Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-12-26
License With Memories 81 Two showmcn


of those. it is true, should not be told,
but none of that kind have ever yet APP
peared concerning the veteran Maine
Snowman, Dick Martz. One of the
best is credited to the lips of the man
himself. as follows:
II was called very clever ventrilo-
quist in my day." said he, and this
| reminds me of laughable incident
that happened in 1867. 1t was cold,
wintry day and we had just driven in
to New Hampshire town well tired
and benumbed. l made a grand rush
| for the office fire in the village hotel
! but found that could not draw within
a radius of several feet owing to the
presence of many natives.
They continued their conversation
| after looking me over without, how
ever, offering to admit me to the fire
| side circle. / stood a few moments and
| then asked if the landlord was in.
Getting a negative reply, ! stepped into
an entry near by and began to exercise
my powers. There was lots of fun in
that office right away, for. calling my
voice into full play I made them be-
lieve that a combat was going on out
side. They Immediately made q dash
for the scene and seizing my oppor-
tunity | walked in and took the va
cant chair nearest the stove.
The villagers returned as soon as
they found they had been hoaxed and
on. of them walking up to me re-
marked, Wal, l guess this must be
that 'triloquist. and everyone was soon
| Id, IN, ba do, icr
department"
| The fact that the first show which
Martz joined included in its company
the since renowned magician, Hermann.
who also died a few days ago. also that
10 him Martz was indebted for many
of the tricks he performed. recalls, in
this connection, some Of the anecdotes
now being told and retold respecting
that celebrity
| In New York he came one day on
number of workmen digging trench.
| Stoopne down he rolled over "A stone
| that had been thrown out,and eNciaim-
| ing, This is VERY rich soil my
i friends" showed the astonished labor
| ers two gold pieces. He was about to
walk away with them. when they be-
! .an to clamor for their share of the
| treasure troNe, and before he could get
away the magician had 10 part with
a shining eagle. \ somewhat similar
! incident occurred once in Chicago,
when Mr. McNicker, the manager,
handing a Mexican dollar to Hermann
| said: There. let's see what you can
DO with that" Hermann looked at it
for moment. closed his fingers on IT,
opened them and showed $50 gold
piece. "Thanks,' said McNicker.
snatching it and putting it in his
pocket And to make matters worse.
Mr.. Hermann had to open a small
bottle.
of his skill in handling cards every
body knows 1t is said that he could
distribute every one of a pack of cards
over a theatre in exactly the order he
wished. The story goes that on one
occasion gambler sat in the front row
| of the gallery at one of his perform
ances. He had had a run of bad luck
and was very respondent. In some way
Hermann knew that the man was a
! gambler and when he came to that
feature of his entertainment in which
|
he threw to the gambler at odd inter-
walls five cards out of the pack. In
| stantly the gambler rose and started
for the door. Where are you going?
asked a companion. do you think.
! was the response. that I'm gong To
fool away my time after getting
hand like that He showed the hand
that Hermann had thrown him. 1t
contained four aces and a king. I'm
going to hunt up game, said he
The lucks changed.
In Cincinnati the magician one day
visited the public market and, stopping
before a stall, asked the dame in
charge the price of cabbages. Seven
cents" said she. handing him fine
one. Remarkably cheap" said he
plucking a gold eagle from under the
leaf The woman hastily removed that
particular cabbage to a table in the
rear of the stall. saying: You may
have any of the others for seven cents.
That cabbage has riz."
! Once, while travelling in Missouri, the
train in which he was a passenger was
held up. Four masked men entered
his car and while two guarded the
doors the others took up collection
from the passengers. One OF these APP
preached Hermann and was about to
go through his pockets when his COM
Danion called out, For the love O
Moses let the bloke alone. l know him.
II yer fools with him he'll pull gun
an shoot a fresh egg through yer
bloomin' headr'
These anecdotes appear to have
much of the genuine about them but
We leave it to our readers to form an
opinion on the following ingenious tale:
Once, when the magician was in In
| liza, a native fakir attempted to rival
| him. The contest took place before a
wealthy rajah who gave the NEGRO
mancers to understand that the most
ldroit should he rewarded with prince
ly lberality. while the other should
Jose his head on the spot. Hermann,
who had stood before a file of soldiers
and caught on a plate a voley of bull
let's aimed at his heart, smiled, and
They Get Al