SLEIGHT-OF-HAND TRICK.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18951, 24 February 1925, Page 7

SLEIGHT-OF-HAND TRICK.

COSTLY HOTEL DISPLAY. FORTNIGHT IN PRISON. An exhibition of sleight-of-hand, which involved the disappearance of a 10s note, resulted in the appearance of John William Cameron, aged 26 (Mr. Sullivan), on a charge of theft, before Mr. J. W. loynton, S.M., in the Police Court, yesterday. A. A. Pyeman stated he met accused outside a city hotel and mistook him for an old acquaintance. After a short conversation witness found he had made a mistake, but accused invited him to have a drink. When entering the hotel witness remarked he had been successful at the races and Cameron then said: "The drinks arc on you then." At the bar accused asked for a silver coin and promised to show a disappearing .trick. Ho placed a penny in an empty glass and laid a threepenny bit on top. Then he made mystic passes over the glass and breathed on it but without result. He commenced to blow moro vigorously and eventually succeeded in dislodging the silver coin and causing it to pass underneath the penny. Accused offered to do a more impressive trick with a banknote. Witness gave him a 10s note and accused placed it under a tumbler and made a few passes over it. He then slipped the note into his pocket and declared the exhibition concluded. Witness asked for his money hack and accused at first denied having bandied the note, but later said it was payment for a Constable Taylor said accused had a ten-shilling note in his pocket when arrested. Sergeant Rowell referred to accused s previous convictions. A sentence of 14 days' imprisonment was imposed.