The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-05-25
TRICKS OF DIR. HUME
An Audience at Inquiries Entertained
by the Clever Wizard.
A CREDlTABLE PERFORMANCE
On the Stage Was a Hand Which
Answered Questlons-The Gallery
In Doubt = Well Known Men
Witnesses on the stand.
A CREDlTABLE PERFORMANCE

DR.. Alex Hume and his wife Katie
entertained quite a large audience at
the opera house last evening with what
they termed spirit Power and Mate
REALIZATION" Although the doctors adj
vance literature gave ii out cold that
spirits would be seen flying through
the air. and would converse with peo-
pie as in life," no one present remem-
bers having witnessed anything of the
sort; neither did they hear the music
of the harps" or see any tables rise
four or five feet from the stage" OF
receive any bouquets that were to be
passed by the spirit hands" around
among the crowd. But even outside of
this, the couple gave a very creditable
performance of trickery.
In order that no bets might be over
looked the doctor himself took the tick
cts at the door. After the crowd. or
the larger portion of it at least became
seated. he turned the job over to Gus
Riddles, the house policeman. and APP
peared at the front of the stage. The
doctor is short. stout man with a
rudy complexion; his wife is tall and
of medium build. In his opening re-
marks the doctor informed the audi
ence that they could call his tricks
what they pleased in the way of isms.
but he pleased to term them bread and
butterisms. The size of the crowd
pleased him immensely: in fact. he
said he was happy, and no one dis
puted his word. for during the entire
evening he wore on his face an express
sion of well eat tomorrow" His
first exhibition was what he called the
talking hand. -.'--.-'.... ....
A hand cut off at the wrist was
placed palm downward ON a chair at
the rear of the stage and was made to
answer questions by means of knocks
on the chair with the tips of the fin
gers. Everybody present could plainly
see the hand move. The doctor opened
colloquy by asking the hand If Butte
would have any spring, and the hand
answered in the affirmative by so
many knocks on the chair. Just then
a wag in the gallery asked the doctor
If he had any strings ON the hand and
the doctor answered by lifting the
hand from the chair and holding ii UP
before the crowd. Then another voice
in the audience wished to know If I'VE
would have free silver" and another
asked If Mckinley would be elected. to
both of which the hand gave six raps
which signified that both propositions
were doubtful. Evidently the hand was
not we'll posted on the silver issue: it
had failed to read the handwriting of
other spirits on the wall. The doctor
-then walked around the chair on
which the hand rested to show that
there were no strings attached to 1t.
Lift up the chair" yelled some one
in the loft, and the doctor. with a smile
on his face like cut in pie, replied.
"Oh l knew some one was going TO
say that" But he lifted up the chair
just the same and carried il around the
stage. Then he passed the hand out
into the crowd for examination, but
kept his eye on it. After its return he
again laid 1t on the chair and wrung
n questions
DIR. Hume then called upon the au-
dience to select committee of WELL
known men to see that the "seance"
was conducted according to Hoyle and
from a spiritual standpoint, and John
French of Walkerville and DIR. Hall,
Emil Weinberger and Tom Gray of
Butte were ushered on to the stage.
Some one called out the name of Mar
shall McDermott and DR. Hume remark
ed that they had met before. He did
not state where, or under what circum-
stances the meeting took place. At
the rear of the stage stood cabinet
seven by four feet in size. 1t was
draped in deep mourning and stood
about six feet in its stocking feet. The
committee examined 1t and pronounced
everything about ii complete. Then
the doctor invited the gentlemen to ac-
company him behind the side curtain,
which they did and in a few minutes
returned. wiping their mouths. This
was looked on with suspicion, but
nothing definite could be proved.
An imitation of the Fox Sisters tie
up. in the cabinet, followed. DIR. Hume
and his wife were securely tied to
chairs with a rope by the committee.
Neither could move, but after the cur
tain was down three or four minutes
some miscellaneous bric-a-brac came
out at the top of the cabinet. One of
the bells struck Mr.. French on the top
of the head; neither was hurt. When
the curtain was thrown back the doctor
and his wife were united.
Next came the Indian box trick. The
doctor entered the cabinet and 40 sec
onds after the curtain was drawn he
was found tied hand and foot with a
rope that had previously been examin-
ed by the committee. The doctors
hands and knees were drawn together
by the rope. and in this position the
rope was sealed with express company
wax.
The doctors next feat was in placing
two iron rings a foot in diameter on
his arms while he was bound and seal
ed He also threw things through the
opening in the top of the cabinet.
While the rings were still on his arms.
French caught hold of one and gave IL
a yank that landed the doctor out on
the stage. To further complicate the
doctors position, a chain was then
passed through the ring and locked
around his body. the lock being at his
back and the key in French's pocket.
The curtain was then closed and a few
second later chain and lock were both
1 thrown over the top of the enclosure;
the rings followed. While tied up, the
doctor put on French's coat. The gar
ment was then sewed together in front.
and few seconds later. after the cur
tain was drawn. the coat, still sewed
up. was thrown over the top.
Hume and Emil Weinberger next
formed a tandem in the enclosure. the
| latter holding both hands 10 the form
er's knees. Weinberger was blindfold-
ed and the curtain drawn. but the bells
rang Just the same and when the cur
tain was taken back Weinberger's coat
was half off and his suspenders were
hanging down his hack. He said he had
felt two hands fooling around him. The
to. a Ter int