Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1857-12-10
A Remarkable Magician The Nee.
romancer in Algeria.


sides being the prince of conjurors,
he is an able mathematician, and his
electric clock, made for the Hotel de
Vile of his native town of Bious
obtained medal at the Paris Exhi-
bition. 1t is not generally known
that he was sent to Algeria by the
French Government on a mission
connected with black art-probably
the first time that a conjuror has been
called upon to exercise his profession
in Government employment. Some
details of his exhibition have just
been published. It's object was to
destroy the influence exercised among
the Arab tribes by the Msrabouts--
an influence often mischievously ap-
piled. BY few clumsy tricks and
impostures these Marabouts pass
themselves off as sorcerers; no one
/ it was Justly thought, was better
able to eclipse their skill and discredit
their science than The man Of mex
baustible bottles.
One of the great pretentions of
the Marabout was to invulnerability.
At the moment that a loud musket
was aimed at him, and the trigger
pulled, he pronounced few cahallstic
words and the weapon did not 60 of.
Hcudin detected the trick, and show
led that the tube-Lole was plugged.
The Arab wizard was furious, and
abused his French rival. You may
revenge yourself" quickly replied
Houdin; ''take pistol; load il your
SELF here are. bullets, put one in the
barrel; but before doing SO. mark it
with your knife" The Alab did as
he was told. "You are quite certain,
now" said Houdin, '.that this pistol
is loaded and viii go of. Tell me. do
you feel remorse in killing me
thus Notwithstanding that | authorize
you?' "You are my enemy" cool
ly replied the Arab; Il will kill you.
Without replying, Houdin stuck an
apple on the point of a knife, and
calmly gave the word to fire.
The pistol was dieharged, the apple
flew far away, and there appeared in
its place, stuck on the point of the
knife, the bullet the Marabout had
marked.
The spectators remained mute from
stupefaction; the Marabout bowed be-
fore bis superior Allah is greatp'
he said, Il am vanquished." Instead
of the bottle from which, in Europe,
Robert Houdin pours an endless
stream of every description of wine
and liquor, he called for an empty
bowl. which he kept continually full
of boiling coffee, but few OF the
Arabs would taste it, for they made
sure that it came direct from the dew
lis own coffee pot. He then told
them that it was in his power to de-
rrive them of all sire highland to res
tore it to them at will, and be produ-
.ced small box so light that child
could lift it with bis finger; but it sud-
denly became so heavy that the
strongest man present could not raise
it, and the Arabs who prize physical
strength above everything, looked
with terror at the great magician who,
they doubted not, could annihilate
them by the mere exertion of his-will.
They expressed this belief; Houdin
confirmed them in it, and promised
on day appointed, he would convert
one of them into smoke. The day
c,me, the throng was prodigious;
fanatical Marabout had agreed to give
himself up to the sorcerer. They
made him stand upon table and cov-
cred him with Transporting ganze;
then Houdin and another person lifted
the table by the two ends, and the
Arab disappeared in cloud of smoke.
The terror Of the spectators was
indiscribable, ..hey rushed out Of the
place, and ran long distance before
some of the boldest thought of re-
turning to look after the Marabout.
They found him near the place where
he had been evaporated, but he could
tell them nothing, and was like q
drunken man, ignorant Of what bad
happened to him. Thence forward
Houdin was venerated, and the Mar
about. despised; the object of the
French Government was completely
attained. The fashion Of "testimoni-
ais having, it appears. Infected even