The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-20
Hing Barteli, of Georgia, Just Re.
turned from India, Gives a Wonder.
ful ExhibitiOn..While Blindf0lded
lie Plays Cards and Dice, Reads
Figures, Describes Objects and Per.
forms Other Incredible Feats.

things which We're not believed possible
until they We're actually witnessed.
Bartcll was found in conversation
with Proprietor Melvin. of the st.
Charles. on the hotel porch by Tribune
reporter after midnight on Tuesday.
The stranger acknowledged himself to
hc without money. and said he came
Ia Scranton only because he had heard
OF its thrift and industry. He modestly
told of his four years residence in In
dia and Of his having learned to do
while blindfolded many things accom-
plished with the sight unhindered
Manager SANDY" Griffin. of the Scran-
ton base hall club. joined the group. and
Bartell proceeded To verify his state
ment.
The few feats he performed We're so
and seemed 50 incredible
that AN arrangement was made for him
10 give an exhibition of his powers be-
fore a larger audience. Thus it was
that Bartcll met the party In the par
lors of the st. Charles hotel ut 80
o'clock yesterday afternoon. The COM
pany numbered twelve persons, all
newspaper men. excepting Proprietor
Melvin and Secretary II. d. Fellows, of
the board Of control There We're no
strangers in the room.
FEATS HE PERFORMED.
What transnired was given an added
strangeness by reason of Burtell's as
s-rtion that he had never given plat
form exhibition of his powers. HE did
what he said he could do. f"ats that
are frequently advertised but which
have never, in Scranton at least, been
performed within Il group of persons
who We're all acquainted with each 9TH
er and without the aid of confederates
or paraphernalia other than Il piece of
chalk. four large napkins for hlindfold-
ing and objects furnished by the COM
pany.
Bartell first played game Of casino
with a gentleman holding an import
ant editorial position on one of Scran-
tons daily newspapers. This feat, like
all the others. was performed after the
operator had had four separate nap
kins bound over his eyes and face by
as many persons. Beneath the nap
kins. in nearly every instance, a soft
kind glove was bound over each eye.
There was absolutely no chance for him
to see
Bartell dealt the cards. which We're
furnished by Proprietor Melvin. one
of the party standing near and with
IL hand placed on the operators head.
Bartell held the cards SO that his sub
partner could see them but not a word
was spoken in relation to the hands
The editor won the game but during its
progress Bartell would build and
call his plays as correctly and quickly
as would his opponent.
In the next feat the party stood in
a sort of circle. In sets of threes. those
present casped some small object in
their hands which would be felt on the
backs by Bartell. He would then tell
each person the name of the object.
describe it and sometimes tell the
pocket into which the owner had finally
placed IT,
READ THE NUMBERS.
Bartell then seated himself before a
small polished oak table and drew u
small circle with piece of chalk. He
requested one of the gentlemen TO write
a set of figures within the circle. the
latter standing with his disengaged
hand on the operators head. The
figures written. Bartell Immediately
wrote them In duplicate.
AS a final test u family photograph
album was brought by Mr.. Melvin into
l..
asked TO open it and gaze on any one of
the pictures. This was done. the gentle
man standing as before with hand ON
Bartells head. The album was then
closed and the bandages removed.
Bartell made his first error i'm selecting
the wrong picture but his second trial
was successful.
one Of the company announced him
self as being skeptical and asked Bar
tell to submit to d further test. The
latter agreed. A napkin was tied over
his eyes and the gentleman who had
expressed himself as being skeptical
sat facing Bartell and held the album
high before the latter's face and with
its back toward him. A picture was
StlttltNl, tII'' was SloSCu anu tIif
bandage was removed. Bartell was
wrong in his first attempt to point out
the proper picture. but was not slow
to correct himself and turned
the leaves until he found the right one.
In still another test but in the pres
cnce of two Tribune men, Bartell, with
his eyes and face covered with -four
4, i,,, tx.tfl,
curacy as could be done by a person
with good pair Of eyes.
What made this feat the more re-
markable was the fact that the dice
and the cup We're furnished by the
newspaper men. The dice were what
are known as poker" dice and were
somewhat worn and difficult to de-
cipher under even favorable circuln-
stances. Bartell would not touch the
throw until he had evidently decided
what dice to return to the cup. He
would then push aside the pairs" ol
"threes' according TO the throw and
return the others to the cup and con-
tinue in that way until the final throw
MAY GIVE EXHIBITION.
Manager Jones. of the rockingham
theater, learned OF the strange char
acter and yesterday and last night was
endeavOring to arrange for him to give
public exhibitions of his powers in the
theater. No arrangement. however
has yet been made between them.
Bartell talks entertainingly of him.
self and his four years in India. His
home is in Rome. Ga. He Is SO years OF
age and remarkably well preserved
He was in the Confederate army more
than three years. A peculiarity of his
countenance is a pair of clear, sharr
steel-gray eyes, small and set deep be.
meath a full protruding forehead. He
has moustache and in face and figure
looks much the same as any hale
American. He wears plainly made
and ordinary looking suit Of black
The coat rs Of the Prince Albert style