The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-11-25
The MAN FROM FRISCO
CLEVER EXHIBITION GIVEN BY HI. j.
REYNOLDS AT ENGLISH'S.
Slate Writing i'm n Broad Glare OF
Light and Mysterious Cabinet
Tricks Performed.

Considered simply as an exhibition or
skillful legerdemain, the entertainment
which Henry ]. Reynolds, of San Francisco,
furnished to a crowded house at English's
Opera House last night was probably as
clever as anything of the sort with which
m or Keller ever mystified an In
dianapolis audience. Unlike other professed
spiritualistic mediums, Mr.. Reynolds dis
pensed with the use of complicated para
phernalia and a darkened stage. In the
bright glare of the electric lights, with the
simple use of a small cabinet, a few tam
bourines, a cotton rope and a few other in
significant accessories. Mr.. Reynolds
worked his wonders in a manner satisfac-
tory enough to gain for every minute of
the exhibition the undivided attention of
his audience and its constant, hearty ap-
plause. Reynolds is a small. nervous man,
quick in movement and by constant prac-
tice perfect in the details of his we'll
handled feats. He has a pleasant flow of
small talk, somewhat more endurable than
the usual wordy remarks intended to dis
tract the attention of watchers from "busi-
ness it is not desired they should follow
too closely.
Slate-writing is a musty asset of the COM
mon medium. 1t is done in his darkened
cabinet with ~awe-inspiring a~ccompani-
ments. Reynolds stepped down among the
| orchestra seats with a pair of new states.
A gentleman selected at random placed a
bit of chalk between the states and tied
them securely together. Reynolds held them
easily in his fingers for a moment and then
had them unbound. The chalk lay at the
end of several regularly written sentences
forming that quotation from Shakespeare
/ very appropriate to things smelling of the
occult: There are more things in heaven
and earth, Horatio, than are dream't Of in
your philosophy"
Another time-battered trick was handled
as a specimen of c~lairvoyancy. Reynolds
came down from the stage with a sheet of
paper. His assistants remained on the
stage, standing before a blackboard. Walk
ing down the aisle Reynolds asked a num-
Der of men to write several numbers on
the sheet. Another man, by his request,
silently added the figures, Reynolds stand
ing with his back to the assistant. AS each
figure was set down the assistant on the
stage duplicated it on the blackboard in
sight of the audience.
The first of his cabinet exhibitions was
sufficiently mystifying to get him a hearty
hand from the spectators. Entering the
lighted cabinet with a short piece of cot
ton rope in his hands he took his seat and
a curtain hid him from the sight or the
audience. In forty seconds, when the cur
tain was drawn aside, he was bound hand
and foot. the rope being tied tightly in
fifty or sixty knots. The curtain was
dropped again and over the top of the cabi-
net came a shower Of tambourines and
handbells. A selected committee enVeloped
Reynolds in the folds Of a huge sack, COM
pletely covering him. Again the bells and
tambourines cut queer capers behind the
curtains and were propelled over il with
enough force TO send them rolling to the
footlights. \ member of the fair play
committee took a seat in the cabinet with
Reynolds and when the curtain was drawn
ne declared he felt unseen hands in
v~estigating portions Of his anatomy. While
Reynolds sat still bound tightly, and while
the member OF the committee sat with him,
the coat OF the latter was swiftly removed
from his back and thrown across the Shout
ders of the magician The mmitt sewed
the coat around Reynolds's shoulders and
he emerged from his cabinet Of mysteries
with the coat in his hands. the stitches un-
broken, apparently untouched. Again the
curtain was dropped and 1t took the man
from Frisco just eleven seconds TO make
his bow unbound
With an ordinary water pitcher. he poured
into four glasses held out by the members
Of the committe, alternately water and
wine. From the same pitcher the first MEM
Der in the row received a glassfui OF water.
the second a glassful OF wine. the third.
water again. the fourth, more wine.
Another cabinet exhibition which re-
ceived a round OF applause followed. A
hve-foot scantling was placed in the cabi-
net and nailed 10 the floor. An iron ring