This section is from the book "Human Personality And Its Survival Of Bodily Death", by Frederic W. H. Myers. Also available from Amazon: Human Personality And Its Survival Of Bodily Death.
876 A. From Proceedings S.P.R., vol. vi. pp. 353-55. In an article in Psychische Studien, March 1889 (p. 131), the editor (Mr. Alexander Aksakoff), writes:-
I am personally acquainted with the following case:- My friend and fellow-student at the Lyceum, Privy Councillor (Geheimrath) Baron Konstantin K., told me, twenty years ago, that at the time of the death of his uncle, Baron Paul K., at Warschau, his will could not be found, though it was thoroughly searched for; and that it was discovered in a secret drawer (Fache), entirely in consequence of a communication received by Prince Emile Wittgenstein, in which the place was described.
In Psychische Studien for December 1889 (pp. 568-69), M. Aksakoff gives further particulars as follows:-
Since the previous notice of this case, I have made the acquaintance of Paul von Korf, a son of Baron von Korf, who resides in the Port Strasse, St. Petersburg. He has given me the following account of the circumstances:-
His father, General Paul von Korf, died at Warschau on April 7th, 1867. It was known that he had made a will, but after his death it could not be found. In the month of July 1867 his sister, the Baroness Charlotte von Wrangel, was living with her sister-in-law, Madame D. von Obuchow, in the town of Plock (pronounced Plozk), not far from Warschau. Her mother, the widow of General von Korf, was travelling abroad; and in her mother's absence she was entrusted with the opening of her correspondence. Among the letters thus received and opened was one from Prince Emile von Wittgenstein (also abroad) addressed to the widow of General von Korf, in which he informed her that a spiritualistic communication had been received by him in the name of her deceased husband, indicating the place where his will would be found. The Baroness von Wrangel, who knew how much trouble the absence of this will had given to her elder brother [Baron Joseph Korf] who was engaged in the administration of the property, and who was at that time in Warschau, went at once, with her sister-in-law, to Warschau, to inform him of the important contents of the letter of Prince von Wittgenstein. Her brother's first words were that he had just found the will; and when the letter of Prince von Wittgenstein was read, it was apparent, to the astonishment of those present, that the place indicated in the spiritualistic communication where the will would be found was precisely that in which the Baron had at last found it.
Baron Paul von Korf promised me that he would look for this letter of Prince von Wittgenstein's, which he had in his hand less than two years ago, when arranging the family papers. But up to the present time he has not been able again to find it. He fears it may have been unintentionally destroyed with useless correspondence.
In a letter dated St. Petersburg, February 26th, 1890, M. Aksakoff adds the following particulars, with two letters, of which translations are here given:-
I. Original letter from Baron Paul Korf (son of the Baron Korf whose will is concerned) to M. Aksakoff, countersigned by Baron Paul's sister, Baroness Charlotte Wrangel, and testifying to the exactness of the fact as stated in Psychische Studien, 1888, p. 568.
Petersburg, January 29th, 1890.
Sir, - I have read with great interest your communication, inserted in Psychische Studien (p. 568), concerning the will of my late father. The facts are there related with perfect accuracy. I am afraid that I burnt the letter of Prince Emile Wittgenstein about a year ago, when I was arranging the papers of my late father, which were at his country seat. - Accept, etc, (Baron) Paul Korf.
I add my signature to that of my brother, to confirm the contents of his letter. Baroness C. Wrangel, nee Baroness Korf.
II. Copy of a letter from Prince Emile de Sayn-Wittgenstein, published in the work, Souvenirs et Correspondance du Prince Emile de Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berlebourg (Paris, 1889), vol. ii. p. 365.
Warsaw, July 17th, 1867.
It seems an age, my dear parents, since I have had any news of you; my mother's last letter was dated June 5th. I have occupied myself much with Spiritualism of late, and my mediumistic faculties have developed themselves in an astonishing way. I write often with great facility in various kinds of writing; I have had direct communications from the spirit which haunts Berle-bourg, a woman of our family who killed herself 102 years ago. I have, moreover, obtained a very singular result. One of my friends, Lieut.-General Baron de Korf, deceased some months since, manifested himself to me (without my having thought of him the least in the world), to enjoin upon me to indicate to his family the place where his will had been maliciously hidden; that is to say, in a chest of drawers in the house where he died. I did not know that the family were looking for this will, and had not found it. Well, they found it in the very place which the spirit had indicated to me. It is a document of great importance for the management of his property, and for the settlement of questions which will arise when his children attain their majority. Here are facts which can stand criticism.
Emile Wittgenstein.
III. Prince Emile Wittgenstein died in 1878, at Tegernsee, in Bavaria.
IV. As to the date of the letter of Prince Sayn-Wittgenstein to the widow of Baron Korf. Here is what I have been able to learn in a last interview with his son, Baron Paul Korf. The marriage of his daughter, Baroness Charlotte Korf, with Baron Wrangel took place at Warsaw, June 17th, 1867. A week after that event the Baroness Wrangel left, with her sister-in-law, Madame Obuchow, for the town of Plock, and her mother went abroad. At that date the will had not been found. And since the letter of Prince Emile Wittgenstein to his parents, in which he informs them of the finding of the will by spiritual communication, is dated July 17th, 1867, it follows that the letter of Prince Emile Wittgenstein to the widow of Baron Korf, enclosing that communication, and consequently the communication itself, must have been received between June 17th and July 17th, 1867.
V. As to the place where the will was found. I asked Baron Paul Korf: "Is it a fact that the will was found 'in a chest of drawers' (armoire) as was predicted in the communication?" He answered: "That is what both my sister and I heard".
VI. The elder son of Baron Korf, who busied himself at Warsaw with the affairs of the inheritance, was named Baron Joseph Korf, and has since died.
 
Continue to: