A baffling cross-correspondence series occurred in the United States, supposedly originating through "Walter," the deceased brother of Mina Crandon. Mrs. Crandon, the wife of a professor of surgery at Harvard University, has been one of the most controversial mediums of the twentieth century.

Her psychokinetic manifestations were verified by many researchers throughout the world under apparently strict conditions. Yet at other times she was accused of fraud.

The Crandons lived in Boston; however Walter also appeared through other mediums in New York, Niagara Falls, and Maine. On one occasion he announced a cross-correspondence in which "Margery" (as Mrs. Crandon was called) would make up a problem and two other mediums would each provide half of the answer. The problem written automatically by the medium was: "11 X 2 -- to kick a dead." The mediumistic circle in New York was rung by telephone and told by Judge Cannon that Walter had given a message: "2 -- no one stops." The next morning a telegram was received from Niagara Falls announcing this fragment: "2 horse." When the fragments are put together, one can see that the problem which Walter worked out and communicated -- assuming there was no conspiracy to cheat -- was this: "11 X 2 = 22. No one stops to kick a dead horse."

One might argue this case is an instance of group telepathy as the medium obviously knew the entire puzzle. Other evidence, however, also strengthens the case for Walter's autonomous existence. At times he was able to speak with a "direct voice -- without using the vocal cords of either the medium or the sitters. His voice just appeared in the room. Furthermore, some cross-correspondences devised by Walter were in Chinese -- a language which Margery did not know. Walter claimed he was getting help from some Chinese spirits. Even if telepathy were at play in the transmission of information, it is hard to explain the actual design of the puzzles with that hypothesis.