The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1866-06-08
TRICKS OF A CONJUROR.
How the Spiritual Mediums Perform.
Interesting Revelations.

which an amateur conjuror, named Add
son, exposes the trickery of the esprit
ual mediums Mr.. Addison has opene d
an exhibition in London IN private house
the dining room containing the machin-
cry employed to produce the effects. The
| mysterious raps are made by means of an
electric battery, and the process is thus
described:
TRAPPING BY ELECTRICITY.
Mr.. Addison explained to me that the
great thing was to lie able to have the
knocking done without apparently NOV
ing. How did he accomplish this +? There
were two or three spots in the floor where
little knob, imperceplabIe unless point
ed out, protIuded without coming through
the carpet. If sitting at the table Mr..
Addison could touch one Of these with his
foot. Or he could 90 TO the mantlepiece
for light and touch another. The re.
suit would be that An electric bell would
be set going down stairs where a servan,
would be in waiting TO set electric batter
les IN communication with little tapping
| apparatus. | went down into The base
ment, where Mr.. Addison has little room
sacred to the mysteries of his amateur
craft, and on going into little closet
therein | found the batteries with wires
proceeding from them duly ticketed, so
that the knocking might take place in the
Pembroke, or in the book case, or in an
other of the haIfdozen articles of furnI-
ture in which the rapping could take
place.
OF course the little electric apparatus,
by connecting which with the battery the
taps are produced which is an ex>
ceedingly petty little machine-is not
placed in any Of the articles Of furniture
themselves. This would not do. because
people would be sure to ask to have the
furniture moved. All the purpose is ans
"eTed 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 unin
teIesting; but | assure my readers that
had they heard these mysterious knock
lngs as | did, quite unprepared for what
ever might happen, they would have been
very glad 10 have it so satisfactorily ex
planned. l a-ked Mr. Addison whether
the tappings Of the ordinary mediums who
give seances to their own house were done
or the same principle. lie told me they
were, except that they were done with a
lead battery by boy in the next room to
that which the Seances took place aud
were, consequently, very imperfect
lie dark cabinet" performances of
the Davenports are initiated with great
success:
TIE CABINET TRICKS.
Perhaps he cabinet feats are more popu
larIy known, and as with the exception OF
the coat trick there is nothing in the dar,
Seance that can compare with them in
cleverness, | was more anxious to see
whether Mr.. Addison could do them, and
how. We went down stairs, and there
was cabinet very much like the one the
Dayenports use lsaw and inspected their
old cabinet. happened 70 witness its
destruction in Liverpool, and know to
all appearance there was no trick in it
whate1 er. | found the Addison to cor
respond in this respect, SO far as | could
tell, with It's model. Had seen /; smash
ed | should have come to different con,
| cusion, as | was soon 10 know.
| tied him up with silk he got out,
and the silk was intact. In wire, he 90,
out, and the wlIe was as it bad been when
put it on his wrists How did he DO it
lie would tell me presently. First, must
tie him III a sack. | confined him in one
tying the neck of the sack. Nov put
another one over me" l did so. and tied
the neck of that sack under bis feet, while
he sat on seat IN tie cabinet. Shut
the door, | tried TO, but found | could
not very readily do it. Thereby hangs a
tale. The bolt of The Davenport Cabinet
is 50 made that unless it is placed perfect
y true, it will not act. aud the object, of
course, Is that when an accomplice, or
much more stranger, goes to shut the
cabinet the performer enclosed within NAV
be afforded additional time by the tempo.
rary difficulty ofputting the bolt straight.
In this case, almost as soon as .be door
was shut, MIR. Addison asked that glass
of water might be handed to him through
the hole at which my readers remember
the spiritual hand was wont to appear.
handed 1t 10. 1t was returned TO me
empty. In few minutes was permitted
to open the door, Mr. Addison was still
in the sacks, tied up above his head and
below bis feet. There was 20 sign Of the
water.
Again | closed the door, and in one
minute and a half Mr. Addison stood be-
fore me out Of the sacks, which lay intact
on the floor Of the cabinet, with the ropes
united, not cut. "ADd now" said Mr.
Addison, "I'il tell you how it is done. In
the first place getting out of the sack is
very easy" To prove this | tied him in
one again. In an instant he stopped
down inside the sack, put bis hands up
above his head in the sack, seized the rope
with which it was tied, and unoid it thro
the canvass, just as YOU might lay hold OF
a dogs ears and pull them about with
your handkerchief over your hands. In
half minute he emerged from the sack
Well, said |, roaring with laughter at
the suddenness and transparency of the
move, | shouldn't have thought: of that
in hundred years Just So said Mr.
Addison, its another proof that the sim
pest tricks are the best. When | drank
the glass of water simply united myself,
and tied myself up again, MANIPULATING