The Sun.
London, England, 1865-02-28 00:00:00

Exposed.

The Davenport Brothers' Imposture

(From the Manchester Guardian)
Liverpool having had the credit of baffling the
brothers Davenport by the " tomfool" knot, Man-
chester has gone further, and won the £lOO offered

by Mr. Palmer, the agent of the Davenports, to any
one who could perform the feats. On Saturday
afternoon, in the Library Hall of the Manchester
Athenaeum, two gentlemen of this city accomplished
every one of the tricks done by the Davenports, and
in one respect surpassed the American conjurors.
The hall was crowded by some 500 ladies and

gentlemen, admitted by the private invitation of the
gentlemen associated with the performers (if we may
be permitted so to call them) in getting up the en-
tertainment. Three gentlemen were concerned in

making the exposure—Messrs. 11. Irving, of the
Theatre Royal, F. Maccabe, and P. Day, of the

Prince's Theatre—all of whom, we believe, are able
to do everything the Davenports did. It was ar-

ranged, however, that Mr. Irving should personate
Dr. Ferguson, and the result proved the excellence of
the arrangement ; for the happiness of Mr. Irving's
burlesque, the smartness of his wit, and his

readiness of repartee, went far to make the enter-
tainment the most enjoyable that has been given in
Manchester for a long time. Again and again the
room resounded with the heartiest laughter at Mr.

Irving's humorous sallies, whose fun was heightened
by the mock gravity with which they were delivered.
Mr. Irving thus supplied a great intellectual grati-
fication, which, combined with the skilful exposure
of the Davenport humbug by his confreres (and such
an exposure is always keenly relished by an English
audience), made one feel that it was a privilege to be
one of the invited guests. Mr. Irving opened the
proceedings by stating how that "s6ancealaDaven,
port" originated. He said that the two gentlemen

he was about to introduce regarded the performances
of the Davenports certainly without belief in the
extraordinary source claimed for them, and also
without decision. Each gentleman, separately, con-
sidered how the results were accomplished, and un-

ravelled the mystery of the whole matter.

When

- -
each learned that the other had been similarly en-

gaged, they arranged together to give a proof of
their skill to a few friends, which was done, with
perfect success, one evening last week. The Daven-
ports declined to be called conjurors, and wished the
public to believe that what they did was done by
supernatural means. If he and his friends could suc-
ceed that afternoon in dispelling the blasphemies of
those unlicensed spirit dealers, their object would be
accomplished. (Applause.) Mr. Irving then re-
tired, and soon returned with a capital make up
a la Dr. Ferguson. During his absence, Mr. Ogden,
the chairman of the Athenaeum directors, asked
the audience to nominate a committee of two to
tie the gentlemen whom Mr. Irving designated
the " media." Mr. Bullock, of Waterloo-road—
who was announced as a gentleman friendly to the
Davenports, a statement to which he subsequently
gave a " partial contradiction"—and Mr. Simcock,
a director of the Athenaeum and member of the
Gymnastic Club, were nominated. The " media,"
Messrs. Maccabe and Day, were introduced by the
quasi doctor in a most amusing address, and the tying
began. There was a deal structure, or cabinet on the
platform, the front of which consisted of three doors,
the centre door having a diamond-shaped hole
at the top. At each end of the cabinet was a bench
perforated with holes. Mr. Maccabe seated himself
upon one bench, and Mr. Simcock tied his hands
behind him, and, passing the rope through the holes
in the seat, tied his legs together. It was understood
that the " media" would do all that the Davenports
did, not that they would undertake to do more. The
Davenports were always tied sitting, but Mr.. Bullock
insisted upon Mr. Day standing,-and tied his hands
behind him (using one rope in the process) while in
that position. He was then seated, apparently with
some difficulty, and another rope, attached to the
former, was passed through the seat, and round his
legs. The tying finished to the satisfaction of the
committee, there were placed in the cabinet a violin
and bow, a guitar, a tambourine, a bell, and a pestle
to represent a trumpet. The doors were closed, the
sounds of the instruments in motion were soon heard,
and the pestle was thrown through the hole in the
centre door. The cabinet was immediately opened,
and the gentlemen were found bound as they had
been placed. The doors were closed again, the noises
recommenced, the violin was played, a hand was
thrust through the hole, and the bell followed.
The " media," on the opening of the doors, were
found bound as before. Again the doors were shut,
the noises were heard, and after a short interval the
prisoners tapped at the doors, which were opened,
and they stepped out free. The feat was greeted
with continued applause. The subsequent feats were
as well performed, and were identical with those of
the American conjurors. Messrs. Maccabe and
Day stepped into the cabinet unbound, the doors
were closed, and in a minute or two they were
found bound, their hands behind them, and the ends
of the rope carried to the middle of a cross bench
which extended from their seats along the back of
the cabinet. The doors were closed, and hands
were instantly seen at the hole. A gentleman,
named Fairweather, was next seated on the cross
bench, with a hand on one knee of each of the per-
formers. He was bound, and the guitar and violin
were placed upon his knees. After a short con-
finement, when the doors were opened Mr. Fair-
weather was unbound, the instruments were on his
head and behind him, and he said he had perceived
no motion where his hands were placed. The flour
trick was performed with equal cleverness. After
being firmly bound, their hands behind them, some
flour was placed in Messrs. Maccabe's and Day's
hands, which were closed. Soon afterwards they
stepped from the cabinet free, with the flour still
held in their fists. This, too, was greeted with
reiterated cheers. A dark seance followed, in the
same room, before the entire audience. A number
of gentlemen went upon the platform, and held each
other's hands. The instruments were phosphorised,
and were seen passing through the air, the two per-
formers having been previously seen bound in their
chairs. Mr. Day also caused his coat to be removed,
and that of a gentleman in the circle to be put on
him, while he remained bound, quite as deftly. as
did the Davenports' associate, Mr. Fay. When the
performances were brought to a close, an enthusias-
tic vote of thanks was presented to the three gentle-
wen, which was duly acknowledged. We- think,
however, that such a vote is not enough ; that, for
many reasons, Messrs. Irving and Co. should be
solicited to repeat their delightful exposé in public.
There can be no doubt that a large audience would
appreciate the opportunity of enjoying such a treat.
We hope also that claim will be duly made for the
£lOO.

MADAME TUSSAUD'S.—A splendid life-size model
of his late eminence Cardinal Wiseman, attired in the mag-
nificent robes of his order, has been added to Madame
Tussaud's exhibition, in Baker-street ; and we feel assured
thatevery one, regardless of creed, will avail themselves of
an early visit to the "hall of kings" to behold the effigy of
so popular and esteemed an ecclesiastic.
GUN ACCIDENT.—Yesterday morning Mr. Carter,
the coroner for Surrey, held an inquest at the Orange Tree
Inn, Richmond, on the body of Mr. W. C.Johnson, Queen's
tax collector, who was killed by the explosion of a gun
while looking on at a sparrow shooting match on Thurs-
day. Mr. Johnson was struck on the head by the plug
and nipple of the gun. After the evidence, the jury re-
turned a•verdict of "Accidental death."
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN PASSENGERS AND
GUARDS.—This important question appears at last

to be in a fair way of settlement. The Government in-
spector of railways has for some time been investigating
the various proposals that have been submitted and plans
tried by different railway companies, and has forwarded his
report to the Board of Trade. The railway clearing-house
have also formed a committee of managers, who have been
similarly occupied, but who have not yet produced their re-
port. It is, however, known that their decision is against
theadoption at present of any general plan,chiefly from the
want of experience in the working of the electrical system
so favourably noticed and approved by tho Government
inspector. It is, we understand, arranged that the London
and South-Western, the London and North-Western, and
one or two other railway companies, shall try for a short
period different plans, and then, after full and mature expe-
rience, the clearing-house committee will again meet and
recommend for general use the most successful system. The
system recommended by the Board of Trade, which is tho
design of Mr. W. 11. Preece, the telegraph superintendent
of the London and South-Western Railway Company, is
very complete, and if continued use and practice prove it to
be unobjectionable it will doubtless be uuiversally adopted.