The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-01-22
MODERN MAGICIANS.
WONDERFUL TRICKS SHOWN A GER
MAN WHILE IN CAIRO.
A Performance In tho Open Air-Myste-
rions Disappearasoe Of Transparent
BaIiS-A Necromaneer's Method Of
Killing Dogs-A Strange Death.

rions Disappearasee Of Transparent
Balls-A Necromaneer's Method Of
Killing Dogs-A Strange Death.
When Frederick Gerstaecker accom-
panied the Duke Of Coburg to eastern
Africa, the incognito Of his sovereign
friend was dropped at Cairo, where
German banker treated them to dinner
of fatherland fare, followed by an exhibit
ton Of local talent: fife concerts, Arabian
dances and legertlemain. The exponent
of the latter accomplishment produced n
copper dice boz and repeatedly emptied 1t
on the carpet, alternating his throws with
predictions that were lost upon the for
eigners; but after series Of similar pre-
liminaries invited his audience to an open
terrace, and in the plain light Of the even
ing sun flung up number Of transparent
balls, that disappeared at an apparent
height Of some eighty feet above the foot
of the Csplanade. The globes were color
less and pellucid like white glass, but ~
light as gum, and were repeatedly sub
mitted 10 the examination OF the specta-
tors. After passing from hand to hand
they were put in an open vessel, shaped
somewhat like n short handled dipper,
and leaning back till his outstrctched arm
nearly touched the ground, the wizard
then flung them straight up in the air,
where they could be seen glittering for u
moment like icicles or large glass pearls.
WHAT BECAME OF THEN,
But nobody ever saw them fall down
again, though tie scene of the experiment
was surrounded by large, level lawn:
the air seemed 10 have swallowed them
like globes Of dissolving yapOr. Could
they have eyaporatc1 or exploded into e
spray Of minute particles (after the man
ncr Of "Prince Ruperts drops'bg A
slcight OF hand trick was clearly out OF
the question, but more tenabie eXpiana-
ton Of the phenomenon would have puz-
zled chemist as much as an oplc4An.
Gcrstaeckcr tried in vain TO Drlbe the
wizard into q hint on the composition OF
his missiles, and was not much iuckier
in Datavia. where Parsee juggler treated
the Dutch residents to q novel matanza,
or EiUinr show, in the circus Of the old
city bull ring
Ills victims were n number OF worthless
ours. which their owners or capt0rs bad
br0ucht along with the distinct under
standing that Their entries would not sur
yiye Tie incidents Of the performance.
With ND weapon but light stick lpOssi-
biz n tube, some six feet long by an inch
in diameter, the performer entered the
! arena and then invited his patrons to
star. their pets, ono 1T time. A lank
bound almost h0irless with mango,
openod the festivities by making rush
round the ring, but stopped short on find
inr his way barred by the still tanker
professor, and rctrcated, after displaying
his few remaining teeth. The NEGRO
mancer held his staff at arms length,
still facing the dog, who presently began
TO stacger, and two minutes after had ex-
pircd in commissions A second cur man
aged to run the blockade by leaping over
the extended staff, but soon after began
20 show signs of distress, and before the
end Of the third minute had shared the
fate Of his predecessor.
A PosT NoETEM INQUEST.
Dog after dog entered the ring in quick
succession some Of them stopping in sur
prise and smiling at the corpses of their
doomed fOrerunneTs, but all finally APP
preached the pOsSeSsOr Of the fatal secret,
or even snapped at his naked shins, and
not one Of the thousand spectators saw
him strike direct blow or defend himself
in any way suggesting mechanical ex-
PLANTATION Of the uniform result He
would merely lift his staff with men
acing gesture, or permit blockade runner
10 touch it in darting by, but in no in
stance was there occasion for repeating
that touch. The victims had hardly time
TO complete the circuit Of the ring before
their gait underwent a peculiar change;
they would drag themselves along and
stagger, or start as under sudden blow
then roll over and die in the commissions
characterizing the effects Of certain viru
lent DRUGS. They had evidently been
poisoned; but how
a post norton inquest failed to reveal
az 21ch - a scratch or q puncture. A
poisoned arrow could not have entirely
disappeared, while q gaseous poison would
have betrayed itself by its odor or by its
effects on the person Of the performer.
After the conclusion Of the matanZa, Mir.
Gerstaccler secured q private interview
with the artist, and in vain offered him IA
liberal inducemcnt TO explain the modus
Opcrauli Of his trick. The Parsec seemed
bride proof, bat at last took his tempter
aside, and in q whisper guaranteed the
results OF his professional assistance il
Nynheer should wish 20 try the efficacy
OF his art by an experiment on q TWO
legged subicCt-thc amount Of the prof
fered compensation having evidently sug-
gested a conjecture that the cnterprisng
foreigner WAS contemplating the removal
of some obnoxious fellow bipedl-Felix
w. Oswald in The Cosmopolitan.
Paints That Are Dangerous.