Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1892-01-16
THE THEATRE.
A Large Variety of Choice Enter
tsinments.
Paul Alexander JohHsuone's Enter
Lafnment Last Evening - The
Rock leland lecture Course
-Amusements.

Paul Alexander tombstone, famous as q
mind reader. on his first appearance in
Rock Island a. Harper's theatre last eve
ming. Mr.. tombstone, who is man of
medium heigh- and slender build, is ap-
psrently nervously disposed, and bears
an intelligent, thoughtful countenance.
He began his entertainment with short
talk on the subject of mind reading,
speaking of his gift as something unex-
plsinable by himself, discountenancing
any of the Influences of spirituslism and
mesmerism in the performance of his
feats. He spoke Of the principles under
which he worked as not unlike those of
force-the audience the positive. He sur
rendered his git Of sight and worked in
darkness, with his audience as the light.
Instead of MS inflsncing his aud
fence as in mesmerism. he was
influenced ty the minds of
those with whom he worked In
order to succeed in his tests the mind
with which he worked must be fully in
sympathy with hint must concentrate
It's thought on particular object and re.
main so before it could lead and guide
him.
a committee Of citizens was then in
vited on the stage, Mr.. tombstone was
taken to the green room by two of the
gentlemen anG blindfolded In the
meantime a scarf pin had been concealed
in the audience by the committee. Mir.
tombstone then appeared. and taking the
arm Of one OF the committeeman in his
own he made a hurried tour of the audi>
cree. He sooa located the immediate
neighborhoCd Of place Of conceslment of
the pin and after searching vainly for i.
he skiTted the house and returned again
and finally found it, On re-
turning to the stage and re-
moving the baudage from his eyes he
asked if the pin had not been hidden twice.
Being answered in the affirmative he
stated that in other tests the object of
>earch mus, not be concealed but once, as
the first impression on the mind was the
strongest. and that to hide an object twice
would not only confuse the mind of the
committee but his own in consequence.
Mr.. tombstone retired again ard the
committee taking DR.. Carriers cap placed
it on the head of William Jackson, seated
in another part OF the house. placing Mr.
Jackson's hat or DR.. Carter. The cap
and the hat were then taken
and concealed ia different parts of the
house Mr. Joinstone found both the
hat aud the cap with difficulty. first
transposed them, and then returned them
to their rishtful owners.
Then MIR tombstone performed the
most remara able 'eat of the evening He
retired to be bliulfo'dgd, and meanwhile
Fred S'aasseH took dagger, went iuto
audience and committed n mental murder
on Csp.. Robert Eoehler. going through
ali the motions Of murierous blow
The dagger was conceded below the foot
lights, and Mr. Slaassen took seat in
the rear Of the house. The committee
then selected rs a jury TO try the case,
Dr.. Alexander, W. A Reck, Warren
Reck, John Rinck, NJ r. IgleAart and
VIII Don, with Gen. ". A. S,hmitt as
judge, William Jackson as states attor-
ne7, and DR.. Carter as counsel for the
defense. These gentlemen took
seats on the stage, and then returned to
their form r place ia the audience. Mr.
tombstone first found the dagger, then
picked out the SIX jurymen, judge and
attorneys and sent them to the stage
Then he found the assassin, and go
ing 10 Capt. Koehler committed the blow
just as i, rad beer dealt By Mr. Staassen,
Going to the stage he seated the jurors,
court and counsel exactly SIS they had
originally seated themselves on the stage,
and thus the performance closed. Mr..
tombstone retired. aud saving that his
system was too much UnstruDg as q re-
suit OF the last ordeal to dismiss the aud
ienee, Dr.. Alexander did it for him.
THE AReUs Is not incli1ed to psss
judgment on My. Johnstone's feats from
a scientific standpoint. While there are
skep,ics-a-i they were present last
nicht-wLo denoUuce Mr.. Johnsioue as
a fake, others assert that his is q
faculty for muse e reading rather than
thought reading. Be that as it may, and
no matter what be. the talent Mr. John
stone possesses he gives a remarkable en-.
tertainment Whether it is supernatural.
sSzss ks.a > 60,