The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-07-16

tional society, you know-the illu-
sion went over with bang.
ut was SO old that it was en-
tirely new to most of the ma
gicians who saw it. That was the
beginning of what became almost
national mania.
"Goldin toured the country with
the illusion. When he had to go
back to Europe, he allowed other
magicians to use it on royalty.
For several years women were be-
ing cut in half all over America,
all over the world.
There was such a widespread
interest that the Clarion Photo
plays, Inc, attempted to bring out
film exposing how the thing was
done. We filed suit for injunc-
ton"
The photoplay company con-
tended the illusion was common
property; that an Egyptian papy-
rus in the British Museum told of
a head which had been cut off"
which he demonstrated to King
Khufu in 1856 B. c.: that, more
over, the stunt had been done in
the eighteenth century, not only
by Pinetti, but by Torrini, CouttS,
Robert oudini, etc.
MANY veteran American magi-
1V1 clans testified they had
never heard of the illusion being
performed in their time, which
went back half a century.
There was testimony that Gold
in was earning some $4,000 a week
from royalties and personal per-
formanceS.
The lower court decided in favor
of the movie company, July IA,
1922. The magicians carried the
case to the New York supreme
court. The higher court, in an
opinion written by Justice Dowl-
ing, held that the ,photoplay ex-
posure must be stopped, to wit:
THE success of these illusions
depends upon the inability of the
average audience to grasp by OBJ
servation the method employed by
the performer, and their value
therefore depends upon the degree
Of mystery.
That was great day for magi-
clans. 1t is worth noting that
one persuasion upon the higher
court was the fact that other
noted magicians, Howard Thurs
ton, Carl Rosinni, Servais lie Roy,
etc, had paid Goldin for right to
use his illusion, which they did
because of the code of ethics en-
couraged by their society. Thus,
literally, a voluntary code helped
create legal precedent.
"As a matter of fact" grinned
Ernst today, "the magicians have
always had third way of pro-
tecting themselves"
"One day I got telephone call
to come quick and get Harry Hou-
DIM out of Jail. 1t developed that
another magician mad been using
name almost similar to
Houdini's for the performance of
similar miracles.
Houdini had not bothered with
either law or code. He merely
had gone to the fellows office,
blackened his eyes and virtually
wrecked the place.
ct BAILED him out. And what
Il do you think he said? He said,
You better get some more bail
ready, because if that bird hasn't
learned his lesson I'm going to
wreck him again."
Thus, the lawyer in magic.
There are a dozen or more other
New York lawyers who are anna
teur magicianS, all close-mouthed
members of the society, including
Morris Ernst, Demands cousin.
Bernard got Ernst to take up
magic to counterfeit overwork.
Its the best nerve tonic in the
world" said Bernard to Morris.
Thereafter for months Morris
Ernst was pulling rifles of cards
out of his friends elbows.
To Bernard Ernst magic has be-
come secondary only to law. To
date he has elaborated on two
books of magic: "Houdinis Es-
cspes," with Walter Gibson;
"Houdini and Conan Doyle" with
Hereward Darlington: and has
written "Houdinis Magic" by
himself.
And four times a year, in addi-
ton to his appearance in Blue
Ridge, he gives a command per-
Torrance for the Nassau county
Boy Scouts. Otherwise, he is a
lawyer.
Next-Eugene NJ. Homes, expert
appraiser by day and by night
Remah the Wizard, amateur
magician whose tricks have de-
lighted hundreds of thousands Of