Evening star., 1928-11-04
CAPTTAL-M DEVOTES. LEISURE
TOMAGIC AND IT'S PSYCHOLOGY
Or. Henry r. Evans, Friend
of Noted ConjurerS,
Is Expert.
Induced Houdini to Leave
Valuable Books to Lie
brary of Congress.

| in the Bureau of Education, Dr. Henri
! Riselv Evans of Washington, diSslplt
I of the greatest na2icians Of their times
has pursued for more than 40 year
during hours Of leisure one OF tn
! strangest and most fascinating O
! hobbies.
An intimate friend of the leading
magicians of the stage. IT. was DR.. Evan
who induced the late Houdini TO pre-
/ serve for posterity his valuable collec
! ton of books by bequeathing them t:
! the Library Of Congress.
Comparstivelv few persons outside nj
/ circle OF friends and students of r:...sit
/ know DR.. Evans for what he is, one O
/ the best known authorities in the realm
Of the supernatural and thc slIght-of'
hand end one OF the four persons whC
have ever written extensively on th-s ht'
Misunderstood science, from the view
point Of natural magic.
Studied Magic in Paris.
From that day when. as a boy Of II
he witnessed performance OF the ia
nous Alexander Hermann from the gal
lery Of the old National Theater. DR.
Evans determined to devote all his
leisure time to a study of the hlstor
and psychology of magic. His interest
stimulated by the featS performed n
the great Herman, DR.. Evans went tc
Paris as a young man and studied under
Trevey. con, 5idered ths finest magician
at that time. Later. he TOOK lesson;
from Adrian Plate, a Hollander, Whc
had settled in New York.
Although himself an accomolishet
master of the art Of magic, this edu-
Gator with a penchant for mystery ncvc'
performs in publci, but for the enter
tainment Of personal friends he fire.
uuently reveals some of the talents from
the Magic Palace Of Legerdemaln Dur
ing his Younger end more inexperienced
davs of his studies. DR.. Evans perform
cd as an amateur and semi professional
Burrowing back into the history oi
the art, Dr. Evans was determined tC
scratch the veneer and learn the psy-
/ cholcgv Of the thing This he has Suc-
! ceeded in doing and his writings today
are accepted as authoritative on this
phase Of the subject He Is vigorously
opposed to all bogus mediunlship.
In an interview with a reporter foi
The Star DR.. Evans had something
pertinent to say on this phase Of spirit
ualisni over which there is such wide
spread discussion in scientific circles
Holds Many Mediums Frauds,
Il have devoted considerable tim.
to investigations of spiritualistic phs.
nomena." he said, and have come tc
the conclusion that the slate-writins
feats and mat.rializations OF modern
mediums are fraudulent. But I an
convinced there are genuine phenomena
of a physical nature, such as tslepatly
or thought transference, clairvoyance
- $Ata 1fslA
on the nature Of the mind or SOUL ano
show that it is possessed Of unknown
powers.
Personally I am convinced Of the
immortality Of the soul as tn. result
of my studies DR.. Evans continued
Il think that scientific societies, like
the English and American Societies
for Physical Research, should conduct
all investigations into so-called spirit
ualistic' phenomena, in order to es 6b-
lish the truth alcng experimental line:
and unnlaSk fraud. In other WORDS
all such Investigations should be made
by experts, trained in psychological
methods, and thoroughly acquainted
with legerdemain and the resources o1
modern magicians."
DR.. Evans is a member Of the Inter
national Brotherhood of Magicians and
has just published another work con-
cerning his favorite side-lins entitled
The History of Coniuring and Magic
and last year his Adventures In
Magic" was published. Folk lore and
ancient superstitions form yet another
treasure chest of knowledge into which
DR.. Evans has delved to draw forth
gems for the edification of his fellows
In addition. he is one OF the leading
authorities on Masonic antiquities and
symbolisms in the United States.
Recalls Houdini Converse tion.
BY inducing Houdini to leave his
rare volumes on magic and spiritisn
to the Library Of Congress, DR.. Evans
performed real public service.
Il was sitting in the library OF his
house in New York" DR.. Evans remi-
nisced, and asked Houdini what he
was going to do with the valuable books
that lined the walls. for reminded him
that after his death they would possibly
go to secondhand booksellers and his
years of effort in collecting them would
be dissipated He said he had thought
of leaving his library to Columbia Uni
vercity. but l said to him, Why dom
you leave 1t to the Library Of Congress
where it will have attention from
/ scholars and scientists from all over tn
world who 60 TO Wellington to study?
Later saw Houdini. DR.. Evans con.
tinued, "snd he told me that he IaC
willed his library to the Library o
! Congress"
! DR.. Evans has been on intimate term
with such eminent nagicians as Felicier
/ TreTey Bautier de Kolta, Alexande
/ Hermann, J. n. MaskeIyne, Mariu!
/ Ca5eneuve, Chung Ling 500. Rober
/ Heller. Harry Kellar, Charles Bertram
Or. Elicit and Harry Houdini. Upor
his contacts with these great minds, h
loves to dwell
/ Alexander Hermann wes the bes
magician who ever appeared on on
shores, because Of his unique personal.
/ itv, and next to him was Harry Kellar,
+ Dr. Evans said.
Who is the greatest magician in tn
/ country todav?" The Star man asked.
Howard Thurston is the foremost.
. answered DR.. Evans, going on to explair
/ his part In being instrumental in bring
ing Kellar and Thurston together
Suggested Howard Thurston.
] Ths scene wss the dressing room o
/ the Columbia Theater at Twelfth snd :
4 streets. DR.. Evans rcminisced, ang
/ keIl5f ASKED the noted author cF
/ magical subjects to suggest A successor
Cr Evans told Kellar about Thurston
! who had Just toured the Ori-nt, term
! ing Thurston the most logical successor
I in America. Up to that time, Or. Evan
! observed, ThurSton was vaudevill
4 performer and comparatively unknown
/ Next season they were billed tcgeth~r
/ Es pays high tribute to Thurston's abil
/ ity and education, having met him anc
! seen him work in public and private.
/ What Of the future? DR.. Evans BE-.
lieves that the two greatest rivals o.
, Thurston and the probable successor:
IF Thurston are Harry Backbone. w1,
! is a man Of great ability, and Dante
/ whose real ramn is Jansen, Who is nov
touring in South America
Hermann was no0ed for his sleigh