The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-03
PALADINO'S TRICKS ARE OLD


gicians think of Eusapia Paladino you
ought TO drop around to their headquar-
tiers on Sixth avenue. Once a month the
club. known as the Society Of American
Magieians, meets in a hall at the back Of
the small shop in which is sold every
thing In the way of conjuring \ grim
ming skull greets you from its position
on a counter and along the walls ara
framed autographs OF Herman Houdini.
and other masters OF the art. with SOU
venirs of their triumphs. says the New
York Sun.
Herman was once himself an officer Of
the society. and to-day it boasts very
distinguished membership Kellar. the
dean OF magicians; DR.. Sargent. an ex-
president: Carter. who is described as the
coming magician for, though one of the
youngest members. he has already shown
great promise as an inventor: Downs.
Thurston, Leon Herman, nephew of the
great Herman: Carl Germaine, inventor
and magician. who has 1t is sadly &C
Q kncwledged left the profession for one
me mistakenly considers more practical.
that of the law" Elmer Ransom. known
as the magician for the -Four Hundred.
who went 10 the White House to enter
tain Ruth Cleveland and her little friends
and who, as he expresses 1t, used TO
make the eyes of Mrs. Harry Pare
Whitney start from her head when she
was a little one and is now doing the
same tricks for her children. Then there
is Matinka, the proprietor. who has
delved in magic properties for some
tWenty-four years at the same place.
Buys Luminous Paint.
Il was TO this shop that member of
the Paladino encourage went 10 buy lu-
minous paint some time before the me-
diums arrival. The purchase was re-
Gently admitted. Mr.. Matinka was quite
pettish about this avowal and said frank
" that there was no earthly reason why
Mrs. Hereward Darlington or her hus-
band should have spoken of the matter
at all
We certainly wouldn't" he said. "Oh,
yes, of course they had a plausible rea-
son for buying it, Mediums always have
a plausible reason for buying luminous
paint and other conjuring apparatus"
It is the prevailing opinion among the
magiclans that Paladino has too many
people about her who could help her, and
that trick apparatus is too easy of &C
cess. NOT that We say she resorts TO
our tricks" there is an emphasis on the
'our') but We do say that so far we
have heard of her doing nothing that
hasn't been done by loads of other peo-
pie and that every member of this club
hasn't been familiar with for so long that
he would be afraid OF being shot dead H.
as magician. he advertised anything so
crude and raw
Simply in the way of supplying general
information, the proprietor shoves across
the table toward you at this point of the
conversation a pair OF semi-cuffs lined
with chamois. each of which terminates
I'm a hook. They are shown in action
strapped about the wrist under the real
euff, and by their help any table can be
tilted and lifted with ease
Can Lift Tables.
Sometimes a magician can attach them
himself. explains the owner; sometimes
they have to be put on by a confederate
something easily accomplished in the
dark. and once fastened, a table can be
lifted as easily as a blotter laps up inh.
Naturally when you see the medium S
hands fat on the surface Of the table and
the table take flying leaps and tilt like a
catboat in a hurricane you are inclined to
believe there must be something after al
IN the theory Of departed spirits coming
back IN the guise Of little comrades e
tip tables In lieu of better employment
Mr. Kellar offered Paladino $500 if shs
would come 10 his rooms in the Hote
Astor and give a seance there. She was
to have any companions she desired q
bring. but could not do any refurnishinf
In the way of cabinets, trunks. cans Of
luminous paint or anything else thai
would seriously interfere with the exist
ing domestic arrangements. SO far Mr.
Kellar's invitation has not been accepted
Or. Ellison, treasurer Of the Society
of the American Magieians. was at the
first seance OF Eusapia Paladino. and is
reported by his friends 10 have said thai
he did not see anything that was less
than fifty years old, and, though invited
for the second seanCe, he was not enough
interested TO spend the time necessary
for witnessing further manifestations.
''Paladino, TO my way Of thinking" in,
terpolates a middle-aged member OF the
group, amt a patch 10 Margaret Fox
She was the star member Of the celebrat
ed Fox Sisters, and was one Of her as
sistants in her haiycon days She had
all the spiritualists of her time nailed
and would have kept the Society fol
Physical Research, If it had existed then
up all night every night in the weel
guessing what was coming next.
Exposed Her own Tricks.
After she had taken in all the money
she saw about as medium, acting al
wireless between the quick and the dead
she exposed her own tricks, and made
lot OF money that way. As soon as PEG
pie got tired OF the exposure game, sh
became a medium again and advertise,
seances. All Of her old timers came bacl
and believed In her Just the same
Like ali magicians and conjurers. sh
had one special trick peculiarly her own
It Just happened that as some peopl
can snap their fingers and make a loud
pistol-like report with each. so she coul
snap every one of her toes. She woul,
stand alongside a door with her arm
raised and her hands in full view, Will
just peeping out from her long dress tn
client would see her two slippers. bu
Gid not see that she had slipped one c
her feet out of its covering.
Placing this foot behind her agalns
the panel Of the door, she could striS
with each of her toes, keeping up a con
tinusi wrapping. She fooled everybody
Think what a sensation Paladlno w0uu
create here #. after being heralded III