A CONJURER IN COURT

Taranaki Daily News, 19 September 1931, Page 19 (Supplement)

A CONJURER IN COURT

DEMONSTRATION TO JUDGE. A performance of the blindfold card'Btabbing trick was given by a conjurer before Mr. Justice Hawke and a jpommon jury in the King’s Bench Division, recently. The performer was Mr. Stewart Drayton Raw, of Queen’s Gate Terrace, Kensington, who brought a slander action against another conjurer, Mr. Douglas pester, of Solent Road, West Hampstead, arising out of a dispute between them at a social gathering of the Magic (Circle. Mr. Raw was giving evidence in the 'case when he was handed a pack of Cards to demonstrate the trick, which Jie described in detail. He stabbed with a knife a pack of bards placed on the ledge of the wit-ness-box, and said that after doing this Jiis habit was to ask a spectator the number of the selected card. Then producing a card he said, “Here is your card —the six of clubs.” He exhibited this card to the court, and Mr. Justice Hawke, who had been watching the performance intently, said, “Yes, he is right.”. The defence to the action was a pica of justification. Mr. R. J. Chappell, for Mr. Raw, said that both men were members of the ■Magic Circle organisation. Guests were present at a social gathering of the Circle on March 11 Jast year. Mr. Raw was one of the enertainers at the gathering, and he performed the blindfold card-stabbing trick. Mr. Dexter came to him later and said Jn a loud voice and a threatening (manner, “Cannot you ever do anything Original? That is the second thing you have stolen from me.” Mr. Raw replied that he had never * fceen Mr. ’Dexter before, whereupon Mr. Dexter said, “It’s a lie. I think you are the biggest swine I ever met.” Mr. Dexter afterwards declined to withdraw his remark, and Mr. Raw had jto bring his action. Mr. Justice Hawke discovered the teccret of the card-stabbing trick while Mr. Dexter was under cross-examina-tion. He was handed a text-book on magic, and when referred to a passage in the book he apologised to counsel because his attention had been diverted to the part showing how the trick is done. “It seems so very simple,” he said, •when you read how it is done* The hearing was adjourned.