The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-06-23
PLUCK Of 4 MAGICIAN
Houdin's Experience Among the
Marabouts Of Algeria.
AN ARAB TRAP THAT FAILED.

The Great FPoneh conjurer 9tood the
Test and Then BY Another Trick
cowsd His Infatuated Antagonists.
The Story Of Paimsr's curss.
There are some points Of resem-
blance between the story OF the great
French conjurcr. Robert Houdin. and
the marabouts and the story OF Palm
ef's curse. The flrst named tale -,
strictly speaking. Incredible only when
regarded from the oriental point Of
view.
In he dfties the administrators Of
I. nch African empire were seri-
or. lampered BY the fanatical mar
abouts. who by their tricks Of juggling
persuaded their followers Of their own
supernatural powers and used this be-
lief to fan the spirit Of insurrection.
Houdin was sent ofilcially on French
warship to Algeria to confound them.
While his task proved easy. the trip
was not without it's dangers.
In Algiers he had allowed himself
to be shot at with pistols loaded BY
the marabouts. But once In the int
rior, when he was absolutely without
the tools of his profession. he was
forced to repeat the experiment. He
was frightened. but he did not allow
bis fears to be perceived. He persuad-
ed his audience to postpone the test
until next morning in order that he
might pass the night in prayer. as he
was without the talisman that he
needed II the feat was to be perform
ed Immediately.
The night he devoted not to prayer.
but to insuring his invulnerability.a and
the next day before a great horde Of
Arabs he submitted to the test The
French conjurcr insisted that in the
sight Of every one the pistols should
be loaded by his enemies themselves.
Then he calmly took his place and
give the signal The sound Of the pis-
tol had not died away when Houdin
held firmly between his teeth.
His infatuated adversary reached for
the other pistol. but the conjurer was
too quick. You could not harm me"
ne said. .Lut now see how much great
er my powers are than yours. Behold
the WALL He fred. and out on the
whitewash Mt the exact spot Of his
n!nl there Crert slowly great splotch
OF blood. The marabouts. in terror,
covered before the pToxess Of the Eu-
rorenn magician.
Less fortunate in his fate than Hou-
din was the English crientallst E. II.
Palmer. He fell victim to fanati-
cism. but the Story Of his terrible curse
will long be repeated and cause shud-
ders to run round Bedouin campfres.
Only. upon the theory OF metempsycho-
sis can be explained his extraordinary
powers Of assimilating the languages
and ideas Of the east.
He was brought up in the conven-
tional atmosphere OF England. but
when he turned his attention to orien-
tai subjects he did not merely learn:
he simply absorbed. Not only were
Persian. Hlndoostanee and Arabic per-
fectiy familiar to him, but he knew
every obscurity Of the slang Of the
camel drivers. and during his long
voyages in the east his European orr
gin was never suspected. Just as
Houdin had been officially employed
BY the French government. 20 Palmer
was by the English. but In a more
Intimate capacity.
Before the exploit that proved fatal
he had many dangerous adventures.
Once he was led away by 4 treacher-
Gus guide and betrayed to an Arab
vnnw wh0 meant ~ voR, era Hfu MFR.