The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-16

t1rsaivs cepyhlhl iOis. New Yors Herald csnUssy
Black satin gown trimmed with black
velvet bias bands. This skirt shows a
clever way of arranging drapery into
skirt yoke. Wired white lace collar
AIaison Paquin.
and in many ways similar to the tricks
where the medium slips his hands away
from those whose determination is to
hold them. The only difference is that he
operates his feet. Here, as in the other
tricks, the medium seats himself of her
self, as the case may be, at table about
which are the intended Victims
While the lights are still turned high
he causes his hands to be held by those
about him ad his feet imprisoned by
the feet of others. Then the lights are
extinguished. In the darkness he shifts
his feet moment, apologies, and seems
to return them to their former position.
In truth, however, he permits two sit
ters to imprison one of his feet. Each
thinking that the other foot is being held
by another. With the free foot it is a
comparatively simple trick for an expert
enced trckster to lift the table by plac-
ing the tip of his shoe under one leg.
He regains his former position before the
lights are relighted, of course.
Trick 5-Cabinet mystery. Nothing puz-
bles an audience so much as the cab
met trick in which horns are played, re-
volvers are discharged and various ar
ticles thrown out upon the floor whera
the spectators are seated.
To begin this trick the medium seats
himself, with two men from the audience
before the cabinet. Others have exam
ined the inside and outside of the cab
| met in order to make certain that it con-
nle ~, hot. lat,f Ind
the curtains they place revolver, a horn
and a mandolin. The medium then seats
himself on the end seat of the row be-
| fore the cabinet and the lights are ex-
tinguished.
The two men from the audience take
hold of one anothers hands, while the
. medium takes hold of the free hand of
! the man in the middle with his own
two hands. And here is where the trick
lies. When he seizes the hand OF the n-
vestigator with his own right hand he
extends the thumb and places his left
hand over that, compressing the thumb
against the wrist.
Thus the investigator feels the right
hand of the operator and what he thinks
Is the left hand, too, but which in reality
u the thumb of the same hand extended
at full length Consequently the medium
may use his free hand to reach Into the
cabinet in the darkness, discharge the re-
! volver and do any of the number of
marvellous things when viewed by the
spectators, who believe that his hands
are tied.
Escaped From the Rope
Trick 6. The famous rope escape. Who
has not been impressed by that tried, but
still valuable trick in which the operator
causes himself to be bound hand and foot
to a chair, using yarCs and yards of rope
until 1t seems impossible to move a mus
Gle? In spite of all this he is pushed into
cabinet, and a few seconds later he
makes his escape, the ropes being cut to
threds.
To accomplish this trick takes con-
siderable practice and much digital dex-
terity. 1t Is simple, however, when ex-
planned. The mediums long practice has
made it possible for him to twist his
fingers about the leg Of the chair, to
which his right hand has been securely
tied, and unite the knot. This is done
Immediately after he has been placed in
the cabinet. With his free hand he slips
the blade of knife from his shoe, slashes
the ropes, fires off revolver, and leaps
from the cabinet, free.
This trick is elaborated upon in appear
ance, but made much simpler In reality
by causing the revolver and knife to be
placed on his knee Immediately after
being left in the cabinet the medium re-
and cuts the ropes that bind him. Then
he hurls the knife that had been used to
bind him recklessly into the room through
the cabinet curtains. He assumes an
amazed appearance when the knife falls
to the floor and leaps out after 1t.
/ have perpetrated each and every one
Of these tricks time and again before au-
diences of scientists and merely curious.
Never, however, have l used them, as is
being done every day. for the purpose of
enriching myself from the pockets of
dupes who are ready to believe anything
that looks plausible. For their benefit L
would like to explain to them that 1t is
easier to deceive the sense of sight than
any of our other senses.
Seeing is believing" is an old adage.
But 1t is not a safe one to rely upon.
You may see many things that you may
not believe and the less gullible you are In
this respect the less likely you are to fall
into the grasp of charlatan.