The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-04
THOSE MIND READERS.
Their Alleged Acts Of Thought Trans
ference.

a Code-Reading the Numbers of a
Watch or ereenback, or Contents of
Sealed Envelope Is Really Easy.
From the New York Advertiser.
Those credulous souls who love the mys-
ferrous always attribute that which they
cannot explain TO some occult agency
1t IS such persons that the ever unscrup-
ulous spirttualistic medium finds easy VIC
TINS ever ready and ever anxious to be.
heVe' and not at all acquainted with the
simplest laws of magic. they are guided
by the most awkward manipulation into
accepting the theory Of spirit power" or
unseen assistance" in explanation of the
simplest of the tricks. And this, notwith-
standing the constant assertion of the
most famous magicians thai they can pro-
duce any so-called phenomenon OF medium
or mindreader without the aid of any Sa-
tanic assistance whatever II is not
enough either that mediums and mind
readers are constantly exposed In the pub
lie prints. 1T is not for the wizards to
tell how these mysterious tricks are exc
cuted; it is their business 10 perform them
for the publfc's amusement.
Up to a short while ago "A clever French.
man. with female assistant, performed a
mind-reading trick in one of the variety
nails of New York which almost convinced
the most incredulous skeptics and sharp
Witted that other than human means were
employed. He first passed along the afsIes
Of the theaters, requesting the auditors TO
tell MIN things they wished his assistant
to do. first explaining that he was not Ia
speak word during the performances
After receiving commands from as many
as thirty people, he went back to the
stage and after making sundry mvsteri-
Gus passes over the head OF his collabors
tor she passed out into the audience with
eyes tightly closed she went to each ~
the thirty auditors, one after another
ana dld exactly what they had told the
professor they desired her to do These
commands varied-some asking that the
lady should take "A ring from a finger. put
on a gentleman's hat, or some such trivial
act rms she did correctly in almost
every case. During her perform
ance the professor followed her about.
saving not a word
NOW how Is this explained? It seems M
trst to battle explanation. The audience on
leaVing the theater were always heard tn
say, Il wonder II It was not done by spirit
power Ihere was not a word spoken
80 II i'ust pe nina reading II was very
wonderful and must have been perforne1
by some unknown hypnotic influence
Rest your soul In peace. dear. reader n
was nothing OF the kind. A close Observer
might nave noticed that when the PRO
lessor motioned toward a person occupv
ing certain seat and rubbed his hand tht
lady TOOK ring from the finger OF thar
persons hands. When anothe, person bad
asked that his programme be torn In two
Ine Professor" gave "a slight cough eto
Inc Trick was performed by siyuals ami
"Hen the assistant was unable to under
stand the signal, whether 1t haopepc1 Ia ba
4 sign, cough or the rubbing of han,fs
she PISSED quickly on to the YER Terson
IL rs inc Professor who has tho hard worl-
70 20. He must remember what each az
me thirty odd poole told him to have
MS assistant do,and at the same time he
must signal to her in such a way that M,
VIII not be detected by the audience. To
execute this trick acceptabIy perfect
signaling code as well as much prac-
tice Is necessary.
IL Is now many years since the famous
trick of thought transference" was ex-
posed, yet every year some new mind read
er blossoms out and myStihes the pub
lie. only lately this trick was performed
very acceptably by a Sketch Team at "A
New York theater The female member Of
the Team" came out, and after sing
ing song, announced that she expected
ASSIST
hef IN giving an amateur en-
tertainment Her companion then
appeared and after some words
of explanation. tied a handkerchief
tightly over the eyes of his assistant
He then went into the audience and going
from one person TO another, cried out.
whats this ?" Whats this ?" If an nm.
era glass, the blindfolded person. standing
in the middle of The stage, so announced II.
II programme, she quickly cried, Pro-
granme," and so on, till she had con-
Ylnced great many people that she was
a mind reader, sure enough
But is she Most assuredly not Like
the French Professor" told of above the
audience had simply witnessed a less cley
er exhibition of trickery that any two per-
sons could perfect themselves in half an
hours practice.
Here is the simple code:
WHAT'S this?. Coat. Programme. Pencil.
Now WHAT. Hat-Opera Glass Ring
What now. Collar. Fan............. Hat.
Now when the professor wants to sig
nal coat he asks What's tEis?" II
programme he asks the same question
only he utters the word what sharply.
10 indicate that the object he wishes to
designate IS under the second column OF
articles, and for the third colum he draws
the word what" The same rule applies
to the rest Of the code. Like most tricks
this one is exceedingly simple, when you
have mastered the code II an exhibition
Is 70 be given I'm a house, "A different code
must Of course be prepared, including
such articles as chair, table. picture. book,
etc. The great Heller performed this trick
for many years with great success.
Another so-called mindreading trick
is that Of reading the number of a watch.
The prestidgitator has no easier trick To
perform in his repertoire. II inexplica-
BILE to the audience, 1t is in reality sim
plicity itself. The professor goes into
the audience and gathers. say a half n
dozen watches. These he Keeps upon a
plate til he goes back upon the stage.
Then he picks up one OF the watches, and.
holding II up to his forehead for mo-
ment, called out Is number. Having
done this. he opens the watch and an
nounces that he is correct In his guess.
After reading the numbers I'm ali the
watches, they are passed back TO their
owners.
Very mysterious everybody in the
audience eNlaims. Not 50 at all. one of
the watches belongs TO "a confederatei
knowing the number OF this to be. say
he. .vs9F.ta .I.trs -