Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1891-11-21
MODERN MAGICIANS.
WONDERFUL TRICKS SHOWN A GER
MAN WHILE IN CAIRO.

A Performance la the Open Air--Mysts~
rious Disappearance of Transparens
Bali.--A Neeromancer's Method 81
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 q
German banker treated them so a dinner
OF fatherland fare, followed by an exhibit
ton Of local talent; fife concerts, Arabian
dances and legerdemain. The exponent
Of the latter accomplishment produced q
copper dice box and repeatedly emptied il
on the carpet, alternating his throws with
predictions that were lost upon the for
eigners; but after a series of similar pre-
liminaries invited his audience TO an open
terrace, and In the plain light of the even
ing sun flung up n number Of transparent
balls, that disappeared at an apparent
height OF some eighty feet above the foot
of the esplanade. The globes were color
less and pellucid like white glass, but as
light as gum, and were repeatedly sub
mitted 10 tie examination OF the specta-
tors. After passing from hand TO hand
they were put in an open vessel, shaped
somewhat like short handled clipper,
and leaning back till his outstretched arm
nearly touched the ground, the wizard
then flung them straight up In the air,
where they could be seen glittering for q
moment like icicles or large glass pearls.
WHAT BECAME OF TuEMf
But nobody ever saw them fall down
again, though the scene Of the experiment
was surrounded by large, level lawn,
the air seemed To have swallowed them
like globes OF dissolying vapor. Could
they have eyaporated or exploded into q
spray of minute PARTICLES latter the man
ner of prince Rupert's drops'Di A
sleight Of hand trick was clearly out Of
the question, but more tenable explana-
tion Of the phenomenon would have pug
zled chemist as much as an optician.
Gerstaecker tried In vain TO bride the
wizard into hint ON the composition OF
his missiles, and was not much luckier
In Batavih, where Parsee juggler treatsd
the Dutch residents 10 "A novel matanza
or killing show, In the circus Of the old
city bull ring.
His victims were number of worthless
ours, which their owners or captors had
brought along with the distinct under.
standing that their entries would not sur
vive the incidents of the performance.
With no weapon but light stick lpossi-
bly, tubel some six feet long by an inch
in diameter, the performer entered the
arena, and then invited his patrons 70
start their pets, one at a time. A lank
hound, almost hairless with -. 40,
opened the festivities by making % rush
round the ring, but stopped short ON find.
ing his way barred by the still lankel
professor, and retreated. after displaying
his few remaining teeth. Tho NEGRO
mancer held his staff at arms length
still facing the dog, who presently begnr
TO stagger, and two minutes after had ex
pired in commissions. A second cur man
aged to run the blockade by lcaping owe
the extended staff but soon after began
to show signs OF distress, aud before tn
end OF the third minute had shared th,
fate OF his predecessor.
A POST MoRTEM INQUEsr.
Dog after dog entered the ring In quicl
succession, some of them stopping In sur
| prise and smiling at tho corpses OF thei
doomed forerunners, but all finally ap
preached the possessor of the fatal secret
OF even snapped at his naked shins, an
/ not one Of the Thousand spectators 50,
him strike direct blow or defend hlmsal
in any way suggesting mechanical OF
PLANTATION OF the uniform result. II
| atulh AutItil lliN MS bttlA with n DlcI
acing gesture, or permit a blockade runne
to touch 1t in darting by, but In no IN
stance WIS there occasion for repeatin
that touch. The victims had hardly tim
To complete the circuit of the ring befoT
their gait underwent "A peculiar chang
they would drag themselves along an
stagger, or start as under sudden blow
then roll over and die In the convulsior
chnraeterizing the effects of certain virI
lent drugs. They had evidently bee
poisoned; but howg
A post norton inquest failed to reve
as much as scratch or "a puncture.
poisoned arrow could not have entire
disappeared, while gaseous poison won
have betrayed itself 10y its odor or by /
effects ON the person OF the performe
After the conclusion OF the matanza, NJ
Gerstaecker secured n private interyie
with the artist, and in vain offered him
liberal inducement to explain the mod
operandi Of his trick. The Parsee seem,
bride proof, but at last took his tempt
aside, and In a whisper guaranteed Il
results of his professional assistance
Mynheer should wish 10 try the efiica,
of his art 10y AN experiment ON a tv
legged subject--the amount OF the pro
fered compensation having evidently SUI
gested "a conjecture that the enterprisir
foreigner was contemplating the remov
of some obnoxious fellow biped Eel
w. Oswald In The Cosmopolitan.
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