The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-11
STORIES OF MAGICIANS
BANCROFT TELLS OF A NUMBER OF
TRICKS THAT WENT WRONG
Breslaw's Magnetized Swan, De Grisy
Trick and Herrmann's Poker Hand.

himself can he ever sick when his study
IN life il the preservation OF other peo-
pies health. And how quaint the thought
OF lawyers death when his mission OF
sperpetusting the wills OF dead men - con-
sidered. Equally grotesque i the idea OF
magicians themselves being tricked. when
they live to deceive others. Ard the joke
Is ali the more enjoyable on this ACCOUNT
A few instances of practical jokes played
upon magicians may prove interesting be-
cause of their rarity. Breslaw, celebrated
magician OF the last century, was on one
occasion accorded the honor of giving an
exhibition before the royal household OF
England His best Illusion the produc-
ton of a seemingly live swan floating on
real water. and ne reserved 1t as his last
trick FOR the occasion referred TO. Every
thing worked well in the production OF the
swan and wafer, a creation apparently OF
space but alas. the swan would not float.
but sat stationary as though in terror of
its acquatic surroundings. No efforts on
BresIaw's part could produce the movement
in the bird At hast ne realized the cause
OF the swans sloth. The secret of the trick
was known. Ii was performed by magnet
Ism and the cOunteracting agency was a
magnet In the pocket of Sir Francis Blake
DeIaval. Poor Breslaw. He was Inundated
one of Pinettis favorite tricks was the
Incarceration of live bird in a box and
its escape therefrom while the box, secure
~ locked was held in the hands of one
of the spectators on the death OF Pinetti
a London Journalist evolved the following
witty but welI-timed squib in his paper as
ar obituary: Poor Pinetti laid i'm his cof-
fin. finf.s seath is no conjurer and that he
never suffers to escape. by sleight of hand.
the bird which he onces confines in his
box"
De Grisy the great French magician. re-
cesved two stage discomftures which we'll
nigh ruined him. One Of his tricks was
the firing from pistol Of a ring borrowed
from one in the audience and discovering
IT afterward i'm the mouth of a live gold
fish OF course, the ring was always the
same one. necessarily so for the purposes
OF the trick. and was made OF gilt copper
set with paste gems 1t was always select
ed out of a number of rings offered. and,
OF course, was in the hands of confed-
crate. The confederate, on one occasion,
was not selected with the foresight that
should have been displayed in his choice
and proved to be crook. When the ring
was returned to him after the completion
OF the trick he arose in the audience and
claimed he had been swindled.
What is this, monsieur he angrily de-
manded. regarding first the ring and then
the performer. II gave you gold ring set
with brillants and you return me worthless
copper and paste"
Not only did De Grisey suffer the humIia-
ton of the discovery of his imposition. but
he actually had to pay the fellow large
sum OF money equal in value to the suppo-
sititious ring to hush the matter up.
magician was the joke played on him while
he was performing before the King of Ma
piles. There was card trick in the per-
Torrance wherein card was to be
forced. as the manipulation is termed,
upon the King. Some one substituted for
the card to be forced ordinary playing
card. one of the same size, inscribed with
an epigram most insulting to the King
De Grisy, unconscious of the preparation
on him. performed the trick to the point of
compelling the King to receive the obnox-
tous card. The King Immediately left the
salon, accompanied by the royal retinue
and flight alone saved the magician from
arrest on the order Immediately issued
PANCAKE IN A HAT.
Miller's faux pas in the trick of cooking
q pancake in the hat is an amusing anec-
dote. He was performing before a private
party at Kelso,and among the company was
an elderly gentleman, who sat close to the
operating table, and caused some discom-
posture to Miller and his attendant by the
closeness of his observation Of their mo-
lions. and the grimaces and chucklings in
which he INDUCED whenever he discovered
or thought he had discovered the mode in
which any of the tricks was performed
The pancake trick is done by secretly in
Producing into the hat a ready cooked and
hot pancake in tin dish, and above this
gallipot- The batter is prepared in sight
of the spectators, in a similar gaIlipot Just
as much smaller than the other as to fit
closely into il. The contents of the smaller
gallipot are poured into the larger one and
both are Withdrawn together: and the con-
5urer, after pretending to cook the pam
cake over a lamp or candle. presents ii on
the tin dish.
Millers attendant was so much confused
ard distracted by the watching grimacins
and chuekling of the old gentleman that he
omitted 10 place the gallipot in the hat
which gentleman of the party had loaned
for the purpose, and Miller poured the bat
ter on tn pancake before he discovered
the omission. He was not so ready-witted
as Robert-Houdn showed himself on sim
flar occasions. nor was his attendant so
equal TO the emergency as the French con-
5urer's ministering proved in the face of
such disaster. They could only stare IN
bewiiderment at the spoiled hat until Miller
recovering from his confusion confessed
his failure. explained the manner i'm which
the trick is done. and threw the blame on
the inQuisitive and ehuckling old gentle
man
The arrest OF Anderson, the Wizard of
the North" on the charge of murder is
among the best anecdotes of a magician
trieked. As told in the press of the day.
the story reads as follows: "One day. to-
wards the conclusion of an engagement at
Elgin. he visited Forrest. a town twelve
miles distant, TO make arrangements for
repeating his performance there in the vi
entity of the blasted heath" on which. ac-
cording to tradition Macbeth met the
witches Having made the requisite ar
engagements he was directed by the printer
10 the residence OF an elderly widow, who
bad apartments 10 let. which. proving suit
able. were taken for one week
'Ye'l excuse me. sir said the widow.
when he was about TO depart. but I maun
tell We I'm a pair widow and a that I
hae 10 live by is whet get by lettin' nv
at1arfments. Ither folk haze enr-ae~a5 on,