Griggs courier., 1897-10-08
MEDIUMS. VACCINATIONS.
Tricks Employed BY spurious spir,&.
e. 0alists. 4t,s

"A WSAA>AuOWu AdSlC16u WHO mas Oe0n
before the public many years in his
professional capacity contributes an
interesting article to the Scientific
American in the nature of an exposure
of spiritualistic frauds.
The article was not written for the
purpose of antagonizing sincere be-
levers in spiritualism, but merely to
explain how several professional "me-
diums" and a number of unbelievers in
spiritualism have secured their release
from cabinets in which they had been
fastened. The writer frankly states
that during the many years he has
given exhibitions of the magician's art
he has met many test mediums" and
can say without qualification that all
of them have been imposters.
On the other hand, this writer has
himself performed cabinet tricks many
times, and before intelligent and alert
audiences, and has never been ex-
posed.
In these tricks of the cabinet, SO old
and yet still SO frequently performed,
the methods used are many, but all
mystifying.
Among the many successful rope
tests, the following is about the best:
A piece of soft cotton rope about six
feet long, and of the size known as sash
cord, is securely tied around the per.
formers left wrist, dividing the rope
80 that the ends will be of an equal
length. When the committee are sat
isfied that they have made the knots
secure. the performer places his handa
behind him. with the right wrist rest.
ing over the knots on the left wrist,
and the ends of the rope are securely
tied together, bringing the knots down
tight on the right wrist. This appears
fair enough, but it is not as fair as IL
appears. because, while the knots are
quite secure, there is sufficient slack
between the wrists to enable the per.
former, by giving his right wrist a
half turn, to withdraw this hand from
the rope encircling it.
The reader may say: "That is all
well enough. but how and by what
means does he secure this slack?'
In placing his hands behind him after
the rope is tied about the left wrist
he gives the rope twist, crossing one
end over the other, pressing the twist
down on the knot and covering the
twist and knot with the right wrist
which is then tied. When ready to re.
lease himself, the performer gives his
right hand and wrist half turn, re-
leasing the twist lying on the knot,
which thus becomes part of the loop
tied around the right wrist, and en-
larging it sufficiently to enable the per.
former to pull the right hand free from
the rope. when he can perform any
trick he chooses with the free hand.
By replacing the hand in the loop and
giving the hand half turn the knots
can be shown as secure as when first
tied.
The handcuff test is q great favorite
of the medium" In this test the per-
former uses any pair of handouts fur
nished by the audience, and by them
put on him. Yet in a very few moments
after he takes his place in the cabinet
his coat is thrown out, but on examina-
tion the handouts are found to be on
his wrists just as they were placed by
the audience. AS q final test, the per-
former comes out of the cabinet hold
ing the handouts in his hand, removed
from the wrist, but locked.
The explanation of this trick is very
simple. There are only few styles Of
handcuffs made in this country, and
all that medium" has to do is to Sc
cure the proper key for each style,
which keys are concealed about the
person, and by the aid of the fingers
and teeth the proper key can be fitted
to the handouts. In some types of
handouts it is impossible to get the
fingers to the keyhole. If such a pair
is placed on the performer, and he
cannot use his teeth to hold the key,
he slips the key in crack in the chair
or cabinet, which crack he makes sure
is there before undertaking the test,
thus holding the key and unlocking the
handouts.
The spirit collar trick, when once ex-
posed, appears as easy of performance
as those already dealt with. The whole
secret is found in a number of false
bolts and a genuine one which the ''me-
dunn" knows how to remove without
difficulty.-N. Y. Herald.
Aged 20 Years i'm q night I'm q Hole.
While going to her home in Gran
berry, one mile east of Hazleton, Pa,
one night recently, Mrs. Ernest Ylrich,
aged 30 years, fell into mine hole.
When rescued the next morning the
woman had aged apparently 20 years.
Alike experience for eitherman or wom-
an was never recorded in mining his
tory, and that she is not raving mani
&C is due to her fortitude and extraor-
dinary belief in prayer. She was saved
from instant death by falling into
lake of muck, which had formed at the
bottom of the hole. This substance
closed about her, gradually swallowing
her, until it reached to her shoulders.
1t was nine o'clock when the accident
happened, and the first human being
she saw was at six o'clock in the morn
ing, when miner going to work heard
her moan. 1t required two hours to
reach her. She retained consciousness
throughout the ordeal, but tainted as