DRIVER AND "APPORTS."

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume L, Issue 12347, 18 October 1909, Page 2

DRIVER AND "APPORTS."

AN INTERESTING ENTERTAINMENT. For some time pa&t spooks, mediums, spiritism and apports have been a theme of discussion in. Wanganui, and it was only to be expected, therefore, that a large audience- should assemble at the Opera House on Friday evening last to witness the- performance of Mr. T. W. Driver, whose name has been so much before the public lately in connection with spirits, mediums, etc. There was also increased interest in the fact that the conjuror is an old Wanganui boy, who learnt tho mysteries of tho art in our town. Mr. Driver, who was assisted by his daughter, very soon demonstrated tc> the audience that the quickness of the hand which characterised the work of Professor Kudarz in past days had* in no degree departed. The first -*arfc of the programme consisted of conjuring with coins, cards, handkerchiefs, rings, hats and other articles. Mr. Driver was remarkably clean with all tho tricks, the quickness of the hand absolutely deceiving the

«ye. Mr. Driver then performed the Davenport cabinet trick, which, he announced, he learned from the Dawenports in the old Oddfellows' Hall when be was a boy. This trick has been seen many times in Wanganui, but it has never been don© better than Mr. Driver performed it on Friday evening. After being; tied up, Mr. Driver was placed in the cabinet an<i immediately bells rang, tambourines were played and hand? were thrust through the windows. The doors were> then opened and the performer was seen sitting bound to his chair. A well-known local identity, who acted as a ©ommitteeman, then entered the cabinet, and when the doors were opened a few seconds later, he was seen to be in a queer pickle. His trousers wore rolled up, his coat and waistcoat turned inside out and buttoned up, while a long rope bound his arms and body. In addition to this, he presented the appearance of a ijeripetatic tinker, being covered with tambourines, frying pans and all kinds of articles. The gentleman in question proved himself to be an entertainer of no mean order, and the audience was brought to hysterical laughter by the display. In the second half of the programme, Mr. Driver devoted himself to what ho termed tho more serious part of his entertainment, viz., the exposure of mediums' methods. "Mrs. Mellon and a sackful of ghosts" was lirst dealt with. Mr. Driver was put in a sack, which was tied tightly round his neck, tho end of the rope being passed through holes in the cabinet and hold by a well-known local resident. The lights were then turned down—"darkness being a necessity in all spiritualistic seances," said Mr Driver, who added "otherwise the working of tho trick would be seen"—and out of the cabinet there emerged white robed figures who flitted about the stage. Tho lights were again turned up and, on inspection of the cabinet, Mr. Driver was found still in the sack with the seals unbroken. The last item was that for which the audience had been waiting— tho production of app;>rts. Mr. Driver was taken to a dressing room by a committee, stripped to the skin and drars2d in a suit of pyjamas. He was then placed in a cabinet—to all appearances like a Turkish bath without a front. After being seated in the cabinet, a piece of butter-cloth was stretched across the front, outside of which a. screen was placed. At a signal from the "medium,'' tho screen Ay as drawn across tho front of the cabinet for a few seconds. After Abdul and Selini had announced that they would bring a bird, the audience wes informed that "mo gottum." The screen was then drawn back and three live birds were released by Mr. Driver. Again the screen was drawn and again Abdul and Selim went hunting, returning at length with eggs, which in an amusing manner, the medium demonstrated to be bad. Immediately afterwards real eggs were produced. * The'final appart was a tray containing a substantial quantity of sf.llcl. To say that the audience enjoyed the entertainment is to mildly state a fact. Mr. Driver completely mystified the audience,- who, after cheering him, left ' the Opera House as wise a« they entered it and evidently satisfied that they had witnessed a clever performance.

Mr. Driver will repeTt his rnt^rt^inment at Waverley on Tuesday evening. A large nudience is assured"