The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-05-21
A MARVEL OF THE AGE
Cunning's Wonderful Feats ut the
Temple Last Night

Temple again last evening. 10 mouse
entirely too small in numbers but
made up of people who watched him
with an interest that took little note
Of the passage of time
Cunning has beeen advertised here
as a lock and cell expert-a man who
could escape from any bonds. but in
addition TO this he is a magician
whose performances would make Hou-
din or Herman the Great sit up and
take notice.
He began his work last night with
the ring and pistol trick. Borrowing
valuable rings from several ladies in
the audience. he seemingly hammered
them out of shape, and then rammed
them down the barrel Of a Goliath
sized horse pistol which was probabl
used to scare away the comet of 1855
After waving this antedeluvian cannon
around in way that made the gallery
gods nervous, he discharged il at
cabinet in one corner OF the stage
This cabinet consisted of a little box
about the size of Pharoah's heart, with
a lot of bigger boxes around it, like
the layers of an onion When he got
down To the core. there We're the rinEs.
which were Restored good as new to
their somewhat nervous owners.
Cunning then borrowed f.. F. Whites
hat. and took therefrom a number and
variety of articles that non one would
have suspected Mr. White of carry
ing around with him. First there We're
articles OF a dolls wardrobe, which
was not SO bad, and then several small
and big flag, which was better,
but when Cunning enticed several
small boys from the gallery and be-
gan handing them eggs which he took
| out of the hat, people began to feel
surprised. Judging by the market price
| of eggs, and the careless way Cunning
handled the hen-fruit. he must he a
very rich mamie dropped several of
them on the floor just like ordinary
people would drop dollars. After tax
| ing at least two dozen eggs out of the
| hat, Cunning was about to give il
| back to Mr.. White, but at the last sec
/ ond found live rabbit in the lid. Ii
| hardly seems necessary for Mr.. White
to take along a suit case when he
| travels.
| y huge trunk was then brought or
the stage, and on being opened reveal.
| ed another trunk. committee con-
! sisting of George Woods, Charlie
| Leitner and another gentleman tieG
Cunning up in a bed tick and packed
him in the trunk, which was carefully
locked and enveloped in the cabinet
| Cummings assistant went inside anG
, stuck his head out through the cur.
| tains. In minute or two, there were
| half dozen sharp explosions, the as.
| sistant's head vanished, the curtain:
| flew open and there stood Cunning
The trunk was unlocked, the bed ticl
united and in it was the assistant
This trick alone would have caused
| Cunning and his assistant to be burn
ed alive a few hundred years ago.
The next most notable performance,
| was putting the beautiful Mile. Ed
munda into a hynotic trance and rails
ing her body until it lay unsupported
in the air. There was absolutely n
support visible. and an iron hoop pass
ed around her body proved there wer,
no gossamer-like wires to hold her UP
There were quite a number of othe
mysterious performances that we hav
not space to describe. They were al
wonderful. interesting and unexplain
able.
The evening ended by mailing tn
wizard in a big box. The box, which
had been on exhibition at Masters
the close of the performance, from tn
street and down one Of the aisles an
was passed over the footlights. 1t wa
! a big, strong. looking boz
and was carefully shown TO everybody
1t was placed on the stage, Cunnin
inserted himself in it, and Mr.. ].
Hayes proceeded TO nail down the lie
while Hamp Chambers and Charli
Leitner saw the job well done Afte
mailing down the lid. wires We're wrap
ped around the box, and Hamp Cham
bers. peeping through crack, assure
the audience that the wizard was in
/ side. The cabinet then pulle
around the box, and the audience look
ed at its watches and waited.
\ box of this kind, while not an al
tistic prison. is a mighty effective on,
: and as the minutes passed people be
gan TO wonder if the wizard hadn't bit
ten off more than he could chew. Bu
in eleven minutes, the curtains Of tn
cabinet parted, and Cunning bowed an
smiled as serenely as ever. The BIO
was pushed out on the stage and turn
D ed over. and no one could see that
board, a nail a wire had bee
l moved.
. Cunning gives his last performanc
at the Temple tonight He is simpl
a marvel. and you will miss it If yo
= don't see him. There hasn't been an
performer Of his class in Ocala sine
it was founded. Herman the Grea
who was here a few years ago. was
smart juggler. but he did nothing
lcomparison with Cummings feats