The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-02-18
AMERICAN coNJURER
Took Liberties With King Edward and
 Startled British Royalty.

| From the New York World.
 To mystify His Majesty King Edward VII, a man who has seen everything that there Is to see, and knows the tricks of every one from courtiers to cooks. is to achieve the almost impos- sible Yet that is the particular feather which graces the cap of Max Malinl, a young New York conjurer, who Is about | to return to America after successful trip abroad, during which he was a guest of the Duke of Portland at Wei beck.
 MT. Malini had been specially en- gagged to entertain a distinguished party, including King Edward and the Queen, and found that he was expected to do his conjuring and legerdemain at the very elbows of his audience, as 1t were. In fact, he was never further away than a few feet from the King even when trying to puzzle the royal eye and mystify the regal mind with his most novel tricks. That he sue ceeded so well is great tribute to his ingenuity and skill.
 When the King entered the room MT. Malini, taking this as a signal to begin his performance, opened fire, when His Majesty interrupted him by saying:
 "Mr. Malini, the Queen is not here yet"
 The entertainment, therefore, did not commence until Queen Alexandra en- tered the room Her Majesty gave Malini a smile of recognition, for he had entertained her before at a party at Lady De Gray's house.
 The conjurer, after few simpler tricks, which, nevertheless, puzzled every one, cut button from the Duke of Portland's coat and mysteriously re- placed it, with no sign of it's having ever been removed. He made coins appear in the most unexpected places and took liberties with the royal gar ments by having King Edward discover a pack of cards in his waistcoat pocket, where no one had seen them placed. Even the Queens handkerchief was brought into the tricks, and was foun1 first in the Duke of Portlands hat, and next in the Kings glove, which he had held in his clinched hand all the while.
 For three-quarters of an hour the King and the others watched the con jurer's performance with unbounded interest His Majesty making the same exclamation, "Wonderfuli" at the con- clusion of each new feat. But it was when the famous blindfold trick, in vented and used exclusively by Malini, was done that his enthusiasm and mys- tifcation rose to their greatest. This trick consists in handing a pack of cards to the audience and, having several of them select card. These cards are not removed, and each per. son simply makes a mental record of the card he has chosen. The cards are then shuffled and placed face down. ward on the table. Malini, blindfolded then. with the point of little dagger picks from the deck the cards that were chosen by his audience. The King was completely staggered by this trick 1 This is not surprising, however. for even President Roosevelt, for whom Malini gave an exhibition at the White House a short time ago, acknowledged himself baffled by it.
 q wish to thank you personally foi the great pleasure you have given me. : said King Edward to Malini at the close of the performance.
 q never performed before a more appreciative or completely interested man than the King of England" says l MaIini, in speaking of the event. "He