CARTER THE GREAT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18290, 19 October 1927, Page 7

CARTER THE GREAT.

PREDATORY AND FASCINATING SPOOKS.; * Stuart Cumberland, in his most interesting volume, called • That Oth«r World,’ makes mention of an incident in the life of the famous medium Daniel Hunglas Home, which, in view of the present vogue for spiritism, is not with? out interest,*’ says Carter the Great, who will open a seven nights* season the Theatre Royal on Friday, and, in addition, will give matinees on Saturday and Monday. Carter duplicates all the spirit wonders of the modern soothsayers and mediums, but disclaims supernatural aid. He recently made a tour of India, where he learned firsthand many of the marvels of the fakir, and in his performance he includes such gronders a£=; “The Vanishing Elephant,*'

4 Cheating the Gallows,” “ The Elongated Maiden,” “The Cell of Cagliostro,” “ Cherchez Ja Femme ” (Fnd the Woman). “ Printemps ” (Springtime), “ Shooting a. Woman Spy.” “ La Palonia ” (The Dove), *'Guy Fawkes Fireworks." “ The. Canary in the Electric Lamp.” “ The Diablerie of the Aviary,” “The Spikes of Benares,” etc. Continuing, Carter quotes the storj':— ‘ Whilst in Petrogrrad—so, at least, a famous diplomat assured me when I wa_s there—Home did a feat of dematerialisation before the Court which, had it not been for the favour in which he was held in high places, might have curtailed his liberty for a period. He had j demateriaUsed a splendid row of cmeri aids lent the ‘ dear spirits ’ for the purj pose of the test; but up to the time of his departure from the seance the emeralds, for some occult reason, had ; declined to materialise and be given i back to the confiding owner. They were, : of course, in the spirit, land engaging j the attention of the spooks, who seemed

Opening at Theatre Royal on Friday next. ;to have a pxetty taste for valuable j jewels. But the Chief of Police had not 1 the faith in spiritual probity, generally accepted at the Court, and before leaving : the palace Home was searched, and—so j the story came to me—the dematorial- ; ised emeralds were found materialising !in his coat-tail pocket. They had been j placed there by the evil spirit, of course, but the Chief of Police impressed upon the medium that the climate'of the Russian capital might not be good for his health—that an early departure would ! probably benefit it. Home took the hint ' and his early departure.” Barnurn said: “ We all like to be hum--1 bugged.” and that, perhaps, is the basis i for much of the modern chicanery, mas- ■ querading under the guise of spiritism. • so declares Carter the Great, and he ought to know!