Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-11-26
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q BLACK ART.-Every one has seen or
heard of the great Robert Houdin. Beaides
being the chief of conjurors he is an able
mathematician, and his electric clock. made
Tor the Hotel de Vile, of his native town of
Bios, obtained medal at the Paris Exhibi-
ton' 1t is not generally known that ne was
sent to Algeria by the French Government on
mission connected with the black art-prob-
aoiy the hrst time that coniuro- has been
called upon to exercise his profession in Gov
eminent employ. Some details of this ex
petition have just been published. Its oh
Ject was to destroy the influence often mis-
chievously applied in that country bv the
maraoouts or clergy. By few clumsy tricks
and lmpostures, these marabouts pass them
serves on as sorcerers no one, it was Justly
thought, was better able to eclipse their skill
ana dlseredlt their science than the man of
lneXhaustible bottles. One of the great pre
tensions Of the marabout was invulierabilitv.
at the moment a loaded musket was fred at
HIM and trigger pulled, he pronounced few
eaoalistie words and the weapon did not 90
on Houdin detected the trick and showed
lhat the touohhoie was plugged. The ArRb
wizard was furious, and abused his French
rival = You may revenge yourself" quietly
[ephed houdln {" take pistol, load it your
sen here are bullets, put one in the barrel.
Inc Arab did as he was told. "You are
quite certain now" said Hordin, that the
pistol Is loaded and will go off. Tell me. do
you reel no remorse in killing me thus, not
wlthstaRding that authorize YOU % ,sYou
are my enemy" coldly 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 pisto was
discharged, the apple Aewfar away, and there
appeared in its place, stuck on the point of
knife, the bullet the marabout had marked,
The spectators remained mute from stupefac-
ton the marabout bowed before his audi
enee; "Allah is great'' he said, II am van
qulshed Instead Of the bottle from which
IN Europe Robert Houdin pours an endless
stream OF every description of wine and Ii.
quors, 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 devils own
coffee pot.
tie then told them that it was in his power to
deprive them of all strength, and restore it to
them at Will, and he produced small box so
light that child could lift it with his finger;
but 1t suddenly became so heavy that the
strongest man present could not raise it. and
the Arabs who prize physical strength above
every thing, looked with terror at the great
magician, who they doubted not could ami
hllate them by the mere exertion of his will.
They expressed this belief; Houdin confirmed
them IN 1t, and promised that on day ap-
pointed, he would convert one of them into
smoke. The day came, and the throng was
prodiglous; tanatieal marabout had agreed
70 give himself up to the soreerer. He made
HIM stand on table and covered him with a
transparent gauze; then Houdin and another
person lifted the table by the two ends, and
the Arab disappeared in a cloud of smoke.
The horror Of the spectators was indescriba-
oie' they rushed out of the place, and ran
long distance before some OF the boldest
thought of returning to look after the mara
bout They found him near the place where
he had been eyaporated but he could tell
them nothing, and was like drunken man,
Ignorant of what had happened to him.
Iheneetorward Houdin was venerated. and
the marabouts were despised the object Of
the French government was completely at
tanned. The fashion of testimonials" hav-
ing, 1t appears, infected the Arabs, number
OF chiefs presented the great French coniuror
with piece Of Arab writing, wonderfully
decorated, hyperbohcal, and eulogistic. and
to which they were so attentive as to append
a French translation. Besides this memorial
OF his Algerine trip, Houdin had a rosary
which he one day borrowed from an Arab, to
perform trick with, and which the owner,
persuaded that Shetan in person was before
him, refused to receive back Paris Corres.
ponHeRt of the London Times