Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-04-06
TONJUROR DESCRIBES
DANGERS OF MAGIC
Warning in Death Of Chung
Ling 500, Caused by Rifle
Trick

nvba,eycr may be said about the
to,s,v. attendant upon exhibitions Of
a,ic there is always an element Of
s"nger present." declared Prince BanHai,
80. Ianancse Conjuror, in commenting
Ne weeIS upon the tragic fate Of one
:, bis fellow workers IN leEerdemain,
',t,,ng ling 500. This Ykillful Amer
80 wizard, whose name was really
,ruliau l.. Robinson, was only hIty-
.l,n wears old when he was killed by
S,,iet fired from a rifle while perform
~, I, Iondon the famous bullct-Catch-
s ,Licl, invented by Hermann the
ms.a Chung Ling 500 masuueruded
chinese magician and had adapted
ne trick SO as 10 make II appear that
~ bullets loaded into the muzzle OF
ries when fired by soluo one IN tho
audience, would be caught hattened
rnon plate held by himself. But
~ was an accident and a real bullet
,,.s cred instead OF tho prepared ones
mitch we're nightly substituted for the
,rnuine article. An investigation ny
,Se authorities ia pow IN progress.
"other magicianS, whose names } 90
,ot recall ut this minute, nave been
tIIed BY this same trick continued
panzai. at is the most dangerous OF
su and the magician must nave mn
nllclt faith in his assistants and be
T,tbout fear TO perform the feat. This
rick Is not the only one tlat IS dahEeT-
ous. There is one in Which number
~ ,osd,es and a piece Of thread arc
.,vaI,owed' and then shown again with
,ho needles threaded. one false move
A. the narjcians hand and he would
have 10 swallow magnet 10 extract tho
bits Of steel
"The deviation Of a woman is prob
,h,v the best known Of all the tricks,
,,d white il looks simple there H. much
danger in it's performance because of
,ho method employed. should the ono
ie,Itated fall she would probably sus-
.,in INJURIES or worse. When the Great
tafayette. who met his death during a
are 4, London. was performing an c.ah-
orate Illusion known as the Lions Bride,
ne utilized full-grown beast. which
,ras trained to enter a cage with Il
woman. Had any part Of the mechanism
failed 10 work the slip Wouad perhaps
have meant death for the player.
"tIoudinl, with his remarkable escapes
tror, shackles while under water, is
constantly in danger of inability OF being
able 10 free himself. His latest c&pcri-
man, is with an elephant which dis
appears. This does not cutail any ana
iety for the life Of the performer, but
II does for the animal
THE intricaces Of tho box Illusion.
which furnish the udjor portion or
Howard Thurstou's entertainment. often
cause accidents There i9 the dang p
az one OF the large cabinets falling 70
me stage from the top Of the pruSrcniuw,
and when fire is used 90 cover a dlsaN-
nesrauce it is handled with the greatest
carr because OF the risk to The players,
whose fimsy clothing Is an easy prey TO
flames.
ON the use of electricity for the effect
Of Illusions great confidence w-st be
placed In the man IN charge, beuAusr "
4 posslble 70 make tn" mistake OF u-inE
100 strong current. 1'ire eating sword
walking and dancing upon broken glass
ara really rather tame rs compared y"
the risks assumed by the nrcud'gitaiorS
in carrying out their tricks. There W'n
always be some one who Ia willing 70
risk his life just 90 gain new erect
in amazing the public. Although Chung
Ling 500 died as the result Of an ac'
dent in performing hazardous teat, ms
fate will not deter other persons from
performing this trick in another gulae'