How It Is Done

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 150, 22 December 1922, Page 16

How It Is Done

'•O ■ ■ The Magicians' Exposed

"The Revelations of a Spirit Medium" is a remarkable book by an anonymous author published by E. P. Dutton and Co., New York. This book is one with a mystery and a history. When first issued in cheap form from some press in St. Paul, Minnesota, in 1891, it was extensively bought up by mediums arid destroyed. So it became rare. The reprint was prefaced 1, introduced, and" supplied with notes and a bibliography of the subject extending over twenty-eight pages, by Mr. Harry Price, F.R.N.S., librarian of the Magicians' Club, London, member of the Society for Physical Research, and of the Society of American Magicians, and Mr. Eric J. Dingwall, M.A., member'of the Society for. Physical Research and of the Inner Magic Circle, London.

There is a full exposure of the cabinet manifestations by conjurers that have befuddled so many persons—that sort in which a girl is tied in a chair, and banjoes are played, bells rung, horns blown, and a guitar x is' waved through tlie air above the curtains with a tune proceeding from it—played by a small Swiss music box inside, costing, about a dollar. Some of the adventures with persons determined on exposing the tricks are amusing. One reporter insisted that the medium go into the cabinet with a mouthful of wine and hold it. The conjuv«r'e assistant htid to think fast this time, but he got hold of the bell, inverted it between his knees, and it held the wine while he blew the horn, when he was able to take the wine into his mouth again, como out with it, and convince them all that' he had had nothing- to do with the horn physically. In performing this trick the Wealthy New York merchant amateur exposer of tricks, Mr. Joseph Rinn, goes into the cabinet with'a, mouthful'of coffee and comes Out with a mouthful of milk. , • FIRE-BATING TRICKS. And here is tho chemical explanation of many fife'feats: ' ; Dissolve one-half ounce of camphor in two ounces of/aquavitae; add one ounce of quicksilver and one Ounce of liquid styrax,, which is the product of the myrrh,'and which prevents the camphor, igniting. Shake arid mix well together. Bathe the inside of the hand and the fingers in this preparation, allowing it to dry in, ahd you can duplicate the,performance with the lamp chimney arid hold your fingers in the blaze quite a while witHput any bad effect. You will also be able to accomplish it without any grimaces or gibberish or rolling ofthe' eyes. For the remainder of the.performance, dissolve all tue salt a teacup of water will contain. In another cup dissolve a tablespoonful of soda in warm water 1. Now pour tho two together, and after they are well mixed wash the little boy's hard, or that ..portion you intend using in your experiment as a sun worshipper, combing it until dry. Now take the neck-tie of a gentleman friend, and your confederate, and after washing it allow it to dry. You are now ready to accomplish the. feat in its, entirety,' the only thing needful 'being to roll your,eyes, throw back your head, and make sounds that would shame a Siwash Indian ■With your voice. You could go the lady-one better by adding to the first preparation two ounces of pulverised red stone. After stirring it well together, rub the bottom* of your feet with it, and you can walk several steps on a bar of red hot iron. ■ MYSTERIOUS WRITINGS.' ! The tricks of slate writing for his time are explained by the author,, and he. gives full consideration to the belief on the part of the victims, that' they have held fast to the slates so that the medium could not have inserted or, substituted anything, or written on them himself or had a confederate do so. But he says: No man ever conceived "independent slate writing" between slates fastened together'that he did not allow out of his hands a-few seconds. Scores of persons will, tell you that they have received writing under those conditions through the "mediumship" of the writer; but the writer will tell you how he fooled them and how you can do so if you see fit. Another feat that drove people almost wild was performed in the following way: . . ■ , ; Performer shows slates clean and washes them to insure against having been prepared. . He now binds .them tightly together,--and coming down into the audience, has some gentleman hold them above his head, in full view of the audience. He then produces a book of poems and allows one of the audience to open it at random by pushing his pencil or knife blade between the leaves. The book is opened and the performer reads the first two verses of the poem on each page, after requesting the spirits to write what he reads ' between the slates. After the reading is finished the slates are opened and the verses just read are found copied between the slates. "There!" you will say; "your silicate flap or acid writing will not work, in this case, for the writing is done after the book is opened and read, which is clone after the slates are fastened together." The writing was done through the flap method, just the same. How did he know where the book would be opened? He did not care where it was opened, aa the book wa3 specially made for him and everj page was exactly alike, with the exception.of the,number." Not very wonderful, is it? i . THE GEORGIA MAGNET. The educational valpe of the movies has been illustrated again of hte by aome pictures'showing a girl who cannot be lifted by the strongest man against her will. Some such person is always cropping up to aiiiaze the wondering. Here is the explanation, a (very ordinary, natural one, applied to the case of Lulu Hur3t,' the Georgia Wonder : i ■ » GEORGIA MAGNET. Tho tvick of lilting her from the floor is that upon Which they put special value as indicating the operation of the force,' but, as in all the other tricksj there is a mechanical advantage taken by the lady which renders it imporsible to lift her. The trick lies entirely in the position of the body. The elbows are thrown slightly out and back, the shoulder blades are slightly drawn together, the spine elongated to its full extent, and the body slightly inclined forward. In this position no man ,on earth can lift lrer or any other lady or parson who will practice I .ho trick mi-, • til the proper position is learned. The trirk of holding her after the chair •■ on which she' Stands has been drc.wn from unilor her is iikfiv.ise dependent entirely upon the position' of licr iirms. Ho:' elbows are tl-M'tnvn either forward or backward sufficient to permit of her easily'dropping to the rloor. Those ?.'-■ templing to hold her up sre (hit>v*n M:i of balance and all power of lifting' is hib. She will not submit to v straight, fair, vsriici! lift, fcyt invariably drops out of ihe vertical vlin?. Tn liftins- he" from tho fioor shr. .will not permit any but ono certain hold. If the HftM 1 could put his arms around her, srnspins heleft wrist with the right hand arid her

right wviEt with the left hand, then-ah* could be easily lifted, for her power of squirming would be killed. All the element of flesh contact may in this caso bo preserved., but she will not permit it. So, too, in holding her 'up, if tlx> lifter could have one hand under her aim at the shoulder joint, any two boys in the land could lift her.up.