Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-04
"rHE VANISHING LADY"
How the First Performance of the
New Trick was Given.

How the First Performance of the
New Trick was Given.
NEW YORK, Oct. al am always ready
20 go to a Spirituaiistic seance or slelght-
pf-hand performance, because l always
manage to discover the trick which in
varably puzzles all the rest OF the victims.
You mas be sure. therefore, that when
Hermann announced performance last
Sunday evening at Wallack's Theatre for
the benefit of the Charleston sufferers,
and the initial performance of bis new
trick, The Vanishing Lady," | did not
miss the opportunity, especially as could
bumor my inclinations as well as my Gu
riusity. From the descriptions of my
friends from Paris the trick OF the CYAN
isEiug Lady" was done much better IN
Par $, where Hermann announced ne mad
tutchased the novelty and which has
been the sensation in the Eden Musee Tor
some months past. Nine. Heller appeared
in IA light drapery; rug was placed on
the stage, large sheet of paper ana a
cDair thereon, the lady sitting on the
chair. Ineu Hermann enVelOped her in
thin but not gauzy dark green sheet that
completely covered her, while revealing
the contour OF her figure. In Paris almost
instantly the covering was removed ana
the lady had vinisbed, put hermann le-
auired slow music and 1t was several mo-
ments before the sheet was removed and
the vacant chair discovered. OF course
be directed attention by glances to every
part Of the stage than that he sought not
to, the rear corner, where he touched
spring that lmm edately detected, let
ting his wife ami chair drop 10 the regions
below, while the apparent gauZe sustain
ed by its vertical toids) it's position.
Theories that mirrors We're used, pro-
ducIng an optical deluSion, were advanced
BY very careful scrutmy-always watch
The magician and not the point at which
he directs attentioG-ulscoVered the
spring, and sitting hear / could hear the
mechanism.
| have never read an expose OF Heler's
PSYCHIC trick, when mas mystlhed most
Debolders. The plgmy figure OF nall
body. with head and arms and sec
lionaI shelf OF dgures across tbe front, IS
placed on a hollow glass cyiinder. AT
Heiier's command Psycho masters the
most intricate cubes and squares, the
head and arm moving from size TO side,
the latter selectln,s figures and plac ng
ahem 10 form a correct answer. The
thoIy was that the arm and head was
moved by electric wires, but The glass
support rendered that i'm apostolic. IL puZ-
&led me for some time, but | finally uIs.
covered-iust how I'll not say-tnat it
gyas worked by compressed air crcu-
laung in the glass cylinder from one OF
tn Z feet OF the pedestal. The assistant IN
the wing worked the supply tube hy a bail,
oAe press putting the arm to moving,
Two dropping 1t on a figure, third pick
A4g 1t up, when 1t moved llstlessly until
another double pressure dropped The nu-
iperal ia its place. The magician wore
flush button, !. p, one OF toe buttons on
tLEe small OF the back of his dress coat,
which was connected with pocket bat
telN-you have seen those electric flash
ing lscarf pins-and gave the cue Tor the
Hgures, he being lightning calculator.
Yeahs ago it took me three nights to dis
rOvel4 his trick OF the Sphinx. an Egyptian
head lvNat rose out OF the table after the
removal Of a box. The table stood in the
centre OF The stage, apparently perfectly
"A ear underneath, with one corner facing
the audience. The head talked and was
obviously alive, but there was no possi-
blhNy of It's being connected with a
body Abecause the top of the table was
not one and half inches thick,
aud it was entirely clear under
nesyh. On the third night, having exhaust
ed .al INV theories, l threw 2 putty ball
from a flower | carried with me in the di-
reel N o1 the table. and finding it lodged
in iht air | soon discovered that the table
had II looking glass between each leg, the
magic ian being careful never to be caught
in the reflection, and that there WAS no
reflection of the surroundings. The same
way al little investigation always proves
that tine naturalization at a spiritual
seanceGs the medium impersonating, be-
uause Whenever | scatter tacks over tie
floor spirits can't stand them, and the
mediumhs always lame when no or she
emerged from the cabinet.
JOHN D'ARME.