The Washington herald., 1920-07-27
New York City
Near Hoax vietim.
By o. O. Mcintyre

New York, July 26.-An esteemed
morning Park Row newspaper came
very nearly being the victim OF
toax last week that would nave
made It the laughing stock OF the
town. The deception was discoV-
cred after the story was In type ana
ready to burst forth on the front
page.
/ Several weeks ago, after the maj
edition had gone to press queer
| looking visitor with a magician
goatee and thinly-curled mustacne
drifted into the editorial rooms. ne
announced himself as miracle
man. and blase reporters and copy
readers gathered around him to josh
| him along.
Thought Forces "Powerfui."
He claimed to be able to make
material things move by thought
forces. He began with a deck OF
cards which was purchased by an
office boy down stairs. BY throwing
himself into a frenzy and gesticu-
lating wildly certain cards In the
deck would creep out and leap to
the floor and then dance about
wildly.
The closest scrutiny failed to re-
veal any apparatus. He would take
any coin presented and gong
through the wild contortions would
soon have 1t hopping about like
Mexican bean. He feigned complete
exhaustion after his stunts. The
entire editorial staff was amazed but
skeptical. Th"y wanted further
! proof.
Performance Repeated.
was repeated, with cards and coins
, especially selected, under a glaring
spotlight and some of the college
professors on hand to see what they
could see. NJ trickery could be
! found and the apparent condition
| in which the miracle man was left
after giving the performances in
| creased the faith.
! On the day before tho story OF
/ New York's amazing miracle man
was to be printed it was decided to
! hold another performance. The
| coins skipped and danced and the
! cards jumped and floated' through
| the air. While one card was max
ing a leap from the table to the
floor an office boy grabbed it.
The hoax was discovered The
card was attached to a bit of wax
| to which was attached a tiny long
/ hair. which could not be seen three
| inches away. The other end OF the
hair was fastened to piece of wax
on the miracle mans finger. That
! was why he had to make motions
| wildly over the objects to start
them leaping about. 1t is one of
! the oldest tricks of magiCians, 1t
was learned. and yet a great metro
/ faI
Drank to Her Health.
An express elevated train made
a brief stop between stations the
other evening at the home going
rush hour. On either side OF the
street were rows OF office buildings.
A pretty stenograper chanced to
| look down into one of the Offices.
Four men were seated around a
table upon which was a bottle OIL
! Scotch. Four small glasses had
been filled. They were about to
drink them when one looked up and
saw the girl in the train. He lift
ed his glass to her and so did the
others in mock solemnity and
drank to her health while she
hlushed delightfully."- and smiled.
! Then the train gave a lurch and
moved on.
Tattoed Their Arms.
II developed at a fashionable ten
| mis- match on Long Island the other
! day that three sons of multi-mil-
lionaire society men had tattooed
arms and breasts. The boys were
in the navy and when they touched
the Azores a tattoo specialist. Wis
/ tied the boat and they decided to
be decorated. All refused, however,
to pose for an enterprtsing news
photographer who was present.
Saloon News Thrills.
Broadway is thrilled by the news
| that there is a saloon somewhere
in the Roaring Forties where the
initiated have all the comforts of
the old days. There is d trass rail,
three bartenders, FIVE per cent beer.
cocktails. highballs. brandy and
champagne According TO the re-
ports it is being carefully guarded
and only those who may be trusted
are admitted. The scurrying
around for admittance is done with
all the feverish anxiety that goes
with securing first night seats to
the Follies.
/