The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-01-30

Oh TIE AAEaDCotc, Set OF OotlSe con.
jurors. AID these artfu. cersons were
badly disposed AS was NATURALLY to the
French, who had taken possession os
their country
Houdln. accepted the mission. played
Of he. tricks against theirs, and reduced
them 10 q sense " humiliation and dis
gust-much akin. l fancy. to that of the
Magi, when Aaron cast his rod before
Pharaoh aud il became = serpent. which
happened also TO the Magi's rods, only
that Aarons rod, gong further, then
theirs swallowed up the rest
The modern Nag Of Algeris bad to
bow before the adroisness of Houdin.
The Arabs lost all their faith in them,
aud thus was destroyed an influence
very dangerous to the French Govern
ment A ludicious use Of electricity
"astonished the natives" in Algeria.
Several conjurors have been most sue
cesstul in this country within the last
twenty-six years. professor" Ander-
son. as he chose to designate himself,
assumed the title of Great Wizard of
the North He WAS originally . buis-
cult baker in the north Of Scotland, and
first performed in public. in that coun-
try, in 1880. his most successful feat. 1t
that time, being the now familiar and
easy trick Of producing q pudding.
smoking hot. from hat.
Coming to this county in 1851, Ander-
son performed at the Broadway Theatre,
New York, and Immediately became
popular. His education had been very
limited. and he could not write even q
short letter without spelling many of
the words after q manner of his own.
But he was shrewd and adroit. besides
being skillful to degree.
He was deeply impressed with the
idea that be was intended TO sdorn the
stage and his speciality was the sharac-
ter Of Rob Roy, which he played 40 Of
ten IA he had . chance He expended
several hundred dollars in the elaborate
costuming of this character. The tar
tan was of spun silk; the buckles Of
his shoes were made Of solid silver and
hi. claymor (or sword) and the dagger
which he wore were enriched with valu-
able jewels. With such dress be con-
ceived that it was very easy to pc, e,form
the character
Professor" John Henry Anderson
made and spent several fortunes. Over
aid over again. when he was brought
low. lie returned to the United States,
where he always replenished his treasu-
~. He travelled very largely. and paid
more than one visit to Australia. In
/ 1856, when he was lessee of Covens
Garden Theatre, in London, it wss
burned down. and he was burned out.
His death is rather recent.
Robert Heller, . far better conluror
than Anderson. was originally a dis
tinguished pupil at the Academy OF
Music IN London. and to this day is one
of the best piano forte players. In
1852, when he was only nineteen, he
came TO America. He was the first per
son here TO exhibit, what was original
with Houdan. the clairvoyant trick Of
making n blindtoIded person, far re-
/ moved from the conjuror. name aud de-
/ scribe, without seeing. number OF oh
! jecss-coins. jewels. rings. ets..-hand-
cd III by the audience. Mr.. Heller.
perceive, has lately returned to us.
There was . conjuror named Macsi-
lister, whose first American appearance
was III Philadelphia. in 1852 He was
/ no, such u touch-and-go performer az
Anderson or Heller. Latterly, be was
assisted by his wife. who latter bis
death in Iowa III 1866 set up for her
/ SELF and had as her confederate" be-
hind the scenes. her business manager
whom she married She died in South
America. il 1859.
Perhaps the most brilliant coajuror
We have had III America was Mr.. Her
mann, a native Of Germany. l believe,
whose dexterity was very considerable
and rarely. if ever. failed. He came
over about 1860. and two Of his tricks
excited general admiration.
He would stand before the footliS Shts,
on the stage Of the Philadelphia Acade
my of Music. with pack or two Of Or
binary playing cards in his LEFT hand,
while. with his right, he would distri
butte them in rapid manner, one after
another, all over the housc-that is. to
even the remotes. part of it. One card
would fly 10 the back seat Of the par
Quet circle: second to the extremity
of the psrquet; q third would rapidly
Gu, through the cir, up to the front
row Of the gallery.
The certainty of these flights Vas very
remarkable. have never seen any
other person do this feat, nor have
ever come across any reasonable accoun.
of It's mode Of execution
Hermann was the first. in this coun-
try Ia produce glass bowl. brimminS
with water. aud with goldfish swim.
ming about IN it, from a shawl sec
ond and third bowl being So produced.
the performer sometimes disusr riding the
shawl. and borrowing a pocket hand
kcrchief from one of the audience for
The production Of the last bowl
THIS trick Is So common now. that
amateur Performers execute IL very neat
IL. now and then Bowls Of fire are
sometimes produced in the same way
In ls65. the la:e Col Stodarc caused
great sensation in London BY novel
Illusion called the sphinx. which is
>t,ll exhibited by professor" Hoffman.
who has lately published an illustrated
volume cH,iiled M zlern Magic-a
Practical Treatise on the art # Conjur
lug"
tpon A. uncovered and tarc-legged
:4h.. is placed chest, the size Of box
ia y hlch stuffed dogs are often place
removing the side facing the spoc:a-
tors. there appears human head, at
,.r,ei after the fashion of an Egyptian
sphinx. To avoid ,as suspicion If ven-
-. a.....- .Ea Z, Lilstnr rr.t iras r,.Ac.l