The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1878-12-12
THE DEAD MAGICIAN.

THE DEAD MAGICIAN.
A Philadelphia paper gives the fol
lowing account of the illness and death
of the great magician and pianist, Rob
ert Heller: His true name was Palmer,
he having assumed the name of Heller
when be entered the business that has
since made his name a household word
He was the son of an English clergy
man, and came TO this country about &c
years ago as the "advance AGENT for
Tom Taylor's play of "Our American
Cousin" lie first settled in Wash
ington. He came to this city on Satur-
day, nov. 23d, from New York, to fill a
winters engagement at Concert Hall.
His last engagement previous to COM
ing to Philadelphia was in Washington,
two weeks ago. There he contracted a
cold, and, when his engagement con-
cluded, he went to New York for q
week S rest, preparatory 90 opening in
Philadelphia. On Monday night he
gave his first performance here. He
got through the first part all right, but
Immediately atterward was taken sud
denly ill. The audience waited. Mr..
Heller presently appeared, looking very
fale. He stated that sudden sickness
had interfered in a measure with his
plans that evening, but he would en-
deavor to 90 on with the performance.
His sister, who assisted him, had also
been taken sick, he announced, but
would endeavor TO help him through
with the programme. The play
went on. Heller did his best
to delight his audience, and
succeeded. Before the part came
to a close, however, his illness increas-
ed, as was plainly apparent to the audi
ence by his looks. The performance
closed. Next morning tuesday, at s
O'Clock, he still felt unwell, and sent for
DIR. +. II. GetcheU. DIR. Getchell saws
that upon his arrival he found him suf-
terlng from a slight congestion of the
lungs. While he did not think his case
dangerous, he urged Heller to keep him
self quiet as possible, and advised him
not 10 keep his engagement for Tuesday
night, as he thought he would not be
able to play. Heller could not think of
disappointing the audience, and refused
TO hear to the advice. He felt no fear
OF any thing dangerous, The Doctor
prescribed for him and left He advised
him again several times during the day,
repeating his advice for him not to play
on Tuesday night. 1t was 4 O'Clock in
the afternoon before he got Heller final
Iy persuaded. At that hour he consent
ed to allow a certificate to be drawn at
his dictation, and signed by the Doctor,
TO be given TO the press, to the effect
that he could not play that night. He
would not allow the certificate to cover
a longer period than that one night,
though the Doctor urged it upon him
strongly. He expected TO be out of bed
on Wednesday. Yesterday morning he
was about the same, and still sanguine
of being able 10 play last night. DIR.
Eietchell dissuaded MIN from attempt
ing it. The Doctor did not appre-
bend any thing dangerous till
O'Clock last evening. At that
hour the patient was seized with fit
of vomiting, which Frustrated him
greatly. He began to sink rapidly. DR..
Getchell sent for DIR. Da Costa, and the
two physicians had consultation at
o'clock. The outcome of it was an
agreement on the part of both that
Heller's condition was critical. Still,
they did not expect that he would die
during the night. To insure care in
case of need, DIR. Getchell decided to
remain with him ali night. DR.. Da
Costa then left. Miss Heller, the sister,
DIR. Getchell, aud female attendant
were all that remained with him. The
fits of vomiting were renewal frequent
", aud each time the patient was pros
trated more and more. He suffered
greatly during these spells, and did not
want to be talked to. At IL As the Con-
tinental people believed he would re-
cover, and it was so noised about the
house At u .05 Heller was seized with
another fit of vomiting. He said
word or two about the pain it caused
him. In five minutes afterward he was
a corpse. He passed away so suddenly
his sister could not realize it for some
time afterward. The Doctor, the sister,
and the female attendant were with him
to the last. The sister was almost wild
with grief. While a music teacher in
Washington, Mr.. Heller discovered his
aptitude for sleight-of hand tricks, and
shortly afterward gave public enter
tainments of legerdemain, which he
varied with exhibitions of his skill as a
pianist. Finding that his musical ex-
hibitions dulled that nicely of touch
that the BLACK art" demanded, he
"cut out" the piano solos from his en-
tertainments. From Washington he
came to New York and hired No. 5S5
Broadway, which was long known as
"Heller's Hall" While in this city his
skill as a "wizzardm made him very
popular, and he always had full houses.
In April, 1865, he sold his lease of the
hall to Birch & Backus, of San Fran
cisco minstrel fame, for IS, 900, and dis
appeared from New York. He was
heard of at long intervals from different
parts of the world, and did not return
to New York until about two years
since, when he was accompanied by his
daughter, with whose aid he performed
the remarkable trick of "second sight,"
which attracted a great deal of atten-
ton for some time. He gave exhibit
tons of his skill at the Fifth Avenue
Theater, the Globe Theater aud Fifth
Avenue Hall, on Twenty fourth Street.
LAST summer he spent in Europe, and
returned to this city about month ago,
stopping at the Fifth Avenue Hotel, I'M
til Saturday last, when he went to Phil
adelphia.
Mr.. Heller was q tall E1sn, and at the