The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1909-02-27
A NICE BIT OF
-. NECROMANCY.



IoriginaLl
The first prestldigitator to attract
wide attention in America was Signor
Blitz half a century ago. Blitz was
giving exhibitions all over the United
States. and since amusements were
then by no means as common as to-
day all heard Of him II all did not see
him. After having exhibited every
where in the eastern states he decided
to go overland to California. Loading
his contrivances In a couple Of prairie
schooners," as the plains wagons were
called. he set out from the Missouri
river to cross the Rocky mountains
One day the little caravan came upon
a man who was crazed with distress.
He had been travelling with his wife
and two children In a single wagon.
For some reason he had left them for
a few hours and when he returned
found his wagon plundered OF Its con-
tents. his stock run of and his wife
and children missing. He knew they
had been carried away by the redskins.
The next day Ind-Ins We're seen at
a distance. Blitz told the man, whose
name was Rodman. to ride out and
tell them a great medicine man travel
ing across the country would like to
give them a display of his powers. or
course to 90 to the Indians was the
next thing to going to certain death.
but Rodman was In hopes that Blitz
might help him to regain his family
and took the chances. He learned
while among the savages that they
held his wife and children captives,
though the savages did not know they
belonged to him. The marvellous will
always interest the superstitious. and
the Indians sent Rodman back to In
wife Blitz to their camp.
Blitz improvised a stage with the
necessary appurtenances. and the red
skins squatted before 1t. An interpreter
stood ready to repeat the sorcerer's
words In their own language. Blitz
took a small iron cube with a ring for
q handle and lifted 1t with his little
finger. Then he said that he pos
sessed the power Of depriving a man Of
his strength and invited any savage to
come up on to the stage and submit
himself to this test. The chief himself,
the biggest and strongest Indian pres
emit, stepped up, evidently confident
that no man could take away what lie
was SO proud of. Blitz asked him to
lift the iron weight. He did SO, giving
a grunt, as much as to say: do you
make sport of me? Give me something
heavy to lift" He set the weight
down. Blitz made q few passes along
his arm and told him to lift again.
This time the Indian failed to move 1t.
He struggled desperately, all the blood
in his body getting into his face, but to
| no purpose. The weight was immov.
able. Then he turned away muttering
and did not stop till he had got behind
the awe stricken Indians.
The weight was connected by wires
with a powerful magnet. the current
being turned ON or off by a key under
Blitz's foot.
BHtz next took up a pistol and invited
the chief to come back and kill him
with 1t. The chief. in hopes of redeem
ing himself before his warriors, 70
turned. Biitz offered him a cup with
leaden bullets In it and asked him tc
take out one and mark 1t so that he
would know 1t again. The redskin did
as he was told. Blitz took the bullet
put 1t In the pistol, cooked the weapon
handed It to the Indian, stood off a
the other end of the stage and told hin
to fire. The Indian took a sure ain
and fired. Blitz put up his hand
caught the bullet in his fingers ant
tossed it back to the man who hat
fired 1t. The chief, astonished, stood
mute, but when Blitz told him to lool
at the mark on 1t and he saw that
was the bullet he had chosen he wa
dumfounded.
In the pistol being Of clay ground III
powder by ramming 1t down. 1t Is sub
stituted for the leaden one by sleigh
of hand.
Then Blitz told the chief he coul'
shoot his blood on to a board withou
tlultAu6 h2Al In AkCo a WA hAAC -
him filed with his own blood. 1t brok
against the board. scattering the blood
BY this time Blitz was a wonderfu
medicine man to the savages and wa
ready for the business he had com
for. An assistant bandaged his eyes
and Blitz told the audience that he sa,
In one of the tepees q white womal
and two children. He ordered them I
bring forth their prisoners at once o
he would cali down fire from the cloud
to consume them. The chief called
powwow of his principal warriors. TIL
white men saw them arguing and ges
ticulating, but could not understand
what they said. Some were doubtful o
Blitz having this power. while other
claimed that a medicine man VIII
could do what he had done could d
anything. While they were %consultin
Blitz discharged electricity. making
brilliant fash. Away scampered tn
Indians to the tepee where Rodman'
wife and children were held prisoner
and brought them to Blitz.
Blitz had told Rodman to keep out o
the way lest If his family recognizes
him it might destroy the Indians faitl
In his miraculous power. When the tel
ror stricken mi and her childrel
were brought forward and surrendere'
to white people their establishment wa