The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-03-07
HOW HEADS ARE CUT OFF.
One of the Conjurer's Most Startling Tricks
Easily Explained.

For number of years the masterpieces
of some conjurers have been the cutting
off of heads. The most common one, per-
haps, is that where a countryman with
''a sorter buzzing" in his head has it
cured by cutting off the offending mem
ber. The subject takes a seat in high
back, upholstered chair. The long back
of the chair is thickly padded and has
two silk cords running crosswise on it,
one from the inner edge of either arm up
to the top corner of the opposite SIDE
thus making broad X.
The subject being seated in chair, a
large helmet or ''receiver" is placed on
his head. Ghis helmet is made of any
bright metal, has vizor in front, and is
open at the back. After it is placed over
his head the vizor is lifted to show that
the head is there, but in reality a dunn
my head is seen, made up to represent
the subject. AS the performer closes the
vizor he tilts the helmet forward little,
while the subject at the same moment
draws mis- head out of it and presses it
against the back of the chair, which
gives way under the pressure and tri-
angular space opens, the two sides of
which are formed by the lower portion
of the X in the padding, the base being
on line with the chair arm, where this
swinging portion of the back is hinged
on. On this flap, the opening of which
is concealed by the receiver and towel
placed in front of it to hide the blood (0,
rests the head of the subject.
The receiver is now removed and
placed on small cabinet, the towel
being left at the neck of the subject in
the chair. In moment the receiver is
taken from the top of the cabinet, and
the head is seen resting there; it moves
and speaks and is the head of another
person made up to represent the first
one, and who sits behind the mirror in
the cabinet and pops his head up through
hole in the top of it as soon as the re-
ceiver is placed there. This cabinet is
shaped like safe, and contains several
apparently deep shelves. In reality the
shelves are shallow, mirror of proper
size being placed in it in such a position
as to leave about four-ffths of the cabi-
net vacant.
The very latest decapitation is one now
used by Hermann. The stage is pecul-
iarly set, the interior, from the first to
the third groove, being completely hung
in black velvet or felt, back, top and
sides. In place of the ordinary foot
lights a row of gas jets is usually placed
across the stage just on line with the
inside of the boxes, and another row
carried around but outside of the arched
entrance to the black chamber.
The effect of this arrangement of light
and shadow throws the stage into impen-
etrable gloom. Hermann appears sud-
denly clothed in white Then Mephisto-
pheles appears so suddenly that it seems
as if he had jumped out of space, but
really coming through an opening in the
black cloth. Then comes light cloak
and pretty woman in evening dress
This latter first wraps herself in black
domino of the same material as the
stage hangings, leaving her arms and
head free. Over this she now slips
framework of light wire, covered with
fine evening dress This framework has
no back, and she can slip out from it
behind, leaving the shell with dress.
For the lady to sit on, two pedestals
suddenly appear. These are white, and
appear by having cover of black pulled
from them quickly. One of these is
about two feet high and the other about
five feet high. The lady sits on the
smaller one, and Mephisto orders Herr
mann to cut her head off.
After some de:nurring he finally seizes
a carving knife, places light cloak over
the lady's shoulders and cuts off her
head.
Taking it with one hand under the
chsn and the other holding her hair, he
carries it across the stage and places it
on the other pedestal, she walking along
with him, having slipped out behind the
framework, leaving it upright ON the
small pedestal She walks across the
stage in her black domino or behind
black screen shoulder high, only her
head showing, and finally stopping with
her head on the pedestal that is about
five feet high. To replace, the same
gliding back is again employed, and she
again resumes her dress case and the
trick is over.-New York News.