The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-29
TRICKS OF A CONJUROR.
How the Spiritual Mediums Perform
Interesting Revelations.


writer in the London Morning Star gives
long description OF the methods by which an
amateur con1uror, named Addison, exposes the
trlckery OF the spiritual mediums" Mr.. Addi-
son Las opened an exhibition in London in a
private house. the diringroom containing the
machinery employed to produce the effects.
The mysterious raps are made by means Of an
electric battery, and the process Is thus de-
sCrlbed:-
"RAPPING" BY EIEoTRICTY.
Mr.. Addison explained to me that the great
thing was to be able to have the knocKiug done
without apparently moving. How did he ac-
ComplIsh this? There were two or three spots
In the floor where a little knob, lmperceptible
unless pointed out protruded without coming
through the carpet. II sitting at the table, Mr..
Addison could touch one Of these with his foot
Or he could go to the mantlepleCe for light
and touch another. The result would be that
an electric bell would be set going down stairs
where servant would De in waiting to set
electric batteries in communication with little
tapping apparatus. | went down into the base
ment, where Mr.. Addison has a little room
sacred to the mysteries OF his amateur craft,
and on gong into little closet therein | found
the batteries with wires proceeding from them
duly tiCketed, go that the knocking might take
place in the Pembroke, or in the bookcase or
In another OF the hall-dozen articles of furniture
in which the rapping could take place.
OF course the little electric apparatus, by
connecting which with the battery the taps are
produCed-and which is an exceedingly pretty
little machne-is not placed IN any OF the arti-
cles OF furniture themselves. This would not do,
because people would be sure to ask to have the
furniture moved. All the purpose is answered
by placing the machine in the wall Immediately
behind the piece OF furniture from which the
knocking is TO proceed. | dare say when thus
written down the process looks very mechanical
and unnteresting; but l assure my readers that
had they heard these mysterious knockings as
did, quite unprepared for whatever might hap
pen, they would have been very glad to have
had it SO satisfactorily explained. | asked Mr.
Addison whether the tapplngs Of the ordinary
mediums who give sedltCes at their own houses
were done ON the same principle. He told me
they were, except that they were done with a
lead battery by a boy in the next room to tnat 10
which the SednCeS took place, and were, conse-
quently, very imperfect.
The dark cabinet" performances of the
Davenports are initiated with great success:-
THE CABINET TRICKS.
Perhaps the cabinet feats are more popularity
known, and as with the exception OF the coat
trick there is nothing in the dark sednce that
can compare with them in cleVerness, | was
more anxious to see whether Mr.. Addison could
do them, and how. We went down stars, and
there was a cabinet very like the one the Daven-
ports use. | saw and inspected their old caOi-
net. happened to witness its destruction in
Liverpool, and know that TO all appearance
there was no trick in it whatever. / found the
Addison to correspond in this respect, so far
as / could tell, with its model. Had l seen 1t
smashed should have come to a different con.
cluslon, as was soon to know.
silk was intact. In wire, he got out, and the
wire was as it Iad been when | put it on his
wrists. How did he do it, He would tell me
presently. First, must tie him up IN a sack.
confined him III one, tying the neck OF the
sack, "Now put another one over me-" l did
so, and tied the neck OF tnat sack under his
feet while he sat on a seat in the cabinet.
''Shut the door, / tried to- but found | could
not very readily do it, Thereby hangs tale.
The bolt OF tue Davenport cabinet is so made
that unless 1t is placed perfectly true, it will
not act, and the object of course, IS that when
an accomplice, or, much more, stranger goes
to shut the cabinet the performer, enclosed
within, may be afforded additional time by the
temporary difficulty of putting the bolt straight
In this case, almost as soon as the door was
shut, Mr. Addison asked that glass of water
might be handed to hm through the hole a.
which, my readers remember, the sp,ritua
hand was wont to appear. ] handed il IN. L
was returned to me empty. In few minutes
was permitted to open the door. Mr. Add
son was still In the sacks, tied up above hi
head and below his feet. There was no sign o
the water ....
Again l closed the door, and in one minut
and half MIR. Addison stood before me out o
the sacks, which lay intact on the floor of tn
cabinet, with the ropes united, not cut "An.
now" said Mr.. Addison, "l'll tell you how 1t
done. In the first place getting out OF a sack
very easy.' To prove thus tied hum in on
again. In an instant he stopped down inside tn
sack, put his hands up above his head in tn
sack, seized the rope with which il was teC
and undid ii through the canvas, Just as yo
might lay hold of a dogs ears and pull thel
about with your pocket handkerchief over you
hands. In half minute he emerged from tn
sack ...
"Well," said /, roaring with laughter at tn
suddenness ana transparency OF the move, "
shouldn't have Thought OF that in a hundre
years." "Just SO, p said Mr.. Addison, 'its anotnt
proof that the simplest tricks are the best Whe
drank the glass OF water simply united m,
self and tied nyself up again, manipulating TIL
knots through the sacking. But the.e's anotht
way. The second time when was out SO qac
/ just took penkniie out of my pocket an
ripped ap the sides OF the sacks.n "Well, but"