The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-06-04

now?' The policeman that opened the
door replied; Didn't you tell me TO
open the door?" l replied looking
very fierce for the occasion: who
said the door was locked?" Needless
to say so confused the poor police
man about his simply pulling it open
and l having already unlocked it, that
this ruse worked. My ad stood good
for the night show, as l certainly es-
capped from the cell and the theater
was packed that night.
While performing in Barnard's Pal
ace, Catham, Ting, two sailors Sc
cured a very old torture handcuff,
which they were anxious for me 10
tackle. Luckily got to know of this,
so when the usual number of challen-
gers stepped upon the stage, exam
ined ALL but carelessly rejected the
sailors cuffs, saying that lowing to
time l was quite unable to give more
than two or three tests.
During my appearance in Whining
ton, Delaware, when one man came
upon the stage, l could see his cuffs
were going to give me trouble, so
said to him: Put them in your pocket.
want to see you after the show"
Luckily he did so without a word,
thinking probably l would offer him
money to keep quiet During my in
terview with him after the show it
was arranged that he should post a.
of $25.O0 to fix me in strait
jackets, insane belts, etc, but instead
of paying the $500 he was to receive
it for his trouble. He replied that it
was impossible to do as l suggested,
as he did not possess the necessary
manacles
We'll Z laughed, that's all right.
have trunkful you can use.'
recall how on one occasion l might
have had a very rough time of it had
it not been for the fact of my being in
the theater managers office at the
time.
I was at the Theater Royal, Wool
wich, London, and the man who was
going to challenge me was employed at
the well known Woolwich Arsenal. He
passed the theater in the morning, and
wished to show the manager the irons
which he had invented, and with which
he was going to challenge me that
night. He said he was certain 1 would
stand no chance whatever He also re-
marked that he was going to place
those irons on me with my hands i'll
front, but with the keyhole nearest the
body, to make my escape doubly hard.
The manager expressed surprise at
the ingenuity of their construction and
begged to be allowed to show them TO
a press representative who happened
to be in his office. The poor inventor
unsuspectingly did so. Needless to
say, 1 was the press representative and
quickly made the key impression on
wax, cut my key, and in a few moments
the inventor had his treasure restored
to him again Not forgetting what the
manager had told me about his be-
ing anxious to get the keyhOle near
est the body, l was in readiness for
him. We met face to face upon the
stage, and l accepted his iron after a
lot of sham reluctance. l got over the
key-hole difficulty by turning the irons
about quickly in my hands so that my
challenger could not we'll follow the
key hole, then putting one hand en-
tirely in and the other only partly, l
thrust my hands out toward him
quickly and remarked: 81 don't think
they'll go round my wrists. Just try
them" He naturally snapped them On
forthwith, thinking it was only a trial,
but Immediately disappeared in my
cabinet, having the key-hole in front,
as l wished it. l reappeared almost
instantly, thanks to the fact that I
had made a duplicate key to fit the
irons
In order to open the irons when the
key-hole is placed next the body, sim
ply push the key into the end of a
match box, it being pinched between
the cover and the box. If the box is
now taken between the knees the key
will project sufficiently to enable it
to be passed into the lock. Once in
the lock, it may be turned enough t3
release the spring catch by the action
of rubbing it against either knee.
Z With the explanations it is quite pos
sible for any reader to do this same
act. I concealed ION my conditional