to bend down, and off drops the slack part of the rope, and gives plenty of room to draw the hand from the loop. With one hand free, it is easy to produce the desired manifestations, also to release the other hand, and then completely untie the rope. Now, whenever the committee cannot be influenced to tie in the above manner, they are allowed to proceed as they wish. Very few persons can tie a medium securely with the stiff rope furnished. The medium will manage, by slight contortion of his body, to secure a little slack rope, by which agency square knots can be easily upset into a slip or running knot, and, when he fails in this, the rope is deliberately cut with the little knife blade on belt, as described previously. This destroyed rope is now concealed on the medium, and he takes also from his clothes a similar rope and walks out of the cabinet with it, stating the spirits had released him. He again retires to the cabinet, and, in a short time, he is found retied, with his hands behind his back, securely fastened. Here is the explanation:

When he enters the cabinet, he allows both ends of the rope to hang down, holding the rope in center; the rope now, in its doubled condition, has a knot tied near its double end, leaving a knot and loop. (Fig. 36.) Then a single knot, tied in each portion of the rope, each side of this loop knot, far enough away so as to give length enough for the ropes to encircle the wrists, and these single knots come up hard against the loop knot. The ends of the rope are now run through the loop knot, and two loops are thus formed, which can be made larger, as desired, to slip the hands out. (Fig. 37.) The ends of the rope are now run down through holes in the chair seat, and ends fastened, and the medium inserts his wrists in the loop and pulls up taut, and he is ready for an investigation. It will readily be seen the medium can now do as he pleases, remove his coat, place on a borrowed one, etc.

Another tie frequently used is that in which the medium seats himself in a chair, takes the rope, and ties it around his legs at the knees, with the single knot on top. On this he places his two hands, close together, and has the committee tie his hands with as many knots as they please, from which he nevertheless frees himself. The whole scheme lies in the fact that the medium tied but one knot around the legs, but did not pull it deep into the flesh. When the knots are tied over his hands, he keeps the legs a trifle apart. Now, to release himself, he simply has to draw his legs together, and strain on the ropes, so they sink into the legs a trifle, and let all the slack go above the single knot, thus giving room for the hands to be withdrawn. By forcing the hands apart, the desired slack is easily taken up.