The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-12-20

ROBERTHOUDIN
Some Of The Wonderful FeatS of The Great
Brnch Wizard.
boston Times. ]

prince of conjurers, for ne eleVateu MS
profession, and was an able mathemati'
clan and mechanician.
His ingenuity was unlimited, and 1t
was absolutely impossible to detect the
secret ofhis innumerable tricks and per-
formances. Without the least assistance
he would hold an audience in delight and
amusement for hours, everything being
done with agraceful facility which show
ed that Houdin absolutely enjoyed his
business. He taught his own son many
of his original tricks, but never impaired
them to others, while the secret OF the
most remarkable performances has died
with their master, and no one can ever
hope 10 reproduction.
Probably the first instance in which
Conjuror has been called upon to exercise
his profession in Government employ was
that of Robert Houdin. de was sent to
Algeria by the French Minister of For
eign Affairs to exercise the black art in
that benighted country, hoping thus to
destroy the influence exercised among
the Arabs by the Marabouts-an inhu-
ence which was often misChievously APP
piled. BY few cunning, yet clumsy
tricks, these Marabouts passed themselves
Offas sorcerers, ard were held in fear and
veneration by the ignorant tribes. The
French Government desired to show the
Arabs that these would be leaders among |
them were mere impostors and that their
pretended supernatural powers were with |
Al. 1. 4 10,
best way to do this,it was thought would |
be to send one among them who should |
eclipse their skill, and thus disCredit their
science and pretended powers. 1t was re.
solved to send Robert Houdin, and the
wizard was ordered to appear at the Gov
ernment Office in Paris forthwith.
Houdin was little puzzled to know |
what the minister could want with him.
The plan and purpose fthe Government
were made known to him, and he entered |
with spiritinto the idea and its successful
application. With every facility and all
needed protection, Houdin sailed for AL
geria to astonish the natives.
Arriving under favorable auspices, he
went at once to work upon the object OF
his mission, and gaping crowds followed
him everywhere, thinking him inspired,
He succeeded in showing the people that
he could vanquish the famous prophets,
who had obtained such control over the
ignorant masses Of the population, and
thus threw them into such disCredit that
he succeeced in disarming them almost
entirely of their influence.
Still, there was one of the Marabouts
whom he had not yet met, and who scof-
ed at the reported powers of this French
wizard. A day was therefore appointed
when the two should appear before the
people, and each give evidence OF his own
peculiar powers.
One ofthe great pretentions OF the Mar
about was to invulnerability. At the mo
ment that loaded musket was pointed at
him and the trigger pulled he pronounc-
ed few capalistiC words, and the weap-
on would not go off. Houdin instantly
detected the trick, and showed that the
touch hole of the musket was carefully
plugged This rendered the Arab conju.
ror furious, and he, Of course, abus ed his
French rival without mercy. Houdin
was perfectly cool, and turning to him.
said:
"YOu are angry with me-"
II am" said the Marabout.
"And would be avenged"
"Yes," he replied, regarding Houdin
with eyes cleaning with terocity.
at is very easy"
"show me the way"
81 will show YOU" said Houdin quiet.
", while the Arab was all attention.
"Take a pistol; load it yourself. Here
-, Al h9r lt,fI !
stop"
"For what?" said the Arab.
"Mark the bullet with your knife, that
you may know it," The Arab did as he
was told.
"You are quite certain now," said
Houdin, chat the pistol is properly load
ed"
"Yes."
"Tell me, do you feel no remorse in
killing me thus, even though l consent"
"Nop-and the eyes of the savage
grew darker with an expression of cruel
at is strange" said Houdin, almost
sadly.
"You are my enemy, and l will kill
you," he replied.
"Wait but moment"
Houdin then stuck an apple on the
point of a knife and calmly gave the
word, as he held the fruit raised in one
hand, Fire"
The pistol was discharged, the apple
few far away, and there appeared in its
place, stuck on the point of the knife, the
bullet which the MarabOut had marked.
The spectators, though aroused to intense
excitement of feeling, remained mute
with stupefaction, while the Marabout
bowed before his superior, saying:
"GOd is great am vanquished."
Great was the triumph of the French
wizard.
HOudin then called for an empty howl
which he kept constantly full of boiling
coffee, though but few Of the Arabs would
taste 1t, for they were sure that it was the
evil ones coffee potfrom whence it came.
He told them that it was within his pow
er 10 deprive them of all strength and to
restore it to them at will and he produced
in illustration a small box, 80 light that
a child could lift it with the fingers.
And now came their astonishment,
This box suddenly became 80 heavy
that the strongest man could not raise it,
and the Arabs, who prize physical
strength above everything, looked with
terror upon the magician, who, they doubt
ed not could annihilate them by the mere
exertion of his will.
The people expressed this belief, in
which the wizard, of course, confirmed
them, and promised that, at day ap-
pointed, he would convert OF of them
into smoke. The day came and the
throug was prodigious. A fanatical Mar
about had agreed to give himself up to
the French sorcerer for the experiment.
The preparations were on grand scale.
The Marabout was made to stand upon a
table, and was covered with transparent
gause. Then Houdin and another person
lifted the table by the ends, when the
Arab disappeared in profuse cloud Of
smoke. The terror of the spectators was