Louis Kaplan's The Strange Case of William Mumler, Spirit Photographer, published by the University of Minnesota Press in 2008, is a scholarly account of the 1869 New York fraud trial of spirit photographer William Mumler, who was acquitted for lack of proof though never rehabilitated in public opinion. Its authority rests on standard academic press peer review and Kaplan's direct use of the trial record and period sources. It is a history of the trial and its cultural context, and the acquittal it documents reflects the legal standard of the time rather than a scientific finding that spirit photography itself is genuine.
Facts
Assessment
Reliability Tier1
Louis Kaplan's The Strange Case of William Mumler, Spirit Photographer, published by the University of Minnesota Press in 2008, the top tier reflecting standard academic press peer review and Kaplan's direct use of the 1869 trial record and period sources, notwithstanding that the acquittal it documents reflects the legal standard of the time rather than a scientific finding that spirit photography itself is genuine. NotesScholarly account of Mumler's 1869 New York fraud trial, at which he was acquitted for lack of proof though never rehabilitated.
Citation
AuthorLouis Kaplan
PublisherUniversity of Minnesota Press
Publication Year2008
Source Typeacademic monograph
Cross-Tradition Connections
Associated With
This source names New York directly: "is a scholarly account of the 1869 New York fraud trial of spirit photographer William Mumler, who was acquitted for lack of proof though never rehabilitated in public opinion."
Claims Backed By This Source (13 claims)
This source backs 13 claims across the atlas. As facts: 9 well-attested, 1 popular myth - corrected. As cited relationships: 2 holds. Plus 1 entities citing it as a general reference with no single fact or relationship attached.
Disposition By Topic
- Sources, 8 claims: 7 well-attested, 1 holds.
- Psi Phenomena, 4 claims: 1 well-attested, 1 popular myth - corrected, 1 holds, 1 general references.
- Articles, 1 claims: 1 well-attested.
Popular myth - corrected
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