The Portland daily press., 1896-12-19

Young Hermann was an apt pupil. He
had showed an inclination for magic
from his early childhood, the talent de-
velopinR in u passionate desire tt master
all the intricacies of the art. While at
Vienna he attended college. and became
possessed Of books containing accounts
of Balsamo and others, the perusal OF
which were of great benefit to him In
his subsequent career. He would often
close himself for hours to master some
simple slight-of- hand trick which he had
read about or witnessed at public per-
Torrance.
Young Hermann remained with his
brother until he was fifteen years of nge,
when he went to Spain, where he made
his first appearance before Queen Isabella
III. Since then he has appeared as a
magician all over the civilized world.
He came to America in 1861, and has
since made it his home. Fifteen years
after his arrival here he was paturallzed
in Boston and became a full fedged
American citizen.
Hsrrmann's American debut was made
in conjunction with his brother Carl at
the Academy of Music in New York,
shortly after his arrival here. They
played for sevsnty-flve nights to large
uOtlSSH anu GuCH buaIUCO Gil o uoAA Va taO
world.
In 1867 they made most successful
tour of this country, after which Carl re-
turned to Europe. He died at Carlsbad
In 1887 at tina age of seventy-one.
After his brothers. departure Hermann
discontinued his American performances
for while, and made professional visit
to the principal cities of South America
and Europe, returning to the United
States in 1874 1t was during that tour
that he appeared for 1000 consecutive
nights at the Egyptian hall in London.
He had learned in America the value of
making the press and public talk about
a public performer, and shortly after his
arrival in London set about to create a
genuine sensation.
Asking two friends to accompany him
he walked one morning down Regent
street and got into crowd with two
policemen close behind him. He then
picked handkerchief in most clumsy
fashion from the pocket of gentleman
in front of him and at the Same time
purlolned the watch Of one Of his COM
panions as adroitIy as possible. The two
policemen saw the handkerchief episode
and grabbed Hermann. His friends
offered to vouch for him, but just then
the second victim discovered the loss of
his watch and insisted that Hermann
must have = that also. Hermann
pockets failo,. 20 reveal the missing
property. He then suggested that the
two policemen search themselves, tine re-
suit being that the handkerchief was
foundsin the pocket of one and the watch
in the pocket of the other.
The boobies would listen TO no expla-
nation, but marched Hermann to the
lookup, where he was recognized and set
au liberty He had accomplished his OBJ
1ect. and the whole town was soon laugh
ing OF the joke he had played on the
bohbies.
Hermann made annual tours Of the
United States and Canada until 1888,
when he went to Brazil and other
countries of South America. Dom Pedro
was greatly interested IN his entertain
,nents. and attended nearly all of the
performances given at Rio Janeiro. On
Herrmann's departure Dom Pedro pre-
sented him with the oross of Brazil.
From South America Hermann made
a tour of Russia, which extended through
Siberia. His reception in ST. Petersburg
was most fiatterinR. 1t a banquet to
VT hieh he was invited and which was at
country, his health was drunk, and 1t was
suggested that henceforth he be known
as Hermann the Great. That Is how he
came to adopt the title.
From Russia Hermann went to Lon
don. where he repeated his former suo-
cesses. In 1885 he returned to America
and continued to give entertainments
hare until short time ago. His foreign
tour had Melted him $4,000. In
America he got the best terms conceded
to any star on the rond, and made from
Ss5 900 TO S95, 600 porft on each annual
tour.
u He was not rich man for all that. as
he lost much on outside Investments.
Hisitheatre in New York, the Gaiety, cost
him small fortune, as did other enter
nrises in which he embarked.
Hermann had show giving down to a
fine art. He was always a very busy
man, wrote much for the metropolitan
and scientific press, and did Thousand
and one other things, although it was
often said, of him that he was never
tired. He lived during the summer in
Che magnificent magical palace, as 1t was
often called, which had been built for
him at the end OF Long IslRnd, "Fairy-
land, was made all the more enchanting
nv the presence of his charming wife,
" hO has D6Su VI luUSG material assistance
to him, beth on the stage and off of 1t.
1t would take volume to tell in detail
of this wonderful magical powers with
which Herman and his wife were gifted
or OF the mysterious demonstrations of
art by which they held their audiences
snellbound. 1t would take another
volume to tell Of the splendors of the
magical palace where Hermann passed
some of the happiest moments of his life.
Life there according to one who was
privileged to view it, was one long
dream OF fairyiand indeed, where all the
magic of the master was given full sway
70 he 10Y and delight of those who be-
held it. but to the CONSERVATION of the
snnerstitious, ~Ewho heard only the
thunder sounds.
Hermann. the magician, prestidigi-
tateur. tally of SATAN even, as the
fearful called him, no longer holds
m ystieal sway over the magical palace
close by the Whitestone landing. The
MASTER of his art has sueoumbed to this
dread foe he could not CONQUER, leaving
he s.magical palace like country
without a king. Only the echoes and the
memories of the days that were linger
hsre for the voice of the kindly necro-
manoer is hushed' =.