The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-18
az 81. cornpatripts strtcken wfth Per.

ing his corapatriots stricken with fear
Tie trick was as simple as the res2it
was starting. The box was paced on
powerful electromagnetic ard the current
being complete. no man on earth could
haze lifted IL An electric shock sent at
signal by Houdin from behind The stage.
was what caused the Arab 20 sariek and
hurTfedly retreat
Before the excitement caused by this
trick had su5sfded. Houein announced tina.
he had a taiisrnan which rendered him in
vulnerable. and Re defled the best shot
II Alxie-s 10 Kill him
A marabout Immediately sprang on the
stage, enchanting.
II wan: to XII you
Houdfn handed him a pistol which tire
Arab, examining, pronounced good one.
1t IS good pistol. and I viii kill you.
Very we'll" said Houdin: TO make
sure, put IN q double charge Of powder
Here's wad. Take a bullet from this
tray and mark i, so you will know il
again. Ram il into the pistol we'll
1T is done"
Nov said Houdin. ''you say the pistol
is good one. and you've loaded i, well.
30 xii, me-
Yea" replied the marabout, II will do
that
Houdfn took a pear. stuck II on a knife.
and walked a fex PAGES In front OF the
Arab. and told him 20 aim at his heart
He fired. and the marked bullet was seen
on the pear.
After the powder and wai were rammed
home. and while the Arab was marking
The bullet. Houdin slipped a little tube
into the pistol. This tube was closed at
the lower end. and into this the Arab
dropped the bullet. AS he thrust the waa
down with the ramrod the tube fitted
snugly on Il. and was withdrawn with t.
being polished 10 resemble il. Houdin thus
got possession OF the marked ball. and
ali was then plain sailing.
Then came the third and last Of Hou-
din's special tricks. A young man was
asked 70 step on 70 a small table and vas
then covered with huge extjnguisiler.
When this was removed the young man
had vanished. This feat succeeding the
others terrified the Arabs. who, in fear
and trembling OF the wonderful sorcerar,
rushed out Of the theater. At the door
they met their vanished countrynan, VINO
was quite unable or unwilling 10 explain
what had happened to him. How this
trick vas done Houdin never explained.
On one occasion, during his visit TO Al
giers. Houdin was placed in a very awk-
ward position. from which ne only extri-
ca-ed himself by his quick wittedness. He
was the guest OF an Arab chief. Abou AL
lem, and entertained his host and friends
by a few tricks One Of the company was
a marabout. who asserted thai the spec
tatOrs in Algiers had been merely duped
by n vision. Houdin. however. produced
the marabout's watch in his hand. and on
feeling his sash the marabout found there
a 1ve-franc niece. Convinced by this and
other feats that Houiin was really a sor-
cerer he challenged him to repeat his
performance In the theater. and produced
~a:7
the Arab. "since you know how to ward
the bullets"
Without losing his self possession. IIou-
din explained that his invulnerability lav
In a talisman which was with his posses
slons In Aigiers by six hours prayer
however, ! can do without that talisman
and at eight O'clock tomorrow morning
you can fire at me-"
At the appointed time there was a large
concourse OF Arabs. which the news had
attracted The pistols were brought and
carefully examined. The marabout drop
ped in the powder. Houdin handed aim a
bullet from the tray. and he rammed IL
down Houiin then loaded his own pistol.
and walking about fifteen PAGES away.
turned and faced the marabout.
The shot was fred. and the Frenchman
opened his mouth and showed the bullet
between his teeth.
now YOU shall see what my shots can do"
He fired at the marahout and immeii-
ately red splash was seen on the white
washed wall before which he was stand
ing The Arab was untouched; stepping
uc to the wall. ne dipped his finger in the
red splash, tasted 1t. and realizing that IL
was blood, collapsed in amazement.
Though the trick was simple, only a
Hoiidin could have devised and carried IL
out successfully. During the night he had
melted some wax hiackened il 70 look Ike
lead and run 1t into a bullet-mould, thus
obtaining a hollow globe Of wax exactly
resembling bullet in appearance. It was
with this bullet the marabout loaded his
pistol and In rammng IL down crushed IL
4. 70 powder. 4 second bullet. similarly
made. Hottiin filed with blood obtained
from his own body. This he dropped into
his pistol. and rammed it down very gen
tlv. so as not TO crush t. As il struck the
wall II was broken. leaving a red splash
Of blood.
With such splendid skill and ingenuity.
Houdin's mission could not fail to be
success. and he destroyed the restige OF
the native magicians entirely. On his re-
turn TO France he devoted himself 20
mechanical and electrical experiments. dy-
ing ar Riois in 1871 In his sixtysixth year.
Household Words