1

Magic And Magicians

Mr. Ellis Stanyon published his

monumental MAGIC magazine
from 1900 to 1914. Publication
was interrupted by the First
World War, that terrible
confrontation which changed so
many things in Europe. After the
war, MAGIC was again
published, sadly, for a short
span: from September 1919 to
June 1920.
The pages of MAGIC hide what
even today we might term a
veritable treasure of Magical
Knowledge. Here you can find
from the smallest of pocket
tricks to the biggest illusions of
the day, passing through the
whole spectrum of magic: card
and coin tricks, mental effects,
silk and ball tricks, magic with
liquids, chemical and fire tricks,
and still a lot more.
Explanatory Programmes
All the following programs have Mr.
Stanyon's explanations to the tricks
described. Hyperlinks to other
references and explanations have
been added.
Nicola (Lahore, India--February
1911)
Carl Hertz (Empire--December,
1903)
Carl Hertz (Hippodrome, August,
1904)
Horace Goldin (Palace Theatre--
June, 1900)
Horace Goldin (Palace Theatre--
July, 1901)
Horace Goldin (Palace Theatre--
May, 1907)
More to come!

But besides the tricks and

secrets, Stanyon's MAGIC is
also a priceless bibliographical
and historical reference.

In this latter context, Stanyon

published what he termed
"Explanatory Programmes"
being the sequence of tricks in
the acts of the Magic Stars of
his time which he commented
upon, adding his own
explanation of the effects in
question.

I am convinced that the study of

magicians' programs in general
is a valuable learning tool. Old
magicians' programs in
particular, offer us many ideas,
mostly unknown in our time, so
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much so that we might even

categorize them as "original."

For the reason stated above, I

have decided to begin
publishing these programmes
here, adding, when necessary,
links to Mr. Stanyon's
references. I hope this job
meets with your approval. More
than that.... my purpose is that
by placing this information at
the reach of all TLPP's
members it serves as an
educational tool that will allow
all of us to further the future of
the Art of Magic by gaining a
better understanding of its past.

Marko

Stanyon's Explanatory
Programmes
Taken from the pages of his MAGIC magazine (1900-1914 and
1919-1920)

Nicola and Company of Sensational

Mystifiers
Lahore, India, February, 1911
Published in Stanyon's Magic, April-June 1911
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A very young Nicola on Particulars of this programme very

a photograph published kindly communicated to me by Lieut.
in 1905. R.S.H. Townshend. The following
stage assistants are used:

1. A Burlesque Conjurer and Juggler, Prof. Dossky.

2. An assistant about the same height as the performer,
with a moustache.
3. A short lady assistant.
4. A lady assistant of medium height.
5. A third lady assistant, duplicate of No. 4.

For convenience the assistants above-named are hereafter

referred to by their respective numbers.

Curtain rises revealing stage set with various magical

paraphernalia. Two lady assistants (3 and 4) then enter and
stand one on either side of stage.

Tree from Walking Stick.--Performer enters carrying stick

and hat, handing the latter to one of the assistants who places
it aside on table for use in the umbrella trick which follows.
He then stands the stick, provided with a point for the
purpose, upright in centre of stage; a moment later he raises
the stick revealing a tree. Coloured features arranged on steel
red previously concealed in hollow stick.

Candle Changed to Bouquet, &c.--Lady assistant (3) brings

on candle in holder, also handkerchief. Performer covers
candle with handkerchief, then raising the latter reveals
feather bouquet, candle having disappeared; same method as
tree from stick, dummy candle being laid aside in
handkerchief. He then takes bouquet from candlestick, and
causes it to multiply into two bouquets, handing one to each
lady assistant. Second bouquet obtained from left breast
pocket in left hand, the two placed together surreptitiously
then separated.

Umbrella and Ribbons.--Umbrella opened and shown, then

closed and rolled up in a piece of cloth and given to assistant
(3) to hold. Performer now produces, magically, eight pieces
of silk ribbon these are rolled up and placed in the hat
aforementioned which is held by assistant No. 4, pistol,
umbrella pulled from roll of cloth and found minus cover, but
with a piece of ribbon hanging from each rib. Umbrella
closed and replaced in roll cf cloth, and its cover discovered
 5

in the hat in place of the ribbons. Cover replaced in hat,

pistol, when the umbrella is once more pulled cut of the roll
and found restored, and the ribbons are discovered in the hat
shown otherwise empty. Trick hat with division hinged across
centre to fold over to either side would be best for this trick,
but I have already given a full explanation of two methods of
performing it, in MAGIC for July, 1907.

Umbrella Changes to Table.--Umbrella brought on and

stuck upright in the floor changes to small table; the usual
mechanical piece.

Handkerchief Shot on to Point of Sword.--Performer loads

silk handkerchief into conjuring pistol and shoots same on to
point of sword held some distance away by an attendant. The
silk loaded into pistol either remains in same in separate
barrel, or is palmed out by means of the well-known loose
cup; the duplicate is released at the right moment from the
hand of assistant, being drawn to the point of sword by
tension of a length of elastic, the opposite end of which has
been previously passed down inside the blade and fastened at
the hilt.

Another method is as follows: Tie the handkerchief to one

end of a length of stout black thread and place it in a pocket;
pass the free end of the thread through a small eyelet at the
point of the sword; then grasp it firmly in the left hand,
holding the sword in the right hand. Extending the right arm
will then pull the handkerchief out of the pocket on to the
point of sword when the whole may be placed aside. Black
eye glass cord is perhaps better than thread, and the length is
best found by experiment.

N.B.--There is another form of pistol arranged to vanish a

handkerchief laid visibly over the muzzle. The centre of the
silk is pressed over a hook held in position by a mechanical
device and attached to a length of elastic passing down the
barrel, out at the lower end, and down the side of the butt to
the extreme end of which it is fixed at high tension. On a pull
being imparted to the trigger the hook is released and
forthwith flies to the opposite end of the barrel carrying the
silk along with it. The barrel is specially made of brass
tubing, 8-1/4 inches in length, and of the same diameter
throughout. Percussion caps only are used with this pistol.

Up to this point the performance conducted in silence.

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Chinese Rings.--Performer introduces eight or nine rings,

telling their history with a strong American accent, then going
amongst audience offering each and every ring for
examination.

During the examination assistant (1) enters with small table

on which is lighted candle in holder on cloth; jerks cloth from
under candle and bows; throws cloth over table, then raises it,
and shows candle gone out; again throws cloth over the
whole, then raises it and shows that candle has vanished--
taken away in cloth--and retreats.

Performer returns to stage, changing the examined rings on

the way for the usual trick set of twelve. Usual business with
the rings.

Rising and falling Ball on upright rod.--Shows a nickel-

plated rod which he screws to an iron base and places on
table. Next hands a wooden ball with a hole through it for
inspection; taking back the ball drops it over rod, when it
rises and falls at command. It is further made to reply to
questions, rising and failing, once for "Yes," twice for "No,"
and three times for doubtful," Funny business for this effect
explained at length in last issue of Magic in connection with
the talking hand. (Thread tied to top of rod).

Drum Trick.--The usual nickel-plated band and two rings

made up, apparently empty, in front of audience, Assistant
comes on carrying two sheets of paper concealing "load"
hanging on front of person. Body of drum placed behind front
sheet of paper and ring pushed on to make paper end. The
paper is then taken from assistant and reversed, showing
drum empty. Returned to assistant in this position, and rear
paper then removed and pressed over open end of drum with
the remaining ring, the "load "made up similarly being
pushed into drum through rear paper end at the same time;
this leaves both ends apparently intact. Paper end of drum
now broken and quantity of small flags produced and placed
on tray brought on for the purpose and containing pagoda and
large U.S.A flag on telescopic staff. Bundle of flags lifted
from tray, and pagoda produced from same (hung up),
followed by flag on staff--performer retires. Ribbon running
from pagoda is caught in tub held by assistant; my
correspondent does not say, but I presume this is the trick tub
to release ducks or pigeons and which appear to be produced
from the ribbons.
 7

Trick with Borrowed Rings.--Performer reappears and

borrows four finger rings, receiving same on a short stick,
change in usual manner and dummy rings dropped on plate,
He proceeds to drop three of the rings, one at a time, down
the barrel of a rifle, forcing each down with a heavy ramrod
to the consternation cf the owners; the fourth ring will not go
in the rifle, and is forthwith made tractable by means of a
hammer. The hammer is brought on by assistant (3) who
receives the borrowed rings and retires to attach them by
ribbon, one to each of a like number of the performer's
business cards; they are then placed in a small box suspended
behind side table to be taken on stage as required, Rifle is
then fired at a nest of boxes which has been hanging in full
view from the outset. Box opened, and another one
discovered inside, removed and placed on the table brought
on at this moment, for the purpose. Several other boxes
discovered, the last one being minus a bottom to admit of the
prepared one being loaded into it from servante. Removing
the last box the performer takes same into the auditorium,
allowing the owners to open it and remove their property.

N.B.--A more interesting form of this trick, and explained in

greater detail will be found in Magic for July, 1910, page 76.

Rising Cards.--Four persons each call out the name of a card

the performer removing each from the pack then handing the
whole for inspection, and allowing any person to shuffle the
chosen cards with the rest. He then returns to stage, holding
the pack in the left hand, the right hand being held aloft. The
chosen cards then rise from the pack one after the other and
pass upwards into the right hand. The fourth card started
rising rather fast, and was told to return and rise slowly,
which it did; then when it had reached the right hand, the
performer walked away, leaving it suspended in mid-air. He
then signed to the card to come down, which it did, sinking to
within a few inches of the floor; it then rose again to a height
of about five feet when the performer took it, and at once
showed it back and front.

As the cards are called out an assistant behind scenes takes

duplicates from another pack, every card of which is provided
with a "lip" on its back, as explained and illustrated in Magic
for February, 1901. The duplicate cards are placed on the top
of another duplicate pack, Which is then placed on the
servante of a small side table, and carried on by the assistant;
all this is done while the chosen cards are being shuffled into
 8

the pack by a spectator. Returning to stage performer walks

behind table and changes the pack for the prepared one.

The cards are caused to rise by means of a thread stretched

right across the stage from either wing, and at a height where
the performer can just reach it with the extended right hand.
The thread passes over bright nails driven into each wing and
to both ends, which should reach nearly to the floor, are tied a
few cards to act as counterweights.

The right hand is first raised (to secure the thread), and a card
commanded to rise, This failing, the hand is lowered and
squares the pack together at the same time the thread is
passed under the "lip" of the rearmost card. The right hand is
then passed across, above, and below the pack, and seeming
all round it, in order to prove the absence of any connection,
the card meanwhile being kept from rising by pressure of the
left thumb. The right hand is then raised again, pressure of
left thumb relaxed, and up goes the card; it is brought down
again, and placed in front of the pack in the left hand, the
same action sufficing to place the thread under the "lip" of the
next card to rise. Repeated for the remaining cards. The effect
of the suspended card will be managed by attendants in each
wing manipulating the ends of the thread as required. This
trick was well executed and well applauded.

Cards Jump from Glass Tumbler.--Another pack of cards

placed in glass tumbler when every card jumps out with the
exception of one. My correspondent does not say whether or
not this was a selected card. But I have already explained the
trick at great length and with variations in Magic for February
and May, I904.

Throwing Cards to all parts of the House.--A full

explanation, illustrated, of this skilful trick will be found in
my "Conjuring with Cards," pp. 15-17, q.v. In this case the
cards so distributed bore the photograph of the performer.

Chinese Rice Bowls.--Fully explained in MAGIC for March,

1904, in conjunction with a new method of vanishing a glass
of water, the water reappearing in the bowls in place of the
rice.

Collapsible Table.--The above trick concluded the Rice

Bowls were carried off on tray by an assistant, The performer
then snatched up the table, which folded up very rapidly into
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the form of a gladstone bag, carrying which in one hand he

bowed and retired.

End of Part I. Curtain.

Juggling and Comedy.--The second part of the programme

is opened by Prof. Dossky, who comes on attired as a tramp
juggler, followed by a perambulator with a wooden cow-
catcher in front; this comes on by itself, travelling from the
right hand rear corner of stage to centre of footlights. Sloping
stage and front wheels set to describe the quarter circle would
account for the movements. Performer pushes the
perambulator back the same way behind the wings, when it
once more rolls down the stage to the footlights. He then
takes three bails from the perambulator and juggles with
them; then with four balls; also tricks with cigars, hats, plates,
coin on umbrella, etc. Back scene represents the sea, with
some rocks on one side, beyond which is some pasture land.
There is a cock, 2 hens and a cow on the land, a fisherman on
the rock and a man o' war on the sea. Suddenly loud reports
are heard and puffs of smoke come from the side of the man
o' war; then a shell comes on from the side and hits the
performer on the head, then two more shells arrive with a
crash on the stage. First shell rubber ball painted; the other
two made of wood.

The performer here produces a toy pistol and fires at the man
o' war, which sinks slowly. The fisherman is then seen to be
struggling with his rod and line, having apparently hooked a
large fish. Performer fires the toy pistol at the fisherman, who
disappears. He then walks over to one of the hens, which lays
an egg in his hand; the other then does likewise. Then
suddenly noticing the cock, he advances towards it, and
placing his hand near, receives another egg. He then seizes
the cow's tail, which he works up and down like a pump
handle, at the same time holding a glass under its udder. The
glass is rapidly filled with milk, with which the performer
retires to refresh himself.

The sinking of the man o' war is accounted for by the fact that
there is a slit in the scene through which it is pulled
(downwards). The sinking was most realistic, the bow sank
first, followed by the stern, then the whole ship disappeared.
The disappearance of the fisherman was effected in a similar
manner. The eggs were dropped through small slits in the
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scene, and the milk was poured through a small hole with the
aid of a funnel. The cow's tail was made of a piece of cloth,
filled with some soft material, and was sewn to the scene in a
manner to enable the performer to work it about as described.

The third and last part of the programme as follows:

Spiritualistic Cabinet.--Low narrow oblong platform on six

short legs wheeled to centre of stage; on the platform is a
screen-like arrangement which is then unfolded and arranged
round back and sides of platform to form a Cabinet. The
front, a separate piece put on afterwards, consists of a
framework having two doors each with the usual diamond
shape opening with blind hanging inside each. Doors opened
to show the interior empty, then closed and the cabinet
wheeled round to show all sides. Sticks, bells, tambourines,
&c., were then placed inside the cabinet, doors closed and the
usual manifestations took place.

Evidently done with the aid of an assistant, probably

concealed at the outset behind the screen-like arrangement on
the platform when this was placed in position he would be
standing on a small step at the rear, ready to enter the cabinet
(via a secret door in the back), after the same had been shown
empty and closed, and to admit of it being turned round and
inspected as described.

In conclusion the assistant would again pass through the

secret panel on to step at rear. Cabinet opened and pushed to
rear of stage (to admit of assistant escaping through trap in
scene), then turned round to admit of all parts of outside
being once more inspected. Other methods are a run-down
shot from trap in rear scene to rear of cabinet, folding mirror
inside cabinet, &c.; or the several methods worked in
conjunction with one another, arrangement and timing of the
various movements, &c.

The Multiplying Chair.--The performer snatches up a chair,

and, pulling it quickly apart, there are two chairs. One made
to telescope over the other.

Handcuff Tricks.--The usual business, a full explanation of

which I have already given in MAGIC, for November and
December, 1902, and January, February and March, 1903; see
also my No. 13 Serial, "Great Handcuff Tricks." Nicola issues
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a handbill bearing a friendly challenge to the police and

others to bring their own handcuffs (regulation), and try to
secure him. He came to the front of the stage and asked if
anyone had brought any handcuffs. About six people walked,
up and took chairs on the stage, each having pair of handcuffs
or leg-irons--evidently planted. He proceeded to have these
placed on one or two at a time, then went under canopy, and
came out again with his hands free and the handcuffs open.
One pair of ordinary English regulation cuffs, he said, looked
so easy he would take them off in front of the audience. This
he proceeded to do--evidently faked.

Handcuff, Sack and Box Illusion.--I have already given a

full explanation of this in MAGIC for October, 1903, q.v. A
later method of escape from the sack in the box, is for the
performer to be genuinely tied up by anybody in an ordinary
sack and to cut this open at the bottom from corner to corner.
The performer gets out and the lady gets in via this rough
opening. Then, in conclusion, and when the box is opened,
the lady stands on the bottom of the sack so that it cannot be
inadvertently raised. The committee then examine the seals
and finally open the sack, which the lady pushes down into
the bottom of the box, then steps out and closes the lid. As the
sack was carefully examined in the first place no one wants to
look at it now; all the same if they do--they don't.

Milk Can Escape.--For my explanation of this illusion,

where the performer, completely immersed in water, milk or
other fluid, is locked in a large galvanised iron can, yet
effects his escape, as is necessary under the circumstances, in
less than a minute, see MAGIC, for January and February,
1909.

A Topsy-Turvey Illusion.--A lady is strapped to an iron

frame, which is then bolted to the back of a narrow upright
cabinet, only just large enough to hold the lady in this
position. Cabinet closed-pistol---opened, and lady found
upside down, i.e., standing on her head. The two lady
assistants, Nos. 4 and 5 (doubles) are necessary for this
illusion. The one, fixed to a duplicate iron frame, is passed up
through the stage upside down, and fixed in such position on
the back of the cabinet; this is done under cover of fixing the
other lady in position at the same time. Then, under cover of
closing the doors in front, a hand is placed on the back of the
cabinet, which is turned round, being pivotted top and
bottom, and the trick is done.
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N.B.--A detailed explanation of the above illusion will be

found in MAGIC for November, 1906.

Doll Changed to Lady.--Box on low stand wheeled round by

attendants, that all parts may be inspected. Lid and front
opened to show empty, then a small doll placed in a little box
and put inside the larger one--closed. Pistol fired, then box
opened and found to contain lady dressed like the doll. See
my explanation of the Beau Brocade Illusion, in MAGIC for
October, 1909, and which applies.

Production of Diogenes from Glass Lined Trunk.--Trunk

shown empty and lined all over with pieces of plate glass,
then closed, apparently empty. Pistol fired, then trunk opened
revealing Diogenes inside. Evidently another version of the
Beau Brocade Illusion referred to above.

Novel Suspension.--Nicola laid himself down flat on the

table, his hands stretched back. Dossky from behind then
joined his hands together and placed his finger tips on the
performer's nose. His body then commenced to float upwards
and continued so to move slowly until it reached the
perpendicular, heels in the air, and apparently balanced by the
finger tips on the performer's nose. Invisible wires seem the
only solution.

N.B.--In addition to the valuable help rendered me in respect

to the above programme by Lieut. R. S. H. Townshend, I
have also received similar assistance from my esteemed
subscriber, R. P. Varma, I.S.C., of Paina, India.

The above explanations are my own, i.e., they are not

necessarily the methods employed by Mr. Nicola.
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Carl Hertz
Empire, Dec., 1903
Published in Stanyon's Magic, January 1904

Enters, conventional evening attire, white gloves

and wand, and while making short introductory
speech, removes gloves, rolling one up inside the
other and vanishing ball in the act of giving it
stage attendant (pass I. from L. H., wand, and left
tail pocket).

Next introduces an oblong brass bird cage, on mahogany base,

containing two canaries. Both birds are openly removed from cage,
and placed in paper bag, which is screwed up, and suspended on brass
stand made for the purpose. Blows paper bag to bits with revolver, and
birds reappear in the same cage held by stage attendant. I have already
explained, in a recent issue, the methods employed in re to the bag.
The cage, in this case, was separated from the wooden base, and both
parts twisted about for examination, then put together again. The base
is simply a wooden frame about 2-1/2 in. deep. There is a spring blind
roller at one end upon which is rolled a black blind. This is pulled out
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and the free end is attached to the opposite end of cage. This is the
normal condition of the cage. There is now a rod running across the
centre of cloth bottom, from side to side, and to the centre of this rod is
fixed a ring; if now the blind be pulled still further out, and this ring be
hooked on to the end of a moveable lever on end of cage, a bag of
cloth will be left hanging down, but concealed by the depth of the
wooden base. It is into this bag that the duplicate birds are put; and it
will now be seen that a touch of the lever will cause the "blind" to run
back to its normal position setting free the birds.

Next follows the Noah's Ark Illusion, in connection with which Mdlle
D'Alton plays her part extremely well, and with much dispatch. An
explanation of this illusion will be found in "Magic and Stage
Illusions" (Hopkins).

Crystal Clock Dial suspended on brass stand. The pointer is

removable, and both parts examined. Pointer set spinning on dial stops
at any hour audience desire (no confederates); also tells the number
thrown by a pair of dice. The dice have, doubtless, the same number oh
each of their six sides, as after the throw is made, performer requests
that they be not uncovered until the the pointer stops; when therefore
the pointer stops and the cover is removed all attention is rivetted on
the upper side of the dice to check them with the clock. Performer
quickly picks up the dice, and probably changes them for a different
pair when handing them to another spectator. The clock then tells the
number that will be thrown, which is, of course, equally simple. To
prove the absence of wires, threads, or electricity, the clock is next
held by member of audience, and stops at any hour called. The
construction of the clock, to stop as required, will be found explained
on p. 11 of this Volume.

Vanity Fair Illusion (see "Magic" by Hopkins), follows next in which

Mddle D'Alton again takes part.

Performer next introduces a six sided bowl about 12 inches diameter.

The bowl appears empty, but from it are drawn six boquet streamers,
each of which are hung upon a special stand, in line to make as much
display as possible. Performer next shakes bowl which drops into the
form of a six sided pagoda; this is also hung up on stand in front of
boquets, and a large quantity of paper ribbon is spun out from bottom
of pagoda. One rabbit is produced from ribbon, and the one rabbit is
multiplied into two rabbits in the bare hands (usual methods).

The two rabbits are now placed on centre table, and one rubbed into
the other (rabbit trap); the remaining rabbit is thrown in the air several
times in the vicinity of servante at rear of centre table, finally dropped
 15

into servante as other hand fires pistol at rabbit supposed to be in mid-

air. The vanished rabbit is next produced from collar of gent's coat in
audience (performer gets close up to gent and introduces with his right
hand duplicate rabbit from his own pocket, under gent's coat. He then
thrusts bis left hand down back of gent's coat to meet the right hand;
the rabbit being passed from the right to left hand and forthwith drawn
from the collar. It seemed to me the gent was a trifle ruffled, and I am
pretty sure the rabbit came in for its share of the treatment.

A small oblong tub was next placed on a stool and filled (by the
performer) with the ribbons extracted from the pagoda. Three live
ducks then made their appearance out of the ribbons, or what is more
likely from the trick interior of tub, and into view, through the ribbons.

Chinese Pagoda Illusion. Performer next openly attires himself in a

loose fitting silk chinese costume, trousers, coat and wig: and in the
meantime are arranged at rear of stage, one on each side, a couple of
small cabinets, each cabinet being mounted on a skeleton scaffolding
and accessible only by a pair of steps. Each cabinet is square with one
door in front and only large enough to contain comfortably, one person
in a sitting posture.

The interiors of cabinets are lined with a sombre fancy design, the
patterns running from floor to ceiling.

A lady attired chinese costume and seated in sedan chair is now carried
on to stage by attendants. This lady mounts the steps and takes up her
position in the right hand cabinet as you face the stage. The door of
cabinet is shut. The performer next takes up his position in the opposite
cabinet, door is shut and steps removed, pistol is fired, No. 1 cabinet is
opened and found empty, No. 2 is opened and in place of performer is
found the lady from No. 1, while the performer discovers himself in
the guise of one of the stage attendants.

Here is an explanation of the Chinese Pagoda Illusion. The lady steps

out of the sedan chair in which she is carried on to stage by attendants;
she is most perfectly disguised in Chinese robes, wig., etc., and
consequently it is difficult if not impossible to distinguish her from her
"double" especially as the two are never seen together for comparison.
This lady mounts the steps and takes up her position in the cabinet on
the right of stage probably sits on half-round shelf attached to bottom
of revolving back of cabinet, which carries her to the outside at rear so
that cabinet may be shown empty.

Performer gets clear away under the pretext of pushing attendants with
sedan chair off stage at wings. His double (presumably performer)
 16

instantly reappearing and taking up his position in cabinet on opposite

side of stage, at the rear of which is now duplicate lady on half round
shelf (this lady was previously inside cabinet when it was turned about
to show all sides). Spring is again released which brings duplicate
performer to outside at rear and lady to inside of cabinet.

In the meantime performer has donned the attire of stage attendant and
now appears as one of several of these functionaries, fires pistol and
assists in placing steps against the scaffolding supporting cabinets,
doors of which are now opened and No. 1 cabinet is seen empty, the
lady is found in No. 2 in place of performer (having apparently passed
from one cabinet to the other)while performer pulls off his stage
attendant's coat, etc., and thus discovers himself to the astonishment of
an appreciative audience.

N.B.--The base of each of the wooden structures supporting cabinet is

considerably wider than the top, evidently necessary to obtain the
desired stability of the structure for working the illusion on these lines.

Carl Hertz
Hippodrome, August, 1904
Published in Stanyon's Magic, September
1904

Novel Wine Trick.--One side of stage set with

lady at bar. Hertz comes on dressed as swell,
goes to bar and orders drinks, &c., &c. (very
much &c., &c.). He eventually receives a jug of
water and several tumblers, and proceeds to
perform the trick described in our "New Fire
Tricks and Chemical Magic" as Stanyon's Crystal Water Mystery, page
11, only instead of stout he uses red wine. For the red effect, see pages
9 and 10 of the book referred to above.

Eggs from the Mouth.--A couple of attendants come on, and each
removes a tray used in the above trick. As they go to leave the stage
performer stops them, and proceeds to remove a number of eggs from
their mouths, taking an egg from the mouth of each alternately. The
 17

turning about from the one to the other giving the necessary cover for
obtaining the eggs.

Ribbons from Bottle.--Lady leaves bar and takes a seat at small round
table with performer, who proceeds to pour out wine from bottle, then
to take out of bottle a length of coloured ribbon (about two yards long),
and continuing to remove wine and ribbon (perfectly dry the ribbon--
the wine is wet), removing in all some six lengths of ribbon, which are
handed to lady. In the midst of the revel a policeman rushes in,
presumably to clear the house, and performer disposes of lady by
means of the

"Vanity Fair" Illusion, the working of which will, doubtless, be

known to most of our readers. Policeman pulls down screen from
mirror expecting to find lady hidden behind it, but she has vanished
completely. A little later she reappears at the "wings."

Cabinet and Vanishing Lady (from Table) Illusion.--Performer

dons long, loose robe, cap, and whiskers, completely disguising
himself as a monk. Meanwhile lady (employed in previous illusion)
goes into the cabinet to change her costume, handing out to monk a
portion at a time, her dress, stays, petticoat--well--&c., &c. The monk
carries off the lady's attire, portion at a time, and eventually, and while
momentarily out of sight at the "wing," is changed for his "double,"
lady comes out of cabinet attired in tight-fitting costume. This done,
she takes her seat on chair set on rear end of oblong table (front end of
table faces audience, and table is covered with cloth reaching almost to
stage. Lady is covered with red cloth by an assistant and it appears that
the chair is of similar construction to that employed in the old
vanishing lady trick. The monk (the "double") now goes into cabinet;
lady disappears from chair and is found in cabinet. Monk comes on at
"wings," and, divesting himself of his robes, reveals Hertz. Work it
out!!

Bowl and Pagoda.--Six boquet garlands are produced from bowl

about couple Of inches deep. Bowl changes into pagoda with paper
ribbons running from the bottom. Garlands and pagoda are hung on
special brass stand. One rabbit is produced from ribbon, and multiplied
into two rabbits. One rabbit rubbed into the other (trap on table), and
other rabbit thrown into air several times, and fired at with pistol and
vanishes, dropped on to the servante in last throw. Table forthwith
removed by assistant.

Duck Tub.--Small tub placed on small Indian box table, ribbons

(taken from pagoda pushed into tub, and three ducks and two pigeons
come out of tub.
 18

I don't know what to call the next. Call it a

Spectacular Patriotic Display, it is scarcely an illusion, A large three-

panelled framework is seen at rear of stage, Each panel is about (I am
guessing; only seen it once) 5 ft. by 3 ft. The centre panel represents a
map of the world, the panels to the right and left, respectively, the
Stars and Stripes and Union Jack. Performer calls attention to the map,
and proceeds to pull out from different portions of it--the different
countries--flags of the particular country. Much applause was
noticeable on the production of the Japanese flag. Having produced
some dozen or more flags the map flies open (star trap principle), and
"Britannia" (lady assistant) is seen seated on a swing. Britannia
descends, shows herself at her best, and retires. As already stated, this
is scarcely an illusion, but it is nevertheless an exceedingly pretty and
interesting display, and secured the plaudits of a delighted audience.

Chinese Rice Bowls.--Explained in a recent issue of this journal.

Indian Basket and Basket Cabinet Illusion.--Performer dons Indian

costume, loose coat, trousers, turban (which effectually masks the
features), &c., &c. To remove a certain portion of his attire he, without
raising suspicion, goes behind portable screen, set close to drop scene,
and here he is doubtless changed by means of trap in scene for his
"double." To add realism to this ruse the certain portion of his attire is
thrown over screen and "double" appears. "Double" gets into basket
(the usual big bottom affair) and out again presumably to show it is
empty. The basket is placed on table. Opens cabinet (this is made in
straw painted green matching basket) and finds lady therein. Takes
lady from cabinet and puts her into basket and covers basket with
cloth. Next takes up bis position in the cabinet, and door closed.
Policeman comes rushing on, removes cloth from basket and jumps
into it, presumably to indicate lady has vanished, but rather, lady is
there all the time curled round the big bottom. Policeman next opens
cabinet and finds lady therein; then forth with divests himself of his
policeman's garb, revealing Hertz.
 19

Horace Goldin
Palace Theatre, June 1900
Published in Stanyon's Magic, August 1904

Performer comes on with a rush as usual, suggesting

nothing so much as a fire, and fire there is sure
enough, for snatching a cloth held in readiness by one
of his several assistants, he produces a bowl of fire
from its folds (for how to produce the fire bowl in the
most effective manner see our issue for June last).

Novel Drum Trick.--Assistant holds up a whole sheet of newspaper,

breast high, and Goldin shows a nickle-plated band (drum), about 6
inches diameter (the diameter must be such that the performer can span
it without difficulty) by 4 or 5 inches deep; also a N.P. band about 1
inch deep and large enough to pass readily over the drum. Passing the
drum behind the paper anti the band in front, he presses them together,
the paper thus forming one end of the drum: taking the the paper from
the assistant, he shows it on all sides, returning it to assistant with the
open side of drum facing audience. Taking another, and smaller piece
 20

of paper, and another N.P. band he presses them on to the open end of
drum to complete it: this movement neces. sitates pressure from
behind, so behind goes the disengaged hand (now, not having been
behind the paper, I am only supposing) to first remove from under the
assistant's coat, a duplicate drum (but a trifle smaller) made up in
exactly the same manner as above described and containing a load of
flags of all sizes and nations, and secondly, and in the act of bringing
the hand on to rear of drum to secretly force the second drum through
the paper into the interior of the first. Taking all from assistant,
performer tears off surplus paper and attaches the drum (with the aid of
rings on its sides) to the ends of cords (brought from wings by
assistants) leaving it suspended in the air in centre of stage.

Flags are now produced from drum one by one and laid over the
outstretched arm of assistant who stands side on to audience, when all
are out the drum is removed by assistants and cords are handed to
performer who apparently attaches them to bundle of flags taken from
man's arm--he really attaches them to the outside corners of a pair of
very large flags (Ensign & U.S.A.) joined together and taken from
inside of man's coat under cover of the others, the smaller ones he
grabs into a compact bundle which is hidden (as he is himself for that
matter) behind the larger flags rising as the pull is put on the cords.
When both large flags are fully extended performer drops bundle of
small flags behind one of them to be instantly carried away by an
assistant, at same time he himself emerges between the two large flags.

Trick of inertia.--Goes to table, takes some refreshment, replaces jug

and glass on table, then takes two front corners of cloth and snatches it
off table without moving or upsetting anything. Observe that the
objects are placed on a tray and that the cloth does not overhang the
rear corners of table.

Rice Bowl and Vanishing Water,--followed next, for a full

explanation of which see our issues for March and May last. Performer
worked the usual amusing sleight with the paper bag that had
contained the rice. The water found in bowls was poured into a flower
pot, over which a handkerchief was waved when a tree, some 12
inches high, shot up out of pot.

Illusion No. 1--A small platform on four short legs is run over centre
trap on stage close to drop scene, on the platform is placed a light
paper cube in size about a couple of feet, the cube suddenly changes to
one double the size, platform is wheeled to the front and a lady jumps
out of cube. A nickel-plated stave of music is now lowered from the
"flies" (stretching nearly across stage) covered with N.P. notes; to this
stave is suspended at regular interval an octave of "top" hats each hat
 21

containing bells of a different tone. Lady produced from cube, dances

in time to band and at the same time plays the accompaniment of bells
by kicking the hats as required, a very good exhibition of high kicking
sure, as the hats hang about on a level with the lady's shoulders.

Weighing Machine Illusion.--This is drawn to centre of stage, The

pans are some 3ft. in the air, the whole being mounted on a sort of box
arrangement in centre. Box steps on wheels are run up to one of the
pans (the steps stand over sheet of paper spread on the floor) to enable
a lady to take her position in the pan. When she is in position a curtain
is dropped from beam all round her and weights ? are placed into the
opposite pan to produce the supposed balance. I say supposed, because
no sooner is lady covered than she must pass from pan into box steps
to be wheeled away. When the balance trick is obtained a pistol is fired
and pan occupied by lady goes up, while the lady or her double
appears in body of hall calling out "Here I am." The curtains and skirt
part of the trick are, doubtless, managed exactly similar to the illusion
Escape from Sing Sing, explained and illustrated in Vol. II of "Magic"
p. 4. The way the "balance" is really effected will be found explained
and illustrated at pp. 143--6 of "Robinson's Spirit Slate Writing."

Production of Flowers in Pots on Special Tables.--See "Leaves from

Conjurer's Scrap Books" (Burlingame) which besides an explanation
and illustrations, gives excellent "patter" for the trick, pp. 86-90.

Trick Table.--This is an oblong ordinary looking table (about 3 ft. by

2 ft.) but capable of producing an extraordinary surprise. Performer
smacks it heavily on the top to prove solidity, then quickly takes it by
the ends in each hand and it is instantly closed up into a compact little
parcel no larger than an ordinary dress suit case and carried off in the
hand by the handle as the case would be.

Aga illusion.--Latest floating lady from box in centre of stage in full

light.

Eggs and Duck Tub followed next.

Canary and Cage.--Explained in same artiste's programme given at p.

4, Vol. II of "Magic."

Eggs on Tray.--An explanation of this trick of Inertia will be found in

"Magic" for November, 1903; see also the additional effect suggested
to me by Mr. Thorn and given at p. 87 of this volume.

The Lion's Bride Illusion.--A raised cage is seen in centre of stage,

 22

one half of which contains what appeared to be a lion, it may be a lion

but the hind quarters rather suggested "poodle" to me; he was rather
closely packed not at all ferocious or even demonstrative, and I could
not get a good look at his head. (I am not attempting to under-rate the
illusion, merely to explain it--use a full grown, 'forest bred LION if
you like--and to cart him about, mind, and KEEP him, but that is not
necessary for the illusion). The cage, for effect, is guarded by an outer
cage, probably wood, but it looks like iron; the lady is introduced and
having taken up her position in her part of the cage, the outer cage is
removed in sections by the attendants and so quickly that no indication
of weight is given. Blinds are drawn round the cage with the lion and
his bride, the indispensable pistol is fired, curtains are raised and cage
is seen empty and is forthwith pushed back (on wheels) into a special
recess at rear (centre) of stage.

The disappearance from cage may be effected by three or four of the

usual methods employed for similar effects, so as I am getting "held
up" for space will omit any explanation of this part. The cage out of the
way a large trunk is seen in process of being lowered front the flies.
Trunk comes down on slanting wire from front to rear of stage. The
trunk is locked and corded and on being opened a second trunk is
found within also locked and corded, in the second trunk is a third one
also locked and corded, this is carried to footlights and on being
opened the bride is discovered within. The second trunk on being
removed from first is doubtless placed over the trap so that lady can
enter the two via the bottoms while the second trunk is being opened.
The ropes on the last two trunks need not necessarily pass under them.
The lion was not reproduced, which rather disappointed me, as I was
anxious to get another look at him, if not to pat him or shake hands--he
troubled me somewhat.

New Air Ship Illusion.--A beautiful model ,of an air ship, covered all
over with various colored electric lights, is seen suspended in centre at
rear of stage, quite close to special drop scene. Ropes from the ship
attach to basket, which appears to be an imitation of a basket painted
or fixed on a board, the bottom of the board touching the stage. Goldin
appears in evening dress and proceeds to disguise himself by donning a
long loose coat and slouch hat (I was not aware that aeronauts
favoured such attire) then disappears momentarily behind 'basket,'
rather altogether through trap in scene, while his double, hitherto
concealed behind 'basket,' climbs into the ropes. A pistol is fired, down
come the blind, while almost at the same moment Goldin rushes on at
the wing and tearing off his disguise, speaks eloquently, though in
dumb show, the words, "Here I am."

The above lengthy programme is got through in something like 20

 23

minutes, which goes to prove, that, whatever conjurers as a body may

think, the "Show" is unique of its kind. It is certainly the most costly
conjuring "Show" I have ever known staged in this country. To equal
it, without any attempt to surpass it, one must certainly work hard and
spend much money. That the performer received the curtain nightly
goes to show how much the "show" was appreciated by the audience,
which after all is where, to the performer at any rate, the satisfaction
lies.

Horace Goldin
Palace Theatre, July 26, 1901
Published in Stanyon's Magic, October 1901

Goldin enters, in conventional evening attire, and

without speaking (the entertainment is carried on
throughout in dumb-show) proceeds to produce from
a good sized neck-handkerchief, respectively a bowl
of fire (ordinary small sized bowl) and a bouquet,
(ordinary Sized folding feather bouquet).

Next follows a few ordinary sleights with a small sized silk

handkerchief which is eventually placed over the muzzle of a not over
dangerous looking gun. Performer, by signs, indicates to audience that
he is about to shoot the silk into their midst, it disappears, being drawn
into barrel by a spring released by pulling the trigger--(no explosion)
duplicate silk, ostensibly that fired from gun, is now taken from collar.
 24

Goldin next goes to a small, but firm, square table, on his right,
covered small cloth and containing sundry articles as glass jug of
water, tumblers, etc, etc. Taking hold of two corners of the cloth he,
with a quick jerk, removes it bodily from table leaving articles
undisturbed. This is merely an illustration of the property of inertia and
may be accomplished with but little practice. To ensure success,
however, observe to place any small articles i.e. articles with small
bottoms, on trays not less than 8 in. square

The next trick is that entitled New Vanishing Water, and described at
length at page 4 of our "New Miscellaneous Tricks" the only exception
being that a glass jug, instead of a china one, is employed.

A couple of canaries are now removed from a cage and placed in a

paper bag. The bag is suspended on a slender wire stand about 4 ft.
high. Goldin standing a few paces from stand fires revolver at bag,
Whereupon the birds are seen to reappear in cage held by assistant at a
similar distance on opposite side of stand. The weak point of the trick
is that the birds are never seen in the hand of performer, as a matter of
fact they never leave the cage, but are pressed through a kind of trap
bottom under cover of the forearm of assistant who is holding cage.
Performer must rehearse to hold his hand and shape the bag in a
manner to induce the belief that all is fair and above board. Assistant
still holding cage has but to release trap when birds reappear. It may be
found more convenient to have a second cage, duly loaded, for the re-
appearance of the birds.

Here follows another example of the property of inertia. A small

oblong tray is placed over four tumblers each partly filled with water,
on the surface of the tray near the corners are placed four metal rings,
one exactly over each of the tumblers. On each of the rings is placed an
egg small end down. All ready, performer gives the edge of tray a
smart blow with the flat of the hand sending it flying into the hands of
assistant--the eggs fall, into each of the four tumblers:--This
experiment forms a finale to a series of Juggling Tricks in throwing
and catching the eggs (see explanatory programme on page 91, also
our "New Juggling Tricks").

Vanishing Lamp. A Small lamp, about 15 in. high, fitted glass globe
and chimney, is seen burning on small round top table, performer
covers the lamp with a special cover leaving only about 1 in. of top
part of glass chimney visible (cover rests on top of globe). In this
condition the lamp is removed by assistant, and placed on seat of a
tricky looking chair. Goldin holds a handkerchief in front of lamp for a
few seconds, then, appearing dissatisfied with the arrangements,
replaces the lamp still covered on table. A revolver is now fired at
 25

lamp which collapses on table, its prototype appearing simultaneously

on small shelf in centre of an elegant frame, mounted on brass
supports, and standing at rear of stage. The trick is spoiled by the
necessity of removing the lamp from table to chair for the purpose of
ringing the changes, this is accomplished under cover of the
handkerchief and with the aid of a chair provided with a revolving
back. The lamp replaced on the table is but an upright rod and a ring
surmounted with a piece of talc, the pull of a thread causes the rod to
fall into the hollow centre support of table, the ring failing flat on the
table top. A second genuine lamp would be placed in readiness on
small shelf at rear of revolving piece in centre of frame or if screens
were placed in convenient positions, as is the case in the show under
consideration, the lamp might be secretly removed by assistant from
back of chairr to back of frame.

Next in order follows the now familiar Fish Catching Trick--if the way
these fish make their presence felt is anything to go by, they must be
real indeed.

The conjuring and sleight of hand portion of this programme was given
in our last issue. Respecting the trick in which figure several canaries,
a cage, a paper bag etc., and which we endeavoured to explain, a
reader informs us that the exact method employed is probably as
follows:--One cage only is used and this contains several canaries
(visible), also a duplicate set of birds concealed in a trap. In the mouth
of the paper bag shown is gummed a smaller bag, perhaps
incombustible, reaching about one third the length of the larger bag.
The birds are actually removed from the cage and placed in the bag
i.e., the small bag, in which they remain uninjured when the bottom of
the larger bag is blown away by the explosion from pistol.

Fig. 1.
 26

Second Part of Programme--Illusions. Throughout the entire show

the rear of the stage represents a garden wall with an opening in the
centre (see fig. 1). This wall plays an important part in the following
sketch. XX is a trap and AA a couple of metal arms about two feet
long. On one side of the stage at C.T.C., are a table and two chairs.
Behind the table at T, and out of the way for the moment, the
disappearing cabinet, originated, we believe, in the illusion known as
the Escape fram Sing Sing. In centre of stage a carpet with trap XX
corresponding to trap in stage. Cabinet is attached to rope passing over
pulley wheel in "flies" that it may be readily moved about stage with a
little help at the "wings."

Goldin enters, receives a letter, and is soon afterwards joined by a lady,

both take seat at table and indulge freely in wine, eventually becoming
excited. Goldin looks at watch and twirling it round at full length of
chain, it flies back into his vest pocket. Lady dances and kicks tray
held high in air by Goldin. This high kicking is made for the purpose
of dispelling the idea that a "trick" skirt is used by the illusion which
follows.

A man appears at garden gate and startles the lovers, lady rushes off
stage (for the purpose of changing the skirt she is wearing for the"
trick" skirt), and Goldin pulls canopy into centre of carpet over trap.
Lady rushes on stage and enters canopy, the curtains of which are
lowered to leave the bottom half of the skirt visible. Rope lowered
from "flies" is attached to top of canopy, which is now raised about a
yard from the floor and swung to opposite side of stage (Fig. 1). (The
time taken to attach the rope to canopy corresponds to the time
required, by the lady to disappear through trap on stage, her egress
being hidden by the still visible skirt she had attached to cords hanging
from the top of the curtains.) Here, performer, having made use of a
handkerchief, throws it up under curtain of canopy--it catches on a
hook, but the supposition is that it is caught by lady.

Curtains of canopy are lowered completely hiding skirt. Performer

rushes over to garden wall, and standing in front of trap, holds up
lady's opera cloak to hide himself. He really hangs cloak on the arms A
A, and disappears through trap to change his attire to that of an
inspector of police.

Ordinary policeman enters, and raising curtains of canopy a trifle, sees

the trick skirt, which he supposes (with the audience) to be the lady; he
also looks behind cloak, and gives impression that his prisoner is there.

Three more policemen enter, one an inspector (Goldin), and enact the
 27

same business.

Now for the arrest. Cloak snatched away, Goldin has disappeared,
canopy lowered, curtains dropped from the top, and with them the trick
skirt--lady has disappeared. Lady appears in auditorium. Inspector of
police removes his cap and bows to audience as Goldin.

A Cage Illusion.--A tall cage sufficiently large to hold a person and to

allow for the necessary movements is now placed in centre of carpet
over trap. Cage stands on trick pedestal apparently isolating it from the
floor. Goldin enters cage and pulls down curtains all round hiding
himself from view. Party dressed as Mephisto, who has been roaming
about stage, fastens down curtains to gain time, openly puts on masks,
then goes behind screen at side of stage (change) for revolver.
Mephisto rushes forward, fires revolver, curtains drop revealing a lady
in cage. Mephisto throws off cloak and mask and bows to audience as
Goldin.

The programme is concluded a with another series of tricks, a rather

unusual proceeding, as follows:-

Performer fashions, from a sheet of newspaper, a conical bag from

which he produces a rabbit. A large bowl is next placed on table and
covered with newspaper, paper is raised and a number of ducks put
into bowl (apparently; trick table, &c.); bowl is now removed, from
table, and placed on low stool and a quantity of water poured into it--
water emptied out and ducks vanished.

A duck is now seemingly wrapped in a large sheet of newspaper taken

from back of chair--paper crumbled up and duck non est. Duck was
dropped behind chair.

A large wash-tub is next filled with water some dozen pailsful being
required; attendant fires a pistol, and at the same time pulls a cord
which releases a number of ducks, previously confined in tub, and
which now jump out of the water and run about stage.

The entertainment as a whole is novel and well carried out, and merits
the applause it obtains.
 28

Horace Goldin
Palace Theatre, May 1907
Published in Stanyon's Magic, June 1907

Curtain goes up and no less than five attendants, in

uniform, are in readiness on the stage. The show is
what is known as a "dumb" show, the tricks being
presented-well, hardly in silence owing to the noise
created by tons of apparatus in motion--but without
any verbal accompaniment.

Fire Bowl.--Performer comes on and taking cloth from an attendant

produces bowl of fire from same.

Water Bowl.--Large black cloth stretched between performer and one

attendant, gathered up in hands to prove empty; "shape" suddenly
appears under cloth and performer carries cloth over to table--cloth
removed and large glass bowl of water, about 12 to 15 inches in
diameter, seen on table.

Fish Catching.--Several live gold fish appear in net (not unlike a

landing net) waved about in the air. Fish tipped out of net into bowl of
 29

water above mentioned.

Pistol and Sword.--Handkerchief hung over barrel of pistol given to

attendant; performer goes to opposite side of stage and draws sword;
attendant fires and handkerchief caught on sword.

The Drum Trick.--See our "Original Explanatory Programmes" just

published.

Production of Live Ducks.--Small tub shown empty, placed on low

hexagonal stand and covered newspaper-several live ducks appear in
tub.

Rice Bowls and Vanishing Glass of Water.--See my explanation of

the trick in MAGIC for March, 1904.

Growth of Flowers.--Instantaneous growth of flowers in empty pot

stood in centre of. glass top table on slender nickel stem.

Vanishing Lamp.--Attendant comes on with lamp on wooden tray;

performer, standing behind tray, covers lamp with cloth (hole in centre
of cloth for chimney), lifts lamp from tray, comes forward and lamp
vanishes, cloth falling to floor, Attendant retires with tray.

Trick of Inertia.--With four eggs on tray over four glasses. See our
No, 16 serial.

Bridal Chamber Illusion.--Large four-posted canopy raised from

floor on four short feet. Right hand end blind drawn down, then back
blind, then blind down at opposite end, and lastly front blind down.
Box steps used to enable attendant to reach to pull down blinds.
Attendant, pulling down front blind, left inside canopy. Pistol and front
blind goes up and canopy found Set as bridal chamber with lady in
bed. Performer gets into canopy and makes several smaller tricks,
including two red handkerchiefs (tied together) change to two blue
ones; also watch hung on end of barrel of pistol vanishes when pistol is
fired. Pistol wakes lady, who gets up, throws sundry garments aside,
dresses, with the help of the performer, and both get out of canopy.

Both make merry at table, take wine, wine changes to confetti, and
production of bouquet. Lady dances with tray. Salvationists (man and
woman with drum) cross stage.

Weighing Machine Illusion.--Lady disappears from pair of scales and

performer from screen at rear. Woman Salvationist returns, uncovers,
 30

and proves to be lady; photographer uncovers and proves to be

performer.

Growth of Flowers in Pots on Table.---Collapsible Table. Made to

close up quickly to be carried off as a box, size of a 24 inch hand bag.

Aga Illusion.--Effect as described in Magic, November 1904. Glass

front of box falls down, bouquet handed to lady, back bar removed,
and hoop passed over once only, i.e., attendant holding hoop at the
outset probably puts it over gear before connection is made. Performer
using large magnet for effect.

Cannon and Triple Box Illusion.--See our No. 16 serial.

Two new canopy illusions, effect of which we are unable to describe in

this issue for want of space, concluding with production of rabbit from
conical Paper bag; duck pail; vanish of rabbit in paper at chair, and
production of four ducks out of large tub, into which pails of water had
been poured.

Probably the biggest and most expensive magic show yet staged.

The Chang Archives

Review of
"Un Viaje al Infierno"
(A Trip to Hades)

Details of Chang's N1 Show, "Un Viaje al Infierno" (A Trip to Hades) as given

in Teatro Caldern, Barcelona, Spain, 1948. Freely translated from notes kindly
provided by Mr. Angel Bellsol Rey of Girona, Spain, to whom I am most
grateful.

~ First Part ~

1. Overture. House dark. Orchestra plays.

2. The Infernal Caves. The curtain opens and the ballet dances dressed as
 31

devils. Costumes glow in "Black Light" (Ultra Violet Light). Suddenly a

big devil mask appears center stage. There is a smoke flash and Chang
appears magically. A spotlight picks him and the dancers leave the stage.
Chang walks downstage towards the audience while a backdrop falls and
all stage lights go full up. Chang talks to the audience and the show is on.

A posed photograph of Chang's "The Infernal Caves" opening.

3. The Fishbowls Jar. The double cylider trick often called "Kuma Tubes"
where two cylinders are shown empty and passed one through the other
and a production of silks and fishbowls follow. At the end a big jar is
produced from which water is poured. Finally, Chang shows that the big
jar is bigger than the cylinders from which it came and it cannot be put
back in.

4. The Chinese Lamp. A square chinese box about 10x10x10 inches is

shown empty and a big silk production is made. The silks are piled on the
floor and finally,from the silks, a big Chinese Lamp is produced. The
lamp is fully lighted.

5. Alladin's Jewels. A series of effects using rings and other jewels from the
audience. At the end they appear in a nest of three boxes.

6. Tea from China. The Coffee and Milk Trick (two metal tumblers filled
with confetti. The confetti magically changes into coffee and milk) plus
other effects.

7. It can't be Done Faster. A series of productions and vanishes using

bowls, liquids and various other articles.

8. Where did it go? Vanish of a lady in a hanging cage and her

 32

reappearance inside a glass tank filled with water which is in center stage.

Reappearance of the lady in the water tank

9. Paper Metamorphosis. The Egg in Fan trick.

10. From a Little House to the Mirror of Illusion. Doll's House Illusion. In
the presentation Chang places a small doll inside the empty house and it
turns into a real ballerina which comes out dancing, stands before a mirror
and segues into the next dance number with the whole ballet.

11. The Fan Dance. Dance by the whole ballet where the girls open and close
fans which change colors several times. (Color Changing Fans.)

12. Where did They Come From? Production of a huge bowl of water,
Chinese style, complete with ducks swimming in the water. Then the
Aerial Doves. (Catching doves with net.)

13. Where did They Go? Vanish of the doves in a breakaway box using the
gag where some feathers are seen under the table and they finally prove to
be a feather duster. Chang is almost alone on stage and throws all the
pieces off stage to unseen assistants.

14. Walking on the Avenue. A girl with a parasol comes on stage. She also
has a handbag. There is a short dialog with Chang and then he presents the
Parasol Trick.
 33

Chang performs the Parasol Trick

15. Behind the Scenes. The backdrop represents the front of the stage with an
audience painted on it. Two of these painted spectators applaud (assistants
who pass their arms through holes on the scenery). There is a production
box center stage. A girl is hiding "behind" it, that is, in full view of the
real audience. She enters the box through a door on the side but then
another different person comes out of the box.

16. The Clown that Lost his Memory. A comedy dialog with a clown to
introduce a juggler.

17. The Technicolor Circus. Chinese juggling with yo-yos (by a Chinese
juggler, not by Chang).

18. The Hindu Rope. Tarbell Cut and Restored Rope Trick.

19. Lemon, Canary and Egg. Vanish of a canary in a paper bag and it
reappears inside an egg which is inside a lemon.

20. A Cabaret in New York. Dance by the ballet to introduce the next trick.

21. Chang's Magic Cocktail Shaker. Any drink called for is magically
produced from a chrome plated cocktail shaker. Many assistants with trays
and glasses. Very well performed with a lot of details in the choosing of
the drinks (beer: lager? stout?; milk: hot? cold?). He never lets go of the
shaker.

22. Television. The card between glass plates, jumbo version. TV wasn't yet
implanted and this gave Chang his patter theme about the possibility of
transmitting the image of a chosen jumbo card.
 34

23. The Palace of Fu Yung Cha. Dance number by the ballet including
several tricks like The Levitation.

* Chang performs the levitation

24. The Dream of the Prince. Dance by the ballet.

25. The Oldest Trick in Magic, but will you see? The Chinese Linking
Rings with a superb presentation ending with all the rings clanging to the
floor.

26. The Skeleton Rumba Dance. Chang comes on stage, in one. He's
wearing a stethoscope and announces that he is going to present a macabre
dance by skeletons and flying nebulas and that persons that are especially
sensible can leave the the auditorium if they want but that normally there
is no accident because all measures have been taken. Lights go off and
luminous skeletons begin to appear and they walk through the audience
while strange luminous forms fly overhead. At the end, lights come on
and the stage is bare. Chang comes out to announce the end of the first
part of the show and says he is happy he didn't have to use the
stethoscope.

~ Second Part ~

27. Canaries Everywhere. Production and vanish of cages with canaries.

28. A Canary for a Lady. Chang walks towards a lady spectator to give her a
 35

cage with a canary and it visibly turns into a flower.

29. The Modern Mata-Hari. Shooting a Ribbon Through a Girl.

30. Chinese Music. Vanishing Radio.

31. Wong Mow Ting. Chinese Juggler using two sticks.

32. Time Flies. Six alarm clocks placed on a board. They are made to ring
and vanish one by one as Chang picks them and makes the motion of
magically throwing them to the other side of the stage where they
magically appear one by one hanging on cords from a frame.

33. Chang, the Jeweller. The Nest of Boxes but using baskets. Several pieces
of jewelry from the audience are wrapped in a handkerchief (which is then
exchanged for a similar parcel in a Change Bag). The handkerchief is
opened and just confetti comes out.

34. In the Ruins of Ancient Greece. A dance by the ballet wearing classic
Greek costumes. The have silk scarves and Chang presents the
Sympathetic Silks.

35. Marno Brothers. Circus act.

36. The Theft of the White Jade. A glass disk with a hole in the center is
placed inside a holder with a nickel-plated base and a ribbon is passed
through it. The ends of the ribbon are held by two assistants so it's
impossible to take the glass disk out. Chang announces that he is going to
show the audience how to magically make it penetrate the ribbon.
Suddenly two spectators (man and woman) begin to argue in a box near
the stage. As everybody looks up, Chang extracts the disk from the ribbon
magically so when the audience again looks at him, he has it in his hand
and says "And that's how you take the disk out of the ribbon," and then
something about paying attention in magic and misdirection.

37. A Lesson in Fooling. The Torn and Restored Strip of Paper with sucker
explanation.

38. A Surprise for Chang. The Topsy Turvy Bottles Trick. Asks for
somebody from the audience to come on stage to learn a trick. A little boy
comes up (stooge) and Chang has him stand behind a tripod stand in
which there is a bottle and a tube. Chang stands behind a similar stand
with another bottle and tube. Chang covers the bottle and asks the kid to
do the same as him and turns the tube with the bottle upside down several
times. At the end Chang's bottle is always right-side up while the kid's is
upside down. Finally, in a moment in which Chang is not looking, the kid
 36

turns his bottle around... but at the end, it's still upside down.

39. Scherezade, a Tale from the Thousand and One Nights. Dance by the
ballet.

40. Magical Scenification of the Great Ballet, produced and conceived by

Chang with the assistance of the whole company. Grand Finale with
music and dancing combining several big illusions (Cremation,
Production of two men from an empty box) with small tricks (production
of flower bouquets, Cut and Restored Turban). The scene begins by
showing a trunk, rigging it and raising it so it hangs over the stage during
the whole number. At the end the trunk is lowered on stage and from it a
second trunk is taken and from it comes the girl that was just cremated.
There is a grand scene with more music and dance and some final words
by Chang. (Actually this last scene had a plot line justifying all the tricks.)

The Chang Archives

Review of
"El Segundo Viaje al
Infierno"
(The Second Trip to Hades)

Details of Chang's N2 Show, "El Segundo Viaje al Infierno" (The Second Trip to
Hades) as given in Teatro Caldern, Barcelona, Spain, 1948. Freely translated
from notes kindly provided by Mr. Angel Bellsol Rey of Girona, Spain, to whom
 37

I am most grateful.

~ First Part ~

1. Devils. This is the same opening number used in Chang's first show. (The
curtain opens and the ballet dances dressed as devils. Costumes glow in
"Black Light" (Ultra Violet Light). Suddenly a big devil mask appears
center stage. There is a smoke flash and Chang appears magically. A
spotlight picks him and the dancers leave the stage. Chang walks
downstage towards the audience while a backdrop falls and all stage lights
go full up. Chang talks to the audience and the show is on.)

Chang repeated the "Infernal Caves" opening from his main show.

2. The Inexhaustible Tube. Production of silk handkerchiefs from a big

Genii Tube (same as the Phantom Tube, only it split opens in half
lenghtwise to show empty). After the production Chang performs The
Sympathetic Silks.

3. Something to Eat. The Rice Bowls Trick followed by The Growing

Orange Bush: Chang shows an orange bush bare of fruit and then oranges
begin to grow on the branches which he cuts and throws into the audience.
A very effective apparatus trick.

4. Rapid Flight. Two ducks vanished in a break-apart box.

5. Shangai Dye Store. The trick of dyeing silk handkerchiefs by passing
them through a paper tube, here combined with the dance movements of
the ballet.

6. A Feast in Brazil. Production of a girl from a Tip-Over Trunk, followed

 38

by a Samba dance by the ballet.

7. A Clumsy Jeweler. Chang borrows a ring and saying it has a minor flaw,
pretends to fix it with a hammer. Then he performs the old omelette in
Dove Pan in which a dove appears with a ribbon tied to its neck and tied
to the ribbon is the restored ring.

8. The Magic Canary. Mr. Bellsol doesn't remember what this trick was.
He says it was probably a combination of effects linked to the last trick.

9. The Latest News. An actor comes onstage reading a newspaper. Chang

has a funny dialogue with him and finally performs the Torn and Restored
Newspaper.

10. Mexican Dance. Dance by the ballet.

11. Something to Drink Comedy sketch including the Egg in Hat trick.

12. Solid by Solid Mr. Bellsol doesn't remember this trick.

13. Coffee, Coffee. Chang stuffs some silk handkerchiefs inside a coffee pot
from which he then pours hot coffee for a spectector he has on stage.

14. Hindu Dance. Dance by the ballet.

15. The Marvellous Egg. The Broken and Restored Egg trick performed in-
one.

16. The Skeleton Rumba Dance. Same presentation as in first show. (Chang
comes on stage, in one. He's wearing a stethoscope and announces that he
is going to present a macabre dance by skeletons and flying nebulas and
that persons that are especially sensible can leave the the auditorium if
they want but that normally there is no accident because all measures have
been taken. Lights go off and luminous skeletons begin to appear and they
walk through the audience while strange luminous forms fly overhead. At
the end, lights come on and the stage is bare. Chang comes out to
announce the end of the first part of the show and says he is happy he
didn't have to use the stethoscope.)

~ Second Part ~

17. The Great Comedy Bull-Fight in Technicolor. Dance by the ballet

under ultra-violet lights.
 39

18. Wine and Water. Chemical trick of pouring water into glasses and
having it turn into wine and back to water again.

19. Music, Maestro. The Vanishing Radio.

20. Wong. Chinese Juggler using two sticks and a third one between them.

21. The Guillotine. The head-chopper trick.

22. Barrel Beer. The Beer Barrel Trick in which many beer glasses are filled
from an empty casket. The beer is passed to the audience.

23. The Cards. The Rising Cards Trick, using giant cards and many funny
gags.

24. The Ball and Magnetism. An excellent presentation by Chang of the

Floating Ball Trick.

25. The Invisible Mysteries. A black-light (ultra-violet) number combining a

dance by the ballet with mysterious movements of several objects and the
introduction of other pseudo-spiritualistic effects.

26. A Meeting of the Spirits. Continuation of the above, introducing the

Spirit Floating Table.

27. Marno Brothers. The same circus act as presented in Chang's first show.

28. Well Tied. The Thumb Tie Trick.

29. The Little Paper. Mr. Bellsol doesn't remember this trick.

30. Scherezade and the Sultan. The same magical presentation used in the
first show. (Magical Scenification of the Great Ballet, produced and
conceived by Chang with the assistance of the whole company. Grand
Finale with music and dancing combining several big illusions
(Cremation, Production of two men from an empty box) with small tricks
(production of flower bouquets, Cut and Restored Turban). The scene
begins by showing a trunk, rigging it and raising it so it hangs over the
stage during the whole number. At the end the trunk is lowered on stage
and from it a second trunk is taken and from it comes the girl that was just
cremated. There is a grand scene with more music and dance and some
final words by Chang. (Actually this last scene had a plot line justifying
all the tricks.))

Note: Chang performed many magical effects in his show and usually he didn't
follow the printed program. These notes were written from memory by Mr.
Bellsol in 1997, almost 30 years after he saw the Chang Show in Barcelona,
 40

Spain so, even though they give us an idea of the sequence of tricks in Chang's
marvellous spectacle, these notes are not complete. For example, Mr. Bellsol
remembers Chang performed the Aerial Fishing Trick in the second part but he
doesn't remember exactly where because this trick was not listed in the printed
program.

Ching Ling Foo. Chinese Conjurer.

From Stanyon's Magic, March, 1905

Curtain goes up and we find the performer, with no less than ten assistants,
already on the stage. All are standing to attention, and all are prettily
dressed in native attire. Most of the assistants are performers for that
matter, and several take their "turn," an excellent ruse for covering up the
time taken by chief performer in his preparations for several tricks.

Production of plate of oranges. All leave stage with exception of

performer and one assistant. Performer shakes out an Oriental cloth as large
as a small counterpane and shows it both sides--he is attired in the flowing
robes of his country. Both performer and assistant next get well under the
cloth and after some fumbling about produce a dinner plate piled up full of
oranges. All things considered I think that is sufficient explanation; I really
could not tell from whose person the plate was produced for reasons above
stated. The apparatus for the above trick could be readily constructed with
 41

the aid of the rubber imitation oranges, glued or otherwise, fixed on to an

ordinary china soup-plate, and one loose ordinary orange to lay on the top
of pile to give the impression all loose. The assistant having his arm and
shoulder entirely under cloth may place this loose orange in position.

With the aid of another cloth, equally large, and a reversal of the above
proceedings the plate of oranges is caused to disappear; the plate is once
more produced from this cloth, followed by a large china basin full of
water, a la Fish Bowl production, only basin perhaps ten inches across top
and shape of a pudding basin. Performer leaves stage.

Juggling. Another of the company comes on and spins a small basin (size
of the rice bowls) upside clown on end of stick, i.e., stick is inside basin.
The momentum is obtained by performer hitting side of basin with his
fingers. Basin is thrown from stick in left hand to stick in right hand. Basin
is next thrown very high in the air and caught on stick; thrown under leg
and caught on same stick. When spinning on stick in left hand, stick is
passed behind back and basin thrown across to stick in right hand. Back to
stick in left hand. The prettiest effect is where performer throws basin from
stick, hits it on side and catches it on same stick; this is done quickly and
repeated, basin ringing like a bell. This basin, doubtless, has prepared
conical centre inside. Same performer next does some very clever throwing
and catching of a very large and heavy flower bowl, finally throwing bowl
and catching it on his forehead, where he causes it to alter its position and
to spin round by a simple movement of the head. Should think bowl weighs
between eight and ten pounds.

Two little girls next do some clever spinning with small saucers (tea
saucers) on end of sticks. Stick on outside (bottom) of saucers. Saucers are
wobbling all the time, never centred on stick. The one child next takes the
stick from her companion, with her disengaged hand and keeps both
saucers wobbling, this is a very clever feat as any juggler knows who has
tried to pass a plate, wobbling on stick from his right to his left hand, and
keep it going without a fall. But this is not all, the child crosses her arms,
kneels down, turns head over heels, and gets up again, the two saucers still
wobbling merrily on the top of their respective sticks.

A child acrobat next appears and does some very funny and original
business. The greatest fun is produced with the aid of a dummy head (good
imitation of her own) which is attached to the bottom of her back. When
she is walking on her hands, for instance, her skirts fall and hide her own
head, exposing dummy at same time, while the actions of her legs are as
arms. Some excruciatingly funny poses on a chair are obtained with the aid
of this dummy head.
 42

Another little girl next sings, most prettily, two old time songs "Because I
love you" and "Just one Girl," for which she receives much and well
deserved applause.

Man acrobat next appears, made up as a Chinese Gollywog, (if you know
what that is) and does some very clever bending and balancing on bench
and chair.

Ching Ling Foo appears next and with the aid of a counterpane and his
assistant, on lines as before, produces a very large china basin (pattern of a
wash hand basin only much larger) full of water. A card is displayed
marked 85 lbs. in big letters, weight of bowl and water I suppose.
Performer leaves stage and several assistants, with small ladles, ladle water
out of basin, slowly for effect, into pails--there is water sufficient to fill 4 or
5 pails, anyway, of the kind used. Our readers are doubtless familiar with
the method of suspending such a basin, full of water, behind the body from
a waistbelt: the basin to hang down low so that when performer stoops it
comes to rest on the floor and he has only to take a step backwards to bring
it under cloth. The weight removed, when basin touches floor, should
suffice to disengage it from its support--cover, retaining water in basin
removed under cover of cloth.

Performer again appears and after patting himself all over, in dumb show
proving nothing concealed on person, prepares to conjure again. He
understands however that audience are not satisfied, so divests himself of
several tunics, and is about to remove, what I suppose is shirt and trousers
to a Chinaman, when he thinks better of it and gets to work as he is.
Showing cloth empty he suddenly turns head over heels and, immediately
on rising, takes a very large bowl, full of water and gold fish, from the
cloth. I am of opinion, however, that he had removed the bowl from inside
his shirt (I apologise if I have incorrectly named the garment) and into the
cloth before the somersault was made. This trick was cleverly performed.

Ching again appears and spins a top, which hums very loud making a
terrible noise as it increases speed, on a cord suspended between two sticks
held one in each hand The top is really made in the form of an axle tree
with a hollow box or top, of equal weight, at each end. It is not difficult to
manipulate and some interesting movements can be made; top running up
cord, jumping over foot placed on centre of cord, &c., &e. I have, one of
these tops on the table as I,write, but regret have not had time to get it
illustrated here, in this issue, as I had intended.

There is not much Conjuring in this programme, but it is nevertheless very

interesting, amusing and clever.
 43

The embroidery in stage setting and hangings was superb.

Around the World with the Great Nicola

By Charles Vance and The Roberts

Charles Vance and Eddie and Lucille Roberts traveled with Nicola for sixteen months.
They toured many well-known countries, and also tramped into many remote regions.
They played modern metropolitan areas, and visited exotic lands whose fabulous
histories are steeped in legendary antiquity. Their memories are stored with a number of
thrilling and exciting adventures, as well as many fascinating and amusing experiences.
 44

We have been asked to pen our impressions of Nicola after our

close association with him, and to tell how he appears to us as
a traveling companion, as a boss, and as a showman. We'll
take them up in that order.

We had been warned by Nicola not to consider joining his

company if we entertained any thoughts of its being a "Cook's
Tour." There would be plenty of hard work, we had been
advised, and unless we could absorb that in large quantities,
we were certainly looking for the wrong job.

Traveling with Nicola around the world is especially

interesting because of his great wealth of information
concerning each place visited, and because of his vast store of
fascinating experiences culled from the memory of former
tours.
Mrs. Nicola and
The Great Nicola
No mention of Nicola as a traveling companion would be
complete without our personal tribute to his qualities as a man. It is one thing to admire a
man for his showmanship on the stage; it is quite another thing to respect him as a
personality off the stage. We sincerely respect Nicola as a friend whose admirable traits
of character are an inspiration to those who work with him. We admire his sincerity,
honesty and fairness in all his dealings.

As pleasant as it was traveling with Nicola the guide, it was of course necessary that we
never lose sight of the primary purpose of the trip--our responsibilities in connection with
the show. In this regard we come to Nicola the boss.

The Nicola show, crated, consisted of over fifty tons of equipment. It required two long
baggage cars to accommodate the equipment, and each of these was loaded to the roof.
Upon stages which were adequate to set up the entire production, 54 sets of lines were
required to fly the large number of draperies, curtains and various other illusion and
scenery effects. In many theatres additional lines had to be added, and unless the back
stage room was unusually ample, it was not infrequent that we had to move the crates
down stairs or even out of the theatre after unpacking them, in order to have sufficient
room for all the illusions.

As one might judge, it was no small undertaking to set-up a show of this magnitude and
complexity. There could be no compromise with efficiency or such a production could
never have operated successfully. When Nicola the boss walked through the door of the
theatre, Nicola the traveling companion remained outside.

There is a quiet dignity about Nicola the boss which commands respect. The term "boss"
is not quite correct, as we always felt we were working with him, rather than merely for
him. It was more as though he was the captain of a team, a team which had a difficult job
 45

to perform and of which he confidently expected perfect co-operation to achieve our

common objective.

This air of dignity and quiet confidence earned our devotion to the task before us. Nicola
is exacting and a stickler for detail. Laxity could not be tolerated. Without these qualities
his huge, elaborate show could never have operated at the amazing speed which was
marveled at by every newspaper reviewer.

The success of the Nicola organization can be stated in one word--Precision. We were
never allowed to forget that perfection was our eternal goal, and that we were expected to
achieve it at every performance.

Nicola inspired his team, as every good captain should, by setting the example of what
was expected of them. Every theatre and every stage presented different problems. He
was always on hand to see that these problems were solved in the most efficient manner
possible Each individual in the show had his own list of duties to perform, illusions to
help prepare, and properties to set. These each of us was to carry out without any
checking from Nicola; and the responsibility for every detail was solely ours.

It took a full day, working at top speed, to set up the entire show. Sometimes, in the
smaller theatres of small towns, the amount of stage space would not permit us to use
some of the more elaborate illusions, and the time required would be less. Whatever the
situation, Nicola was always on hand, checking the many details that did not fall to any of
us in particular. Now he would be in the orchestra, now in the gallery, again he would
pop up in the boxes, or perhaps in the wings--analyzing and checking every conceivable
angle of many things we are not at liberty to divulge.

We feel that a word should be said at this point about Mrs. Nicola. Marion has been
Nicola's leading lady on several tours, and it is not detracting one bit from the credit due
Nicola to say that a great deal of the success of his show is accounted for by the presence
of his charming wife. Marion was a constant source of inspiration to all of us because of
her almost unbelievable efficiency in handling and preparing an enormous number of
small properties, and we found ourselves constantly endeavoring to emulate her excellent
example. It seemed impossible for any one person to handle the responsibilities which
Marion cheerfully shouldered, and it was his confidence in her and the realization that
she always had everything under control which permitted Nicola to avoid any worry
about the situation backstage and to concentrate his efforts exclusively to the
showmanship of his presentation. In all parts of the world her hosts of friends rival in
number those of Nicola. She has been the toast of Princes and Potentates Sultans and
Maharajas. No woman in the field of magic can approach Marion's extensive knowledge
of the art of magic and the principles of showmanship-and there are relatively few
magicians even among the men who can top her in this category, for that matter. For this
reason, as well as for her gracious personality, her beauty, and her charm of manner, we
sincerely believe Marion Nicola merits the distinction of being the First Lady of Magic.
 46

In discussing Nicola as a showman it is probably best that we "look at the record." Since
our owl, personal opinions might conceivably be a bit partisan because of our great
regard for Nicola, we're willing to leave the verdict to the impartial record as found in the
cold black type of the newspaper reviewer, and in the irrefutable evidence of box office
statistics.

Nicola with the late Ching Ling Foo in the latter's carriage
in front of the Fun Ming Theater in Tientsin, China

Everywhere he went Nicola broke box-office records of long standing. Time and again
the S.R.O. sign was out in front of the theatre long before curtain time. It seemed funny
to us, when leaving the theatre in late afternoon after the matinee, to see the queue
already forming for the evening performance! Only the earliest comers stood a chance of
gaining admittance to the relatively small section of unreserved seats. In several cities the
management ran, in the advertisement columns of the newspapers, a public apology for
his inability to seat all of the people who sought to gain admission to his theatre!

In one area of about a million inhabitants, where we encountered the stiffest kind of
competition in many other fields of entertainment, the Nicola Show played for twenty
consecutive weeks. Five months! This would be the equivalent of a forty month season in
New York, where there are eight times as many people or a run lasting over three years!
This makes an interesting comparison with the maximum runs other magicians have had
in New York.

Everywhere the show merited newspaper reviews which frequently ran one or more
columns in length. Through all of these the same theme was apparent--one of enthusiastic
bewilderment. These reviewers, as exacting in every respect as the New York and
London critics whom they emulate, and accustomed as they are to seeing only the finest
purveyors of the mystical art, thumbed desperately through their mental dictionaries for
words to express their reactions.
 47

We come now to a review of the extravaganza which ran for nearly three hours, operating
with a speed and precision which was the result of years of planning and preparation.

As the last notes of the overture die away, a fanfare from the orchestra builds to a
crashing climax--and the Great Nicola steps through the curtains. Briefly, he introduces
his gorgeous "Revue of Magic of the Universe," in which he will impersonate some of
the famous conjurers he has met on his tours around the world. First, he announces, he
will take his audience with him to the Emperor's Royal Court in Pekin, China, and
impersonate an eminent Chinese wizard.

Nicola had appeared in full evening dress and cape for his introductory remarks. He steps
momentarily into the Wings, the dazzling silver curtains open, the orchestra has struck up
a Chinese medley, and Nicola steps immediately onto the stage, clothed in the costume of
the Chinese necromancer.

The scene which greets the audience is truly one of Oriental splendor. All of the scenery,
including the borders and leg curtains, are of the finest embroidered Chinese design and
material. All the assistants who appear on the stage in this scene are likewise clad in
luxurious Oriental garb. And the illusions blend unmistakably into the Chinese setting,
having been designed to do just that.

In rapid succession Nicola performs "The Elastic Lady," "Aerial Fishing," "The Chinese
Water Jar," and the "Dream of the Chinese Chop Suey Restaurant Keeper"--this latter
being a bewildering series of related effects which bring the scene to a startling climax,
and as Nicola steps to the footlights the silver trailer closes in behind him as the audience
before him invariably pays thunderous tribute. The show has started rapidly--but the pace
increases.

Announcing that he now proposes to take his spectators to India, Nicola again steps
momentarily into the wings, the silver curtains part, and Nicola steps back on the stage.
He is now dressed as a Hindu Fakir, the orchestra is contributing Indian music--but most
startling of all, the entire stage setting has been changed from China to India. The close-
in had been but a matter of seconds, yet the Royal Court of China has been transformed
into a street scene in Hyderabad, India. Again, all of the curtains blend into the Indian
scene, and all the costumes are likewise Indian.

Nicola's own version of the famous "Indian Basket Trick" opens this scene. Introducing
several new principles, Nicola has made it a new trick entirely, in everything except
name. "The Indestructable Turban" follows, and the scene closes with the "Levitation of
the Princess of Karachi."

After the inexplicable disappearance of the Princess into mid-air, the curtains once more
whip together for an instant as Nicola, at the footlights, turns the Magic Carpet in the
direction of Egypt. In the twinkling of any eye the curtains part, and Nicola is back on the
stage almost simultaneously-this time in the native dress of the Royal Egyptian Sorcerer.
The entire stage has again changed, and this time the scene is laid in the interior of an
 48

Egyptian temple. All the costumes are Egyptian, as is the music, and of course so are the
illusions. "The Priest, the Mysterious Shawls and the Beautiful Maidens," is a lightning-
like series of transformation effects, and this is followed by the "Egyptian Mummy
Mystery," a somber and weird ritual with an unusual twist.

For the fourth time the scene changes almost instantly, as do all the settings, costumes
and the music. This time Nicola appears as a burlesque magician from the Argentine. A
series of small feats all have a comedy twist, interjecting the lighter vein to relieve the
array of miracles which have paraded so rapidly before the eyes of the audience.

Into this series of Hobo Hocum rabbits and ducks appear and disappear, gravitation is
defied, and the Wonder Screen produces a huge semi mechanical pig eight feet in height,
which promptly goes into a dance and brings down the house. As a climax to the act
Nicola, by way of explanation to show how his costume changes are effected, appears as,
three different people in three different parts of the stage at almost one and the same time
and he turns up at the finish at the place he would least likely be expected, a situation
which brings the biggest laugh of the entire show.

This concludes the review of magic, and by this time the audience is a little breathless in
trying to keep pace with the rapidity of the extravaganza. The brilliant settings, contrast
of costumes and subtle blending of illusions has provided the first act which literally
overwhelms the audience. But this is only a start. A specialty follows in which the antics
of a comedian divert the attention of the audience sufficiently so as to bring them back
with brains relatively cleared for the second act. This can be described more briefly
because it is Nicola's presentation of American magic. Again the audience is treated to a
change of scene each time the curtains open, and all of these scenic effects are different
from those they saw in the first act. It is not necessary to go into these in detail. Each
scene also finds all the girls in different costumes.

Nicola is first produced magically in his "A-B-C Blocks" illusion which is followed by an
unique comedy mystery, "The Vanishing Chocolates." The "Pillory Escape," a rice effect,
and the billiard balls precede one of Nicola's newest and greatest achievements--
"Masterpieces." In this unusual and magnificent illusion, which fills the entire stage with
one of the most beautiful scenes in the whole show, the illusion evolves around sixteen
large scale reproductions of famous paintings by the old masters. At the finish of the
series of bewildering changes, one of the paintings designated by the audience comes to
life right before the eyes of the spectators. In our humble. opinion this is -one of the finest
and most beautiful illusions ever invented.

"My Lady's Birthday Presents," the "Traveling Salesman and the Farmer's Daughter,"
"Furnishing a Flat," and the "Rising Cards" brings us up to the feature of the closing
illusion of the second act. This Is the famous "Prison Escape Mystery" which has long
been one of Nicola's most baffling illusions, not only for laymen but for magicians also.

The setting is the reproduction of a real prison, with three cells, (all elevated from the
floor, of course) occupying the entire stage. Introducing the "Invisible Cloak" Nicola
 49

twice performs before the very eyes of the audience a miracle which approaches the
absolute limit of magical ingenuity and effectiveness.

An interval follows the Prison Escape, and to begin the final portion of the performance
Miss Lucille Roberts demonstrates her remarkable mind-reading powers in a featured
specialty act. This is followed by Nicola's elaborate "Wizard's Dream."

In this sequence, which opens upon yet another unique stage setting, Nicola explains how
he fell asleep one evening while working in his studio and dreamed of several great
mysteries which had been thought by magicians impossible to perform. The "Dream" is
reproduced in its entirety, complete with the performance of the "impossibilities."
Because of its unusual conception and its dramatic development, the "Wizard's Dream"
was especially praised by newspapers everywhere it was performed.

Next came the "Eggs from the Hat," and this was followed by Nicola's 20th Century
version of "Noah's Ark." At this point Nicola takes the audience behind the scenes and
demonstrates just how it is done-but of course the ending works out differently than any
one had imagined. Nicola's version of the "Chinese Rings" followed and was always well
received. A "Spirit Cabinet," with Manifestations and materialization of spirits, provides
good background for both mystery and comedy, and this is followed by the "Borrowed
Rings."

"The Indian Rope Trick" is the feature which fills the next part of the program. It is
difficult to describe the effect this amazing feat has upon the audience. In Nicola's
version, the "Wizard" throws the rope into the air and it remains suspended. The boy
climbs the rope almost to the top but not quite. Both rope and boy are out in the middle of
the stage, away from all curtains, and the top of the rope is in plain view. At no time is
there any covering of any sort. And there is no flash of flame or smoke. At the command
of the "Wizard," the boy disappears and the rope, always completely in view, falls to the
ground. That is exactly the way it looks to the audience nothing more and nothing less. It
embodies several principles never before used by magicians. As one of the large
metropolitan newspaper reviewers exclaimed, "It is an illusion which in all its elements
has never been equalled on the stage in this country."

After a giant "Three-card Monte" effect Nicola nears the end of his performance by
presenting his unique "Seeing through a Woman." Although this effect has -- been
attempted by some other stage magicians, Nicola is still the only magician who allows a
legitimate committee from the audience to come up on the stage and sit behind the sentry
box before the young lady is mutilated. When the vicious blades have been thrust through
her neck and thighs, the doors are opened to show her head and feet but the middle
section of her anatomy has disappeared. The back of this middle section is completely
removed, and the committee is asked to "look right through the young woman" from the
back. The young lady's torso is recovered and returned to her at the conclusion so that the
committee returns to the audience relieved, but just as bewildered as those out front.
 50

The "Human Pincushion," or "Iron Maiden," is presented just before the closing number.
Here is another exclusive Nicola miracle which has been victimized by various copyists,
but no one has as yet successfully duplicated the Nicola version. It is by far the most
effective and convincing spike illusion, and the various original features of its
presentation render it a classic of magic in every aspect.

The performance is brought to a conclusion by Nicola's inimitable "Substitution Trunk

Mystery." It has been many years since Nicola first became associated with this illusion
when, as a small boy, he assisted his father in performing it. Since those early days many
magicians have used the substitution effect in one form or another. Yet our humble
opinion is that you've -- never seen this transposition done until you've seen Nicola do it.

Now that it's all over we can say that not only did the tour come up to what we had hoped
it would be, but that it actually surpassed our fondest expectations--and that's saying
something!

It is naturally a disappointment that The Great Nicola's tour could not have ended as he
had wished it. Originally, the plans had been for the world tour to be climaxed by a
triumphal swing through the United States.

And a fitting climax it would have been, too. For The Great Nicola--the man who has set
box-office records all over the world, the man who has had more command performances
before kings, queens, emperors, maharajas and sultans, than any other performer on earth,
the man whose name is, in 58 countries, synonymous with magic and all things
mysterious--this quiet and unassuming standard bearer of fine magic wanted nothing
more than to conclude his greatest tour before his fellow-countrymen in his native land.

Carter the Great early full-evening show

At an early time in his career Charles Carter wrote down the sequence of his
full-evening show including the patter he used. This was done as an attempt to
legally protect his material because the complete scritp of the show could be
 51

registered as a stage play and its authorship credited to Carter. In this way he had a
copyright on his patter and sequence of tricks and could, in theory at least, stop any
magician from copying his patter and show.

I don't know if this scheme worked or stopped anybody from copying from Carter's show,
or if anybody attempted to copy, in the first place, but because of the existence of this
script (now in the public domain) we can have an idea of Carter's performance.

The first part of the script is a synopsis of the complete show and after that Carter
describes the complete sequence in more detail, even including his patter.

ACT I

Scene I
Modern Miracles Introducing a series of weird and fascinating digital manipulations and
original conjuring conceits in pace with the latest discoveries and innovations of science,
unparalleled in this or any other time.

Tableau 1. Rapid Transit.

Tableau 2. Enchanted Cone and Orange.
Tableau 3. Characteristic Shuffles.
Tableau 4. Aerial Cards.
Tableau 5. Metamorphosis.
Tableau 6. Astral Hand.

Scene II

Tableau 1. Carter's masterpiece - The latest word in Illusion building. Levitation.

Miss Evelyn Maxwell - A student in hypnotism.

The most astute, bewildering, and hazardous illusion and without any question, the ne
plus ultra de l'art magique. Original, new and novel in principle and confounding alike
the minds of scientists and philosophers. A dream in midair of a dainty princess,
surpassing in effect the reputed marvels of the ancient Egyptian sorcerers, and rendering
insignificant by comparison, a description of the fables in A Thousand and One Nights.
The idea for levitation germinated in India (crude imitations of which have been shown
before) carries one back, in fancy, to the banks of the sacred Ganges, where in Benares,
Mr. Carter mingled with the high caste and faithful fakirs who spend their lives in deep
study, peering into space and concentrating, garbed only in sackcloth and ashes. After
patient research and profound study, the subtle magical achievement has been evolved.
Its perfection represents fifteen years of abstruse thought and diligent experimenting and
 52

as a result, levitation remains the fin du sicle miracle and the crowning creation of Mr.
Carter's long and brilliant career.

Tableau 2. A conjuring effect from Luxor.

Tableau 3. The Inexhaustible Bottle. The closer you watch, the less you see.

Scene III

The Magical Divorce - which is literally and metaphorically "Out of Sight." A novel
conceit in which a human being is made to instantly vanish.

ACT II

Scene I - The Seance of Simla

In which the pet theories of Theosophists and Spiritualists are exploited. A departure
from the accepted regime of latter-day miracle expositions, perplexing and uncanny.
"Can such things be and o'ercome us like a summer cloud?"

Corinne Carter - the Psychic Phenomenon.

A chapter from the supernatural. Grave doubts are raised in the minds of thinking people
by this strange performance. An affinity with unseen powers seems certain.

The second part to conclude with the bewildering and bewitching illusion entitled:

Flyto

An experiment in which the propulsion of the astral body seems possible. Space
annihilated, time decimated and the laws of nature set aside. A pretty illusion, quite
obfuscating the will and confounding the senses.

ACT III

Scene I - A Night In China Carter impersonating the famous Chinese Court magicians.
An exposition of ancient Oriental necromancy, wherein the wonderful sorcerers of China
are imitated and impersonated. Immense objects produced from nothingness.
 53

"And for ways that are dark and tricks that are vain, the heathen Chinese is peculiar."

ACT I

(Lights full on scene, a palace hung in rich plushes, attendants, liveried assistants. Carter
enters, a young man prematurely gray, in evening dress.)

Carter: Ladies and gentlemen, with your permission I will endeavor to mystify you with
a few experiments in legerdemain. For my first experiment I shall call your attention to
this decanter. (Picking up decanter)

On my table to the left I have a similar bottle, both of these bottles, as you will observe,
are empty. I will stand on the far corner of the stage and place inside this bottle a red
piece of silk. (Put silk in bottle)

On my word of command I shall cause the piece of silk to disappear from this bottle and
reappear immediately after in that one on the table. Watch closely, and if you have sharp
eyes you will see the handkerchief disappear from one decanter and appear in the other.
One two-pass!

(Handkerchief instantly vanishes from the bottle held by Carter and at the same time
reappears, without any covering in the bottle on the table. Handkerchief removed and
both bottles shown empty)

Both bottles are perfectly empty and as innocent of any deception as I am. (Music)
 54

For my second experiment I have number three bottle partially filled with water. I shall
place this bottle on the stand to my left and around its exterior I will place this piece of
silk.

(Covering bottle with handkerchief) To my right you will observe a vase filled to the
brim with ink. In order to convince you that the liquid is really ink I shah dip into it this
playing card. You will notice that the lower haft of the card is black as the darkness of
night proving the liquid genuine. It will be my object to cause the ink and the water to
change places visibly. Both of these liquids will meet and pass each other in midair about
here. One-two-change!

(Ink instantly changed to water without any cover. Water changed to ink) (Music)

A magician's entertainment would be considered incomplete unless the magician were to

do something with a pack of cards. Therefore, to be in order, I will manipulate this deck
in a manner peculiarly my own, presenting first a series of shuffles. The first of these
shuffles is called the Liverpool or Waterfall Shuffle. The second shuffle, the Manchester
Shuffle; the third shuffle the London Shuffle and the fourth shuffle the Brixton Shuffle.

(Carter causes cards to fly from one hand to the other imitating a waterfall)

This is the Liverpool or Waterfall Shuffle which I shah repeat. (Allowing a few cards to
fall from the pack to the floor)

I allowed these cards to fall purposely to give you an illustration of the spray of the falls.
The next shuffle is the Manchester Shuffle.

(Running cards up his left arm) You see how they line them up in Manchester. The third
shuffle will be the London Shuffle or the Whist Player's Shuffle. A friend of mine
showed me this recently and said that whenever he wanted to look at his cards, he turned
them over thus.

(Running cards up coat sleeve in a line and then by a dexterous movement of the left
hand causing the cards to flop over entirely on the coat sleeve)

And the fourth shuffle - the Brixton Shuffle.

(Shuffling cards in the ordinary manner) (Music)

I shall now trouble the audience to select three or four cards from the deck.

(Cards handed to audience who select some from pack afterwards replacing them)

I shall now call your attention to a glass goblet, perfectly empty, merely an ordinary
glass, a beer glass, very familiar to me. In this glass I shall place the deck of cards, and on
my behest the selected ones will make their appearance consecutively.
 55

(Placing deck in glass and placing glass on a crystal top table)First card arise!

(Card slowly rises out of the deck which is acknowledged by the auditor who selected it)

Second card arise! Third card arise!

(Third card appears with the back to the audience)

Would you like to have the Jack jump entirely out of the deck? Yes. Jack jump out of the
pack!

(Card jumps out of pack) (Music)

One more card still remains to be called for. The gentleman who has this card will kindly
tear it into small fragments after which we shall have the fragments put inside my old
magical blunderbuss. Thank you. Did you keep one of the pieces? No? Kindly select one
of the pieces as a sort of memento for the identification of your card. I will now direct
your attention to an old hat which you see upon the table to the left of the stage. I will fire
this revolver at the hat and the gentleman's card will appear thereon nailed to the crown
of the hat, minus, of course, the piece which the gentleman holds. One-two-go!

(Firing revolver and card instantly appears nailed on the crown of the old hat on the table,
minus the corner which the auditor holds. This corner is subsequently fitted to the card
which has appeared and is found to fit correctly proving it to be the same card just
destroyed) (Music)

For my next experiment I have two nickel plated cups. These cups are empty as the sound
will indicate. I shall pass one of these cups through the other thus.

(Holding one cup at arms length and dropping the other cup inside, releasing at the same
time number one cup which creates the illusion of one cup appearing to pass through the
other.) I shall explain this trick. Hold number one cup so, drop number two into number
one. By doing this quickly one appears to slide through the other. This is a very nice trick
for the children. I shall place these cups on my table and direct your attention to three
boxes. Each one of these boxes contains a different substance: the first box clippings of
white paper, the second box clippings of different colored papers and the third box a
small quantity of bran. From each of these boxes I shall fill the receptive apparatus on my
stand. Cup number one I shall fill from box number one.

(Filling cup number one with white paper from box number one)

Cup number two I shall fill from box number two.

(Filling cup number two from box number two with different colored paper)

Lastly I shall ifil the other cup with bran. (Filling cup with bran)
 56

I shall cover the first cup with a square of velvet, number two cup with a second square
of velvet, and the glass with a piece of paper. I desire now to call your special attention to
this feat of magic as I consider it to be one of the most mysterious deceptions you have
ever seen. At my word of command I shall transform the bran in the glass to sugar, the
white paper in cup number one to pure milk, and the different colored paper in cup
number two to hot smoking coffee right before your eyes and with the rapidity of
thought. One-two-change!

(Pouring instead of paper and bran milk, steaming hot coffee and loaf sugar, which is
passed out for examination)

You will notice that in place of the different colored paper we have smoking hot coffee. I
had that up my sleeve. (Music)

(Taking down two chairs to center of footlights.)

I spent ten years investigating spiritualism and among the great mediums I had the honor
of becoming acquainted with Dr. Slade, the old Davenport Brothers, the King Sisters,
Anna Eva Fay and many other remarkable personages who claimed to be assisted by a
supernatural power in that which they presented. I am now about to show you a
manifestation I saw done some years ago by Miss Fay, and claimed by her to be done by
the aid of spirit power. After you have seen it, of course you may draw your own
conclusions and call it whatever you please. I would not have you suspect, however, that
I am about to ridicule Spiritualism. On the contrary, you are at liberty to infer whatever
you please after having seen the deception, if it may be called so. If you desire to
designate it as SPiritualism, you may do so, or hypnotism, mesmerism, magnetism,
mechanism or rheumatism. I shall place these chairs here in the center of the stage where
all may see them and on the top thereof I will place this pane of glass which you can see
through. I use glass rather than any other material to prove the absence of electricity, as
glass is a non-conductor, a perfect insulator for electrical apparatus or appliances, and
consequently innocent of fraud. I also use glass so that you may see through the trick.

(Turns back to audience and arranges glass on top of the backs of the two chairs)

In my hand I have a piece of wood carved, painted and made to represent, as nearly as
possible, a lady's hand. This hand possesses the remarkable faculty of reading your
minds. It will tell you how old you are, where you were born, how much money you have
in your pockets, where you are going, your age, in fact anything that you care to know. I
shall pass the hand to the audience for their examination and you will oblige me by
looking at it carefully, shaking hands with it and forming its acquaintance, after which
return it to me and then we shall see what results may be obtained, assuming, of course,
that all conditions are favorable.

(Passes hand to a member of the audience)

 57

I might inform you I performed the trick not long ago in one of the principal cities in
Egypt, and while I was doing it a gentleman in the audience arose and maintained that I
was a spiritualist. He said, "I understand very well how you do this sort of thing. You are
a genuine medium and have some affiliation with spirits and yon are not aware of it." I
told the gentleman that I had nothing to do with spirits that night and then he claimed that
I could have a mechanical clockwork arrangement concealed in the wrist of the hand and
that by touching one of these brass ornamentations it set the clock in motion and thereby
the hand attained some sort of animation and performed a rhythmical tapping which
might be effected by clockwork. I can assure you, however, that there is no clockwork in
the hand and even though we assume, for the sake of argument that the hand is filled with
machinery it would not account for its intelligence. If you have examined it to your
satisfaction I shall be obliged if you will please return it.

(Hand is returned to Carter)

I shall now place the hand upon the glass but before doing so I might remark that perhaps
you would be curious to know the history of the hand. I will tell you how I came by it. It
was carved for me ten years ago on the beach at Atlantic City by a very devoted leader of
Spiritualism, a gentleman of the name of Bingham. He claimed that it was impossible to
reproduce a spiritualistic manifestation of the astral hand and challenged me to do so.
While we were talking, he whittled out of a block of wood this hand. I performed the
trick for him, much of course to his consternation, and then he made me a present of the
hand. It has been with me ever since in my travels around the world, Wales and Ireland. I
shall now place the hand on the glass and I will have the hand tap out its vocabulary. One
tap signifies "No," two taps mean "Yes" and three taps "I do not know." Miss Hand, are
you prepared to answer questions this evening?

(The hand taps twice on the glass without any visible assistance)

Yes, quite so, kindly tell the ladies what you mean or how you signify "No." (Hand taps
once on the glass) Now say "Yes." (Hand taps twice)

Now say "I do not know."

(Hand taps three times)

If you will kindly ask the hand any questions which may be answered by no or yes, you
may do so and the hand will instantly respond. Anything political, spiritual, personal,
horizontal or otherwise.

(At this juncture the auditors ask different questions, which are answered by the hand by
taps on the glass in the manner described.)

If any of you would like to know your ages, the hand will tell you how old you are.
Would any lady like to know how old she is? Thank you Madame. Miss Hand, kindly tell
 58

us how old the lady is with her hand up. Two and three. Twenty-three Madame. Thank
you, is that correct? Yes. Is the young lady married?

(Hand taps "No")

Is she willing to be?

(Hand taps very quickly "Yes")

I will now have the hand come down the glass and shake hands with you. First of aH, I
want to convince all present that if I do succeed in deceiving you, it must be done
remarkably quick. I will place the hand on the glass, and the very instant it touches the
glass it will begin tapping, and then it will come down and shake hands as naturally as if
it were a pleasure...or a politician.

(Hand taps instantly upon the glass and Carter walks over and waves his hand round
about the hand on the glass to prove the absence of any concealed mechanism, and then
removes the hand from the glass and shows it to the audience. Replacing it and then
commanding it to come down and shake hands)

Miss Hand, come down the glass and shake hands.

(Hand slides down the surface of the glass into Carter's hand and apparently shakes
hands. This is done in the center of the stage with the lights turned up fully)

Two chairs, a piece of wood, and a pane of glass constitute the entire apparatus for this
remarkable so-called spiritualistic enigma. (Music) (Assistant enters and clears the stage)

I should like to borrow from some ladies in the audience four finger rings and I shall be
glad to return them in a few moments merely wishing to employ them for the experiment.

(Goes among the audience and borrows four rings)

The assistance of a little boy from the audience is required.

(The boy is secured and Carter returns to the stage with the boy, holding him by the hand)

Now, my young man, you have never been on a stage before?

BOY: "No."

Whenever you come on the stage it is always customary to make a nice polite bow.

(Putting his hand on the back of the boy and assisting him to bow)
 59

Thanks. Now if you will please hold these rings in your hand I will tie them with a ribbon
in order that you may not lose them, after which I should like to have you repeat a few
magic words after me in Spanish. You don't speak Spanish! Ah well, then I'll have you
run through them in French. Thank you. Say, "Ladies and Gentlemen."

BOY: "Ladies and Gentlemen."

I am about to place myself in the hands...

BOY: "I am about to place myself in the hands."

Of a prestidigitator.

BOY: "Of a pres..."

Ah, you cannot get that eh. Well try it again. Of a pres...

BOY: "Of a pres."

Te.

BOY: "Te."

Digitator.

BOY: "Pigitator."

Ah, that is very good, very good indeed. Now swell your chest out.(Boy swells out his
chest)

Now repeat the remainder. To learn the art...

BOY: "To learn the art."

Of...

BOY: "Of."

Transan...

BOY: "Transan."

Dabansinecromancy.

(Boy smiles and fails to repeat it)

 60

(Carter breaks up ladies' finger rings and loads them into a revolver)

Now, my young man, if you will stand on this side of the stage and open your mouth
wide I will fire the revolver at you and you will get the ladies' rings in your cheeks.

(Boy shows signs of fear)

You have never been shot, have you?

BOY: "No."

Then your misery will soon be over. (Boy stands on the other side of the stage with his
mouth open. Carter in the attitude of firing revolver at boy)

(Boy puts his hand up to his mouth to prevent the bullet or powder getting into his mouth.
This is repeated twice.)

Well, I will compromise the matter with you. You take the revolver and shoot me.

(Boy is anxious to take revolver from Carter. Carter withdrawing the proffered weapon,
smiles)

Ah, ah, you wish to shoot me. Well, I'll have you hold my magic wand instead. (Hands
wand to boy)

Hold this tight. If you should happen to relieve me of it you will disappear.

(Boy with a look of sternness holding wand in his right hand and looking at Carter)

Hold it a little higher. That's right. If you get tired of holding it here, you can hold it up
there.

(Carter pushes boys arm up higher) I will now call your attention to a box which has been
hanging before the curtains all the evening. This box was put into position this afternoon
at 4 o'clock. I will fire the revolver at the box, the ladies' rings will mysteriously leave the
pistol and appear inside the box.

(Carter fires revolver at box and takes down box from tripod. Opens it and finds inside
another box, opens this and finds inside another box, opens this and finds inside a fourth
box, all locked. Inside the fourth box another box, also securely locked which the boy
aids in opening. Inside are three of the ladies' rings, each one tied to a posy. Rings are
returned to owners, whereupon one auditor complains that her ring is still missing)

We shall find it directly. (Carter returns to the stage and dismisses the boy and obtains a
champagne bottle)
 61

I have here an inexhaustible bottle and from this bottle I

can supply the audience with any sort of drink, anything
from a glass of water to a pint of Champagne. What would
you like? A little port, sherry, whisky, old Mountain Dew,
Piper Heidsic, Mum's Extra Dry, Cliquot, milk,
sarsaparilla, Ginger Ale, a glass of water, anything that
you desire. Thank you, you will have a little whisky.
You'll try a glass of sherry. And you? Champagne.

(Carter pours different liquors from the one bottle)

I shall now smash this bottle, and inside you will fred the
lady's ring.

(Smashes the bottle and discovers inside a live guinea pig

around whose neck the lady's ring is found. Carter returns the ring to the lady in the
audience and allows the guinea pig to be inspected. Returning to stage he proceeds to
wrap the guinea pig up in a newspaper)

I will make you a present of this guinea pig, Madame, and will wrap him up in the paper
so that you may with more facility carry him home.

(Carter pretends that the lady does not want the guinea pig)

Ah, you don't care for the guinea pig. Very well, I will change the guinea pig into
something more appropriate.

(Opens the newspaper and discovers a bouquet of real roses in place of the live guinea
pig and hands them to lady)

Scene II

I will now introduce, ladies and gentlemen, our very pretty illusion which we call
Levitation. In India there are two kinds of fakirs or fakeers, as they are called in Calcutta.
One is known as the high caste fakir, the other is the low caste. One will perform for
money, the other makes his business a matter of a religious ceremony. The high caste
fakirs live in the Himalayas and come down to thc low lands but seldom. The low caste
fakir is often times met with in India by Europeans traveling through the country but the
high caste fakir is rarely seen except in his native heath. During the celebration of the
Viceroy' s daughter's marriage a year ago I was fortunate in meeting with a high caste
fakir in Choringee in Calcutta. For the Maiden, he hypnotized the boy and after making
his body perfectly rigid he placed him on the points of two swords, the hilts of which
rested in the earth. He allowed the boy to remain in this position quite passively for
perhaps fifteen minutes, defying the laws of gravity.
 62

Coming up the Red Sea from Bombay to Port Said, one often meets with the faithful
Mohammedans making their pilgrimages to Mecca where it is said they are permitted to
see the sarcophagus of Mahomet raised in midair without any visible means of support.
Tonight, I shall illustrate the theory of the Brahmins which is to the effect that they may
suspend animation and make the body like thin ether. I shall hypnotize a young lady and
thereafter we shall cause her to defy the laws of gravity and sleep in air. A hoop will be
passed about her recumbent form to prove the absence of solid mechanism. We call this
pretty illusion Levitation, the opposite of gravitation. (Music)

(To Fakir) Salaam, Sahib. (Carter hypnotizes young lady by means of a crystal which she
looks at and gradually falls into a hypnotic condition, tumbling backwards into the arms
of the standing fakir. A third assistant picks up the young lady by the feet and these two
carry her to a couch in the center of the stage. Lights all turned up. Carter stands behind
couch, holds up his arms and looks into the air exclaiming:)

Il, il, aloo razoo il Mahomet il!

FAKIR (assistant): Il Mahomet. (Young lady gradually rises from couch into the air to a
height of about seven feet whereupon the couch is removed and Carter passes under her
body waving his hand. At the same time approaching the footlights and leaving the young
lady laying in midair without anyone near her and the couch entirely removed)

The young lady rests in air and could remain in this position for hours, if necessary. We
shall now pass the hoop about her, as I have previously described.

(Hands hoop to audience to examine after which it is returned and Carter standing upon a
chair, slowly passes the hoop twice around the young lady and then drops it on to the
stage where it rolls to the audience. Carter descends from chair and chair is removed and
the couch replaced and the body of the young lady gradually descends to the couch. She
is picked up by the two assistants in a rigid state and is brought to the footlights,
whereupon Carter makes a few passes over her eyes and brings her back to consciousness
and she bows and exits. (Music)

Scene III

I will now present for your notice an illusion which we call the Magical Divorce or Out
of Sight. I will introduce Mrs. Carter herein who will be seated upon a chair behind a
windlass which you will see. By means of this machinery, we will hoist her in the air,
then I shall fire a revolver at her and send her out of sight. This is the quickest way to get
rid of a troublesome wife.
 63

(Lights slightly lowered. Curtains open disclosing a huge windlass which has the
appearance of a guillotine. Mrs. Carter is introduced and is seen sitting on a chair behind
the windlass to which ropes are attached and an assistant and Carter wind her up to a
height of six feet in the air. Carter approaches footlights with pistol and fires point blank
three times at Mrs. Carter who instantly vanishes and the chair she sat upon falls to the
stage empty. Carter picks up the chair and brings it to the footlights)

(Lights, curtain, music)

ACT II

Scene I

I will introduce next, ladies and gentlemen, the Seance of Simla. This is an exposition of
spiritualistic manifestation done without the necessity of the magician or medium
entering the cabinet and having the cabinet built directly in front of your eyes. After
having built the cabinet very startling materializations will take place. (Music)

(Carter and assistant construct before the audience a cabinet which folds up like a screen
on a platform with legs and rollers. After the cabinet is built, two doors in the front are
opened and upon a chair three or four tambourines and bells are laid. The doors are
 64

slammed whereupon the bells are heard to ring and the tambourines are seen through the
windows in the doors being played and thumped upon)

Spiritualists tell us that whenever a spirit returns to this world they manifest themselves
by a series of taps; therefore I shall place this cane in the cabinet, close the door and if we
have any of our friends hovering near the earth they will begin by tapping on the door
with the cane, I shall run my hand up and down the cane two or three times to magnetize
it and place it here where you may see it.

(Puts cane in the cabinet, shuts doors and immediately after the doors are closed, a noise
is heard in the cabinet as of a man rapping, and instantly a cane is seen pushed through
one of the windows of the door. This taps on the door outside in full view of the
audience. Then it is thrown out of the cabinet by some invisible power and caught by
Carter)

ASSISTANT: Ah, that cane has some string on it.

No, there is no string attached to it. You may examine it.

(Hands cane to assistant who is standing directly in front of one of the doors. At the same
time takes the cane, a hand mysteriously projects itself through the window and slaps the
assistant on the head two or three times and then is withdrawn into the cabinet and
disappears. At the sallie time the doors are thrown open quickly and disclose an empty
cabinet. Consternation of assistant)

When I tell you to run, you run to the doors and open them and if you catch the spirits, I
will make you a present of a shilling.

ASSISTANT: Very well, when you tell me to run, I shall run to the doors. I am ready.

(Carter approaches cabinet with hands on two knobs and while the noise is at its height he
quickly throws open the two doors. Tambourines and bells are seen to fall to the floor but
the cabinet remains perfectly empty. Assistant at the same time runs to the cabinet, and
afterwards looks much surprised and discomfited)

During my recent visit to Rome I was presented with this muffler by the keeper of the
Castle of San Angelo who said that the muffler at one time was the property of
Cagliostro, the old French charlatan. It is said amongst theosophists that if you possess
mediumnistic power and also have any token which might have belonged at one time to a
medium since departed this world, it is possible to call back at will the shade of that
particular individual. Tonight, I shall have the ghost of Cagliostro come back and he will
take his place in this handkerchief and do an Irish jig for us across the stage.

(Handkerchief passed to audience for examination and then placed on a chair inside the
cabinet with the doors left wide open) (Music)
 65

(Handkerchief at the command of Carter jumps out of cabinet and alights on the floor.
Carter commands the handkerchief to arise and then in French addresses it thusly)

Danse Cagliostro!

(Handkerchief dances off the stage) Descendez! Approche, monsieur! (Handkerchief is

seen walking on its tail on one corner and goes to Carter. Carter picks up handkerchief
and walks to audience with it proving that nothing is connected thereto)

I shall now introduce the ghost of Katie King. Sir William Crooke has investigated
Spiritualism for years and had the ghost of Katie King materialized in his own house.
Tonight I will attempt to refute the theory of spiritualists that says it is impossible to
materialize a welldefined spirit in the light. I will have Katie King come to the window.
You may recognize her charming features.

(Cabinet is closed and curtains are arranged in the window)

Come to the window, Katie King.

(Music)(A ghostly face of a woman is seen at the window of the cabinet. She nods yes
and no)

Away Katie King.

(Doors opened quickly by Carter disclosing an empty cabinet)

We shall have the cabinet turned about now to prove that it is perfectly empty and for the
last time the bells will ring and the tambourines be thumped upon.

(Cabinet is turned around. Doors opened and slammed and the bells are heard ringing and
tambourines played as heretofore. In the midst of this pandemonium the doors are once
more thrown open when the bells and tambourines are seen to fall to the floor and the
cabinet otherwise is shown empty. The cabinet is thereupon wheeled about and taken
apart in much the same manner as it was built, and in pieces wheeled off the
stage)(Music)

Scene II

(Corinne Carter describes articles held by auditors. Reads written questions, sealed
letters, business and calling cards of auditors without them being seen by her)

CORINNE: I see a young lady who had written a question and she asks, "Will I ever be
a great singer?" Yes you will be a great singer some day. Keep right on practicing and
never mind what the neighbors say. Another young lady wishes to know whether she will
 66

take a trip this year. Yes you will take a long sea journey. You are going to Calais. A
gentleman who signs himself "Dr. Jones" wants to know who has the larger head, a man
or a woman? A man has the larger head but have no fear Doctor, in 30% of cases, while a
man has the larger head his brain is nearly as good as a woman's.

(Lines of this sort throughout, business, comedy and so forth)

Scene III

(A hexagonal cage made of wood is discovered in the center of the stage with green
curtains behind)

I will now introduce a very pretty illusion which we call Flyto. I have a young woman by
the name of Princess Karnac who will illustrate the possibilities of her astral entity. She
will take her place inside this cage or pagoda and at will change her entity and appear in
three of four different places in the theatre at the same time. This young lady comes from
Lhassa, a county of Tibet, and she is a student of theosophy. Princess Karnac.

(Enter Princess made up as an Egyptian priestess. She enters cabinet with red curtains
pulled down, doors being closed by Carter)(Music)

(Open doors of cage. Discover instead of the Princess a young soldier who marches out to
the tune of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home." The cabinet is now hoisted in the air
by a chain, shown empty and the doors closed. Another cage or cabinet, nearly of the
same size, is pushed out from the side to the centre of stage)

We have a little prison all ready for the prisoner but we have no prisoner. Where is the
little prisoner?
 67

Voice from audience: Here I am.

(A young lady rushes down the centre aisle of stalls, up on to the stage and is then
ushered in the cage which is opened on the stage. The doors are closed)

I will now cause the young lady to fly from the lower cage to the upper one. One-two-go!

(Curtains flung up and cage seen hanging in the air disclosing the young lady who was
first seen. An assistant opens the doors of the lower cage showing that it is perfectly
empty. The upper cage is lowered to the stage by means of the chain and windlass and the
young lady steps out smiling)

ACT III

Scene I

(A scene is shown of an exterior garden in China) (Music) Carter made up as a Chinese

Mandarin enters with three other assistants also costumed and made up to impersonate
Chinese sing-song girls, assistants and so forth. Carter mumbles an introduction in broken
Chinese to audience after which a cloth is given him about six feet square. While talking
what is known as pigeon English, he shakes the cloth on the stage and produces a huge
bowl of water weighing over eight stone (119 pounds). Two assistants get the water from
bowl by buckets. Carter once more showing his gown to be free from any contrivances or
secret pockets, waves the same cloth in the air again over a pan which rests on a
tabourette and produces therefrom three live geese or ducks)

(A trunk on legs about one foot from the ground hauled on. This trunk is turned about to
show that nothing is concealed around it and then the top is opened from which a tray is
removed and the front let down disclosing the interior of the trunk empty. This trunk is
now lined with four sheets of plate glass, one in front, one at each end and one at the
back, the tray being replaced)

I shall now show the young lady who lives in a glass trunk in contradistinction to the
fairy tale old woman who lived in a shoe.

(Slamming up trunk and locking it and dropping the lid. Turning the trunk around
entirely and opening it up as heretofore, whereupon a young lady is discovered inside the
trunk, the glasses remaining in the position in which they were placed, the young lady
being assisted from the trunk by Carter)

(One of the assistants produces flowers from a cornucopia and raises table in the air by
merely laying hands on the top of the table. In this scene Chinese jugglers, magicians,
acrobats and gymnasts appear) (Music)
 68

THE END

Frederick Bancroft, Conjurer

His Career
By H.J. Burlingame
Originally published in Tricks in Magic,
Illusions and Mental Phenomena (1898)

Frederick Bancroft was born in Rochester, N. Y., in January, 1867. His real name was
Frederick Bronson. He died in Charleston, South Carolina, September 26th, 1897, of
typhoid fever. Some of his friends claim that he contracted the germs of this disease
while stopping in his hotel in New York City. The street in front of this hotel was torn up,
 69

so much so that it caused considerable miasma in the neighborhood. Others claim that the
sudden change from a cool to a warm climate brought on the disease in a constitution
already weakened by a large amount of exertion, and found an easy victim in a person
suffering to a great extent from nervous prostration caused by his failure to win the
success and recognition he had anticipated.

Mr. Bancroft lived for a number of years in central New York, at Rochester and
Syracuse. About 1878 and 1879 he was in Chicago for some time and made his first
appearance as a boy magician under the name of De Castro, on the stage of what is now
the Olympic theatre, doing only a few small tricks. He afterward became a dentist, and
when the boom in real estate business came on in St. Paul and Minneapolis, he was acting
as a life insurance agent in those cities. He succeeded very well in this business, and
made some money speculating in real estate at that time.

While living in those cities he took quite an interest in magic and often appeared in
amateur entertainments, church societies and benefits and club entertainments. He
became intimately acquainted with the late Alexander Herrmann, and traveled with him
in a friendly way for some time. It was principally through his association with the late
Mr. Herrmann that Bancroft decided to adopt the stage, and he frequently remarked to his
friends that he was surprised to see how much money Mr. Herrmann took in in his tours.
After considering the matter for some time, Bancroft, finally decided to enter the business
professionally and to surround himself with the most magnificent scenic productions that
any magician had ever used. He had ample means to purchase everything he desired, but
instead of purchasing a good outlay of new or original tricks, he confined himself entirely
to small, antiquated tricks known by nearly every school boy, and imitated the
performance of Mr. Herrmann as closely as possible.

To offset the lack of attraction in this part of his program, he procured the most elaborate
stage accessories possible, and lavished a large amount of money in these expensive
fittings. He claimed his outfit to have cost in the neighborhood of $30,000, and he
frequently stated to his friends, when they suggested that he ought to change his program
and put in better tricks, that it was his plan to introduce and perform the same old tricks,
but with elaborate and expensive accessories, and carry out this plan for four or five
years, even if he lost $20,000 or $30,000, expecting to come around and play over the
same routes the third or fourth time, and after he had done so for a number of years, to
then be able to travel on his reputation alone, and make up in a couple of years all he
would have lost and enough more to allow him to retire on a competency. He could not
be persuaded that this was the wrong policy. His untimely end and his failure to secure
proper recognition in the amusement world proved that his friends were correct and his
plans were wrong. Any such plan as that in the present age is certain to fail. American
audiences will not tolerate an imitation of a performer like Herrmann; especially so when
the artist is a young man. After the first year's experience he felt the need of an extended
rest, and after conferring with his friends, decided to make a trip to Europe and the East
Indies. He intended, while in Europe, to call on the leading manufacturers and inventors
of conjuring apparatus in those countries and to learn if there was anything he could bring
back from India. He did not call on any of the manufacturers or inventors of conjuring
 70

apparatus in Europe, but went right through to India. It is needless to say that he did not
find anything in those countries that he could make use of. East Indian magic is a myth,
and all their marvelous feats have been fully exploded and are now satisfactorily
explained.

After his return Mr. Bancroft secured as manager Mr. E. L. Bloom, former manager of
the late Alexander Herrmann. Of course, this was done with the belief that Mr. Bloom
would succeed in placing Mr. Bancroft in the best theatres of the larger cities, where he
could have a better chance for financial success. Unfortunately, right at the beginning of
this tour he was taken sick and died. Many believe that the mortification and nervousness
brought on by his failure were instrumental in causing his death. Mr. Bloom was left in a
position where he secured the Bancroft outfit, and took up his old friend, Henry Dixey, as
the man he thought most capable to continue with the paraphernalia. It is very peculiar
that at the time Bancroft was playing at McVicker's theatre in Chicago, Amy Leslie, the
well-known theatrical critic of the Daily News, in speaking of his performance, made the
remark that Henry Dixey was the only man available who might make a great new
success, and add, by his own invention, to the field of magic. Of course, she knew very
well that Mr. Dixey would never be an inventor of any conjuring tricks, but that he might
be a successful entertainer there was no question. In this connection experience teaches
that any person who copies a well-known and public performer, using his patter or
imitating his tricks, is certain to fail. While there is no doubt that imitation is the sincerest
flattery, yet a conjurer without any originality or original tricks had better stay out of the
profession entirely, because by his failure, which is inevitable, he only makes it
unpleasant and difficult for those who follow after him, however original they may be.
 71

A New Star
(Taken from Mahatma, July 1895)

A new magician will be on the road next season with a show that means a new departure
in the magic business. Frederick Bancroft, a magician who has had nineteen years
experience as an amateur, is putting on a magnificent "Spectacular Production of Magic,"
which is replete with new ideas, and marks a new era in the development of magic as an
art.

Bancroft has plenty of capital to carry out his decidedly extravagant ideas, and his
marvelous skill and fascinating powers of entertainment will be supported by the finest
scenery and most beautiful spectacular effects that money can buy, and he will be
assisted by a large company of talented specialty artists, including many beautiful
women. Everything pertaining to the entertainment is new and original and on the same
scale of costliness and artistic excellence. Most of the arrangements have already been
completed.

Mr. Bancroft's manager is Clarence Fleming, well known for many years as the manager
of high class attractions in this country and Europe. Mr. Bancroft's bookings are now
being completed. He will play only in the best theatres and most of the contracts already
closed are for week engagements in the larger cities.

Frederick Bancroft,
(Conjurer).
Bancroft died of Typhoid Fever at
Charleston, S.C., Sept. 25th, 1897.
Aged 31 years

Originally published in Stanyon's

Magic,
February to June, 1902
For more Bancroft material see link at
bottom of page

The main attraction in this show was the magnificent scenic

accessories which probably surpassed anything produced in modern
times. The opening scene represented a Palace with a large winding
stairway in the rear, down which Bancroft came. At the foot of the
stairs he was met by two lady attendants attired in male court
Costume of lavender coloured satin and large white wigs who
relieved him of his large black cloak. He was dressed in black court
costume. The stage setting consisted of one large centre table, the
 72

feet of which were imitation devils. One large square yellow bronze
side table, on four legs shaped like elephant heads. A large square
maroon colored side table, with four legs of serpentine shape. On
the right of stage, in front of two traps in side scene, were two
stands, apparently side tables, and in the extreme left front corner
was an upholstered gilt chair with trap in seat. Ban,croft introduced
himself in the following simple manner:-- "I have the pleasure to
introduce a few illusions, some of my own invention and others that
are not of my invention."

Rapid Transit or the Transposition of Ink and Water contained

in separate vessels. A carafe of clear water is held by coloured
assistant who drops in the ink pellet as Bancroft covers the carafe
with a handkerchief. The vase, resting on the centre table, is an old
style one; it is full of clean water, with gold fish, but lined black silk
to make it appear a vase of ink. The silk lining is secretly taken out
when removing handkerchief with which the vase was covered.
Water in the hands of assistant is found changed to ink.

(A better way is to have a decanter fitted stopper ground out to

receive a small portion of pyro-gallic acid. The decanter contains as
much powdered sulphate of iron as will lay on a six-pence. Clean
water contained in a glass jug and passed for examination is now
poured into decanter and stopper is placed in position. The
performer now commands the water to change to ink, shakes
decanter, and the trick is done--no covering. This method is smart
and dispenses with the assistant.--Ed.).

Enchanted Cards.-- This was the Rising Cards where the skeleton
Houlelte is fixed on the top of a broom stick. Three cards forced,
returned, and pack shuffled and laid on table. Houlette introduced
and examined. Finally a pack of cards, prepared with the thread, is
taken from table, in place of the shuffled pack, and placed in
Houlette, and the trick is practically done.

(I would suggest a better "change" than the above. Performer to pick

up the original shuffled pack from table and, in going towards
Houlette held by assistant, to stumble, apparently by accident, over
leg of a chair and to drop the cards on the floor--this, in the eyes of
the knowing ones, would appear a dreadful fiasco. Picking up the
cards, and in the act of moving the chair a little out of the way
performer would change the cards for the prepared pack by means
of our special Card Changing 8ervante for back of chair. The free
end of the thread in this case might well be attached to the handle of
a fan lying on seat of chair and which performer would pick up at
same time. The pack is placed in Houlette, the thread being
 73

tightened as required under cover of the natural movements of the

fan the draught from which is supposed to cause the chosen cards to
rise.--Ed.).

The Magic Orange.--This was Herrmann's favourite trick with

Orange Cone and Hat, exactly as explained in Modern Magic.

Illusion Diablo was the talking skull on a sheet of glass, which told
the page, number of line, and number of words in line, selected from
any book by one of audience. As the skull rapped out the numbers,
Bancroft wrote them down on a black-board, for the word the skull
nodded at each letter of the word as Bancroft called off the alphabet,
thus working "Kellar's great Book Act," as usually worked with a
lady medium.

When Bancroft introduced the skull the recess at back of stage

became dark and lightning flashed. The result of the numbers when
added up and placed on black-board was 1410, and the gentleman
holding book was told to turn to that page, but could not find it as
the book was not large, enough. Bancroft then said the cipher was
not necessary, and erased it, and then had the gentleman turn to page
14t. This little by-play was taking.

The Nest of Boxes.-- Borrowed rings loaded in pistol and shot into
a nest of boxes held on a rod-by the two lady assistants on the stage.
The last box was produced from the shelf of the side table, the table
being brought on from its position in front of the scene where it had
done duty as a console.

Several Surprises.-- Two candles; lighted and placed on centre

table. Small basket, supposed to be full of eggs, but upon opening it,
it is found empty. Colored man says he ate them. Colored man's
handkerchief, borrowed by Bancroft, loaded into pistol. One of the
candles taken from its candle-stick, wrapped in paper, and handed to
colored man to hold. Bancroft shoots at him, breaks the paper in
two, finds handkerchief in it, turns colored man around and candle
is seen hanging down his back, as Bancroft said 'instead of his
golden hair.'

Stew pan now introduced, eggs produced from the darkey's mouth,
cooked in the stew pan, change to three large ordinary barn yard
pigeons.

Then a large bronze urn, 3 feet high, was brought on from the back
of stage. Top of it consists of a very large burnished copper
 74

receptacle, like a chafing dish with a thin cover, which was

removed, and the receptacle shown full of artificial flowers and
wreaths which were scattered around on the floor of the stage. On
command of Bancroft an imp came down the stairs with a rabbit,
which he places in this large dish. Then a fairy brought on two
birds, one in each hand, which were also placed in the dish. Then
another fairy brought a couple of birds, and still another a large
crow. Then the cover was placed on and Mephisto appeared with a
goblet, which, on taking off the cover, produced flames; and on the
cover of the urn being removed, it was found full of flowers, which
flew up in great quantities, overflowing on the floor. All the objects
placed in the urn remain there.

Then followed Part II., in which the act of The Sultan's Visitor was
introduced. This act is as follows:--

The scenery is magnificent, and represents the inside of the Sultan's

Palace. Seated in the centre of the stage on what is apparently a
sofa, is the Sultan, with his usual make up,--long beard, sceptre, &c.
At his left are two ladies reclining on couches,--same on his right.
Behind each is a boy in oriental costume with long fan. Slave
approaches and salutes, saying there is an old juggler at the outer
door of the Palace who desires admission. Sultan orders him to be
thrown into the sea, as he does not wish to be annoyed; but as the
slave says he appears to be as old as the world, he is told that he can
wait. Slave retires, and the Sultan calls for Scheherazade who
introduces club swinging. After her act, slave returns bearing a glass
of wine on a salver. After saluting, says the Royal Ambassadors
from Persia are at the outer gate and desire admission. Sultan says
he can not receive them as he is occupied with "important affairs of
State," but slave explains they desire to present him with a cask of
old wine, which, of course, is another thing, and the Sultan samples
the wine and says he will at once see the Ambassadors. He retires;
slave calls his attention to the old juggler and Sultan says he has no
objection to the ladies of his household being entertained with a
little harmless amusement, and tells him he can be shown in while
he is out.

Bancroft comes on disguised as an old man. He sees the four fan

boys. Calls them all up in a row, pretends to give each one some
magic seed, and tells them to run out and plant this in the garden
and watch it grow up into a tree which will bear gold dollars, and
they can pick them!!! As soon as they depart he pretends to
mesmerize all the ladies present except Scheherazade, the slave
 75

standing in centre back of stage. He then speaks to Scheherazade

and says: "You have dreamed three nights that a young man would
come and save you and help you make your escape." She says:--
"How did you know that?" Bancroft says:-- "I can read minds even
at a distance." She says:-- "But the one I dreamed of is a young
man." Bancroft says:-- "I am he," and throws off his disguise, being
in his conjurer's attire of evening court dress. Produces inevitable
paper from his pocket and says he has here a permit to remove a box
of old clothes outside of the castle walls, and that she can escape in
the box, and will be received by friends on the outside, and that the
slave is in his employ, whom he now calls upon to help him make a
box. They remove the cushions from the pedestal on which the
Sultan was sitting, and disclose a box about the size of a casket.

The lid of the box is removed and some cushions placed in box;
then Scheherazade lies down on these cushions, then the back, then
the front, then the two ends of the box are raised up and the lid put
on. Of course a mirror arrangement underneath the box, and a trap
in the bottom of the box allows her to go through same and through
the stage. While she is doing this, the two men make considerable
noise by taking two antique foot stools and thumping them about the
stage, while placing them in the centre of the stage, and then they
lift the box and place it on these two stools. Bancroft says "Let us
remove this," and as they are about to take hold of it, the Sultan
enters with the remark:-- "What are you doing with that box?"
Bancroft says in an aside "I am discovered!" Then produces his
paper and remarks that he has a permit to remove a box of old
clothes. Sultan says "It is false! You have my Scheherazade in that
box. You shall not remove it. I shall kill her!" Bancroft says:-- "That
is right. You can not take a man of your equality, but have to make
war on a defenceless woman. You shall not kill her. I shall cause her
to vanish and go." Says the Sultan "Where." Bancroft says "To
paradise." Sultan removes the cover from the top, lets down the
sides and ends and finds it empty. Bancroft then says "Would you
like to see her?" Sultan answers "Yes." "Then look!" and Bancroft
points to the centre back of stage when scene rolls away and tableau
of Scheherazade, apparently ascending into Heaven, is seen.

Part III.--The Fairy Flowers.-- Two uprights on centre table,

suspended from which is a good sized wreath of artificial flowers.
The two girl assistants are this time in costumes of white satin;
colored man also assists. Three cards forced. Two gold watches
without chains are borrowed, and each wrapped in a handkerchief,
 76

of a short stick. Cards are replaced in pack, which is placed in a

holder at the back of the wreath of flowers. Duplicate watches are
emptied out of the little sack and loaded into blunderbuss, assistant
walking off with the borrowed watches in the sack. On shooting at
the wreath, the three drawn cards appear on top of it and dummy
gold watches are hanging underneath. Assistant brings on the
ordinary watch and plate frame and places it on table over a piston
while performer takes watches off wreath, and puts them on a plate
handing it to colored man to return to owners. He stumbles, falls,
and drops plate and watches, smashing them. Comedy business.
Remnants all wrapped in a newspaper, loaded into blunderbuss and
shot into frame in which watches and plate appear. Watches taken
off and returned to owners on the plate.

Cage and Bird.-- A live canary produced from gentleman's beard,

and placed in a small round cage. Small canister, in which cage fits
is now shown, cover removed, and it is found filled with bon-bon
and nuts. The bon-bon are distributed to audience and the nuts
poured into a glass dish and placed aside. Canister also contains one
orange which is placed on trap in the chair. The cage is then placed
in the canister, which is handed to assistant and reversed in doing
so. The orange is then trapped, ostensibly passed into canister,
which, on being opened, is found to contain a large number of flags,
some baby's clothes, and a good sized United States silk flag, which
meets with the usual applause.

Coffee, Bean and Sugar Trick.-- Introduced exactly in the manner

used by Herrmann, and explained in Modern Magic, the coffee
afterwards being distributed to the audience.

Card Tricks.-- Hands a pack of cards to a gentleman in audience

and asks him to take one card from the middle of it, look at same,
replace in pack and shuffle pack. The cards were then taken to
centre of stage, and gentlemen told to think of any number under 13,
and Bancroft would take one card at a time from the top of the pack,
counting them on to table, face down, and requesting gent to say
"stop" at the required number, which would be the drawn card.
Bancroft exposed this trick by showing that the entire pack of cards
was of one suit. In this instance all the cards were the deuce of
clubs.

The Dissolving Pack of Cards was next introduced, the various

"palms" being dropped on to the Shelf of table. Then the Ball Box
and Glass Casket, balls going through box into table top and re-
appearing in the glass casket which he held while it was being shot
at by one of the assistants. This took well with the audience.
 77

Catching Money in the Air and multiplying coins from the plate
into the hat exactly as introduced by Herrmann. Hat "rung" on stage
by assistants, and when darkey goes to return it, he falls on it.
Comedy business. While Bancroft explained darkey put his foot
through the hat, which created a laugh. Pieces were wrapped up in
newspaper, which was "rung" while wrapping in more paper for
another bundle from shelf, with a small hole in the end of the
package. Bancroft said, "the hat leaks" opens package, and finds a
large negro doll. Calls for Mephisto. Scene opens at rear of stage,
and under red fire and tableau, Mephisto is seen in all his glory,
handing out the hat to Bancroft who returns it to owner.

Handkerchief Manipulation.-- Performer talks of the old German

legend of the silk worm, while he turns up his sleeves, the while
letting it be seen that his hands are empty; then finds a number of
handkerchiefs in the air. We give a method of performing this trick
in another part of this issue. The above introductory can be managed
by having the first ball of handkerchiefs hidden just inside the left
cuff, then, when unbuttoning cuff, ball is finger palmed in right
hand; the hand, still holding the ball, rolls up the sleeve and the ball
is finally left in the bend of the elbow and concealed by the shirt in a
manner familiar to Conjurers. Both hands are now free and the right
sleeve is turned up. The ball is again secured in the right hand in the
act of putting the finishing touches to the left sleeve, and under
cover of the "patter."

First, six handkerchiefs are produced from the air and dropped on
floor of stage. Then any special colour asked for by audience is
produced--in all another half dozen which are likewise dropped on
stage. Again, more handkerchiefs are produced, and amongst them,
one, "pure white, only spotted all over,"--this is full of holes;
another one "doubtful white, gets more doubtful every time, I see
it,"--this is dirty white. (Conjurers can now use up their soiled silks).

Vanish red, white and blue handkerchiefs, separately, and produces

them tied together in a string. For this effect you will doubtless find
use once more for one or more of the hollow brass balls.

The One Handed Colour Change, white to red:-- Use a red

handkerchief prepared with a tube, (same construction as our
handkerchief for "Dyeing Handkerchief Trick,") and pick this up
from table under cover of the white handkerchief. This trick can be
repeated if you have another set of handkerchiefs ready on the table.

To produce any number of handkerchiefs. Force the number "nine"

in usual manner, and when placing last handkerchief on table,
 78

secure another "ball" from left pochette, which ball is loaded with
nine handkerchiefs in sets of three, so that three can be produced at
one and the same time; produce and count, three! six!! nine!!! These
are cut in half, diagonally, as explained elsewhere in this issue, so
that they may all be held in the one ball. By way of variation the
nine may be produced altogether, the counting being the same, but
you making out the handkerchiefs are invisible, and then, finally
undertaking to make them visible.

Under cover of these nine you now produce fifty, sixty a hundred, or
even more, from tbe vest showering them on the stage.
 79

The Master System Card Trick

This is no ordinary card trick, this is the mother of all card
tricks, and once learned you will be able to perform many
different card tricks that defy all logic, because you will know
the position of every card in the pack.!!! The cards must not
be shuffled or disturbed in any way, but the performer can cut
the cards and have several spectators do a straight cut. This
will not disturb the order of the cards. This master system
arrangement of the cards is far more impressive than just
arranging them in numerical order in the suits i.e 2,3,4,5,6,
e.t.c. as this sequence looks completely random to the
spectator who will not suspect that the cards have been pre
arranged.

The cards must be stacked as shown in the table below, by

first placing the ace of clubs on to a table face up, then the
four of hearts and so on until the whole pack is set in the
master system order. This order is also known as the Si
Stebbins order

Clubs Hearts Spades Diamonds

Ace 4 7 10
King 3 6 9
Queen 2 5 8
Jack Ace 4 7
10 King 3 6
9 Queen 2 5
8 Jack Ace 4
7 10 King 3
6 9 Queen 2
5 8 Jack Ace
4 7 10 King
3 6 9 Queen
2 5 8 Jack

Rule 1 Each card has a numerical value, Ace=1, jack=11,

queen=12 and king=13.
Rule 2 Each card is THREE numbers apart, Ace, 4, 7, 10, etc.
Rule 3 Every thirteenth card is a card of the same value, but a
different suit.

Master System trick 1: Fan out the cards, ask a spectator to

pick a card, separate the pack at that point, placing the top half
on to the bottom of the pack while secretly glancing at the
bottom card, you will instantly know the spectator's card.
Simply add 3 to the bottom card value and call the following
 80

suit. You now know the card value so you can improvise your
own tricks from here.

Master System Trick 2: A spectator cuts the pack, you take

them and secretly glance at the bottom card as you put them
behind your back, ask the spectator to name a random card,
you then pull it from the pack. Simply add three to the bottom
card and increment the next suit, this is the value of the top
card. Now just count through the cards until you come to their
card, where you pull it out and show them.

Master System trick 3: Cut the pack a couple of times, then

secretly glance at the bottom card as you pass the pack to a
spectator, mentally add three to the bottom card and increment
the next suit, this is the value of the top card. Ask them to cut
the pack into four piles. Announce you are going to predict the
top card off of each of the four packs. You already know the
card on the first pack, so start from the opposite end and name
card you already know, then when you pick up the card you
will then be able to see its true value, then you name that card
before you pick up the second card and continue to do this
until you have named all four cards. Then simply show the
cards you have just named to the spectator.

Master System trick 4 : Hold the pack of cards in your right

hand and slowly let them drop into the palm of your left hand,
asking your spectator to say "stop" where ever they want.
Secretly look at the bottom card of the remaining pack in your
right hand and ask the spectator to take the top card of the
pack in your left hand and memorize it. Tell them they must
concentrate on their card, you then name their card.

Master System trick 5: Tell the spectator that you can tell them
how many cards down the pack their chosen card is and ask
them to choose any card, number and suit. Then locate the
card with the same suit as the one named by the spectator,
which is nearest to the bottom. Subtract the number of the card
chosen from the card of the same suit near est the bottom of
the pack. Then multiply the answer by four and then subtract
the number of cards that were below the bottom suit card, the
result will be how many cards down from the pack you must
count to reach the spectator's chosen card. If the chosen card is
a higher value than the suit card on or nearest the bottom of
the pack, just add 13 and proceed as above.
For example: if the spectator chooses the 9 of diamonds and
the card with the same suit nearest the bottom is a 5 of
 81

diamonds, you will need to add 13 to the 5 of diamonds,

making a total of 18. Now subtract their card, the 9 of
diamonds from 18, this leaves the number 9, multiply 9 by 4,
which equals 36, then subtract the number 2 (which is the
number of cards below the bottom suit card). This totals 34, so
the 9 of diamonds is 34 cards down from the top of the pack.

Thoroughly learn this Master System and practice it well, you

will then be able to improvise and create your own tricks
based on The Master System, this is one of those tricks that
once you have mastered it, you will wonder how you managed
without it.

Hint: To remember the order of the card suits, it is useful

to think of the word CHASED i.e C H aSeD
 82

The Nest of Boxes

On the stage stands a chair with a cane back. This back is lined with a piece of stuff of the same
material and color as that of the curtain or screen at the back of the stage.

Hanging on the back of the chair is a bag the mouth of which is held open by a ring of tempered
wire that does not bend readily, and lying over the back of the chair is an open newspaper. From
the "flies," or the ceiling, hangs a nest of four boxes, the outer one being about 12 14 20
inches. In the smallest or innermost box is a small, white rabbit. Around its neck is tied one end of
a ribbon, six or seven inches long, and on the other end is a snap-hook, such as is used on the
end of a watch-chain. In closing the boxes, care is taken always to keep this ribbon hanging
outside, so that when the largest box is reached at least two inches of ribbon will remain outside.
Fastened to the front side of the box, over which the ribbon hangs, is a small hook. This side is
kept away from the audience. Finally, the boxes have small holes bored in many places, so as to
give the rabbit air. These preliminaries are, of course, arranged before the curtain goes up, and
the audience knows nothing of them.

When the performer comes on the stage, he begins by asking for a watch, and as he steps down
among his audience to borrow one, he stops before some gentleman and, excusing himself,
takes from under the man's coat a rabbit, exactly like, in size and color, the one in the box. This
rabbit the performer has concealed under the front of his waistcoat. As he steps up to the man
from whom he is to take it, he seizes the lapel of the man's coat with his left hand and, stooping
slightly, takes the hidden rabbit with his right hand, thrusts it under the man's coat for an instant
and withdraws it almost immediately, holding the rabbit high in the air. Then he borrows the
watch, and returns to the stage. When the stage is reached, the rabbit is placed on the seat of the
chair. Turning toward the audience, the performer comments on the watch:

"I see our watch is a second-hand affair. Most watches to-day are made that way." Here he looks
at the watch. "I've seen betternow don't misunderstand meI've seen better tricks done with
watches than with any other small article. Now watch this." He throws the watch in the air once or
twice, and finally makes a motion of throwing, but retains it in his hand, holding it there by
clasping the ring between the thumb and fore-finger, and as he stands with his right side to the
audience, and only the back of the hand is seen, they imagine it has disappeared. Afterward he
slips the watch into his vest pocket.

"Now for the rabbit," he says. Picking it up by its ears, he remarks: "Plucky little creature! It never
complains, no matter how much you hurt its feelings. An American, I should say from its pluck. No
Welsh rabbit about that." Standing at one side of the chair, the rabbit in his left hand, he opens
the newspaper over the back of the chair, and laying the rabbit on it draws the front of the paper
toward the left hand so as to cover the rabbit, and as he reaches down as if to take up the
overhanging part of the sheet at the back of the chair, the rabbit is dropped into the bag. See Fig.
164. The paper is gathered up in the shape of a bundle, so as to appear as if it held the rabbit,
the ends are twisted, and the parcel laid carefully on the seat of the chair. "Now for the crucial
 83

moment," exclaims the magician. Picking up the bundle he moves it three times toward the box,
and then suddenly smashing the ends together throws it on the floor. The box is lowered, and,
while the eyes of the audience are fixed on it, the performer takes the watch from his pocket, and
as the box nears the table he reaches out, as if to steady it, and hangs the watch on the hook that
is on the front side of the box, which is turned toward the back of the stage. The boxes are
opened and piled one on top of the other, and when the last one is reached the watch is taken
from where it hangs and hung on the end of the dangling ribbon. See Fig. 165. The last box is
opened, and as the rabbit is taken out the ribbon is twisted once or twice around its neck. The
squirming creature is then carried down to the owner of the borrowed watch, who identifies his
property.

Fig. 164
 84

Fig. 165
When this trick is exhibited on the stage the performer generally ends it in a very striking way.
When he returns to the stage he places the rabbit on a large table at the back of which is an open
bag or box. Picking up a pistol, he stands behind the table, his right side turned in the direction of
the audience. Catching hold of the rabbit, he tosses it twice in the air, and the third time makes a
motion as if to throw it, and at the same moment discharges the pistol. The audience are startled
by the report, and before they recover from the shock the rabbit has been thrown into the bag at
the back of the table. The rabbit has, apparently, disappeared in midair, and the performer walks
toward the footlights bowing his acknowledgments of the applause he is sure to receive. The trick
is not yet quite done. Suddenly stopping, the performer smiles and points at a man in the
audience, some one seated near the stage. "Ah! sir," he says, "you are trying to play a trick on
 85

me, I see. You have something hidden under your coat." Hurrying toward the man on whom all
eyes are now turned, the performer pulls open the innocent man's coat as if searching for
something. Abandoning the breast, however, after a moment, the performer runs his right arm
down the neck of the coat. This gives him the opportunity to get close to the man, and as his (the
performer's) body is thus concealed he takes with his left hand a rabbit from a large pocket in the
tail of his coat, and thrusts it up the back of the man's coat as far as possible. "Will you help me,
sir?" the performer asks some one seated near; and as the audience look at the new assistant,
the performer reaches down the back of the first man's coat and pulls out the rabbit. It is not very
polite to the rabbit, but as for the performerwell, the audience applaud and shout with laughter.
Of course, the performer apologizes to the man who has been somewhat roughly handled.

There is another popular form of the Nest of Boxes, which to an audience seems almost identical
with the one just described, but is entirely different in its manipulation.

A large box hangs from a support of some kind from the moment the curtain goes up. When the
performer reaches the trick in his program, he goes down among the audience holding in his right
hand, by one end, a little stick, the wand of the conjurer, and asks for the loan of four or five
finger-rings from some ladies. As they are offered he extends the wand with the request that the
rings be slipped on it, "so that I do not handle them." When he has borrowed the required number
he returns to the stage, and on his way, grasping the other end of the wand with his left hand, he
tilts the borrowed rings into it and allows a number of brass rings, which have been concealed in
his right hand, to take their place on the stick. These rings he drops on a plate from the stick. The
plate lies on the stage near the footlights, and directly under it is a hole. See Fig. 166. The
performer immediately picks up the plate with his left hand, and as he stoops to do this he drops
the borrowed rings into the hole in the stage, where they are received by one of his assistants,
who hurries off to place them in the little box in which they are finally found
 86

Fig. 166
Picking up an old-fashioned horse-pistol,which he informs the audience was originally a
Colt's,the performer drops one of the rings into the barrel and rams it down. He pretends to find
the next ring too large and batters it with a hammer, to the delight of every one in the audience
except the owners of the rings. "There, that will go in now," he says, and rams it down. So he
continues, until all the rings are in the pistol. Pointing at the box that is hanging in full sight, he
remarks, "This is one of my aims in life. Let us hope it will succeed," and bang! goes the pistol. As
the barrel of this particular pistol is disconnected from the hammer and the trigger, merely a cap
explodes, but that answers every purpose.

While the attention of the audience was directed to the performer during the loading of the rings
into the pistol, a small table was run on the stage from the wings. In the top of this table is an
opening of a size to admit a small box, which rests on a shelf under the table top. When in
position, the top of this box comes flush with the top of the table. When the performer takes down
the box at which he fired the pistol, he places it on this table, unlocks it, for effect, and takes from
it a second box. So he goes on, taking one box from another until he has three or four stacked
up. Finally he reaches a box that is bottomless. This he places over the opening in the table top,
unlocks the box, and reaching down takes up the box that is in the opening and walks toward the
footlights, box in hand. He unlocks this and finds still another box which, when opened, reveals
the borrowed rings, each attached to a small nosegay. He carries these to the owners, who
identify their property.

Returning to his stage, the performer picks up a champagne-bottle, with the remark: "As some
slight return for your kindness in lending me your rings, I am going to ask you to have a glass of
wine with me. What shall it be? Anything you please. My bottle here will supply all kinds." Just
then he pretends to hear a call from the audience. "What is that? One of the rings has not been
returned? Too bad, too bad! But I'll see about it after I have satisfied the thirst of our friends here.
Now then, what shall it be? Wine, brandy, whisky, Old Crow, forty-rod, Jersey lightning, instant
death? What you like." Holding a tiny wine-glass, filled with water, in one hand and the bottle in
the other, he asks the first person he comes to what he will have. Pretending to hear a call for
water, he says, "Water? Certainly, sir; pure Adam's ale," as he goes through the motions of filling
the glass, but covering the mouth of the bottle with his fingers so that nothing comes out. "The
real article, is it not?" and he throws what is left on the floor. He passes rapidly from one to
another and gives each one, serving, perhaps, half a dozen, some sweetened whiskythe same
to all, no matter what is asked for, but calling out the name of a different liquor each time. He
serves only a sip at a time, for it is only the neck of the bottle, which is plugged at the bottom, that
contains the liquor. When through with this farce, the performer returns to the stage and, calling
for a hammer and a tray, breaks the bottle, and behold! inside is a wriggling little guinea-pig with
a ribbon round its neck, to which is attached the missing ring and a tiny bouquet.

For a simple trick nothing is more effective than this one. To prepare the bottle, the bottom is first
removed. This may be done by tapping it gently with a hammer or it may be cut off by a glass-
worker. In the first case, which is the better, a false bottom of wood or tin is used; in the second,
the bottle is cemented together with a little shellac varnish, colored with lampblack. Here and
there a hole is drilled in the sides of the bottle to give air to the pig. While the bottom is off, a plug
 87

is fitted tightly inside the bottle near the neck, and melted paraffin is poured over it to prevent any
leak. It is in the space between this plug and the mouth of the bottle that the liquor is held. In the
lower part of the bottle the guinea-pig, with the ring attached to it, is placed by the performer's
assistant, who closes the bottle and hands it to the performer.

In a later method of preparing the bottle much time, trouble and expense are saved. The upper
part of the bottle, including the neck and about a quarter of the body, is of copper. Inside, a little
below the neck, is a solid bottom, and to this is soldered the metal cover of a fruit-preserving
glass jar (the kind known as a "Mason Jar"). Through this cover, leading to the outside of the
metal bottle, where it ends in a hole, is a metal tube, to afford air to the guinea-pig. Into this cover,
the jar itself, which is painted black inside, is screwed. It fits well up into the metal body and
completes its form. With a wine label on the outside, its appearance is most deceptive. The pig is
put into the jar before it is screwed in place. In exhibiting the trick the jar is broken with a hammer.
To replace it is less than half the cost of a champagne bottle, and is no trouble.
 88

The Indian basket

Description
A wicker basket, long and narrow, is used for this trick (if only to make the name authentic). An
assistant is placed in the basket and it is covered with a blanket, and the whole has a leather
strap buckled around it. The performer takes his magic sword and stabs the basket here and
there, and the sword comes out dripping with blood. The basket is then opened, revealing that is
empty and there's no blood and the assistant (whole and uninjured) sneaks up behind the
performer and taps him on the shoulder. Startlement and giggles!

Execution
 89

As the first diagram shows, the basket has a double bottom-front side combination ABC in the
diagram. This is moveable that's to say it isn't attached to the rest of the basket. When the
basket is rolled over, a quarter-turn towards the audience, the double bottom remains as it is,
held in place by the weight of the assistant as in the second diagram. Thus the assistant is left
outside the basket and can leave the stage: the basket is then rolled back. The side AB must be
identical in appearance to the rest of the basket. The blood is supplied by a few small sponges
soaked in any red liquid.

Comments
This trick is difficult to stage. The stage must be set so that there is sufficient clutter that the
assistance can exit unseen from behind the basket: or the back of the stage must be sufficiently
dark for the same reason. Finding a good reason to tip the basket towards the audience and then
back requires imagination. And arranging things so that the basket can be covered with the
blanket and then strapped up, without impeding the false bottom, requires careful execution.

This trick, originally seen by Western travelers in India (thus the name), was always performed
out of doors, with lots of people, assistants, and distractions of all sorts around. The assistant was
a small child, who could hide in the magician's robes while the basket was tipped forward, and
then slip away when assistants gathered round for distraction. And there was always lots of
shouting and unnecessary acting by the magician and the assistant, to divert the spectators'
attention from the important instants of the performance.
 90

Cotton

Take a piece of any colour, 12in. to 15in. long, and see that one of the audience is provided with
a very sharp penknife. Double the cotton once, and have the bend cut quite through. Double
again and have it cut, and repeat the operation until it is nothing but pieces, each barely a third of
an inch long. Rub the pieces together in the fingers, and, after a short time, quietly draw out the
cotton again as it was in the first instance. That is what you must ostensibly do: now for how to do
it. First of all, have concealed between your finger and thumb a piece of cotton about the length
above mentioned. This you must roll up small, and deliberately hold between your finger and
thumb, or, better still, if the fingers be sufficiently large, between the tips of any two fingers, as
they are more naturally kept together. Nobody will notice it if the hand is engaged in negligently
holding the lappel of your coat, the wand, &c. I need hardly mention that the concealed piece
must be of the same colour as that operated upon, as the production of a white in place of a black
piece would scarcely be satisfactory. To ensure the success of this preliminary, some
considerable manuvring has often to be gone through, and no small amount of tact exhibited.
Where you are showing the trick for the first time, you can of course ask for any coloured cotton
you please (always choose black when you have a choice), but it is such a fascinating trick that
you will be called upon to perform it over and over again in the same house, or before the same
peoplewhich is quite as badand you will find that all kinds of ingenious devices will be
brought to bear upon you. As a commencement, always carry in the corners of your waistcoat
pockets two black and two white pieces, ready for emergencies. Each pocket will contain two
pieces of the same colour, but differing in thickness, one in each corner. It is useless to carry
other colours on the mere chance, as you are sure to be unprovided with the exact one required
at the moment. When coloured cotton is produced, you must, by some means or other, get at the
reel from which the cotton is taken. If driven right into a corner, you must go so far as to ask
someone (always let it be the master or mistress of the house) to secretly obtain a piece for you;
but this you will have to resort to on rare occasions only. Make all sorts of excuses so as to cause
a delay, even going so far as to postpone the performance of the trick, but not before you have
seen what colour you are likely to be favoured with. Your wits must do the rest. The reader must
remember that I have taken extreme cases, and such as but rarely occur; but still they do occur,
and if I did not warn the beginner of pitfalls ahead, he would not think much of my teaching. In the
ordinary way, he will be able to ask for any colour he pleases, which will of course be similar to
that with which he is provided. We will suppose that everything has progressed favourably. Take
the cotton to be cut between the thumb and forefinger of each hand, by the extreme ends, and,
doubling it, let one hand hold the loop to be cut, the fingers of the other hand holding the ends. As
soon as the knife has passed through the cotton, give it a "twitch," and bring the ends, of which
there will now be four, quickly together, as if you had performed some very intricate manuvre.
Of course, you have really done nothing at all, the movement being only a deceptive one to lead
the spectators to believe that the secret of the trick consists in the way in which you twist or
double the cotton. Have this in mind all through the trick, and keep up the deception. Continue to
double the cotton, taking the greatest care that the ends all come neatly together, and that all the
loops are cut through. Do everything with the greatest deliberation (except the delusive "twitch"),
for there is no occasion for any hurry. When the cotton is cut so small that it will not double any
 91

more, commence to knead in the fingers, and gradually work the fragments behind the concealed
piece, which must be brought to the front. This you will do without once removing the hands from
the full view of the audiencein fact, under their very eyes. When you feel quite sure that
everything is snug and secure, commence to unravel the whole piece, which will pass for the
resuscitated original.

People who have seen the trick performed before will sometimes suggest that the piece of cotton
should be measured before being cut up. Allow this to be done with all the grace in the world
(when you find that you cannot do otherwise), but, before operating upon it, roll it up in the
fingers, either absently, whilst engaging the audience in conversation, or for the purpose of
seeing if it is of the proper dimensions, and exchange it, unperceived, for the concealed piece,
which will be cut up instead. Although it is not advisable to have the cotton measured first, yet,
when it is done, it invariably adds lustre to the feat. The pieces must never be carelessly thrown
away, but secreted in a pocket on the first opportunity that presents itself, and afterwards burnt.

Rings can be made use of in many tricks, both in the drawing-room and on the stage. The
following will be found very neat and effective: Procure a metal imitation of a wedding-ring, and
have it cut neatly through. Pass this ring under a single thread of your handkerchief near one of
the corners. Borrow a lady's ring, which palm, under pretence of putting it in the handkerchief.
(The best method for palming a ring is to hold it between two fingers at the roots.) This you will
appear to have done if you give the false ring (under cover of the handkerchief) to be held by
someone who is not the owner of the borrowed article. It is immaterial whether the genuine ring
has a fancy head or not, as the back of it will usually be about the width of a wedding-ring. Take
the wand in the hand, and, unperceived, slip the ring in your palm over it until it reaches the
middle, still covered by the hand. Now ask two persons to hold the wand, one at either end, and
lay the handkerchief containing the false ring (still held from the outside by the original holder)
over it. If you now remove your hand, you will leave the ring on the wand still concealed by the
handkerchief (Fig. 22). Take hold of the end of th handkerchief which hangs down below the
wand, and instruct the person holding the false ring to leave go when you count "three." As soon
as you are obeyed, draw the handkerchief smartly across the wand. This will cause the ring to
spin round, and assist materially in inducing the audience to believe that it was actually conjured
from the handkerchief on to the wand whilst the latter article was being held at either end by two
people. A slight jerk will detach the false ring from the handkerchief, which you can send round to
be examined. A hint I can give the learner is, never to ask a lady to lend you her wedding-ring or
keeper. Many ladies are exceedingly superstitious, and feel embarrassed when asked, from not
liking to refuse, and yet being unwilling to take their rings from their fingers. Always borrow a ring
the back of which nearly, if not quite, matches your false article in substance.
 92

Fig. 22.
Procure a metal ring, similar to the one used in the last trick, of very soft brass, and, when you
have cut it through, sharpen up the two ends to points with a file, or any other way you please.
Borrow a lady's ring, and exchange it, as in last trick, putting the false one in a handkerchief,
which have tied with tape or string in such a manner that the ring is contained in a bag. If the
borrowed ring is narrow all round, you may make use of your nest of boxes, if it has not been
previously utilised in some other trick; it being a golden rule among conjurors never to use the
same apparatus twice during the same evening. An apple (a potato, small loaf, &c., will do as
well) can be used instead with effect, if a goodly slit be made in it, and the ring pushed in while
you are taking it from your bag or from behind the screen. Show the apple round, boldly saying
that everyone can see that there is no preparation about it, at the same time taking care that no
one has time to decide either one way or the other from the rapidity with which you pass it about.
Place it in a prominent position, and then take the handkerchief containing the false ring by the
bag, allowing the ends to fall over and conceal your hands. Quickly unbend the ring, and, working
one of the pointed ends through the handkerchief, draw it out, and rub the place of exit between
your fingers, so as to obliterate all traces of it. All this you must do very quickly, and, dropping the
handkerchief on the floor, say, "Without untying the string, I have abstracted the ring, which I now
pass into that apple." Here make a pass. Take a knife in the hand holding the false ring (unless
you have been clever enough to get rid of that article), and, showing the audience that the other
hand is quite empty, proceed to cut open the apple slowly. When the knife touches the ring, allow
it to "clink" upon it as much as possible, and call attention to the fact, as it is a great feature in the
trick. Do not cut the apple completely through, but, taking it forward (on a plate is the best way),
allow the owner of the ring to take it out with her own hand. Of course, the audience must not be
allowed to handle the apple, and so discover the old slit. This trick should not be performed with
the preceding one, but on another evening. The principal effect of the trick is the apparent
abstraction of the borrowed ring from its confinement in the handkerchief in an incomprehensible
manner, and you must, therefore, allow the audience to see that the ring undoubtedly is tied up
securely in the first instance.
 93

Another trick with a ring is performed by aid of the wand only. Borrow a good stout ring, a signet
for example, and, holding it near the roots of the fingers of the right hand, pretend to pass it over
the wand, but, in reality, let it slide along on the outside of it, and still keep it in the hand. The
deception is assisted if the ring be first carelessly placed upon the wand, and taken off again, two
or three times. Say to one of the audience, "Will you be so kind as to hold one end of the wand
with either hand?" and, in stretching the wand out towards him, allow the left hand momentarily to
pass close under the right, and let the ring fall into itof course, unperceived. If you look at your
hands whilst doing this, you are a lost man. You must look the addressee boldly in the face, and
thereby divert attention to himnot that there is the slightest excuse for exposing the ring during
its passage from one hand to the other. When the wand is firmly held at both ends, say
something about the futility of strength in certain cases, and eventually show the ring in the left
hand, and remove the right from the wand to show that it is empty. If relinquished at this stage,
the trick is very incomplete, as the audience usually divine, or affect to divine, that the ring never
was put upon the wand at all. It is a peculiarity of this trick that this remark is almost invariably
made, so the conjuror must be prepared with something still more "staggering." Return the ring to
its owner, and call attention to the fact that you have not cut it in any way (not that anyone will
ever think that you would do so, but you must assume that this idea is prevailing in the minds of
the audience), and secretly take from your pocket, or wherever it may be concealed, a thick metal
(or gold) ring, which keep in the left hand. Borrow the ring again, and slide it over the wand with
precisely the same movement which you used in the first instance, when you did not put the ring
on. This time you must appear to be very clumsy, and let the two hands come together so that
everyone can see the action clearly, and snatch the left hand away sharply as if it contained the
ring. You will doubtless see a number of heads lean towards each other, and hear a good deal of
loud whispering, in which the words "left hand" will be conspicuous. Take no notice of this beyond
looking as confused as possible, and the audience will think they have bowled you out at last.
The strange part of it is that, in a trick of this kind, a spectator who fancies, rightly or wrongly, that
he has discovered something, never attributes the fact to your want of skill, but to his own
remarkable powers of perception. The effect of the ruse will be heightened if you allow a tiny
portion of the false ring to catch the eye of one or more of the audience; or resort to any other
artifice to induce them to believe that you really have the borrowed ring in the left hand, and have
allowed the fact to transpire through carelessness. Now say that, the ring being securely on the
wand, you mean to take it off as before, and give the two ends of the wand to be held. You will
then appear to notice the incredulous looks and remarks of the audience for the first time, and
stoutly deny that the ring is in the left hand, which, however, you decline to open. Allow the
audience to argue the point with you, and, when one has said that he saw you take the ring in the
left hand, and others have made a similar statement, pretend to give in, and say that you must
admit that you are discovered; but, at the same time, you feel it incumbent on you to do
something to retrieve your character. You will, therefore, pass the ring, now in the left hand,
invisibly on to the wand. Make a pass with the left hand, and draw the right smartly away from the
wand, causing the ring on it to spin round. The effect may be imagined. At the instant the right
hand leaves the wand, the left should place the false ring (supposing one is used) in the pocket,
as all manner of questions will be asked afterwards. The trick can be varied in many ways, by
confusing the spectators. Peripatetic conjurors make a good deal of money by means of this trick,
by betting that the ring is either on or off the wand. Manner has a great deal to do with the
success of it.
 94

Invoking ghosts

Description
Two examples of the use of a large sheet of plate glass.

1) A vertical coffin is set up on the stage. A member of the audience is invited to participate: s/he
steps into the coffin and steps on to an adjustable platform in it, which is moved up or down so
that the top of his/her head is at exactly the right height. S/he is then swathed with a sheet so that
only his/her head is visible. The performer makes the appropriate gestures or invocations, and
the person fades out to be replaced by a skeleton. The performer repeats the invocation
backwards or reverses the sequence of the gestures and the skeleton disappears and the person
is back.

2) A table with cloth is set up on the stage. Again, a member of the audience is invited up and
seated to the left of the table (as seen from the audience). After appropriate spell-casting, a ghost
appears and attempts to interact with the person: offer him/her a glass of wine, perhaps, or flirt, or
(shudder) blow smoke in his/her face; but of course the person perceives nothing. At last, in
disgust, the ghost gives up and disappears.

In both cases, the performer asks the person what the experience was like; naturally s/he reports
that nothing happened, so it's only fair that someone else comes up and repeats the experience.

Execution
 95

In both illusions, there's a sheet of plate glass (absolutely clean) placed diagonally in front of the
coffin or table.

The figure illustrates how the first illusion is created. The coffin is illuminated by lights off to one
side, which the audience can't see. The skeleton is suspended off to one side as shown; it's
illustrated also by lights that the audience can't see, and of course the invited person can't see
the skeleton due to the construction of the set. To begin with, the lights around the skeleton are
dark, but to create the illusion they are brought up to full brilliance at the same time as the ones
beside the coffin are darkened. As long as the total amount of illumination remains pretty well the
same the audience won't perceive any difference; it the set is constructed properly the person in
the coffin won't perceive much difference either. The skeleton is reflected onto the glass and
completely obliterates sight of the person in the coffin.

The second illusion is similar, except that the scene off to the side (where the "ghosts" appear), is
not separately illuminated; lights at the side of the set are turned up and the light level is sufficient
to do the reflection. Again, because of the construction of the set, neither the audience or the
person can see the "ghosts" and their actions.

Comments
In both illusions, the audience members will have to come up in to the stage on their right, so that
they can be guided to the coffin or table without perceiving the sheet of glass. Care will also be
needed in the construction of the set to ensure that the position of the skeleton or ghost is not
visible as the volunteer comes on stage.

In the first illusion, some patter will have to be devised to cover the adjustment of the position of
the head: perhaps something like making sure that all the audience can see things properly, or
(risky) that the dead can only come through at a particular point in space; the real reason being
that as long as the head of the person and the skull pretty closely coincide the illusion will work.
Otherwise audience members will see both the head and the skull and that won't do. But it is
permissible to change the appearance of the skeleton somewhat between the first and second
volunteers.

Likewise, in the second illusion a second assistant can be used: perhaps the ghost can be of the
other sex to the volunteer each time.

The original description of these illusions has them as part of a tour: a macabre cafe to begin
with, where visitors sit at a coffin and have orders taken by an undertaker; the second and third
rooms are the illusions described here. A person dressed in Charon's likeness originally
conducted the volunteers to the coffin but these days some better-known personage must be
employed. Mournful music and melancholy bells sound as the people proceed. But each of the
illusions stand on their own feet and can be performed in isolation but not in the same show.
 96

A Silk Handkerchief Placed in a Cornucopia Disappears, and is Found Tied Around a

Candle

A candle and candlestick, entirely without preparation, are shown for examination, and, afterward,
the candle is placed in the candlestick, which is stood upon a table.

A large handkerchief is then thrown over the candle. A piece of thin wrapping paper, in size about
fifteen by twenty inches, is twisted into a cornucopia; a small red silk handkerchief is placed over
one end of the performer's wand and is pushed into the cornucopia, which is then closed, and
handed to one of the audience to hold, with the request that he assists in the trick.

A pistol is fired and when the assistant is asked to tear open the cornucopia, he finds, to his
surprise, that it is empty. The large handkerchief is taken off the candle, and the missing
handkerchief is seen to be tied round the candle.

For this novel trick the following "properties" are needed:

An unprepared candle.

A candlestick, also unprepared.

A small pin.

Two red silk handkerchiefs, each about fourteen inches square. Exactly in the center of one of
these is sewed a little patch of the same silk, about the size of a quarter-dollar.

A piece of brass tubing, one and an eighth inches long, that fits easily over the candle. It is
covered on the outside with a piece of the same silk as the red handkerchiefs. Around this tubing
is tied the handkerchief that has no patch on it.

A piece of thin wrapping paper, fifteen by twenty inches large.

A wand, that consists of two parts; one part is a piece of thin brass tubing, nine-sixteenths of an
inch in diameter and about sixteen inches long, one end of which is closed. The other part is a
heavy, stiff wire, wound around with black tape; at the top is a small piece of wood, painted black;
at the bottom, the wire is fitted into a pear-shaped piece of brass, that goes into a piece of brass
tubing, three-quarters of an inch long, the same as used for the first part of the wand. This tubing
is closed at the lower end. When the wire is placed inside the long tube, and the whole is pushed
close, it resembles an ordinary wand. See Fig. 115. Every part of it is black, the outside of a mat
or dull color.
 97

Fig. 115 No. 1 is the wand complete. No. 2 is the long piece of tubing which forms
the outside. No. 3 is the wire that goes inside No. 2.

Fig. 116
On one side of the candle, at about the center, is stuck the pin,. so that it projects about a quarter
of an inch. Around the silk-covered piece of tubing is tied the red handkerchief, as seen in Fig.
116. The loose ends are brought up and tucked inside the tubing at the top, as shown in Fig. 116.
The candle and candlestick, together with the wand, the piece of paper, the red silk handkerchief,
with the patch, and the large handkerchief, that is to cover the candle are on a table. Behind the
latter and hidden by it is the prepared piece of tubing. This large handkerchief ought to be about
eighteen inches square, and of thin green silk with a colored pattern running through it. A white
handkerchief is apt to show something of the red handkerchief around the candle, but with the
green it is invisible.
 98

The Cornucopia.
To begin the trick, the performer shows the candlestick and the candle, without allowing them to
be handled, being careful to hide the pin. Then he puts the candle in the candlestick, which he
places on a table.

Picking up the green handkerchief, he simultaneously palms the prepared tubing in his right hand.
The large handkerchief is shown, front and back, and is then thrown over the candle. In doing this
the performer's thumbs are about six inches apart and are on top of the handkerchief, with the
fingers underneath. See Fig. 117. Under cover of the handkerchief, he seizes the prepared
tubing, in the right palm, with the first and third fingers of the left hand, his right hand fingers
helping him to hold it. He is careful to keep the tubing erect, with the part into which the ends of
the red handkerchief are tucked at the top. As he covers the candle, he slips the tubing over it.
See Fig. 118. The ends of the tucked-in in handkerchief are thus pushed out and freed, and the
tubing slides down of its own weight, until its lower edge rests on the pin. Then he twists the
paper into a cornucopia; when properly made it should be eighteen or twenty inches long, with
the open end about four inches in diameter. He turns up the lower end a few inches.
 99

Fig. 117 Showing the tubing held between the fingers, with the ends of the
handkerchief projecting at the top.

Fig. 118 Showing how the piece of tubing is held when about to slip it over the
candle.
Picking up the wand, he rattles it inside the cornucopia, as if to show that it is empty. As he does
this, his left hand takes hold, from the outside of the cornucopia, of the lower end of the wand, so
that it will remain inside, when the outer part of the wand is pulled out. So that the two parts may
separate easily, the fake end may be drawn out a trifle beforehand, and, as the whole wand is
black, that will not be noticed.

The performer lays the cornucopia on the table and as he places it with the top toward the
audience, the fake is not seen.
 100

Picking up the red handkerchief, he lays the patch on the open end of the wand and holds it in
place with his right hand. Taking the cornucopia in his left hand, he pushes the handkerchief into
it in such a way that the end of the wire fake will enter the open end of the wand. He presses the
wand down a little way, which causes the handkerchief to enter the tubing, and at the same
moment he releases his hold of the handkerchief. It will now expand and fill the top part of the
cornucopia, completely concealing the wire fake. At this point the open side of the cornucopia
should be toward the audience. The performer's left hand, which is holding the lower end of the
cornucopia and keeps the wire fake in position, is far away from his body. He presses the wand
down slowly, thus working the handkerchief further into it, and, finally, turns the open end of the
cornucopia upward and presses the wand down all the way, close on the fake. As the
handkerchief is now out of sight, he removes the wand from the cornucopia, which he closes, by
folding over the top, and gives to some one to hold.

Then follows the firing of the pistol, as already described, the tearing apart of the cornucopia, and
the revealing of the red handkerchief, apparently tied around the candle, as shown in Fig. 119.

Fig. 119
 101

The effect of the trick may be heightened, by allowing the audience, at the beginning of the trick,
to select a handkerchief from a lot of four, each of a different color. The selection is made by the
cast of a die, as explained here.

A correspondent of L'Illusioniste, M. Caroly's interesting little magazine, suggests an

improvement on the "wand" used in his trick, which commends itself by its simplicity. It consists of
a tube of black hard rubber, or other material, of the size of the ordinary wand used by the
conjurer, with ivory or silver-plated ferrules or caps at the ends, so that it may look as much like a
wand as possible. One ferrule is closed at the end, the other is open, giving free access to the
interior of the tube. In the center of the closed end is a tiny hole, through which runs a fine, black
silk thread about one yard and a half in length, leaving equal lengths at each end of the tube. The
end of the silk at the closed end of the wand is fastened to the front edge of the table; the other
end is tied to the center of the handkerchief that is to disappear. Both handkerchief and tube lie
on the table. When the cornucopia is formed, the performer standing back of the table drops the
handkerchief into it, so all may see it, and as if to push it further in he picks up the wand and
inserts the open end in the mouth of the cornucopia. Then holding it up with one hand and the
wand with the other he walks backward a step or two, when the end of the thread that is fastened
to the table will, naturally draw the handkerchief up into the tube.
 102

The Transit of Old Glory

This brilliant little trick has the great advantage that it is as well suited for the drawing-room, that
is for exhibition in a private house or at a club, as for the stage. The performer comes forward
with half a sheet of note-paper in one hand. "I have here," he says, "a piece of paper, the product
of that great magician, the paper-maker, who turns beggars' rags into sheets for editors to lie on.
There is nothing concealed here, as you may see," he turns the paper, so as to show it back and
front. "But see! I roll it up for a moment." Suiting the action to the word, he rolls the paper till it is
about the thickness of a finger, "and now, tearing it in two, this little flag appears." He spreads out
the flag and crumpling up the paper, throws it aside. "Pretty isn't it? It's small, but it covers a lot of
ground." Throwing the flag over the back of a chair, he picks up two silk handkerchiefs, a red and
a dark blue, ties a corner of one to a corner of the other, bunches them together, and places them
in an empty goblet. "So far, so good," he continues. "Now, let me show you this pocket." He turns
out the right side pocket of his trousers. "Empty! like every conjurer's pockets." He puts it back in
place, and rolling up his right sleeve, so that nothing can be concealed there, slowly puts the little
flag into the empty pocket. "See what I shall do. By simply repeating certain incantations, handed
down to us from the days of Nostradamus, I shall cause the flag to leave my pocket and take its
place between the handkerchiefs now tied together. And this without hiding the goblet from your
sight for one moment. Listen! Chiddy biddy bee, chiddy biddy bi, chiddy biddy bo. (And let us say,
parenthetically, that when you are versed in these mysteries, other words may be substituted for
these.) And now you will please observe that my pocket is empty."

As he says this, he pulls out the pocket, and to his surprise and mortification the flag comes out
with it. "Dear me!" he exclaims, "how very embarrassing. Something has gone wrong. Evidently a
misquotation. Ah! how stupid of me. I forgot to give the flag the necessary wherewithal to defray
traveling expenses." He replaces the flag in his pocket, and pretending to take a piece of money
from his waistcoat pocket he puts it in the pocket that contains the flag. Then with a simple
command "Go!" he catches hold of an end of each handkerchief in the goblet, and giving them a
sharp jerk and a shake, shows that the flag has taken its place between the handkerchiefs and is
firmly tied to them. Again turning his pocket inside out, it is seen to be empty, and the trick is done
as promised.

But how is it done? Read attentively and you'll know. First, as to the production of the flag. Taking
a piece of saffron-colored tissue-paper, technically known as "Havana color," the performer
makes of it a long, narrow bag, as near the shape of a finger as possible, rounded and closed at
one end and open at the other. Into this he gently pushes a small sheer silk flag. If this be placed
between the second and third fingers of the left hand and the fingers held close to each other it
will be a keen-eyed one, indeed, who will detect that the performer has one more finger than he is
entitled to. When rolling up the sheet of note-paper, it is folded round the hand and the paper
"finger" is left inside. Tearing the note-paper in two, the flag is revealed. The crumpled up paper is
then thrown aside for the moment, only to be carefully picked up later, lest some inquisitive body
should take a notion to examine it, and finding the yellow paper inside get some inkling of the
secret of the trick. A false finger of flesh colored sheer muslin may be substituted for the one of
tissue paper, and with it an additional effect may be produced. This finger is rolled in the paper as
already described. By giving the paper a fillip with a finger the flag will gradually make its
 103

appearance at the open end, crawling up, as it were. When it is entirely out, the performer
presses the paper together, keeping the false finger inside. The paper is then crumpled up and
disposed of as told. Before the flag is put into the pocket the first time it is rolled into a ball. The
second time the performer pushes it with his right thumb into the upper part of the pocket near the
band of the trousers, and as far toward the center of the band as possible. The other fingers go
down toward the bottom of the pocket. With the flag so stowed away, the pocket may be turned
inside out, and will appear to be empty.

Opposite one corner of the blue handkerchief a square of the same silk, measuring three and a
half inches, is sewed so as to make a pocket, with the opening toward the corner and about two
and a half inches from it. A triangular-shaped piece of the same blue silk, five inches long and
three inches wide at its greatest width is sewed to the corner A of the flag, while the corner B is
sewed on to the blue handkerchief, between the mouth of the pocket and the corner, as shown in
Fig. 113. Into the pocket the flag is tucked, beginning with the corner C, leaving the end of the
triangular piece sticking out.

Fig. 113
When these preparations are completed the trick may be shown.

Fig. 114 The dotted lines represent the corner of the blue handkerchief, which is
folded into the two knots.
Picking up the blue handkerchief with his left hand the performer holds it so that its folds conceal
the pocket and its contents. Then taking the red handkerchief in his right hand he, apparently, ties
one corner of it to a corner of the other. In reality, however, the actual corner of the blue
handkerchief is folded back and held down behind the fingers of the left hand, and in its stead the
 104

triangular piece of blue silk that sticks out of the pocket is tied to the red handkerchief with two
knots; as soon as the first knot is made, the actual corner of the blue handkerchief is brought up
from behind the fingers and the second knot is tied over it (as shown in the illustration, Fig. 114),
and tied tightly, thus keeping the flag securely in the pocket. Then the performer wraps the two
handkerchiefs together and puts them in a goblet with a corner of each hanging out. At the proper
moment he grasps these corners and giving them a quick jerk the flag is pulled out of the pocket
and is seen tied, apparently, between the two handkerchiefs.

Instead of a prepared handkerchief and flag, as described, some conjurers rely on an exchange
of packages, and when skillfully carried out this is much the more artistic way. For such an
exchange, a small shelf is hung at the back of a chair. On this lies a package made up of a red
and a blue handkerchief with a flag tied between them, care being taken that the flag is concealed
within the folds of the handkerchiefs. Alongside the shelf is a small black bag, its mouth being
held open by a wire run round it in a seam. In showing the trick the performer deliberately and
actually ties the two handkerchiefs together at one corner and rolls them into a package similar to
the one on the shelf. The flag used in the trick is lying on the back of the chair, and as the
performer picks it up with his right hand, his left, that holds the original package, passes for a
second only behind the chair, but in that time it grips the shelf package and drops the original into
the bag. There is no hesitation, no waiting, but in the twinkling of an eye the change is made.
 105

Nate Leipzig's Autobiography: Part 1

By Nate Leipzig
Part 1 of the Saga of a Master
Magician
I was born in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 31,
1873. My full name is Nathan Leipziger. I was
the third youngest of a family of eight children,
seven boys and one girl. My father was born in
Russia and my mother in Utica, N. Y. As I
have been told, my grandfather, whom I never
saw, left a small town in Russia with my father
when the latter was very young, and settled in
Stockholm, Sweden.

My father decided to strike out for himself and

came to America. One of the first towns he
went to was Utica, N. Y., and there he met my
mother, courted her and married her. My
Nate Leipzig in 1904
mother's family name is Edloff. They lived in
Utica for nearly four years and my two oldest
brothers were born there; then my grandfather died in Stockholm and the family
moved back to Sweden, to the city of Malmo where my only sister was born. Later
they moved hack to Stockholm where the rest of the boys were born, and lived there
for some sixteen years.

Later my father failed in business through the shortcomings of a partner and in 1881
my father and my oldest brother Hyman left for America, and shortly after their
arrival the latter went to Waxathia, Texas, to work for a relative, Mr. H. Brin. A
year later my father sent for us all to join him. I can remember very vividly our trip
across. We left the first week in May, 1882 on the S.S. Cassius, the first boat ever to
go direct from Stockholm to N. Y. City, and although it was a steamer it took us
nearly three weeks to make the journey. My father met us in New York and we
spent the night at the house of a friend.

The next day we left for Detroit, Michigan, where my father had arranged
accommodation and we lived next door to my mother's sister and family, Mrs. M.
T. Davis. When things had gone well with us in Stockholm my father was very
anxious for the children to have a good education so at least the five older ones had
that great advantage of good schooling and particularly in music. We always had
good music at home for both my oldest brother and my sister were accomplished
pianists and my brother Simon played the violin.

Three particular traits ran through our family, drawing, music and magic, and
 106

especially drawing, for when we were small all of us had the inclination to draw. I
remember at school that several of my brothers and myself were often called upon
to illustrate a subject by drawings on the blackboard. Where this trait came from I
don't know, since neither of my parents were gifted in that way; however, I do
remember my brother saying that her uncle was considered one of the finest steel
engravers of his day. This talent was exploited only by my brothers Fred and Leo.
Years later Fred became famous as a cartoonist and for over twenty years was on
the staff of the Detroit Evening News. Later he devised a cartoon called The Doings
of the Van Loon Family. This was the first of the family cartoons, since so widely
copied, and ran for eighteen years, being handled by the McClure Syndicate.

With regard to magic, I was really the only one to take it up seriously, although I
never dreamed that it would become my life work. Leo, who was pretty good with
the pencil, has also become quite proficient with tricks. My youngest brother Ernst
also liked to dabble in magic. This I attribute to my mother's oldest brother who had
once been with a circus and who sometimes did some tricks for us. Where the music
came from is a mystery to me as I was only nine years old when we came to
Detroit.

Of course I had to go to school since I had had only two seasons at school in
Stockholm. The family was not too prosperous until the boys grew up. I had to start
work when I was twelve years old as an errand boy at $1.50 per week with the firm
of L. Black & Co., opticians. After a year as errand boy I was asked if I would like
to go upstairs into the factory and learn how to grind lenses and repair all kinds of
optical goods. I agreed to do so and so began that kind of work.

The foreman over me was a man named Max Redelsheimer and he was quite a
character. Before he became an optician he had been ticket-seller at the Coliseum
Theater in Detroit. He had the reputation of being the lightning ticket seller of the
world. In the summer he still sold tickets at the baseball park and he was able to
take care of the biggest crowds singlehanded. He had an uncanny faculty of
detecting a counterfeit bill by simply spreading his hand across it and feeling some
almost imperceptible difference in the paper. He told me once of a match that was
arranged between him and Ben Busby, Barnum and Bailey's famous ticket-seller.
He claimed that Busby backed out at the last moment.

In the meantime I had become quite proficient with a lot of pocket tricks and
naturally I was invited out a good deal, though I didn't care much for social events. I
preferred going out with the boys, having a few beers and making a good time by
entertaining strangers. At this time I met a boy named Gunther who could do a few
tricks of a rather crude nature, but he could do no sleights at all. This was easy to
understand as he worked in an iron foundry and the work naturally made his hands
very stiff. But what intrigued me was that he had several pieces of magical
apparatus and he told me I could use them any time I wanted them. Up to that time I
had never played any dates for an audience of more than a dozen people. In the
meantime my brother George, who was very clever at writing parodies and singing
comic songs, joined a man called Dick Porter and they became quite well known
through taking part in various local shows. In a short time there was quite a call for
 107

my act and also my brother's. He has become widely known as a raconteur and
singer and for many years there was hardly any affair in Detroit where talent was
required that a Leipzig wasn't on the bill. Some of these performances were paid for
but most of them, of course, were benefits.

We had some funny experiences at a show given by some Polish boys up in what
was called Polocktown. I was engaged to entertain as an added attraction, but I was
warned by a friend that most likely I would not be paid. So when I arrived at the
hall I went to one of the boys who was running the show, and told him I needed ten
half dollars as I intended to do the money catching trick and though I was very
doubtful the ruse would succeed, it worked. So I had my five dollars, the fee for my
show, before I started and probably it was well that I had for the attendance was not
very good. Another time I booked a date at Clawson Hall where I was to give a half
hour's show for a fee of ten dollars. This was the biggest sum offered to me up to
that time so to be prepared I had to borrow a few tricks from Gunther. I had two
weeks' time to prepare for the show. So one Sunday morning I jumped on my
bicycle to ride to Gunther's place for he lived quite a distance from my home. I was
all dressed up, new light suit, tan shoes and straw hat. On arrival at Gunther's he at
once agreed to lend me anything I needed, so I borrowed the nest of boxes and a set
of spirit slates. He tied these together, put them under my arm, and I mounted my
bicycle and started for home. However, only a block away the tragedy happened. In
trying to dodge a tin can lying in the road, the lid caught in the spokes, the bike
bucked and shot me over the handlebars. Landing on my head. my hat was
smashed, both knees of my new suit were torn away, my shoes were cut as well as
my knees and left hand AND the spirit slates were broken to pieces. I was a sad
mess as I went limping back to Gunther. He sympathized with me, told me not to
worry about the slates, that he would fix up an other set for me. He straightened the
front wheel of my bike, which had been badly bent, so I was able to ride home,
where my parents soundly scolded me when they found I was not badly hurt. It took
me about a week to recover, but my show finally went over very well; in fact I
booked several more dates from it.

Nate Leipzig saw Karl Germain Perform in

 108

That same Clawson Hall was the scene of two Detroit.

peculiar happenings. About a year later I
booked a date for the Montgomery Rifles, a local military organization. I had
continued to use the spirit slate trick in my programs; in fact, I had made it a feature
trick and in doing it I would use topical subjects. The date was just a week after the
Maine had been blown up in Cuban waters, so I decided to use that for the slate
trick. First, however, I will describe the trick in detail:

Two ordinary school slates are shown, all four sides are cleaned with a wet sponge,
and these are shown to be free from any marks or writing. A small piece of chalk is
put between the slates as they are put one on the other and they are tightly tied
together with a piece of tape. Thus secured they are given to some one in the
audience to hold. Five blank pieces of paper are now passed to members of the
audience with the request for each one to write a question on his slip. It didn't
matter what the subject might be, personal, political. or what not. I would then
collect the papers, one of the audience would select one to he read and an answer
would appear on the slate.

On this particular night Lieutenant Henderson, of the Montgomery Rifles, was

sitting in the front row. He was a big, husky fellow, weighing about two hundred
pounds and had a tremendous crop of thick, curly hair. As I took his slip, he said in
a voice that everyone in the hall must have heard, "If you have an answer to this
question I'll have my hair cut." When the selected paper was unfolded and the
question read, it proved to be: "Who blew up the Maine?" Then I had the man who
held the slates untie the tape and separate them. On the inside surface of one slate
was written in chalk, "A Spanish torpedo." I was startled by a yell as four soldiers
pick up Henderson and carry him out of the hall amid shouts of laughter and
applause. He had told them beforehand that he would write that question. Anyway,
he got a free haircut.

I was greatly excited when I heard that a Professor Stork, a magician who had come
to Detroit recently and had opened a magical depot, would give a performance at a
local hall. Of course, I made it my business to see his show which was very good,
the one trick that was outstanding to me, was that in which he had three men in the
front row, draw cards from a deck. The cards were returned to the deck and one of
these men was asked to hold the cards in his hands. At that moment a telegraph boy
came running into the hall shouting: "A telegram for Professor Stork." The
professor opened the telegram and found the three cards that had been drawn by the
three spectators and an examination of the pack proved that those three cards were
missing from it. The trick impressed me greatly and as I understood the modus
operandi I decided to do it at my next performance.

Just at this time a young cousin of mine had come from Sweden to live with us. He
was about fifteen years of age, quite tall and at the awkward stage, but he was a nice
boy and we all liked him and he very soon picked up our language. When I booked
another date for the Clawson Hall and was anxious to do this new card trick I
enlisted the services of cousin Sam. I carefully coached him in his part, he was to
stand in the back of the hall and at my signal he was to come to the platform and
 109

deliver a letter to me. I had to make it a letter as I had no messenger boy's suit for
him. The cue was that as soon as I returned to the stage, I would fold my arms. Well
the trick proceeded all right up to this point and I faced the audience with my arms
folded but nothing happened. Embarrassed, I held the position until I saw him
coming up the aisle towards me with the envelope in his hand, his face as white as a
sheet, he looked at me, then at the exit which was right next the stage and, without a
word of warning, he dashed out and never stopped running till he got home. I could
never remember what happened to me after that. Everything went blank in front of
me. I think I got through a few more tricks and got out of the hall as quickly as I
could, for I couldn't possibly face them. I never attempted that trick again for I
never did like to use confederates.

A little later came one of the thrills of my life; Herrmann the Great was to appear at
the Detroit Opera House. Not having much money in those days I had to be content
with a seat in the gallery. To me it was a marvelous evening, the first full show of
magic I had ever seen. There never was anyone to equal Herrmann in his own style
of magic. He held you by his appearance alone the moment he stepped onto the
stage. The very first thing he did stumped me completely. Smiling at the audience
he showed his wand, ran his fingers along it to the top and there appeared a real
orange. He showed so many wonderful effects it would be hard to enumerate them
and he kept a vein of humor running thru all his tricks. Altogether it was a
memorable night for a lad who had seen very few magicians, mostly second-raters.

In later years, however, I did see many more

really fine magicians at the same theater . . .
Harry and Bessie Houdini, John Schiedler,
Guibal the Frenchman, Hornmann, Karl
Germain and many others. One day Matt
Delkar, who was the foreman of the spectacle
department, said to me: "I see you are
interested in tricks. There is a book that has
been lying around at the house for years. It's a
bit worn and nobody knows where it came
from or who it be longed to. If you want it you
can have it." Naturally I wanted it. so next day
he brought it along. It had no cover but
otherwise was complete. Its title was "The The Houdinis were on their way to the top
when Leipzig caught their act.
Secret Out" and it turned out to be an old
English publication, out of print for many years. That book was a revelation to me.
There were a thousand tricks explained in it and then I really started to work. I
imagine that my card work before that had been somewhat crude. After reading the
correct explanation of the rudimentary sleights and after I had mastered them, for I
was more interested in card tricks than any others, it struck me that any one who
had read such a book could easily follow all that I did. So right then I worked hard
trying to invent new and original methods and after great efforts I succeeded in this
aim. To that alone I attribute my success, since for many years my peculiar methods
remained unknown and I was able to fool the magicians as well as the public. In
fact many years later, when I had become a professional, my brother artists often
 110

called me THE magician.

Max Rudelsheimer, under whom I worked, came to me one day and said: "Listen,
Nate, I want to open a place of my own, just a small place and I would like to have
you come with me." He offered me a little advance on the salary I was getting and
added as a further inducement the fact that he was a bachelor and that if I stuck with
him the business would be mine some day. I accepted his offer and he opened a
place opposite L. Black & Co. I stayed with him for seventeen years.

I continued to accept private engagements but in those days I still had no dress suit.
However, I finally got a break. My brother George, who was the elevator starter in
the Hammond Building, at that time the tallest building in Detroit (ten stories high)
was approached by one of the tenants who asked him if he knew anyone who
wanted to buy a dress suit, a fine suit, silk-lined, but now too small for him. He said
the original cost was $100 but that he would sell it for $10. When George told me
this, I was greatly excited, for that was the very thing I needed badly. I spoke to my
father and my brother Fred and, imagine my delight, they agreed to advance the
money to me. The suit fitted me perfectly. so now I could go to any private home
without being embarrassed.

However, my first experience in the dress suit I shall never forget. I had a private
date, the month was June and the weather was very hot. I couldn't very well wear
my winter overcoat and my spring coat was a very short one so that the tails would
show below it. However, my mother said she would fix it up, and she pinned the
tails of the dress coat up so they couldn't be seen and I set out for my date. When I
arrived I took off my overcoat and waited my call and when it came I walked into
the room where the company awaited the magician. As I stepped in I was greeted by
shrieks of laughter, which disconcerted me no little. On looking down I found I had
forgotten to unpin my coat tails. Was my face red? But the host, who was an old
friend, said: "Never mind, Nate, go ahead and do your show." I soon had them all so
interested in my tricks that the incongruous tails were quite forgotten.

One day I met a young man named Tolsma, whom I knew to be interested in magic.
He said: "Nate, I have something wonderful to show you." He took an ordinary lead
pencil out of his pocket, laid it on the palm of his hand, and at will made it stand up
and lie flat again on his hand. I looked carefully for a string attachment or a hair,
but there was nothing but the pencil. I was completely mystified and asked him
where he got it. He told me he had been to see a magician at the Y.M.C.A. the night
before, a man called Nathoo, the Hindu, and that after the show he had gone around
to meet him. They got very friendly, he said, and before they parted Nathoo gave
him the trick. I doubted that story very much. He probably bought it, for Hindus as
a rule don't give away tricks like that. Tolsma refused to give me the secret, but I
followed him around until he relented and showed it to me. That trick remained in
my repertoire for many years. I made a great improvement in it, since I was the first
to do it with a borrowed pencil. Years later I was disgusted to find that it was being
sold on the street corners in New York.

Once in a great while I have seen a trick which I could not fathom, but usually I
 111

manage to find the solution later. However, I saw one once that befuddled me
completely and I have never found anyone in all my travels who could give me a
lucid explanation of how it was done. I happened to drop into Richter's, a high class
restaurant and saloon. The time was about noon and the place was quite crowded. A
gypsy woman came in and soon after I saw everyone crowding round her. She
asked the bartender for a thin beer glass. She took it, showed her handkerchief
which, by the way, was none too clean. and threw it over the glass. Then she
gathered the folds below the glass so tightly that I thought the handkerchief would
tear. Then she held the glass up by the ends of the handkerchief and in a moment a
strange thing happened. There was a hissing sound like the effervescing of a
Seidlitz powder, but much louder, and the glass began to vibrate violently, when
finally the hissing and the vibration stopped she unwound the handkerchief and
there was nothing to be seen.

The Wonderland Theater where I had seen so many artists work was closed when
the owners built a beautiful new vaudeville theatre on Monroe Avenue, the Temple
theater. This proved to be a gold mine, it was crowded from Monday morning till
Sunday night the whole year round.

One day a man came in while I was attending to a customer, waited till I was free,
then introduced himself with a flourish by producing his card with a back hand
move. The card read: "Bennett, Magician." He was a very well-dressed and nice-
appearing young man and I became quite excited for I had not come in to close
contact with many magicians. He proceeded to perform some sleights with a silver
dollar much better than I had ever seen them done before. He told me he was
stopping at the Russell House, which in those days was our finest hotel. He went on
to say.'" I give lessons in magic. I charge fifteen dollars for ten good tricks if I can
get a class of ten pupils; if, however, I can enlarge my class to twenty I charge only
ten dollars. So if you know anyone interested, bring him along and come over to the
hotel at eight o'clock." I really had no intention of taking lessons but I wanted to see
what his work consisted of. That night I went to the hotel half an hour before the set
time and he went through his program. While he did not have anything new, he did
his tricks to perfection. When he got through he handed his pack of cards to me
with a request that I show him what I could do, so I did a couple of color changes.
He gave me a quick look and said: "Do that again." So I did. He laughed and said:
"You don't want any lessons from me." We got very friendly after that and he asked
me to stay and watch him give lessons to the fifteen pupils he had obtained. He
stayed only a day or two. I found that he usually went to college towns where he
reaped a harvest. His yearly take varied from five to six thousand dollars and he
always stayed at the best hotels.

This man showed me one thing that he didn't teach and that was the double lift. I
had never seen it before and this was in 1904. The sleight became invaluable to me.
It is different from the method so widely used now. He lifted from the left side
without getting set for it and only quite recently I changed to the right side. Dr.
Jacob Daley, one of New York's outstanding amateurs, uses it with great effect.

Up to that time, with the exception of Bennett, who was good but limited, I had not
 112

seen anyone who could palm coins cleverly, so I got quite a jolt when I met a young
boy named Merrill Day, who showed me some of the prettiest coin work I had ever
seen. As he had never seen any of my kind of card work we became very friendly
and I firmly believe that meeting him had a great deal to do with my future success.
We would meet once a week with the understanding that we were to have
something new and original every time. It was at this time that I figured out my best
effects which I have been doing ever since. Day, whose forte was coins, as I have
said, originated some very fine tricks.

Here is an instance of how one lights on new effects by accident. One day while
holding a vest button in my hand (I always had something in hand to practice with)
I tossed it in the air and caught it on the back of my hand, which being rounded on
one side caused it to roll accidentally across my fingers. I was so surprised that I
tried to do it again but with out success until I actually placed it on the back of my
hand and by moving my knuckles made it roll over and over. Then I discarded the
button and tried it with a five cent piece until I got quite proficient. For a long time,
while sitting in a street car, I would become so engrossed in rolling the coin through
my fingers that I would never notice how all the other customers were staring at me,
then I'd wake up and stop, quite embarrassed. I was afraid they would think me a
show-off; really I was only a youngster. Later I used larger coins, a half dollar
becoming my favorite. I never dreamed what an amount of talk the flourish would
create. I looked upon it then as merely a good exercise for the fingers. In later years
a sleight of hand artist's repertoire was not considered complete unless he could do
the coin roll or steeplechase.

Thurston presenting his elaborate version of the Water Fountain Spectacle. Nate Leipzip saw Ten
Ichi perform the original oriental method, while Thurston was still doing a card act.

Day and I never missed an opportunity of seeing any magicians who happened to
play in Detroit and we were greatly excited when we learned that Howard Thurston
was to play at the Temple Theater. In those days Thurston was doing a card act. He
featured his rising card act with which he fooled Herrmann (Leon). It certainly was
a very fine effect. We went round to his dressing room and he was very nice to us
after he had seen some of our work. He told us a good deal about Nelson Downs,
who was the greatest coin manipulator in the world. Both Downs and Thurston had
just finished engagements in London, England. We had already heard a lot about
 113

effects. While Thurston was very clever with the back and front hand manipulations
of cards, and, by the way, his work was the first of this kind that I had seen, he had
no ability for the execution of fine card tricks. It was a great week for me as we
were together the whole week. Through meeting Bill Booth, the stage manager, I
got his permission to go back stage whenever I liked. That provided the greatest
treat of my life for I thus met and entertained all the best acts in the country.

It was thus that I met Henry Dixie, who was

greatly interested in magic and in fact did a few
tricks in his performance. Also Henry Stevens,
the great actor, who seldom played outside
New York where he usually created parts. Such
acts as Cressy & Dane, Montgomery & Stone,
Macauley & Davis, Mr. and Mrs. Edward
Royale, Ryan & Richfield, and many others. It
would be impossible to recall all the acts, they
would run into thousands, since for many years
I spent my evenings after work back stage in
the Temple Theater. Thus I became
surprisingly well known by entertaining all
these actors. Of course, nobody knew my
name; I was simply the fellow back stage at the
Nate Leipzig
Temple Theater. Here is an instance. One night
I was standing talking to Bill Booth, rolling my
half dollar, as usual, while on the stage was an act called Bruno and Russell. As
Bruno stepped off the stage and saw me rolling the coin he stopped and said: "You
are the fellow I heard about in London where we've just come from." I said: "I
guess you must be mistaken; I've never been in London." "That may be," said he,
"but Nelson Downs and Dick Lynch were talking about you."
 114

Nate Leipzig's Autobiography: Part 2

By Nate Leipzig
Part 2 of the Saga of a Master Magician
The second occasion was even more peculiar.
Bill Booth called me up one morning and told
me that the famous Japanese Ten Ichi Troupe
had arrived at the theater and that Ten Ichi had
asked for me, that he wanted to show me his
famous thumb tie trick in exchange for my
method of doing the ring on the stick which he
had heard so much about. So that evening I
went back stage and met Ten Ichi and his
people. He himself could speak no English but
one of his boys, Ten Jee, acted as interpreter
and so I did my ring trick for him. He showed
me how he made the cord for his thumb tie by
rolling pieces of thin rice paper to the required "Leipzig, whose card tricks display quite the
thickness. I saw his act later and it was a very most uncanny powers of sleight of hand our
beautiful one with many novelties. The thumb town has seen in many and many a day." N. Y.
Times, April 26, 1917.
tie was a masterpiece in his hands, and as it had
never been seen before, it caused a lot of talk.

He had another trick which was new to me. A Japanese girl came out with a small
black felt hat which she showed and turned inside out several times, producing
afterwards quite a lot of articles out of it. She repeated the operations and then
threw it out into the audience to be examined. When it was thrown back to her, she
immediately proceeded to take more articles out of it. The next trick, too, fooled me
badly the first time I saw it. Another Japanese girl came on the stage with a drinking
glass and a coin wand in her hands. She showed the glass empty and put it on a
small table, then she went down amongst the spectators, the spotlight being thrown
on her. She produced a coin with the wand, apparently threw it towards the stage,
where the coin was heard to drop into the glass. These actions she repeated six
times, then returned to the stage, picked up the glass and poured six coins out of it.
It was this last part that mystified me, but the next time I saw the trick I had to smile
at the boldness of the method used. When the girl stepped down off the stage and
the spotlight was thrown on her, another assistant walked slowly across the stage
and put six coins into the glass. The action was perfectly timed and done without
stopping for a moment. Then he stood at the wing with six coins and another glass;
when the girl apparently threw a coin towards the stage he would drop one of his
coins into his glass, the sound illusion was perfect.

Their finishing trick, the famous water fountains, had never been seen before in this
country and it was one of the prettiest that I have ever witnessed. Later it was also
 115

exhibited by Howard Thurston. Altogether, Ten Ichi's was one of the most original
magic shows I have ever seen. Before he left he gave me a picture of his whole
troupe. One of his boys, Ten Jee, had been shown a few coin tricks by Bill Hilliar,
so I added to his repertoire by teaching him some of mine.

The next famous magician I was to meet was Harry Kellar. I had seen him perform
but had never met him. I found him a charming gentle man and we struck up a
friendship which lasted until he died. After he retired my wife and I spent many
pleasant evenings at his beautiful house on Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles.

Soon after this two comedy magic acts played the Temple, Ziska and King, and
Martini and Maximilian. Ziska was the first performer I saw do the multiplying
billiard balls. He told me that he had taught it to Madame Herrmann. His partner,
King Louis as we all used to call him, was a great character and very funny. Martini
& Maximilian also had a good comedy act but the funniest act of all, which I had
almost forgotten, for they were quite a few years back, was Bunth & Rudd. They
had the audience screaming with laughter all the time they were on the stage and
their finish when the comedy man tried to emulate his partner by baking a cake in a
borrowed hat was one of the funniest bits of business I had ever seen.

While I met a great number of magicians and performed for them, very few of them
would make any comments, but the week Martini & Maximilian played the Temple,
Herbert Albini showed at a smaller house. Albini had the reputation of being one of
the best card men in the country, in his language, however, be was very uncouth and
swore a lot. One night Martini brought Albini and several other artists over to the
Geese's Restaurant where I usually held forth. They asked me to do some card tricks
and as I had heard of Albini's skill I did some of my best. I didn't expect to hear
much from Albini but to my surprise he said: "You are the best card man I have
ever seen in my life, but what the blankety-blank-blank are you doing in this hick
town? Go
out and
"Well, what can you do?" Horace Goldin get some
asked the young magician in a bored manner. money."
Leipzig soon showed his.
 116

A little later the exciting news reached me that

asked the young magician in a bored manner.
Leipzig soon showed his.
Horace Goldin was coming to the Detroit
Opera House with the minstrels. Of course I went to see him and he gave one of the
finest magic acts I had seen up to that time. His terrific speed and precision were
beautiful to watch. He had an illusion, "Escape from Devil's Isle," which was really
startling. That evening I went to my usual rendezvous, Geese's restaurant, where all
the boys would gather after the show. A few minutes later in came Horace Goldin
with one of our leading merchants, who called me over and introduced me to
Goldin, much to my delight, as he said to Goldin: "This is our local magician."
Goldin's sudden success had gone to his head somewhat, for which I could not
blame him. He turned to me and asked me in a bored manner: "Well, what can you
do?" So I did the coin roll. He made no comment but asked what else I could do, so
I went on with some of my pet card tricks but still he made no comment. He did a
few pocket tricks and he did them well but I had the great satisfaction of fooling
him completely with an old trick in which I took a great chance. We were drinking
beer so I asked Goldin for a penny. I told him to see that it was perfectly dry, then
to take it by the side and drop it in my glass of beer in such a way that it would drop
perfectly flat in the bottom of the glass. He did so and then I proceeded to tap the
glass with my finger and the penny floated up to the top of the beer. I was
completely satisfied when I heard Goldin say "Do that again," for that is the
magician's formula when he is completely beaten. After that he melted his reserve
somewhat and we became friendly.

Later that season he came back to Detroit to play the Temple Theater and he told
me to watch out for one Allan Shaw, coin manipulator, who was routed to get to
Detroit in a few weeks. I had never seen a coin manipulation act and Shaw had a
reputation second only to Nelson Downs, who was conceded to he the greatest of all
coin manipulators. Shaw came along in due course and as I had entree back stage I
saw a good deal of his work. In those days Shaw was a very good-looking boy with
curly blond hair and a good complexion. His act was clean-cut and original. Booth
introduced me to him and, of course, I had to do the coin roll as this was always
Booth's favorite. Shaw didn't say much, in fact wasn't at all friendly after I had done
a few tricks.

A year passed and Horace Goldin returned to the Temple. The moment he saw me
he said: "Leipzig, I want to tell you something. I met Allan Shaw on Broadway
about a week ago and he told he had his latest original coin creation to show me. So
he proceeded to do the coin roll, rolling it up and back on his knuckles as he had not
mastered running it all around his hand. Goldin said he then asked him when he had
been in Detroit and Shaw colored up and said he had heard there was a fellow there
who was already copying the trick." We had a good laugh over that, though
naturally it hurt me a little.

During this period I met not only magicians but also the greatest artists in all lines
of entertainment. Among them Henry Lee, the proten artist, Paul Cinquevalli, the
greatest of all jugglers whom I used to visit in later years in his London home, and
Mr. and Mrs. James J. Corbett. That recalls an incident that happened to Corbett,
when he played the Temple Theater. He asked me to join him and his wife at the
 117

Russell House when they gave a supper for Ethel Barrymore who was playing at the
Opera House. I was told to join them about eleven-thirty, but I was a little late and
they had finished their supper. I was met at the door by Wm. Zimmer, the steward
of the hotel. He told me he had arranged Miss Barrymore's initials in flowers and
asked me what I could with it. I went in and, after I was introduced to Miss
Barrymore, I proceeded to entertain the party. I got a napkin and a few blooms of
flowers from the table and apparently placed them under a plate. When I lifted the
plate there were the floral initials of Miss Barrymore. This made a big hit. The rest
of the evening was spent in reminiscences by Miss Barrymore and Jim Corbett.
Altogether it was a memorable evening for me.

Another famous personage I met was Henry Dixie. I

had already seen his former show "Adonis or The
Man with a Hundred Faces." He was a man who
could do anything and do it well. I first met him
personally when he came to the Temple Theater. He
surprised me with his knowledge of, and skill in,
magic. In fact he told me that when Alexander
Herrmann died he had intended to take over the show,
but a Mr. Bancroft got it. Mr. Dixie was particularly
kind to me and taught me innumerable things about
the stage such as deportment and how to make oneself
heard in the biggest theaters. Believe me these things
have been invaluable to me. At that time I never
dreamed of becoming a professional magician as I
was very bashful and shy. Looking back I still cannot Henry Dixie, the actor, told Leipzig
figure out how I ever had the nerve to step out on the he had wanted to take our Herrmann's
stage alone to try to entertain several thousand people. show, but Brancroft beat him to it.
Bancroft's opening during which he
came down a long flight of stairs was
One day Booth called me up and asked me if I would one of the most impressive ever
go on at the Temple in case some act dropped out. He staged.

said I might be called that week as one of the acts had arrived very drunk and he
didn't know how long he would last. I asked permission from Mr. Redeisheimer, the
man I worked for, and he agreed so long as it would be for a few days only.
Saturday afternoon Booth phoned me that the performer, Leslie, had gone on the
stage at the matinee and that he had to be pulled off. So that night I stepped out on
the stage of the Temple Theater with fear and trembling as it was the first
professional engagement I had ever played. I never realized the difference between
the amateur and the professional until then. I knew nothing about showmanship as
this happened before I met Henry Dixie, and, as I did not think I could put over my
finer work, I had to resort to stock tricks. Anyway I went over fairly well which I
attributed to the fact that I was a local boy. Next day, however, Sunday, I had an
experience which was not so good. The Sunday audiences were of a rougher type,
especially in the gallery. The act I had to follow was that of a young lady who sang
popular songs and had two pickanninies who danced. These pics were a riot and
were called back seven or eight times. Mr. Booth darkened the stage, put out my
table and had my music played. I stepped out, but the gallery wouldn't have it so.
The galleryites hooted and yelled until the pies came out to take a bow and even
 118

that didn't appease them. Mr. Booth had to make an announcement that there would
be no further show until the gallery subsided. Then I went on and spent the most
miserable fifteen minutes of my life. That experience took all ideas of show
business out of my head for a long time.

Outside of magic my hobby was billiards and though I couldn't play very well I did
certainly enjoy the game. I would spend my spare time at Sweeny's billiard room.
One day he said to me, "I will show you how to make money. After your work
some night I want you to come with me to Mount Clement, a summer resort just
twenty miles from Detroit. I will take you to the leading hotel in the town and tell
the manager you are a magician, that you will give a performance in the lobby for
which a silver collection would be taken up." That idea shocked me somewhat. That
part of passing the plate around didn't appeal to me but I decided to try it out
eventually. So Sweeny and I took the car to Mount Clement and went to the Agnew
House, the leading hotel there. The manager seemed pleased with the idea and then
and there had a sign prepared stating the arrangement we proposed. He placed it so
that everyone leaving the dining room could see it. About eight o'clock some
hundred guests assembled in the lobby. I was introduced and I went to work. When
I had finished the little daughter of one of the guests went round with a hat and to
my astonishment the total collected amounted to thirty dollars.

In spite of that and the actual performance being a success the business didn't
appeal to me and I never did it again. Shortly after this it seemed that every boy I
knew would ask me: "Have you seen Adams the magician?" Everyone spoke so
marvelously about him that very naturally I became very curious about him. I
wasn't able to get in touch with him as he was not a professional magician, but a
traveling man for the Garlock Packing Co. Every day the stories I heard became
more wonderful, so much so that I began to discredit most of them. However, I
finally met him, and he was all that was said of him and more. He had a style of
work which I have never seen equaled or even poorly copied. He was an adept at
vesting and he did unbelievable things with that sleight. A good deal of his work
was done with lighted cigar and glasses of beer, for he used no special apparatus.
He would book a private date once in a while but most of his work was done to
amuse the boys at the bar of the best hotel in the town. One of his favorite tricks
was to stand up, pick up his glass of beer, place it underneath his coat up near the
shoulder blade and then, turning round once, he would say, "Search me." He would
slap his coat, flatten it, open it wide and then let them examine his vest. Finally he
would take a handkerchief, wave it once or twice and then produce the glass of beer
from it intact. His misdirection in this was perfect.

The trick that I liked as well as any that he did was this: He would borrow a cigar
from the man sitting next to him and then have the person button his coat. He would
bite the end off the cigar and light it and apparently throw it into the air where it
disappeared. This sleight he did to perfection. Showing his hands empty and pulling
open his own coat, he would have the person unbutton his coat and there in his own
pocket was the missing cigar. Outside of his vesting ability, he handled
handkerchiefs very well, using a decanter for a vanish and this was also a favorite of
mine. Later I changed to the Wilsbach tube and the next time I met him I found he
 119

also used this tube, but as with the decanter he would always borrow one in the
hotel. I think I got more friendly with him than with any other magician. He had a
few thimble moves that were very good and it was he who started me with them.
When next I met him I had made two metal holders so that I could make the full
production. He also had evolved an idea whereby he could produce four. We
exchanged many ideas, one I remember appeared in The Sphinx - the rubber band
and a handkerchief. This was one of Adams's favorite tricks and a masterpiece of
misdirection.

He paid me a great compliment the first time he saw me at the Temple after I had
become a professional. While he liked my card work very much, he liked best of all
my method of doing the thimbles with drum effects. It was the last time I saw him
and a few years later I heard he was dead.

I had now worked for Mr. Redelsheimer, the

optician, for about sixteen years and he had
always said that if I stuck to him the business
would be mine, but I was getting very disgusted
with the way things were going. He had taken
on a lady cashier and from that time on I might
as well have not been there. I could see how
things were going and I vowed I would take the
first opportunity of breaking away. Even so I
had no idea of going into the show business,
although my greatest hobby was going back
stage at the Temple to meet the performers.
East meets west. Harry Kellar, first dean of
the S.A.M., greats Ching Ling Foo. Kellar Thus I got to know two boys named Berol and
was one of Nate Leipzig's best friends. Berol who did a rag picture act. The stage was
set with a large picture frame some fifteen feet
square, covered with black velvet. Sitting in front of this was a painter. In
pantomime he showed he had no paints to work with and was very despondent
about it. A rag picker entered and opened his bag, tumbling out rags of all colors.
The painter, seized the idea of using the rags. The two went to work and by making
use of the rags and various articles lying about, in a minute and a half, produced a
beautiful marine scene on which the spotlight was thrown. Then by simply shaking
the black velvet all the rags, etc., fell to the floor. They went on to make three other
pictures, one, a snow scene, was very effective as they used cotton from inside
some pillows for the snow effect. The last, which took them only thirty seconds,
was a dog's head for which they used some rugs from the floor. The act was a very
great success.

The Berols were much interested in magic as a third brother, Max Berol, was well
known as a mind reader, using his wife in the act known as Berol and Belmonte.
The two boys interested me greatly in a stunt Felix would do, which I had never
seen before. He would ask me to write forty or fifty numbers on a piece of paper
and then call off a word and place it at the side of each number. After once hearing
the words and numbers he would call them off in any way I wanted. Of course, that
wouldn't mystify magicians now, but this was many years ago, Felix became quite
 120

famous as a memory artist in later years. In fact all three boys used memory systems
in various stunts.

About a year later they returned to the Temple

and while there they quarreled and were going
to split up the act. Felix came to me and offered
me a half interest in the act if I would join him.
He told me they were getting a hundred and
fifty dollars a week, which in those days was
not bad. This gave me something to think
about. As I was to do the rag picking and there
were no lines to speak that made a great point
in my favor. This opportunity coming just after
I had made up my mind to quit the man I
worked for so hard for so many years because
of his treatment of me finally fixed me in my
resolution. Of course, it required careful Hornmann was playing theatre dates with a
deliberation as the step meant leaving home, comedy act when Leipzig first met him. His
name is still perpetuated in the magic shop
away from which I had never been. Mr. which Al Flosso currently owns.
Redelsheimer was greatly taken aback when I
told him my intention, he didn't like it at all and offered to raise my salary if I would
stay on. But my mind was made up and I gave him a week's notice. Next I had to
tell my mother and brothers and they were all against it. I was firm in the matter
although they all predicted I would be back home in a very short time.

There was a side to all this that Felix and I had not figured on. Willie Berol decided
to take a lady partner and do the same act, using the same name which he had a
right to do. We did not find this out until we got to New York. It was surprising
how many people from Detroit and professionals I had met in Detroit that I came
across in the very first day in the big city. Felix told me of two of his best friends
that I must meet. One was John Liffler and the other Sargent the Magician. The next
night after our arrival he took me to Sargent's home. I was asked to do some tricks.
Sargent seemed to be greatly interested in them and told me I must come to
Martinka's on the Saturday night to meet all the local magicians and their wives. So
the following Saturday Felix and I went to the famous shop and I was surprised at
the crowd that was there. Sargent had spread the word that I was coming and that I
had something new. The result was that I was surrounded and had to show my stuff.
Every time another magician came in I foolishly repeated my tricks. In fact they
kept me going till quite late. I met a great number of magicians, both amateur and
professional, who have remained my good friends ever since. It would be difficult
to name them all, but I remember a few, Mr. and Mrs. Ransom, Mr. and Mrs.
Francis Werner, Albert Smith and Blackton of the Vitagraph Co., Ronald Reeder,
Robert Ankele, Pat Walsh, Wm. Ransom, Sargent, Wm. Kaufmann, Mr. and Mrs.
Martinka and many more I cannot recall.
 121

Nate Leipzig's Autobiography: Part 3

By Nate Leipzig
Part 3 - Breaking into Vaudeville
Saturday night was the regular date for the
meeting of the magicians and their wives and I
never missed one while I was in New York. In
the rear of the shop there was a little theater
with a stage and footlights. The different
members would show their pet tricks. Francis
Werner would never fail to do his famous bill
tearing trick, his master piece. Every time I
went there I would meet some of the best
professionals, like Servais LeRoy, Fred
Powell, Buatier de Kolta, etc. Those evenings
were very enjoyable and long to be
remembered.

Private Work

As to our act, it did not turn out very well for

us for we had to do tryouts for little money.
Willie Berol must have had the same trouble.
So after both acts had struggled along for Invitations like this one, to see "a number
about six months not doing at all well. Felix of Experts of the Art", were sent for the
Saturday night shows in the back room of
decided to do something with his memory act Martinka's.
so Willie and I joined hands. But the split had
cut the price for good and it was a struggle to
get along; after a while we gave it up. However, I had made up my mind not to go
home a failure and decided to take up private work with my magic. I went to all the
leading agents in town and I had a terrible time for several months. However I was
very fortunate in one way; four boys I had known in Detroit, all bachelors, had an
apartment in West 22nd Street near 9th Avenue. One of them was about to be
married and they made a proposition to me, that I should take his place and pay a
few dollars a month when working and nothing at all if I were idle. That was perfect
for me, it gave me a place to sleep and by that means I was able to stick it out.
 122

Matters got so bad with me that I was down to

two dollars, all I had in the world, when I met
Alfred Guissart, an architect and also an amateur
magician. He saw that I was in the doldrums and
asked me to be his guest that night. He said he
was going to New Rochelle to a dinner at the
Elks Club with an entertainment to follow. We
arrived there after the performers had started.
Before the dinner was over the talent was
exhausted. Mr. Guissart had introduced me to
the Exalted Ruler and had also told him I was a
magician. So during the dinner this gentleman
came to my friend and asked if I would oblige
with a few tricks. I did some of my favorites
very successfully for I was called back several
Another early S.A.M.er was the brilliant times. A few minutes later I heard the Exalted
inventor Buatier DeKolta who performed in
New York at the Eden Musee. He, too, was Ruler whisper to Guissart: "I wonder if your
a regular at Martinka's when in town. friend would be insulted if I gave him fifteen
dollars for his work?" I sure did accept that
fifteen dollars with pleasure, it was a God send. The strangest part of that evening
was that it turned out to be the turning point of my career. From that day I began to
get calls from the agents for private work and was soon making from forty to fifty
dollars a week, fifteen dollars from an agent was at that time the average fee.

Vaudeville

I used to drop into Martinka's a good deal during the day time, though it was
generally very quiet on weekdays. There I met Harry Kellar and he took me to see a
friend of his by the name of Beadle, quite an old gentleman but a very charming
one. Mr. Beadle was an accomplished mechanician and made some very intricate
pieces of mechanical apparatus for Kellar and a few other leading magicians. He
liked to have magicians around him so his place became quite a rendezvous for us.
Amongst others Elmer Ransom, J. Warren Keane, a very clever manipulator who
was then strongly established in vaudeville, Allen Shaw, Barney Ives and a few
others would often drop in on him. We would all go together for lunch to Max
Schwartz's place across the street. Beadle, who lived in Cranford, N. J., about 35
miles from New York, would insist that I do a long distance telephone card trick
and this was always a big success.
 123

I was still content to do private work as I never

figured I had an act for vaudeville but that work
was definitely fated for me. Warren Keane, who
was playing Proctor's 5th Avenue Theatre came to
me and told me he was sailing for Europe that
Saturday and that he had permission to take the
day off if he could get someone to deputize for
him. He wanted me to take his place at Proctor's
for the Saturday and Sunday. I said I had no act,
but he wouldn't stand for that. He maintained I
had a lot of new stuff that had not been seen and
that it would be a great opening for me. So I
accepted but it was in fear and trembling that I
stepped on the stage Saturday afternoon. But I got
a pleasant surprise for as I was leaving by the
stage entrance, two messages were handed to me.
One was from William Morris, one of the biggest Leipzig met Powell at Martinka's.
agents even in those days, and the other was from Powell toured widely with his evening
of magic in the days before he became
Jules Ruby, the man who booked the Proctor the second Dean of the S.A.M.
circuit. Since the latter's office was just upstairs I
went to him first. He told me that he and Morris had seen my act and he offered me
the Proctor circuit.

On the Keith Circuit

Then I went over to Morris's office and sent my name in. He had me come right in,
a most unusual thing as only too many who have cooled their heels in agents'
offices will testify. He said he had seen the act and liked it and offered me six
weeks on the Keith circuit at forty dollars. I didn't know much about vaudeville
salaries at that time but I knew that from thirty-five to forty dollars was the usual
thing for beginners. So I told him I was not a vaudevillian and merely played the
two days at Proctor's to oblige Warren Keane, that my specialty was in private work
and that I was making more than forty dollars a week at that. He said, "Listen,
young man the best acts started at that price and Nelson Downs began at thirty-
five." "That may be," I replied, "but I haven't asked for any work," and that was
where I had him for I had never gone to any vaudeville agent. He smiled and said,
"Suppose I make it fifty dollars, will you take it?" I was afraid to go any further so I
accepted and I will say this for William Morris, he raised my salary twice that year
without me asking him to do so. I was playing my second week for him when I
received a wire reading: "Six more weeks at sixty-five," and before the end of the
season he gave me four more weeks at seventy-five dollars.
 124

I have always considered myself very

fortunate in getting into vaudeville so easily
when I have seen so many struggle for years to
get a footing. Even Warren Keane, when he
returned from Europe some six months later,
complained that since I had got in he had
trouble getting his bookings again.

I finished up a fairly good season considering

it was my first and then it meant laying off for
about four months. Even in that I was lucky. I
met Sam DuVries, the husband of Anita, the
fire dancer, and he asked what I was doing for
the summer. I told him I had nothing arranged
Francies Werner's torn bill trick was one of so he said that he had two small summer
the most talked-of intimate feats of the day. theaters on the boardwalk in Atlantic City. In
Leipzig saw him perform it a Martinka's.
Houdini describes it on page 99 of his book
one he had six girls who did all the dances his
on paper magic. wife used to do and in the other one he wanted
to put someone to do magic. For this show he
had bought the Herbert Brooks trunk and the Floating Lady.
 125

Nate Leipzig's Autobiography: Part 4

By Nate Leipzig
Part 4 - In Europe
On board ship my first trip abroad, I was told by several fellow travelers who were artists that
I had better arrive in London a few weeks ahead of my performance to look over the situation
and to study the difference in language. "While it is English, still it is different," they warned.
In fact, I soon learned that my audience would not know what a "deck" of cards was, as it is
known in England as a "pack" of playing cards. We used to use the word "deck" in America
more frequently than we do now.

But that was the least of my linguistic troubles. A little

later, when I was actually performing in England, it so
happened that the leading managers from all the big
continental theatres went to the Palace Theatre in
London, to see the acts and to select some for their own
theatres. My act seemed to please Mr. Borney of the
Folies Marigny of Paris. He spoke to my agent, offering
me seven weeks starting on July first of that year, but
stipulating that I must learn enough French to put it over.
Since my agent spoke and wrote French fluently, and as
I had several months in which to learn my act in French,
he finally persuaded me to accept the contract. I studied
my agent's French version of my conversation off and
on, whenever I was able to do so, as I was suffering
Nate Leipzig considerably from rheumatism. What with the pain, I
scarcely had the patience to practice the twist of tongue
and gutterals, not knowing what I was talking about. Many a time I was tempted to throw the
manuscript out of the window and give up the engagement. However, I was finally cured of
my rheumatics, and my agent was satisfied with my accent. I went to Paris - with my English
bride, whom I had met on the very first day I arrived in England. We made it our honeymoon.

On the opening night, I was greatly worried about my French. The stage manager, who was
the only one around the theatre who could speak a few words of English, was very
encouraging. After my first performance, he told me that I did very well. I probably would
never have known it, as the people themselves do not applaud since a claque was used in that
house But there was a huge joke on me. Those people in the audience, to whom I was
speaking my bad French during Judy and August, were English and American tourists! After I
learned that you may be sure that I spoke never another word of French during these seven
weeks! On that bill were Julian Eltinge, Rice and Prevost - a very well-known acrobatic act -
and a number of American acts who were playing some of the other French theatres, but who
lived at the Hotel Franklin, where I lived, and where the waiters and bell hops and everybody
could speak English. If I had gone anywhere else, I would have been forced to learn French;
there, with most of the American and English arts who were billed in Paris, I relaxed at my
 126

ease.

Another snag abroad was the matter of lighting effects. My success depended on adequate
spotlights for my work, since all my work was done with small articles. Imagine my
consternation when I learned that a spotlight from the front of the house was practically
unknown! Their spotlights came from the wings, or the sides of the stage, which was fatal to
me, as the light striking my hands from the sides would shadow my cards. So I had to
stipulate in all contracts that I must have a spotlight from the front of the house. Here's a
funny story about that:

Most of the houses found great difficulty in arranging for this light, not having the necessary
cable, but since it was mentioned in the contract it had to be done. At the Palace Theatre in
Cork, Ireland, the best they could do was to place a boy with a light in the Orchestra. The
second night this boy told me that two young fellows sitting behind him in the front row were
discussing my first trick with cards which consisted of rubbing off the spots. One of the boys
exclaimed: "I see how he does it. The boy with the lantern has slides and he is changing the
slides."

Again, the Zoo Hippodrome in Glasgow, Scotland, owned by the Bostock's of the well-known
Bostock Circus family, had no balcony, so there was no way of arranging a front spotlight.
Mr. Bostock came to me very much perturbed and said, "I don't know how I can arrange this
for you. I have no such light and no place to put it."

It would have been fatal for me to work in that size house, seating three thousand people on
one floor, without using a front spotlight. I was compelled to insist that as it was in my
contract, something must be done.

Just before my first performance, the manager told me that it was arranged. When I stepped
out on the stage I found that a platform had been built right over the orchestra and its leader.
At the end of this, facing me, was what looked almost like a cannon. When they turned on the
light I thought I was shot, as they had borrowed a search light off a ship. It was so strong I
could hardly stand it.

It is a strange thing in my life that every time anything extraordinary has happened to me,
someone on this continent has been on the scene unknown to me, and has, several years later,
bowled me over by telling me of incidents that happened which I did not think were known in
this country.

For instance, I was once sitting in the Lambs Club. I ran into Armand Vecci, who used to
conduct the orchestra at the Ritz Carlton in London and now has the same position in this
country in New York at the Ritz. He asked me:

"Do you remember what King Edward said to one of the guests after you did the pencil
trick?"

I said' "No, but what do you know about it?" He replied:

''I was standing right behind you. I was conducting the Red Hussar Band."
 127

Of course, that was a very big surprise to me. What King Edward said to one of his guests,
which I did not hear and may not repeat, proved that the King not only had an excellent sense
of humor but was very much a human being like the rest of us.

Again, when I went to the Orpheum Theatre in Winnipeg in 1908, the first words Mr. Dean,
the manager, addressed to me were:

"Nate, where is that gold medal that Mr. Maskelyne pinned on your coat at one of the big
seances of the Magic Circle in St. Georges' Hall in London? The first and only medal ever
presented by them to anyone, I understand, and presented to you because you baffled every
magician in the Circle!"

I said, "What do you know about it?"

"Well," he replied, "I happen to be in the audience when it happened."

Speaking of the King, I am reminded that I once was the proud possessor of one of his shirts.
On an early booking around the world - England, Ireland, Scotland, Africa, Australia,
America, and again England - on board ship en route to Africa, I was sought out by a Mr.
Sullivan, who at one time had had charge of the royal laundry at the Buckingham Palace. Mr.
Sullivan, it seems, had "never ceased hearing tell" of my performance of legerdemain at
Buckingham Palace before King Edward and Queen Alexandra when they entertained the
King and Queen of Denmark. He excitedly drew me into his cabin.

Two full dress shirts reposed on the man's bunk. "These were once the property of King
Edward, and I'm going to give you one," he explained. "I know you won't be able to wear it
because the size is seventeen, but I think you will appreciate it as a souvenir. I'm going to
treasure the other."

I was delighted to have the King's shirt; but later, in Johannesburg, foolishly gave it to Mr. A.
Goldman, one of the leading bookmakers in South Africa, who, upon hearing the episode of
the shirt, had said:

"That's just my size! Nate, I'd give anything in the world to own that." As he had been kind to
me on many an occasion, I fell - I gave it to him. Afterwards I was very sorry that I did.

Now, I'm told that a reporter ran this story about the incident: "King Edward was delighted
with Mr. Leipzig's astounding sorcery to the point where he was willing to give the American
wizard the shirt off his back. But even a king may not disrobe before an illustrious company.
So His Majesty beckoned to George Ashton who booked all the royal performances. 'That
man Leipzig . . . I take off my shirt to him. See that he gets one,' was his Majesty's command.
And the royal edict was carried out. However, Mr. Leipzig found that he couldn't wear the
shirt. 'Why, it's size seventeen!' he complained to a friend. "That's just my size ... give it to
me,' coaxed the friend. And Mr. Leipzig did."
 128

The 1945 S.A.M. Conference in Chicago might take a tip from this photograph showing
Nate Leipzig, then National President, producing rabbits to be sent as special invitations
to distinguished magicians and patrons of the art.

Thinking back to England, there comes to mind an amusing incident regarding Mark Twain. I
was a guest of a Mr. Chamberlain, then editor of the London branch of The New York Sun, at
a Savage Club dinner and entertainment. The guests of honor were Mr. Brennan, inventor of
the monorail railroad, and Mark Twain. This was just before his departure for America. There
was one immense round table upon which a miniature monorail train was demonstrated as the
centerpiece. It was interesting to see that if you pushed it while in motion, it came towards
you, working, I understand, on the gyroscopic principle. It is well to mention here that this
affair happened about a day or two after the Ascot Cup was stolen. This is mentioned to
foreshadow a little incident that occurred which, I understand, has become a matter of history.
When Mark Twain was announced, he stood up to a tremendous reception. He was a very fine
looking man with his white, bushy hair and his white mustache - altogether a very striking
figure, all in white in a Panama suit. When the applause subsided, Mr. Mark Twain said, "I
noticed two headlines in the paper this morning: One said, 'The Ascot Cup stolen'; the other
said, 'Mark Twain leaves town'." This brought tremendous roars of laughter.

When Tom Edwards, the clever English ventriloquist, came over for an engagement at the
Palace Theatre in New York, two years ago, we had many laughs over a joint performance in
London. George Ashton had asked me to appear at Alfred Vanderbilt's house, stating that, as
there were to be quite a number of performers, I need not arrive until eleven o'clock. I arrived
at the door just at eleven, when who should come along but Tom. I said, Hello, Tom. You
working here, too?" He said he was.

We rang the bell, and the butler opened the door. We told him who we were. He said, "I will
show you to a room and will send for you when you are wanted." The house was very large.
He took us upstairs, through a long corridor, to our room. Everything looked comfortable.
They had a table set with various kinds of drinks and a plate full of sandwiches. We had a
drink or so and ate. Then I opened the door thinking I might hear something of the
performance, but I could not hear a sound. Re-entering the room I had a few more drinks and
a few more sandwiches, with Tom. We waited a very long time; it seemed hours. We both fell
asleep.

I awoke with a start - looked at my watch-found it was two o'clock in the morning. I woke
Tom and said, "There's something wrong here." I went to the door; and at that moment Mr.
 129

have you been? I've been looking all over the house for you. There are so many rooms . . . the
butler forgot where he put you. The guests are leaving. Only a very few people are left."

We went downstairs, to do a couple of minutes each, anyway.

 130

Nate Leipzig's Autobiography: Part 5

By Nate Leipzig
Part 5: The Saga of a Famous Magician
About six or seven years ago, on the day following the Lambs Gambol, Mr. Grant Stewart,
head of Actors Equity said to me:

"I want to tell you something peculiar. After your performance last night, I told my wife and
daughter about you. My daughter seemed incredulous and asked me to repeat your name.
Then she said, 'That's strange. I'm just reading about him in one of my school books.' I told
my daughter that I hardly thought it could be the same magician, and asked to see the book.
So she brought me, 'The Empress Eugenie,' written by Edward Legge. And there is a chapter
which describes what the Empress considers the most important event of her later years, when
she entertained the King and Queen of Spain and a number of other notables and a hundred
officers from Aldershot. The book then mentions the four entertainers, Mrs. Swinton, Harry
Tate in his motoring sketch, Margaret Cooper, the well-known English music hall artist, and
you, Leipzig, with your cards."

Of course, this was a great surprise to me, as I never knew that this had been printed, but of
course there it was. I tried to get this book but found it was out of print. I mentioned the
matter to Brockbark, a member of the club, who had played Napoleon in various plays. He
said, "I think I have the book for you, as I have a very big library on anything pertaining to
Napoleon." I found, however, that the book which he kindly gave me had been written by the
same man, but it was a different volume called "Empress Eugenie and her Son." A year later,
when I had practically forgotten the incident, I met Miss Stewart when the Lambs went down
to West Point to entertain the cadets, and she was kind enough to give me her book which
now I treasure beyond price. The book which Mr. Brockbank gave me I lost through a
peculiar happening. Lowell Sherman, the actor, who was very much interested in the volume,
asked me to loan it to him. I never got it back. When I met him a year or so afterwards, he
explained "The reason I cannot give you the book is because I let my wife have it, and I have
since been divorced and have no way of getting at it." Since this incident he has been married
twice again and I wonder how many more books he is unable to reclaim!
 131

When playing at the Hippodrome in Manchester, England, I found that heading our bill was
the late Sarah Bernhardt, supported by Lou Tellegen. They were doing a scene from
"Camille." I got to know Tellegen very well. He came to me one evening and told me,
"Madame Bernhardt is anxious to meet you," explaining in this way:

I was on the bill in the fifth position, and her act, which was full stage, followed mine. Quite
early, she would come on the stage in the setting behind me, as this was before she had the
operation on her limb; she was rather lame, and Mr. Tellegen would lead her there, where she
would sit, waiting until my act was over. And as the Manchester audience was particularly
kind to me, she would hear the applause and ask Mr. Tellegen what I was doing. He would
explain as well as he could. Finally, he suggested to me that it would be a nice thing if I would
perform a few little things for her in her dressing room. She spoke but very few words in
English, but she made it clear to me in her charming manner that she enjoyed everything I did.
She was kind enough to give me her autograph, and as I did not have my autograph book with
me, she insisted upon giving it to me on my own stationery.

Now, I'll tell a story about how the Vitagraph happened. First, let me state that, among the
amateurs who frequented Martinka's I met three boys I got very friendly with, Albert Smith,
and Blackton and Ronald Reeder. Smith and Blackton were the owners of the Vitagraph
Company back in those days, about 1902. There was a third partner in the concern, an older
man known to us boys as "Papa Rock." Reeder, Smith and Blackton used to give
performances, nice evening performances once in a while in magic, lightning painting and in
shadowgraphy. This was only a side line, a hobby, with the boys. Reeder was in the insurance
business. When the Vitagraph got going strong, Smith and Blackton never forgot any of their
friends. Several who were amateur magicians got very good positions with the Vitagraph Co.
Reeder became the Paris representative and stayed there many years, but is now retired and
living in England. They are all English boys, in fact.

Now for the story. Smith and Blackton were both inventors. They sat one day in a saloon
talking over a particular invention in connection with a camera. A gentleman, who sat at the
next table to them, over heard their conversation and spoke to them saying; "Boys, I have over
heard what you said and would like to know how much money it would take to float this
proposition?" I have forgotten exactly the price in thousands that they asked, but he said, "It
sounds good to me, and if you will take me in, I will be glad to put up the money." That was
"Papa Rock" and the beginning of the Vitagraph.

The offices of "The Vitagraph" used to be down in Nassau street in those days, and one
Sunday the boys asked me to come down to the studio. We went up on the roof of the
building and Smith rigged up a black cloth with two holes in it. I posed for about fifteen
minutes, my hands alone, showing my novelties of sleight of hand tricks, like the thimbles
and the matches, billiard balls, cards, showing only the hands in action-especially the coin
roll. The picture ran about ten minutes.

I saw a showing of this picture a short time later, with a very novel introduction. A black
space and coins floated up into the screen and formed themselves into "Nate Leipzig's" and
cards came floating in forming "Wonderful Hands." Mr. Smith gave me several rolls of the
film of rolling the coin, which was all I cared for, as I wanted to use that film to close my act.
 132

He even told me to have them colored the natural tint of the hand. There was a woman in
Orange, N. J., who used to do all their work of that type. When I was in England, my films
became nearly used up, and I sent over for more, hut unfortunately, they had had a fire and
my negatives were among thousands of others that had been burned.

During the first eighteen months of the World War, I was in England, and many people asked
me why I did not change my name. My angle was this: If I changed it, the public would surely
think me to be German. So I thought it best to keep it as it was, since I had been very well
known as an American there for years. In fact, Mr. Stoll, who has the music halls in England,
billed me as the American Leipzig for that season. One of the leading papers in London had
an interesting article, saying that so many Germans in England suddenly became Swiss and
Belgian, it also mentioned the fact that there were a lot of people bearing German names who
were not German - mentioning "George Mozart who was an Englishman and Nate Leipzig
who was an American."

While I never had any trouble in England during the war, there were two occasions when I
was a bit doubtful about my reception:

I was booked to play Rotherham, and had heard that, during the past few months two
magicians who played there got the bird (were hissed) from the audience. Naturally, I was a
little bit worried about how they would receive me. But I had no trouble at all, and learned
why the other two had been hissed: both had accents, and while the audience didn't know
quite what the dialects were, they knew they were not English nor American, and they took no
chances. So I could understand their reason.

The second incident was something entirely different. I was playing at the London Coliseum,
and just before my name was put out, there flashed on the screen a message. As I went out I
heard tremendous cheering - a prolonged cheering. And this was the news: Three German
battleships had been sunk. I was very fortunate that they did not flash the names of them, as
one of them was the "Leipzig."

As you know, during the war every artist playing in England was called upon to entertain the
soldiers - either at hospitals or at private homes. One affair, where about fifty soldiers were
entertained by a very lovely woman, will always linger in my mind, it was so pitiable. There
were wounded soldiers: a wonderful audience to work for, they were so happy to be
entertained! I was walking about, showing the various boys how I rub off the faces of the
cards, when one of the chaps sitting in the corner called out, "Show that to me!" After I had
shown him my trick right before his very eyes, he laughed at me, saying, "That's one on you.
I'm blind." Such was the brave and pitiful sense of humor of the war. Really, he seemed to be
the jolliest person in the entire room.

When I returned here from England, I was booked to go to Montreal, and the booking agent
was afraid to bill me by my right name, although I had told him about my English experiences
- that I had had no trouble over there. He said, "Well, I'm afraid to take a chance in Canada,"
so when I came to Montreal, I found myself billed as Burlingame. But everybody knew me,
so it didn't make any difference. I later went up to Winnipeg, and they had me under a
different name there, but this was the very name that I, at one time, thought I would use,
myself: Nat Lincoln. On the bill with me on that particular engagement was the well-known
 133

act of Raymond and Calvere, and, as they were doing a Dutch dialect talking act, at the last
minute they decided to put chin pieces on and do it in Hebrew.
 134

Nate Leipzig's Autobiography: Part 6

By Nate Leipzig
Part 6: The Saga of a Famous Magician
I have always liked to perform for people who know something about cards, as
there is a slang saying, "You can fool a sucker any time, so it is a pleasure to fool
the wise ones." I had quite a thrill, then, in performing for about twenty men whom
I recognized as well - known card sharks. This happened in a night club of Leicester
Square, London, which was then run by Ernest Pancher who formerly was one of
the Pancher Brothers, a high class acrobatic act which played all over the world for
many years. I happened to drop into this club about two o'clock in the morning.
Two or three of the sharks knew me and I knew them by reputation as I very seldom
played cards. They were in a very happy mood and called me over. One of them
said, "Come on, we're all alone here now. Do something for us." So I did a few
tricks for them, and want to emphasize that I never had a more appreciative
audience in my life.

When I arrived in
London, I was given the
good advice that if I
wanted to see any
friends at all, American
or English performers,
that I might know, I
should go to the
German Club which
was run by a man by
Seated left to right - Will Goldston, David Devant and Louis Gautier.
Behind Gautier, who wears the flowing black tie, stands Nate Leipzig.
name of Mr. Siegrist; at
Goldston and Devant were also S.A.M. members. this club, most all
American and
continental performers make their headquarters. A very funny thing happened there
one day. I put one over on Willie Zimmerman. I was playing at the London
Hippodrome and Zimmerman was playing the Coliseum, which was just a stone's
throw away. One morning I went into the German Club and found Willie
Zimmerman all excited, showing everybody a new twenty dollar gold piece which
he carried in a little chamois case. In his broken dialect, he was telling everybody
about the novelty of this coin: it had been recalled be cause it was concave and
wouldn't stack. As he brought it towards me, I put my hand in my pocket and found
a silver dollar there, and, after I had examined his twenty dollar gold piece, I slipped
the silver dollar in the chamois case as a lark. He had been particular, while
showing the coin, to mention the fact that it was worth about one hundred dollars at
the time. He put the chamois case in his pocket, and went to the theatre. I did not
see him again until twelve o'clock that night, when I entered the German Club
which was crowded. Willie Zimmerman was playing cards with two other men. I
 135

gave everyone there the wink to gather around the table, whereupon I said, taking
out his gold piece from my pocket, "Willie, you're not the only one who has one of
these coins. I just bought this from a magical performer for twenty-five dollars." I
saw his hand go instinctively to his pocket and feel for the case which was still
there, and I could see that he was feeling the coin inside his chamois case. He said,
in his broken English, "You're very lucky fellow, as that's worth a hundred dollars."
I fully expected him to bring the coin out of his pocket, but he didn't do so, since he
was satisfied that it was there. I finally had to ask him, "What was the date of
yours?" And to see the expression on his face when he looked at the coin and found
that he had the silver piece, realizing that he thought he had had the gold piece with
him all day, gave everybody a good laugh.

You have been coaxing me to expose a trick. This is scarcely fair, not only to me,
but to the entire profession of magic. However, I will relate exactly how I did
explain a trick when performing before Empress Eugenie of France at Franborough
Hill near Aldershot, in England. This was Her Imperial Majesty, the wife of the
Emperor Napoleon III, the empress whom an American dentist, the late Thomas W.
Evans, helped to escape to England. The guests of honor were the King and Queen
of Spain, the latter having been before her marriage Princess Ena, an English
princess.

I usually work with someone from the audience. In this instance, the two who
offered their services for everything were King Alfonso and Prince Alexander of
Battenberg. King Alfonso seemed to be greatly interested in card tricks and to enjoy
everything very much. When I started doing the cigarette paper tearing trick, I said
to His Majesty:

"As a rule, I never expose a trick, but this is one that I sometimes expose. First I
will fool you with it; then I will expose it."

The young King was all eager attention as I tore from a pad a single sheet of
cigarette paper; then showed my hands to be empty, proving that no duplicate
pieces were hidden between my fingers. Next, I proceeded to tear the paper into
small pieces, to roll these bits into a little pellet: then, promptly to unroll the ball -
and the audience saw the paper to be as intact as though it had never been torn.

"Now," I asked, "must I expose it?"

"By all means," cried the audience. "You surely know," I said, "that I cannot tear a
piece of paper and restore it unless another piece is hidden in my hand. But the
secret is this: I can hide a little piece of paper in my hand where you cannot see it . .
. and I will prove it to you."

I took a fresh piece of paper and rolled it into a little ball, with thumb and forefinger
of my right hand; then I opened my hand and the audience saw that it was empty.
Of course, everyone asked where the paper was. I showed that it was hidden right at
the base of the thumb, in the crotch between thumb and forefinger . . . telling them
that if I didn't want them to see it, they couldn't see it.
 136

"But that is only a small part of the trick," I explained. "I can exchange the pellets -
the one from its hiding place in the fork of my hand with the one that I will tear up -
without letting you see me do it. But I want you to see how quickly I make that
exchange, just with a flick of a little finger. So I shall bring the hidden pellet out
from its hiding place, into full view, doing so with the little finger tip of my other
hand, and keep it gripping in full sight with my muscles."

I now took an extra piece of paper and commenced tearing that, asking my audience
to glue their eyes on the little pellet still in full view, warning them, "Watch
carefully, or I will fool you again." Just as the second sheet of paper became rolled
into a pellet, the piece that had been held in full sight by the muscles in the base of
my thumb dropped to the floor, apparently accidentally, where upon everybody
shouted, "You dropped it!"

"You weren't watching," I retorted, "and I have fooled you again, because this one
in my hand is restored, and the one on the floor is the pieces!"

The assemblage had a great laugh at King Alfonso's expense, since he had been first
to shout, "You dropped it!"

The End
 137

David P. Abbott and the Notorious

Bangs Sisters
By Todd Karr
An excerpt from House of Mystery: The Magic Science of David P. Abbott
Edited by Teller and Todd Karr.

David P. Abbotts articles on spirit mediums in

The Open Court magazine in 1905 and 1906
made him into an expert in the minds of many
readers, who began writing him for advice, often
concerned about relatives being bilked by
fraudulent mediums. Several of these
correspondents were particularly worried about
a Chicago duo known as the Bangs Sisters
commanding top dollar for their supposed
The Bangs Sisters materialize a spirit materializations of portraits of loved ones
painting painted by the spirits. A typical letter, dated
January 26, 1907, begged Abbott to lend his
expertise and expose these swindling siblings:

My Dear Mr. Abbott:

I am enclosing a letter from my uncleYou see by the letter he has faith in the
Bangs Sisters, Chicago.... They sport autos, numerous diamonds, and are in clover
generally; get three dollars per sitting and big prices for pictures and
materializations.
Uncle A.W.F., however, is convinced there is no fraud in the spirit photo which
he obtained of his little girl, as he and other members of his family saw the pictures
gradually appear on a large canvas (picture is a large wall picture) which was placed
in the window. No possible chance for fraud, he avers.
Although Father has been shown conclusively that his own pet mediums are
completely fraudulent, he still thinks there are some genuine phenomena and that
the Bangs Sisters are OK.
It would be such a revelation to so many people if you would write up the
Bangs Sisters methods, giving details. I think they would be readily entrapped. Can
you not do this, Mr. Abbott?
Most sincerely yours,
B. H. Foreman
 138

The sisters who had duped Foremans father,

Lizzie and May Bangs, had honed their craft
over several decades, offering an array of spirit-
related services before eventually focusing on
their novel, high-paying ghostly portraits.
Abbotts moral side wanted to help these
victims by exposing the secret of the Bangs
spirit portraits. But he was probably just as
intrigued with uncovering the method for what
sounded like an almost perfect magic effect: the
miraculous materialization of paintings in full
view. Visual effects were rare enough in that
age of cones, covers, and curtained cabinets, but
a gradual unconcealed appearance was almost
unheard of.
In their usual procedure, the Bangs Sisters
began by sealing a photo of the clients loved
David P. Abbott, magician and
one between two slates, then sending the
spiritualistic investigator customer away until the next day when
conditions would be better. When the victim
returned, he climbed to an upstairs room in the sisters home and was seated facing
a window. The sisters displayed two large canvases stretched onto wooden frames,
placed them face to face, and positioned them vertically in front of the window. The
bottom edges of the frames sat on a table just beneath the window.
The sunlight from the window glowed through the white fabric of the canvases.
To block any stray light, the mediums draped curtains on the sides and top of the
frames. The sisters then sat at the table on either side of the window, each with a
hand on one side of the canvases.
After a dramatic wait of perhaps twenty minutes, the sitter began to see patches of
darkness and color gradually materialize between the translucent canvases. The
shapes gradually became sharper and more vivid until they formed a fully defined
portrait of the sitters deceased beloved. The mediums then separated the canvases
and displayed the result: an impressive painting the client could hang on his
wall...once he had paid the Bangs hefty fee, of course.
The Bangs secret was a unique advance in magic. It sounded so astounding that
magicians doubted the reports could be accurate. The effect, though, was indeed so
magical that once Abbott had unraveled the technique inventive genius P. T.
Selbit was able to tour Europe and America with just the Spirit Paintings as a stand-
alone act, followed by several competing versions presented by various vaudeville
performers. Later, Howard Thurston then Americas top touring magician
arranged with Abbott to secure performance rights for his show.

The Bangs Family

The Bangs family moved to Chicago in 1861 from Atchison, Kansas
(interestingly, also the hometown of another of Abbotts fascinations, Wonder Girl
psychic Gene Dennis). Their father Edward (born in Massachusetts around 1828)
was a tinsmith and stove repairman; their mother Meroe was a medium herself and
recruited her young children into the act. The eldest daughter, Elizabeth Snow
 139

Bangs known as Lizzie was born around 1860. Her sister Mary later
known as May was born about 1864. They had two brothers, W. B. and Edward.
By 1872, the children could perform a variety of sance effects, as described in
An Evening with the Bangs Children by Steven Sanborn Jones in the Religio-
Philosophical Journal (August 3, 1872). Messages from the dead appeared on
slates; chairs and furniture moved; when the children were tied with ropes and
placed in a cabinet, a guitar inside was strummed and hands waved from within. At
the conclusion, young May brought forth a spirit kitten, a hairless cat supposedly
born in the afterworld.
The reporter, like countless other trusting believers of mediums, felt the children
could not possibly be part of a swindle:

It must be remembered that these mediums are young children. There is not a
particle of deception in their nature. Their hearts are free from guile, and in all their
actions they exhibit the innocence of their nature. No one would accuse them of
deception.

Not yet, anyhow. Nine years later, on August 23, 1881, the Atchison Little
Globe stated that May Bangs and her mother, now reportedly living in Chicago, had
been arrested for doing business without a license. The pair argued that they were
evangelists and that such a charge could not be made against a minister.
By 1888, the sisters had become prominent Chicago mediums, performing
lucrative cabinet sances, still assisted by their mother. The Washington Post (April
17, 1888) reported that Lizzie and May Bangs, under the firm name of the Bangs
Sisters, conduct the leading spiritualistic establishment in Chicago. Their elegant
parlors have been crowded by day as well as by night and money flowed into their
coffers in large streams.
One of their clients was Henry Jestram, a wealthy Chicago photographer.
Shortly after Jestram became a regular attendee at their sances and spent much of
his fortune paying vast sums to the sisters, he went insane and was committed to an
asylum. Many newspapers blamed the mediums for Jestrams death (see the
Hornellsville [New York] Weekly Tribune, April 20, 1888).
In a spectacular arrest on April 2, 1888, two plainclothes detectives attended a
Bangs sance and witnessed a series of spirit entities emerging from a cabinet.
When a ghostly Russian princess in a regal gown made her appearance, the
detectives seized her; she resisted furiously, throwing punches madly. One of the
lawmen announced, I have a warrant for you, May Bangs, whereupon the
princess mask fell off, revealing the medium. The sisters and their male attendants
put up such a struggle that the policemen finally drew their guns to clear the room.
The Washington Post reported that a search revealed a satchel filled with white
muslin shrouds and the like, three sets of whiskers of various hues, five wigs,
moustaches, and a great variety of make-up material. The article concluded:
The cabinet, satchel, and the sisters were then loaded into a patrol wagon and taken
to the station and locked up.
Sadly, shortly after the arrest on charges of obtaining money under false
pretenses, Lizzie Bangs seven-year-old daughter died. Newspapers reported that
during the funeral service, the mother went into a trance and delivered a bizarre
speech that blamed the childs death on account of the persecution I have
 140

received. By now, newspapers were referring to the pair as the notorious Bangs
Sisters.
Editors had a field day with the sisters marital dramas. Lizzie was married and
divorced once; May married four times. In November 1890, May already divorced
from a first marriage was granted a divorce from wealthy chemical manufacturer
Henry H. Graham. Their brief, drama-filled liaison had begun during an 1887
sance in which Bangs told the newly widowed Graham that his dead wife had
contacted her and said he should marry the medium, adding that his deceased infant
had also sent a message: Dear papa: I would like this lady for my new mamma
(Chicago Daily Tribune, April 17, 1890).
In 1907, May Bangs again married, this time to Jacob Lesher, a millionaire
leather manufacturer. According to the New York Times (July 1, 1915), the medium
proposed to him three times before he was finally won over by the assurance that
the spirit of Leshers mother was urging the match and that he himself would
become 25 years younger and would never again be ill.
Within two years, Lesher was penniless. Business tips from the spirit world are
blamed for the failure of Jacob H. Lesher, formerly rated a millionaire, and the
husband of May Bangs, a spirit painter, the Chicago Daily Tribune reported on
July 16, 1909.

Notoriety in Chicago
In the early 1890s, a Chicago grand jury attempted to indict the Bangs Sisters
but failed due to technicalities, according to the Chicago Daily Tribune (March 7,
1890). In 1891, a bill was passed by the Illinois Senate prohibiting anyone from
personating the spirits of the dead, commonly known as spirit-medium sances, on
penalty of fine and imprisonment (Chicago Daily Tribune, May 16, 1891). At least
one Chicago spiritualist blamed the Bangs Sisters for this new law, saying that
although they were gifted with unearthly powers, their greed for gold had led them
to abuse it (Spooks Go on a Strike, Chicago Daily Tribune, June 8, 1891).
In 1893, the pair produced spirit typewriting in sittings with G. W. N. Yost, the
inventor of a typewriter, bringing forth typed spirit messages pecked out by the
spirits of celebrities ranging from Moses to assassinated U.S. President James
Garfield. The inventor sought more such messages from another medium, who soon
left Yost broke (A Ruined Man: Inventor Yost the Prey of Mediums, Los Angeles
Times, July 6, 1895).
Venturing out of Chicago to Massachusetts, the sisters again made headlines in
1894 by conducting a bizarre wedding in which they married a wealthy woman to
the departed spirit of her dead fianc (Fort Wayne Sentinel, September 10, 1894).

The Slate-Writing Exposure

From 1895 to 1899, the sisters continued to produce slate writing for their
Chicago customers and conducted twice-weekly sances on Sundays and
Wednesdays at their home, advertising their services in the Chicago Daily Tribune.
In 1900, an English investigator of psychic phenomena, Reverend Stanley L.
Krebs, scheduled a sitting with the sisters, secretly intent on determining the
method of their slate writing. His extraordinary expos, A Description of Some
Trick Methods Used by Miss Bangs of Chicago, was published in January 1901 in
the British Journal of the Society for Psychical Research.
 141

Following their standard procedure, the Bangs Sisters asked Krebs to bring with
him a sealed envelope containing a letter he had written to a deceased friend, along
with blank paper for a reply. To better detect any deception, Krebs brought a small
mirror, which he positioned in his lap once he was seated at the sance table, giving
him an excellent view of any trickery occurring below the tabletop.
Lizzie Bangs sandwiched Krebs letter between two slates and tied them with
twine. But when she briefly turned her back, Krebs slyly examined the slates and
found that the medium had quietly slid a small wedge between them, opening a
slight gap between the slates. Moments later, Bangs turned back and Krebs, thanks
to his mirror, saw her pick up the slates and allow his letter to drop into her lap.
As Bangs attempted to distract Krebs by making wild guesses about his dead
friends name, he saw her bend down and place the letter onto a sort of small, dark-
colored tray on a long handle, which was then drawn backward under the door
behind the medium. Krebs later surmised that May Bangs was on the other side of
the door, unsealing his envelope and reading the letter.
About ten minutes later, Krebs saw a piece of paper being slid back into the
room from under the door. Under the pretense of shifting her position in the chair,
Lizzie Bangs bent down, picked up the slip, placed it on her lap, and quickly read it.
She immediately began reciting names which she said came from the spirit world,
though obviously all this information was mentioned in Krebs letter and had been
jotted down by May.
After several more minutes, he spied his envelope being secretly slid back into the
room. The medium stooped to pick it up and, under cover of more distractions,
secretly slipped it back between the slates and removed the wedge. She then
allowed Krebs to untie the slates, open his sealed letter, and read the spirit messages
on the papers, which of course had been written by the very alive May Bangs.
Unfortunately, the Chicago media seems to have paid no attention to Krebs
essay and sitters continued to flock to the Bangs home.
Krebs concluded his article by mentioning that after the whole was over, I
arose and thanked Miss Bangs for the most interesting exhibition she had given me,
whereupon she kindly offered still more, namely, to take me into her sisters house
and show me the spirit portraits there.
Unfortunately, Krebs did not accept Lizzie Bangs offer, leaving the spirit
paintings a mystery for several more years.

Early Spirit Paintings

The spirit portraits brought the Bangs Sisters more renown and income than any
of their previous spirit specialties like slate writing. Spirit photographs had been
popular items for years with many Spiritualist mediums, who could make a good
living selling these double-exposed photographs, but as the Bangs Sisters
discovered, they could charge truly exorbitant fees if they gave the sitter a large
artwork he could display in his home as a treasured memento.
The mediums told their clients the paintings were created by the spirits through
a mysterious process known as precipitation. Displays of precipitated spirit
portraits created by the Bangs Sisters can still be seen on display at Spiritualist
centers like Camp Chesterfield and Lily Dale.
Despite the notoriety of their spirit paintings, the Bangs Sisters were not the first
to put phantom artists to work. In the 1870s, Scottish medium David Duguid (1832-
 142

1907) made spirit paintings appear during his darkened sances, as described by
Nandor Fodor in These Mysterious People (1934): In total darkness, on little cards
which the sitters brought along and marked, while the medium was held or tightly
bound, invisible entities executed small oil paintings, sometimes in as short a time
as 35 seconds. In 1876, a story supposedly dictated to Duguid by the spirits,
illustrated with 45 of his spirit paintings, was published under the title Hafed,
Prince of Persia: Being Spirit Communications Received Through Mr. David
Duguid, The Glasgow Trance-Painting Medium. After a long career, Duguids
method simple substitution was finally exposed. As Fodor reported:

In 1905, at the age of 73, after nearly 2000 sances, he was caught in deliberate
fraud in Manchester. He brought the spirit paintings ready-made to the sance room
and attempted to exchange them for the blank cards which the sitters provided. On
being forcibly searched, the original cards were discovered in his trousers.

Around 1888, a corpulent female medium and frequently jailed con artist known
as Ann ODelia Dis Debar (among many other pseudonyms and spellings) made
headlines in New York when she was tried and imprisoned for swindling wealthy
lawyer Luther Marsh. Dis Debar had sold Marsh dozens of paintings supposedly
created by the spirits of prominent artists, including one work called The
Circumcision that she attributed to Rembrandt.
Dis Debars method was nothing like the Bangs later gradual visible appearances.
In one account, she or her accomplice switched a blank canvas for a painting as she
led her sitter out of the room; another visitor said he witnessed the switch when he
happened to glance in a mirror in the sance room (New York Times, March 31,
1888).
Harry Kellar used the Dis Debar case as an opportunity for newspaper coverage
in the Los Angeles Times, suggesting several possible methods (Spiritualistic
Fraud, May 16, 1888). One of his outlandish proposals was that the medium used a
trick easel with a painting on one side and a blank canvas on the other; a slide
projector would gradually form the picture on the white canvas, then the real picture
would pivot into view.
Kellar also suggested that an invisible picture could be painted with certain
chemicals which would develop when brought into a hot room or wiped with a
damp sponge. These farfetched theories are surprising given Kellars knowledge of
magic methods, though in his defense his farfetched theories sound no more
outlandish than some of those David P. Abbott proposed during his later search for
the Bangs Sisters secret technique.
Alexander Herrmann chimed in a few weeks later during a benefit at New
Yorks Academy of Music, where he presented an expos of Dis Debar that may
have been the first onstage performance of a spirit-painting effect, though his
version was a pretty crude forerunner. As the New York Times (May 28, 1888)
reported: The spook picture act of Mme. Dis Debar was performed in a way which
deceived the whole audience until the method was shown. It was very simple. A
prepared picture was covered with a thin and pliable sheet of paper, which was
simply pulled off and palmed.
Buatier de Kolta also inserted a painting materialization into his show around
this period. At the Eden Muse in New York on December 22, 1891, De Kolta
 143

included a very pretty drawing trick, the climax of which was the sudden
appearance of a portrait of [New York congressman and governor] Roswell P.
Flower in true Dis Debar style, the New York Times review noted (A New
Magician, December 23, 1891).
Another possible method used by Dis Debar was proposed years later at a sale
of her paintings from the estate of bilked lawyer Luther Marsh. The auctioneer
stated that Dis Debar had obtained over 100 paintings from an art collector to use in
her swindle. powdering the pictures over with chalk, (she) would slowly erase it
in a darkened room and tell Mr. Marsh that her hands were being guided by the
great masters of painting, and had as her proof the works exposed to view when the
lights were turned on (Spirit Paintings Sold, New York Times, October 30,
1903).
This messy method of concealing the painting by covering the canvas with a
white substance such as whitewash or zinc oxide has since been suggested
many times in magic literature; this article on Dis Debar, may indicate that this
seemingly impractical technique was actually put into practice.

The Bangs Sisters Spirit Portraits

As early as 1894, the Bangs Sisters were producing spirit paintings, according
to a letter from May Bangs quoted in James Coates, Photographing the Invisible
(1911). At that time, however, they were not yet using their visually astounding
rear-lit technique. Instead, they sealed the blank canvas in a box; when opened a
few days later, the painting had appeared on the canvas. In the sitters absence, of
course, the mediums just unsealed the box, switched canvases, and resealed the
case.
In Coates book, May Bangs herself admitted that this method was less than
convincing:

It was necessary to curtain the canvas, and several sittings were required to
finish one picture. Then locked boxes were used, but all these processes, where the
canvases were out of the sight and controlof the visitors suggested the
possibilities of fraudulent procedure and of changes made to that effect. Latterly,
the pictures have been obtained in broad daylight and are finished in one sitting
lasting about twenty to forty minutes.

Around 1898, another duo of mediums, known as the Campbell Brothers

actually two companions, Allan B. Campbell and Charles Shourds made paintings
appear in a style similar to the Bangs Sisters later backlighting method (cited in Joe
Nickells article Spirit Paintings on csicop.org). The Campbells stood a large
canvas on a table in front of a window in a dimmed room, the medium and a
spectator sat at the table, and a silken curtain was drawn in front of the canvas. The
veils were parted periodically to allow glimpses of the gradual materialization of the
painting.
The Campbells presentation sounds so remarkably close to that used by the
Bangs Sisters that it seems likely that the sisters learned of their colleagues method
and adapted it for their own home sances, though perhaps both duos procured the
same secret from some other source.
 144

Increasing Notoriety
Whatever the origin of the sisters improved technique, their new version of the
spirit paintings helped increase both their business and their notoriety. By 1905, a
reporter from the Stevens Point (Indiana) Journal commented:

It has just come to general notice that two women, the Bangs Sisters, carry on a
thriving trade in Spiritualism among people of high commercial and social standing;
that people you wouldnt have believed it of consult them as oracles, believe in
their utterances, in the pictures they bestow upon those favored by the spirit
artists.
Who buys them, or rather who pleads for them and, incidentally, pays for these
mediums troubles? Well, such as these: doctors, lawyers, and women, of course.
What do they pay for these works of art? Anywhere from $15 to $150.

One prominent paying customer was the Reverend Dr. Isaac K. Funk of the
dictionary publishers Funk and Wagnalls. Funk reportedly paid $1500 to the sisters
for a number of paintings, as the Chicago Daily Tribune reported on February 25,
1905:

There he sat before a bare canvas in a darkened room...On one side was Mary
Bangs and on the other, Elizabeth. Softly they communed with the spirits of
departed artists until one consented to paint the picture, through the mediums, for
the wealthy publisher. Slowly, a beautifully tinted portrait of a deceased relative of
the minister was thrown upon the canvas.

The newspaper also noted that a Chicago judge, Joseph E. Gary, was a Bangs
patron.
A group called the Chicago Spiritualist League complained that the sisters were
harming the reputation of believers who followed Spiritualism as a religion. At one
meeting, the Chicago Daily Tribune reported (February 27, 1905), its leader asked,
Are the spirit paintings of the Bangs sisters frauds? Most emphatically yes. There
is no such thing as a spirit painting. These paintings are the work of human hands.
Do you suppose a spirit is going to return to this earthto paint pictures for the
pecuniary gain of some medium?
In 1905, the Illinois State Attorney stated in an article (Bangs Sisters Interest
Police, Chicago Daily Tribune, February 28, 1905) that fraudulent mediums could
be prosecuted for obtaining money under false pretenses. The Bangs Sisters
somehow managed to escape prosecution, except for a minor case years later in
1908, when the police arrested May for violating the citys fortune-telling law; she
was released after paying a $25 fine (Chicago Daily Tribune, July 30, 1909).

Early Explanations
The mediums success provoked explanations of how they made their portraits
appear. As with the Dis Debar paintings, the suggestions were based almost
exclusively on speculation, since no skeptic seems to have been willing to pay the
fee to actually witness the painting process in person. In How Ghosts Paint Spirit
Portraits (Chicago Daily Tribune, February 26, 1905), for example, a local printer
proposed that the blank canvas was switched under one of the sisters skirts for a
 145

prepared painting wrapped in several layers of tissue that could be progressively

removed to make the portrait gradually appear.
The article Bangs Sisters Interest Police (Chicago Daily Tribune, February
28, 1905) included a quote from one reader, who wisely pointed out that the sisters

cant produce a picture of a relative of the sitter without a photograph, no

matter what they may say to the contrary. They have to obtain these photos either in
an underhand manner or with the consent of the sitter. If they have no photo
well, its a case of unfavorable conditions.

The anonymous and apparently well-informed reader also stated that the
finished paintings were actually enlargements of the sitters photograph that had
been airbrushed over by an artist named Day.
This newspaper report is also significant since it quotes Philip H. Meyers, the
inventor of the early Talking Teakettle, which he sent to Abbott as a gift in 1909;
see the first section of Abbotts Book of Mysteries for more about Meyers. The
Daily Tribune article describes Meyers as a manufacturer of equipment for
spiritualists. He claimed to possess the Bangs method for the spirit portraits but
would want several hundred dollars for the secret.
The readers observations were the basic method for half of the Bangs
procedure. The sitter had to bring along a photograph of the relative they wished to
have painted. The sliding-letter switch under the sance-room door, described by
Reverend Krebs in his 1901 slate-writing expos, was used to smuggle the sitters
photo out of the room, though other visitors reported being instructed to leave their
photo in their coat in the hallway, where of course it could be easily pilfered.
The Bangs Sisters next insisted on continuing the sance another day, giving
them time to take the photograph to an artist to prepare a larger version on canvas in
time for the sitters next appointment. As a result, the portraits invariably mirrored
whatever image the sitter brought along. If for some reason the sitter had no
photograph, the mediums used a stock portrait with loved ones basic age and
gender, explaining away any inaccuracies with the excuse that the image showed
how the relative now looked in the spirit world.
The sisters added two other convincing details that astounded the sitter even
more. First, the customer could feel that the finished painting was apparently still
wet, giving the impression that the work had been freshly painted by the spirits.
Later investigators like Hereward Carrington suggested the effect could have been
created simply by smearing linseed oil over the paintings surface prior to the
sitting. Carringtons idea is supported by one report noting that the mediums placed
two thin sheets of paper between the canvases before the painting appeared; if
linseed oil was used, this paper would have prevented the oil and any potentially
dampened paint from smudging onto the blank canvas; see W. Usborne Moore,
Glimpses of the Next State (1911).
The second convincing nuance was that after the front canvas had been removed
and the finished painting was revealed, the mediums used the power of suggestion
to convince the sitter that the portrait was still being painted by the spirits before
their very eyes, excitedly shouting that the faces eyes were opening or that details
were appearing on a locket or ring in the picture.
On other occasions, if a sitter commented on an inaccuracy in the painting, the
 146

mediums asked the client to allow the painting to develop while they took a break in
another room. This would give the artist (or perhaps the mediums themselves) time
to make minor changes to the painting. Upon resumption of the session, the
alterations would be jubilantly pointed out to the sitter. With typically excited but
fuzzy recollection, sitters would often claim that the changes had occurred right
before their eyes or that they had merely mentally requested the alterations. One
Bangs client reported:

At 7:30 p.m., I returned to the house and found the picture had undergone
further improvements, especially in the sky and background. I mentally desired that
the locket should be made larger, and that the monogram should be impressed upon
it. My next visit was at 10:20 the following morningI then found that the
monogram had been imprinted on the locketand the locket itself had been
enlarged.
The likeness is not very good. The interest in this picture does not lie in its
fidelity as a portrait, but in the various alterations that were made after it was taken
away from the window, and especially in the monogram precipitated at my mental
request when nobody was present. (W. Usborne Moore, Glimpses of the Next State)

All these fine points challenged the ingenuity of would-be exposers of the
Bangs spirit paintings. The publisher of The Progressive Thinker even offered a
$100 reward for an expos of the Bangs Sisters method.
A Kansas City minister, A. T. Osborn, told the New York Times that an
explanation for the Bangs portraits had come to him in a dream (Solves Spirit
Paintings, July 9, 1908). Osborns theory was that They made a magic-lantern
slidethe portrait was thrown on a blank canvas by means of a stereopticon. A
dissolving-view device caused the picture to fade from the blank. The painted
enlargement was slipped on the trick table and a cover whisked off the moment the
magic lantern view vanished.
Confident that Osborns method was wrong, the Bangs Sisters promptly
telegrammed the minister and offered him $1000 if he could correctly demonstrate
the secret of their portraits. When Osborn accepted, they sent another telegram
demanding that the reverend wager $1000 as well. The Washington Post (Girls
Seek Pastors Coin, July 11, 1908) reported Osborns reaction: Of course I cant
have anything to do with such a proposal. I cant do any betting, and whoever heard
of a minister with $1000?

On the Road
One of the sisters devotees was Dr. Charles H. Carson, the wealthy Kansas
City head of the Temple of Health, the Magnetic Mineral Springs, and the College
of Psychic-Sarcology. In 1908, Carson included over a dozen Bangs Sisters
paintings in a self-published book of writings supposedly composed by the spirit of
his dead wife, entitled Through the Valley of the Shadow and Beyond.
Dr. Carson was a believer in the Bangs Sisters and brought them to Kansas
City at his own expense, renting apartments and furnishing them.... Abbott wrote
to Paul Carus on July 18, 1908. He is said to have parted with ten thousand dollars
for spirit paintings, and one evening gave a reception to exhibit his spirit gallery.
As their renown grew, the Bangs Sisters occasionally took their painting act to
 147

Spiritualist collectives like Lily Dale, materializing a sample portrait onstage to

promote private sittings after the show. The controlled conditions of their Chicago
home, however, proved elusive onstage. In a 1910 demonstration for the Kansas
City Society of Spiritualists, the Washington Post reported, something was the
matter with the lights in the building, which situation prevented this part of the
performance. At another appearance, the lamp used to illuminate the canvases set
fire to the sisters equipment.
On another occasion, a curious audience member asked the sisters, Are you
worth a million dollars?
May snapped back, If we are, its none of your business.
The mediums mercifully took less time onstage to make their paintings appear
than they did at their home, where the process could take almost an hour. During a
1909 Camp Chesterfield show, for example, they required only eight minutes to
produce a painting (James Coates, Photographing the Invisible, 1911).

Abbott on the Trail

David P. Abbott pondered the secret of the Bangs Sisters paintings in
correspondence with Open Court magazine readers, eventually collected in the
journal as a series of letters on Spirit Portraiture and later in the appendix of
Behind the Scenes with the Mediums in 1907.
To explain the paintings, Abbott needed to solve several major puzzles. How
did the mediums obtain a photo of the sitters loved one? (Abbott had apparently
missed Krebs account published in England.) How did the image gradually appear
on the canvas? How was the blank canvas switched for the finished painting? And
how did all this occur in the simplest of settings in a small room on an upper story
of a neighborhood house?
In his first attempts to resolve these questions, Abbott proposed a variety of
improbable methods that widely missed the Bangs simple procedure. Abbott
suggested that the mediums could have copied the sitters photograph by having a
hidden assistant in the room taking pictures through a telephoto lens. For the
gradual development of the paintings, Abbott thought mechanisms hidden in the
window sill might somehow spray invisible chemicals onto the canvas.
Abbott discussed the problem in his letters to his publisher Paul Carus, typing
page after page as he considered complicated methods like concealed slide
projectors and mechanical switching tables.
At one point, Abbott found out that one of his correspondents, C. F. Eldredge of
Kansas City, editor of The Health Reporter, had actually witnessed the Bangs
Sisters produce a painting. Eldredge, unfortunately, could still not fathom their
method, but his detailed report helped Abbott narrow the possibilities of what the
actual procedure could be. On July 18, 1908, for example, Abbott wrote to Carus
that Eldredge wondered why picture seemed between canvases when a lantern
would unmistakably project it on back of rear canvas.
Abbott was also exchanging letters with Dr. Isaac Funk, who, as mentioned
earlier, had reportedly paid dearly for several Bangs portraits. In an April 1, 1907,
letter, Funk offered to pay for a Bangs Sisters sance if Abbott could make a trip to
Chicago:

I wish to tell you something wholly on the quiet: I have had a number of sittings
 148

with the famous Bangs Sisters of Chicago. I know, I think, all of the explanations
that have been given by various persons. I have made a large number of
experiments with them and, notwithstanding all the exposures that have been made,
I would like to have you when in Chicago to call upon them and make a test,
that is, providing they have no means of recognizing you.
Have some wee mark on the frame facing you that you know of but nobody else
knows of, and see to it that there is no substitution of frames. It would be absolutely
necessary that you do not exhibit the slightest suspicion. Of course, let it be
understood that you are investigating, perfectly willing to accept the truth, whatever
the truth is. Do not mention directly or indirectly my name to them.
Now, if some time you are in Chicago and do this, I will bear the expense of
getting the picture from the mediums, which was $30 or so when I saw them last.

The time and expense of the trip undoubtedly deterred Abbott, who was in the
midst of proofreading Behind the Scenes with the Mediums in addition to running
his loan business. Abbott wrote Carus in 1908 that he was trying to convince Funk
to take a magician with him on his next visit, perhaps Joseffy.
Dr. Funk eventually sent Abbotts friend Hereward Carrington to visit the
Bangs Sisters. Carrington a prolific writer, psychic investigator, and one-time
magician detected the mediums cheating in their slate demonstrations and
reported their fraudulent methods in the British Annals of Psychical Science (July-
September 1910). The sisters, however, refused to demonstrate their paintings for
Carrington.

Abbotts Eureka Moment

In 1908, through an intermediary, Abbott contacted Philip H. Meyers, the
inventor of the original Talking Teakettle who back in 1905 had claimed in the
Chicago Daily Tribune to knew the secret of the Bangs portraits. Abbott had his
Chicago friend Ralph W. Read try to negotiate a purchase. Meyers price for the
secret of the paintings was too high for the men, but he sold them what he said was
the Bangs slate-writing secret. To Abbotts disappointment, it turned out to be just
a common technique that Abbott already knew.
True to his financially prudent ways, Abbott decided to forego any further
expense and instead experiment on his own. This money-saving move began a
hands-on experimentation process that soon led Abbott to the long-sought secret.
On February 18, 1909, Abbott excitedly wrote Carus: I really believe I have
solved this secret by reason alone. His joy was premature. His latest incorrect
solution seems to have been a mechanism that would wind up layers of silk
covering the painting, gradually allowing more light to penetrate the canvases as if
the painting was gradually developing.
But this wrong turn was in fact the key that led Abbott to his Eureka moment
when the correct answer suddenly came to him. Abbott wrote Carus on February
22, 1909:

I decided yesterday that while theories are all right and should precede
experiment, that I should try out my theory in actual practice.
I built a quarter-sized model of a screen. I designed one that would roll up or
unreel the silk rapidly or slowly. It was but 1/8-inch thick. I made three frames and
 149

tacked canvas on them. One was a picture, size nine by fourteen inches. I placed a
table and the canvases in position, lowered the blinds, and pinned on the side blinds
as per directions.
Now, all of this brought about an unexpected result. First, I arrived at the
conclusion that no screen is used in actual practice, notwithstanding what Read
says, or my own theories; and second, I made the discovery of a new principle
which surely is the correct one.
It is so absurdly simple that at first sight one would give it little credence, but
after two hours of actual experiment I cannot help but believe it is the right thing.
Simplicity is really in its favor. Mediums seldom use much paraphernalia, as
they must always be prepared to make a quick getaway. So whatever is used, we
must expect it to be something simple. In fact, the simple things have always
produced the greatest effects.
Now, what I discovered is this: If two canvases be faced together and in
position, and if there be upon the rear canvas a portrait in transparent colors (pastel,
crayon, airbrush work, etc.), this to be plainly visible must be in actual
contact with the surface of the front canvas. At a distance of 1/8-inch, the outlines
begin to be indefinite not sharp; at a quarter of inch, much more so, while at a
half-inch (the) image is very confused in appearance and looks like a view from a
lantern out of focus, a cloud of color, etc. At a distance of one inch, the image
appears to be some confused shadows, and at two inches distance, all trace of the
portrait has disappeared.
Now it is only necessary for the rear canvas to be slowly moved toward (or
from) the front canvas to cause the picture to materialize or to fade out precisely as
described. The motion must be slow and uniform, and is very difficult to control by
hand.
I can best compare the effect produced to what one witnesses when viewing a
lantern slide wholly out of focus, and then see it slowly brought into focus. First
there is not even a shadow; finally some indistinct shadows appear; these soon seem
to be an indistinct cloud consisting of some colors mingled together. These
gradually change into the image but with quite indistinct outlines which become
more and more sharp until the picture appears quite plain and sharply defined, yet it
shows a slight smoky effect caused by looking at it through a canvas and viewing it
by transmitted light.
All of this corresponds exactly with the descriptions I have received of the
effect. It would appear just like a lantern image, only it would not be this, and the
picture would really be in the window as is claimed.

Final Details
Carus wanted to publish Abbotts explanation in The Open Court. But before
publishing his findings, Abbott wanted to understand the Bangs entire procedure.
Despite discovering the simple methods that produced the paintings, Abbott
continued proposing complicated ideas to explain the remaining details of the
Bangs technique.
In letters to Carus, Abbott suggested that the blank canvas was initially switched
for the painted one using an elevator device built into the walls of the Bangs home,
with a secret assistant below exchanging the paintings. To explain the post-
appearance alterations which the Bangs Sisters created through mere suggestion
 150

or by adding changes in the sitters absence Abbott envisioned a complex

systems of colored patches controlled by threads, or else areas on the canvas that
could be individually developed with chemicals.
Carus was as fascinated by the quest as Abbott was, and in one 1909 letter, the
dignified publisher made the astonishing suggestion that Abbott should determine
matters definitively by arranging a sance and trying to catch the mediums red-
handed, perhaps even breaking into the house:

I do not know how far you would go in testing your hypothesis, but assuming
your solution to be the correct one, you could at the moment when everything is
ready for a sance pounce on them, and have the artist as well as the Bangs Sisters
arrested on a charge of obtaining money under false pretenses.
It would be necessary for you to have some friend go to the sisters and make
arrangements for a sitting. He has to spy out where the window sill with the trap is,
which window is used, so you can locate the place where the artists work
underground.
You must make sure of the several accesses to that place, whether it is in the
basement, and whether you could enter without breaking through doors, perhaps
through the windows by breaking the window panes. You ought to speak with the
sheriff through whose authority you could make an entrance, and take a search
warrant out against the Bangs Sisters and their accomplice so as to be able to
pounce on them at the moment when a sance is going on.
The arrest need not even be made, but only the utensils seized, the trap
inspected, and the gauze material and whatever else there may be taken away. There
is not even any necessity for carrying the matter before the court. You can drop
proceedings as soon as they are at bay. It would certainly be a proof that your
theory is right, which could not be contradicted by any believer.

Abbotts Solution Escapes

As Abbott recounted in his story of the Spirit Portraits in The Book of Mysteries,
English spiritualistic investigator William S. Marriott contacted Abbott in August
1909 to inquire about the Bangs Sisters paintings. Abbott innocently shared his
findings, whereupon Marriott not only built the necessary equipment but also went
on tour in England presenting the appearance of the paintings as a vaudeville act.
In England, Marriott became acquainted with one of the Bangs Sisters most
devoted clients, the decorated but self-deceiving British Vice-Admiral W. Usborne
Moore, mentioned earlier as the author of Glimpses of the Next State. In 1909 and
1910, Moore had visited the mediums to contact his spirit guides Iola, Hypatia, and
Cleopatra and had purchased several portraits.
Typical of true believers, Moore discounted any reasonable explanations of the
Bangs Sisters phenomena. Although Marriott showed him Abbotts method for
materializing the paintings, Moore steadfastly maintained that the sisters would
never rely on such trickery and that their conditions at home were different from
those of a stage performance.
Moore had recently read Hereward Carringtons expos of the Bangs Sisters in
the Annals of Psychical Science and denounced him in an issue of the spiritualist
magazine Light in 1911. Carrington (with whom Abbott had already shared the
correct secret) responded in Light (May 13, 1911): Mr. David P. Abbott and
 151

myself worked together over this problem; but I was forced to stop at the time,
owing to press of other matters, and Mr. Abbott continued his experiments alone. I
think I am safe in saying that he has now succeeded in duplicating the Bangs
Sisters portraits exactly and by trickery.
Admiral Moore responded in Light: The Abbott-Marriott trick is well known in
England. I have seen it often, and it surpasses in skill almost every conjuring trick I
have ever witnessed. When my friends ask me how the Bangs pictures appear to
come, I say, Go and see Dr. Wilmars spirit paintings.
Moore also said that his friend Dr. Wilmar had taught him the secret of the
paintings and claiming that Abbott was not the only discoverer of this method.The
method is known to me, and was known to me before I met Dr. Wilmar. It was
found out by an exhibition of my own models, and by one of our best trance
mediumsabout the time it was discovered by Mr. David Abbott. I respect Mr.
Abbott. He candidly owns that all his theories about the Bangs Sisters pictures
previous to 1909 were entirely erroneous. I ask myself this plain question: Why has
not this diligent conjurer been to sit with the Bangs Sisters? He lives within a
reasonable distance. If he does sit with them, he will find his latest theory as rotten
as his previous ones.
By this time, Marriott had licensed P. T. Selbit to perform the Spirit Paintings
act and in 1911, Abbott saw his own solution being presented by Selbit, billed as
the creation of Dr. Wilmar. The gentlemanly Abbott accepted Selbits explanation
gracefully.
That year, while Abbott was still attempting to clarify the final details of the
mystery, two books were published discussing the Bangs Sisters: Moores 642-page
Glimpses of the Next State and James Coates book Photographing the Invisible:
Practical Studies in Spirit Photography, Spirit Portraiture, and other Rare but
Allied Arts, which devoted an entire chapter to the Bangs Sisters. These works,
which described the mediums sances in detail, may have supplied the pieces of
the puzzle that Abbott needed.
A few years later, Abbott completed his long essay on the Spirit Portraits, which
The Open Court magazine published in April 1913. Later in 1913, Carus also
released the article as a separate booklet, The Spirit Portrait Mystery: Its Final
Solution.

Popularity and Fade

Selbits tour allowed many magicians to see the effect, and because its secret
was not overly difficult to unravel when seen in person, a number of performers
began to present their own versions. Vaudeville magician William J. Nixon
performed his Spirit Paintings in his stage shows. An Australian painter named
Henry Clive, who later became a renowned illustrator, toured with his rendition in
the 1920s.
Abbotts hard-earned secret was soon common knowledge in the magic world.
Nixon published the technique in his 1916 booklet, The Spirit Paintings. Will
Goldston exposed the secret in his Annual of Magic 1915-1916. Alexander included
the effect in his book The Life and Mysteries of the Celebrated Dr. Q in 1921. By
the 1930s, Thayers Magic Company was selling a ready-made version in their
catalogs.
Nonetheless, this very visual effect is today rarely seen. Like many magic effects,
 152

the Spirit Paintings can today be all too easily explained away by audiences as the
result of electronics.
As for the Bangs Sisters, by the time The Open Court published Abbotts
expos, the mediums had largely dropped from sight. The 1920 U.S. Census
showed May still living in Chicago but does not mention Lizzie. My research has so
far revealed no further record of either sister.
We do not know if Abbotts revelations prevented the Bangs Sisters from
duping more victims like A. W. Foreman, Charles Carson, or W. Usborne Moore.
At the very least, however, it seems likely that once the Spirit Portraits hit the
vaudeville stage, it would have been more difficult for any mediums, even the
experienced Bangs Sisters, to convince a customer that their paintings came from
the hands of spirits and not from their own.
 153

Judson Cole's Long-Lost Comedy Act

By Todd Karr

Judson Cole paved a comedy path for

humorous magic acts with his wisecracking
style in top vaudeville houses, and his Kling-
Klang routine with an American flag echoes in
the ubiquitous Silk to Egg routine found in the
standard repertoire of magic acts even today.
His real name was Milton Greishaber and he
lived from December 27, 1894 to October 2,
1943. The following record of his act is
unsigned but we thank the unknown author for
his diligence in preserving the words of this
trendsetting performer! Todd Karr

Cole makes appearance in one in snappy

suit. Its customary for all high-class magicians
for all high-class magicians to roll up their
sleeves before commencing their tricks, proving
there is nothing concealed in the sleeves, such as
elephants, cannon balls, and other objects. You
can see there is nothing concealed in my
sleeves except my arms, and Ive had them ever
since Ive been a little boy and would not like to
part with them. Laughter none whatever.
For my first experiment this evening, I will
Judson Cole, a top comedy performer of the use this deck of cards, showing you a few passes
1920s
in card manipulation. The waterfall (drops a few
cards, saying) I always do that so you can see the spray. (Runs cards along left
arm, tosses in air, and catches in right hand without dropping any, at same time
saying) I could have done that the first time, but I would not have received so much
applause.
Sometimes Cole varies first part of act, though using cards just the same, fakes
five of them, vanishing by front-and-back palm, then producing one at a time. Also
uses in either routine the reproduction of cards from fingertips, using the snap
method sold by Gilbert. In addition, he also works one or two color-changes, finally
doing the Nonpariel for a finish this, too, as sold by Gilbert.
I wish to call your attention to the nature of the next experiment. First of all, I
shall have a gentleman remove, secretly, a card from this deck. (Steps down in
audience and addresses some gent as follows) Do you know anything about cards?
No? Well, you are just the man I am looking for. Please remove a card and place it
 154

in your inside coat pocket. Thanks, just hold onto it for good, for I will come back
in a couple of hours.
I wish to call your attention to the next object used. It is the hand of an
Egyptian princess who lived three thousand years ago. It is supposed to have been
taken from beneath the pyramids of Egypt. If you will excuse me a moment, I will
bring it out. (Leaves stage and finally comes back with Thayer board and rapping
hand. All the time orchestra plays a slow, Oriental number.) This is the hand of the
Egyptian princess, said to be 3000 years old. The princess was supposed to have
been a spiritualist, and the hand still retains some supernatural power. For instance,
it will answer questions by rapping.
Before going any further, however, I am going to pass the hand out for
examination. Some say the hand is petrified, while others say it is made of wood.
Personally, I wouldnt argue the matter. Just pass the hand around. Its a ladys
hand, so you can hold it as long as you wish. Now the board has nothing to do with
the experiment it simply acts as a sounding board for the hand to rap on. I will
pass it out, too. Just pass it around and kill a couple of hours, also a couple of
customers. Thats enough youll wear out the board. Pass it back, please. Say,
dont look at that hand all night. I looked at a hand last night and it cost me $1.60. It
was a different kind of hand it was a poker hand. (Cole, holding the hand, says)
The Egyptian princess lived during the antiphlogestine period. Of course, it is
impossible to know much about the antiphlogestine period unless you have studied
monotony.
How, then, the hand will tell us the name of the card selected by the gentleman.
Keep your mind on your card, sir. You see, the hand reads your mind, so if you lose
your mind, youll spoil the whole works. This is a good show we are having here
this week. Of course, the show hasnt started yet. Was the gentlemans card a red
card? (Hand raps Yes.) Was the card a Heart? (Hand raps No.) Then it must have
been a Diamond. (Hand raps out number of pips on card.) The hand will now accept
a little applause. Thanks thats little enough.
Some people say that I move the board, which causes the hand to rap. Now I
am coming down among you and the hand will answer any questions you care to
ask it, after which Ill sell the medicine. This gentlemen here in the observation
row would you care to ask the hand a question? No? It looks like I will have to
make a house-to-house canvass. Sorry I woke you up, sir.
The young lady here wouldnt you like to ask a question? Sure! Well, just
make a wish and the hand will tell you whether or not you will get your wish.
This is crazy, but its a living. Are you concentrating? Now hold your right
hand on this corner and your left hand on this corner. That prevents the board
falling to the floor. (Hand raps Yes.) The hand says that you will get your wish.
Does that make you happy? Im glad to hear that.
Ah, the gentleman here just hold the board with me. (Cole picks out a couple
sitting together but feeling sure that they are not together this is a wow.) Is the
young lady married? (Hand raps No.) Ah, that brings a broad smile to the
gentlemans face. Is the young man in love with the young lady? (Hand says Yes.)
Is the young lady in love with the young man? (Hand raps No.) Thats too bad.
Well, if the young man tales the young lady out to dinner after the show, do you
think that the young lady could learn to love the young man? (Hand raps Yes.) Yes,
that sometimes helps a lot. Has the young lady any more sweethearts? (Hand starts
 155

to rap.) Please keep track and see if the answer is correct. (Hand continues rapping
until Cole takes it off board.) While the applause is going on, I shall return to the
stage.
Now, is there anyone else who would like the hand to answer any questions
regarding oil stocks or other mysteries? The hand will be glad to misinform you.
(Man plant in balcony says, When will I get my watch back? Hand raps
Yes.) You will get your watch back provided you havent lost the ticket. (Cole
now turns board over and places hand on it in a standing position. Pretends to
mesmerize hand.) Will some gentleman call out, aloud, the word GO? (Someone in
audience says Go. Cole says All right and he exits. Gets rid of hand and board
in wing end at once returns for final trick.)
This life is hard on us actors. Im not exactly an actor, but I was on the stage
once. I played in a show called Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp. I was the wick. It
was a good part I had to be all oiled up.
The next trick that I am about to present was invented by my friend Hook.
Hook and I were fast friends. First of all, I shall take this glass better known
as a tumbler, although it never does any stunts. In the glass I place one days work
for a hen an egg cover it with this hanky and place it over on this one-night
stand (hank pedestal). The reason I place it on this stand is for fear someone might
accuse the glass of having no visible means of support. I got that joke out of the
almanac. I think I had better put it back.

The next important character in this experiment

is the American flag. It is not good policy to use
the flag on the stage because the folks think you
are trying to force applause. It is said that if one
will wave an American flag, it will SURELY
bring applause. (Waves flag slowly but no
applause is forthcoming.) But of course, not
always! I now wave the flag gently up and down
until I get it into a small ball, give it a gentle
squeeze, and in place of the flag, we have the
egg, while in the glass is the flag, thereby
causing much excitement and loud cheers of
quiet.
I am now going to explain just how the trick
is done, after which Ill sing The Rosary. To
A sketch of Judson Cole during his flag to begin with, the egg is hollow. In the egg is the
egg routine flag that I vanished. There are two flags used.
They are not the same, although they look alike.
You see, you take the flag like this, working it into the hole in the egg until it is
completely in. (While explaining and talking as above, his right hand goes into right
trousers pocket several times to get audience accustomed to it, and on last time, he
palms out of this pocket the good egg. Left hand is holding hollow egg with
exposed hole to front.) This is really a good trick in fact, it is a 36 cent trick.
How then, in order to prevent the audience from seeing the hole in the egg, you turn
the egg around until the hole is in the back, the celluloid from the front having the
appearance of a genuine egg. Of course, if you should be accused of having a phony
 156

egg, you can easily convince them that the egg is an honest-to-goodness hens egg.
(During the patter and turning of hole in front to back, the right hand assists left in
turning the egg, but actually the good egg is left in right hand and fake egg palmed
off in right. He now picks up a little glass dish from table with right hand, at same
time getting rid of fake egg in black art well.) You now take the egg and pronounce
two magic words in Greek burr toast and there you are! (Breaks egg in dish
and proves it genuine. Makes exit to much applause.)
Sometimes Cole varies the finale by using the old pudding in the hat instead of
the egg trick as given above. In using this, he first borrows a soft gentlemans hat
and a ladys hanky. He gets a boy and a girl to assist. When boy is introduced to
girl, the boy is prompted to straighten his tie, push back his hair and act a little
flustered. Hands egg to girl to examine. Prompts her to smell it (a laugh). Passes it
to boy and prompts him to shake it and smell it. Takes it from boy and apparently
hands it back to him but really palms it in right. Boy reaches for egg it is gone.
Produces egg from behind boys ear (a laugh). Sometimes he has boy search for
egg. Boy cant find it and finally Cole has him open his mouth. Palmed egg
produced from his mouth this is very good. Boy scratches head. Cole then places
ladys hank in hat. Puts ingredients in pan and gets lots of laughs out of it. Lights
ladys hank(?) for oven to bake pudding, finally producing kitten. He then presents
boy and girl with tickets for next show and excuses them.
 157

Is This Erdnase?
By Todd Karr
Copyright 2006 Todd Karr

The man I am about to describe may be S. W.

Erdnase, the mysterious author of the classic
1902 card work The Expert at the Card Table.
But his story lacks many pieces of the puzzle and
I am releasing this information now in the hope
that readers may be able to perform the necessary
detective work to either confirm this mans
authorship or disprove it as yet another false lead.
I have been chasing Erdnase since I was a teenager. Ive read the findings and
theories of detectives like Martin Gardner, Richard Hatch, and others, and in sorting
through the available information, its clear that any theorizing about the identity of
a shadowy figure like Erdnase must rely on solid facts and common sense.
His story is so intoxicatingly romantic that a number of writers (see Bart
Whaley, The Man Who Was Erdnase) have succumbed to the temptation to follow
 158

flimsy trails, offer wild speculation in the absence of evidence, and attempt to make
the facts fit into unlikely theories. This is just plain sloppy journalism and historical
research, and the man who wrote The Expert at the Card Table will never be found
if we dont stick to the facts.
The truth is that we may never fully determine the authors identity. He
published the book under a pseudonym and any possible witnesses have long been
dead, and unless we find evidence of someone involved in magic, gambling, or card
work, we may be condemned to making educated guesses.

The Basic Evidence

The most solid evidence we have are the book itself and the 1940s recollections of
its illustrator, artist Marshall D. Smith. These two sources offer us the following
basic possibilities:

1. The author may have been named E. S. Andrews, reversing his name to spell
S. W. Erdnase.
2. Based on the level of subtlety in his explanations, the author seems to have
been highly skilled in psychology, deception, and of course gambling.
3. The author had some connection with Chicago, where the book was printed
and published, and would most likely have been in the Midwest at the time of the
books publication in 1902.
4. Erdnase had knowledge of the law or access to legal advice, judging from the
elaborate copyright notices throughout the book.
5. The author may be characterized as intelligent (the prose is direct and
perceptive), ambitious (based on the scale of the book), and meticulous about detail
(he misses very few nuances in his explanations and appears to have hand-
corrected, or asked someone to correct, many of Smiths drawings to improve their
accuracy). Erdnase also seems to have lacked pity for the victims of con games (as
we read in his book).
6. Erdnase also seems to have been in need of money at times, as he points out at
the end of his introduction. As mentioned above, Marshall Smiths illustrations
seem to have been crudely altered by an amateur, an indication perhaps that Erdnase
did not have sufficient funds to commission professional corrections.
7. Smith described Erdnase as well-spoken and gentlemanly, short of stature,
with a pleasant, smooth tone.
8. Erdnase met Smith in a hotel room and paid for his artwork with a check, as
Smith recalled.
9. Smith also said that Erdnase had mentioned a family connection to artist Louis
Dalrymple.

I will also add two other interesting elements, though these statements have not
been authenticated in any way:
10. In the 1950s, magician Hugh Johnston told Jay Marshall that he had once
played the Empress Theatre in Denver, Colorado, and that after one show, fellow
performer Del Adelphia brought a man backstage and introduced him to Johnston as
Erdnase.
11. Magician James Harto, based in Indiana, claimed to have been friends with
Erdnase and to possess letters he received from Erdnase.
 159

I believe that any candidate for being Erdnase should correspond as closely as
possible to the above elements. The man I have recently focused on matches many
of these criteria. My training as a journalist has conditioned me to be skeptical, and
so I very cautiously present the following facts as possibilities only. However, I
have shared these findings with a number of current Erdnase scholars, and they
agree that this candidate is exceptionally strong.

Kokomo, 1901
On November 23, 1901, shortly before the publication of The Expert at the Card
Table, the Fort Wayne News reported on a scam perpetrated in Kokomo by A
stranger giving his name as E. S. Andrews of the Brandon Commercial Company,
Chicago. The news report stated that the con man had a clever collections-agency
scheme that succeeded in bilking forty local merchants and physicians.
Andrews had come to Kokomo three weeks prior and convinced the
businessmen and doctors to hire him to collect their debts. Each participant paid
Andrews a membership fee of $15 (or about $900 total). The newspaper reported
that Before leaving, Andrews collected several accounts from debtors, all of which
he took with him, the merchants or physicians receiving nothing.
We thus have a candidate whose name is a precise reversal of the pseudonym S.
W. Erdnase, a con man based in Chicago who was clever enough to swindle
businessmen and doctors, and someone who appears to have had over $900 in his
pocket just before The Expert at the Card Table was published.

Dubuque, 1902-1903
Late the following year, we find E. S. Andrews in Dubuque, Iowa. In December,
the Dubuque Telegraph-Journal announced the new local address of the Charles
Brandon Commercial company at the Bank and Insurance Building, noting that
"Mr. E. S. Andrews is in charge."
A month later, Andrews had fled town with over $1500 in $25 membership fees
and collected debts.
As the Davenport Republican reported on January 31, 1903, the swindled
subscribers were reluctant to admit they had been conned.

One of the professionals stated:"We were all a

lot of suckers and should not have let Andrews go
as long as we did. He did not live up to the
contract he made with me, and I understand that
he did not live up to the contract he made with
others. I was to pay him a commission of five
percent on all collections made on current
business, and he was to get 10 to 25 percent on all
debts that he collected. I gave him my note, and
so did other members, while others paid down
 160

their $25 fee.

"I estimate from the number of subscribers he had to the 'Charles Brandon
Commercial Agency' that he must have got out of town with from $1500 to $1800.
He would have no trouble in negotiating the notes.
"His subscribers included lawyers, doctors, and businessmen. He was to make
reports of collections every twenty-fours hours and remit a check for the amount
collected, after the commission was deducted, but he forgot to make the report and
send me the check."
Incredibly, the article continues, Andrews was arrested but not only avoided
charges by threatening the witnesses (probably with a countersuit), but also
managed to have his accuser held responsible for the costs of his arrest. As the
swindled businessman explained: "One of the subscribers had Andrews arrested and
got the worst of it, because two or three others were afraid of the bluff made by
Andrews. The subscriber paid the costs, amounting to $2.50."

Fort Wayne and Oshkosh, 1904

E. S. Andrews appeared again in Wisconsin in 1904 pursuing the same scam,
only this time the law caught up with him. Andrews had set up another collections
scheme as the Charles Brandon Company, in association with a local law firm,
Finch and McPhall in the Pixley-Long block in Fort Wayne. Andrews again skipped
town with membership fees and debt sums, returning to Indiana, the scene of his
1901 swindle.
Oshkosh Sheriff M. K. Rounds (the Fort
Wayne press gave his name as "J. M. Rounds")
was sent to arrest Andrews, who was working in
association with a law firm. The firm protested
his extradition and the Wisconsin lawman was
forced to get permission from Indianas governor
before being allowed to arrest Andrews and bring
him back to Wisconsin for trial.
Andrews was arrested on July 7, 1904 on a
warrant from Justice Skelton and was held
 161

awaiting the arrival of the Wisconsin sheriff.

Four days later, Andrews left Fort Wayne at noon in the custody of Sheriff
Rounds. The Fort Wayne Evening Sentinel reported that Andrews had not only
embezzled money, he had also used his notices of collection to purchase "a number
of diamonds and other articles." The newspaper noted that "Judge O'Rourke was
called upon to remand him into the custody of the Wisconsin sheriff on a requisition
honored Saturday by Governor Durbin."
We have the extreme good fortune that a Daily Northwestern reporter
interviewed Andrews in his jail cell in Wisconsin and quoted him at length in an
article in the newspaper on July 12, 1904:

Mr. Andrews was seen by a Northwestern reporter this morning while in jail.
He is a bright-looking young man whose appearance is that of a shrewd and honest
businessman. He said he did not care to talk for publication, but in answer to
questions and in the ordinary conversation, he did say to the reporter:

This is the first time I have ever been

arrested. The jail here is a palace compared to
that in Fort Wayne. That is a bad place to be in.
I did not read the complaint against me and
do not know exactly the technical charge against
me. In a general way, I know what it is, but I say
technically, I have not ascertained.
I believe in being philosophical, however,
and while I should not be pleased to stay here
long, I can stand it for a time if I can have plenty
of reading matter and plenty of fresh air.
I shall have good legal counsel, but I do not
think I will need it. I have nothing to fear and
believe I could go into court representing myself
and convince the court that the law is on my side.
So far as my not going under my own name
in Fort Wayne is concerned after leaving here,
that will have no effect in the case. It may, to the
outsider, give rise to the opinion that I was trying
to hide, but while that is true, I had no idea I was
wanted here on a criminal charge.
What I did here was business and in a
business-like way, and I could have been found
by letter at Fort Wayne without the sheriff
coming after me.
 162

treated me very nicely indeed, and while I shall be glad to leave him and his
custody, I shall remember the kindnesses he has shown me.

Sheriff Rounds is loud in his praises of the assistance rendered him by

Superintendent of Police Henry Gorseline at Fort Wayne, and the latter held onto
the prisoner in the face of all the efforts made by lawyers to free him.

A number of characteristics of Andrews seem to closely match our Erdnase fact

list: clever, intelligent, deceptive, well-spoken, a reader, knowledgeable about the
law, and described as bright-looking young man. In addition, he was living in
Indiana, which would support Indiana resident James Hartos story of knowing
Erdnase.
He also apparently used a fictitious name,
although the seemingly media-savvy Andrews
took pains to deny this in a note published the
next day in the Daily Northwestern: It was
incorrectly stated in your account of an interview
with me that I was known while in Fort Wayne
under an assumed name. I was known there as E.
S. Andrews, representing the Charles Brandon
Commercial
Company: This
is my name and the company is the same as I
represented here, and I never used any other
name and do not intend to. Yours truly, E. S.
Andrews.
The Oshkosh Trial On August 8,
1904, the Daily Northwestern reported,
Andrews was charged in Oshkosh
Municipal Court with embezzlement.
The original charge had been filed by fur
merchant E. F. Steude, who had been bilked
of $108. The hearing had already been
postponed due to the absence of a prosecution
witness, attorney A. C. McPhall, one of
Andrews legal associates in the scheme.
The following day, a Daily Northwestern
article announced that after intense
arguments by Andrews defense attorneys
Maurice McKenna of Fond du Lac,
Wisconsin, and E. P. Finch of Oshkosh the
judge had found adequate cause for
Andrews to stand trial on embezzlement
charges. This news
report states that Andrews took many
precautions to be able to legally justify his
financial shenanigans. Andrews had
clients sign contracts with a fine-print clause
 163

authorizing him to make deductions from monies collected. He also had clients
make out their checks to his partner, who then paid Andrews (who, we will note,
deposited them in a bank - remember, Erdnase paid Smith with a bank check); in
court, Andrews claimed innocence by stating the attorney had never paid him the
full amount of the money collected. Here again, we note Andrews shrewdness.
Finally, in a footnote of possible support for the Hugh Johnston story, the article
also specifies that Andrews had incorporated the Charles Brandon Collections
company in Colorado and was its manager.
Bail was set at $2000 and promptly posted by his legal team.
Further procedural challenges from Andrews attorneys delayed the trial until
matters were cleared up sufficiently on August 17, when municipal court
Commissioner W. W. Waterhouse concluded Andrews must stand trial.
On August 23, Andrews appeared in municipal court, this time represented by
attorney Henry Fitzgibbon of Menasha. The trial was adjourned until August 27.
The trial was either prolonged or postponed, since it was not until September 28
that Andrews was finally found guilty of embezzlement, though for a reduced sum
of $37.50. The trial took place in Milwaukee, and the jury took only a half hour to
reach their decision, the Daily Northwestern reported on September 29: The jury,
in view of the whole circumstances, found that Andrews was working what is
popularly known as a graft and that he willfully retained the amount charged
against him. The penalty for the offense is from six months to one year
imprisonment in county jail or state prison. All the above information is from the
Daily Northwestern, which covered the trial with regular news articles.
The court sentenced Andrews to eight months in jail. As the Fort Wayne Sentinel
stated on October 14, 1904, Andrews had already spent four months in custody, and
the judge noted this in his sentencing.

Chicago, 1907
On July 14, 1907, the Chicago Tribune
reported that E. S. Andrews had again set up a
collection-agency scam, this time in connection
 164

with attorney W. V. Tyler as the Tyler Company. The duo received dues of between
$40 and $50 from over 62 merchants before collecting debts and pocketing the
funds. Tyler was arrested for obtaining goods under false pretenses and
embezzlement. However, the newspaper stated, Andrews has disappeared.

Denver, 1911
The last possible trace I've found of Andrews is a Denver listing in 1911 for a
"Brandon Commercial Club" in the Colorado State Business Directory. Was this the
same phony collections agency Andrews had set up over the previous decade
around the Midwest? Remember that magician Hugh Johnston had claimed to have
met Erdnase in Denver.

Continuing the Search

Here the documentation ends. I requested any existing municipal court records
from Andrews Oshkosh case and received copies of two large docket sheets that
basically recited the facts I have already given in the news reports above.
Unfortunately,
they contain no
further
information on
Andrews, not
even a first or
middle name,
just E. S.
But many
potentially
fruitful avenues
remain to be
searched. I am
hereby calling on
any interested
magic scholars to
investigate the
following areas
and see what
they might discover:

Indiana: Newspapers, business, and police records in Kokomo and Fort Wayne
related to Andrews 1901 scam and his later 1904 extradition process and arrest (the
governors office may also have records relating to the grant of extradition).
Wisconsin: Newspaper, business, and police records in Oshkosh detailing
Andrews swindle as the Charles Brandon Commercial Company and relating to his
1904 trial. The records of the lawyers and police officials connected with the trial
may also be helpful.
Illinois: Newspaper, business, and police records connected to Andrews Tyler
Agency activities, the 1907 arrest of his partner Tyler, and Andrews departure from
Chicago.
Colorado: Newspaper, business, and police records that might shed light on
 165

Andrews claim that the Charles Brandon Commercial Company was incorporated
there.
I hope any interested parties will keep me updated of their progress and let me
know if I can be of any further assistance. This may be our man. I hope we can find
out for certain.

Todd Karr
 166

Psychopathic Suite for Piano and

Triangle
By Todd Karr
An excerpt from Roy Benson by Starlight by Levent and Todd Karr.

On a cold day, January 17, 1914, the man we

Roy Benson in the 1930s
were in Europe together welcoming their new son.
now know as Roy Benson made his debut in
Paris. His mother, dancer Dora Ford, had been
on the road touring European music halls with
her sister Mabel and living on Rue Buffault in
the working-class Belleville district of the
French capital during the last days of her
pregnancy.
Since her teenage years in the 1890s, Dora
had danced onstage in a duo with her younger
sister Mabel, and later with his brothers Max
and Edwin in their acclaimed song-and-dance
quartet, the Four Fords. But since 1905 she had
been in love with Eddie Emerson, a comedic
juggler and magician who romanced the popular
dancer with occasional trysts and frequent
letters, phone calls, and telegrams. Now they

Eddie Emerson
Edward William McQuaid was born around 1883 and began using the stage
name of Eddie Emerson as early as 1903. He was about thirty when he married
Dora Ford on March 31, 1913 in a rushed ceremony in Hollidaysburg,
Pennsylvania, squeezed between Emersons multiple performances at the Le Roy
Orpheum. A local newspaper reported the next day:

The marriage was to have been pulled off on the quiet, but the artist who can
handle a dozen things at once on the stage had to call on Ed Keane, proprietor of the
Le Roy, for assistance and it leaked out.
At 4:55 Miss Ford, in company with her mother, arrived here from Pittsburgh.
The office of the prothonotory at Hollidaysburg closes at five oclock, but here the
assistance of Mr. Keane was valuable. He hustled to Hollidaysburg and had the
license filled out before the couple arrived there.
Mamma Ford raised strenuous objections to such a hurried arrangement, but the
near-groom, whose face still showed some of the black cork used in the Orpheum
act, unceremoniously hustled her and her charming daughter into the taxi cab, and
after a fifteen-minute run, they arrived at Hollidaysburg, had the license, and were
on their way to the home of the Reverend Boggs, the marrying parson of
 167

Hollidaysburg.
Without any frills, they were joined in wedlock and returned to the Le Roy,
where a wedding dinner was served. After dinner, Mamma Ford, seeing that her
presence wasnt of monumental importance, returned to Pittsburgh, the groom went
to the theater to do his stunts, and his bride of an hour perched herself on a trunk
back of the stage and beamed at her hubby.
If truth must be told, Emerson, whose real name is Eddie McQuaid, was a
mighty poor juggler last evening, but the management excused his fumbling when
he declared that he would have his nerve back in time for the shows today.

Slightly more than nine months later, Dora gave

birth to their son. His lengthy name was
recorded a few days later at the Courbevoie city
hall: Edward Ford Emerson McQuaid.
The family paused for a photo in
Birmingham, England with baby Edward in his
fathers arms before returning to America
around July and more tour dates. The infant was
often left in the care of Doras mother in the
Bensonhurst area of Brooklyn when the dancer
was performing around the country.
Roy Benson as a baby with his parents, The marriage of Dora and Eddie Emerson
Dora Ford and Eddie Emerson must have been difficult with both parents on
the road. Until the end of her life, Dora
preserved a 1918 telegram from Emerson: Darling Doraglad to forget our
quarrel and start again. Am working in Brooklyn and also feeling lots better now.
Glad baby is well. Lovingly, Eddie.
As early as 1907, Emerson had been touring vaudeville houses with partner
Jerry Baldwin in an act of burlesque magic and juggling, a partnership that lasted
over 25 years. In The Sphinx in 1919, Dorny called them one of the finest non-
expos comedy magic acts.
Their humorous slogans included Emerson and Baldwin: Vaudeville with a
Vengeance, Interestingly Idiotic, Grotesque Dexterity, and Baron Emerson
and Count Baldwin: The No-Ability of Vaudeville, but the self-deprecating
billings were deceiving. They came onstage like comedians and played for broad
laughs but also presented skillful magic and club juggling. Years later, Roy would
brilliantly mirror this tactic, opening with gags and ending up a master magician in
the eyes of his audience.
In a review of a 1912 run at the Tivoli Theatre in Melbourne, Australia, Charles
Waller reports in Magical Nights at the Theatre (1977): Into their act of excellent
juggling, they introduced several conjuring tricks. A plate shattered in consequence
of a juggling disaster, was crammed into a blunderbuss, and fired into the heart of a
picture frame; there, it appeared intact. They also showed the running comedy effect
known at that time as the Australian Wonder Plant. A large plant of the sunflower
variety grew with each successive watering until finally it reached proportions of
Jacks fabled beanstalk.
 168

A 1915 review mentioned that Emerson

performed in blackface (although this tactic was
eventually dropped) and took slapstick blows to
his head. Their skill and humor took them far,
and in 1920, they played the big-time Palace (as
Roy Benson also did years later). Felsmans
Magical Review called the act screamingly
funny.
Eddie Emerson and Jerry Baldwin Emersons partner, Jerry Baldwin, was
apparently an ace manipulator, and in one
sequence performed card effects. As Billboard noted in 1925, Baldwins work
with the pasteboards attracted many of the local magis to the theater. A Sphinx
review said, Jerry is one clever boy with the pasteboards. One time, when the
baggage failed to arrive, in place of their regular number he presented a fifteen-
minute card act. Baldwin must have made at least a small impression on young
Edward McQuaid, soon to be Roy Benson.

Changes

The challenging show-business marriage

between Dora and Eddie did not last and the
couple was divorced. By 1921, Dora remarried;
her new husband, Gustav Schirmer, was the
wealthy head of G. Schirmer, the sheet-music
publishing giant. This marriage was also short-
lived, lasting until 1929. Dora received a hefty
$150,000 settlement from Schirmer, who later
good-naturedly wrote to his ex-wife: It was
indeed an expensive marriage.
Emerson remarried around 1927 and
continued touring with Baldwin. In 1932, he
appeared with his second wife as Baron and
Baronness Emerson but also continued
performing with his longtime partner Baldwin as
late as 1935.
As movies gained prominence, Emerson
Eddie Emerson in costume played smaller and smaller venues. In 1933, he
was living at the Continental Hotel in Los
Angeles, a favorite of show-business acts, and recalled to the Los Angeles Times
how vaudeville performers initially disdained movies, which soon swept many of
them out of their careers. He recounted visiting his friend Harry Cohn in his little
bungalow and mocking his early movie productions. Cohn was soon the mogul at
the head of Columbia Pictures and Emerson was working small-time clubs.
Emerson died in Hollywood in 1969, with no notice in Variety or any major
newspaper. The show-business world seemed to have forgotten this clever
performer, who had given the world one of its greatest magicians. His former wife
Dora died in 1978 at age 92.
 169

The Young Magician

Little Edward Ford Emerson McQuaid, the future Roy Benson, grew up
surrounded by show business. Decades later, when he created magic effects for the
musical Carnival!, the program noted: For generations on both sides, all the
members of Roy Bensons family have been of the theater: actors, comedians,
dancers, and, if you go back far enough, a proprietor of a circus. He is the first
member of the family to become a magician and he doesnt know why except that
magic has always been fascinating to him.
Among the audiotapes of Benson we found during our research, we were lucky
enough to uncover one in which Benson describes the beginnings of his magic
career in the early 1920s:

My interest in magic was first aroused during

my early grammar-school days. I would put
myself at approximately the age of seven. I was
given a box of tricks, which utterly fascinated
me, and I remember it as well as if I had just
received it yesterday.
My interests were further increased by
watching a magician perform in the local public
school, and at the time the magician performed,
to me at least, he seemed to be all things to all
men. As soon as I saw these tricks, it was more
than an aroused interest; it became an almost
total obsession.
There were times when I thought of nothing
but tricks. I visited magic shops, pored over
magic catalogs, read a few books on the subject,
and by the age of ten I had acquired a number of
tricks, some of which were of professional
Roy Benson as a young man at military
school
quality, and was actually performing tricks for
fellow students in grade school at the age of ten.
During those early years, I would perform magic without much persuasion. I
would perform before the Boy Scouts, the Fourth of July celebration, usually at no
fee, but whenever there was the least possibility of performing magic.

Around 1924, at age ten, young Edward added a set of one-inch billiard balls to
his horde of effects. Fascinated, he practiced constantly with the tiny props until a
disapproving schoolteacher confiscated them. I managed to palm the ball and shell,
but she got away with the remaining two, Benson recalled years later, adding with
cutting wit: It was probably the first time in her life that she had ever been that
close to two such objects. She refused to give them back to me, which was further
proof of my Freudian suspicions, so I decided to buy a new set.
The youngster visited Bob Shermans magic shop in New Yorks Grand Central
Station. He recounted his story to Sherman, who sold Benson his first proper set of
1-inch billiard balls at the bargain price of 75 cents. Sherman instructed Benson in
a few moves, which the boy diligently rehearsed, even at the cinema.
 170

Soon afterward, Benson witnessed his first real billiard game when his uncle
took him to a pool room. Struck by the impressive look of the balls, Benson decided
to move up to two-inch billiard balls, forcing him to alter his sleights and in the
process finding more effective moves.
By this time, Edwards parents had divorced and Dora had remarried. Edward
was sent to military school, but his passion for magic nonetheless grew and led to
his first real stage performance in the annual show of the Garden Players, a local
theatrical group in Forest Hills, New York. As he later recalled in one of his tapes:

It was the first time I appeared before a really large audience with a real
spotlight on me. I worked in one and did the same act, slightly improved, from my
grammar-school days. I would exactly describe it as a completely rotten act, but I
think it would be best to describe it as a reasonably mediocre performance.
I had, however, one saving grace my youth and audiences will forgive
youth for such indiscretions, which only goes to prove one thing: If you get a bunch
of tricks and learn how to do them, and follow a patter book and use (jokes) line-
for-line right out of the book, you, too, can enjoy that complacent state of
mediocrity which I enjoyed for many a year to come.
Of course, the big show was once a year, but I didnt have to wait a year
because they would frequently allow me to perform at the monthly meetings.
During this period, I emulated the greats, the near-greats, and the not-so-greats.

Nate Leipzig and Eddie Emerson had performed

on the same bill in 1918 and remained friends.
When Benson was 14 in 1925, his father went to
see Leipzigs opening show in Los Angeles,
accompanied by his partner Jerry Baldwin,
magician Werner Dorny Dornfield, and
vaudevillian Joe Keaton, film star Busters
father. When Leipzig called for a committee of
volunteers, the quartet of entertainers arose and
strode onstage.
A few years later, Emersons son became
one of the few lucky pupils of the gentlemanly
sleight-of-hand master.
As Roy Benson recalled:

Because of the fact that I came from a

Benson's teacher, the great Nate Leipzig
theatrical family, I got the break of a lifetime.
Through them, I met the great Nate Leipzig. The first time I met him was at
Beechhurst, Long Island. At the time, I was about seventeenduring that period I
would see Nate as often as three or four times a week, and frequently we would
spend the weekend together.

As one newspaper reported a few years later, Leipzig suggested certain tricks
and Benson perfected them.
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Roy Benson Begins

By 1932, eighteen-year-old Edward McQuaid had decided he needed a catchier
billing and had begun performing under the stage name Roy Benson. Although he
never recorded the origins of his assumed name, Benson may have been influenced
by a pianist for the Ford show named Roy Barton, and Charles Reynolds has told us
that Benson came from the Bensonhurst section of Brooklyn where the former
Edward McQuaid grew up.

The newly dubbed Roy Benson started working

his way up the show business ladder. In an
audiotape, he later remembered:

I continued my early career by playing what

might best be considered the middle ground of
the entertainment world. By that I mean small
nightclubs where the fees are usually low, and
small theaters where the format of the bill
consisted of a feature picture and about five acts
of vaudeville.

Benson was slowly developing his style. His

teacher Nate Leipzig had inspired him to learn
flawless sleight-of-hand, and he began
A teenage Roy Benson in an early publicity combining his manipulative effects with his
photo collection of apparatus magic including the
Chinese Sticks and the Vanishing Birdcage
into a commercial act.
But he had also learned the value of comedy from his father, Eddie Emerson. As
he developed his persona, Benson gradually found that his sly sense of humor had
great charm onstage.
The wry, urbane delivery of comedian Frank Fay had a major influence on his
style, too. Fay had inspired another of Leipzigs students, Fred Keating, who since
1929 had been making a name around New York by combining magic such as
his featured effect, De Koltas Vanishing Birdcage with his version of Frank
Fays slightly sarcastic style. Like many New York magicians, Benson was inspired
by Keatings persona and created his own form of the quick-witted-yet-elegant
approach.
The mix of skill, magic, and comedy became Bensons angle and set him apart
from his colleagues. As Sphinx editor John Mulholland concisely described it later,
Benson had discovered his real forte in the art, which is the presentation of adept
manipulation to the accompaniment of clever, very humorous patter.
 172

In September 1932, Benson was featured in his

first large-scale show, a showcase for young
performers called Belmont Varieties at the
Belmont Theatre in New York City. Despite his
polish, however, reviewers quickly pointed out
how much Bensons witty style reminded them
of Fred Keating, especially since Benson was
performing the Vanishing Birdcage in his act.
On September 29, 1932, the New York Times
gave Benson a less-than-flattering review: A
magician by the name of Roy Benson
unabashedly borrows not only Fred Keatings
tricks but also Mr. Keatings patter. He does the
tricks well enough, but his attempts at bland
comedy are, to put it mildly, terrible.
Fred Keating, pioneer comedy magician
In The Sphinx, Bernard Ernst agreed when
and film actor he mentioned a young performer, Ray (sic)
Benson by name, who unfortu-nately used many
of Fred Keatings effects and some of his patter.
But Roy Benson worked hard on his act and a few weeks later, featured in
Manhattan Varieties at the Cosmopolitan Theatre, the New York Times gave him a
begrudgingly higher grade: The young magician by the name of Roy Benson again
imitates Fred Keating, and this time gets away with it a shade better.
In the summer of the next year, in July 1933, Benson traveled to London and
performed at the Leicester Square Theatre in a show called Dark Doings, a mostly
black revue now remembered for introducing the classic Harold Arlen song
Stormy Weather. The British press gave Benson a positive review: Roy Benson,
hailing from America, scored with nonchalant conjuring and neat billiard-ball
manipulation.
After one show, the great English magician Arnold De Biere came backstage
and complimented Bensons ball routine. Benson later said in one of his tapes, It
was an honor that I shall always cherish. It felt like a burst of applause, coming
from a master manipulator whose skill, especially with the billiards, was famous all
over the world.
 173

With such encouragement, the thin, young

magician steadily grew more polished. Over the
next few years, he worked around New York
and neighboring states in nightclubs as both a
magician and emcee, evidence of his
blossoming stage presence. By February 1935,
Frank Lane wrote in The Linking Ring: This
Roy Benson, who everyone is talking about, is a
clever talker and does an interesting act.
In May that year, he played the Cocoanut
Grove Roof Garden at New Yorks Park Central
Hotel as both performer and master of
ceremonies and earned a pleasant mention in the
New York Times as a personable young
magician known as Roy Benson.
A 1930s portrait of Roy Benson But after a few years, his career was not
advancing beyond these club engagements. As
Max Holden later recalled in The Linking Ring, Benson was around in New York
City doing well with his magic and emcee and always wanted to play one of the top
spots, but somehow he just could not make them.

Benson in the Movies

Roy Bensons creativity had expanded into other disciplines. He played piano,
studied acting, and became fascinated with photography, taking artistically stylish
still lifes and portraits. After purchasing a basic movie camera, he began to explore
the world of cinematography.
In 1935, Bensons mother, Dora Ford, was visiting Hollywood and suggested
that Roy might find work there as a cameraman. When Benson arrived in
California, he applied for a job behind the camera but also shot a screen test as an
extra for an advertising film.
The movie world ignored Benson. He managed to perform his magic act at the
Ambassador Hotel, but after two months of waiting for any kind of film-related job,
he returned to New York for a nightclub engagement at the Riviera.
Two weeks later, his mother gleefully came to the theater with a telegram from
Hollywood. As Max Holden reported the story in The Linking Ring:

The test that he made was really for an advertising picture, but it just happened
that when the test was being shown, a picture scout was there and he immediately
saw (such) possibilities in the appearance of Roy Benson that he bought out the
rights from the advertising picture to put him as a feature player in moving pictures,
and no doubt Roy wont want a job as a cameraman after all.

Several years prior, Fred Keating had begun his own Hollywood career, co-
starring in several minor movies. His sarcasm made him perfect for humorous roles,
and he often performed magic as an added touch. Columbia Studios apparently saw
equal potential in Roy Benson.
 174

Bensons first movie role was the comic-relief

wise guy in The Lady Objects, a dramatic
musical produced by Columbia, eventually
released in 1938, starring Gloria Stuart in the
then-novel role of a female attorney.
As George Martin, a bandleader and amateur
magician, Benson was charming and believable
in moments of both drama and comedy. His film
career appeared to be off to a promising debut.
The role also gave Benson the chance to
perform some of his magic onscreen. His two
magic sequences are humorous and a good
Benson and Lanny Ross in "The Lady contrast to the films music and dramatic plot. In
Objects"
one scene in a nightclub, he takes a break from
conducting the band to perform the Chinese Sticks, allowing us to see the original
two-stick version of his routine. In another scene, he performs a few billiard-ball
manipulations, including his ball roll, as well as his complete Hugard Newspaper
Tear, the only record of his routine for this effect.
While he awaited the films eventual release in 1938, Benson kept busy with
nightclub and revue shows, notably a brief stay on Broadway at the Vanderbilt
Theatre in New Faces of 1936, starring comedienne Imogene Coca.
His press reviews kept getting stronger. A Los Angeles Times article in 1938
reported: Laughing at himself all through his magic stunts, Roy Benson has a slick
line of talk as well as of sleight-of-hand. His tricks arent new, but his humor is, and
his manipulation of props is especially smooth.
Bensons movie career did not advance. In fact, it would be six years until he
was again seen on screen. His increasing dependence on alcohol may have been a
factor, and his failure to succeed in the film industry undoubtedly worsened the
situation.
Whatever the case, he continued performing in nightclubs around the country.
In 1939, he emceed for Benny Goodmans appearance at the Victor Hugo in Los
Angeles.
As World War II neared its end, Benson went on tour in 1944 to promote the
opening of the film Wilson with other movie actors, including Carmen Miranda and
Roddy McDowell. But he remained in the shadows until 1944, when he had a
secondary role, again as smart-aleck comic relief, in Sweet and Low-Down,
produced by Fox. In this vehicle for popular bandleader Benny Goodman, Benson
plays saxophonist Skeets McCormick. Benson mimes playing the sax perfectly and
has a number of funny lines. At one point, the female lead rolls her eyes after a
Benson wisecrack and sighs, Oh, you and that off-beat comedy!
On the heels of this performance, the magic press announced that Benson was
filming an M-G-M musical, Diamond Horseshoe. It looked like his luck had
changed. But when the film was released in 1945, Bensons role turned out to be a
single scene at the end of the movie, and he wasnt even billed in the credits.
At the climax of Diamond Horseshoe, Bensons character is backstage when he
is recruited to pretend to be gravely ill in a ploy to save the show. After the ruse
succeeds, he reveals that his supposed rescuers have stretched him out on a pile of
tacks, which protrude painfully from his posterior. The scene was an
 175

undistinguished end to a promising career.

Master of the Stage

Roy Benson nonetheless continued to rise in the

world of live stage shows. He performed in
bigger and classier venues around the country,
including the Latin Quarter in New York, the
Empire Room in Chicago, the Casino Nationale
in Havana, and the Golden Gate Theatre in San
Francisco. These nightclub years brought
Benson experience and many adventures.
Bensons friend Bruce Elliott recalled two
outstanding incidents:

Roy Benson, master of the billiards Roy was working in a gambling hall out
west for two or three weeks and in due course of
time became friendly with the light operator. Said operator took Roy upstairs to see
his lights. Roy saw the spotlight, which was, as is usual, mounted on a universal
joint. The only unusual thing was that directly below the spot was a chopper
machine gun, that is. When Roy quaveringly asked how come, the light man
proudly pointed out the advantage if a gunman was to hold up the joint. All that
would be needful would be to center said bad boy in the spotlight and pull the
trigger.
Roy went back downstairs and for the remainder of his stay did his billiard-ball
roll knowing that he was in the sights of a machine gun
Or the time Roy was working in Havana and a drummer in a rumba band
became intrigued with the American magician, became so intrigued that he began to
give drum rolls whenever Roy made a ball appear or vanish.
This, of course, is a kind of corn that went out with George M. Cohan and the
flag-waving finale, so Roy asked through an interpreter if the drummer would mind
not doing it. Somehow it got garbled in the translation. The drummer continued to
make with the sound effects as Roy did his vanishes and reproductions. Roy finally
gave in to the inevitable and figured there was no way to stop all this.
Then it got worse. The drummer, being behind Roy, began to get hip to where
Roy was making the steals from so the drum roll would sound off at just the
point where Roy wanted no suspicion aroused.
Very salutary, Roy says it was. Says he doped out more new ball sleights on that
engagement trying to fool the drummer so as to avoid the giveaway drum roll
than on any other occasion.

Benson was rapidly gaining a reputation as one of the greats in the art and an
intimate of experts like Cardini and Vernon. Ted Annemann, an enthusiastic fan,
wrote in a Jinx review of one 1941 show:

Streamlined, ultra-sophisticated comedy magic. If you are a straight-faced, old-

hat hocus-pocus man, dont if you value your life ever follow Roy on. Youll
get laughs in all the wrong places. His incisive burlesque neatly extracts the
 176

excelsior from all the stuffed-shirt magicians you ever saw and leaves them as limp
as so many discarded egg bags. He leaves his audience limp, too with laughter.
Benson works on the radical assumption that present-day audiences are halfway
intelligent. Some of you boys had better pick up the cue, because it begins to look
as if maybe hes right! This audience didnt want to let him go at all.

After a 1942 dinner in honor of Orson Welles at

the Hotel Henry Hudson in New York, Stuart
Robson wrote in The Linking Ring that Roy
Benson, emcee, presented the most beautiful
routine with balls this reviewer had ever seen.
The nightclub owners and their customers
appreciated his work, too. As Mike Kanter
reported in The Linking Ring in 1942, Roy
Benson has become a habit at the Walton
Roof, continuing his run into many weeks and
still going strong with added duties as emcee
Roy Benson and the Chinese Sticks besides his own magical presentations. He is
constantly adding new items and keeps the
patrons coming back for more.
In 1943, when he was held over at the Troika in Washington D.C., the
Washington Post reported: Its a pleasure to be baffled when the bafflings done by
such an ingratiating young scamp as Roy Benson, magico at the Troika. His tricks
are swellbut his chatter is a panic.
In his spare time, Benson continued taking photos and playing piano. In a few
intriguing 1946 news items, Benson was reported to be collaborating with
screenwriter-director Rodney Amateau on a musical revue to be produced at the
Blis-Hayden Theatre in Los Angeles, though we have found no trace of it having
been completed or produced.
Hugards stated:

Most of us think of Benson as a magician, yet a top-ranking Coast musician

listened to musical works composed by Benson and urged him to hide away and
finish the works in progress, claiming that Bensons work is reminiscent of
Debussy. Benson, in Hollywood until recently, has sold a musical to Fox
Experimental Theatre.

Bruce Elliott also noted: Must say we agree with a paragraph of Fred Braues a
while ago about Roys piano and composing ability. Quite a kid at the 88 is Roy.
We particularly like his Psychopathic Suite for Piano and Triangle.

Repeat Engagements
As Benson played longer engagements and enjoyed repeat bookings, he
expanded his repertoire, trying out many new effects as encores and second-string
features. By the late 1940s, he felt he had enough material to begin writing a book,
as Bruce Elliott and Milbourne Christopher reported in the magic magazines.
Christopher also published a brief sketch of Benson in The Linking Ring in
 177

1946:

His all-time favorite magician: Nate Leipzig.

His most embarrassing moment (I quote): Watching Dante doing the billiard
balls.
His present magical idol: Dai Vernon.
His ambition: Id like to live in Flossos shop. Dont believe thered be room
for me, though.

In 1948, Bruce Elliott announced that The Phoenix would soon feature a new
Benson routine, one that would eventually become one of his most popular effects:
the Benson Bowl Routine: a cup-and-ball routine using only one cup. Whats
more, it uses a little dream of a sponge-ball sleight that youll use for more than this
routine. Wait and see.
His reputation as a knowledgeable magician was growing, and in New York in
1948, Benson gave what was perhaps his first lecture. As Hugards reported,
Benson pointed up the foolishness of calling work with 1-inch billiard balls
work; advocated the use of two-inch balls. Deplored, too, hand-washing
manipulations. A fine talk, they say.
Magicians began to consider Benson a top humorist as well, and consistently
called on him to emcee their club events. Magic magazines regularly reported his
anecdotes, such as this one from The Phoenix: Roy overheard two magis standing
next to the Strand talking and one said, How long have you been laying off? The
other wand-wielder replied, Three years and four months. If this keeps up, Im
going to have to get out of show business.
In December 1948, Benson married an exotic female dove performer, Lola
Wilson. She had previously been wed to magician Leon Mandrake, who dubbed her
Narda to mirror the heroine of his comic book inspiration, Mandrake the
Magician.
The marriage was short-lived. Benson found a letter from his wifes lover and
divorce was granted in 1952. The official story released to the newspapers was that
she paid more attention to her doves than her husband. An article entitled Dove-
Dancer Wife Cooed Only for Birds, Mate Says in the Los Angeles Times reported:

Comedian Roy Benson was granted an annulment from his dove-dancer wife
Lola Wilson Wednesday after he told a Supreme Court referee that his wifes
billing and cooing was strictly for the birds. He said Lola uses twelve doves in her
dance act, all male and all named after an ex-husband or ex-boyfriend. He said she
spent their wedding night billing and cooing with the birds.
You have a point that dovetails with the courts, the referee said in granting
the annulment.

A New Phase
The next year, Bensons career seemed back on track. In August 1949, he made
his first appearance on Ed Sullivans important television variety show Toast of
the Town, performing his comic vanishing-flower gag, the Chinese Sticks, and his
six billiard-ball routine.
In September, he finally played the most prestigious vaudeville engagement of all,
 178

the RKO Palace in New York City, and his success there led to many repeat
engagements. The reviews were uniformly strong.
The Billboard critic, for example, wrote: Roy Benson got the show into high
gear. His magic tricks, mostly standard, including his billiard ball and salt bits, were
handled as smoothly as ever. But it was his mad chatter and throwaway effects that
really sold him. He got yocks time and again, finishing way ahead.
In 1951, Benson began formulating plans for a magic school, as various magic
magazines reported. He apparently wanted to set up his courses in a studio at
Carnegie Hall, where his uncle Max Ford ran a prominent dance school.
Although Benson did not create a formal magic academy, he did give private
lessons. Among his lucky students was Ricky Jay, to whom he taught his billiard-
ball routine.

Connye

In 1952, just prior to his final divorce decree

from Lola, Benson began dating contortionist
Connye Shearer.
Born Constance Ruth Scherrer in 1929,
Connye studied dance as a teenager in
Pennsylvania. When she saw a contortionist at a
local nightclub, she realized that she had the
flexible joints required, so she taught herself
contortion stunts and developed a nightclub act
featuring acrobatics and her twisting poses.
Connye moved to New York City on her
own and struggled to make a living. To make
ends meet, she took a job assisting magician Bill
Neff, worked at trade shows, and assisted a
juggling act while wearing roller skates. For six
The beautiful and flexible Connye Benson memorable weeks one year, she worked with a
traveling carnival; she wrote a long letter about
her experience there, which magician and author William Lindsay Gresham
published in his book Monster Midway, concealing Connyes identity.
Connye eventually perfected a nightclub routine in which she dressed as a
French maid and performed contortions on her serving cart. She used her toes to
pour herself a cup of coffee, add sugar, and stir the beverage, then picked up the cup
between her feet and sipped cheerfully.
She was also a talented illustrator and an excellent photographer. In short,
Connye was the perfect counterpart for Roy. He was fifteen years her elder, but they
fell in love and after a long courtship finally married on July 26, 1955.
Throughout the 1950s, Benson continued to deliver strong performances at the
Palace. Billboard reviewer Bob Francis wrote:

An outstanding contribution is made by Roy Benson, whose legerdemain equals

his salesmanship of it. Benson attempts nothing particularly showy, but what he
does do is so excellently integrated with comic timing that it makes the slickness of
his sleight-of-hand the more of a stand-out. This pew-sitter has never seen the
 179

multiplying pool-ball routine more effectively projected.

Later that year, the Billboard critic enthused:

The best news about the current bill is the return of Roy Benson to repeat the
solid customer click that he made last summer. Even if Benson wasnt the helluva
good magician that he obviously is, he would still be a good comic. The
combination of the two is irresistible. Why he has been spotted in fourth place in a
generally weak line-up is something to wonder at. Next-to-closing would seem his
logical billing in this weeks show.

His Palace success led to other bookings at top nightspots: the Paradise Room in
Atlanta, the Normandie Room in Montreal, and the Olympia Theatre in Miami.
Benson played the Flamingo in Las Vegas in 1952.

In 1953, Benson began performing a

groundbreaking routine in which he stretched
out on the stage and talked to the audience as if
it was his therapist. This psychiatrist segment
was not only daring and funny, it was strikingly
cerebral, far ahead of its time in an era in which
comedy was still mainly jokes and sight gags.
This progressive routine only enhanced
Roy Benson during the Psychiatrist Routine Bensons act, and the Palace continued to rehire
him. In 1954, Billboard again lauded Benson:
Nobody in the business, in this reporters opinion, can top Bensons artistry in
manipulating the cue balls, and he has sharpened his patter to draw spontaneous
customer chuckles.
What audiences didnt know was that Benson had indeed been seeing a
psychiatrist. His alcoholism had spiraled horribly, but through treatment, he had
managed to get his drinking under control. In its place, however, he became a
regular user of sleeping pills for most of the decade. He fell off the wagon for a few
years as well before finally getting sober in the early 1960s through Alcoholics
Anonymous and staying alcohol-free for the rest of his life.
A sad incident occurred at a magic meeting at the Art Directors Club in New
York in February 1954. Dr. Jacob Daley finished performing one of his expert card
feats and sat down in the audience. As Roy Benson began performing his act, Daley
slumped over, dead of a heart attack.
In Bensons stage career, the rave reviews continued. From Billboard, July
1954:

Also repeating and he must have been practicing assiduously, since he is

better than ever is magician Roy Benson, maestro of the sticks and tassels and
best in the business at billiard-ball manipulation. Benson has developed a great
sleight act. Comedy projection continues to improve and salt shaker wind-up is sock
as always.

In August, Benson again appeared on Ed Sullivans Toast of the Town. He

 180

was also a guest on many other television shows around this time, including the
popular Garry Moore Show, Paul Tripps Its Magic, and Esther Williams
Saturday Spectacular special.
One of Bensons close friends in New York during this period was Jay Marshall,
another Palace performer. One day they visited Cardini, which must have been a
fascinating afternoon among three such great magicians (and with two such great
ball manipulators present).
Marshall had recently begun publishing The New Phoenix. Bensons astonishing
coin vanish, Banished, was in fact the very first effect in the premier issue. Benson
was named Editor Demeritus, and when Marshall briefly left for England in 1955,
he left Benson and his new wife Connye in charge of the next two issues.
The couple filled these two editions with Connyes carefully drawn explanatory
illustrations and historically accurate Egyptian hieroglyphics and Native American
designs. Benson explained the Leipzig Drop, a deck switch, and other gems from
his repertoire.
One fiasco during this productive period was an October 1955 booking as a
comedy act during the South Sea Isle number of Tropicana at Radio City Music
Hall, a predictably poor fit. As Hugards Magic Monthly reported, The producer
decked him out in an outlandish costume to fit the fiesta scenery. Opening day, the
producer saw the extravaganza before an audience and Roy vanished from the bill.
Vaudeville was on its last legs, overshadowed by movies and then television.
Nightclubs were the new venue of choice for live entertainment, and in November,
Benson began performing at the very top, the chic Blue Angel.
Variety approved in one Blue Angel review: Program is opened by Roy
Benson, who minimizes the prestidigital facets of his turn in order to lay on some
highly rewarding banter. Deft in his timing and smart in use of his comic lines.
Benson also began diversifying and performing cruise-ship dates to Nassau and
South America. Connye accompanied him and probably performed her own act as
well.
As the 1950s ended, Victor Sendax asked a mysterious question in The Linking
Ring: Whats all this about Roy Benson and his missus currently building a huge
monster for a movie studio?

Benson in the New World

The 1960s brought Roy Benson into several new domains that took advantage
of his multifaceted creativity.
Bensons cousin Jack Curtis, a film editor and voice-over artist, had decided to
try his hand at producing a movie and began work on a low-budget horror film
called The Flesh Eaters. He recruited Roy to be director of photography, but
Benson soon decided to decline the position and instead help his cousin with special
effects.
Roys main task on The Flesh Eaters turned out to be a gigantic tentacled sea
monster, which he constructed himself, crowning it with a huge eye that looked like
a giant white billiard ball. When he had completed construction, Benson loaded the
sizable prop into a pickup truck and drove it to the seaside shoot location.
On the way, Benson stopped at a diner for lunch and parked the truck while he
was inside eating. When he emerged, a startled crowd had gathered around the back
of the truck, thinking a fisherman had caught some horrible sea creature.
 181

The Flesh Eaters starred Martin Kosleck, a German actor known for his roles as
Nazi villains. The film finally reached theatres in 1964 and has become a B-movie
cult classic. The end credits include Roy Benson: Special Effects.
Bensons magic also went in a new direction as the decade opened. In March, he
and Connye debuted a strikingly original routine, later referred to as their Siamese
Act, that combined their talents into an amazing new combination of contortions,
artistic magic, masks, Asian costumes, and dance, which they presented for the first
time at the Brooklyn Academy of Music at the S.A.M.s annual show on March 18,
1960, billed as Connye and Roye.

The magic critics recognized how truly

innovative this act was. In The Linking Ring,
Victor Sendax described their routine:

Roy, this time assisted by his wife,

Connye, presented a startlingly original act to
the accompaniment of a taped musical
background, utilizing very effectively diverse
themes from the scores of Rodgers and
Hammersteins The King and I, Aaron
Connye and Roy Benson in their Siamese
Act
Coplands Billy the Kid Ballet, to mention a few
of the musical elements.
Appearing as some mystic Oriental species, the pair utilized magical props and
tricks as parts of a weird sort of ritual, through which Connye moved serpent-like,
performing all manner of strange bodily gyrations and contortions. Here was a
creative and challenging act effectively demonstrating magic does not have to be
cut-and-dried and hackneyed in its viewpoint. Bravo!

Aside from another performance of the Siamese Act at the combined I.B.M.-
S.A.M. convention that summer, however, the act was perhaps too far ahead of its
time to be commercial, and Benson and Connye returned to their regular acts. Roy
appeared regularly at top nightclubs like the Blue Angel, performing with well-
known comedians like Woody Allen and the Smothers Brothers.
Benson also landed a challenging job as designer and supervisor of magic and
illusion for the musical Carnival! which ran on Broadway from 1961 to 1963,
winning two Tony awards. The simple-to-perform magic sequences Benson created
for the character Marco the Magnificent included a cigarette vanish and
reproduction, a single card production using a backpalm, Match to Flower, Silk to
Cane, and a Sword Cabinet routine in which the magician and his assistant sang a
duet. When Marco presented his act, he brought three audience members onstage
and produced a bowl of goldfish from one ladys hat, performed a shirt-pull, and
produced pastry and sausages from another ladys purse (along the way, he also
magically removed the panties of the actress playing his assistant!). Benson later
noted that, like many actors, James Mitchell who portrayed Marco in the original
production easily mastered the basics of effectively performing magic.
In his autobiography Illusion Show, the great David Bamberg (Fu Manchu)
reported that in the 1960s he had been engaged to create magic for a Buenos Aires
production of Carnival! but found that Benson had done such an excellent job and
 182

made such a wide selection of tricks that there was nothing for me to do except
follow his routine.
In 1967, Benson appeared on several television shows: a Garry Moore magic
special; The Today Show; a special called Monday Morning Magic; and the
new Mike Douglas talk show. But Benson was starting to slow down, mainly due
to his compulsion for cigarettes.
His good friend Charles Reynolds was head of the photography department at
the School of Visual Arts in New York City and hired Benson to teach a basic
photo class. To supplement their income, Roy and Connye both became
photographers for GAF, taking photos for slides used in the companys Pana-Vue
projector. Roy also photographed subjects for GAFs Viewmaster three-
dimensional viewer, such as scenes from the television vampire soap-opera Dark
Shadows.
Although he performed an occasional show in the early 1970s, Bensons heavy
smoking had caught up with him. There is a tape of anti-smoking advice from Leon
Mandrake among his personal audiotapes, and in his papers is a 1966 news article
on emphysema entitled The Battle to Breathe, but nothing had seemed to help
him quit. Now it was too late. Benson was so weak that he was housebound for
almost three years. Connye was forced to find other work to support them. Her
unusually petite feet allowed her to become a foot model. To make ends meet, she
also took a job with an encyclopedia company.
In late 1977, Bensons condition worsened and he was hospitalized. Six weeks
later, on December 6, 1977, Roy Benson died of emphysema at age 63.
In 1985, Connye shifted careers again, completed a paralegal course, and began
work as an estates and trust paralegal at a law firm. In her spare time, she helped
abused and abandoned animals. On March 28, 1996, Connye Benson died at the age
of 66.
 183

The Cigarette And Dollar Bill

Once more we bring this old-timer forth but after you read this see if you can beat it for
simpleness and effect.

A spectator opens a new pack of cigarettes and after examining them a cigarette is
removed, marked and placed in the performer's mouth. A bill is borrowed and the
spectator writes down a number and initials the bill before the performer even touches it.
The bill is destroyed in a most open manner, the cigarette being lighted just before this
event. The cigarette is now identified by its mark and, while still burning, is broken open
and the bill is removed. When handed back, the owner is asked to identify the bill by
marks and number.

Take a new pack of cigarettes and open it from the bottom with a safety razor blade.
Remove one cigarette and after removing enough tobacco insert a rolled dollar bill, not a
new one or an old one, but half way between. Put the cigarette back into pack,
remembering which it is from top and seal up the pack with a little glue. Make a neat job
of it as it has to stand a look but not much as they always look at the seal and top. Have in
your pocket a letter size envelope with a slit along the centre of the face and inside it a
piece of paper the size of a folded bill. A candle is sitting on your table at your right and
several matches in your left trouser pocket.

Go into the audience and hand the pack out with a request for it to be opened, you
starting it at the right side as they are usually opened only a little. Watch closely and have
him hand you a cigarette, you can tell if it is the right one and if not just hand it to
someone to show the cigarettes are ordinary and ask for another. You may have to do this
three or four times, but not more, until you get the right one. The audience takes it for a
 184

joke and you are pattering about being generous, etc., and when you get the loaded one
say you'll have to quit because you have already exceeded your expense account. Hold
the cigarette between your fingers and have a person mark it and place it in your mouth.

Now borrow the dollar bill and after it has been noted and marked walk back to the
platform with the bill in
the air and the cigarette in your mouth. Pick up a match and light it (here you get a laugh)
but light cigarette and candle. Fold the bill several times and taking the envelope, with
the flap to the front, openly insert the bill. It should come out of the slit into your left
fingers which are behind envelope. With your right hand fold down the flap and hold it in
front of the candle and then into the flame. Here is the perfect misdirection as they will
all look at the bill and your left hand with the bill will casually go into your left trouser
pocket as you watch envelope burn. After the ashes are scattered go into audience, still
puffing the cigarette and have it identified by the marks. Step back or onto the runway
and break the cigarette open and unroll the bill.

Now is the subtle move for which I thank my good friend John Sardo of Elmira, N. Y.
Nine times out of ten the audience will begin to applaud when you unroll the bill and you
bow and ask them if it is a very nice experiment, at same time pocketing the bill and
starting back towards the stage. This gets a good laugh and of course you act surprised
and then remember the borrowed bill. Go back into the audience and return it, having the
gentlemen identify it, but of course when you put the bill in your left trouser pocket and
then withdraw it you exchanged it for the original and there you are!
 185

Derren Browns Magic Square

The Effect:
A spectator gives you a random number and you're instantly able to create a magic square
of numbers in which all rows, columns, diagonals and corners total his chosen number.

The Secrets:
This looks absolutely mind blowing when performed well but is technically easy to
achieve.

The diagram below shows the basic framework for the square:

The numbers shown in the above square will always be present, whatever random
number is chosen. You need to memorize the order and positions of those numbers. The
grey squares A to D are where you will add additional numbers to complete the magic
square.

If like me you have a terrible memory, write the basic framework of the magic square
using very light pencil in the corner of your notepad or flip chart. It will be visible to you
but not to your audience.

To begin, ask for a random number between 25 and 100. Let's say your spectator chooses
the number 37.

Subtract 21 from the number given (in this example, we get 16) and put it in position A.
 186

Then add 1 to this number and put in position B. Add 1 again for the number in position
C and finally 1 again for the number at D.

In our example, we finish up with the magic square shown below:

Look at the resulting square and you'll see that all rows and columns total 37 - the
spectators chosen number. Also, both diagonals total 37. The numbers at each corner also
total 37. And the four 2 by 2 squares at top left, top right, bottom left and bottom right
also total 37 (e.g. 8, 11, 16 and 2; 17, 1, 7 and 12 etc.)!

Actually, there's more! Choose any 3 sided square and the numbers at each corner also
total 37 (e.g. 8, 17, 3 and 9)!

Although this may seem like a simple concept, Derren Brown used a magic square effect
as the encore for his 2004 UK tour and got a standing ovation!
 187

COLOUR CHANGED
By Richard Robinson

Changing the color of a playing card by passing a hand over the face of the
card was once a staple effect among conjurers. This dates from the time
when cards had no corner index to disrupt the visual change of color.
Although color changes have gone out of fashion, the various sleights used to
accomplish them have not, since the sleights involved secretly add a card to
the top of the deck.

One particular color change sleight is encountered in most introductory magic

books. The deck is held, faces out, in the left hand. The closed right hand
covers the deck and when it moves away the face card has changed. This is
accomplished by the left index finger sliding the bottom card of the deck up,
the right hand palming it and then depositing it on the face of the deck.

While this sleight is reasonably effective, it isn't that difficult for the
spectators to figure out, since the right hand curls and uncurls as the card is
palmed and then released.

Chris Van Bern's Colour Change

By all indications Chris Van Bern is the inventor of the original sleight on
which the description above is based. However, Van Bern's method was
significantly different in that the card was never actually palmed and thus the
hand remained in the same position throughout the illusion.

Van Bern first published his Colour Change in the 1914 edition of the
'Wizard's Annual' and then again in 1919 in 'A Whirlwind of Wizardry' which
he co-authored with De Vega, another performer of the period. It is
interesting to note that by 1919 Van Bern was no longer using the move as a
color change but rather to make selected cards appear on the face of the
deck.

Handling
 188

The deck is held in the left hand, one long side of the deck resting on the
fingers, the other held by the thumb.

The right open right hand, with fingers together is brought over to cover the
face of the deck.

As this happens, the left first finger pushes the back card of the deck up and
then into the right palm. The left index finger remains extended, holding the
card against the right palm. The right hand does not palm the card.

The the card makes contact with the right palm, the left hand turns at the
wrist, pivoting around the left first finger tip, until the face of the deck is
visible below the right hand. This is done to give the spectator's one more
look at the face card. The extended left first finger is masked by the right
hand and the deck during this movement.

The left hand then turns back, pivoting around the left first finger tip, until
the deck is behind the right hand.
 189

In swinging the deck back behind the hand, the left first finger is pulled away
and the deck itself is used to hold the card against the right palm. The deck
is turned and squared up so that the card behind the right palm is now the
face card of the deck. The right hand moves away from the deck, the right
fingers spreading.

As right hand moves away the face card of the deck is seen to have changed.

Display Variation

Once the card has been moved from the back of the deck into the right palm,
the left first finger can slide the card back towards the right wrist. This allows
the right fingers to open as the deck is swung down and the original face
card shown.
 190

Performance Notes

Once you've got the general idea of this and curbed the natural magical
instinct to curl the right hand into palm position, the deceptiveness of this
sleight will be apparent.

The deck can be swung up above the hand rather than below it, during the
show once more move.

It is also possible for the card being held to be positioned toward the back of
the right hand in more of a gambler's palm location as shown in the variation
above. This allows the right fingers to spread slightly during the moves.

Van Bern suggested that the fingers of the right hand be held wide apart as
the hand is placed in position so that the face card could be seen through
them, then closed before the change.

BALL & SILK MYSTERY

By Richard Robinson

The magician picks up a silk handkerchief from his table and opens the handkerchief
out to display both sides at his finger tips. The handkerchief is draped over his left
hand. Slowly and mysterious a large red ball rises up out of the center of the
handkerchief.

The ball is wrapped in the handkerchief, the handkerchief is tossed into the air and
 191

the ball vanishes ... as if it had never existed to start with.

Props

A ball approximately 1-3/4 inches / 45 mm in diameter as used in the Multiplying

Billiard Balls and other stage manipulations. A ball made of wood or hard plastic is
recommended. An 18 inch / 33 cm square handkerchief. The ball and handkerchief
should be of contrasting colors. The silk handkerchiefs sold by magic dealers is ideal,
although any cloth square of light weight and good drape will do.

Setup

The bunched handkerchief is on the table with the ball behind it.

Handling

The ball is behind the bunched
handkerchief on the table. The
left hand picks up the
handkerchief and ball,
concealing the ball.
The hands open out the Performer's view of the ball
handkerchief, the ball is held in concealed as the handkerchief is
the left hand. displayed.

The arms shift to the right, The ball is held between the The arms cross, showing the
moving across the body. base of the left hand and chest, back of the handkerchief. The
allowing the hand to move ball palmed in the left hand is
forward and open. not visible.
 192

The handkerchief is draped over
the left hand. The right hand
'adjusts' the drape.
The right hand goes behind the Performer's view of right hand
handkerchief, then under it, the catching ball.
thumb guiding the way, and the
ball is dropped into the right
hand.

The right hand, first finger
extended, moves over the top of
the handkerchief. At the same
time the right thumb presses
against the ball.
Exposed view of the palmed ball. The right first finger pokes an
indention into the top of the
handkerchief. As this is done,
the left thumb moves from in
front to behind the ball under
the handkerchief.

The first finger appears to press
down the center of the
handkerchief.
Exposed view of the ball, ready
to rise, but as yet not visible to
the spectators.
The ball mysteriously rises up
out of the handkerchief. This
action is controlled by the left
thumb and fingers gently
squeezing the ball.

The right hand takes hold of a
back corner of the handkerchief
and raises it.
The left hand approaches with
the ball and tilts back as if
rolling the ball into the waiting
handkerchief covered right palm.
In fact, the left hand classic
palms the ball.
The right hand shifts position
grasping the handkerchief below the air, caught and shaken open
the center as if trapping the ball. by the right hand to show that
Routine
Phase 1
193
The left hand opens under the
handkerchief and slides forward,
the ball on top of the
handkerchief traveling with it.
The ball and hand approaching
the front edge of the
handkerchief. The right hand
does not move during this
action.
Exposed view of the ball classic
palmed.
The handkerchief is tossed into
the ball has vanished, then
opened out between the hands.
The handkerchief travels back,
the ball rests on the open left
hand. The performer pauses so
the spectators can focus on the
ball. The handkerchief is then
draped over the right hand.
The right hand closes and turns
over, the handkerchief falling
down so that it appears the right
hand is holding the ball through
the handkerchief.
The handkerchief is bunched
with the ball concealed behind it
in the left hand and returned to
the table.
 194

The left hand reaches over and picks up the handkerchief, at the same time taking
hold of the ball so that it is held loosely in the palm of the hand. This hold is similar
to the classic palm without any pressure being exerted on the ball.

Facing the spectators, the left and right hands come together in front of the upper
chest and to the right of the center of the body.

The left and right fingers unfold the handkerchief until one corner can be clipped
between the left first and second fingers. The right fingers then slide along the edge
of the handkerchief, moving to the right at the same time, until they hold the
adjacent corner. This opens the handkerchief out so that it is being displayed
between the hands.

As the handkerchief is opened out, the magician turns his shoulders slightly to the
right. The left hand moves back to the chest and presses the ball between the palm
of the hand and the chest. The left fingers open out and the left hand is moved
toward the right. The ball, trapped between the palm and the chest, rolls along the
back of the palm. This movement stops when the ball is positioned between the heel
of the left and and the chest.

With the ball out of view, the left fingers can be spread apart. The right fingers also
open out. The magician looking toward the right hand, gives the handkerchief a
slight shake.

Phase 2

The left hand moves back so that the ball rolls into the palm of the hand where it is
classic palmed. The right hand follows the left hand's movement. The front of the
handkerchief is kept parallel to the spectators.

With the ball in a classic palm, the left and right hands continue moving to the left
until both arms are extended. The magician's shoulders turn left and tension is
maintained by the hands to keep the handkerchief open taut between the hands.

Although the left palm is now toward the spectators, the left fingers are curled over
it and the edge of the handkerchief covers them, hiding the ball.

The left hand releases its hold on the handkerchief and moves down behind the
handkerchief to its center and then starts moving up. The right hand lets go of the
handkerchief. The handkerchief is now draped over the left hand. The top of the left
hand should be at shoulder height, the left arm half extended to the left of the body.

Phase 3

The right fingers pretend to adjust the corners of the handkerchief hanging down
around the left hand. As the this is done, the left arm swings to the right until the
handkerchief draped left hand is at the center of the chest. The right fingers have
 195

moved as well, getting a light hold on the hem of the handkerchief closest to the
magician and working their way under the handkerchief until the right hand is under
the draped handkerchief. The left hand releases its hold on the ball, dropping it into
the right hand which classic palms it.

The right hand moves back down to take hold of the handkerchief hem. The left arm
swings to the left, the right hand moving with it so that the back of the right hand
remains toward the spectators.

The left hand then swings back to the right, the right hand moving up until it is
directly behind the left hand. During this movement, the left hand opens out so that
it comes to rest on the back of the right hand, almost cupping it. The right hand,
now hidden from the spectators, turns palm toward the left hand so that the ball
rests on the handkerchief and through it on the left palm.

The right fingers open out and point up, then curl down over the left thumb, as it
pushing the center of the handkerchief down into the left fist.

In fact the right fist and second fingers have arched over the left thumb and moved
down to contact the top of the ball through the handkerchief. The right thumb is
pressing against the bottom of the ball. Once the right fingers and thumb are
supporting the ball, the handkerchief covered left thumb swings around the left of
the ball and behind it, pressing the ball through the handkerchief against the left
palm.

The right hand moves away. The ball is now below the top of the handkerchief
covered left fist, held in place through the handkerchief by the left thumb, and not
at all visible to the audience.

Phase 4

The left hand moves up to eye height, extended a foot or so in front of the
magician's face. The left hand stops. The left fingers and thumb now slowly work the
ball up until it is resting on top of the left fist. The ball appears to rise up out of the
handkerchief.

Once the ball is visible, the right fingers take hold of a corner of the handkerchief
and move up. The left hand lowers a few inches. The left hand opens palm up under
the handkerchief. The right hand pulls the handkerchief slowly back and up. This
causes the ball to roll down the handkerchief and come to rest in the open left palm
as the handkerchief is pulled away.

Vanish

The ball rests on the open left palm. The right hand holds the handkerchief.

The right hand moves to the left hand so that one corner of the handkerchief can be
 196

clipped between the left first and second fingers. The right hand then moves right to
open out the handkerchief so that it can be displayed front and back.

In one continuous motion, the right hand releases its hold on the handkerchief, the
hand opens and swings toward the front center of the handkerchief. The left hand
releases its hold on the handkerchief. The result is that the handkerchief is now
draped over the right hand, the hand itself being palm up under the handkerchief.

The left hand moves to the right, back of the hand turned toward the audience and
appears to drop the ball onto the handkerchief covered right palm. The right fingers
curl up as it holding the ball through the handkerchief. In fact, the ball is simply
classic palmed in the left hand.

The right hand turns over and grasps the supposed ball through the handkerchief.
With practice this can be done so that the handkerchief bunches enough at the
center to momentarily look as if the ball is inside the handkerchief.

The handkerchief is tossed into the air and caught by the right hand. The ball has
vanished.

The right hand shakes out the handkerchief. Then the right and left hands take hold
of the top corners and show the handkerchief back and front, using the moves
described in the production phase to keep the palmed ball hidden.

The right hand bunches up the handkerchief and places it on top of the ball in the
left hand as the left hand opens. The right thumb presses the ball against the back
of the bunched handkerchief and raises both slightly so the open left hand can be
titled toward the audience. The right hand uses the bunched handkerchief to dust off
the left fingers. The left hand takes hold of the bunched handkerchief and ball and
sets them down on the table, ball to the back.

Performance Notes

The moves used here are easy to master, most of the manipulation being hidden by
either the handkerchief or body position.
 197

TRANSPORTATION
By Richard Robinson

The magician takes three small coins out of his pocket and drops them on the table.
He puts two of the coins in his left hand, which close around them. He puts the third
coin back in his pocket.

He opens his left hand to show the third coin has magically traveled from his pocket
to join the other two.

Again putting the three coins on the table, he again places two in his left hand and
the third in his pocket. Giving the left hand a slight shake, he opens the hand to
show that it now holds three coins.

Suggesting that perhaps those watching aren't quite following what's going on, he
again places two coins in his left hand and one back in his pocket. Once the
spectators confirm that seems to be the case, he opens his left hand to reveal one
large coin, the three smaller coins having vanished completely.

Transportation is a variation of the Two In The Hand, One In The Pocket routine. It
is entirely impromptu, requiring only four small coins such as U.S. pennies or dimes
and one larger coin for the finish. The four small coins should be in the same
condition so one cannot be told from another.
 198

Setup

The five coins are together in a pocket. It is best to keep them in a side coat or
jacket pocket so the hand can move in and out of the pocket easily and quickly.

Handling

Exposed view of the four coins Unseen by the spectators, the The right hand tilts over the left
taken out of the pocket by the thumb holds back one of the hand to release the three coins.
right hand. coins.

The fourth coin is held back in The three coins are displayed on Then the three coins are
the right hand as the spectators the hand. apparently placed in the right
see the three coins for the first hand. In fact one of the three is
time. held back in the left hand.

The three coins are show in the The first of the three coins is put The second of the three goes
right hand. into the left hand, the fingers into the left hand, which closes
curled up to hide the coin around it. The third visible coin
already there. goes into the pocket.

The left hand is opened to show
that it contains three coins. This
two into the left hand, one into
the pocket sequence is repeated.
The right hand moves over the
cupped left hand.
... and onto the tip of the second
finger. The thumb presses the
coin against the ball of the
second finger tip.
199
The third time around, the right
hand leaves the small coin in the
pocket and brings out the large
coin finger palmed.
The large coin is released from
the finger palm and drops
unseen into the left palm.
The spectators' view (with the
first finger raised slightly) shows
the coin is hidden behind the
thumb pressing against the
second finger.
The right hand picks up the first
of the three coins from the table
and displays it at the thumb and
first finger tip.
The right hand apparently puts
the first small coin into the left
hand. The thumb slides the coin
down off the first finger ...
The second coin is picked up
from the table.
 200

The right hand again turns so The coin held by the second The visible coin is brought down
the fingers are pointing up and finger and thumb is released to by the thumb behind the fingers
goes to the left hand to deposit fall into a finger palm. until it clicks against the first
the coin. coin.

As the right hand comes out of
the left hand the two coins are
held by the curled in fingers.
The third coin is picked up and
the hand raised palm toward the
spectators. The third coin is seen
at the thumb and finger tip, the
other two coins are hidden by
the curled fingers.
After the visible third coin and
two palmed coins are put in the
pocket, the left hand opens to
reveal the large coin.

Routine

The routine consists of three phases with the handling details varying slightly in
each phase. In learning the routine it is a good idea to practice each phase
independently and then run them together when rehearsing the presentation.

1.

The right hand goes into the pocket and gathers up the four small coins, holding
them in a loose finger palm with the hand partially open. Give the coins a shake as
the hand comes out of the pocket so the coins spread slightly across the fingers. The
back of the hand is towards the floor, the curled fingers hiding the coins from view.

The palm up left hand is raised, the head turning to look at the hand. As this shift of
focus takes place, the right thumb tip moves down on one of the coins to press it
against the right fingers, then the right hand turns over so the three remaining coins
fall into the open left hand.

The left hand makes an up and down shaking motion, so the coins bounce on the
hand. Once the coins are separated, the left thumb tip moves down onto one of the
coins, pressing it against the fingers. At the same time the left hand turns over to
the right, letting the coins fall into the right hand which turns up to receive them.
Since there is already one coin in the right hand, to the spectators it appears that
you've taken three coins from your pocket and tossed them from one hand to the
other and back.

The left hand drops away, the fingers curled in a bit to conceal the coin it holds. The
right hand places the three coins on the table. The right hand picks up one coin and
places it into the left hand which has come up to receive it. The right hand takes the
 201

second coin and places it in the left hand. The left fingers close around the coins.

The right hand picks up the third coin from the table, closes loosely around it and
goes into the pocket. Shift your focus to the closed left hand. Make a shaking motion
with the left hand. As the right hand is coming out of the pocket with the finger
palmed coin, open the left hand to show three coins in the hand.

2.

Bounce the coins on the left palm until the coins are separated. The left hand now
turns over to the right, the left thumb tip coming down on one of the coins to hold it
against the fingers. The right hand moves up with its finger palmed coin to receive
the coins from the left hand. The right hand opens out as the transfer is made so the
spectators see three coins resting on the open right palm.

Place the three coins on the table.

The first phase handing is now repeated. The right hand picks up the first coin and
drops it into the left hand. The right hand picks up the second coin and drops it into
the left hand. The left hand closes around the two coins. The right hand picks up the
third coin and goes to the pocket.

When the right hand is in the pocket, it drops the coin and picks up the large coin in
a loose finger palm. Again the loosely closed left hand shakes the coins and opens to
reveal three coins. At the same time the right hand comes out of the pocket with the
finger palmed coin.

3.

The right hand goes over to the left hand and the right fingers collect up the three
coins on the left palm, holding them by the finger tips and places them on the table.
The right hand is kept palm down as it does this, hiding the finger palmed large
coin.

The right first finger and thumb pick up the first coin on the table. The coin is held at
its edge by the tips of the first finger and thumb. The right hand moves over to the
palm up left hand. As the right hand moves, the right fingers are brought together.
Once the right fingers are behind the slightly curled up left fingers, the large coin is
released to drop into the left palm.

At the same time the right thumb slides the small coin over so it is held between the
thumb and second finger tip. This leaves the first finger free and the small coin
hidden completely by the pressed together tips of the thumb and second finger.

Swing the right hand to the right to pick up the second coin from the table. As the
right hand moves, the left fingers curl over the large coin to hide it.
 202

The right first finger tip and thumb now pick up the second coin from the table. This
requires some practice since the thumb tip is pressed against the second finger tip
holding a coin. Once the second coin is held at the thumb and first finger tip, revolve
the right hand so the finger tips are up.

The finger / coins position is the second coin is visible, held by the tips of the thumb
and first finger. The first coin is held directly below it by the ball of the thumb and
the tip of the second finger. The third and fourth finger are slightly open. From the
front it appears that there is only one coin held by the thumb and first finger tips,
the second finger curled in under it.

The right hand moves to the left hand. The left fingers uncurl as the right hand turns
fingers down. The right fingers are brought together and the hidden coin is released
by the right second finger to fall into a finger palm. Then the visible coin is released
to also fall into the finger palm. This will cause an audible click as if the two coins
have been dropped into the left hand.

The right hand moves away and the left hand closes, apparently around two small
coins. The two coins should now be resting one on top of the other and held in finger
palm at the bottom of the right third finger.

The right hand picks up the last coin on the table between the thumb and first finger
tips, then swings up so the palm of the hand is open and facing the spectators. Look
directly at the coin at the finger tips. The right thumb and first finger extend up
holding the coin. The other three right fingers are curled down, hiding the two finger
palmed coins from view. This s quite deceptive.

The right hand now goes to the pocket to gently deposit all the coins. The closed left
hand is extended forward. The empty right hand comes out of the pocket. The left
hand is opened slowly and then stops moving. The large coin is revealed resting on
the left palm.

Performance Notes

To ensure a successful performance, the handling should be practiced for quite some
time before doing the effect live. The sequence of events is convincing and at first
the routine may seem easier than it actually is. Keep working on it until complete
control is acquired for every move.
 203

Like a Hole in the Head!

Effect
The phrase "cough it up" takes on a whole new meaning with this coin trick!

Supplies You Need

A Coin
Setup
You should practice a few times before you perform. No other set-up is needed.

How to Perform
Bend over and show the audience the top of your head. Tell them, "You
know the saying, 'You need that like you need another hole in your head?'
Well, sometimes having an extra hole in your head comes in handy-- and I
do!" As you tell them this, you will be performing a quick and easy vanish
with the coin.
Hold out your hands, palms up. Rest the
coin on the tip of the second and third
fingers of the right hand.
Holding the coin in place with your right
thumb, turn your hand so your palm faces down, then raise it above and to
the right of your left hand.
Put the coin in the center of your left palm. As you take away your right
hand, (the coin is still held between the thumb and fingers of your right
hand) hold the fingers together. Then close the fingers on your left hand, as if you were closing them over the
coin.
When you pull away your right hand, the fingers of your left hand, as they close, should lightly sweep against
the back of the right fingers. Move your right hand away a few inches from the left. Then cup the second, third,
and fourth fingers, leaving the index finger extended.
Tap your left wrist with the right index finger, and let your right hand drop to your side (the left hand is still
cupped.) To your audience it should look like your left hand is now securely holding the coin.
Bring your left hand above your head and lightly slap the top of your head. At the same time, bring your right
hand to your mouth and cough loudly.
Bring your left hand down from your head and let the audience see the coin drop from your right hand into your
left. "My doctor hates it when I do this," you can say. "But what else is an extra hole in the head good for?"
 204

Hanky Stand-up

Effect
Make a handkerchief move up and down at your command as if it is standing up.

Supplies You Need

Handkerchief with a hem

Full length drinking straw
Setup
Carefully flatten a drinking straw. Next sew the straw into the hem of a
handkerchief. Make sure the straw can't move within the hem as show in
Figure 1. If your handkerchief does not have a seam, sew one in two of the
sides.

How to Perform
When you are ready to perform the trick, take the corner marked with an "A"
in Figure 1 and tie a knot in that corner. Hold the handkerchief with your right
hand from the corner with the knot and let it hang down.

Tell your audience you are going to make the handkerchief stand up. With your left hand take the middle of
the handkerchief where corner "B" is, as shown in Figure 2, and let go of the
handkerchief with your right hand.

By slowly squeezing the straw with your thumb

(this is the part you will need to practice), you can
cause the handkerchief to slowly rise as if it is
standing up as shown in Figure 3. As you do this
tell the audience that the handkerchief responds
to your command. Say "Handkerchief-- Stand!" or
other similar commands.
 205

Herrmann's Book of Magic

Black Art Fully Exposed
A COMPLETE AND PRACTICAL GUIDE TO DRAWING-
ROOM AND STAGE MAGIC FOR PROFESSIONALS
AND AMATEURS, INCLUDING A COMPLETE
EXPOSURE OF THE BLACK ART.
by Prof. Herrmann

Alexander Herrmann

Notice: This book was originally published in 1903, an epoch when adults
were considered responsible for their own actions and for the safety of
their children, and presumed sufficiently intelligent and competent to
weigh the risks of their activities and decide wisely which to undertake and
which to avoid. Some of the tricks explained in this book involve
techniques which, by present-day standards, would be considered
hideously dangerous and in some cases cruel to animals. Descriptions of
these tricks have been highlighted with a background like that of the
following.

This is a most effective trick, and

easily performed. Be careful not to
swallow the needles.

The electronic edition of this book is presented in its integrality as an

historical document. The producer and publisher of this text assumes no
responsibility whatsoever for any consequences of performing the activities
described herein, whether highlighted as especially dangerous or not. You
are entirely responsible for your own actions. If you do not agree with this,
 206

please stop reading now. And yes, I do wish I lived in a time and place
where statements like this were unnecessary.

CONTENTS

Ammunition, Conjurer's
Anti-Spiritualistic Tricks
Artful Conjurer, An

Ball, Dissolving
Fancy Sleight With
Handkerchief and Tumbler
Balls and Basins
Annihilation of
Color-Changing
Diminishing
Black Art Exposed
Banquet, Conjurer's
Bonbons, How to Produce from Handkerchief
Balls, Manipulation of
Multiplication of
Bird, How to Shoot and Bring to Life Again
Balls, Red and Black, Changing
Tricks With
Body, How to Set on Fire
Bran and Dove Plates
Burned Handkerchief Restored

Candle Ends, Eatable

Cut Arm Off Without Pain
Candle, How to Light With a Glass of Water
How to Light With Smoke
and Handkerchief
Coin and Candle
and Lemons
Changing
Fold, a New
Magical Production of
Passed into a Matchbox
Passed Through the Body
Pocket Vanish for
Swallowing
Transferred from Tumbler to Ball of Wool
Vanish for Duplicate
Wandering
 207

Wine Glass and Paper Cone

Coins, Hat and Plate
Tricks With
Vanishing in Sheet of Flame
Color-Changing Balls
Communication, Mysterious
Cards, How to Make Them Jump and Run on Table
How to Convey into a Nut
Cut, Restored
Cone, How to Make Move on Table

Dictionary Trick
Dress, The

Egg, How to Make Change Its Position

Exploding Bubbles
Eat Shavings, How to

Finger, Palm
Fire Eating
Fire Flash
Flash Paper
Flight of Coin, Invisible
Faded Rose Restored
Freeze Water by Shaking
Fowl, How to Kill and Bring to Life
How to Make Seem Dead
Flash of Lightning When Anyone Enters the Room

Garter Trick
Glass, How to Fill With Beer and Water Without Mixing

Handkerchief and Candle

Incombustible
Ball
Cabinet
Fired into Gentleman's Hair
Flying
Mechanical Pull for Vanishing
Passed into Spectator's Pocket
Peregrinations of a
Produced from Collar
Spirit
Tube for Producing and Vanishing
Vanisher
Color Changing of
 208

How to Restore
Magical Production of
Tricks With
Hat Tricks
Eggs Produced from
Incubator
Loading
Magnetized
Tricks With
Head of the Decapitated Speaking
How to Cut Off from Man

Iron Changed into Silver

How to Melt
Ink Changed to Water

Liquids, Two Cold, Produce Fire

Cold Become Hot
Color Changing
Long-Distance Second Sight

Metamorphosis, Hideous
Magic Breath
Miscellaneous Tricks
Mystery of the Floating Head
Make a Watch Stop or Go At Will

Name, Mysterious
Needle, to Make Float

Party, to Make Appear Ghastly

Palming
Pistol, Conjurer's
Postal Trick, New
Paper Cone, Watch, Rabbit and Boxes
Programme and Coin

Quarter vs. Dime

Reverse Palm
Rouge et Noir
Ring, Climbing

Stone, How to Keep in Motion

Supernatural Appearance
Stone, How to Break With Fist
 209

Skeleton, Dancing, The

Stick, How to Break When Placed on Two Glasses
Servantes
Slate Tricks
Smoke from Empty Pipe and Tumbler
Spirit Calculator
Swallowing Needles

Tambourine, Mysterious
Table, The
Thimble, Ubiquitous
Tumbler, to Knock Through a Table
Teaspoons, Magical
Transformation
Tourniquet
Tube and Ball
Hydrostatic
Tumbler, Hydrostatic
To Drive Through Another

Vessel That Will Let Water Out at Bottom When the Mouth Is
Uncorked

Walnut Shells and Pea

Wand, The
Multiplying

Wandering Coin
Watch, Glass and Handkerchief
Water, Cold Changed to Hot
Mystery
Retained in Cylinder and Inverted Tumbler
Wizard's Breakfast
Writing Name on Card
Wandering Beer
Water Turned to Wine

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION
There are one or two leading principles to be borne in mind by anyone taking up the
study of magic. The first and foremost is, Never tell the audience what you are going to
do before you do it. If you do, the chances of detection are increased tenfold, as the
 210

spectators, knowing what to expect, will the more readily arrive at the true method of
bringing about the result.

It follows as a natural consequence that you must never perform the same trick twice in
the same evening. It is very unpleasant to have to refuse an encore; and should you be
called upon to repeat a trick study to vary it as much as possible, and to bring it to a
different conclusion. There will generally be found more ways than one of working a
particular trick. It is an axiom in conjuring that the best trick loses half its effect on
repetition.

Should a hitch occur in the carrying out of the programme by the accidental dropping of
an article, or from any other cause, above all things do not get confused, but treat the
matter as a good joke, and meet the difficulty with a smile, making use of some such
expression as the following: Well, you see I put it down there to show that it would go.
It is perfectly solid and does not stick. By this means, instead of spoiling the
entertainment, you add greatly to the amusement of the spectators.

Do not cultivate quick movements; at the same time it will never do to be painfully slow;
but endeavor to present your tricks in an easy-going, quiet, graceful manner. It is
generally understood that the quickness of the hand deceives the eye, but this is entirely
erroneous. It is impossible for the hand to move quicker than the eye can follow, as can
be proved by experiment. The deception really lies in the method of working the trick,
and in the ability of the performer in misdirection, as will be seen from a perusal of the
following pages.

A little well-arranged patter as an introductory to an entertainment will be found to put

you on good terms with your audience. A few words, something like the following, will
suffice: Ladies and Gentlemen, with your kind attention I shall endeavour to amuse you
with a series of experiments in legerdemain. In doing so I wish it to be distinctly
understood that I shall do my best to deceive you, and upon the extent to which I am able
to do so will depend my success.

At the close of an entertainment a little speech, of which the following is an example, will
be found to prove a good finish: Ladies and gentlemen, in concluding my entertainment
I have only to say that, apart from deceiving you, which was but a secondary
consideration, if I have been able to afford you some slight fun and amusement I feel
amply rewarded.

In concluding these remarks I must enforce upon the novice the necessity for constant
practice, without which the clearest instruction would be useless. This applies, not only to
conjuring, but equally well to any form of amusement, so the would-be magician may
congratulate himself on the fact that the difficulties to surmount are not in excess of those
of any form of entertainment.

Before proceeding to describe the various tricks it will be well to notice one or two
appliances of general utility.
 211

The Dress.The usual attire of the modern magician is the conventional evening dress,
but I have known performers of the present day to adopt various fancy costumes. For
instance, I have seen a conjurer attired as a Knight of the Garter; another one, calling
himself L'homme masqu, wears Court dress with a black mask covering the upper part
of his face. In these two cases, however, the swallow-tail coat, an important adjunct, is
retained. Again, I have seen a conjurer attired as Mephistopheles, a very smart costume,
and to a certain extent appropriate, but entailing too much trouble for the majority of
performers. I have also been present at an entertainment where the magician, a very
clever performer, was attired in evening dress, but wore a short dinner jacket. In these last
two cases, the swallow-tail coat was, of course, dispensed with, a decided improvement,
as it adds greatly to the bewilderment of the audience as to how the conjurer obtains and
disposes of the various articles he uses.

Where the ordinary dress coat is used, each tail is provided with a large pocket, known as
a profonde, the mouth of which is on a level with the knuckles, and slopes slightly to the
side. These pockets, which are usually 7 in. square, are lined with buckram, and sewn on
rather full, to keep them constantly open. They are used to contain loads for hat tricks,
etc., also to vanish articles, such as watches, eggs, or balls.

In addition to these pockets, two others, known as pochettes, are used on the trousers.
These are sewn on rather full at the back of the thigh, on a level with the knuckles, and
covered by the tails of the coat; they are useful to contain rings, coins, or other small
articles required in the course of the performance.

There are also two pockets known as breast pockets, one in each side of the coat. These
should be of a size large enough to contain a dinner plate, and should be made with the
bottom sloping a little towards the back, to prevent articles placed in them from falling
out. The opening should be in a perpendicular position 1 in. from the edge of the coat.
These are loaded with rabbits, doves, etc., or any large or cumbersome article required for
magical production.

In the case of fancy costumes the pockets, if required, must be arranged as the attire
permits. If you perform in a dinner jacket, the ordinary side pockets can be used for
producing or vanishing the articles. The breast pockets, as already described, can be
retained.

The collar, which should be of the ordinary stand-up pattern and one size larger than
that in every-day wear, will be found to provide an excellent means for the evanishment
of articles such as coins, small balls, rings, handkerchiefs, and the like.

When it is necessary to regain possession of a coin or ring vanished in this way, it will be
well to have a small silk handkerchief arranged between the shirt collar and the side of
the neck, otherwise the piece might be lost beyond recovery. (See The Wandering
Coin.)
 212

The Table.There are a great many tricks which can be performed without the aid of a
special table; in fact, tables of any description are very secondary articles in the stage
settings of conjurers of the present day. Where they are employed they are usually of the
small round tripod pattern, fancifully made for show, and are used only for the purpose of
an ordinary table.

Tables with traps and other mechanical appliances are almost, if not entirely, out of date,
no performer with any pretentions of originality making use of them.

A neat little table can be made from a piece of board 18 in. in diameter, covered with red
baize, and hung with fancy fringe to taste; the legs taking the form of an ordinary music
stand. The under-side of the table is fitted with a brass plate holding a pin, about 2 in.
long, to fit the socket of the stand. This forms one of the most compact tables possible,
and is greatly in vogue, as the stand can be folded up into a small compass, and placed,
together with the top, in a black canvas case for traveling. Two of these tables will
occupy very little more room than one, and they look well in pairs. They will generally be
found to afford sufficient convenience for an evening's entertainment.

The Servante.This is a secret shelf behind the performer's table, on which are placed
articles to be magically produced in various ways. It is also used to vanish articles as
occasion may require.

In the absence of a specially prepared table a servante can be readily devised by pulling
out the drawer at the back of any ordinary table about 6 in., and throwing a cloth over the
whole, the cloth being pushed well into the drawer so as to form a pad to deaden the
sound of any article dropped into it.

If a table with a drawer cannot be obtained, a servante, which will answer every purpose,
can be arranged by throwing a cloth over a table and pinning it up behind in the form of a
bag.

In the case of the small round tripod tables, a small drawer, made from a cigar box, can
be attached to the under side of them, and pulled out as required. The fringe decorating
the edge of the table will conceal the presence of the drawer; but if the whole of the under
side of the table, drawer included, be painted black, it cannot be detected at a few paces.
 213

Fig. 1. SERVANTE FOR USE ON A CHAIR

There are various forms of portable servantes for fixing to the back of a table or chair. A
description of one for use on a chair will be sufficient to give a clear idea of the
construction of others, which can be arranged as required by the ingenuity of the
performer. A piece of in. board, 7 in. by 5 in., is covered with green baize, and slightly
padded on one side with cotton wool, to prevent injury to any fragile article that may
come in contact with it in the course of the performance. To this is screwed an iron frame
(Fig. 1) of the same dimensions as the board. The frame, which carries a network as
shown, is screwed to the board in such a way that it will fold up flush with the same, the
whole being when closed under 1 in. in thickness. The frame carrying the network is
prevented from opening too far by an iron bar screwed to the back of the woodwork, the
sides of the frame being extended under this as shown. The board is fitted with two brass
eyelets for attaching it to the top rail of an ordinary chair by means of two screw eyes or
stout pins. To conceal the servante throw a fancy cloth over the back of the chair.

The Wand.This is a light rod about 15 in. long and in. in diameter, usually of
ebony, with ivory tips; a plain rod, however, will answer the purpose equally well.

The use of the wand is regarded by the uninitiated as a mere affectation on the part of the
performer, but such is far from being the case. Its uses are legion. in addition to the
prestige derived from the traditional properties of the wand, which has been the mystic
emblem of the magician's power from time immemorial, it is absolutely necessary for the
successful carrying-out of many experiments, as will be seen in the course of the present
work. For instance, having palmed a coin, say in the right hand, you lower that hand and
take up the wand, which effectually conceals, in a perfectly natural manner, the presence
of the coin. The wand is now passed once or twice over the left hand, which is supposed
to contain the coin, and on opening the hand the coin will be found to have vanished. It
 214

will thus be seen that the wand is of the utmost importance, and the tyro cannot do better
than make it his first investment.

CHAPTER II

PRINCIPLES OF SLEIGHT OF HAND APPLICABLE TO

SMALL OBJECTS
Palming.The first thing the neophyte will have to do will be to learn palming, i.e., the
art of holding small objects, such as coins, balls, nuts, corks, etc., concealed in the hand
by a slight contraction of the palm.

Fig. 2. PALMING COIN.

Practice first with a coin. A quarter is the most convenient size and is the coin generally
preferred by conjurers, as its milled edge affords a ready grip to the palm. Lay the coin in
the right hand as shown in Fig. 2. Then slightly contract the palm by pressing the ball of
the thumb inwards, moving the coin about with the forefinger of the left hand until you
find it is in a favorable position to be gripped by the fleshy portions of the hand. Continue
to practice this until you can safely turn the hand over without any fear of letting the coin
fall.

When you can accomplish this with ease, lay the coin on the tips of the second and third
finger, steadying it with the thumb as in Fig.~3. Then moving the thumb aside, to the
right, bend the fingers, and pass the coin up along the side of the thumb into the palm,
which should open to receive it, and where, if you have followed the previous
instructions, you will find no difficulty in retaining it.
 215

Fig. 3. PALMING COIN.

As soon as you can do this with the hand at rest, practice the same movement with the
right hand in motion towards the left, as if you really intended to place the coin in that
hand. To get this movement perfect, it is advisable to work in front of a mirror. Take the
coin in the right hand and actually place it in the left several times; then study to execute
the same movement exactly, with the exception that you retain the coin in the right hand
by palming.

When appearing to transfer a coin, or any small object, from the right hand into the left,
the left hand should rise in a natural manner to receive it. The right hand, in which is the
palmed coin, should fall to the side; and the left hand should be closed as if it actually
contained the coin, and should be followed by the eyes of the performer. This will have
the effect of drawing all eyes in that direction, and in the meantime the right hand can
drop the coin into the profonde, or otherwise dispose of it as may be necessary for the
purpose of the trick.

Let it be distinctly understood once for all that when you desire to draw the attention of
the audience in a certain direction you must look fixedly in that direction yourself.

The student who desires to become a finished performer should palm the various objects,
with equal facility, either in the right or in the left hand.

When you can hold a coin properly, as described, practice with a small lemon, a watch, or
any other objects of similar size. In this case, however, owing to the greater extent of
surface, it will not be found necessary to press the object into the palm, but simply to
close the fingers round it, in the act of apparently placing it in the left hand.

Le Tourniquet.This pass is generally known by this name, so I will not depart from
its time-honored title. Hold the coin between the fingers and thumb of the left hand (as in
Fig. 4), and then appear to take it in the right by passing the thumb under and the fingers
over the coin.
 216

Fig. 4.

Under cover of the right hand the coin is allowed to fall into the fingers of the left, where
by a slight contraction it may be held between the first and second joints, or it may be
allowed to fall into the palm proper. The right hand must be closed and raised as if it
really contained the coin, and be followed by the eye of the performer; the left falling to
the side, and if necessary dropping the coin into the profonde. This pass should be
performed equally well from either hand.

The Finger Palm.Lay a coin on the fingers as shown in Fig. 5. Then in the act of
apparently placing it in the left hand, raise the forefinger slightly, and clip the coin
between it and the second finger. The left hand must now close as if it contained the coin,
and be followed by the eyes of the performer, while the right hand disposes of the coin as
may be necessary.

Fig. 5. THE FINGER PALM.

I will give an illustration of the way in which this sleight can be employed with good
effect. Place a candle on the table to your left, and then execute the pass as above
described. The thumb of the right hand should now close on the edge of the coin nearest
to itself and draw it back a little; and at the same time the candle should be taken from the
candlestick between the thumb and fingers of the same hand. (See Fig. 6.) The left hand,
which is supposed to contain the coin, should now be held over the candle and opened
slowly, the effect to the spectators being that the coin is dissolved into the flame. Both
 217

hands should at this point be shown back and front, as the coin, owing to its peculiar
position, cannot be seen at a short distance. You now take the upper part of the candle in
the left hand; then lower the right hand to the opposite end and produce the coin from
thence, the effect being that the money is passed through the candle, from one end to the
other.

Fig. 6. APPLICATION OF THE FINGER PALM.

The Reverse Palm.This is one of the most difficult passes, but is exceedingly
useful, and will therefore be found to amply repay the student for any time he may spend
in its acquisition.

Commence by holding the coin between the first and second fingers and the thumb. (See
Fig. 7.) To execute the pass, remove the forefinger, and bring it down over the face of the
coin to the bottom; at the same time remove the thumb, and the coin will be found to be
held by the first and second fingers at the back of the hand. Practice this first with the
hand at rest, then bring the left hand down over the coin with a kind of swoop as if you
intended to take it in that hand. In reality, however, while under cover of the left hand the
pass is made as described. The left hand is now closed and raised as if it actually
contained the coin, while the right hand is seen to be empty.
 218

Fig. 7. THE REVERSE PALM.

To recover the coin, bend the tips of the fingers round towards the palm, place the thumb
on the coin and remove the forefinger, when it will be found an easy matter to pull the
coin into the hand with the thumb. This may sound rather intricate, but will be found
quite clear if a coin be actually taken in the hand, and the movements executed while
reading the instructions.

To give an idea of the value of this pass I will explain two experiments performed by its
aid. Make the pass according to the previous instructions, and the right hand will appear
empty. The left hand now makes a movement as if throwing the coin through the left
knee, the right hand being immediately lowered under the knee, and the coin produced
thence. Again make the pass and extend both hands at arm's length away from the body,
the left being closed as if it contained the coin, and the right held open palm towards the
audience. Now draw attention to the left hand, saying you will pass the coin thence into
the closed right hand; and while all eyes are looking at the left hand you reverse the
position of the coin in the right hand, which you forthwith close. It will now be found an
easy matter to pass the coin from one hand to the other.

To Change a Coin.Sometimes, in order to bring about a desired result, it is

necessary to change, or in conjurers' parlance to ring, a borrowed and marked coin for a
substitute of your own. There are many ways of effecting this, but having once mastered
the various palms the student will readily invent means for himself. The following,
however, is the one generally adopted by conjurers:

Borrow a coin and have it marked. Then take it between the fingers and thumb of the left
hand, as in Le Tourniquet, having previously secreted the substitute in the palm of the
right. Now take the coin in the right hand, and in doing so drop the substitute into the
palm of the left, which you immediately close, and remark, You have all seen me take
the coin visibly from the left hand. I will now make it return invisibly. Saying this, you
appear to throw the coin into the left hand, really palming it, and showing your own,
which everyone takes to be the original borrowed one. You now proceed with the trick in
question, disposing of the marked coin as may be necessary.

CHAPTER III
 219

TRICKS WITH COINS

Magic Production of a Coin.Come forward with a coin palmed in the right hand.
Draw attention to the left hand, showing it back and front as empty, and, as if in
illustration of what you say, give the palm a smart slap with the right hand, leaving the
coin behind, and slightly contracting the fingers so as to retain it; now show the right
hand empty, pulling up the sleeve with the left hand which masks the presence of the
coin, then close the left, and after one or two passes over it with the right hand, produce
the coin.

The Wandering Coin.Show a coin, holding it between the forefinger and thumb of
the left hand, and pulling up the left sleeve with the right hand. Change the coin over to
the right hand, and pull up the right sleeve with the left hand. Do this two or three times.
Finally, when appearing to take the coin from the left hand, push it back behind the
fingers, and with the right hand appear to rub it into the left elbow; this brings the left
hand close to the collar, into which you drop the coin. (See The Dress.)

When performing this sleight myself, I make believe to pass the coin from the elbow up
into the left hand, then, without showing it, appear to throw it into the air, and remark: I
dare say, Ladies and Gentlemen, you will have noticed that on all coins of the realm there
is on one side a lady, and on the other side a gentleman (this is not strictly correct, but it
is near enough for the purpose). You will now notice that the lady has eloped with the
gentleman, and that they are on a honeymoon, round the room; but they are coming back,
and are now within a yard of my fingers, and they are getting nearer and nearer. I now
extend the right hand, make a catch at an imaginary coin, and continue: Yes, I have it
here (my hand is really empty), but before showing it to you I propose to do something
else with it; I will pass it invisibly along my sleeve and produce it from the collar. Then,
taking the piece from the collar, remark: You see I had collared the coin securely.

A New Coin Fold.Take a piece of paper 4 in. by 5 in., place a coin on it and fold the
top of the paper down over the coin to within 1 in. of the bottom. Then fold the right hand
side of the paper under the coin, treating the left hand side in a similar way. You must
now fold the bottom 1 in. of the paper under the coin and you will, apparently, have
wrapped it securely in the paper; but really it is in a kind of pocket, and will readily slip
out into either hand at pleasure.

Allow several persons in the audience to feel the coin through the paper, then take it from
the left hand to the right, letting the coin slip out into the left hand, which picks up a plate
from the table. You now burn the paper in the flame of a candle, and, dropping the ashes
on the plate the coin is found to have disappeared.

A pretty effect can be obtained if, instead of using a piece of ordinary paper for the
above, you make use of a piece of flash paper, which when placed in the flame of a
candle vanishes entirely, leaving no trace behind.
 220

Coin and Candle.Repeat the last trick, using flash paper for the same and
dispensing with the plate. When about to burn the paper in the flame of the candle, stand
with the left hand, which contains the coin, holding the right lappet of your coat. After
the flash show the hand empty, then take hold of the right lappet of the coat with the right
hand, and in doing so let the coin drop from the left hand into it. The left hand
immediately takes hold of the left lapel, and both hands pull the coat open as if to show
that the coin is not concealed there. It is now a simple matter, but very effective, to lower
the right hand over the candle and produce the coin apparently from the flame.

An Artful Conjurer.Take a coin between the forefinger and thumb of the right hand
and address your audience as follows: Ladies and Gentlemen, I am indebted to a friend
of mine for this trick. He was a very artful conjurer and always told me that he placed the
coin in his left hand (make a motion as if doing so, but really lower the coin behind the
last three fingers of the right hand), but he did nothing of the kind; he simply hid it
behind those three fingers (show coin). Then with a sweep of the arms, when he
thought I was not looking, he would quickly place the coin under his arm (twist the
hands round rapidly and then appear to place the coin under the left arm, but really palm
it in the right hand), all the time directing my attention to the left hand, and telling me
the coin was there; but of course that hand is perfectly empty, inside and out (to
illustrate what you are saying you give the palm a smart slap with the right hand, leaving
the coin behind), the coin really being under the arm. So it is when he does the trick, but
not when I do it, as you see the coin is in the left hand the whole of the time.

The above, as a sleight of hand feat, is, to my idea, perfect, and never fails, when neatly
performed, to gain tremendous applause. Robbed of its patter, however, it would scarcely
produce any effect.

The Invisible Flight.Hold the coin between the fingers and thumb of the left hand,
looking at it yourself. From this position appear to take it in the right hand by passing the
thumb under and the fingers over the coin. The coin is really allowed to drop into the
fingers of the left hand, which contract slightly so as to retain it; the right hand is closed
as if it really contained the coin and is followed by the eyes of the performer. The palm of
the left hand can now be shown casually, when it will appear empty, the coin being held
between the first and second joints of the fingers, which are slightly curled. The left hand
is now closed and the piece is then slowly opened, disclosing the coin lying on the palm.

The reader will have noticed that up to this point no duplicate coins have been used, nor
has it been necessary to exchange one coin for another. This forms what may be termed
legitimate sleight of hand, and is to be recommended; but sometimes for the sake of
effect it is really necessary to use a duplicate coin, and I will now mention one or two
instances.

For the following tricks a duplicate coin is prepared with a very small hook attached to
one side about in. from its edge. This coin is placed in the performer's right vest
pocket, and is obtained by means of the following trick.
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Vanish for Duplicate.Holding the coin you have been using in your right hand, you
appear to place it in the left; instead of doing so, however, you palm it. Close the left
hand as if it contained the coin, and then say that you will pass it from that hand into your
waistcoat pocket; show the hand empty and then with the same hand take the duplicate
coin from the pocket. The other coin, you will remember, remains palmed in the right
hand.

To Pass a Coin Through the Body.In continuation of the preceding trick you
place the left hand (holding the hooked coin) behind the body and attach the coin to the
back between the shoulders, remarking: I shall next undertake a very difficult
experiment, which consists in passing the coin right through my body, commencing from
behind, up into my left hand (as you say this you extend the hand closed). Someone is
almost sure to remark that the coin may be in the hand already, to which you reply:
Pardon me, no, I would not deceive you by so mean an expedient. See, the left hand is
perfectly empty. If you prefer it I will use the other hand, which is also quite empty. You
should have been holding the right hand, in which is the palmed coin, well extended and
open, with the back towards the audience. The right will in nine cases out of ten be
chosen, but should you be called upon to use the left you will have recourse to the
method employed in the Magical Production of Coin at the head of this chapter, to get
the coin into the left hand. Should the right hand be chosen, you may, with some caution,
remark: Well, it's just as well as to have the right one, but still I left it to you.

All that remains for you to do now is to make believe, in the most dramatic manner
possible, that the coin is traveling up the body, along the arm, and into the chosen hand,
whence you let it fall on to a table or chair. Should the coin fall on the ground, you will
be careful not to expose the one on your back when picking it up.

Swallowing Illusions.Having secured the coin again, appear to place it in the

mouth, palming it, and producing it from the bottom of the vest. Repeat this pass, and
remark: This time, by way of variation, we will stop the coin when it gets half way
down and give it a sharp push (strike your chest rather violently with both hands),
which will have the effect of sending it right through the body again. You now turn
round and show the coin sticking on your back.

Coin and Lemons.Still keeping the coin palmed from the last trick, remove the one
from your back and hold it between the forefinger and thumb of the left hand, from which
you take it as in the Invisible Flight. This time, however, you do actually take it with
the right hand, and at the same time let fall from the right hand the coin concealed
therein. The left hand now contains a coin, but will be thought to be empty. This
movement is employed here to satisfy the spectators that you are working with one coin
only, you having, without apparent design, shown both hands empty, with the exception
of the piece you are using.

You now lay the hooked coin down on the table and go behind the scenes for three
lemons and a knife, which have been placed there in readiness on a plate. One of the
lemons has a slit cut in it, into which you insert the coin you have carried off. Coming
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forward with the lemons on the plate, you force the choice of the one with the coin in the
following manner: Ladies and Gentlemen, I have here three lemons. I only require one
for the purpose of my trick and I will ask you to decide which it shall be. Which of the
three do you prefer, the right or the left, or the one behind? (The one behind is the
prepared one.) If the one behind is chosen take it and proceed. If the right or the left is
chosen throw it to the person making the selection, with the remark, Thank you, I hope
you will find it sweet. You will now have two left and you continue: I have now only
two lemons. Which one shall I take, the right or the left? If the prepared one is chosen
take it and proceed with the trick. If the other one is chosen take it with the remark:
Very good, then I will use the one that remains for the purpose of the trick.

You now force the knife into the lemon, inserting it in the slit already made, and give it to
someone to hold high in the air. Now pick up the coin from the table and vanish it by one
or other of the means already described (a good method is given in the next trick), and
then have the fruit cut open and the coin disclosed.

The above form of ambiguous questioning can be used in any trick where it is essential
that a particular article be chosen.

You can avoid going behind the scenes by adopting the following ruse: Go to the wing,
and, extending your hand, in which is the coin, behind it, call out loudly to your assistant,
Bring me those lemons, please. In drawing attention to the fruit it is perfectly natural
for you to extend your hand behind the wing and thus dispose of the coin.

The Pocket Vanish.Take a coin in the right hand and make believe to place it in the
left, really palming it. The left hand is closed as if it contained the coin and held away
from the body. The right hand pulls back the sleeve slightly as if to show that the coin has
not been vanished in that direction. This movement brings the right hand over the outside
breast pocket of the coat, into which the coin is allowed to fall unperceived. The coin is
now vanished from the left hand in the orthodox manner and both hands are shown
empty.

Should you desire to regain possession of the coin, have the outside pocket made
communicating with an inside one on the same side of the coat; when, having shown the
right hand unmistakably empty, you produce the coin thence, in a magical manner.

The preceding list of coin tricks has been arranged in combination, the one to follow the
other in a natural manner, for an entertainment, as actually presented to an audience. I
cannot, however, leave the subject of coin tricks without making mention of several other
very deceptive experiments, which will doubtless be new to the majority of my readers.

Quarter vs. Dime.For this trick you will require a quarter and a dime, also a
champagne tumbler with a thick bottom. You prepare for the trick by palming a quarter in
the left hand and showing a dime in I the right. Appear to place the dime in the left hand,
really palming it, and picking up the tumbler with the same hand. Stand the bottom of the
tumbler on the supposed dime in the left hand, which you have been careful not to let
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anyone see, and then draw the attention of the bystanders to the appearance of the coin as
seen through the bottom; owing to the thick glass it will appear the same size as the dime,
which everyone believes it to be. Now place the whole on the table and undertake to
change the coin while still under the tumbler. This is a simple matter, as you have only to
raise the tumbler and expose the quarter.

To Pass a Coin into an Ordinary Matchbox held by One of the Spectators.

Prepare a matchbox as follows: Push open the sliding portion about 1 in. Then fix
between the top of the slide and the back end of the box a coin, the greater part of which
is overhanging the box, the whole being out of sight of the casual observer. Arranged
thus, give the box to someone to hold with instructions that when you count three the box
is to be closed smartly. This will have the effect of jerking the coin into the box.

You now take a duplicate coin and vanish it by means of the Pocket Vanish, or any
other convenient method, counting One! two! three! when, acting according to your
instructions, the person will close the box, and the coin will be heard to fall inside.

Coin, Wine-glass, and Paper Cone.This very pretty and amusing table trick
consists in causing a coin placed under a wine-glass, the whole being covered with a
paper cone, to disappear and return as often as desired.

The following arrangements are necessary: Take a wine-glass, and, having placed a little
gum all round its edge, turn it over on a sheet of white paper, and when dry cut away the
paper close to the glass. Obtain a Japanese tray and on it lay a large sheet of paper similar
to that covering the mouth of the glass, and stand the glass, mouth downwards, on it.
Make a paper cone to fit over the glass and you are ready to present the illusion.

Borrow a dime and lay it on the large sheet of paper by the side of the wine-glass; cover
the glass with the paper cone, and place the whole over the coin. Command the dime to
disappear, and on removing the cone it will seem to have done so, as the paper over the
mouth of the glass, being the same color as that on the tray, effectually conceals the coin.
To cause it to reappear you replace the cone and carry away the glass under it. This can
be repeated as often as desired.

To make the experiment more effective, use colored paper, which shows up against the
coin more than white.

Coins, Hat, and Plate.In this experiment a number of borrowed and marked coins
are passed invisibly into a hat covered with a plate.

Obtain a small metal box large enough to contain half a dozen coins of the kind you
intend to use. This box should be enameled white and have an opening in one side large
enough for the coins to pass through. A common pill-box would answer the purpose, but
a metal one is preferable. Place a little wax on the top of the box and leave it, with the
plate, on a table at the rear of the stage. Borrow a silk hat, which leave on your table.
Then obtain the loan of six marked coins, which you change for six of your own, as you
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go back to the stage. Drop the latter coins into a tumbler, or lay them in some other
conspicuous position on the table, and go to the rear of the stage for the plate. Introduce
the marked coins into the box, and attach it by means of the wax to the under side of the
plate. Come forward, and having shown the hat to be quite empty, place the plate over it,
being careful to note the position of the hole in the side of the box.

You now take the coins from the glass and appear to place them in the left hand, really
palming them in the right, which forthwith drops them into a little box containing
sawdust placed on the servante. The coins are retained in the right hand by a slight
contraction of the fingers, as in The Invisible Flight. They should be held in the hand at
the base of the thumb and jerked into position in the act of apparently passing them from
one hand to the other. The pass called Le Tourniquet is a better one for a number of
coins. The noise of the coins as they fall into the hand is quite natural, as it would be
almost impossible to actually take them in silence. Now pick up the hat with the right
hand, holding it at arm's length; vanish the money from the left hand in the usual way, at
the same time tilting the hat slightly in the right direction, when the coins will be heard to
fall inside.

To Vanish a Marked Coin from a Tumbler and Cause it to appear in a Small

Box, wrapped in Paper in the Center of a Large Ball of Wool.For this very
surprising trick you will require to make the following preparations: Procure a tumbler
having a slit cut flush with, and parallel to, the bottom, which should be flat. The opening
should be just large enough to allow a quarter dropped into the tumbler to slip through
into your hand. (See Fig. 8.)
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Fig. 8.
PREPARED TUMBLER.

Obtain a small metal box large enough to take the coin easily, also a flat tin tube about 3
in. long and just wide enough for the quarter to slide through it. Place one end of this tube
inside the box and close the lid on it, keeping it in position by passing an elastic band
over the box. You now wrap the box in paper and wind a quantity of wool round it until
you get a large ball with the end of the tube projecting about 1 in. Place the ball thus
prepared on a table at the rear of the stage and you are ready to perform.

Show the tumbler, and draw attention to the fact that it is an ordinary one by filling it
with water from a jug, which can be done by placing the forefinger round the slit. Return
the water to the jug and borrow a quarter, which has been marked by the owner, allowing
him to actually drop it into the glass. Cover the tumbler with a handkerchief, shaking it
continually to prove that the coin is still there, and then place it down on your table,
securing the coin through the slit as you do so. Going to the back of the stage for the ball
of wool, you insert the coin into the tube and withdraw the latter, when the action of the
elastic band closes the box. Bring the ball forward in a large glass basin and have the
wool unwound, disclosing the box; on this being opened the marked coin will be found
within.
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To Vanish a Number of Coins from a Plate in a Sheet of Flames.Place a tea-

plate near the rear edge of your table, and a sheet of flash paper, large enough to cover
the plate, in front of it. You must also have another plate on the servante and you are then
ready to commence.

After performing any trick in which a number of coins have been used, throw them on the
plate, carelessly dropping several on the table. Take up the plate in one hand and the
piece of paper in the other, and holding the plate just behind the table, and over that on
the servante, apparently sweep the loose coins on to the plate you are holding, really
letting all fall on the hidden one, under cover of the paper, which you immediately place
over the plate in your hand.

Everyone will now suppose the money to be on the plate which, with studied
carelessness, you bring forward just over the flame of a candle burning on the table. The
paper ignites and disappears in a sheet of flame, and the plate is found empty.

Programme and Coin.The effect of this experiment, which is an improvement on

the old programme and ring trick, as no stage assistant is required, is as follows: The
performer borrows a marked quarter from a stranger in the audience, immediately
handing it to a gentleman to examine the mark, date, and other items. While this is being
done the performer obtains the loan of a programme, which he tears in half, laying one
half on his table. The gentleman is now requested to place the quarter in the half of the
programme held by the performer, who wraps it up and gives it to him to hold. He now
goes to his table for a piece of sealing wax, which he passes several times over, the
packet held by the gentleman, when immediately it is found transformed into a packet of
three envelopes, made from the programme, all gummed and sealed one inside the other,
with marked quarter in the smallest one. As the gentleman cannot see how it is done the
performer repeats the trick for his benefit with the other half of the programme, but the
result is the same. This time, however, the gentleman is requested to take the last
envelope to the owner of the coin, that he may open it and satisfy himself that it actually
contains his own quarter.

The six envelopes are now rolled up and given to the gentleman to hand to the lady, to
keep as a souvenir of the entertainment, but before he has proceeded far the performer
tells him he has dropped one of them (he has not really done so), and, failing to find it, he
very naturally begins to count those in his hand, when he discovers to his astonishment
that he holds the programme restored.

Explanation.After the performer has borrowed the quarter in the act of handing it to the
gentleman for examination, he adroitly changes it for one of his own bearing the mark of
the cross, which mark is of course taken for that of the owner of the coin. The performer
now asks for the loan of a programme, and while one is being procured he drops the
actual borrowed coin into the smallest of the three envelopes which are placed one inside
the other in the right profonde. To facilitate the introduction of the coin a tin tube, with a
rather wide mouth, just large enough for the coin to pass through, is placed in the smallest
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envelope. After the coin has been introduced this tube is withdrawn, left in the pocket,
and the envelopes closed.

Fig. 9.
PACKET OF THREE ENVELOPES.

The flaps of the envelopes are sealed with wax beforehand and prepared with best gum
arabic, which is allowed to dry hard. They are moistened with the tongue just as you are
about to commence the trick, and if cut as in Fig. 9, can be closed all together while in the
pocket. This packet is laid on the table under cover of the half of the programme used in
the second stage of the trick.

To commence the trick the performer palms a similar packet of envelopes containing
another quarter marked in exactly the same way as the one he handed to the gentleman,
and, it is hardly necessary to remark, being of the same appearance, and bearing the same
date. When rolling up the programme the performer retains it and hands the gentleman
the packet of envelopes; and when going to his table for the wax leaves the half of the
programme and the quarter thereon. By the time the first quarter is taken from the
envelopes the packet containing the actual borrowed coin will be dry and ready for use.
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The remaining portion of the trick will now be understood. When the performer goes for
the other half of the programme he takes the packet of envelopes with it and substitutes it
as before, and the trick proceeds as described. When collecting the six envelopes for the
final effect the performer palms a duplicate programme which has been lying on his table
behind some object, and substitutes this as before when handing the gentleman the
envelopes to take to the lady.

Providing you cannot obtain a programme in time to make up the envelopes for the
entertainment, the trick can be performed with the cover of say Tit Bits. Purchase three
copies of the same date, one for the envelopes, one for the subsequent restoration, and the
other to plant with a stranger in the audience, who, however, need know nothing of the
trick other than that he is to hand you the cover of the paper when requested.

CHAPTER IV

TRICKS WITH HANDKERCHIEFS

Peregrinations of a Handkerchief.For the following series of experiments you
will require three 15 in. silk handkerchiefs (the best material for making these is fine
quality sarcenet), an ordinary small sliding match-box, a candle in a candlestick, and a
conjuring wand; also a false finger and conjuring pistol, hereafter described.

You prepare for the series of tricks by rolling up one of the handkerchiefs very small and
pushing it into the back of the match-box, which you open about 1 in. for the purpose;
another is rolled up and placed behind the collar on the left hand side of the neck; and the
last is loaded into the false finger and placed in the right hand trousers pocket. You are
now ready to commence.

Handkerchief and Candle.Ladies and Gentlemen, the following experiment was

suggested to me at the age of twelve while studying chemistry. I then learned that all
matter was indestructible. Proof of this, as you are well aware, is afforded with an
ordinary candle. You may light the candle at one end and let it burn to the other, but you
do not destroy the matter of which it is composed. What really takes place is the
formation of new substances, as hydrogen, carbon, water, etc., which any of the text
books on chemistry will explain. I will, however, give you one striking illustration:

Pick up the match-box and light the candle; then close the box, pushing the handkerchief
into the right hand, and throw it down on the table. Take the candle from the candlestick
and place it in the right hand, which masks the presence of the handkerchief. You now
appear to take something from the flame of the candle with the left hand, which you close
as if it really contained an article. Open the hand slowly, looking surprised to find you
have failed, and remark: Wellreally I cannot understand this. I am generally
successful with this trick. Oh! I know what is the matter. You see, I am using the left
hand; if you do things left-handed they cannot possibly be right. I will try the right hand.
Saying this, you place the candle in the left hand and immediately produce the
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handkerchief from the flame with the right, closing the hand as before. It now only
remains for you to open the hand and develop the silk slowly.

To Vanish a Handkerchief and Produce it from your Collar.Place your wand

under your left arm. Take the handkerchief and roll it up small, using both hands. Affect
to place the handkerchief in the left hand, really palming it in the right, and take your
wand from under the arm in the same hand. Vanish the handkerchief from the left hand,
and take the one from your collar, immediately placing it in the right hand to mask the
presence of the one already there, and lay the wand down on the table.

To Pass a Handkerchief into the Pocket of a Spectator.Obtain the assistance

of a young gentleman from the audience, and ask him to let you have the loan of the
outside breast pocket of his coat. Much fun is generally used by his removing his own
pocket handkerchief and sundry other curious articles. Place both handkerchiefs, which
have all the time remained in the right hand, in his pocket (you, of course, are supposed
to be using one only), and stand as far away as the limits of the stage will allow, and
say:Now, sir, do you think it possible for me to remove the handkerchief from your
pocket without coming a step nearer to you than I am at present? He will probably look
confused, and hardly know whether to say Yes or No. Whatever he may say is all the
same to you, and you remark:My dear sir, do not look like that; your face is calculated
to upset me altogether. I scarcely know what I am doing. What I really intended to do
was to pass the handkerchief from my hands into your pocket. You now take the
handkerchief from his pocket, where, unknown to the spectators and probably the
gentleman himself, one still remains. You will now vanish the handkerchief as in the last
trick, and let the gentleman take the one from his pocket, which will seem to be the same.
Take the handkerchief from him, place it in the right hand, which again conceals the one
in the palm, and lay the wand down on the table.

To Fire a Handkerchief into a Gentleman's Hair.For the purpose of this trick

you will have to make use of what is known as a conjuring pistol, which, being in
constant use in magical surprises, I will describe. It consists of an ordinary pistol fitted
with a conical tin tube 8 in. long. The mouth of this tube is about 2 in. in diameter and is
supplied with a tin cup 1 in. deep, having its outer edge turned over all round so as to
afford a ready grip to the palm. The conical tube is fitted with an inner tube to keep it
firm on the barrel of the pistol. (See Fig. 10.)

Fig. 10. CONJURING PISTOL.

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Taking up the pistol, you place the two handkerchiefs, which look like one. in the cup;
push them well down and remark:I shall now fire direct at the gentleman's head, and
after the shot the handkerchief will be found firmly embedded in his hair, and will, not
unlikely, be seen protruding from each of his ears. It just depends on the force of the shot,
you know, and I need hardly say I loaded the pistol myself, and am totally ignorant of
fire-arms. Are you ready, sir? then Good-bye! Place the muzzle of the pistol in the left
hand while you shake hands with the gentleman. In taking the pistol back into the right
hand to fire it, you leave the cup behind in the left hand, and at the instant you pull the
trigger, you drop it into your pocket on the left side. When discharging the pistol you
will, of course, stand with your right side to the audience.

You now ask the gentleman to take the handkerchief from his hair, telling him it is just
behind his left ear (of course it is not really there); and while he is trying to find it you
stand with your hands in your trousers pockets, telling him to make haste, you cannot
wait all the evening, etc. When he has tried some time and failed to find it you take your
hands from your pockets, having got the false finger into position between the second and
third fingers. Showing the hands back and front (the addition of an extra finger will not
be noticed), you pass them several times over the head of the gentleman, then lowering
the hands on to his head you detach the finger and draw out the handkerchief. The false
finger is laid down on the table under cover of the handkerchief.

Fig. 11. FALSE FINGER.

The finger is made of thin spun brass painted flesh color; it is quite hollow from tip to
root, and is shaped for fitting between the second and third fingers (see Fig. 11). It can be
used in many tricks with handkerchiefs, and is really an indispensable accessory.

This concludes the series alluded to in the beginning of this chapter. I will now describe a
number of handkerchief tricks complete in themselves.

The Handkerchief Cabinet.This very useful piece of apparatus should be in the

repertoire of every amateur magician, as it is available for producing, changing, or
vanishing a handkerchief. Its secret lies in the fact that it contains two drawers, bottom to
bottom, the lower one being hidden by a sliding panel. When standing on the table the top
drawer only is visible, and the cabinet looks the picture of innocence, but if turned over
and stood on its opposite end the sliding panel falls, exposing the hidden drawer, and
hiding that which for the time being is at the bottom (see Fig. 12). The cabinet is about 2
in. square by 4 in. high.
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Fig. 12.
HANDKERCHIEF CABINET.

If required for production you proceed as follows:Having placed a silk handkerchief in

the concealed drawer, introduce the cabinet, take out the empty drawer, and give it for
examination. Replace the drawer, secretly turn over the cabinet, and place it on your
table.

You now go through any form of incantation you please, open the drawer and take out
the handkerchief.

If you desire to vanish a handkerchief you will have it placed in the drawer by one of the
spectators, and while going to the table turn over the box. When the drawer is opened the
handkerchief will have disappeared.

Should you wish to change one handkerchief for another you will beforehand conceal say
a red handkerchief in the cabinet; then taking a white one, have it deposited in the upper
drawer, turn over the cabinet as before, pull out the now uppermost drawer, and produce
the red handkerchief.
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From the foregoing description it will be obvious that the cabinet is capable of being used
in conjunction with many tricks.

The Handkerchief Vanisher.One of the best appliances for causing the

disappearance of a handkerchief may be made from a small celluloid ball as follows:
Obtain a ball 1 in. in diameter, which will take three small silk handkerchiefs if desired,
and cut a 1 in. hole in any part of its surface. On the side of the ball opposite the opening
fix a loop of flesh-colored thread, long enough to pass easily over the thumb, and to
suspend the ball on the back of the hand so that it does not hang too low.

When required for use the ball is taken up secretly under cover of the handkerchief, and
the thumb of the left hand is passed through the loop. Then, while appearing to roll up the
handkerchief, it is worked through the opening into the ball, which is instantly pushed
over to the back of the left hand under cover of the right. The palms of the hands are now
shown empty, when the handkerchief will seem to have vanished entirely. When using
the vanisher you will, of course, stand with your right side to the audience.

It is well to be provided with two or three of these accessories, in different sizes.

Magic Production of Handkerchiefs.The performer comes on the stage showing

both hands empty, back and front. He then pulls up both sleeves and immediately
produces a white silk handkerchief, about 18 in. square, which he passes for examination.
Then by simply shaking the handkerchief he obtains from it about half a dozen other
colored ones about 15 in. square. The colored handkerchiefs are then caused to vanish by
simply rolling them up in the hands, being immediately afterwards reproduced, all tied
together by the corners, from the white one.

The necessary preparations for the trick are as follows:A slit in. long is made in the
seam of the trousers at the right knee, and two of the colored handkerchiefs, each having
a minute piece of blackened cork tied to one corner, are pushed into this slit, the corks
being left protruding to enable the performer to instantly draw them out. Two
handkerchiefs of different colors are placed in the pochette on the left side. A fifth
handkerchief, also prepared with a piece of cork, is placed in the front of the vest, the
cork protruding through the watch-chain hole. It may seem impossible, but the silk may
be drawn through this hole very rapidly, and quite easily, as will be found by experiment.
A sixth handkerchief is contained in the false finger (previously described), which should
be placed in the right hand trousers pocket.

As the handkerchiefs are produced they are thrown over the back of a chair fitted with a
network servante (Fig. 1), behind the top rail of which are suspended two vanishers of the
kind already described; also the ball of six duplicate handkerchiefs all tied together by the
corners.

The trick is worked as follows:The white handkerchief is rolled up into a small

compass and tied with a piece of silk just strong enough to hold it. It is then placed in the
hollow of the arm at the elbow, the arm being slightly bent so as to retain it in that
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position. When pulling back the sleeves the performer secretly obtains possession of the
handkerchief, breaks the thread, and develops it slowly.

Having had the handkerchief examined, and while holding it by two corners, spread it
over the knee as if drawing attention to the fact that it is empty. Then, in the act of raising
it, shaking it the whole of the time, pull the two colored ones through the seams, and
while developing these, take the two from the pochette on the left side. Place the white
handkerchief in the left hand to conceal the colored ones, and throw the other two over
the back of the chair. Now produce the two in the left hand in a similar manner, and
throw them over the chair with the two already there. Then take the white handkerchief
by two corners, and, while turning it round, show both sides, seize the piece of cork at the
buttonhole of the vest, and produce the fifth handkerchief, throwing both over the back of
the chair.

For the production of the last handkerchief a little patter is desirable. Ladies and
gentlemen, I dare say you will wonder where I get these handkerchiefs from. The other
day I overheard two gentlemen conversing in the stalls. One said to the other, Don't you
see where he gets those handkerchiefs from? They come down his sleeve. The other
said, Oh! no, they don't. He takes them from his pockets, for I saw him. Saying this,
you thrust the hands into the pockets by way of illustration, and fix the finger in position.
Then withdraw the hands, placing the palms together, and continue: Now, I wish to
prove to you that both of these gentlemen are wrong. If the handkerchief comes down the
sleeve, you will be sure to see it. My hands are perfectly empty (show hands). Now
watch closely and see if you can detect me. You now bring the hands together, reverse
the finger, and shake out the handkerchief; and, when laying it with the others on the
chair, drop the finger into the servante.

To cause the disappearance of the handkerchiefs, proceed as follows: Take up three of the
colored ones, at the same time secretly obtaining one of the vanishers, and, with an up-
and-down motion of the hands, work them into the ball. Then pass the ball to the back of
the hand and show the palms empty.

When taking up the other three handkerchiefs, drop the vanisher into the servante, secure
the other one, and proceed as before. Then take up the white handkerchief again,
disposing of the vanisher into the servante, and securing the ball of six tied together.
Finally wave the white handkerchief up and down, and gradually work out the colored
ones, one after another.

Color-changing Handkerchiefs.The effect of this trick, which is one of the best in

the whole category of sleight-of-hand feats, is as follows: Three white handkerchiefs are
pushed into a paper tube, and as they come out at the opposite ends they are seen to be
dyed respectively red, yellow, and green. The paper is then unrolled and torn in half,
when the white handkerchiefs are found to have vanished entirely.

To perform the trick you must be provided with a piece of drawing paper 10 in. by 8 in.
(a leaf from a plain drawing-book will answer the purpose admirably), three very fine
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white silk handkerchiefs 15 in. square, and three colored ones of the same size and
texture. The last of the colored handkerchiefs to appear at the end of the tube is prepared
as follows:Take a piece of 1 in. brass tubing, 3 in. long, and insert it in the middle of
one side of the handkerchief (Fig. 13), by covering it with a piece of silk of the same
color. This piece of silk is extended beyond the tube, as shown, to form a kind of pocket.

Fig. 13. HANDKERCHIEF FITTED WITH BRASS TUBE.

To prepare for the trick push the body of the handkerchief into the brass tube at the end
A, and the other two colored ones on the top of it. The piece of paper is laid on the table
with the tube of handkerchiefs under its rear edge. The three white handkerchiefs are then
laid across the paper.

To perform the trick stand on the left of your table and take up the paper with the right
hand, the left hand keeping the white handkerchiefs in front of the tube of colored ones.
Draw attention to the fact that the paper is unprepared, then lay it on the table in such a
manner that it again conceals the tube, and take up the white handkerchiefs. Show the
handkerchiefs, remarking that they are of the ordinary description, and then lay them on
the table. Pick up the paper, and with it the colored handkerchiefs, which are held behind
it with the thumb of the right hand.
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You now form the paper into a tube round the colored handkerchiefs and hold it in the
left hand. Pick up the white handkerchiefs one at a time, place them in the left hand with
the tube, and remark:I will now pass the white handkerchiefs through the cylinder,
first, however, showing you that it is perfectly empty. As you say this you take the
handkerchiefs in the right hand, and as if to illustrate what you say, place them near the
mouth of the tube. This gives you the opportunity of dropping the colored handkerchiefs
into the white ones. The cylinder is now shown empty, and the white handkerchiefs are
pushed into one end of it; care being taken to introduce the colored ones first, and to keep
them out of sight of the audience. You now grasp the brass tube tightly through the paper
and press the white handkerchiefs into it. This, of course, pushes out the colored
handkerchiefs, which appear at the other end of the cylinder, the white ones being
concealed in the body of the last colored one.

When performing the trick it, is necessary to be careful to insert the right end of the brass
tube into the paper cylinder, otherwise the experiment would not be successful.

The following is the method of presenting the above trick, with appropriate patter:

For the purpose of my next experiment I shall make use of this square-looking piece of
paper, in which you can see there is nothing concealed, not even a trap door. Well, if
there was anything concealed from your view, you would be sure to see it. Laying the
paper down and taking up the handkerchiefs, you continue. In addition to the paper, I
propose to make use of these three pieces of silk, or silk in pieces, commonly known as
art white squares. I am afraid, however, some people would prefer to call them subdued
white; possibly dirty white, if it were not for the liberty of the thing, but I know they call
them art white in State Street, because I suppose they find that they sell better.

Laying the handkerchiefs down, you take up the paper with the tube behind it, and, prior
to forming the cylinder, remark:This experiment was suggested to me while traveling
on the N. Y. C. & H. R. railway. I always travel by that line when possible, being very
fond of scenery. The other day I had occasion to take a return single from New York City
to Schenectady; and while passing through those tunnels I noticed that my linen changed
color considerably, which suggested to me this illustration. With the piece of paper I will
form a kind of tube or tunnel to represent for the time being one of those cavities on the
N. Y. Central railway.

Make the tube and continueThere it is, as free from deception as I am. I will now take
the handkerchiefs (take up the handkerchiefs from the table) and pass them through the
cylinder (drop the colored handkerchiefs into the white ones and show the tube empty),
first, however, showing you that it is perfectly empty. Then, having satisfied you that
there are no trains on the line, I will pass the handkerchiefs through the tunnel.

As the colored handkerchiefs appear at the opposite end of the tube, remark:I may say
that I have been getting my living for some considerable time by conjuring. You will now
notice that I am beginning to dye by it.
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Mechanical Pull for Vanishing a Handkerchief.The construction of this

contrivance is very simple, and it is absolutely instantaneous in its action, the quickest
eye being unable, even at close quarters, to detect the flight of the handkerchief.

It consists of two straps, one for each arm, which are buckled on just above the elbows.
One of the straps carries what is known to mechanics as alazy pulley, working freely in
all directions, and provided with a shield, so that the cord cannot possibly leave the
wheel; and the other carries a metal D loop. A cord is tied to the D loop, passed over
the back, round the pulley on the left arm, back again and down the right sleeve; the end
of the cord being furnished with a loop to receive a handkerchief. The apparatus must be
attached to the arms underneath the shirt, and when in such a position that the arms may
be moved about freely, the loop should be in the center of the back, as shown in Fig. 14.

Fig. 14. MECHANICAL PULL FOR VANISHING A HANDKERCHIEF.(a) Leather

Strap; (b) Brass Plate; (c) Pivot; (d) Brass Hinge; (e) Pulley in Shield; (L) Left Arm;
(R) Right Arm.

To enable the artiste to obtain possession of this loop, a black thread is passed through it,
doubled and carried down the right sleeve, the two ends hanging out of the cuff so as to
be readily found by the fingers. Having found the thread, the performer pulls down until
the loop appears, which is forthwith passed around the thumb, the thread being broken
and allowed to fall on the floor. The act of pulling the cord to secure the loop will pull the
elbows close to the sides, where they must be kept until the handkerchief is to disappear.

Having placed the handkerchief through the loop, which should be of catgut, as being
semi-transparent, push it into the glass tube as described in the next trick, and place the
hands one over each end. To cause the handkerchief to disappear all that is necessary is to
move the elbows away from the sides while making a quick up and down motion with the
glass cylinder, slightly lifting the base of the right hand from the edge of the glass to
allow the silk to pass up the sleeve. In moving the elbows away from the sides a pull of
from 3ft. to 4ft. is put on the cord, the handkerchief flying up the sleeves and finally
occupying a position in the center of the performer's back.
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The Flying Handkerchief.This is a very surprising trick, and a favorite with the
most noted prestidigitateurs. It depends chiefly for its effect on the Mechanical Pull
(Fig. 14). For its execution you must be provided with six small silk handkerchiefs (two
red, two yellow, and two green), also two glass cylinders of the kind used for gas.

The idea of the trick is to cause a red silk handkerchief placed in the center of one of the
glass tubes, the ends being covered with the hands, to disappear, and be found between a
yellow and a green handkerchief previously tied together, rolled up into the shape of a
ball, and placed in the other cylinder. It is accomplished thus:

Three of the handkerchiefs, one of each color, are tied together by the corners, the red
being in the center. They are then rolled up into the shape of a ball so that the red one
cannot be seen, and, thus prepared, are laid on the table behind the other red
handkerchief.

The performer now takes the two remaining handkerchiefs, one yellow and one green,
and ties them together, rolling them up to look as near like the duplicate ball as possible.
Holding this ball in the right hand, he takes up the red handkerchief, and with it the ball
of three. He then takes the red handkerchief in the right hand, passing the ball into the
left, and forthwith pushing it into the glass cylinder on the table. Under cover of the red
handkerchief, however, the balls are exchanged and that of three is actually placed in the
tube.

While going for the other cylinder, which should be on a table at the rear of the stage, the
performer has ample time to dispose of the ball of two, and to get down the pull. When
introducing the cylinder remark:You see, Ladies and Gentlemen, that the tubes are of
the most ordinary description and perfectly free from preparation; in fact, you can see
right through them. I hope you will not be able to see through me quite so easily. The
red handkerchief is then inserted in the cylinder, being previously passed through the
loop, whence it is caused to vanish as described. The handkerchiefs are then taken from
the tube on the table, unrolled and shaken out; when, by some unaccountable means, the
red one will appear to have tied itself between the other two.

Brass Tube to Produce, Vanish, or Change a Handkerchief.This is really an

indispensable piece of apparatus and should be in the repertoire of every wizard. It
consists of a piece of 1in. brass tubing, 4 in. long, with two caps of the same metal to
close the ends. A handkerchief is inserted in the tube and the caps are immediately placed
on; but notwithstanding this, the handkerchief disappears, or can be changed to another of
a different color.

The apparatus really consists of four pieces, the tube and the two caps, with the addition
of a cup, 1 in. deep, made to fit easily into either end of the tube, and provided with a
flange as in the magic pistol already described, to enable the performer to palm it off (see
Fig. 15). The cup is not provided with a bottom, but is fitted with a piece of in. tape
fixed at each side, in the center of the tube, in such a manner that a loop hangs down
flush with, and forming a bottom common to, either end of the cup (as at A).
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Fig. 15. BRASS TUBE FOR HANDKERCHIEF TRICKS.

I will explain the method employed in changing say a white handkerchief for a red one
after which the other uses of the tube will be apparent. Load a red handkerchief into the
cup at the end A, and place it under your vest, or in the right-hand trousers pocket. Give
the tube and caps for examination, and while they are out of your hands, get possession of
the cup and palm it in your right hand. Take back the tube with the left hand, pass it into
the right, and over the cup; and fit the cap to the opposite end. Turn over the tube, and
with the right hand apparently place the white handkerchief into it (the handkerchief
really goes into the cup and pushes the red one into the tube, reversing the tape). Now
place the right hand over the cup, reverse the tube, and remark:

As the cap has been on this end the whole of the time, it has not been possible for the
handkerchief to escape in that direction. We will now place a cap on the opposite end of
the tube and we have the handkerchief secure. Saying this, you reverse the tube, palming
off the cup as you do so; and, while holding the tube in the same hand, to hide the palm,
fit on the cap. Give the tube to someone to hold and drop the cup into the profonde, or
otherwise dispose of it at the earliest opportunity. On removing the caps the handkerchief
will be found to have changed color.

At this point a good combination trick can be worked by the use of two duplicate
handkerchiefs, as follows: Have a duplicate red handkerchief hanging over a chair, on the
back of which is suspended a network servante. Another duplicate white handkerchief
should be in readiness in the back of a match-box for producing from the flame of a
candle, as previously described.

When handing the gentleman the tube which is supposed to contain the white
handkerchief, you take up the red one from the back of the chair, and at the same time
dispose of the palmed cup by dropping it into the servante. The red handkerchief is now
vanished by sleight of hand, or can be fired from the magic pistol, and eventually found
in the brass tube.

To account for the disappearance of the white handkerchief you may remark: Oh, I dare
say the white handkerchief has jumped out of the tube to make room for the red one. It
has probably found its way into the candle on the table. To conclude the trick you light
the candle and produce the handkerchief from the flame.

The tube can be used in many ways in combination with other tricks, but I must leave
these to the ingenuity of the performer.
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CHAPTER V

TRICKS WITH BALLS

Creation, Manipulation, Multiplication, and Annihilation of Billiard Balls.
For the series of tricks hereafter described, you will require two solid billiard balls and a
case to contain one of the balls, consisting of two hemispheres of thin spun brass hinged
together. When closed this case will represent a solid ball, but when open and held in the
hand with thumb over the hinge, will appear as two balls. The balls, together with the
case, should be enameled red. When about to present the trick, come forward with the
case containing a solid ball in the left breast pocket and the other solid ball under the left
armpit.

Creation.Pull up the right sleeve and then the left one, which gives you the opportunity
of taking the ball in the right hand unperceived. You now execute what is known as the
Change-over Palm to show both hands empty, and then produce the ball from the back
of the right hand. This palm is made as follows: Having got the ball into the right hand,
draw attention to the left with the fingers of the right, showing it back and front. When
doing this you will be standing with your right side towards the audience. Now make a
sharp half-turn to the right and show the right hand in the same manner. This you will be
able to do, as when making the turn the palms of the hands very naturally passed over
each other, and the ball was transferred from the palm of the right hand to that of the left.

The ball is now found on the back of the right hand.

Manipulation.The amount of manipulation possible with a single ball is considerable,

and limited only by the dexterity of the performer. The principles of sleight of hand as
described in Chapter II will, with few exceptions, be found equally adaptable to this
branch of the mystic art. For the benefit, however, of those of my readers who have not
hitherto made sleight of hand a study, I append a few examples.

1. Having obtained the ball from the back of the right hand, place it between the
forefingers (as in Fig. 16). Then twist the fingers round and round, which will cause the
ball to revolve with them. This produces a very pleasing and puzzling effect, and is to all
appearances a feat of dexterity. It requires, however, a little practice.
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Fig. 16. REVOLVING BALL.

2. Close the right hand and place the ball on the top (as in Fig. 17). From this position
appear to take it in the left hand, really allowing it to sink down into the palm of the right,
where it is retained. Vanish the ball from the left hand in the usual manner and produce it
from the left elbow.

Fig. 17. BALL IN POSITION ON RIGHT HAND.

3. Roll the ball between the palms of the hands as if you were trying to make it smaller.
When the left hand is underneath, seem to close it over the ball, really palming it in the
right hand. The left hand is now brought down right smartly on the back of the hand and
the ball produced from the mouth.

4. Place the ball between the teeth and apparently give it a smart rap with the right hand
as if to force it into the mouth. The ball, however, is palmed in the right hand, and
immediately taken from the back of the head. When producing this ball, pass it up the
back and over the top of the head and let it fall into the left hand.

5. Appear to take the ball from the left hand, as in Le Tourniquet. Then apparently pass
it through the left knee, producing it from underneath.
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6. Throw the ball several times from one hand to the other, and finally, when appearing to
throw it into the right hand, palm it in the left. Vanish the ball; place the left hand to the
nose, and let the ball fall into the right hand. To all appearance it actually comes from the
nose.

7. Stand with the left side to the audience and throw the ball into the air several times. At
the third time palm it in the left hand, the effect being that the ball is vanished into thin
air. Now perform the Change-over Palm described above, and find the ball at the back
of the right knee.

8. Apparently transfer the ball from the right hand to the left, really palming it. Place the
palm of the right hand (containing the ball) on the right breast, and thence extend it over
in the direction of the left sleeve. In the act of doing this, the ball leaves the palm and is
held between the forearm and the body; the hand, turned palm towards the audience, then
pulls up the sleeve. You then blow on the left hand to vanish the ball and show the hand
empty.

To regain possession of the ball, all that is necessary is to reverse the motion of the arm,
when the ball will find its way into the palm of the hand, and can be produced as fancy
suggests.

If the ball is not produced, the above forms an excellent final vanish to any billiard-ball
trick.

If used as a vanish, after having gained possession of the ball you stand with the hands
one on each lapel of the coat, bow, and retire.

This pass, which I have found practical in every way, was given to me by Mr. George
Newman, a very clever amateur conjurer.

The following explanations will to some extent be given in the vernacular, it being
assumed that the student has become familiar with the various passes.

Multiplication.You must now obtain possession of the trick ball, which can be done by
means of the following ruse: Appear to place the ball in the left hand, vanish, and take it
from the left breast pocket. In doing so you take out the trick ball, leaving the solid one
behind.

For two balls: Take the trick ball in the left hand, and, waving the hand up and down,
open the shell, placing the thumb over the joint, when you will appear to have two balls
in the left hand. To show these as two solid balls, one in each hand, take the ball out of
the case, which forthwith close. This can easily be done under cover of the right hand.
Draw attention to the ball in the left hand and remark, One, and this one (ball in right
hand) make two. As you say this you appear to place the ball in the left hand, really
opening the case to represent two balls, and palming the solid one in the right hand.
 242

For three balls: Produce the ball you have palmed from behind the left knee, and really
place it with the two others (case open) in the left hand. Wave the left hand up and down
and under cover of the movement allow the solid ball to slip into the case. Then produce
the ball previously left in the breast pocket, and you will seem to have passed a ball up
your sleeve.

For four balls: Draw attention to the two balls now in the left hand (case open, with a
solid ball in one half) and remark, Two, and this one (ball in right hand) make three.
Saying which, you apparently place the ball in the left hand, really palming it as before,
and dropping the ball out of the case under the cover of the right hand. You now find the
palmed ball at the left elbow and really place it with the other three in the left hand. You
will now appear to hold four solid balls.

Annihilation.Appear to take a ball in the right hand, really allowing one to fall into the
case. Vanish this ball in the act of throwing it to the audience. You now actually take
another solid ball in the right hand and exclaim, I will vanish this one into thin air.
Watch me. Actually throw the ball into the air several times, and while doing this lower
the left hand and drop the solid ball out of the case into the profonde, making a
movement that the audience cannot fail to notice. Thinking they have caught you,
someone is sure to remark, I saw him put one in his pocket that time. To which you
will reply, Oh! no; I did not put any in my pocket. I would not deceive you in such a
manner. Two and one (the one in the right hand) make three. You now really place the
ball in the left hand.

Again appear to take a ball in the right hand, letting it fall into the case as before. Then
vanish it in the act of apparently throwing it into the air. Wave the left hand up and down,
and under cover of the movement close the case, which will dispose of the third ball.

Finally, make believe to take this last ball in the right hand, standing with your right side
to the spectators. Instead of doing this, however, the case is opened under cover of the
right hand and the solid ball extracted. The right hand is then closed over the ball so that
it cannot be seen and the left hand quietly places the case in the profonde. It is well to
again let this movement be suspected. Then, looking to the right hand, remark, I have
now only to dispose of this last ball. At this point someone is almost sure to say, Oh! I
saw you put it in your pocket. You will then cause considerable amusement to the
spectators, and derision on the party with the voice, by showing the ball in the right hand.

To cause the disappearance of the last ball, make use of the pass described under
Example 8 above.

Billiard Balls and Basins.For the purpose of this trick you will require two small
basins and two tea plates. The plates are to act as covers for the basins. In addition to this
paraphernalia you will require two India rubber balls to match in size and color the
ordinary billiard balls.
 243

The effect of the illusion is as follows: The two basins are shown empty and each is
covered with a plate. In the course of the preceding billiard-ball trick, or a portion of the
same, two balls are vanished, afterwards appearing in the basins.

To prepare for the trick, place one of the basins, containing one of the balls, on the table,
and cover it with one of the plates. On the top of this plate place the other basin,
containing the second ball, covering the same with the remaining plate.

When about to present the illusion, you take the top plate in the left hand and the basin in
the right, fingers inside and thumb out. This enables you to grasp the ball and conceal it
in the fingers, while holding the basin so that the inside can be inspected. Place the basin
on the floor, retaining the ball in the fingers, and immediately place the plate in the right
hand, which again conceals the ball. Show the hand empty, also both sides of the plate.
Then pass the plate back into the left hand, taking the ball with it, and show both sides of
the right hand. Cover the basin with the plate and in doing so secretly introduce the ball.

You must now go through the same movements with the other plate, ball, and basin, and
the trick is practically finished. All that remains for you to do now is to vanish two balls
and find them in the basins.

The India rubber balls are essential for silence when dropped into the basin. Ordinary
wooden balls would talk and thus betray their presence.

Color-changing Billiard Balls.There is a very old trick similar to what I am about

to describe, known as the Chameleon Balls. In this form of the trick the ball is caused
to change by palming on, or off, as occasion may require, half-shells of different colors. I
will now explain a method of producing a result analogous to the old trick, but brought
about entirely by different means.

The necessary accessories are a red, a black, and a white billiard ball, all solid. Place the
white ball in the profonde and the black one in the pochette on the left side. Having
arrived at the point in Annihilation where all the balls have been disposed of with the
exception of the last solid one, you throw this in the air as if to vanish it in that direction.
While all eyes follow the ball in its upward flight, you lower the left hand and take the
white ball from the profonde, palming it. In doing so you would, of course, stand with the
right side to the audience.

The Change to White.Make a half turn to the right and take the red ball in the fingers of
the left hand, in which you have the white ball palmed. Then show the right hand, back
and front. Now take the visible red ball in the fingers of the left hand and at the same
instant make the Change-over Palm. This brings your right side again to the auditorium
and enables you to show the left hand empty.

To execute the change you place the red ball in the fingers of the left hand and then
stroke it with the palm of the right, palming the red ball and leaving in place of it the
 244

white one. Again make the Change-over Palm, showing the hands empty, with the
exception of the white ball.

The Change to Black.You take the ball in the right hand, and, turning to the left, bring
it down rather smartly on the table, to prove its solidity. This gives you the opportunity of
dropping the red ball into the profonde and taking the black one from the pochette.

To change the white ball to black, you will proceed as in the previous change, disposing
of the palmed white ball at the earliest opportunity, or it can be produced with good effect
from the bottom of the trousers. Then lay both balls down on the table.

To appreciate and thoroughly understand the effect of the above, it is necessary to

actually practice the various movements with the balls in front of the mirror.

The Diminishing Billiard Balls.The trick under notice has for its effect the
apparent diminution of an ordinary billiard ball, first to half its original size, secondly, to
one-quarter its original size, and, finally, to a very small ball, with which several amusing
passes are made, and which afterwards disappears entirely.

In this case a trick ball is used of a size about equal to half that of the ordinary one, and
hollowed out so as to contain a solid ball of a diameter equal to half that of itself. (See
Fig. 18.) The hollow ball must be so constructed that the small one pinches slightly into
it, but can be instantly released by simply passing the ball or the thumb over it. A
duplicate of this small ball should be placed in the right-hand waistcoat pocket for use in
the latter part of the trick.

Fig. 18. TRICK BALLS.

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The trick ball is placed in the left pochette, whence it is obtained and used according to
the instructions given in the Color-changing Balls. To produce the smallest size, hold
the trick ball in the left hand, having previously loosened the small one, and, in the act of
stroking it with the right hand, palm off the hollow ball and dispose of it as soon as
possible.

With the small ball you now execute the pass as described under Example 4 above. Then
actually place the nail in the mouth, pretend to swallow it, and produce the one from the
vest pocket, which will appear to be the same.

You now seem to place the ball in the left hand, really palming it; then bring the left hand
down with apparent force on the top of the head, showing the ball between the teeth. Here
raise the right hand as if to take the ball from the mouth, but really push it back and show
the palmed one. Then repeat the same pass, but this time actually let the ball fall from the
mouth into the left hand, disposing of the palmed ball into the profonde.

I have seen a series of passes, including the above, performed with two eggs. in place of
the small balls, but unless the performer be endowed with a colossal cavity between the
upper and lower jaws, I should not advise him to attempt this.

The Handkerchief Ball.This forms a very good introduction to a billiard-ball trick,

all that is required being a ball of the usual size, hollowed out so as to take a
handkerchief, with an opening 1 in. in diameter on the surface. This ball is suspended
behind the top rail of a chair by means of a pin.

After performing any trick in which a handkerchief has been employed, carelessly throw
it over the back of the chair while you roll up your sleeves. If you do not care to roll up
the sleeves, perform any small trick before proceeding with the present one, otherwise it
might be too palpable that the handkerchief was thrown over the chair for a purpose.
Then take up the handkerchief (secretly securing the ball) and gradually work it into the
ball, being careful to keep the ball out of sight as much as possible until the handkerchief
has totally disappeared. Finally throw the ball into the air, which can safely be done,
providing it and the handkerchief are both of the same color, which would not admit of
the hole being observed.

At this point, should you desire to proceed with a billiard-ball trick, you can do so by
changing the hollow ball for a solid one in the same manner that you changed the solid
ball for the trick one in the Multiplying Billiard Balls.

The Dissolving Billiard Ball.This forms an excellent conclusion to the billiard-ball

trick. A glass tumbler three parts filled with water is given to a gentleman to hold. A ball
is then covered with a handkerchief and given to the gentleman, with a request that he
will hold it over the glass and at the word three will allow it to fall into the water. This
is done, and, upon the handkerchief being removed from the tumbler, nothing remains but
the fluid, which is perfectly transparent, the ball having apparently been dissolved
therein.
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The secret of this lies in the fact that the performer is provided with a half shell of clear
glass. This shell is secretly slipped over the ball in the act of covering it with the
handkerchief, and when handing it to the gentleman the solid ball is palmed away by the
performer. The gentleman is not at all likely to discover that he holds only a half ball, as,
being hampered with the glass of water, he is effectually prevented from making an
examination.

It is well to be provided with a tumbler the bottom of which is shaped somewhat to fit the
form of the shell and ornamented slightly, but this latter feature is not absolutely
necessary.

Fancy Sleight with a Small Ball.A small ball is generally used for this pass, but
it is applicable to any object that can be conveniently placed in the mouth. In effect it is
as follows: A ball, for instance, is rubbed into the left elbow and passed thence up into
the hand. The hand is then brought down rather smartly on the back of the head, the ball
being immediately afterwards taken from the mouth.

The sleight is thus executed: The performer takes the ball in his right hand and
commences to rub it into his left elbow. At this point he apparently meets with an
accident, dropping the ball on the floor. The dropping of the ball, however, apart from
being an accident, is absolutely essential to the success of the illusion. After having
picked up the ball, and while still in a stooping position, with his back towards the
spectators, the performer quickly throws it into his mouth, immediately facing round and
drawing attention to the right hand, the fingers of which must seem to close round the
object. The rubbing at the elbow is again commenced and the right hand eventually
shown empty. The performer then makes a sign indicative that the ball has passed up into
the left hand, which is then brought down with apparent force on the back of the head.
The ball in the mouth is then revealed, when it will appear to have actually traveled to
that position.

This sleight can very well be introduced at the close of the Diminishing Billiard Balls.

I am indebted to Mr. Ross Conyears, an exceedingly dexterous magician, for the above.

Rouge et Noir.This pretty trick consists of causing two balls, one red and one black,
wrapped in pieces of paper and placed in borrowed hats, to change places at command.
The diameter of the balls should be 4 in.

The solution of the problem lies in the construction of the papers with which the balls are
covered. They are arranged thus: Take two pieces of newspaper and paste them together
all round the edges, having previously inserted between them a layer of red glazed paper
of the same shade as the ball. The other one is prepared in exactly the same way, but
contains a layer of black glazed paper to represent the black ball.

The two balls are now wrapped in the papers, care being taken to cover the red ball with
the paper containing the black layer, and vice versa. After this has been done, the
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performer feigns a slip, mixing up the packages, and thereby confusing the audience as to
the relative positions of the balls. As if to satisfy them on this point, he tears a small hole
in the outer covering of one of the parcels, exposing, say, the layer of black paper. The
parcel is then placed in the hat on the supposition that it contains the black ball.

The other package is now treated in the same manner, after which the supposed
transposition of the balls will be easily understood.

Ball, Handkerchief, and Tumbler.This is a very good combination trick, and as

such will serve as an example for the arrangement of others. A billiard ball is placed in a
small tumbler, which is in turn wrapped in a piece of newspaper and deposited in a
borrowed hat. The performer then takes a small silk handkerchief and rolls it up in his
hands, when it is seen to have become transformed into a billiard ball. The glass is then
taken from the hat, and, on the paper being removed, is found to contain the
handkerchief. The ball, handkerchief, and tumbler, together with the piece of paper, are
then caused to vanish, one at a time, from the hands of the performer, who immediately
afterwards produces them from the hat.

The modus operandi is as follows: A duplicate tumbler containing a handkerchief, and

wrapped in paper, must be secretly introduced into the hat prior to the commencement of
the trick (see Hat Tricks). The tumbler containing the ball and wrapped in paper is then
placed in the hat. The performer now takes up a duplicate handkerchief, and, under cover
of the same, the hollow ball already described. The handkerchief is worked into the ball,
which is shown in due course, and laid on the table, opening downwards. The duplicate
tumbler is then removed from the hat, and found to contain the handkerchief. These
articles including the piece of paper, are then laid on the table by the side of the ball.

The performer now goes to the hat, and, under pretence of moving it further away, turns
it over, thus proving, in conjurer's logic, that it is empty. This can easily be done by
taking the hat fingers inside and thumb out, the fingers being inserted in the top of the
tumbler. The performer then returns to the table and proceeds to dispose of the articles
thereon.

The piece of paper rolled up, and the ball, are caused to vanish by any of the means
already explained. To cause the disappearance of the glass you must be provided with a
handkerchief, silk for preference, consisting of two handkerchiefs sewn together round
the edges, in the center of which is fixed a disc of cardboard of the same size as the top of
the tumbler. The tumbler being covered with this handkerchief the performer, as if to
satisfy the spectators that it is still there, strikes it several times on the back of a chair,
and under cover of the movement allows the glass to fall into the network servante. The
handkerchief, however, owing to the presence of the disc, still appears to contain the
glass, the ultimate disposal of which will now be readily understood.

In conclusion, the performer takes the handkerchief lying on the table and vanishes it by
palming in the ordinary way; the right hand being immediately dived into the hat and the
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handkerchief produced. The other articles should be removed one at a time, not forgetting
to crumple the paper into a ball before taking it out.

CHAPTER VI

HAT TRICKS
The uses to which that piece of headgear, the much abused silk hat, lends itself in l'art
magique are almost innumerable. The chief, however, and the one immediately under
consideration, is the production therefrom of a host of heterogeneous articles, of which
the following list will give an idea:

Fifty yards of sash ribbon, eight inches wide.The ribbon should be folded over and
over, in large pleats, so that it can be readily taken from the hat.

Two dozen fancy cardboard boxes, 3 in. by 2 in. by 2 in.These are made to fold flat, the
size of the parcel when ready for introduction being 5 in. by 3 in. by 1 in.

Two hundred flowers, known as spring flowers.Each flower when closed is very little
thicker than brown paper, but immediately on being released expands to the size of a full-
blown tulip. One hundred of these flowers, when closed, can easily be hidden in the hand.

A string of sausages.These, it is hardly necessary to remark, are imitation, being made

in silk of the required color.

A bundle of wood.This is made hollow, consisting of a cardboard case with pieces of

wood glued on the outside and on one end, the other being left open. It is usually filled
with baby linen, together with a feeding-bottle containing milk.

One hundred yards of narrow, colored ribbon.This is made in coils, machine rolled,
similar to that used for telegraph purposes. A coil of this ribbon can very well be placed
in the bottom of the sham bundle of wood. When producing the coil it should be unrolled
from the center.

Four-pound weight of playing cards.These make a tremendous show when strewn

about the stage. A good plan, also, is to have a number joined together in a long string by
means of cotton.

A cannon ball.This is usually made in zinc, 5 in. in diameter, hollow, and provided
with a sliding lid. It can be filled with various soft goods, such as handkerchiefs, ribbons,
etc., also sweets and bonbons for distribution.

A solid wooden cannon ball.This should have a in. hole, 2 in. deep, bored in it
towards the center, for facility in introducing it into the hat.
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A barber's pole about thirty feet long and 4 in. to 5 in. thick at the base.This is made
with stout colored paper, and pulls out from the center. If the pole be constructed of red,
white and blue paper the performer, when introducing the trick, may announce that he is
about to erect the American Colors at the North Pole.

A bowl of gold fish.This really consists of two bowls, one within the other. The space
between the two contains the water and fish, which are inserted through a hole in the
bottom of the outer bowl, the latter being afterwards corked. The inside bowl is filled
with bonbons, etc. (See Fig. 19.) The fish used are imitation, being made from pieces of
carrot cut to shape.

Fig. 19. BOWL OF GOLD FISH.

A large cage containing a live canary.The cage, which is telescopic in action, the
upper part sliding down into the lower, is nearly twice the height of the hat, and when
once taken out cannot be put back. This is owing to the fact that the seed boxes, which in
their normal position are on the inside, revolve on spring pivots as the cage is withdrawn,
thus making it impossible to return it to the hat until they are replaced.

Twenty pint tumblers, ruby and green.These are made in celluloid and fit one in the
other. They are all of the same size, but being very thin occupy very little more space
than a single one.

Six champagne bottles.These are not quite so substantial as they look, being merely
half-bottles in thin metal, japanned black, and decorated with labels taken from the
genuine article. A bottle with a horizontal division in the center, the upper part containing
wine, and the lower part a tumbler, is generally introduced with the shells.

A small rabbit.
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A Chinese doll.Obtain a doll's head, 5 in. in diameter, from any Oriental store, and
drape it with a silk skirt. If a hole be cut in the top of the head it can be utilized in the
same manner as the cannon ball.

A skull which rises spontaneously from the hat.This is a model in papier-mache, and
being hollow, is very serviceable. It is caused to rise from the hat by means of a black
thread, which is carried through a staple in the flies immediately over the performer's
table, thence through another staple behind the wings, and down to the assistant.

It is not my intention to give directions for making those goods, as they can be bought at
a very small cost from any of the dealers in magical apparatus. I have found by
experience that this is the best course to pursue. Amateur work is, as a rule, very
commendable, but scarcely so as regards conjuring, clumsy and ill-made apparatus being
absolutely useless, and consequently dear at any price. Apart from this I have another,
and what I believe to be a more important object in view, viz., that of giving instruction
in the actual working of the trick.

It will be at once obvious to the reader that the chief element in the magical production of
articles from a borrowed hat, is the manner in which they are secretly introduced, as,
should this be detected, the trick would fail ignominiously. The main secret lies in the
combination of the looks and gestures of the performer to misdirect the audience. The
articles for the most part are introduced under cover of natural movements, quickness
being of little or no avail.

I will now describe one or two methods employed to effect this desideratum.

Loading.Under this heading I shall endeavor to give the working of a hat trick as
actually presented to an audience, using for the purpose articles selected from the
preceding list. The following preparations must be made:

A small rabbit is placed in the right hand profonde, and a billiard ball and a small dinner
plate are laid on the table.

A packet of one hundred spring flowers, secured by a band of tissue paper, must be in the
hands of the assistant at the right wing; and another similar packet must be placed in the
profonde on the left side.
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Fig. 20. DOUBLE WIRE LOOP.

florists's wire
The sash ribbon, folded as instructed, is tied round the fancy boxes together with the
string of sausages, with black tape. The parcel is suspended behind the back of a chair by
means of a pin and a double loop of florist's wire (see Fig. 20), the tape being passed
through the small loop, which is then hung on the pin. This leaves the large loop, the use
of which will be noted in due course, sticking up over the back of the chair, where,
however, it is quite invisible at a few paces.

The twenty pint tumblers are wrapped up in a piece of colored sash-ribbon and tied round
with tape to which is attached a loop of wire. Thus prepared they are placed in the
capacious breast pocket on the left side, the loop projecting so that the thumb or the right
hand can be passed through it and the package withdrawn.

The bundle of wood, containing the coil of ribbon, baby linen, and feeding bottle, must
be in readiness on the servante at the back of a second chair.

The skull, cannon ball, or globe of gold fish, whichever the performer intends to use, is
located on the servante at the back of the table.

The next thing to do is to obtain the loan of a hat, and having done so, it is well to
perform a preliminary experiment with the same. A very good one is that known as
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The Magnetized Hat.The performer places his hand, perfectly empty, on the crown
of the hat, which forthwith adheres to the palm, and in this position it can be moved about
and turned over in any direction. The finger tips are then used in place of the palm with
the same result. Finally, a silk handkerchief is thrown over the hat, and the palm of the
hand placed thereon, but the effect is still the same.

This seeming impossibility is accomplished with the aid of the little piece of apparatus
illustrated in Fig. 21. It consists of a brass plate fitted with two bent pins as shown, the
whole being painted black. The pins should be situated so that by placing the two middle
fingers between them the hat can be raised. The working of the trick will now be readily
understood. The clip must be pressed into the crown of the hat while returning with it to
the stage, the pin on the left of the figure being inserted first. The clip is removed, with
the handkerchief, in the final stage of the trick.

Fig. 21. APPARATUS FOR MAGETIZED HAT.

The ball and plate are now given for examination, and while all attention is riveted on
these two articles, ample opportunity will be found to introduce the rabbit unobserved,
which should be done while amongst the audience. The hat is then covered with the plate,
in which condition it is carried back to the stage, and placed on the table.

The performer now takes the ball, and vanishes it by palming; appearing to pass it
through the plate into the hat. The plate is then removed, and the ball taken from the hat
with the right hand, followed immediately by the rabbit.

The hat is now taken in the left hand, and the rabbit handed to the assistant at the wings
with the right. The assistant takes the rabbit, and at the same time, under cover of the
wing, gives the performer the packet of flowers; the hat being immediately placed in the
right hand to conceal their presence.

While drawing attention to the outside of the hat, the tissue paper is broken with the
fingers, and the flowers are released. They are then shaken out slowly on to a large sheet
of black alpaca, which should be spread over the stage to receive them. While this is
being done, the package is obtained from the profonde, the hat being changed over into
the left hand, and the second load thus introduced.

When the flowers have all been shaken from the hat, take it in the right hand, fingers
inside and thumb out, and approach the chair (this should be on your right) on which is
the bundle of ribbons, etc. Take the top of the chair in the hand holding the hat, and in
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doing so, push the forefinger through the loop of wire. Now move the chair away a few
paces, and when removing the hand from the back bring away the load, which will fall
into the hat unobserved. Leave the hat on the chair, and take up the alpaca containing the
flowers, putting it on one side.

Up to this point, no one will suspect that the hat contains anything, as what you have
done has been but natural in the preparation of the stage for the next trick.

The boxes are now taken from the hat and placed on the table, followed by the sausages.
When removing the latter, some amusement may be caused by referring to them as an
indefinable, condimental amalgamation of membranaceous disintegrations.

The ribbon is next pulled from the hat in long lengths with the right hand, and when the
hand contains a large quantity, the thumb is slipped through the wire loop attached to the
tumblers in the breast pocket. These are introduced when inserting the hand to take out
the next length of ribbon. The introduction of the tumblers cannot be detected, owing to
the presence of the ribbon in which they are wrapped. When the whole of the ribbon has
been extracted, it is thrown over the back of the chair, behind which is the bundle of
wood.

The tumblers are now taken from the hat, and placed on the table.

The performer then takes up the ribbon from the chair and makes an effort to return it to
the hat, thereby drawing attention to its great bulk, and remarking, Now, how do you
suppose I am going to get home with this? Why, I shall require at least two cabs.

It is needless to say that under cover of the ribbon the bundle of wood is introduced into
the hat. The baby linen, feeding bottle, and coil, are now produced, and finally the wood
itself. It is usual when taking the ribbon from the hat to spin it out on the wand.

Holding the hat by the brim, fingers inside and thumb out, the performer lowers it for an
instant to the rear edge of the table, and by inserting the middle finger of the hand into the
hole in the cannon ball scoops it up into the hat, which is forthwith raised and placed
crown downwards on the table.

This movement should be executed with the left hand while the right lays the bundle of
wood down on the table, and, if necessary, makes room for the next production.

The fish bowl, or skull, would of course be worked in a similar manner.

From the foregoing it will be seen that with a little expenditure of ingenuity and trouble a
hat trick can be carried on to an almost indefinite period. It should not, however, in any
case exceed fifteen minutes. I have taken the preceding list simply as an illustration of the
way in which the various movements are combined to appear natural and thus avoid
detection, also as a basis on which the student may arrange a hat trick of his own. Any
articles can, of course, be substituted for those given, or the list may be supplemented by
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others, or cut down as occasion may require. An amount of sang froid and boldness, only
acquired from years of actual practice, is necessary to execute a good hat trick faultlessly;
but this should not disconcert the reader, as it is only in accordance with what must be
expected in the acquisition of an art.

To Produce a number of Eggs from a Hat held Crown upwards.For this

purpose you must be provided with a black linen bag, oval in shape, and large enough to
contain the required number of eggs. To one end of this bag is sewn an ordinary tie clip,
the other end being cut off and provided with a piece of elastic so that eggs placed therein
cannot come out unless pressure be applied with the hand. The bag is loaded into the hat
by one or other of the methods described, and attached to the lining of the same by means
of the clip. Under these circumstances the production of the eggs from the inverted hat
will be an easy matter. The eggs used should be blown ones.

The bag should be allowed to remain in the hat after the last egg has been taken from it,
and removed later under cover of some other article.

The Hat Incubator.This experiment will be a welcome addition to any programme,

as it introduces an entirely new method of loading a silk hat. In effect it is as follows:
Having obtained the loan of a hat, the performer proceeds to collect a number of eggs by
sleight of hand, using the hat as an egg basket. The hat, containing say half a dozen eggs,
is then warmed over the flame of a candle, and immediately afterwards six live chickens
are taken from it, the eggs having totally disappeared.

Here is the solution of the mystery. As the performer steps back to the stage with the hat
he is met by his assistant, who comes on from the wings carrying a Japanese tray on
which is a lighted candle. He brings with him the chickens, which are enclosed in a black
alpaca bag hanging on his back between the shoulders. The mouth of the bag is gathered
up and retained with an ordinary tie clip to which is soldered a bent pin in the form of a
hook for attaching the whole to the cloth.

The performer, holding the hat in the left hand, opening towards the audience, approaches
his assistant, and when in the act of apparently instructing him to hold the tray at the
proper height, lowers the hat for an instant behind his back and scoops the bag containing
the chickens into it. This movement is so subtle that not one in a thousand will detect it.

The performer now obtains an egg from the pochette on the right side, and, lowering his
hand over the candle, appears to produce it from the flame. He now seems to place this
egg in the hat, really palming it and producing it over again. This is continued until the
hat is supposed to contain the required number, the last one being dropped unmistakably
into it.

The clip is then removed from the mouth of the bag, and attached to another portion of it
to prevent the possibility of dropping it on the floor; and the chickens are taken out one
by one and placed on the tray. This gives a very plausible pretext for the use of the
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assistant, and no one will suspect that he plays any but a very secondary part in the
working of the trick.

The chickens never talk after they have once been placed in the bag; on the contrary,
they appear perfectly happy huddled together in the darkness, and evidently enjoy the
warmth generated by their own bodies.

A good finish to the trick may be obtained by placing a folding bouquet, consisting of a
number of the spring flowers tied together, in the bag with the chickens. Under cover of
the bouquet, which should be produced last, the bag and one egg are secretly removed
from the hat, which is then returned to the owner.

CHAPTER VII

ANTI-SPIRITUALISTIC TRICKS
The Climbing Ring.The performer having obtained the loan of a lady's ring, passes
it over the end of his wand, which he then holds in a perpendicular position. The ring
now commences to climb up the wand very slowly, stopping or descending at command;
finally it jumps right off the wand and is caught by the performer, who immediately
hands it back to the lady.

This pretty experiment depends entirely upon a black silk thread, about twice the length
of the wand, to which it is fixed at the uppermost end. The means by which the thread is
attached may vary, but a good plan is to make a very small knot in the end of the thread,
which is then passed through a very fine slit cut in the end of the wand, the knot making
all secure. The thread is then passed down the side of the wand, in which position it will
not be noticed. The ring is now dropped over the wand, and consequently over the thread,
by the manipulation of which it may be caused to rise or fall, or, in response to a sharp
tug, to jump right off the wand. The wand is usually held in the left hand, while the right,
in which is the end of the thread, holds the lapel of the coat, when all that is necessary to
obtain the desired result is to move the left hand to or from the body as required.

The Mysterious Name.This is a capital trick, and one that can be introduced at any
time. The performer borrows a visiting card from any stranger in the company, and,
holding it between the thumb and the second finger of the hand, he waves it about very
slowly, at the same time asking someone to call out the name of any celebrity. This
having been done the card is almost immediately handed back to the owner, who finds
the selected name written thereon.

This ingenious trick is accomplished with the aid of a small accessory in the shape of a
thimble, to the end of which is attached a small piece of pencil about a quarter of an inch
in length. This thimble having been placed on the forefinger of the hand, it will be found,
by experiment, that the name may very easily be written on the back of a card held as
instructed.
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Prior to, and immediately after the trick, the thimble may be palmed as instructed
elsewhere.

The Spirit Calculator.A piece of paper and a pencil are handed to the audience with
a request that four different persons will each write down a row of four figures, one under
the other, to form an addition sum. The paper is then given to a fifth person to add up the
figures, but before he can call out the result the performer writes it down on a blackboard.

The secret lies in the fact that the performer is in possession of a piece of paper exactly
the same in every detail as that handed to the audience, on which, previous to the
entertainment, he has had written in different handwritings four rows of figures. In the
course of the entertainment all is fair and above-board until it comes to adding up the
sum, when the performer, in the act of giving the paper to the fifth person, changes it for
that of his own, with the total of which he is already acquainted. He has now only to run
to the stage and write down the answer on the blackboard.

A more startling conclusion than the prosaic one above mentioned may be obtained by
the use of sympathetic ink, composed of sulphuric acid and water, one part of the former
to three of the latter. Writing done with this ink will be invisible until heat be applied,
which will bring out the characters in jet black.

The performer, then, being provided with a piece of paper bearing the answer written
with the invisible ink, gives a plate to the person adding up the sum and asks him to set
light to the paper, first, however, taking careful note of the total. The prepared piece of
paper is now held over the flames on the plate, when the heat will bring out the answer,
which is proved to be correct.

The total may be produced with very good effect in any of the Slate Tricks hereafter
described.

A New Postal Trick.This is very useful, as it can be employed in conjunction with

any trick where a word, message, total of sum, etc., is to be produced in a magical
manner. An ordinary postal card is handed to a spectator with a request that he will tear a
small piece from one corner, and having done so, hand both portions back to the
performer. The corner is laid on the table and the card torn up into small pieces which are
then placed in the magic pistol, and fired at a borrowed hat. The card is afterwards
produced from the hat covered with writing, and fully restored with the exception of the
corner, which on being fitted to the card is found to correspond in every way.

The trick is accomplished with the aid of a second card prepared with the necessary
writing, and from which a corner has been removed. This card is secretly introduced into
the hat when returning with it to the stage. The performer, having palmed the portion
missing from the card in the hat, makes an exchange when laying the corner on the table.
The plain card is then torn into fragments, and together with its corner is placed in the
pistol, which is then fired at the hat. It is well to place a piece of paper in the mouth of the
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cone to receive the torn pieces of card, as by this means the danger of dropping any on
the floor is obviated.

An additional effect may be obtained by having previously placed in the body of the
pistol a piece of paper containing a powder for producing colored fire, when, after having
disposed of the cup containing the torn card, you appear to overhear a remark to the
effect that you have put something in your pocket, to which you reply, No, I certainly
did not put anything in my pocket. See, here is the paper containing the card (really the
package of colored fire), after which the card is removed from the hat.

The above trick may very well be used in conjunction with The Spirit Calculator.

New Slate Tricks.Under this heading will be noticed several methods, all of recent
invention, for performing the well-known slate trick.

First Method.Two ordinary school slates are given into the hands of a spectator, who,
after making a careful examination, ties them together with stout cord, in which condition
they are placed in the cabinet. Writing is immediately heard, and when it ceases the slates
are at once handed out to the performer, who on separating them finds the required
message.

The secret lies in the fact that the medium is provided with two small wooden wedges;
also an umbrella rib, to which at one end is fitted a minute piece of pencil. All he has to
do, therefore, is to force the wedges between the slates on one side until sufficient space
is provided for the insertion of the rib, when the writing of the message will be found an
easy matter.

Second Method.In this case the two slates, after examination, may be actually screwed
together with iron bolts, but in spite of this precaution writing is obtained as before.

Under these circumstances the performer is provided with a piece of prepared chalknot
the conventional commodity as sold in every drug store, but prepared by coating a piece
of steel, about the size of a pea, with chalk paste, which is then allowed to dry. The piece
of chalk is placed between the two slates, which are then bolted together and put into the
cabinet; when, under the influence of a powerful horseshoe magnet passed over the
outside of one slate as required, the prepared chalk will produce the spirit writing.

Third Method (one slate only).After examination the slate is held by the performer
above his head, when almost immediately writing is heard; and on the slate being turned
round it is found to contain the desired message.

The slate, a small one for preference, is provided with a loose vulcanite flap covering one
side, and concealing the writing which is already there. The performer hands the slate
round for examination (keeping the flap in position by means of the fingers), and asks a
spectator to initial it in one corner to satisfy himself that it is not exchanged. This having
been done, and while returning to the stage, the performer removes the flap under cover
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of his body and places it in the vest, or in the large pocket in the breast of the coat. He
then holds the slate above his head, fingers in front and thumbs behind. The sound of
writing is produced by scratching with one thumb on the back of the slate, and when this
has been continued long enough the message is revealed.

Fourth Method (one slate only).In this instance the slate, which is an ordinary one, is
shown to be clean on both sides, in which condition it is given to a spectator to hold. The
performer then takes a pistol and, at a few paces, fires direct at the slate, on which,
immediately after the report, the message is discovered.

To produce this startling effect all that is necessary is to write the message on the slate
with glycerine just before commencing the trick, and to load the pistol with a small
charge of powder, on the top of which is placed a quantity of powdered chalk.

Any of the above methods may be used in connection with such tricks as The Spirit
Calculator, The Great Dictionary Trick, and any others of a like nature.

The Spirit Handkerchief.The effect of this trick, which is exceptionally good, is as

follows: Several knots having been tied in a large silk handkerchief borrowed from a
member of the audience, it is thrown on the floor of the stage when it immediately begins
to act as if it were a live snake, twisting and twirling in every conceivable form. The
performer passes his wand over, under and all round the handkerchief, thus proving to the
satisfaction of the most astute that there are no connections.

It is hardly necessary to say, however, that in spite of such convincing proof to the
contrary, connection is actually made with the handkerchief, and it is done in the
following manner: A fine black silk thread is stretched across the stage from one wing to
the other, the ends being in the hands of two assistants. Having obtained the loan of the
handkerchief, the performer, standing behind the thread, takes it diagonally by two
corners and twists it up rope fashion. He then ties three knots in it, one a little below the
center, one a little above the center, and the third at one end. While this is being done the
assistants raise the thread round which the last knot, forming the head of the snake, is
actually tied; but owing to the thread being invisible this will pass unobserved.

Having made the last knot the performer drops the handkerchief on the floor, when its
emulation of a live snake will depend entirely on the adroit manner in which the
assistants manipulate the thread. Finally, it should be made to jump into the hand of the
performer, who should at once hand it, with the knots still tied, to the owner. This is
managed by the assistant at one end dropping the thread and the other one pulling it clear
of the handkerchief.

The Mysterious Communication.This trick, which is a very good one, is

performed by a method very little known. The effect is as follows:Any person writes
on a piece of paper any word or series of words to form a short sentence, and having done
so, folds the paper and puts it in his pocket. At this stage the performer introduces a reel
of telephonic wire, the end of which, containing a loop, is handed to the writer, with a
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request that he will place the loop over the ball of the left thumb. This having been done,
the performer places the reel against his forehead, and, after a few seconds' thought,
writes the message, or an answer thereto, on the blackboard.

To obtain this result, all that is necessary is to be provided with a piece of paper smeared
over on one side with white wax, or common washing soap; also a slab of plate glass by
way of writing board. The paper is placed on the glass, waxed side downwards, in which
condition the assistant takes it to a gentleman in the audience. When writing on the paper
a very faint impression, invisible to anyone who does not actually look for it, is obtained
on the glass. In the act of taking the glass back from his assistant the performer obtains
the desired cue. The use of the wire is optional, but, of course, it adds much to the effect
of the trick.

The Great Dictionary Trick (new method.)This is an improvement on the old

trick under this name, as any dictionary may be used, whereas formerly the trick
depended entirely upon a dictionary composed of one page repeated throughout. The
effect is as follows:

The performer hands a sealed envelope to a spectator, asking him to take care of it, and
not break the seal until requested. A dictionary is then given for examination, after which
a lady inserts in it, at any page, a playing card. A counter bearing a number, say 27, is
taken from a bag containing fifty, all numbered differently; the dictionary is opened at the
page containing the card, and due note is taken of the twenty-seventh word indicated by
the counter, and which is, we will suppose, Magic. The gentleman is next requested to
open the envelope, and on doing so finds to his astonishment that it contains a card on
which is written Magic, n, sorcery; enchantment, in exact accordance with the word
chosen, apparently by chance, from the dictionary.

The seeming mystery is easily explained. Obtain a new quarter pocket dictionary, and,
having opened it somewhere about the middle, bend the covers right back until they
touch each other. Any new book used thus will ever afterwards, unless otherwise
maltreated, open readily at the same page. After the dictionary has been examined the
performer allows it to fall open at this page, into which he secretly introduces a playing
card previously palmed in his right hand. The book is then closed.

The performer, still holding the book, gives a card, identical in every respect with the
other one, to a lady, with a request that she will insert it between the leaves in any
position and push it right into the book. The performer, of course, takes care that the two
cards do not clash. In this condition the dictionary is laid on the table.

A small bag, preferably of silk, is next introduced, from which the performer takes a
handful of counters numbered from 1 to 50 and gives them for examination, after which
they are returned to the bag. Any person is now allowed to place his hand in the bag and
remove one counter, but it is needless to say, however careful he may be, the number
chosen will be 27, which is accounted for by the fact that the bag is provided with a
division through its entire length, forming two pockets, one of which contains the
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counters numbered 1 to 50, and the other, fifty counters all bearing the same number, i.e.,
27.

The dictionary is now opened by the performer at his own page, which every one will
take to be the one chosen by the lady; someone is asked to note the twenty-seventh word
on that page as indicated by the counter, the trick being brought to a conclusion as
already described.

The performer can always ensure the left-hand page of the opening being read, by
holding the book, with the card, in such a position that the twenty-seventh word on the
right-hand page cannot be seen. Care must also be taken not to expose the duplicate card.

By way of variation the chosen word may be produced with the sympathetic ink, or it
may be revealed by the method employed in A New Postal Trick.

For the above trick, in the form described, I am indebted to Mr. Maurice Victor, a most
skillful exponent of sleight of hand.

Long-distance Second Sight.Two performers, usually a lady and a gentleman, are

required for this seance. The gentleman introduces the lady, who is then escorted by a
committee, chosen from the audience, to a room in a different part of the house, in which
she is secured under lock and key. Several of the committee then guard the room, while
the others return to the concert-hall and give the performer the following particulars:
Time shown by any watch (not necessarily the proper time); initials of any person in the
room; any number of four figures; any word of four or five letters; number of cigarettes
in any case, and kind of case; amount of money in any purse, and kind of purse. After this
has been done a member of the committee takes pen, ink, and paper to the lady, who
immediately writes down the time, initials, number, etc.; these, on examination, are found
to be correct, although she has never left the room, neither has the performer left the
stage, and no connection of any description exists between them.

This inexplicable performance is thus accomplished: The performer is provided with a

small writing pad, 3 in. by 2 in., consisting of a piece of card-board, on which are held,
by means of two elastic bands, several cigarette papers. This pad, together with a small
piece of soft lead pencil, is placed in the right-hand trousers pocket. As the various items
are called out, the performer stands with his right hand in the pocket, a perfectly natural
attitude, and appears to be thinking deeply; but he is really writing down the particulars,
one under the other, on the cigarette paper, which, with a little practice, can be done quite
legibly. He then tears off the paper and rolls it into a small ball between the fingers.

A piece of plain paper is now obtained from any member of the audience, in order to
prove that a prepared piece is not used, and together with a Fountain Pen, supplied by the
performer, is taken, by one of the committee, to the lady. While the paper is being
obtained the performer has ample time to remove the cap from the pen-nib, and, before
placing it on the opposite end of the pen in the place provided for it, he inserts in it the
small ball of paper which is thus secretly carried to the lady. On receipt of the pen and
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paper the lady requests to be left alone for a few seconds, as otherwise she will not be
able to obtain the aid of the spirits, and in the absence of the committee-man she takes
a hair-pin, and with it extracts the ball of paper from the pen, reads, and writes out the
required information.

It is necessary that the order in which the various items are called out should be known
alike to the performer and medium, as otherwise the time might be mistaken for the
number, and other errors might occur. A number of letters to indicate the various kinds
of purses and cigarette cases, as L. for leather, S. for silver, etc., should also be
agreed on between the two parties.

It will be obvious that the above trick is subject to much variation according to the taste
of the performer, and may be elaborated if desired. A throw of dice; a person's age; or the
name of a selected card (write 8 D for eight of diamonds, etc.) may be substituted for
any of the items given above.

CHAPTER VIII

MISCELLANEOUS TRICKS
Flash Paper.Having had occasion several times during the course of the present
work to make use of flash paper, I will now describe the manner in which it is
prepared. It is not, however, practical to manufacture it at home, as it can be obtained in
large quantities at a very small cost.

A mixture of nitric and sulphuric acids, one part of the former to two of the latter, is
made, and allowed to stand for twelve hours before using. The, experiment should be
made in the open air. Ordinary tissue paper is then immersed in the fluid for a few
seconds, after which it is taken out and washed well in clear water, until all trace of acid
has been removed. This can be ascertained by the use of blue litmus paper, which when
dipped into the water will betray the presence of the acid by turning red. The paper
should then be dried in a warm atmosphere, but not near a fire, and it is ready for use.

Flash handkerchiefs are prepared in a similar manner. For this purpose take a piece of
fine cambric, wash it well in hot water to remove all grease and other impurities, and then
treat it in the same way as the paper.

A New Fire Flash.This forms a very good opening trick. The performer steps on the
stage and, in what appears to be a careless manner, picks up a piece of paper from the
floor, rolls it up in his hands, and throws it in the air, where it disappears in a flame,
leaving no trace behind.

To produce this effect you must obtain some very fine glass tubing about the thickness of
a darning needle, and having broken off several pieces about an inch long, fill them with
sulphuric acid. This can be done with the aid of a long piece of india-rubber tubing, the
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acid being drawn into the glass by suction. The ends of the tube are then sealed
hermetically in the flame of a spirit lamp. You must next prepare a powder composed of
equal parts of chlorate of potash and powdered lump sugar. Wrap a very small quantity of
this powderabout as much as will lie on a dimetogether with one of the acid tubes in
a piece of flash paper, and all is ready.

When rolling up the paper in the hands the tube is broken; the acid escapes and fires the
powder, which in turn sets light to the paper and produces the desired result.

Caution.To prevent accidents never prepare the papers, or even mix the powder, until
actually required for use.

Conjurer's Ammunition.The magic pistol is usually loaded with a small charge of

powder. This is excellent for stage purposes, but hardly suitable for the drawing-room,
where some objection might be taken to the employment of powder, even in a small
quantity. The pistol, however, need not be discarded, as it can still be used in a manner
that will in no way detract from the charm of the trick. Load the pistol with a piece of
flash paper, place a percussion cap on the nipple, and pull the trigger. The paper will take
fire and be thrown from the pistol, vanishing in a sheet of flame at the opposite end of the
room.

Again, the pistol need not be loaded at all, but just as you are about to fire you appear to
understand that the ladies object, and remarkOh! I see the ladies object to the report
well in that case I will use the pistol as an air-gun. Saying this, you remove the conical
tube and blow through it to cause the supposed transmission.

Smoke from Two Empty Pipes.Two empty and clean clay pipes are passed round
for examination and proved ostensibly to be unprepared. The bowls are then placed one
over the other, when the performer, by simply inserting one of the stems in his mouth,
commences to blow clouds of smoke from the pipes.

The solution of the mystery is as follows:A few drops of hydrochloric acid (spirits of
salts) are placed in one of the pipes, while the other is similarly treated with ammonia.
The union of the two chemicals produces a thick vapor, which has all the appearance of
smoke produced from tobacco.

A good combination trick may be formed by preparing a glass tumbler and the bottom of
a tea plate, as above described; the plate is then placed over the tumbler, the whole being
covered with a handkerchief. The smoke so mysteriously produced from the pipes may
now be caused, apparently by some occult means, to find its way into the closed tumbler.

A New Fire-eating Trick.This, although a very startling trick, is quite harmless, and
can be performed by anyone. Small balls of fire are placed in the mouth and, apparently,
swallowed, being immediately afterwards produced from the ears, or any part of the body
that fancy may suggest.
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The balls are small pieces of camphor cut to shape, and are lighted in the flame of a
candle. They should be tossed from one hand to the other, and finally into the mouth,
which should forthwith be closed. This, of course, extinguishes the balls, which should be
secretly removed at the earliest opportunity.

The reproduction of the balls of fire is managed with the aid of the acid tubes mentioned
above, which, together with a small quantity of the powder, should be wrapped up in
flash paper, and deposited about the person as required. The best effect, however, is
obtained by producing them from behind the ears; it is also a very convenient method, as
the tubes are not so likely to be prematurely fractured.

Exploding Soap-bubbles.This is a novelty, and will be found to produce a very

good effect. The bubbles are blown in the usual way with an ordinary clay pipe, the only
preparation necessary being that the bowl of the pipe must be filled with cotton-wool
soaked in gasoline. Bubbles blown with a pipe thus prepared will be found to explode in
a flame when approached with a light.

Walnut Shells and Pea.This is an excellent table trick, and can be performed at
close quarters without much fear of detection. The only articles required for the execution
of the trick are three half walnut shells and a pea. The three shells are laid in a row on the
table, the pea being placed under the center one, from which position it disappears and is
ultimately found under either of the end ones at the will of the performer. The table used
must be covered with a cloth of some kind.

The secret lies in the pea, which is fashioned from a piece of india-rubber, but unless
closely inspected cannot be distinguished from the ordinary everyday article. When
presenting the trick the pea is actually placed under the middle shell. The shells are then,
each in turn, commencing from the one on the left, pushed up the table about 3 in. When
moving the middle one the pea, owing to its nature and the concavity of the shell, will be
found to work its way out, when it is instantly seized with the thumb and middle finger.
This, however, cannot be suspected, as the hand retains a perfectly natural position. The
third shell is then moved into a line with the other two.

The pea can now be caused to appear under either of the shells at pleasure, all that is
necessary being to leave it on the table immediately behind the shell in the act of raising
the same.

In effect this trick is identical with that known as Thimble Rigging, which it is
therefore needless to describe, but the secret is much prettier and calculated to deceive
more thoroughly.

The Garter Trick.This is a very old trick, and from its title will be recognized at once
as common to the sharps who frequent race-courses. It is not, however, generally known,
and as it forms a good table trick a description of it may not be out of place. It is usually
performed with a piece of stiff half-inch tape; an ordinary inch tape measure will answer
the purpose admirably. The tape is folded in half and coiled round and round on the table
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until it is almost impossible to tell for certain which is the loop proper, i.e., the point at
which the tape was doubled (see Fig. 22). The bystander is then requested to place the
point of his pen-knife in the loop, but however careful he may be in his selection he will
fail, as the performer is able to pull the tape clear of the knife in all cases. The secret lies
in the fact that the tape is not folded exactly in half, one end being left shorter than the
other by about 3 in. When uncoiling the tape, if the knife be actually placed in the loop,
and both ends are pulled from the point A, it will not come away; but if the short end be
passed round to the left and both ends pulled from the point B, it will be found to come
clear of the knife. All the performer has to do, therefore, is to watch and see if the knife is
really placed in the loop or otherwise, and to act accordingly. The short end is carried
round under cover of the fingers while twisting the tape.

Fig. 22. METHOD OF FOLDING TAPE.

Fig. 22 is arranged for clearness, but in actual practice the tape would receive many more
twists, which would also be of a more intricate nature.

The Tube and Ball.This is a very ingenious trick, and well worthy the attention of
the most fastidious performer. It can be used in several ways.
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Fig. 23.
TUBE, BALL, AND CAP.

The apparatus consists of a piece of 1 in. brass tubing about 7 in. long, with a cap of the
same metal fitting loosely over one end; also two billiard balls about the size of the
diameter of the tube. The audience, however, are not supposed to know of the existence
of more than one ball. (See Fig. 23). The tube and cap, together with the ball, are given
for examination, attention being drawn to the fact that the ball will readily pass through
the tube. After examination the tube is stood on one end on the table and covered with the
cap. The operator then takes the ball and vanishes it by means of sleight of hand, when,
on the tube being raised, it has to all appearance been passed underneath.

The secret lies in the fact that there is a very small dent in the side of the tube at the
center: also that one of the ballsthat given for examinationis slightly smaller than the
other. The small ball runs freely through the tube, but the large one will not pass the
center on account of the indentation.

On receiving back the tube the performer secretly drops the large ball into it, which,
owing to the force of the fall, is pinched in the center and will not fall out. In this
condition the tube can be turned about in all directions and will still appear empty. When
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placing it on the table the performer is careful to bring it down rather smartly on the end
at which the ball was introduced, when, owing to the concussion, the ball is released and
falls on the table.

The tube can be used to cause the disappearance of a ball in the following manner:
Place the ball on a tea plate and cover it with the tube, which in turn cover with a second
plate. By reversing the position of the structure the ball falls into the tube, where it is
retained in the manner described, and after a little more twisting and turning, to add to the
general confusion, the plates are removed and the ball is proved to be non est.

The ball can of course be reproduced if desired; or if two tubes are used it may be,
apparently, passed from one to the other. In this case, however, I would suggest that
round discs of wood be used in place of the plates, as the latter would be likely to get
fractured in the act of bringing the tube down with sufficient force to dislodge the ball.

The Ubiquitous Thimble.This is one of the prettiest sleight of hand tricks in

existence, and requires very little practice. For the purpose of the trick, in its entirety, the
performer must be provided with two thimbles exactly alike; but very many surprising
passes can be made with one thimble only. The idea of the trick proper is to cause a
thimble placed on the forefinger of the right hand to disappear and be found on the
corresponding finger of the left hand, without the hands approaching each other. It is
usual, however, in the first place, to execute a number of passes with one thimble only, as
by this means the audience will be the less likely to suspect the introduction of the second
one. The main thing necessary is to acquire the knack of holding a thimble in the fleshy
portion of the hand at the root of the thumb, in which position it can be placed, or
removed at pleasure, by simply bending the forefinger (see Figs. 24 and 25). This sleight
must be executed with equal facility with both hands.

Fig. 24. PALMING THIMBLE.

When about to present the trick the performer comes forward with a thimble on the
forefinger of the right hand, the second one being in the left-hand trousers pocket. He
now appears to place the thimble in the left hand, but really, when the right hand is in
motion towards the left, it is palmed as described. The left hand is then brought down
with some force on the head and the thimble produced from the mouth on the forefinger
of the right hand. This can be done with perfect ease, as, so long as the hand is kept in
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motion during the recovery of the thimble, there is no fear of the movement being
detected.

Fig. 25. THIMBLE PALMED.

The thimble is then apparently placed in the mouth, really being palmed as before, and
afterwards produced from the bottom of the vest. While doing this the performer stands
with the left hand in the trousers pocket and palms the second thimble. Both hands are
now held palms away from the spectators, and kept in continual motion. Under cover of
this the right-hand thimble is palmed, and that in the left hand produced, when it will
appear to have been passed from one hand to the other. This can be repeated as often as
desired.

Finally the second thimble should be secretly disposed of, and the trick brought to a
conclusion with a pass performed with the one only.

An additional effect may be obtained by the use of two thimbles, one fitting over the
other. These should be made in thin metal so as to be, in point of size, as near alike as
possible. The two thimbles, which appear as one only, are placed on the forefinger of the
right hand, and covered with a small paper cone, with the remark, You see the cone just
fits the thimble; I will now show you a rather extraordinary experiment with the same.
The cone is then removed, with slight pressure at the base, and placed on the table on the
supposition that it is empty, but it really contains the uppermost thimble. The one left on
the finger is then vanished, under cover of a throwing movement towards the cone, which
is then removed by the apex and the thimble discovered.

While all attention is drawn to the table the duplicate thimble is dropped into the
profonde.

The Multiplying Wand.The performer comes forward with a plain polished ebony
conjuring wand of the ordinary pattern, which he waves about in the air, when it is
suddenly seen to have multiplied into two. He then wraps one of these in a piece of
newspaper which he instantly crushes into a small compass in his hands, the wand having
entirely disappeared.
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It is needless to say that to produce the above effect two wands are necessary. One,
however, is very different from what it represents itself to be, being a mere shell of black,
glazed paper.

Prior to the commencement of the trick the solid one is encased in the shell, and in this
condition it is brought on the stage. In the course of waving it about, the solid article is
allowed to slide out of the case, a wand being shown in each hand. These can both be
proved, in conjurer's logic, to be perfectly solid by adopting the following ruse:

The performer strikes the table several times with the one in the right hand, which should
be the solid one, after which it is apparently placed in the left hand, and the one already
there taken and treated in the same way. When, however, the two are both together in the
left hand the solid one is again taken, but the spectators, having no reason to suspect
trickery, will suppose that the wands have actually changed places. The shell is then
rolled up in a piece of paper and crushed in the hands, when, to all appearance, the wand
will have disappeared.

The trick may very well end here, or the vanished wand may be reproduced. This may be
done by having previously concealed a second solid wand in the leg of the trousers, in a
pocket similar to that in which carpenters carry a rule. The two solid wands may then be
struck together, proving their solidity beyond doubt.

The Restored Cut.This is a very interesting little trick, and is especially suitable for
an after-dinner surprise. The performer takes a needle containing about a yard of thread,
and passes it through an apple. The cord is then pulled backwards and forwards, after
which the apple is cut in half with a table knife; both portions are shown, the cord having
to all intents and purposes been severed. The two portions are then united and the cord is
pulled backwards and forwards as before.

The performer prepares for the trick by passing the needle in at the side of the apple and
bringing it out at the end opposite the stalk, in which condition it is laid on the table.

When about to present the trick the performer takes up both articles, which if held
properly will appear to be separate, and announces that he is about to pass the thread
through the apple. He apparently does so, but really inserts the needle at the point where
it came out, passing it to the opposite side. The thread is now pulled backwards and
forwards, when it will appear to actually traverse the center of the fruit.

The apple is then cut in half, at right angles to the cord, which under the circumstances
will remain uninjured. The parts are now handed round for inspection, care being taken to
keep them together at the bottom, after which they are replaced and the cord shown to be
intact. At the conclusion of the trick the thread should be withdrawn from the fruit and
given for examination; this also prevents the discovery of the secret by any inquisitive
spectator.
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The Mysterious Tambourine.It is generally understood that, should the silk hat go
out of fashion, conjurers would be at a loss for a suitable article wherewith to work the
numerous production tricks. Should such a calamity ever befall the profession the
mysterious tambourine will, to some extent, come to the rescue.

The apparatus consists of two nickel-plated brass rings, 8 in. in diameter and 1 in. deep;
the one fitting easily over the other (see Fig. 26). The tambourine is constructed by
placing a sheet of paper between the two rings, and pressing the upper one down over the
lower, the edges of the paper being afterwards trimmed round with scissors. Thus
prepared it is shown back and front.

Fig. 26. RINGS FOR TAMBOURINE.

The prestidigitateur then makes a small hole in the center of the paper with his wand, and
immediately commences to twist out yard after yard of colored paper ribbon, sufficient
being obtained to fill a large clothes basket. If the performer desires to add to the effect of
the trick the production of the ribbon may be preceded by that of a number of
handkerchiefs, also a quantity of spring flowers and other articles of a like nature. Finally
a rabbit or a large bird cage containing a live bird may be produced from the pile of
ribbon.

The explanation is very simple. The tambourine is put together at the rear edge of the
table, and when taking it up prior to trimming the edges, the coil, which was on the
servante or suspended at the back of the table, is brought away under cover of the paper
and pressed into the ring. The back of the colored coil should be rubbed over with chalk
to match the white paper used in the construction of the tambourine which can then be
shown back and front, but will still appear empty.
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The flowers should be done up in three packets of twenty each and laid on the coil, being
covered with the handkerchiefs, which should be folded up neatly. The packet is then tied
together with thin cotton, which can easily be broken when required.

The rabbit is in readiness in the profonde on the right side, and is introduced into the
ribbon when picking it up from the floor.

The cage, which should be a folding one, is suspended behind the back of a chair, over
which the ribbon would be thrown while performing a simple trick with one of the
handkerchiefs. In the act of taking the ribbon from the chair opportunity would be found
for introducing the cage unobserved.

The Bran and Dove Plates.The trick I am about to describe, in its primary form,
consists of changing a quantity of bran or flour into a live dove. It can, how, ever, like the
tambourine, be made available for the production of various articles, and is especially
suitable for the magical distribution of bonbons, candy, etc.

The performer comes forward with an ordinary soup, plate filled to overflowing with
bran, a portion of which is scattered over the stage to prove its genuineness. The bran is
then covered with a second plate, which on being removed reveals a live dove, the bran
having entirely disappeared.

The explanation is as follows:One of the plates is fitted with a tin lining, enameled
white on the inside to represent the china (see Fig. 27). The supposed bran is really this
tin lining turned upside down with bran gummed all over it; a handful of loose bran being
thrown on the top. It is hardly necessary to say that the dove is already in the plate
concealed by the bran shape.

The false heap of bran is now covered with the second plate, and while talking the
performer, in a careless way, turns the plates over several times, finally placing them on
the table in such a manner that the one that was formerly uppermost shall now be at the
bottom. All he has to do now is to remove the uppermost plate and take out the dove. The
inside of the bottom plate should now be shown, when it will appear perfectly empty.

Fig. 27. PLATE AND TIN LINING.

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In place of the dove the plate may be loaded with candy and small toys, for distribution;
or with a list of articles similar to those produced from the tambourine. If a coil of ribbon
be used it should be a colored one, with one side rubbed over with chalk so that the inside
of the plate may be shown prior to its production.

By using two pairs of these plates, and being provided with two doves exactly alike, the
bran in one may be made to, apparently, change places with the dove in the other.

The Wandering Beer.The feat bearing this title consists of causing a glass of beer to
pass through the crown of a borrowed hat. Having obtained the loan of two hats, the
performer places them on the table mouth to mouth, and stands the glass of beer on the
crown of the uppermost one, covering it with a paper cylinder of the same height as itself.
On removing the cylinder it is shown to be perfectly empty, the glass being immediately
taken from the lower hat.

For the performance of the trick the operator must be provided with a glass, 3 in. high
by 2 in. in diameter at the mouth, tapering very slightly towards the bottom. In addition
to the glass and the paper cylinder a piece of glass tubing the same height as the tumbler,
and large enough to pass easily over the same, will also be required. This piece of tubing
must be browned on the inside to within 1 in. of the top, and finished with a little white
paint to represent froth, when, thus, prepared, it will readily pass for a glass containing
beer.

The paper cylinder, containing the sham glass, being on the table, the performer comes
forward with a bottle of beer and fills the tumbler. He then takes up the cylinder and
passes his wand right through it, as if to prove that it has not undergone any preparation,
after which he places it over the glass of beer. He then puts the glass, still covered with
the cylinder, into one of the hats, with the remark, I will now cause the tumbler to pass
from one hat to the other, then, as if struck with a sudden thought, changes his mind,
saying, No, perhaps it would be more effective if I place the hats one over the other, and
pass the glass through the crown of the uppermost one. Saying this he, apparently, takes
the tumbler, still under cover of the cylinder, from the hat, and places it in the required
position. Really, however, the beer was left behind, the cylinder and counterfeit glass
alone being removed.

Now, in order to satisfy the spectators that the beer is actually on the crown of the hat, the
performer lifts the cylinder and exposes the sham glass, which everyone believes to be
the genuine article. The cover is then replaced and the tumbler commanded to pass into
the lower hat, after which it is again raised, together with the counterfeit, and the wand
passed through it as before. The hats are then separated and the glass is produced from
the lower one.

A Crystal Water Mystery.Chemical tricks, as a rule, do not meet with much favor at
the hands of professional conjurers. The reason is pretty clear, as in the majority of cases,
the modus operandi is too palpable. The one I am about to describe, however, owing to
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the number of changes produced, is an exceptionally good one, and is to be found in the
repertoire of the leading performers of the day.

Fig. 28. ARRANGEMENT OF JUG AND GLASSES.

Four empty glass tumblers, together with a glass jug full of water, are arranged on a tray
as shown in Fig. 28.

Water poured from the jug into

No. 1, is seen to be clear.

No. 2, changes to brown pop.
No. 3, is seen to be clear.
No. 4, again changes to brown pop.
Nos. 1 and 2 mixed equal brown pop.
Nos. 3 and 4 equal water.
Nos. 1 and 2 put back into the jug give all brown pop.
Nos. 3 and 4 put back into the jug give all water, as at first.

The explanation, although by no means obvious, is very simple. Glass No. 1 is perfectly
clean. No. 2 contains a small portion of pyrogallic acid, about the size of a pea. No. 3 is
prepared with half a teaspoonful of sulphuric acid. No. 4 contains the same quantity of
pyrogallic acid as No. 2. The jug contains clear water, into which a teaspoonful of
sulphate of iron is dropped just before the trick is commenced. The iron should not be
placed in the water until actually required for use, as the solution changes rapidly to a
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yellow color, in which condition it would not very well pass for water. For the same
reason the jug should be removed immediately after the trick.

Some performers prefer to use the following chemicals in place of those enumerated
above. I will give them in the same order, and then the magician may choose for himself.
Glass No. 1, as before, is quite clean; No. 2 contains a few drops of muriated tincture of
iron; No. 3, a teaspoonful of a saturated solution of oxalic acid; and No. 4 is prepared in
the same manner as No. 2. A teaspoonful of tannic acid should be added to the water in
the jug prior to the commencement of the experiment.

I myself always use the sulphuric acid, as I believe it produces the best result, but in the
case of a spill it is very dangerous, and on this account the latter method is to be
preferred. The changes, in either case, are quite instantaneous, hence the trick produces a
most extraordinary effect.

The Wizard's Breakfast.The magical production of steaming hot coffee has always
been a favorite trick with the juveniles, especially when the beverage is handed round for
their consumption, and various pieces of apparatus have been designed for effecting this
purpose. The most up-to-date method, however, is the one hereafter described:

Two boxes, without lids, sizes about 12 in. by 8 in. by 8 in., usually fitting one within the
other for convenience in traveling, and containing respectively cuttings of blue and white
paper, are introduced to the audience. Two pint goblets, in metal, are then filled, one with
blue, and the other with white paper from the boxes, after which they are covered with
small silk handkerchiefs. On removing the handkerchiefs the blue and the white papers
are found to have been transformed respectively into hot coffee and hot milk. The
performer then pours a portion of each fluid into a breakfast cup, and makes a motion as
if throwing the whole over the audience, when nothing falls but a shower of blue and
white paper cuttings, every vestige of the coffee and milk having disappeared.

There are in reality four goblets employed in the trick, two of which, containing the
fluids, are concealed in the boxes unknown to the spectators. These two are provided with
shallow trays fitting loosely within them at the top, each tray being filled with paper of
the required color (Fig. 29).
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Fig. 29. GOBLET WITH SHALLOW TRAY.

When presenting the trick the performer comes forward with the box containing the white
paper, and throwing a handful in the air, calls out, Out in the cold, which remark is
perfectly justifiable, as the paper gives a faithful representation of falling snow. Placing
this box on the table, and taking up that containing the blue paper, he scatters a handful
over the stage with the remark, This is the same as the white, only the wind blue it. He
now takes one of the goblets from the table and appears to fill it with white paper, but
really, while in the box, an exchange is made for the one containing the milk, which,
owing to the presence of the shallow tray, will appear to be full of paper. This is then
covered with a handkerchief, after which the second goblet is treated in like manner.

The shallow trays have each a piece of wire projecting from their upper edge to enable
the performer to remove them under cover of the handkerchiefs. The handkerchiefs are
thrown in a careless manner over the sides of the boxes, into which, if sufficient paper
has been provided, the trays may be secretly allowed to fall.

The cup and saucer will next require our attention. These are of metal in imitation of the
genuine article, the saucer being made double, with a small hole in the center of its upper
side, for a purpose that will presently appear. The cup is provided with a perpendicular
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division nearly in the center, a small hole being drilled in the bottom of that side next the
handle (see Fig. 30).

Fig. 30. PREPARED CUP AND SAUCER.

The front and larger side is filled with a mixture of blue and white paper cuttings, and
thus prepared, together with the saucer, it is placed on the table. When pouring the coffee
and milk into the cup the performer takes care that it goes into the space provided with
the small hole, through which it immediately runs into the body of the saucer.

It is usual to bring the trick to a conclusion by apparently throwing the fluid over the
audience as already described, but should the performer be provided with a number of
small cups and a tray, that portion of the beverage not used may be handed round as
refreshments.

The Hydrostatic Tube.This is a trick of comparatively recent invention. It requires

very careful handling, and the performer must be possessed of almost superhuman nerve
to present it successfully to a critical audience. It produces, however, a most
extraordinary effect, and on this account is to be recommended.

A piece of paper is placed at the bottom of a glass tube or chimney used for gas, which is
then filled with water, while the top of the tube is covered with a second piece of paper.
The right hand is then placed on the top paper and the position of the tube reversed. The
papers are then, each in turn, removed, but the water does not fall from the cylinder: on
the contrary, it remains suspended without visible means of support. The papers are now
replaced, and the top one is pierced with a hat-pin, when, on the pin being withdrawn, the
water at once falls into a basin placed ready to receive it under the tube.
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This surprising result is due entirely to a well-known natural law, viz., the pressure of the
atmosphere, and is nothing more nor less than a modification of the old schoolboy trick
of keeping a glass of water inverted by means of a sheet of paper. The new arrangement
will, however, require special explanation.

Each end of the cylinder is fitted with a glass cap, grooved to fit into and over it at the
same time; this is necessary to avoid slipping. The ends of the tube, also the edges of the
caps, must be ground, so that the point of juncture shall be air-tight. One of the caps has a
small hole drilled through the center (see Fig. 31).

Fig. 31.
GLASS CYLINDER AND CAPS.

When about to present the trick the two glass caps are laid on the bottoms of two
upturned tumblers, where they are quite invisible. The performer then draws attention to
two square pieces of paper, which he dips into the water contained in the bowl,
afterwards laying them down on the glass tumblers, and over the glass discs. He next
shows the tube, passing his wand through it to prove that it has not undergone any
preparation. Then taking one of the papers, and at the same time secretly securing one of
the discs (not the one with the hole in it), he places it at the bottom of the tube, which is
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forthwith stood on the palm of the left hand. The tube is then filled with water and
covered with the remaining piece of paper and glass cap.

The position of the tube is then reversed, after which it is taken by the center and both
papers are removed. The water will not run out of the small hole in the bottom cap owing
to the fact that no air can get in at the top. The glass caps being absolutely invisible, the
water will now appear to be suspended in the tube without any natural means of support.

The papers are again placed on the ends of the tube, where, being wet, they readily
adhere. The hands are now placed one on each end and the tube is reversed; this is
necessary to bring the cap with the hole in it to the top. The top paper is then pierced with
the hat-pin, which, passing through the hole in the cap, gives the impression that there
cannot be anything but the paper covering the ends of the tube. When the pin is
withdrawn the air rushes into the tube, and, as a natural consequence, the paper and disc
fall from the bottom, liberating the water. The bowl should be half full of water when the
cap falls, to avoid fracture of the glass. The cap is then brought away from the top of the
tube under cover of the piece of paper, and both are dropped into the bowl, when the tube
can be once more given for examination.

The Hydrostatic Tumbler.This trick, which is similar in principle to that

immediately preceding it, is preferred by some as being less cumbersome; it is also easier
to work and consequently entails less anxiety on the part of the performer. The effect,
however, although pretty, is not quite so startling.

The necessary apparatus consists of a glass tumbler with a small hole drilled in the side 1
in. from the bottom, the mouth of which must be fitted with a glass cap in the same
manner as the tube in the preceding trick (see Fig. 32).
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Fig. 32. TUMBLER AND CAP.

The performer having drawn attention to the tumbler, also a small piece of paper, dips the
latter into a bowl of water, and lays it down over the glass cap. The tumbler, held with the
thumb covering the small hole, is then filled with water from the bowl, and covered with
the piece of paper under which, unknown to the audience, is the glass disc. The glass is
then inverted and the paper withdrawn, the water remaining suspended without visible
means of support. The tumbler can now be turned about in any direction, without the
least fear of the water escaping, so long as the thumb is kept over the small hole in its
side. It can also be stood on the table, the hand being removed entirely; the water cannot
escape through the small hole owing to the presence of the cap.

The tumbler is once more raised and inverted, when the performer undertakes to cause
the water to fall at any given number counted by the audience. This last effect, which
adds considerably to the trick, is brought about by very simple means; all the performer
has to do is to remove the thumb covering the small hole, when the air rushes in and
causes the disc to fall. The bowl, as before, should be half full of water, to provide a
cushion for the falling disc, which under these circumstances will not be injured, nor its
presence detected.
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Watch, Glass, and Handkerchief.This is a trick of genuine sleight of hand, and

will test the performer's ability in several ways. In effect it is as follows:Having
obtained the loan of a silk hat and a lady's gold watch, the performer wraps the latter in a
small silk handkerchief, and thus cared for, places it in a champagne tumbler. The watch,
glass, and handkerchief are now caused to vanish one at a time, being, apparently, passed
up behind a beam on the ceiling. The hat is then taken, shown perfectly empty, and held
at arm's length above the performer's head. The vanished articles are now collected, one
at a time, in the hat, into which they are actually heard to fall, being removed as they
arrive by the performer.

The modus operandi is as follows:The watch is enfolded in the handkerchief in the

same manner as the coin is enfolded in the paper in A New Coin Fold, and after having
taken it down to the lady that she may satisfy herself by its tick that it is still there, and
when returning with it to the stage, it is allowed to slide out of the handkerchief into the
profonde on the left side. The handkerchief, which is still supposed to contain the watch,
is then placed in the tumbler, which is in turn covered with the hat.

You then address the audience somewhat as follows: Ladies and Gentlemen, it is my
intention to pass these three articlesthe watch, glass and handkerchiefup behind that
beam on the ceiling. Would you like them to go separately or one at a time? The last
remark, owing to its stupidity, will probably be well received: it, however, means
nothing, and you continue, Visibly or invisibly? The reply to this is sure to be
Visibly. You then remark: Well, in that case I shall have to remove the hat. This you
do with the right hand while standing with the right side to the audience; the left hand
under cover of the body taking the watch from the profonde. The hat is then immediately
transferred to the left hand, and the watch allowed to slide into it in the act of placing it
on the table. Should the reply to the question, Visibly or invisibly? be Invisibly, the
performer need not become confused, as in any case the articles do actually go invisibly.
In this case the reply would be, Certainly, with the greatest pleasure, but for the purpose
of the trick I must remove the hat.

The evanishment of the watch is caused by simply taking up the tumbler and shaking out
the handkerchief.

The disappearance of the tumbler is effected with the aid of a large sheet of newspaper; a
sheet torn from the local paper will answer every purpose. In this case you would not
omit to mention that you always use that paper in preference to an outsider, it being the
more expeditious. The sheet of paper is pressed over the tumbler and molded well into
the shape of the same, the tumbler being removed under cover of the edges of the paper
and dropped into the profonde on the left side. The center of the paper bearing the profile
of the glass is then crushed between the hands, when to all appearance the tumbler will
have vanished.

The handkerchief is disposed of by palming in the usual way, when the right hand
containing it immediately grasps the hat and turns it upside down. This is done by
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extending the fingers to catch the watch, which then remains hidden in the hand with the
handkerchief, when the hat can be shown to be empty.

The hat is now held above the head, and after due dramatic effect, the watch is allowed to
fall from the hand, after which it is taken from the hat and handed back to the owner. The
hat is once more shown empty after which the handkerchief is obtained in the same way.
This time, however, the hat is turned upside down and the handkerchief allowed to fall on
the floor.

While all eyes are on the handkerchief the left hand obtains the glass from the profonde,
and in the act of changing the hat over into the left hand to pick up the handkerchief with
the right, it is thereby introduced. The hat containing the glass is then held upside down
as previously instructed, and both sleeves are pulled back while passing it from one hand
to the other. Finally the glass is produced, it being heard to fall into the hat, whence it is
taken in due course.

Paper Cone, Watch, Rabbit, and Boxes.The effect of this excellent stage trick is
as follows: A watch is borrowed and dropped into a conical paper bag held by one of the
spectators. The performer then loads the magic pistol with a small silk handkerchief; this
he fires in the direction of the bag, after which the bag is opened and found to contain the
handkerchief, the watch having disappeared. Attention is next drawn to a box, which has
been hanging over the head of the performer from the commencement of the
entertainment, and which on being opened is found to consist of a nest of six boxes, the
smallest of which contains a rabbit with the borrowed watch tied round its neck.

Fig. 33. PLAN OF PAPER BAG.

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The main secret of the trick lies in the paper bag, which is really double, consisting of
two pieces of paper gummed together round the edges, the corner of one piece being
removed, as in Fig. 33.

At the commencement of the trick a small silk handkerchief is hidden between the two
pieces of paper, When making the bag it must be so arranged that the corner at which is
the opening is at the top. Under cover of the point of the bag the handkerchief is removed
from its place of concealment and dropped into the bag proper, the double side being
immediately pulled over to the opposite side of the bag to again conceal the handkerchief.
If the bag is well made, this side well creased over, a casual glance into its interior will
reveal nothing suspicious. In this condition the bag is given to a spectator to hold, and he
is then requested to drop the watch into it, which he does, as he thinks, into the bag
proper, but really the watch falls into the position previously occupied by the
handkerchief. The top of the bag is then folded over.

The performer now loads a duplicate handkerchief into the pistol, and, having disposed of
it in the usual way, fires in the direction of the bag. He then unfolds the bag and shakes
out the handkerchief, being careful to hold the watch so that it does not fall at the same
time. He then crumples up the paper in his hands, and in the act of doing so tears out the
watch, which is forthwith palmed, the paper being thrown away.

The box, which should be suspended with two cords over pulleys, is then lowered; and
when taking it in his hands to place it on the table the performer is able to secretly attach
the watch to a swivel hook which is hanging on the side most remote from the audience.
This swivel hook is attached to the ribbon round the rabbit's neck, the arrangement being
as follows:The ribbon is tied round the rabbit, which is then placed in the smallest box,
the ribbon being allowed to hang outside the box when the lid is closed. The box is then
placed in the next larger one, the ribbon still being allowed to hang outside. This is
continued until the ribbon is left hanging on the outside of the last box.

The denouement will now be clear. As the boxes are removed one after the other the
watch is suspended behind that last exposed; and when the rabbit is taken out it will be
impossible to tell that the watch was not actually removed from the same box.

CHAPTER IX

THE BLACK ART, FULLY EXPOSED AND LAID BARE

To Determine the Article Selected by the Company, the Performer Being
Absent from the Room at the Time of Selection.The effect of this trick upon
the uninitiated is little short of marvelous. The performer places three articles in a row
upon the table. As, for instance, a decanter, a glass and a plate. He then requests the
company to determine among themselves, in his absence, which of the articles he shall
touch on his return. He leaves the room and is recalled when the decision is made.
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Pretending to examine the articles from various points of view, and after an apparent
mental calculation, the conjurer points out the article selected by the company.

In order to accomplish this mystery, the performer simply employs a confederate,

agreeing with him beforehand upon signs and signals to denote the numbers 1, 2, and 3.
For example, the confederate is to pass his hand through his hair for number one; keep
his hand on his watch-chain for number two; and do nothing at all for number three. Let it
be understood that the articles are to be known by numbers, counting always from the
performer's left hand. Thus, the decanter is number one, the glass number two, and the
plate number three. The articles being in position, the operator leaves the room. The
confederate, of course, remains with the company, who, we will suppose, select the wine-
glass. The operator is recalled; and, in the course of his examination or calculation, takes
an opportunity of stealing a glance at the confederate, who, with his hand on his watch-
chain, signifies number two (the glass) to be the article selected. The operator may then
repeat the performance, varying the effect by requesting the company to place the articles
in any other position they please; the operator and his confederate always remembering to
count from the left hand.

To Knock a Tumbler Through a Table.This trick is very effective, and calculated

to excite an immense amount of curiosity and surprise. Take an ordinary tumbler and a
newspaper. Sit on a chair behind the table, keeping the audience in front of it. Place the
tumbler on the table and cover it with the newspaper, pressing the paper closely round, so
that it gradually becomes fashioned to the form of the glass. Then draw the paper to the
edge of the table, and drop the tumbler into your lapquickly returning the paper to the
center of the table; the stiffness of the paper will still preserve the form of the tumbler;
hold the form with one hand, and strike a heavy blow upon it with the other; at the same
moment drop the tumbler from the lap to the floor; and you will appear to have positively
knocked the tumbler through the solid table. Care should be taken after the tumbler is in
the lap to place the legs in such a fashion that the glass may slide gradually toward the
ankles, so that the fall may not be sufficiently great to break the glass. Care should be
also taken to smooth out the paper after the blow has been struck, to prevent suspicion of
the fact that the form of the glass was simply preserved by the stiffness of the paper.
Never repeat this illusion.

To Drive One Tumbler Through Another.This trick requires some little practice,
or the result is nearly certain to be attended with considerable destruction of glass. Select
two tumblers of exactly the same pattern, and considerably larger at the top than the
bottomso much so, indeed, that either tumbler will fit at least halfway into the other.
Sit on a chair, so that the falling tumbler may fall softly into the lap. Hold one tumbler
between the thumb and second finger of the left hand. Then play the other tumbler with
the right hand several times in and out of the left-hand tumbler, and during this play
contrive at the same instant to retain the right-hand tumbler between the thumb and first
finger of the left hand, while the other or lower glass drops into the lap. Well done, this
trick has few superiors, and it is worth any amount of practice to achieve it. It would be
desirable to get a tinner to make a couple of common tumbler-shaped tin cups to practice
with. It will save much expense in glass.
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The Dancing Skeleton.This is calculated to excite much astonishment, if well

arranged beforehand.

Get a piece of board about the size of a large school-slate, and have it painted black. The
paint should be what is known as a dead color, without gloss or brightness. Sketch out the
figure of a skeleton on a piece of cardboard, and arrange it after the manner of the
dancing sailors and other cardboard figures exposed for sale in the toy-stores, so that by
holding the figure by the head in one hand, and pulling a string with the other, the figure
will throw up its legs and arms in a very ludicrous manner.

Make the connections of the arms and legs with black string, and let the pulling string be
also black. Tack the skeleton by the head to the black-board. The figure having been cut
out, is of course painted black like the board.

Now to perform. Produce the board. Show only the side upon which there is nothing.

Request that the lights may be reduced about half, and take position at a little distance
from the company. With a piece of chalk make one or two attempts to draw a figure; rub
out your work as being unsatisfactory; turn the slate; the black figure will not be
perceived; rapidly touch the edges of the cardboard figure with chalk, filling up ribs, etc.,
at pleasure, and taking care that nothing moves while the drawing is progressing. Then
manipulate with the fingers before the drawing, and request it to become animated. By
pulling the string below the figure it will, of course, kick up the legs and throw about the
arms, to the astonishment of everybody.

A little music from the piano will greatly assist the illusion.

The Head of the Decapitated Speaking.This illusion, performed with a table,

under which two pieces of looking-glass are placed, at an angle of forty-five degrees,
concealing the body of the actor, attracted thousands when first exhibited.

The Mystery of the Floating Head.One of the most startling of conjurors' tricks,
and one which has piqued public curiosity to the utmost, is that sensationally announced
as the Human Head Floating in the Air. Multitudes have witnessed and wondered at
this performance, which seems to have defied any explanation by the uninitiated.
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That the head is a gutta-percha or plaster affair, is a pet theory with those who have not
seen it, but after witnessing the exhibition this idea is reluctantly discarded. In reality it is
a human head, and the seeming absence of any body attached thereto will be accounted
for as soon as we disclose the mystery and secret of the performance.

The sides and back of the stage are hung with curtains. Near the back of the stage two
mirrors are placed at right angles, the point, equi-distant from each side of the stage,
facing the audience. The mirrors being at angles with the sides, of course reflect the
curtains at the sides, and these curtains being the same in style and material, their
reflection has the same appearance as the curtain at the back of the stage. The audience
seeing this reflection naturally imagine they are having an unobstructed view of the back
of the stage.
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Behind this wall of glass the conjuror's confederate takes his position, of course only that
part of his person which is above the glass being visible. So the floating head is really a
man peeping over a glass fence. The cushion which is commonly used to apparently
support the head, is suspended outside of the glass, by fine wire.

The exhibitor is always careful to keep out of the angles of the glass, otherwise he would
be reflected, and the existence of the glasses disclosed to the audience. When standing at
the stage wings, or when directly in front of the central point of the mirrors, he is
secure from reflection.

Our illustrations will, we think, make this explanation perfectly clear. The first shows the
head as it appears to the audience; the second shows the position, behind the glass, of the
individual personating the head. In the latter picture the spectator is supposed to be
looking through the mirrors. Thick plate glass will answer equally as well as the mirrors
in exhibiting this trick.

To Place a Lighted Candle Under Water, Without Extinguishing It; Or a

Handkerchief Without Wetting It.Procure a good-sized cork, or bung; upon it
place a small lighted taper; then set it afloat in a pail of water. Now, with a steady hand,
invert a large drinking glass over the light, and push it carefully down into the water. The
glass being full of air prevents the water entering it. You may thus see the candle burn
under water, and bring it up again to the surface, still alight. This experiment, simple as it
is, serves to elucidate that useful contrivance called the diving-bell, being performed on
the same principle.
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The largest drinking-glass holds but half a pint, so that your diving-light soon goes out
for want of air. As an average, a burning candle consumes as much air as a man, and he
requires nearly a gallon of air every minute, so that, according to the size of the glass
over the flame, you can calculate how many seconds it will remain alight; of course a
large flame requires more air than a small one. For this and several other experiments, a
quart bell-glass is very useful, but, being expensive, it is not found in every parlor
laboratory; one is, however, easily made from a green glass pickle bottle; get a glazier to
cut off the bottom, and you have a bell-glass that Chilton would not reject. In the same
manner you may put a handkerchief rolled tight together, and it will not wet.

To Place Water in a Drinking-Glass Upside Down.Procure a plate, a tumbler,

and a small piece of tissue or silver paper. Set the plate on a table, and pour water in it up
to the first rim. Now very slightly crumple up the paper, and place it in the glass; then set
it on the fire. When it is burnt out, or rather just as the last flame disappears, turn the
glass quickly upside down into the water. Astonishing! the water rushes with great
violence into the glass! Now you are satisfied that water can be placed in a drinking-glass
upside down. Hold the glass firm, and the plate also. You can now reverse the position of
the plate and glass, and thus convince the most skeptical of the truth of your pneumatic
experiment. Instead of burning paper, a little brandy or spirits of wine can be ignited in
the glass; the result of its combustion being invisible, the experiment is cleaner.

The Faded Rose Restored.Take a rose that is quite faded, and throw some sulphur
on a chafing-dish of hot coals; then hold the rose over the fumes of the sulphur, and it
will become quite white; in this state dip it into water, put it into a box, or drawer for
three or four hours, and when taken out it will be quite red again.

The Protean Liquid.A red liquor, which, when poured into different glasses, will
become yellow, blue, black, and violet, may be thus made: Infuse a few shavings of
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logwood in common water, and when the liquor is red, pour it into a bottle; then take
three drinking-glasses, rinse one of them with strong vinegar, throw into the second a
small quantity of pounded alum, which will not be observed if the glass has been newly
washed, and leave the third without any preparation. If the red liquor in the bottle be
poured into the first glass, it will assume a straw-color; if into the second, it will pass
gradually from bluish-gray to black, provided it be stirred with a bit of iron, which has
been privately immersed in good vinegar; in the third glass the red liquor will assume a
violet tint.

The Burned Handkerchief Restored.Get a flat-topped stand, such as is shown at

A, and make a neat pasteboard or tin cover, as is seen at C, and be sure to ornament it
with various showy devices. The cover must slip very easily over the stand. Cut a flat
circular plate, B, the least bit wider than the top of A, and just large enough to slip easily
into C. Here is all your apparatus.

Before you show this trick, place in your pocket a piece of white rag that looks like a
handkerchief. Borrow a clean white cambric handkerchief from among the audience, and
just before you receive it, conceal in your hand the white rag. Have the apparatus ready
on a side table, with the movable plate laid on the stand, Lay the handkerchief on the
plate, place the cover over the handkerchief, and press it down with a smart slap.

Now take off the cover, squeezing it well so as to take up the plate as you do so; put your
hand into it as if about to pull out the handkerchief, and substitute in its stead the white
rag. Lay the rag on the stand, apply a match to it, and let it burn to ashes. Replace the
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cover on the stand, and press it down. Then loosen the grasp of the hand and the plate
will fall on the stand, completely concealing the ashes. Lift the cover gently, when the
handkerchief will fall upon the plate, and may be restored unhurt to the owner.

Eatable Candle Ends.Take a large apple and cut out a few pieces in the shape of
candle ends, round at the bottom and flat at the top, in fact, as much like a piece of candle
as possible. Now cut some slips from a sweet almond, as near as you can to resemble a
wick. and stick them into the imitation candle. Light them for an instant, to make the tops
black, blow them out, and they are ready for the trick. One or two should be artfully
placed in a snuffer-tray, or candle-stick; you then inform your friends that during your
travels in the Russian Empire, you learned, like the Russians, to be fond of candles; at
the same time lighting your artificial candles (the almonds will readily take fire, and
flame for a few seconds), pop them into your mouth; and swallow them, one after the
other.

To Make a Watch Stop or Go at the Word of Command.Borrow a watch from

any person in company and request of the whole to stand around you. Hold the watch up
to the ear of the first in the circle and command it to go. Then demand his testimony to
the fact. Remove it to the ear of the next, and enjoin it to stop. Make the same request of
that party, and so on through the entire party.

Explanation: You must take care in borrowing the watch that it be a good one and goes
well; have concealed in your hand a piece of loadstone, which, as soon as you apply it to
the watch, will occasion suspension of its movements, which a subsequent shaking and
withdrawing of the magnet will restore.

How to Cut Your Arm Off Without Hurt or Danger.You must provide yourself
with two knives, a true one and a false one, and when you go to show this feat, put the
true knife in your pocket, and then take out the false and clap it on your wrist
undiscovered, and with a sponge make the knife bloody, and it will appear you have
nearly severed your arm.
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A knife for the nose may be made on the same principle.

To Pour Cold Water Into a Kettle and Make It Come Out Hot Without the Aid
of Fire.You give a pint of cold water to one of the company, and taking off the lid of
the kettle, you request him to put it into it; you then put the lid on the kettle. Take the pint
and the exact quantity of water comes out of the kettle boiling hot.

This trick is performed in the following way: The kettle has two bottoms; boiling water
has been previously conveyed into it through the nose. There is no passage for the cold
water, which is put in when the lid is off; consequently, the hot water can alone be poured
out.

This trick may be varied, and for the better; as the heat of the water may betray it, should
the bottom of the kettle be full. You may therefore propose to change water into wine or
punch.

A coffee-pot may be made on a similar plan; but a kettle is preferable, it being more
likely from its size and breadth, to baffle the examination of the curious.

This trick may also be improved by an additional expense, so that whatever liquor is on
either bottom may be poured out occasionally. For this purpose there must be a double
passage to the nose of the kettle, and secret springs to stop either passage.

How to Cut a Man's Head Off, and Put It into a Platter, a Yard from His
Body.To show this feat, you must cause a board, a cloth, and a platter to be purposely
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made, and in each of them must be made holes fit for a boy's neck. The board must be
made of two planks, the longer and broader the better; there must be left within half a
yard of the end of each plank half a hole, that both the planks being put together, there
may remain two holes like the holes in a pair of stocks. There must be made likewise, a
hole in the cloth; a platter, having a hole of the same size in the middle thereof, must be
set directly over it; then the boy sitting or kneeling under the board; let the head only
remain upon the board in the frame. To make the sight more dreadful put a little
brimstone into a chafing-dish of coals, and set it before the head of the boy, who must
gasp two or three times that the smoke may enter his nostrils and mouth, and the head
presently will appear stark dead, and if a little blood be sprinkled on his face, the sight
will appear more dreadful. (This is commonly practiced with boys instructed for that
purpose). At the other end of the table where the other hole is made, another boy of the
same size as the first boy must be placed, his body on the table and his head through the
hole in the table, at the opposite end to where the head is which is exhibited.

To Turn Water into Wine.Take four beer glasses, rub one of them on the inside
with a piece of alum; put in the second a drop of vinegar; the third empty, and then take a
mouthful of clean water and a clean rag, with ground brazil tied in it, which must lie
betwixt your hind teeth and your cheek. Then take of the water out of the glass into your
mouth, and return it into the glass that has the drop of vinegar in it, which will cause it to
have the perfect color of sack; then turn it into your mouth again, and chew your rag of
brazil, and squirt the liquor into the glass, and it will have the perfect color and smell of
claret; returning the brazil into its former place, take the liquor into your mouth again,
and presently squirt it into the glass you rubbed with alum, and it will have the perfect
color of mulberry wine.

Magic Breath.Put some lime-water in a tumbler; breathe upon it through a small

glass tube. The fluid, which before was perfectly limpid, will gradually become white as
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milk. If allowed to remain at rest for a short time, real chalk will be deposited at the
bottom of the tumbler.

To Make a Party Appear Ghastly.This can only be done in a room. Take half a
pint of spirits, and having warmed it, put a handful of salt with it into a basin, then set it
on fire, and it will have the effect of making every person within its influence look
hideous.

How to Eat Fire.Anoint your tongue with liquid storax, and you may put a pair of
red-hot tongs into your mouth, without hurting yourself, and lick them till they are cold.
You may also take coals out of the fire and eat them as you would bread; dip them into
brimstone powder, and the fire will seem more strange, but the sulphur puts out the coal,
and if you shut your mouth close you put out the sulphur, and so chew the coals and
swallow them, which you may do without offending the body. If you put a piece of
lighted charcoal into your mouth, you may suffer a pair of bellows to be blown into your
mouth continually and receive no hurt; but your mouth must be quickly cleaned,
otherwise it will cause a salivation. This is a very dangerous trick to be done, and those
who practice it ought to use all means they can to prevent danger. I never saw one of
these fire-eaters that had a good complexion.

To Dip the Hand in Water Without Wetting It.Powder the surface of a bowl of
water with lycopodium; you may put your hand into it and take out a piece of money that
has been previously put at the bottom of the bowl, without wetting your skin; the
lycopodium so attaching itself to the latter as to keep it entirely from coming in direct
contact with the water. After performing the experiment, a slight shake of the hand will
rid it of the powder.

How to Shoot a Bird and Bring It to Life Again.Load your gun with the usual
charge of powder, but instead of shot put half a charge of quicksilver; prime and shoot. If
your piece bears ever so little near the bird, it will find itself stunned and benumbed to
such a degree as to fall to the ground in a fit. As it will regain its senses in a few minutes,
you may make use of the time by saying, that you are going to bring it to life again; this
will astonish greatly the company; the ladies will no doubt interest themselves in favor of
the bird, and intercede for its liberty. Sympathizing with their feelings for the little
prisoner may be the means of some of them sympathizing with yours.

Hideous Metamorphosis.Take a few nut-galls, bruise them to a very fine powder,

which strew nicely upon a towel; then put a little brown copperas into a basin of water;
this will soon dissolve and leave the water perfectly transparent. After any person has
washed in this water, and wiped with the towel on which the galls have been strewed, his
hands and face will immediately become black; but in a few days by washing with soap
they will again become clean. This trick is too mischievous for performance.

How to Fill a Glass With Beer and Water at the Same Time, Without Mixing
the Two Liquids.It is done thus:Half fill a tumbler with beer, then take a piece of
brown paper or thin card, and placing it on the top of the beer, let it get perfectly still and
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quiet, taking care to keep the table on which the tumbler is placed quite steady. When all
vibration has ceased, take some clear spring water, and having a small phial filled with it,
proceed to pour it on the card a