Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-03-07
n.GIC1ANs AMONG THE moauIs.
Southwestern Indians Do Cabinet
TT E-s-- ~.at NJ Eht PuzEle Herr

Southwestern Indians Do Cabinet
TIE-s-- ~:at NJ Eht Puzzle Herr
mann.
Paleface sleight-of-hand performers
and fakirs would do well 10 20 west
ard learn the / ne art from the Noqui
Indians OF the southw .st-in New
Mexico. A Paief'c, Is not permitted,
however. to witness these r ligio1s
tests" unless be has first rerOunced
civil zatiCn and become what is kno WI
among frOntiPrsmen as 4 'EQuaw man"
that Is. a White man married with IN
Indian woman. The Philadelphia Times
thus descrices the Cri .inal cabinet
trick: The eel ct al dieI ce f worshi, ,
ers Is disc yer d" in the estlfa
church. stated on the ground: all lights
down. Eater into the open space e
eral mel, who mo e around II 4 cir
c,e TO a sol mn chan TO q dram &C
Compartment. An Indian drum is a
vessel purity II ei vii water VIII a
hide stretched over tn to1. TIE
scene is weird Cnd the audi nee Is as
quiet as q SpOOk selnce. Presently
there is heard a rustling Of mic $ and
feathers and the hOOting Of a Wv
bird II il men % he Indi n. The au-
dience become terrified and fleqle ltly
the squlws max q haSty ext Thin
the noise bec-meE fainter and flint r
still, as If bid is mixing his ext
thrCrgh tire flies OF tule IoOf. Torches
are lroUght In by the sue hume aries
and-pres,o, chang.
Lights down g II, and n simil1r
noise is heard. The birds seem TO be
flying al Over the room. Tn, liz It's
are again brought in and the Illusion
shown. Finally the medicine nm
squats down In the Spen space, cross
legged like a Tu k. m MAJ h lie
him by the knees. arO her by he arms
The lighs are turn d down or t'ken
out. There is n rJstli1g Of fathers
and pinions and m apparent strug ;le.
The lights are called for and the med
icine man is not disc verCd. The mel
who ATTEMPTED 10 hid him in this cab
met position are the mo I mystii d
and cannot til whether he went out
through the barred door or the roof.
The performa &c concluded with =
lightning and thunder scene. Thun~
der reverberates ttr ugh the roNn and
flashes Of light, z'g-zag AMI hCriz ntal
tors, almost blindirg ITEM. Sonstines
the room Is so Ii htAd wi h these
flashes that the auditors faces a-e ap-
parent TO e"ch other and they plainly
see the IN dicine man in tire ~
space. with no stage paraph rrnalia
whatever, no vile sleeves or boxes,
and aim ST as nude IS a living pictu e
This wonderful magic trick is perform
ed in a room holding 'nly abolt MY
people. who IRE seat Il around the
shaman or m dicine nan. He IS n the
cent CT an pen space zen feet square
and he HIS not a table. cha or any
property" what We" He fas rot even
a "mustache to deceive you"
The shaman cllimed that these ex-
traordinaIv powers are given to them
through Their fasting and praying.
They fast and pray three days ani
nights before each peiformaHce, which.
however, is OILY two or three times
during a season. like gra d opera.
They do not chargr for adm SIGN.
claiming that il would be sa"ri egious
TO do so and tat Trey would los their
powers. But aft r the performan ,es
the mystltied and superstitious auditors
heap upon the shaman all kinds Of
presents, which. Of course. he accepts,
just as a prlma donla does a diamond
ring.