The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-07-29
THE MAGIC OF HOUD|N
Remarkable Cleverness of tho
Famous French conjurer.
:us MOST WONDERFUL FEAT

4 mysssrieus Performance Before the
Court Of Louis Philippe That Was
Probably the Result Of . Subtle BIT
Of Psychological Reasoning.
A link connecting the names Of Cagli
ostro, the great charlatan, and the
French conjurer Robert Houdin may
be found in a story that may be justly
termed The Most Incredible Feat of
Magic Ever Performed"
In 1916 Houdin. then at the height
Of his popularity. was invited to st.
Cloud to give performance before the
king. the royal family and court. The
conjurer had only his young son as an
assistant and could rely on no tricks
Of light or mechanism. as the exhibit
ton was given in one Of the awning
rooms Of the palace. He finished with
the following extraordinary perform
ance:
Borrowing several handkerchiefs, he
wound them into a package, which he
laid on the table. Then he went about
among the guests distributing cards on
which were to be written the names
Of places to which It was desired that
the package be invisibly transported.
Houdin then handed the cards to the
king, asking him to select three at haz-
ton he liked best.
The first card read, II desire the
handkerchief to be found beneath one
Of the candelabra on the mantelpiece."
That" said the king, "is too easy
for the ability Of conjurer of the
ability Of NJ. Houdin."
The second read, THE handkerchief
are to be taken to the dome of the
Invalides."
THAT" commented the king, rs bet.
ter. However. it Is much too far, not
for the handkerchiefs, but for us. The
third card suits me-" said the king. ut
is desired that you should send the
handkerchiefs into the chest Of the
last orange tree Cd the right Of the
avenue"
Houdin expressed his willingness to
attempt the feat, and the king whis-
pered an order that Immediately sent
a group Of attendants to guard the or
ange tree IN question.
The conjurer placed the package Of
handkerchiefs under an opaque glass
bell and then. waving q wand. order
ed the package - proceed to the place
chosen by the hing. When the bell
was raised the hanAkerchiefs were
gone. but In their place was a white
turtledove. trusted attendant was
sent to the orange tree to open the
chest. He returned bearing q small
iron cs9er covered BY rust
"ABe the handkeychiefs In this cot.
ferr' asked tho king.
Yes. sire. ana they have been there.
too. for . long time"
How can that be possible? The
handkerchief were given you hardly
= quarter OF an hour ago"
yet 1t II -. and your majesty win
be even more surprised when prove
that this Golfer and it's contents were
placed in the chest Of the orange tree
sixty years ago.. Deign to remove
from H. neck Of ~ turtledovs the
key Of the casket."
Louis Philippe u1fastened . ribbon
holding 4 small rusty key. unlocked
the Golfer. foond q document bearing
the seal of Cagliestro and read:
This day. the 9Th OF June, 17Ss this iron
box. containing SIX hanakerchiefs. vas
placed among the roots Of an orange tree
BY mo. BalsAmo. cosnt q Cagitostro. to
serve IN pssesruing aa act OF magic
which wal Be executed ON the same day
sixty years heoes before Louis Philippe
a Orleans anA - family.
Beneath The parchment conveying
this message wa0 found package con-
timing what noeneA to he the MIR