A CONJURER EQUAL TO THE OCCASION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVII, Issue 6273, 24 December 1881, Page 7

A CONJURER EQUAL TO THE OCCASION.

A dcrvesh is at present in custody of the Calcutta police, awaiting his trial on a charge of cheating and criminally misappropriating aG. C. note under the following extraordinary circumstances :—He called oil Babu Okhoy Cumar Biswas, of Ahiritollao, on the 29th of August last, and informed him that lie was a man endowed with supernatural powers, capable of performing extraordinary acts, &e. So saying, lie desired him to open his hand, and placing two grains of paddy into it, commanded him to close it, assuring him that he would convert them into gold. The Babu did as desired, and, after the recitation of a few muntra, was asked to open it, and having done so, lie was agreeably surprised to find that they had been converted into gold. The fakir, to convince him that it was the price'ess metal, got him to test it. The Babu surprisingly gazed at the "charmer,'' who showed him a few more of his sleight-of-hand tricks, and, having gained his confidence, told him to go upstairs and fetch down a G. C. note for Rs. 101), which he had in his box, and he would very soon double it, or, if it pleased God, treble it. The note was accordingly obtained and handed to him, but he said that four rupees were required, as without some silver being rolled up with the paper the desired eli'ect would not be produced. The Babu called to one of the servants and instructed him to go upstairs and fetch the required amount ; but the fakir was equal to the occasion, and being desirous of getting his intended victim out of the way, told him that it was necessary he should go for it himself ; he objected to a second party handling the money, as the effect would be lost. The Babu thereupon proceeded upstairs, and, on his return, was much chagrined at finding his charmer gone. Information was it once given to the police and payment of the note stopped at the Currency Otfiee. On the 13th the note, which had by that time passed through two hands, was presented for payment at the Currency Office liy a Maliomedan named Currim Bnx. who was at once seized, and through him the prisoner, too, was arrested.—lndian Mirror.