Los Angeles herald., 1906-11-11

platinum to the tips of the fingers.
Spirit Blood Writing
In a secret breast pocket a medium
sometimes has small fountain syringe
fllled with hydrogen. To this Is at
tached tube coming down the sleeve
and terminating an inch above the cuff. |
BY means of the shutcock the gas can
be turned off and on at will and the
effect produced by the contact with
the platinum is that of a red hot coal.
Some mediums announce that a spirit
desires to write message for you on
his arm 1f you will rub 1t. He offers
you his arm for examination, and you
see there care no marks upon it. Pre-
vlously he has bathed the arm in salt
water and with a toothpick or other
sharp stick marked a name or word
upon it. When you rub the arm the
blood comes to the surface and the
name appears in letters of blood.
Los Angeles mediums pay more atten-
tion to ballot reading, slate writing and
naturalization than to any other of
the tricks of the trade.
Ballot Writing Tricks
When ballot writing is the trick
man precautions are taken. If the
medium performs In theater no one is
allowed to sit in the balcony overlook
ing the stage, and no one except the
confederate Is allowed to sit upon the
platform or in position where all that
is done can be seen.
1t is easy for those who are experts |
at the business to open and close folded
papers with one hand and possess
themselves of the contents. All sleight-
of-kand performances require practice. |
so that the work can be done quickly
and without detection.
The faker steps upon the platform,
where he is, alone, mixes the, ballots in
a careless way, palms one and then
steps to one side, while the investigator
goes to the platform to see that all
ballots are folded. During this time
the faker manages to read the palmed
ballot and refold it. When the investi-
gator announces that the ballots are all
! folded the faker gives the contents of
the one which he has palmed, without
going near the table. A man In the
audience pronounces it correct, where
upon the faker says: II will see If 1
can find the ballot" OF course it is an
easy matter to appear to pick this from
the table or even to deftly slip it on
the table, to pick up for the skeptic.
Sealed Envelope Fake
When sealed questions are used the
faker has an extra envelope He holds
the envelope up and gives the question
which he says is contained in it. One
of his confederates in the audience says
That Is my question: and then the
faker tears the envelope open and says
we will see If this is correct Instead
of tearing that envelope open he is tear
ing the one which contains the next
question he expects to answer and
reads that to himself, while he reads
aloud the words in the first message.
After the first one all is plain sailing
and he can read any number Of sealed
questions.
These two systems are the only ones
that are used in the west, though some
OF the eastern takers have evolved more
complicated schemes.
There have been many systems in
spirit slate writing, but the approved
methods used by the best takers today
are vastly different from the first
crude attempts at fooling the credu-
lous.
Slate Writing Method
The medium usually sits at one side
of large table and the investigator
at the other. Two ordinary states are
on the table. These states can be fully
examined, as there is no flap or chem
ical fake. The mediums ask the in
yestigator to write a question on a
slip of stiff writing paper about 3x31k
inches in size.
Then the paper is folded twice and
returned to the medium, who holds 1t
to his forehead for a minute and then
hands 1t back to the investigator, with
the request that he hold 1t to his own
forehead and think intently on the
question. Finally the medium takes the
paper once more, holds 1t to his fore
head and begins to tremble. He throws
o ~~~@%@%%~~~~ Q Q ~~~~~I
3 HERALD'S SPECIALIST WILL 81
. ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS O.
@ The Herald spOOk editor Will o
@ answer all questions ms to- the o |
9 method OF performing any trick 9
@ done by Los Angeles mediums. @l
9 II there Is any act which You @ |
9 have seen performed and still be- @
O lieVe was the result of sDirtt @ |
8 guidance from the other world, oil
@ ask the spOOk editor and receive o
8 an explanation. oil
@ Have you been mystined by @ !
8 strange and apparently unac- o
8 cOuntable revelations by mediunsF @ |
@ 1t Ia simply a trick and easily @ |
g, explained. @
g Robert A. Hazel. the renowned o
@ mystagOgue who has exposed o
8 thousands of frauds all over Amer O |
@ lea, will reply through the col o |
o unlns of The Herald to all ques- o
8 tlons sent In. @
% Thousands of persons have been o
g buneOed by these unscrupuIOus o l.
@ frauds. Are you a vlctiInT o
g Tell Mr.. HaHeI your troubles and o
3 experiences. Your name will not .
@ be used without your consent, o
9 though full names aud addresses o
9 are necessary, @I
o Address all communications o
3 sPOOK EDITOR, %I
3 Herald, Los Angeles. 9
q 90 10000 900 @ O. @~MM@I