CONJURING ILLUSION.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 502, 8 May 1909, Page 14

CONJURING ILLUSION.

"WILL, THE WITCH,;AND THE WAT-..-MAN." HISTORY. OF THE TRICK. In view of the recent visit to WelKngtou of the Maskelyne and Devant show, wliicli included the performance of \ Itjaskelyno' a old cabinet trick, set off in the jflaylet •' JTWfill, the Witch, and the Watchman,"-v'aiid- the 1 news that a person in Reef ton is about to claim £500 reward for having, it is alleged, disoovercd the secret of the trick, the. following correspondence is interesting:— Wellington, May 5, 1009. • To the Editor. Sir, —I notice a paragraph in your issue ■ of the 6th, taken from the "BullerMiner/' in which a Mr. Stirton olanns to have discovered Maskelyne's illusion ■of "Will, the Witch, and tie Watchman," whioh claim (the "Buller Miasr" says), if proven, entitles Mr, Stirtan; to a reward of £500. Does it? I don't think so, and I think the syndicate will make a great "discovery" when they . have "exploited" a little further. Some ; nine years ago I wrote upthis particular trick' for/a gentleman in Wellington Mr.' Bis. Shannon, and I enclose herewith a copy of it, which you can reprint if you think proper. Meantime Wellington play- • goers nave had an opportunity of seeing the trick for themselves, at the Opera House, when presented by Maskelyne and Dovant's touring company; although the bos shown in the illusion was not Maskelyne's original one, as used in London. I make a cow of Mr. Maskelyne's latest challenge, which speaks for itself, and which will take a lot of exploiting. —Yours magically, ' ROBERT KUDARZ. ,