Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-09-29

I
not generally known that this city
an American center for magic and kim
dred mysterious arts. Yet such IA the
case Here dwclls one OF the high
priests Of the cult. in the shape Of lpr
y. NJ Wilson. for nfty-four years 4.
practitioner OF magic y hundred years
ago pr Wilson might have been burned
FOR his mysterious powers; but nov.
In the Intervals OF his duties as =
doctor Of medicine and Il university lee
turcr he edits a paper published ia
the interests Of uaGicians and con
jurcrs
Dr. Wilson VIII receive YOU IN an
everyday modern Office quite fire" from
skeletons, alcnbiCs, Eosicrucian iurmu
lac and other appurt"nauccs OF the
maIician's laboratory Magie with him
is AN avocation. pet hobby. aud he
viii tel! You all about 1t except ho"
tn" tricks ar" done. lie Us ia tuu,u
with maeiciaus an over the slohe by
reason Of his magazine, which finds It's
way into some queer corners The
King Of Siam, for instance, IS fea-
turc Of the mailiuE-list; and 50 .rc
various prominent parties j" Malta AND
india and tcyion. 10 say nothing al
Sew Zealand and Australia, KIM
George OF EnrlIuh IS another uamc on
the lis; that might DO classcd amuu:;
tho more prominent ones
Tho doctor himself does not looi,
thing very actively hfty-four gears :,Eo
but he himself IS authority FOR the
statement that he TOOK up tn" study
OF magic when the Civl war was just
beginning lie has stopped the active
practice Of the art now, though lac mag
skill absent niiud"dly remove a rubb-r
band from his wrist by pulling IL
through his arm instead OF over his
finger tips as he talks 10 YOU
Students Of magic arc cpmmOncr hi
the United states than most people
realize. according to the doctor There
are fully 10000 people who "gn in" fot
II regularly besides 10000 more VIII.
take AN occasional interest Of thcs,
not more than 200 or 300 arc profess
SIGNALS who make their living by cx-
hihitions ON the stage The rest ar,
amateurs "a proportion somewhat
higher than obtains in mos: of the
arts!
For instance. here in Kansas CITY
there Is a club OF seven or eight mem
hers organized for tho igrsuI, OF magic
pure and applied. All OF them al.
professional mon. doctors ANA LAWYER
in daily life. but they hnvc brought
the magic art to a high pitch OF per
fcction. Every once in while tho,
give an invitation exhibition at Whici
the spcil-hound audience fills thcatcl
and watches a pretty stcnogsa Dh"l
'lcviated" into the atmosphere. a!ou-
WIN kindred miracles
Makes Interesting Hobby.
According 10 pr. Wilson. magic, con.
juring and Straightforward make on,
OF the ideal hobbies for a profcSsjona
man. II Is possible 10 develop the ar
10 Il high pitch OF perfection that CALI
for great dcNtcrity and ingenuity n
we'll as n thorough grounding i'll TIM
principles Of many Of the sciences
especially chemistry. physics and acous
Inventive IcniuG
range III preparing original tricks
though whole Libraries have been VIII,
ten and published on the subject. fo
the magic art is one Of the very oldest
The doctor cites the case of FRIEND
of his who is a wealthy New forl
engineer. He gives over an cntir'
wing of his residence 20 4 lahorato!l
for the development of his ideas. an'
hires men to work them out for hin
Sometimes he succeeds in battling tn
experts. lie has perfected one piece
OF apparatus. for example. into whIci
the visitor drops pack OF playint
cards You can bring your own pacl
with you if YOU are unduly suspicious
Having dropped the pack in the box
YOU call for any card you choose. an'
the box will deliver il to you. While
professionals recognize the principle
none OF them has succeeded in igur
ing out how the trick is worked.
There are number Of societies o
amateur ma gicians in this country
Dcvotccs are most numerous III Cal
| fornia New York and Pennsylvania
| Californians seem to 20 in for that sor
| of thing naturally, while New York i
! doubtless we'll represented on accoun
| Of its large population. lust wh!
PENNSYLVANIA should be ." "'ch : ma
| Eicians is hard 10 say. but IL is prob
| ably just an accident Of birth. Dr
! Wilson is careful To point out tina
! mapicians have to he born rather tha'
made.
| Art, Iuthcr Than Science.
| Magic liz AN art. rather than sci
| cncc he explains. and without the Sif
| one can no more acquire proticicnc.
| than ne can learn 10 sing without
/ naturally good voice. I'm both cas-"
| long and patient practice is essential
! and IL has To be bcEun young. No
| long ago Chinese magician was per
! forming In vaudeville in Omaha. IN
| tricks were very Good---sO good tina
| American professionals cam" 10 Watcl
| him and try to determine how the.
| were done. lie used very little ap
| pn,nt,In ana later They took MN 4
| the home Of one of their number an'
| showed him Romr Of the latest develop
| mcnta. which Impressed him greatly
| Hut he could sin battle them all. pro
| fcaaionalB though they were, with tn
! A-B-C Of the Misunderstanding fire