In the end, I guess Margery Crandon did, in fact, share conclusive proof of the paranormal, whether Harry Houdini liked it or not. 

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The term fraud is constantly used when speaking in terms of spiritualism and mediumship. Of course, this is not to say that psychic mediums and spiritualism as a whole are fraudulent by nature. It’s just that it’s nearly impossible to separate the truly gifted from the extravagant yet mundane. 

Take, for instance, the story of the Fox Sisters—two young mediums whose work marked the beginnings of the spiritualism movement here in the United States. Now it’s worth mentioning that these sisters were in fact gifted, just not in the way you might think. 

You see, after years of traveling the country, holding seances in front of countless crowds, it was discovered that the Fox sisters built their careers on misdirection. I guess, instead of second sight, these girls were blessed with a few double joints and a propensity for sleight-of-hand. 

Suffice it to say, the field of mediumship is riddled with performers just like the Fox sisters. Sure they are entertaining and talented in their own right, but at the end of the day, the vast majority are just ordinary people who hope to one day accomplish extraordinary things. 

Notoriety was likely the driving force behind these theatrics. I mean, the pursuit of fortune and fame would have almost certainly blurred the lines between what’s normal and what’s paranormal. Which in turn gave legitimate mediums somewhat of a bad name.

But what happens if the roles are reversed? If untold riches and public interest were offered in return for proof of the paranormal? It’s an interesting concept, don’t you think? 

Well back in the 1920s scientific American certainly did. Which is why they ultimately decided to put the idea to the test. In exchange for $2500, this publication was asking for proof of psychic phenomenon. Oh and at least according to Margery Crandon, proof is exactly what they found. 

I know, it’s a bold claim to make, but it was made nonetheless. So let’s take a closer a Margery’s story to see if she could in fact put her money where her mouth was.

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