The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-10-19
MAGIC MAKER.
Prof. Hartz and his Interest.
ing Career.
His Opinion on the Profess
sion in General.

| his clever tricks and mysterious perform
anees has delighted the large and appreci-
alive audiences that have been attracted
| by his interesting and meritorious enter
| tainments.
General interest has been manifested in
the legerdemain, as practiced by this sue
cessful illusioaist, and in view of this fact
brief personal history of this magical
| autocrat is subjoined. Professor Hartz
was born in England in 1S46, of German
parentage His father was jeweler of
pronounced inventive genius His parent,
at late day in life. turned his attention to
the magical profession, and achieved quite
success in that domain.
PROF. HARTZ,
at the age of six years. started out with an
older brother who was an amatuer ma
gician, to show in the smaller towns of
England. This arrangement continued
but short time, as the young embryo ma
gician disliked the restraint imposed by his
brothers tutelage, and accordingly, one
stormy evening left the show and his elder
brother and struck out for himself. His
| first venture as youthful Snowman was
not marked by any great success, but with
VARYING fortunes he continued to add new
| features to his performance, until he secur-
ed an enyiable reputation as an inventive
magician Since he was seventeen years
old, he has had show of his own, and has
| therefore been before the public for the
past eighteen years. He has travelled over
the greater part of Europe, Australia,
America and in portion of India. While
in Calcutta,
AN INCIDENT
occurred to him which made his stay brief
but interesting in that particular province.
He appeared there as magician and per-
formed good share of his tricks. The
natives while admitting that they were
clever claimed that the native priests
sould surpass him in the black art. Their
performance were sacred and were regar
ded with awe and superstition. Hartz
determined to witnes some of these native
performances. and in few days repeated
them in public, He was looked upon as
profaining their sacred rites and was
ordered TO leave Calcutta and India. At
first he refused to go, but fearing that some
fanatic might injure him, he took his
departure and has never since visited that
locality.
In England a different incident once
occurred to him. He visited Oxford where
the different colleges of that university
are located for the purpose of giving aper
Torrance The hall was filled with under
graduates out for a good time, perfectly
willing to interfere with his tricks if they
found it possible. They greeted his en-
trance upon the stage with songs, and
| would not cease their gymnastics even
after he had performed the first trick upon
the programme. He confessed that he
became very nervous, although he gave no
exhibition of such mental disturbance. He
lighted cigarette and taking up a paper
commenced to smoke and read. The col
lege boys applauded his composure and
perceiving that they had been out-gener-
ated became very attentive and proved
themselves his patrons from that very
night and whenever he visited that seat of
| leaning.
his BELIEF.
He contends that there is no such thing
as spiritual manifestation or the other
exhibition of spiritual presence, as he
claims that he can perform all acts given
under that guise by natural and
artificial means He also is OF
the opinion that sleeght of hand is 3
gift which can be cultivated and improved;
but withoutsa natural aptitude no man
can prosecute it to successful conclusion.
He also thinks that magician's and me-
chanical genius are closely called, and the
successful. magician is one who has pre-
viously achieved some success as mechan-
&C.
He also labors under the impression
that there is not the money in magical per
formances that there was few years ago,
and defends his theary by good substan
tial reasons He asserts that the public
now want varied performance made
popular by the com bination system in the
dramatic profession.
AS consequence he is obliged to hire
artistes to travel with him, where "a few
years ago he gave the performance unaid-
ed This Increased the expenses while the
revenue remains the same as under the
old regime. Last week he appeared at
Peoria, and although he encountered a.
period of bad weather he manage TO swell
the exchequerto the extent of $1.72 HisI
expenses during that time were $3.50. |
Professor Hartz is however in comfortable
circumstances, as he has managed to amas
considerable fortune from outside specu
lation and owns several valuable pieces of
property in Cleveland and New York
NEW POLES.