The Washington herald., 1917-03-31
ASTRAL Plane RUFFLED;
SEANCE ENDS IN huff
DR.. Sarak Peeved by Skeptical Scribe's
Sarcasm.

SaTcdSm.
\ tussle between DR.. Albert De sarak
Count DE Das. of the Order of Initiates
. of Tibet, and a reporter whose notes had
been snatChed by the magician in a mo-
neat of anger. brought to a dramatic
elinlax the private soiree given last night
BY the Oriental Esoteric Society, at 14s1
Rhode Island avenue northwest. head
. quarters of the local center.
. & DIR. Sarak. gowned in a long white robe.
hts head and eyes bandaged with ten nap
kins, two wads OF wet absorbent cotton,
and several yards of medicated cotton
strips. and his body throbbing with nerv-
Gus energy. was preparing to paint II
landscape on a canvas resting upon a
nearby easle when the trouble started.
TIE reporter had been crouching down
in front OF Dr. Sarak and had noticed
there was an uncovered space near the
Eagician's nose. Believing this uncov-
cred space enabled DIR. Sarak to see. the
reporter requested that another bandage
I've applied. Angered. DR.. Sarak sar-
CssticaIly suggested that the reporter put
p coat over his head. Not caring to ap-
pear in his shirtsleeves the reporter took
the long. white kid gloves OF Miss Agnes
f. Marshland. president OF the local
branch of the Oriental Esoteric Society.
intending to offer them, when someone
brought forward an eleventh napkin, to
tie over the uncovered space-around the
maGicisn's nose and lower face
Grabs Reporters Notes.
Amid a steady flow of French. spoken
with Spanish accent, DR.. Sarak made
lunge at the reporter, grasped his pad
Of note paper. protruding from a side
coat pocket. and thrust it behind him.
The reporter grabbed the magician by
his wrists and tried to wrench the pad
against the easle. and 1t toppled over.
hut still DIR. Sarak held tightly to the
pad. Concealing 1t in the folds OF his
long flowing robe.
Members Of the audience protested
against DIR. Sarak's sudden outburst
his seizure OF the pad. and his refusal
70 return the paper. which contained
notes OF the proceedings.
DR.. Sarak spoe rapidly in French and
deliberately tore up the notes. He hand
cd the scraps to the reporter and or
dered him from the house.
The soiree started about $50 o'clock,
with twelve men and ten women in the
audience. At a table at one end of the
double parlors sat Miss Marshland. garb-
cd in a long. flowing cream-colored robe.
trimmed with gold fringe. A gold watch
was pinned on her breast. At her right
sat Dr. Sarak, dressed in a long blue
gown, trimmed with gold braid. His
black hair was combed back slick. Near
by sat his son. Augustus Sarak, the
grand adept. a dark-skinned young young
man Of sober mien with very black hair.
Never Used Full Power.
Miss Marshland introduced DR.. Sarak.
telling Of the aims of the Oriental ESQ
teric Society. DIR. Sarak. speaking in
French, which was translated phrase by
- EI.,S
he had never had occasion to use the full
power with which he was endowed, that
he was in fact a very peaceable man, and
that even though persons called min: a
fraud and an impostor It would never be
said that he had lifted a hand against
them-Jamals! He said he was Interested
in the sixth sense. and that the expert
ments Of the evening would be demon
strations OF the influence and scope Of
the sixth sense.
Intermission Of five minutes
Dr. Sarak returned in a pretty white
gown. Around his neck hung a chain
and q grotesque medal, somewhat like q
cross A graphophone played soft music.
The audience drew their chairs closer.
DR.. Sarak serious faced, read from a
book He closed the book also his eyes.
He explained he was concentrating.
He stood before the audience, and had
a member of the audience stand behind
him and place hands over his eyes.
Opium contracts the pupil of the eye
and atrophin dilates it." he explained. II
am going to concentrate on the thought
of either opium or atrophin. and my
pupil as a result will either contract or
dilate."
The young man behind him announced
that he wanted the magician to concen-
trate on opium and to contract the pupil
of the right eye.
Contracts Other Eye.
Let's see." said the magician. The
young man is behind me; that reveEses
the astral plane-changes right to left.
So the left eye Will contract"
And all the time the young man wanted
TO see his right eye dry up.
After certain mystical ceremonies, such
as holding a lighted candle before his
eyes. Or. Sarak had a member OF the
audience pry open his eyelids. The pupil
OF the left eye was plainly half the size
-of the right eye. I.-- ...
- wait minute" whispered q member