The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-20
HERMANN LOVED A JOKE.
SOME OF THE TRICKS HE PLAYED
OFF THE STAGE.

jokers that the country ever knew. Hermann
loved to mystity people, particularly people who
were unaware OF his Identity, and consequently
not expecting anything remarkable to happen.
The magician used to say: Il love my audi
snccs. but they are always expecting something,
aud nothing surprises them. 1t 10 one OF the
greatest pleasurea of my life to surprise the
pee le who do not know me and do not expect
from me more than they do from the ordinary
La man"
Hermann had made several trips around tho
world. and, being a man of great Reeness. with
a full appreciation II The value of advertising.
took care that the places he visited had reason
TO remember him. His tricks ON citizens, hotel
clerks. policemen, and others were always ex-
plotted in the newspapers, and as a boomer for
himself Es had few equals. His stories, how
ever, lad one merit which the yarns OF the
press aeeat of to-day seldom have. They
were invariably accounts OF something that
had actually happened. 1t wasn't necessary for
Hermann to exploit fakes. He could make
stories too easily himself. All he had to do was
to wax into a barroom or into a group OF people
on the street. play n trick on somebody, and the
story was made. But outside of business con-
alterations hermann loved u Joke for It's own
sake. He would frequently so out alone and
spend hours in localities W hore even his mephis-
topn.!!au features were not known, amusing
the natives with most astor Sing performances.
1t WA, as Il card manipulation that Hermann
excelled. He could do more feats with n pack
Of cards than any living man. and some of his
carr tr'eAs -, go go.
spots or a card, while it was his custom at all
performance i ! ."t"a t"lu u
a. part ui Tue househ NJ theu'Eectioh VI TIE peo-
p!r In the audience.
trek much affected by magicians Is the
tcar ug 40 OF IL deck of cards. 1t il not really a
ts''k, " mans ABILITY TO do It depending entirely
kuack Of applying the required force to the
80 -. m.
o'Nery "euN INTO e'sh'ns' ! ue st'"'h On . m"n
mann often told people that II disabled his
- Nn, ~
sulna very remarkable performances have
heon a.tr.tutea to Hermann. and he used to
say ht'nse.t that by the ''iHe acme OF his street
tricks reached the newspapers they were truly
-, 49, a., ,.xsnarar nan n, ria ,i,v
e'e'' u 'o4H ~ q %o"oeApe' I-
aso wnop assspt,s a,kea Herrmann if i, were
true, lie uar,Ciuu said that 1t was, and that
furthermore It "as one OF the sin pies' tricks he
~Iferrnann entered the editorial rooms OF a
M T,nrnyny SorS in the office Mas about over
. for the MALT. aud he had come down town at
the concsusian Of hl- performance to call on one
ST md tIIs oibce. and among the people he
p,et was the new spaper man about whom this
rtorv - . r,fteu. This man wore on tn. littfe
nSssr ~ bis right hand "A plain band ring. which
he f'sn been unable TO sULu1 Tor fourteen years.
III. r,n yyns Suni d.erly into the flesh. hui did
to, cause pain, and Tie owner did MOI care 10
h.S. II clt' He had soaped and creased lis
M
III Weprmann stood talking TO this man FOR about
a-s.1 ,rIn,res AMI when he was about 10
La hs Tired TO h m and said:
""Ynn hsvtnEt missed ANYTIME have you -,
a.. satu nr n Il tou lad smntisS nv
$3.50
t.tyTe 20 . j / thIns viii return this ring. 1t
RAJ be 3 a souvenir of sometime, aud YOU viii
Ire "ttRer the ring. which he had worn On tho
III rnesr of rs right hand.
M a ne I. r,i.ciSre. To- this dav that h. did
nnet Feel The ring leave his fnger and hasn't the
rain,esi 'cea "nsn OK ho" INC "4s'e'An re-
1t wss a favorite game with Hermann to
aHrprse poiteemsH, u ns Z n ' Inv SrI aI 7.
hight several winters ago he got mixed up in
aSs"He "a!.h II 4 ntct ID ont a yictims w NJ
young lien who seemed t. be together and
ware al. pes for the fakir and his wares, Then
lie Matted G as{.a L pss'c eia.s By came he S al6pE; . .n.
t.as,ed a watch from me pSekst Of one
- 80" Sarin,, Iisnos.d of the whtch q,
he .aw III, he reached over aud gave The chain a
80 TT',n as Ibr vo,nr MAJ discoyered his
yAN. y = M Lsrrn,onn nrstendca tn lie
e. ',c cnnfHsr,d and -tarteS In ejps ayyay.
~. ~ ~ n,nn" An rrahSsd him I'D II
r. 4" nSo'csn.n nfnc.d The marieisn
cotfS' tha po:TTTI'atn prsu " np's
nu'et At.'',. az - 80 a.
pioLtn"hnit' ~ :" nht.lis,I 49,
st"I"i - las mt idIa aurt.| that inns
s.HsH tH@I "s ""S ~ VA "a" ''M'
st"St' s.a,;cp bou.e a formal cbarsc va nra-
~ -" IfsrrHarn H. th@ nan whose
go - r,.-jny E.rrrnann wa .earch.d
Ga,nG was tno, 6,t not a ,raee wi" "f he natcb
ron 80 III. rryIsr AZ th. watch dacIarsd
Nhs 'NGhu' ng """ Va y" ". tF"ae az "-rIHeo
ms uprataGHtt' - - ." na 49, at
L. ttIe r md not had t me 10 di.uose Of IL.
IHo at.e, - - ~ - IA. Isst n".nt anj
neFrinhnn Sn',r az -" ~ a sntd u
@".!"iG sI.s 10 nSe1rSs - ~ an :" h. vary
friendly wtih lie policeman. Why is It that
thsv ,sE. iii. thinc.g viii show tbr onlcer
thhsy f"Ns MN ~ n I'm" noi hn, rns ev nretend nn be- y.
Where is your badge, oqHic.Tf'
rne p",,gebn'ihi his 'hb1 haze wa" gone al He et tS;rned
ne. tor IL : a serious thing for a Policeman 10
u. H.' III ~ou officer went on Hartmann.
.Tb"" u n accuses ma btoia your hatge