The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-22
KELLAR THE MAGICIAN
MAHATMA TRICK WHICH HE PROM
IsEs To GIVE AT ENGLIsHs.
Otis skinner Coming to the Grand
steve Brodie at the Park and John
Kernel at the Empire.

Magician Kellar. who will be at English's
all this week. is a very interesting story
teller. He has an almost inexhaustible
fund OF adventure to draw FROM for he
has been several times around the world
and Is the only man who ever attempted
10 give a conjurer's entertainment i'm India,
which IS conceded TO be the home of mag
&c. The .nagicians among the Hindoos, how
ever. according to Mr.. Kellar. are by no
means all clever performers. Some few of
them are exceedingly so. but the greater
number are but Indifferent artists. The Ma
hatmas. or adopts, who are found at many
OF the temples in the interior, he declares.
are workers Of miracles almost. ard their
doings are incomprehensible to ordinary
mortals.
"Mahatmas. you know, believe that their
adopts nave the power to project their as
ira bodies to any portion of the world,
with the speed of thought" said Mr.. KEEL
lar. Perhaps they can do this, but of
course we do not believe any too firmly in
It. Be that as it may. it is their belief and
II Is with this subject, and some of the
things saw in India in connection with it,
that this little story has to deal. had ar
rived In Calcutta but a few days before the
Transporting Of the adventure 1 am about TO
narrate, and had busted myself in the
meantime in arranging for hall i'm which
TO give my entertainments. This was years
ago and on the occasion of my first visit
to India. / was leaving the hotel one morn
Ing, believe il was the day after my ar
rival, when an old, venerable looking Hin
doc approached me with a good morning
and called me by name. 1t struck me as
queer that he knew who / was. and still
more queer when he said that was ma
sician- hadn't announced myself as yet
but he had me down all right. 1 returned
his salutation and as he walked along be-
side me. he asked If I would like 10 see
some reall : wonderful magic. 1 was hunt
ing magic in those days and said would
thereupon made an appointment to go to
one of the temples in the suburbs of the
city, in the afternoon, and there it was
promised / should see the transmission of
astral bodies, In the very manner claimed
by the Mahatmas. 1t is needless to say
that I was on time. The temple was a
gorgeously decorated affair and as L was
given a seat in the main room, l noted
that everything was scrupulously clean and
neat. The room was devoid of furniture ex-
'cept the chair on which 1 sat. In the mid
die OF the floor stood a huge wooden cage,
perhaps five feet high and four or five feet
IN diameter. examined IL as we'll as L was
able and saw that il was simply con-
structed. and without traps or concealed
doors The Mahatma called a pretty ma
tive girl fromthe adjoining room, pre-
sented her before me. and then asked her
to step into the cage. A cloth or curtain
was then thrown hurriedly over the top of
the cage, and was removed almost instant
~ The movement was more like the shak-
ing of a tablecloth than anything 1 can
compare it with. But as the folds of the
cloth settled about the Mahatmas feet |
was astonished to see that the girl had
totally and mysteriously disappeared.
Now. it wonld be all very we'll for the
careless reader to imagine that she stepped
out Of the back door of the cage, If there
had been one. and thence had jumped
through a door to another room. That
would be entirely too amateurish for a
Mahatma- Besides. there was but one door
10 the room and / sat almost in it. There
were no trap doors in the floor or walls
as subsequent very careful examination
proved I remained in my seat and the
Mahatma said. 'Sahib will now see the
girl return
Il looked as Re firted the cloth again.
but didn't see her come back. She was in
the cage all right, In the smallest fraction
OF the second. He waved the cloth again
and again she disappeared. While 1 was
wondering what had become of her, felt
q gentle tap on my arm and there stood
the girl. / gave 1t up. 1t was too deep for
me- I thought / knew some pretty good
ones, but the old Mahatma beat me at my
own game. There was only one thing TO do,
and that was to purchase the secret if
ever expected to learn it. 1t took two or
three days bargaining TO make the deal,
but finally accomplished 1t and am now
giving 1t almost exactly as the old Ma
hatma did. in my regular entertainments.
I project the girl entirely across the the
alter. however. before the very eyes of the
audience. and IL you look sharp enough
perhaps you will see her go. How is it done?
Oh. that's simple enough. When the girl
first gets into the cage-by the way, I've
got an important engagement and I'm past
due. I'll write the explanation and send it
TO you when / get time"