The Portland daily press., 1899-04-29
A MASTER OF MAGIC.
Tricks by Which Houdln As
founded the Arabs

clan Extricsded Himself From nm
Awkward Predicsmcnt by the
Quickness of His wit.
To witness uoudin's first performance
In Algiers the ueighboring tribes were in
vited. The tl,eater was speedily filled
with them and the French officials, who
attended in all their pofnp and glory. In
terpreters were scattered through the
house in order to repeat Houdin S remarks
to the natives in their own language
With true oriental dignity and gravity
the Arabs witnessed the first few tricks in
stolid silence, but the taking Of huge
cannon ball from a borrowed hat aroused
great excitement
Then came the great tricks of the even
ing, especially prepared to astonish the
Arabs.
"By a wonderful power which I pos
sess. said Houdin, II can deprive any
man of his strength, invite any one to
prove my words"
On this being interpreted to the Arabs,
tall, strn1g man stepped forward on the
stage. Hoaudin held in his hand a little
iron box, aud, balancing it carelessly on
his little finaer, he asked the Arab;
Are you slropgY"
eyes, " replied the man carelessly.
"Are you suns of always remaining sor"
Always
Gift that box
The Arab did so and asked contemptu-
ously, els that all"
wait, said Houdin, making a,solemn
gesture. NOW you are weaker than
woman Try to lift that box again.
The Arab seized the handle and tugged
again. He could not raise the box an inch
from the floor. After many attempts he
paused for moment 10 brace himself for
a final effort He seized the handle again,
but shrieked aloud with pain, dropped ON
his knees, then, rising, threw his cloak
round his face to conceal his shame and
rushed from the theater, leaving his COM
patriots stricken with fear. The trick was
Is simple as the result was startling. The
box was placed on powerful electro mag
net, and the current being complete, no
man on earth could have lifted 1t. An
electric shook, sent at a signal by Houdin
from behind tho stage, was what caused
the Arab to shrek and hurriedly retreat.
Before the excitement caused by this
trick had subsidized Houdin announced
that he had a talisman which rendered
him invuInerable, and he defied the best
shot in Algiers to kill him A marabout
Immediately sprang on the stage, exclaim-
u
ed him pistol, which the Arab, examin-
Ing, pronounced q good one. sit is a
good pistol, and will kill you"
VERY we'll" said Houdin. ''To mako
sure, put in double charge of powder,
Here's a wad Take bullet from this
tray and mark 1t so you will know 1t
again. Ram 1t into the pistol well. :"
at is done.
"Now, said Houdin, "you say the pis-
toll is good one, and you've loaded 1t
we'll; so kill me. "
Yes" replied the marabout, II will do
that"
Houdin took u pear, stuck it on a knife
and walked q few PAGES in front of the
Arab, and told him to aim at his heart.
He fired, and the marked bullet was seen
ON the pear. After the powder and wad
were rammed home, and while the Arab
was marking the bullet Houdin slipped
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
wad down with the ramrod, the tube fitted
snugly on to it, and was withdrawn with
It, being polished to resemble it. Houdin
thus got possession of the marked ball.
and all was then plain sailing.
On one occasion during his visit to AL
giers Houdin was placed In very awk
ward position, from which he only extri-
Gated himself by his quick wittedness.
He was the guest of an Arab chief Abou
Allen, and entertained his host and
friends~by few tricks One Of the COM
pany was q nzrabout, who asserted that
The spectators in Algiers had been merely
duped by q vision. Houdin, however, pro-
duced tho marabout's watch in his hand
and, on feeling his sash, the marabout
found there 3 franc piece. Convinced
by this and other feats that Houdin was
reslly sorcerer, he challenged him to re-
peat-his performance IN the theater and
produced two pistols You need not
fear" said the Arab, "since you know
how to ward off bullets" Without losing
bis self possession Houdin explained that