VOLUME 1: BEHIND THE SCENES

Acknowledgments
Introduction   Todd Karr
Behind the Scenes   Teller

BEHIND THE SCENES WITH THE MEDIUMS
Chapter 1: HALF-HOURS WITH THE MEDIUMS
1. Introduction
2. A Variation of Bishop’s Sealed-Letter Reading
3. Double-Envelope Test
4. Stolen-Letter Test
5. The Mystic Oracle of the Swinging Pendulums
      A Rapping Hand
6. Store-Room Tests
7. Slate Test with Slit Envelope
      Message Written in the Sitter’s Presence
8. Flower Materialization
9. The Dark Séance
      A Deceptive Grip
      Mental Tests
      Ring on Arm
10. Materialization
      Preparation of Luminous Costumes
11. Hotel-Room Tests
      Writing on Slates Held by Sitter
      The Prepared Table
      Billet Work
12. Reading Sealed Billets in Darkness

Chapter 2: MEDIUMISTIC READING OF SEALED WRITINGS
1. Introduction
2. Preparation of the Writings
3. Reading the Writings
      Production of a Spirit Message
4. The Secrets Explained
      Slate Trick with a Special Chair

Chapter 3: SPIRIT-SLATE WRITING AND BILLET TESTS
1. Introduction
2. Stack of Slates: First Method
      Stack of Slates with a Rug or Newspaper
3. Stack of Slates: Second Method
      Switching the Slates
4. Two Slates
5. Stack of Slates: Third Method
      Message Written with a Gold Ring
6. Secretly Reading Questions
      Duplicate Envelope Method
      Appearance Between Slates
7. Slate Under Table
8. Three Slates
      Conjuring Version
      Preparing the Slates
9. Double-Hinged Slate
10. Independent Paper Writing
      Torn Corner Version
11. Single Slate and Flap
      Forcing the Page
      Binding Method
      Sum of Figures
      Two Slates and Flap
      Three-Slate Routine with Colors
12. Impressions and Billets
      Assisted Method
      Clipboard Method
      Card Switch
      One-Handed Billet Switch
      Billet Reading Behind Spectator
      Billet Reading with Dummy Billet
      Billet Reading with Alcohol
13. Challenging Conditions
      Trapdoor Methods
      Magnet Method     
      Baseboard Switch
      Window Switch
      Trespassing Ruses
      Fastened Slates
14. Various Methods
      Rubber Stamp Method
      Coat Switch
      Chemical Methods
      Writing Secretly
      Speaking Tubes

Chapter 4: SOME MODERN SORCERY
1. Presentation of the Tests
2. Explanation of the Secrets
      Question Reading with Hat Switch
      Question Reading with Bag Switch
      Question Reading with Receiver
3. Double-Parlor Work
4. Card Servante and Blackboard
      Question Reading with Wireless Telephone

Chapter 5: SOME UNUSUAL MEDIUMISTIC PHENOMENA
1. Schlessinger’s Living and Dead Test
2. Death Location Billet Test
3. Explanations
      Living and Dead Test
      Death Location
      Expert Conversational Tricks
Postscript: The Hollow Skull

Chapter 6
Materialization

Chapter 7
Mediumistic Fortune-Telling
Reading a Burnt Question

Chapter 8
Anna Eva Fay-Type Question Reading

Chapter 9
Vest-Turning

Chapter 10
An Improved Billet Test
Epilogue   Teller
      My Billet Switch

ADDENDA
Another Billet Test
The Swinging Pendulums Again
A Billet Test Improved
The Dr. Schlessinger Act Improved
Wireless Electricity for Mediumistic Tricks
Postscript
      Table Lifting
      Some Strange Spiritistic Experiments  
            David P. Abbott
      Mediumistic Materialization
            David P. Abbott

APPENDIX
Open Court Correspondence
Mediumistic Séances
A Puzzling Case
Spirit Portraiture

Postscript: BEHIND THE SCENES IN THE PRESS
In the Cabinet with the “Spirits”
A. M. Wilson on Behind the Scenes
How Ghosts are Summoned to Earth

THE HISTORY OF A STRANGE CASE
Abbott's Strange Case   Todd Karr
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Unexplained Manifestations   Paul Carus

THE WONDER GIRL
Abbott's Wonder: Gene Dennis   Todd Karr
Introduction   Walter Graham
The Wonder Girl   David P. Abbott

INDEX TO VOLUME 1

VOLUME TWO
THE BOOK OF MYSTERIES
Preface   Walter Graham
Introduction   Todd Karr
A Detective Story in the House of Mystery
      Teller

DAVID P. ABBOTT'S BOOK OF MYSTERIES
Preface   David P. Abbott
The House of Mystery

PART I
ELECTRICAL MYSTERIES
1. Balsamo, the Living Skull
Prologue   Teller
2. The Talking Teakettle
3. Additional Effects
Prologue   Teller
Loud-Speaking Daylight Trumpet
Ventriloquial Acts
The Educated Parrot and the Musical Canaries
The Kettle for a Second-Sight Act on the Stage
Second-Sight Effects
Method of Exchange of Questions in a Hall or Theater
The Kettle Spirit Plays a Phonograph Record with Her Fingernail
Guests About This Table Converse with a Spirit in a Large Trumpet
Best Stage Method of Answering Written Questions
Transmission of Thought to Ladies on the Stage
Transmission of Thought from Performer to Audience
Technique of Answering Questions from the Stage
Addenda to Part I

Postscript: ABBOTT'S TEAKETTLE  Todd Karr
Letters from Kellar

PART II
MYSTERIES FOR THE PARLOR
1. The Floating Ball Illusion
      Prologue   Teller
      The Gift of a Violin   Theodore Bamberg
      Epilogue  Teller
2. The Chinese Rings: An Act
      Prologue   Teller
      Introduction
      Part 1
      Part 2
      Finale
      Epilogue    Teller
3. The Spiritualistic Table
      Epilogue   Teller
4. Best of All Slate Writing
      Epilogue   Teller
5. The Indian Turban Illusion
      Prologue   Teller
6. The Spirit Portrait Mystery
      Prologue   Teller
      1. Foreword
      2. Solving the Mystery
      3. Stage Version
      Prologue   Teller
4. Home Version
      Postscript: Selbit’s Version
7. The Serpent of Pharaoh
      Prologue   Teller
8. Matter Through Matter
      Prologue   Teller
9. Ching Ling Foo’s Paper Tearing Mystery
      Prologue   Teller
      A Reminiscence of Ching Ling Foo   David P. Abbott
      Ching Ling Foo’s Paper Tearing Mystery
      Ching Ling Foo Multicolored Paper Strip Effect
      Postscript: Letters from Kellar
10. Han Ping Chien Coin Illusion
      Han Ping Chien   David P. Abbott
      Prologue   Teller
      Han Ping Chien Coin Illusion
11. Pocket-to-Pocket Card Illusion
      Epilogue   Teller
12. Sawing a Woman in Two (with Cords)
      Prologue   Teller
13. Spiritualistic Spoon and Glass
      Prologue   Teller
14. The Want-Ad Test
      Prologue   Teller

PART III
MISCELLANEOUS EXPERIMENTS
1. Hankerchief and Flower Illusion
      Prologue   Teller
      Epilogue   Teller
      Postscript: Further Thoughts on the Handkerchief and Flower Illusion   David P. Abbott
      Vanishing and Reappearing Handkerchief
            Prologue   Teller
      Flag Change
            Prologue   Teller
            Epilogue   Teller
      Color Change
      A Handkerchief Trick
2. Kellar’s Superior Paper-Tearing
      Prologue   Teller
      Postscript: Letters from Kellar
3. My Own Coin Illusion
      Prologue   Teller
      Epilogue   Teller
4. Cut and Restored String Illusion
      Prologue   Teller
      Ching Ling Foo Version
      Kellar’s String Illusion
      Prologue   Teller
      Epilogue   Teller
      Postscript: Letter from Kellar
5. The Argot
      Epilogue   Teller
      Postscript: Letters from Kellar
6. Han Ping Chien’s Double Tape Illusion
      Epilogue   Teller
7. Slate and Billet Illusion with Sitter’s Own Slates
      Prologue   Teller
8. Wooley’s Double Tape Illusion
      Prologue   Teller
9. Wooley’s Twenty Penny Illusion
      Prologue   Teller
10. The Mystic Circle and the Invisibles
      Prologue   Teller
11. Mock Sad Alli’s Pocket-to-Pocket Illusion
      Prologue   Teller
12. Candy Vase and Flower Illusion
      Prologue   Teller
13. Roterberg’s Growth of Flowers
      Prologue   Teller

FURTHER MYSTERIES
INTRODUCTION  Todd Karr
1. Tsu Pein Chin Chein
      Prologue   Todd Karr
2. Tables
3. Dice Box and Vase, Cone, and Orange
4. Rising Cards and Horseshoe
5. Super Mind-Reading
      Epilogue   Teller
6. Abbott’s Book Test

THE MARVELOUS CREATIONS OF JOSEFFY
Chapter 1: Joseffy
Chapter 2: The Rising Cards
Chapter 3: Balsamo and the Rapping Hand
Chapter 4: The Expanding Die
Chapter 5: The Congress of Nations
Chapter 6: Conclusion
Posctscript: ABBOTT AND JOSEFFY  Todd Karr
JOSEFFY: AN APPRECIATION   Carl Sandburg
INSIGHTS INTO JOSEFFY   Jim Steinmeyer

APPENDICES
I. MYSTERY SOIRÉES
David P. Abbott’s Occultism   T. W. McGrath
Abbott’s Wonders   A. M. Wilson
David Abbott of Omaha   Will Blyth
Midwest Magic   Leslie Guest
David P. Abbott   E. G. Ervin

II. ABBOTT AND THE BANGS SISTERS   Todd Karr

Bibliography of David P. Abbott
Index to Volumes 1 and 2