Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-11-22

How thc wizard Anacrson Ec-
peats the rricks OF the Davfnpsr,


a
tying and untyibg performances which have hate
~ created 50 much discussion. The company
included many men of distinction in science, 1T
ersture Journalism and the drama When the
great curtain which hung before the stage vas
removed and a cabinet resembling in general
form the famous. structure was disclosed
the audience applauded and laughed deightedly
Professor AndersOn's structure, however. differed
from that ia which the Davenport Brothers are
exhibited in some particulars. Il Il made Of
light unpainted timber. it i more frail than it,
prototype, it's not quite high. It's lozenge
shaped aperture il larger and not exactly IN the
centre. and is doors have four instead Of three
folds. Professor Anderson, il should be said
announced Yesterday that he had never seen the
type structure itself or indeed the gentlemen
who work wonders behind its panels. Further
more, ne kept continually informing bis audience,
with an entirely 'superhuous delicaey, that his
exposition was not meant as any reply to or
counter demons,ration against the Davenport
Brothers, and he even begged that no one would
mention the names Of these persons 10 that hall
de declared that he merely meant to show that
certain things alleged 10 be preternatural could
be done by ordinary conjuring and slight of hand
But the audience reasonably enough declined TO
regard the whole affair in any other light tn n a
an anti Davenport demonstration, and watched
and criticised in chat spirit alone.
"On the invitation Of Professor Anderson the
company named a committee OF twelve, with a
chairman. 10 GO on the platform and watch the
experiments. Among those who accepted the
office were Slr. John Hollingshead, who was
elected chairman Mr.. Horace Mayhem. Mr..
Bayle Bernard, Dir. Wakley, and several other
well known gentlemen. The chief occup patton of
the committee, which was far too numerous, sp
peared 10 be to ger 10 each Others way, to oh
struct tue progress of tue performances to inter
pose between the spectators and the structure,
and to endeayor more or lees awkwardly to salts
~ the frequent calls from the company generally
10 sit down, ~ stand back or to expedite the
manifestations. Professor Anderson ntimated
that the ope-tying and untying business would
be exhibited by Mr. Sutton (his treasurer and
his younger daughter, who had volunteered in
the absence of an experienced performer. TO take
place in the structure.
Accordingly, Mr. Sutton was first led on to
be tied, aud Mr.. Hahn Friswell aud Mr Wskley
/ consented to pinion him. Mr Sutton is not en-
dowed by nature with cheerful expression of
countenance Indeed. IL one we're To call him a
dismal and doefu looking parsonage the phrases
would not be inappropriate AS he STOOD there
fore, IN the front OF the stage. with his coat off
and his arms pinloned, while silent and sombre
he cast heavy glances to the ceiling. it was i'm
possible TO resist the impression that one was
about To witness the sadds-t soemnity which our
human law can enact. Presently it was under
stood that the captive was grooming under his
bonds. lie seemed 10 demonstrate mildly aud
sadly, as Calais might have demurred TO some of
the preliminaries OF the wheel OF as Count III
mont might have asked for shortening of his
misery. Certainly Mr.. Sutton was at this time
swathed in complication Of bonds the like
whereof we have never seen lie was literally
4 put into straight waistcoat OF cards The whole
Davenport staff Messrs Ferguson, Fay Palmer
aud the Brothers might have been bound band
and foot nextricably with no greater quantity Of
cordage The result was that when the motion
less form OF Mr. Sutton was fitted like a mummy
into the structure. and the doors were locked.
the hapless experimenter had to announce that
| all muscular power was suspended within his
frame 50 there was nothing for il but 10 hoist
i him out and let him go Tho spectators began
to look knowingly at each other, and at that mo-
ment the odds were decidedly in favor Of the
preternatural.
Then Prof. Anderson brought forward bis
daughter She is 4 graceful, quick. intelligent
girl, of some fourteen years apparently. She
was dressed as boy, the inexorable dimensions
of the structure absolutely prohibiting crinone
She was bound Immediately. No doubt gallan
try prevented the gentleman who undertook the
operation from drawing the bonds very tightly
and although the cords were passed many times
around her arms and body, her wrists were not
pinioncd together behind her back She was to
all appearance sufficiently bound, but not in the
same manner as the Brothers Davenport gener
ally are She was lifted into the cabinet, the
doors we're closed aud in some two or three
minutes the folds were flung back, and she was
seen ereos and free. the cord. knotted before,
lying at her feet. Immense applause greeted
the demonstration. To US it seemed not only
satisfactory because OF the sort o. tying which
we have already noticed But she offered diff
ferent experiment She got into the structure,
unbound and holding a piece OF rope in her
hand. The doors were closed, and after a lapse
OF some two minutes she intmated that they
might be opened. The cabinet was flung open
accordingly and she was discovered in condi-
ton of perfect bondage-her hands tied behind
her back and made fast to the seat Nothing
could be more admirably performed than this
trick. Ii seemed TO rs better done than the cor
responding performance which We saw the Da-
venports enact: and il was certainly done in a
much shorter space of time. The audience loud
~ applsuded the clever young lady
but Mr. Sutton burned 20 redeem his honor
tie insisted on being bound Bound accordingly
| ne was; this time by person who announced
himself to be seaman, and had come forward
on general invitation. volunteered by Mr.. Tom
TAYLOR. to ans nautical individual present BRO
fessioually conversant with knots We must say
that the knotting seemed 10 u, in this instance,
i much more complete and secure than any which
we saw applied 20 the limbs o.6lhe Davenports
MIR Tom Taylor minutey inspected the knots,
and reported them satisfactory. The intrepid
Sutton, still desolate OF aspect before was
hOisted into the structure, and accomplished the
untyng feat with much aacrity. The audience
cheeced this practical yndicatlon of ms proves.
and We must add that there were some who ex-
! pressed doubt whether the previous failure had
not been arranged 60 lend new zest and effect
10 success Mr. Sutton bore his triumph as he
had borne his humiliation. and showed visSse
OF undated gloom.
Then came the tanibonrne and trumpet
performance. Miss Anderson got into one side
of the structure, Mr. Sutton into the other. Both
were fast bound their hands behind their backs
and their ankles fettered. The tying WAS done
by the marine gentleman before mentioned. and
pronounced satisfactory by Nr. Ho!ingshead
Dir Tom Taylor and other gentlemen We
should add that Captain Burton. the celebrated
African traveller, came on the platform AT this
juncture, Inspected the bonds, and was understood
TO consider them sufficient Then tambOurine
a bell, trumpet, aud other such familiar media
OF the non pveternatura were placed in the cen
tire Of the structure, and the doors were locked
There was only shoT; and slight ckaricari
but the trumpet and even the tambourine, came
quickly living through the aperture in a manner
to satisfy the most skepticsl.
" Likewise there came the hand. \ very few
seconds after the closing of the doors the myster
ous digits showed themselves This time il was
h..rs M