The Butler County press. [volume] (Hamilton, Ohio) 1900-1946, 1913-09-05
A LITTLE BLACK BOX DID 1T.

BY the Aid of q Magnet and Current
of Electricity He Struck Terror to
the Hearts of the Arabs and Took All
the Desire For Fight Out of Them.
These are great times" exulted the
Electrician to his friend the Old Fogy.
With machine guns and other instru-
ments of war we certainly are going
some in the fighting game"
Yes" agreed the Old Fogy as he ad
justed his glasses. but do you know
that before such things were dreamed
of an entire nation was conquered with
a magnet and little black boxY'
And the Electrician confessed, MOI
You have heard, no doubt" the Old
Fogy rambled on, "of the marvellous
inventions of Robert Houdin, the great
French conjurer, a man who did great
shings with electricity when Alexander
fraham Bell was an infant.
"Houdn applied electricity to many
of his magical experiments and de-
lighted the Partisan public for years In
his little theater When he retired
he was the most favored performer of
his day and had bowed to the plaudits
of royalty.
Heard all about that" snapped the
Electrician What about the black
box2'
Coming to that, boy; coming to that.
Houdin retired to his family estate on
the left banks of the River Loire near
st. Gervaise. hoping to end his days
in peace But after a year or so there
came to him through a military friend
a request from the French government
that he go to Algiers.
"In his memoirs, translated into Eng
lish some years before his death, he
says that the Marabouts of that coun-
try, sort of medicine men and Won
der working priests, controlled the
masses and melted them to intermit-
ten revolts against the French by their
tricks. These tricks. he assures US,
were of the simplest and most prim-
tive type
1T was the hope OF the French gov
lldb AAVho1h W bto hsJ
could demonstrate that the white con
queror's magic was superior And
Houdin did IT.
with the little black box and the
magnetT'
Eyes His recital of his perform
ance in Algiers is exceedingly interest
ing Some OF the most distinguished
ChnvuaH
them all sorts Of things; allowed him
self to be shot at and caught the bullet
unharmed and many other such teats
"But his piece de resistance undoubt-
edly was his box He called for
strong man 10 come on the stage and
a giant responded Houdin toyed with
him for moment. bantered With him
about his strength and asked him If he
could lift his little black box Dis
dainfully the Arab lifted 1t and smiled
"But Houdln warned him Wait
BUT moment, and you shall be as
little childr He placed the box on the
stage over the magnet and dared his
huge guest to raise it The Arab tried
with one finger: crashed it with his
great muscular hand tugged at 1t with
all the strength Of his massive arms,
bracing his legs like two huge bronze
columns, so Houdin says. to no avail
Try as be would. this son of the des-
ert could not stir that little box from
its place
'For breathing spell he released
his grip for moment then went at 1t
again as Houdin gave Il signal to have
the current turned off And while the
awe stricken audience painted in amaze
ment he suddenly writhed In acutest
agony and sank groveing to the stage.
The current coursing through him had
galvanized him into misery
'HThen Houdln gave a signal, the cur
rent from the electro magnet beneath
the stage was turned Off, and the Arab
fell back groaning He lifted himself
to his feet and, hiding his face in bis
cloak, crept away to blush unseen.
The little black box had conquered"
"And?"- inquired the Electrician.
And" replied the Old Fogy, "Hou-
din was triumphant. The country had
seen him shot at by man who said
be wished to kill; had seen him rob
giant OF his strength No Marabout
had ever done that No Marabout with
primitive tricks could convince them
that any revolt Of theirs could prevail
against the white man and his magic
his electricity The conqueror's con
quest was complete. Popular Elec
tricity