FAMOUS ILLUSIONIST

Southland Times, Issue 19357, 24 September 1924, Page 5

FAMOUS ILLUSIONIST

PASSING OF NEVIL MASKELYNE. (By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, September 23. (Received September 24, 1 axn.) Nevil Maskelyne, the famous illusionist, was found dead in his bed. He had suffered from heart trouble for some time and apparently died in his sleep. It will be remembered that Maskelyne and Devant, his partner, came into prominence some years ago by their offer to reproduce by trickery any mediumistic achievement of the Spiritualists. The offer was accepted and the illusionists succeeded in carrying out their challenge. They made an offer also of £lOOO to anyone from whom they could learn the famous Indian Rope Trick, but the money was never claimed. In this connection, it is interesting to note an attempt at Wembley Exhibition the other day. “The Indian Rope Trick is impossible. It has never been done,” declared the Indian proprietor of a Wembley theatre, following a Press performance at which the trick was clumsily attempted. He said that he had scoured India in search of someone capable of carrying out the trick. He had secured a conjurer who claimed to be competent to do it. The performance proved a fiasco, and the proprietor decided to withdraw it from the programme, and return the money to a crowd of 800 which had bought tickets and were awaiting admission.