The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-08
The Craze Has Already Reached In
diannpOIis and Many Amateurs
Are SpringinE Up.
FREDERICK B. SIMPSON TALKS
A YOUNG MAN WHO HAS GIVEN PRI-
vATE PERFORMANCES HERE.
He Finds IL an Expensive hut Edify-
ing Pastime-An Interview with
Professional COnJurer.

In Eastern cities there Is a steadily in
creasing interest in ''parlor magic" among
society people. and this peculiar form OF
entertainment at social functions promises
TO develop into a reigning fad next year. AS
Indianapolis has had a touch OF the magic
fever of late il is not unlikely that this
city will fall in line and take I'D the new
craze when society returns from its sum-
mer vacation. At several parties during
the last three or four weeks the hostess
has dispensed with the usual card game
or musical offering in favor of bewilder-
ing series Of sleight-of-hand tricks per-
formed by some skillful amateur. II ind
that everybody likes to be fooled" ex-
planned one well-known Indianapolis wom-
an upon one Of these occasions. "and it's
more fun to be fooled in drawing room
than in the bis auditorium of a theater.
The only difficulty is to get hold Of a really
clever trick player"
Those fortunate young men who are gifted
with smooth tongues and smoother fingers
have been in great demand in consequence.
Indianapolis has quite an number Of expert
card maniDulators'' and sleight-of-hand
geniuses among its young society men, and
most of them have been called upon contin-
ually since the fad started TO entertain
selected audiences I'm private houses. About
the cleve-est amateur. however. that this
city has ever seen is Frederick Il. Simp-
son. New Yorker. who occasionally visits
indianapolis while jcurney!ng between Cuba,
y. Y, and Terre HaUte. Mr.. Simpson is
the son of the wealthy race horse owner
who the proud possessor Of Star
Pointer when that wonderful record-break-
in his prime. and devotes his time.
when he is not Dracticing new tricks, TO
the mana cement OF his fathers fine train
ing stables in Cuba and Terre Haute.
Sleight-of-h hand is a hobby with him and an
expensive one. too He is never happier
than when preparing for one OF his draw
ing room entertainments and never hesi-
tates to spend all OF his spare cash for
flowers, bon-bons and other pretty things
which he produces. in the course OF his
evenings speciality from borrowed hats and
other peoples pockets. and then presents
as souvenirs to his audience.
LEFT CONNECTIONS BEHIND.
When Mr.. Simpson took the train the
other night for Cuba y. Y, he left be-
hind miniature candy store and a small
sized banquet at a residence on Central
avenue. where he had Just finished one OF
his magical entertainments. Nobody APP
peared to know just where all the tooth
some UlOIStlSs lIull anu OllltI EOpQ lnlIEo
had come from-except Mr.. Simpson. and
he wouldn't tell. And he took the secret
with him when he left town. He had been
in the city for several days and had spent
nearly all of his time playing tricks for his
friends. who insisted upon being fooled.
and had wound up with series of sur
prises that would have done credit 10 Herr
mann in his palmest days.
hof, ~
the professional conjurer." Mr.. Simpson
said. while discussing his hobby. lis prin-
cipally this The professional is paid 10
perform and the amateur pays TO perform.
1t often costs me as much as SIS or so
to give one OF these little affairs OF mine.
for don't care TO do things half way-and
what is a magical show without the flowers
and candy and things? There is a growing
tendency in New York to amuse private
companies with magic. and 1 believe that
sleight-of-hand was never more popular
among the better class OF people than IL
is now. It's really much harder 10 per-
form tricks successfully in drawing room
than on the stage. and the chap that can
manage TO deceive his audience without
footlights ana other stage accessories TO
help him out is entitled TO some attention
as a coniurer."
NJ. Simpson has made, study Of magic
and is thoroughly conversant with the sub
ject He says that the art OF conJuring
dates back to the beginning Of the Egyptian
priesthood when the production OF SEEM
ingly impossible occurrences was sttrib-
uted to the higher powers During the
middle ages the conjurers began 10 admit
that their performances were not super
natural but were merely forms Of human
deception. OF course the "jugglers," as
those who prOfessed TO do miracles were
called, did not disappear altogether until
modern times. but only once I'm awhile
we're these nomads heard from. Among
the greatest fakirs that ever lived was
Signor CastelH. who Travelled through
Europe during the middle ages. going by
wagon and using a portable stage. He
caused immense excitement among the
country people by announcing that he
would eat living person at every per-
Torrance. The way he carried out his
programme was TO invite volunteer from
his audience, and if any one responded
would begin by biting the poor country
mans mack which OF course would cause
the subject TO retire hastily. making the
execution OF the trick impossible and scar
ing everybody else out OF the notion OF
Z
PROBABLY RIGHT.
II don't know but what, after all, that
fellow had the right idea" said Mr.. Simp-
son in telling the story, for when you once
impress your audience with the feeling that
you are capable Of doing almost anything
wonderful. no matter how impossible 10
may seem, you will usually have clear sail
ing Hermann used 10 say that the IN
genious use OF certain soul faculties is Of
far greater Importance than all dexterity
and machinery. There are any amount OF
books on conjuring now on the market. but
1 don't believe that the mere reading OF
them can make a conjurer out OF Anybody.
Robert Houdin. the great French magician,
hit the nail on the head when nc said that
thorough understanding OF the human
mind is the necessary key 10 all successful
conjuring Explanations and appar. tus do
not reveal the kernal.' There have been
numerous theories expounded In the news
! papers as 10 the exact manner IN which