THE GEORGIA MAGNET.

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 208, 2 September 1899, Page 2

THE GEORGIA MAGNET.

A LIVELY EVENING.

The Opera House was crowded last evening when Miss Annie May Abbott, '"Che Little Georgia Magnet," repeated her interesting performance. Some ot the audience were keenly critical, and it was evident that "the Magnet" was being closely watched from all parts of the house, although the applause at the conclusion of each feat was as I hearty as usual. The * performance went smoothly enough, however, until the time came ! for the feat where Miss Abbott, facing j the wall with outstretched arms, reI sists the pressure of eight or nine men in line behind her, while a couple of the committee each place one hand between her hands and the wall, and the other behind her back. What is claimed to b e remarkable in this feat is that while Miss Abbott resists the force behind her, the interposed hands against the wall feel little pressure ' from her hands. Dr. Lewis, who was on the committee, but had not up till then taken part in any of the experiments, wished to place his band against the wall, but Mr Abbey, the director of the entertainment, would not allow him. Dr. Lewis accordingly announced the fact to the audience, and left the stage amidst some applause. When order was restored, Mr Abbey came forward and said: "I have been expecting this, and I have something to say about Dr. Lewis." Eeferring to the fact of Dr. Lewis acting on the committee on a previous evening, Mr Abbey went on to say, "I never had any medical practitioner treat Miss Abbot as he did. It was a question of fair play. I have had fifty gentlemen come and express the same sentiment to me, and say that Dr. Lewis did not treat Miss'Abbott fairly. Miss Abbott works under certain conditions, but Dr. Lewis came into this house with preconceived ideas of scepticism, and challenged her at the first thing she did." (Cries of "Nonsense" and "Hear, hear.") "Was that fair? Why did he not wait until he had seen m.bre of her performance?" In response to repeated calls, Dr. Lewis now remounted the stage, amidst cheers and applause. "I have not the slightest wish," he said, "to do Mr Abey or Miss Abbott any hurt; but the manner in which some of the tricks are accomplished is so obvious. I am in the hands of the audience (applause. If Mr Abbey will allow me I will place my hands here," and the speaker placed his hands against the wall; "I will be satisfied." This time Mr Abbey gave his consent, and the experiment was performed, Dr. Lewis and Air Danvers Hamber interposing their hands between Miss Abbott's and the wall.

After the feat had been done once, Dr. Lewis' objected because Miss Abbott did not place the whole of her hand upon his, and asked her to do so. She consented, and the experiment was repeated, apparently with complete success. Dr. Lewis (addressing the audience): I am perfectly willing to state that there was very little pressure on my hand. (Applause.) I must also state there was very little pressure on my other hand behind Miss 1 Abbott's back.

So saying the doctor left the stage and took a seat in the orchestral stalls. There had been some excitement during this little "passage of arms," but the audience soon quietened down and the performance went smoothly again until Miss Abbottcame to her chair-lifting feats.

Mr Arthur Cleave, of the committee, was seated on the chair, with three or four other men piled up on top of him. Before the lifting was performed, Mr P. A. Vaile, who occupied a seat in the orchestral stalls, repeatedly asked Mr Cleave to take his feet off the floor.

Mr Abbey objected to the interruption. "Am I in charge of this performance or are you?" he asked Mr Vaile.

"You know you can't do it with the feet. off the ground," retorted his challenger.

"Did anyone say we could?" Mr Abbey replied. He went on to explain that the men could not keep their places on the chair, but would tumble off, if the man underneath did not keep his feet on the floor.

Amidst a good deal of uproar the feat was then performed, the chair and men upon it being apparently lifted clear of the ground. Some of the audience appealed to Dr. Makgill, one of the committee, who had knelt down near the chair to watch the performance closely. He replied: "The feet were not off the stage."

Miss Abbott's temperature and pulse had been taken at the commencement of the performance, and towards the end the doctor tested her again. As usual, the thermometer showed a fall of several degress in the temperature, while the pulse was beating far faster than before. Mr Abbey proceeded to make his customary little speech about this phenomenon, which he said was one of the most singular features of Miss Abbott's exhibition. It was singular, but they could not get away from the doctor's thermometer.

"Yes, you can, sir," interrupted a voice from the orchestral stalls, amidst laughter and applause. "I think I have got ybu this time," added Dr. Lewis, for it was he who spoke.

There were cries of "platform," so Dr. Lewis mounted the' stage once more, and waited until the uproar, which at the point was considerable, had subsided. "It depends entirely upon how the bulb is placed in the mouth," said the doctor. "I need not say any more. I have an intelligent audience, and I can leave them to form their own conclusions." (Applause.)

Mr Abbey: This is the first time I have heard a physician make a statement of this kind. (A voice: "But he's a good one," and laughter.) I have a physician on this stage (indicating Dr. Purchas, sen.) who knows how to take a temperature as well as Dr. Lewis. He tells me he took it exactly right. There was jio hocuspocus. (Applause and cries of "Let Dr. Lowe try.") Dr. Lowe, who was also on the stage, as one of the committee, said he could substantiate what Dr. Lewis said. Mr Abbey objected to Dr. Lowe interfering. Dr. Lowe: I simply came here to see the tricks, and I have seen them. I am simply supporting Dr. Lewis in what he says. Mr Abbey: Now I want to pay my respects to' Dr. Lowe. (Laughter.) He has had his little say Dr. Lowe: He hasn't. (Laughter.) Mr Abbey: Well, go on, then. Dr. Lowe: I doil't want to say anything more about the temperature business. Dr. Purchas has taken the

temperature perfectly correctly. (Ap- '•■! plause.) He knew how to take temperatures before I was born—long be- i fore." (Laughter and applause.) But I Dr. Lewis is also correct. (Hear, hear.) The mercury in the thermometer can be made to sink by breathin- 1 in a certain way while the bulb is in ! the mouth. (Applause and various ex- j pressions of approval and disappro- *l val.)

Mr Abbey: Well, I want to pay my respects now to Dr. Lowe. (Laughter.) Since I have been in this town I have heard nothing but "Dr. Lowe." I heard that h e gave one of these e'ntertainmentsi at the Savage Club before ever Miss Abbott appeared—before he had seen her perform. (A voice: "He must be a good man," and laughter.) I scarcely feel justified in making these remarks, but I am Miss Abbott's representative and her defender. (Applause.) To-night is the first time Dr. Lowe has been here, and yet lie has been on the streets vilifying- Miss Abbott. (Uproar and cries of "Withdraw, withdraw," from various parts of the house.) A voice: You are insulting the committee). (Applause.) Mr Abbey: No, lam not. (Moro cries of "Withdraw.") Eventually Mr Abbey, in response to these repeated demands, said, "Very well, then, I will withdraw the word 'vilify.' I take that back. (Applause.) But I say he has been doing what he could to injure Miss Abbott. (Disorder, and cries of "No.") Dr. Lowe: That is not true.

When the excitement had subsided Mr Abbey proceeded with the entertainment, the "Magnet" performing her final feat. Before doing so ;sho shook hands with Dr. Lowe, who then left the stage. The performance concluded soon afterwards without fur* ther interruption, and Mr Abbey announced 'that the "Mag.net" would give another performance this evening.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—l was present at last night's performance of the Georgia Magnet. I did not intend to say anytning anu most probably sliould not have done so, but for the manner in which Mr Abbey behaved to three medical men on his committee. Two cf these, Drs. Lewis and Makgill, were nominated by me. Both were retused an opportunity of inspecting and testing the "phenomena," and but tor the persistence of the audience Dr. Lewis would not have been allowed to act. After this I asked Mr Abbey to perform the chair and men lifting feats with the slttu of the chair to the audience, and to see that the gentleman in the chair held hia feet on the rungs of the chair, and I plainly told him tnat under these circumstances the feat would absolutely fail. The fact is that in this position the "occult force" does not act. I have no desire to harm Miss Abbott's business in any way, and I am sure I have not done so, in fact I have been accused of having a hnancial interest in it. With Miss Abbotts tricks as tricks I have no fault to find. They have evidently inystifled a very large number of people, but when they are attributed to some higher force than we understand, to some occult and mysterious power, then I say we are justified in looking most critically into them, and honest and fair minded men who endeavoured to do so should be protected from public insult No one whould try to expose Dante's methods, because he is an acknowledged conjuror, and his performances are simply tricks; but were he t» ascribe his powers to some supernatural influence, he would immediately becomf fair game for sceptics. The whole per« formance is so transparent that I should feel that but for the assertions of super* natural force, it is beneath notice. I have no hesitation in saying that Miss Abbott will not perfom the chair lifting feats tonight under the conditions mentioned above. I may add that a friend of mine, a medical man, privately asked if he might submit Miss Abbott to a few simple tests, and was told that if he wanted to give a "show" he might hire a hall and do it, and that perhaps Miss Abbott and Mr Abbey would attend. Evidently this mysterious power is still believed in by many and I should be almost inclined to become a convert myself if Miss Abbott can perform the feats I have suggested wtihout someone between her and the audience so. as to hide the modus operandi.—l am, etc.,

P. A. VAILE.

(To the Editor.)

Sir—Dr. Hope Lewis and. Dr. de Clive Lowe have made themselves so conspicuous in their attempts to depreciate the performance of "The Georgia Magnet" at tho . Opera House that they ought in common fairness to Miss Abbott and the Auckland public give an exhibition on their own account. Dr. de Clive Lowe has declared that he' is capable of executing the whole of the feats performedyby Miss Abbott ia exactly the same way as they are accomplished by her. To give "The Auckland Magnet" a chance of displaying his ability we will engage the Opera House for Thursday and Friday evenings next on the following terms and conditions:— 1. We will pay the whole of the expenses of the performance. 2. In the event of Dr. de Clive Lowe per- . forming the feats as heretofore mentioned, . the whole of the gross proceeds shall be' handed to local/charities.. 3. Should Dr. de Clive Lowe fail to perform these tests he shall add a sum equivalent to the gross takings, and after ali expenses have been deducted the nett proceeds shall be handed over to local charities. 4. The judges shall consist of gentlemen selected from the committee who have previously witnessed Miss Abbott's performance. • We require no newspaper controversy on this matter; an acceptance or refusal of our , offer in Monday night's "Star will settle f the business so far as we are concerned.— Yours faithfully, ARTHUR CLEAVE & CO., Proprietors "New Zealand Sporting and Drramatic Review."

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—Having witnessed Miss Abbott's performance on Tuesday night, I have come to the conclusion that the feats performed by her are not the result of physical force. To any person of average intellect it must be very clear that no woman of Miss Abbott's frail build could possibly lift the weight of so many men from the floor, as does the "Georgia Magnet." As for these gentlemen who profess to know all about it before they have - seen the performance, they are to ba simply ignored. .Miss Abbott must possess some power which we know little or nothing about. If any gentleman thinks he can explain the performance I should' recommend him to go up on the stage and do the same things himself and in the same way.—l am, etc., T. IJ. POTTER.

(To the Editor.)

Sir,—ln reference to the above will you kindly allow me a small space in your valuable paper to give my views on the matter of her performance. On Wednes- ' day evening I visited the Opera House with the intention of watching the performance of this s%-styled magnet. When operations were about to start I stepped on to the stage and was told to step forward and hold a chair to my chest, which.. I did, and Miss Abbott tried her powers on me; but I succeeded in breaking her"! power and lifted her, chair and all, and dropped her on the floor. The manager finding I was one too many for her told I me to leave the stage. I now challenge Miss Abbott that I will perform any of her'feats against her, but my conditions are that it must be done in tights (I will supply tights for her). I will guarantee to lift Miss Abbott off the floor. I am. surprised that educated gentlemen go up there and are so easily convinced that there is no trickery. Then again, I must contradict the statement that she lift* ten men on a chair or a stick, and am ' able to expose the trick.—l am, etc., A. J. NEWTON, Heavy Weight Lifter.