Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1900-09-21
MISHAPS TO MAGICIANS.
THE BEST PLANNED TRICKS OF CON-
JURORS OFTEN co WRONG.

Fatalities Attending the "Bullet Trick"
Professional magicans are invar;-
ably very smart and cautious individ-
uals. Their tricks are generally well
practiced in private before being intro
duced to the public, which no doubt
accounts for the fact that they are,
as general rule, carried out success
fully. In spite of their elaborate pre-
cautions to avoid failure, however,
some Of the cleverest conjurers occa-
sionally meet with mishaps during the
course of their performances, and thus
treat their audience to some startling
or amusing unrehearsed effects.
Hermann frequently introduced
into his entertainment the trick Of
producing two large goldfish bowls.
Advancing towards the footlights
with large shawl, he would wave the
latter mysteriously in the air, and suG-
denly produce from its folds a glass
bowl filled with water, in which n
number of live goldfish were compla-
Gently swimming. This he woula
place upon the table, and repeat the
waving motion with the shawl until
he had produced another similar bowl
of goldfish.
A complete explanation of the work
Ing of this trick need not be given here,
says Tid-Bits. Suffice it is to say that
it was accomplished by previously COW
ering each of the bowls with an India
rubber cover, which prevented the
water from escaping when the bowl
was inverted. One of these bowls
was concealed under each armpit IN
derneath the vest. The bowls were,
of course, easily taken from their hid
ing places under cover of the shawl,
the India rubber cover being removed
beneath the cloth before the bowl was
exposed to the view of the spectators.
The trick was q very effective one
and rarely failed to elicit n round OF
applause, but one evening ludicrous
mishap occurred, which not only
spoiled the trick, but aso resulted in
the complete discomforture of Herr
mann. On this occasion he had just
succeeded in producing the first bowl
when by some unfortunate mischance
the cover slipped off the second, with
| the natural result that the contents
of the bowl was impartially distrib-
uted about the luckless performers
body, filling his shoes and thoroughly
saturating his clothes. 1t is almost
superfluous to mention that this Incl
dent concluded the evenings enter
tainment so far as Hermann was con-
cerned.
Few modern prestidigtateurs en-
ploy confederates during their per
formances, for although such assist
ants can generally be relied upon to
play their parts satisfactorily, yet in
times, through accident or design, they
fail to carry out their instructions, and
so ruin instead of assist the trick in
which they take part. Some years
ago, for example, DeGrisy, very pop
ular performer. included in his repel'
tory n trick in which a confederate
was instructed to hand up an lmita-
ton gold ring when DeGrisy required
it. The magician got through his per-
formance all right until he came to
the aforesaid mentioned trick. Step
ping among the spectators he blandly
requested the loan of Il ring, taking
care, of course, to select the one or
fered by his confederate. With this
ring he performed an excellent trick,
the details of which may not be de
scribed, and then smilingly handed
the ring back to his confederate. The
latter examined it with apparent sur
prise, and, assuming an indignant air,
asked:
"What does this mean? 1 gave yon
q valuable gold ring set with diamonds
and you return me worthless imita-
tion,"
The wizard was naturally astounded
by this impudent assertion, but it was
obvious that he could not expose the
confederate without also exposing
himself. In an undertone he en-
treated the man to cease his foolish
conduct, but he would not be silenced
until DeGrisy had reimbursed his sup
posed loss The confederate then left
the theater and was never seen there
again, but it afterwards transpired
that a rival magician had bribed the
man to thus bring about the ridicule
of DeGrisy.
Among the whole category of mis-
i haps however, none has proved fatal
excepting those caused through the
"bullet trick" sensational conjuring
trick which has brought fame to doz-
ems of conjurers and death to at least
six performers. For the benefit of
those who have never witnessed this
trick we had better explain that it con-
sists in the performer loading pistol
with leaden bullet and allowing one
of the spectators to fire at him, when
he catches the bullet between his
teeth. The secret of this trick lies in
the fact that in loading the pistol the
magician deftly substitutes Il bullet
made of black lead for the leaden bull
let; the black lead bullet is crushed to
a powder with the ramrod, while the
genuine bullet is secretly Slipped into
| hn ~n1l lie