tit*
JULY
H ere is one of those rare effects that have
an anticlimax but become greater because
of it. The base of the trick, or the addition
part, is not, by any means, a new idea.
Around this, however, Mr.Baker has wov-
en a bit of chicanery which dresses the
problem in a not soon to be forgotten
guise.
A spectator is chosen for the prob-
lem, and is handed a folded paper upon
which the performer has scribbled some-
thing. Showing a large size slate, the-
performer hands him chalk with the re-
quest that he write down a line of fig-
ures as they come to mind. Immediately
under this row the performer jots a row
and the spectator follows v/ith a third.
Then the performer finishes quickly by
writing a fourth and fifth line. Draw-
ing a line underneath, the spectator is
handed slate for adding. The total is
read aloud and shown. Opening the folded cap-
er, the spectator finds prophecied the correct
total as was reached! SO FAR NOTHING ORIGINAL
HAS HAPPENED BUT WAIT. The performer shows the
back of the slate on which has been inscribed
the letters of the alphabet, each letter fol-
lowed by a numeral from 1 to 0 (set-un on page
129). The spectator is asked his first or last
name. SUBSTITUTING LETTERS FOR THE FIGUHES OF
THE PROBLEM'S TOTAL. THIS SPECTATOR'S NAME IS
FOUND TO BE REVEALED BY THAT ROW OF FIGURES]!!
It will be realized immediately by many of
my readers that this also makes a valuable ef-
fect as a publicity trick with a pad of paper.
Although it will puzzle a mathematician,and it
Page 125
1936
Al Baker
will confound magicians who know only the add-
ition effect, the mechanics are so simple that
it practically becomes an impromptu, stunt.
First you must know the name of the
person with whom you are going to work
the effect. It may be either his first
or last name, so long as it isn't more
than six letters long, in which case a-
nother name is secured. On the back of
the slate or pad have the alphabet and
numerals written as per the chart.
Before the test, write down the name
of the person, and with the chart,sub-
stitute the letters for figures. If the
name were HARRY, the letters would mean
81885. This is all you need know before
starting. On a piece of paper write the
five figures and place a 2 in front of
them making a number prophecy of 281885
for the spectator to hold. How add 2 to
the last figure of the number representing the
name of the person, in this case changing the
number to 81887. This number is your key num-
ber to be remembered.If the last figure of the
original name number is an 8 or 9, this rule
holds good although adding 2 effects the last
two figures of the number instead of the last
only. If the number were 71288 it would change
to 71290 by adding the 2.
Present the problem by handing the correct
person the folded slip to pocket.Without show-
ing the chart side of slate or pad, have him
write a row of five figures. Have him put down
the same number of figures.in the row as there
(please turn to page 129)
 N ow that convention time Is over
I can rest (as if I don't do
enough of that I) again and glory
in the memories. Out in Batavia,
11. Y. the I.B.I/u bought up the town
as usual and received more news-
paper space and more pictures in
the city dailies of Buffalo and
Kochester than ever obtained by
any other magical organization or
club, I can't understand why more
of the eastern and Hew York boys
don't take in these events. The
high mogul of an east-
ern club told me that
he wouldn't go because
he didn't like the class
of people there. From
all I know, perhaps it is just as well he did-
n't go. They wouldn't have liked his tricks!
F ew weeks pass without it being evident that
one good trick can 'make' a magician. Seldom
is this trick a new one, the magus having dug
out an old timer that the 'what's new' boys pass
over with a deprecating turn of the page. How-
ever, once such an effect is rediscovered by a
magus with acumen and a head on his shoulders,
the dealers are beseiged by buyers. Hot often,
though, do the copyists get anywhere at all. Ho
one has created the talk nor commanded the prices
of Cardini with his type of act. Tommy Martin
put together a varied routine but the egg and
fan gets him the work and reputation. Incidentally,
I've seen no one who could come near him in the
way he handles the fan. .all others are compar-
atively unimpressive with their nervous bouncing.
The bills in the lemon was to be remembered in
Jarrow's routine; Jud Cole and Kling Klang are
synonymous; the bird-cage made Keating quite fam-
ous; the baby chicks under the cups caused Galli-
Galli to become a drawing card; Mogul came to
New York night clubs with a single sitter billet
reading test; and Russell Swarm's piece de resis-
tance is the Sun and I,;oon tragedy. Not that these
old time effects alone made these performers
worth their prices, personality and presentation,
most important requisites, had much to do, but
the fact remains that all those who have gotten
into lights during the present era have featured
one 'to be talked about' mystery culled from the
limbo of long forgotten magic. Delve into some
of the magic literature from 1900 to 1920. Then
use your head. Others have made it pay good div-
idends and they haven't scratched the surface.
I f you use a candle in the act try this for a
simple interlude. Have one of the old metal
fakes with a taper that you finger palm in right
hand. Pick up candle with left. Pick up a matoil
with right, picking up fake at the same time.
Light candle and as wick lights also light taper.
Blow out candle, pass hand in front of It and
it relights. Repeat this once and right thumb
puts taper out and drops fake as you pick up the
tube to cover or paper to wrap. It's one of those
little things.
J ohn liulholland took me to task in Batavia re
the paragraph about Sphinx- dealers in issue
No. 20. I am thus informed that he has a letter
from the dealer in question which says The Sphinx
will be sold only to magicians and persons known
to be truly and sincerely interested. That clears
that up.
of interest to dealers:
April 13, 1936
Dear Ted;
Here is the information you requested
re the proceedings which I brought to halt the
unauthorized reprinting of the Calostro Mind
Reading Act.
Ralph Read complained to me that Mr.
Smith (this name is fictitious inasmuch as I do
not think it necessary to publicize his name any
Page 126
further) was mimeographing copies of the act and
selling them at about two or three dollars a copy.
I contacted the United States Attorney's offie©
and also the Department of Justice with reference
to this matter and as a result I was able to have
the person who was selling the mimeographed copies
contacted by a government man. its a result of the
contact and threat that there would be an arrest
and other penalties if the practice was not dis-
continued, I have been able to keep the field
entirely clear of unauthorized publications of
this book.
In my opinion, and you can quote me,
if this procedure were followed in other cases
where there have been violations of a man's right
to realize the benefits of his own writings, the
filthy practice that is being followed now would
be quickly cleaned up with dire results to the
violators.
Sincerely
(signed) Jacob L. Steisel
Counsellor at Law
B ob Gysel, "the burglar from Toledo", was off-
ered the key to the city at Batavia. Showing
the Mayor a bent button hook, he said, "I don't
need a key as long as I have this." Practically
all my laughs came from watching this example of
'loco boy makes good.' His pastime (at 4 A.M.)
was to pound on doors, './hen ignored, ha'd plcic
the lock, push it open, and walk away with the
brontasaurus yell, "I could come in if I wanted
to." The highlight came when a group ivatching
privately shown tricks couldn't keep him out des-
pite the lock and the bolt, rfith a stethascope
dangling from his ears and a specially built
lock opening jiggle gun in hand, he came through
the formidable obstruction twice. l,'.ax Holden
hasn't been seen to laugh so hard and long in
well over ten years. If he reads this, here's a
good line for the new stationery; "Jhen better
locks are made, Gysel will pick them." Har-
deen (brother of Houdini), tiartin Sunshine and
Jim Collins have left for Port v/orth, Texas in-
tending to make the fair-goers Svengali deck
conscious. An interloper named .Hondo plays
vaude houses with a complete steal of Jack
Gwynne's act. Reports are that it can't last be-
cause of no comparison, us if there could be!
Francis Finneran, the local nite clubbing magus,
lost his whole act in the subway one night. Po-
lice are looking for a kleptornagicak. And
dealers at the conventions always suffer a loss
from counter picker uppers. Somebody must be
making good use of lightning pulls, profondes
and vesting principles. Being politically
conscious this year, I'll present The Jinx Plat-
form in the forthcoming Extra issue due about
July 15th. Philip Poxwell has one of the
most effective folders I've ever seen. His lay-
out of news clips and illustrations tells the
story at a glance and you are sold at that mom-
ent on the fact that he MUST be good. Prom
the Boston news column In the May Sphinx:"Albert
Todd was next with a transposition of a bill,
first to a cigarette, then to an orange and fin-
ally to the coin and wool boxes. Oh yes, the
number was taken each time bill appeared and it
checked. It couldn't be so.- yet it was." That
makes me happy to know someone got something
to use from page 85 of the 1935-36 Winter Jinx
Extra. Dr. Jacob Daley knows a medium who
proposed to his wife by having, "I love you.
Will you marry me?" appear on a slate. She had
to marry him so she could learn how to say "Yes"
with spirit raps! Russell Swann has been
held over for two months at London's Dorchester
Hobel. Jane Thurston ironing out legalities
but has all intentions of taking out the show
as soon as possible. That 12 pa;:e blast at
me was held up after last month's i^sue. Sorry.
It was interesting T~^
 Telephone Montclair 6599J

RICHARD DUBOIS

Ai a g i c i a 71

Phonil 44 St. Lukes Place Montclair, N. J.

100 HERALD BLDG. t-i510
SYRACUSE, N. f. 6I7J9

MEHBE
S. A. M ••- 1.
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MASTER OF MIRACLES
Rouclere, Jr.
A M E R I C A S MOST CLOSELY WATCHED GIRL
(MEMBER SOCIETY OF AMERICAN MAGICIANS) •'FUCTURISTIC FANTASIES"

A V A I L A B L E FOR
CLUBS CHURCHES - SCHOOLS - CHILDRENS PARTIES
2 3 ROSS STREET
Cud Mask! SOMERVILLE. N. J .
2 5 3 EAST RJDGEWOOD A\ E PHONE 267 • W
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TEL RIDGEWOOD 6 - 0 2 8 ! .'IDGEWOOD, N J

STAN LEE
CISARETTE ILLUSIONS
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332 S. JUNIPER ST
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INC.

BELMONT 861-W

"THE USHERS" 1407 E. Main St. Culver 455-J

MINDREADERS ALBERT P. SMITH

Rochester, New York
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CEDAR RAPIDS
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M1JST1C CRA1Q AND COUPLED WITH THE

EXPENDITURE OF OVER
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Watch -For The Date

P. O BOX 2 GARFIELD. N J . How Many Dice on the Back of This Card, S or"

Page 127
Tlotes °ftfiz TtotaLles difficulty in his crop that makes
-^Utica ( ^ - Y . ) ' Gjpserver D i s p a t c h

Card Act Demonstrates

THE BUFFALO TIMES— JUNE 10, 1936 him scornful and apart from the
brothren. He can't make up his
mind about spiritualism,—the whip- Futility of Gamblin
May 2 7 , 1936^
Hundreds of Magicians ping boy of the magicians for years.
"I tell you I get things, and I
don't know where I get them," said
A card act which serves as a
warning to men and women who
table so thatM the27 hands 193
of the
player can be seen from any part
have any desire to gamble has been of the room, Mr. Fox gives a 40
In Batavia — No Fooling Mr. Gysel, picking open a burly pad-
lock. "I get hunches. Darned if I
know what I do get. I don't under-
originated in Utlca.
It will be presented before two
minute lecture on various angles of
the card g-ame which ia illustrated
by the player.
stand it. national conventions shortly. Don
Second Greatest in World Found as 11th Annual Con- F. E. Pox. who is in charge of the During the course of the lecture
Maybe He's a Medium act, announced today that it will be the "bug" is displayed. This is a
vention of Mystic Profession Opens—Which Is "Sometimes I think maybe I'm a featured at the Society of Amer- device placed under the table by
medium myself, but I know almost ican Magicians convention in the gambler to hide extra cards.
Unique Distinction Springfield, Mass., Friday. On June The method of marking cards with
all mediums are fakes. All in this a needle peg attached to the thumb,
country, anyway." 10 it will be shown before the
By OVIATT McCONNELL ternational Brotherhood of Magi- false cuts and shuffles and crooked
Last night the vanguard of the cians at Batavia. styles Of dealing including the
Times Staff Writer magicians warmed up for the three- second dealing and the dealing
Copyright. 1936, by The Buffalo Times day sessions with an all-night party. "How To Lose at Cards" is the from the bottom are among the
BATAVIA, June 10.—Pretenders to the royal robes of the late Every evening this week, outstand- title of the presentation which is things shown as the ta-tk pro-
Howard Thurston, Harry Houdini the Great Herman, et al, ing performers will do their stuff given by llr. Fox and a Mr. X. gresses.
before the most appreciative au- The identity of Mr. X is not re-
swarmed here today as the International Brotherhood of dience in the country; the magicians vealed for during the course of the Mr. Fox said that all tricks
Magicians opened its 11th annual convention. , | themselves. act he discloses a series of tricks shown were first taught his
It was anybody's choice for the "greatest magician on earth' used by card sharps in gaining ad- partner by a card sharp who years
It seems that once magic gets into vantage ov<r the other men in the ago rode the trains and made a
as several hundred professors dancing all the time. They're eating y o u r blood, you're a gone goose, and game. While Mr. X is seated at a living playing with unsuspecting
of the brotherhood examined magic up for fair." a sucker for everybody else's tricks. I card table, rigged up with a larger victims. The purpose of the act is
claptrap, collapsible cabinets, Millionaires Love It According to Gene Gordon, how- ! mirror placed at an angle over the to expose gambling tricks. B
ventriloquists' dummies, and Chinese ever, the craze is not contagious
within the magician's household. Mr. T^vISCLOSURE of the subtle trickery used in professional
ith a big LJ gambling is made in this card presentation. Don F.
head over
E. Fox, local magician, (standing) will appear with Mr. X,
covered however "His name Is Jack the gomg good in millionaire's homes. "The worst audience any magician a Utica business man, at two magicians' conventions
Gwynne. onetime L?e™ engineer M » " ° ™ ' r e s . « s e e ™ . J u s t l o v e has." he groaned," is his own wife. shortly to demonstrate the crafty manipulations worked
for United States Steel, and now a magic. Magic bores them to tears." out by the men who make their living by riding the trains
ranking magician. And today a brand new departure
will be taken in finding new fields and promote games with unsuspecting victims.
Claims to Be Second when Theodore Anneman one of the
"I claim to be second greatest " • v c u n £ stars of the game, puts on a
said Mr. Gwynne shyly, "and so far i] hypnotizing stunt for a radio
as I know, nobody else wante the i audience.
Exposing Trickery Employed by Card Sharps
honor. ' You might think that a little dif-
•'I know of at least 15 who ad- j ficult to put over, and so does Mr.
mit being the greatest, and among | Anneman. who last night was biting
(Continued on Page 12. Column 2) i his nails over the problems involved.
The stunt will be performed before
a Rochester luncheon club, but a
MAGICIANS OPEN radio audience will sit in.
"After all," said Mr. Anneman,
"when thousands or millions of

11TH CONCLAVE people watch baseball games over the

radio, there is no reason why they
can't see magic through the same
I ears."
, „ „ , Catches Bullet
Batavia Crowded With Masters! T h i s is t h e s a m e young m a n w h 0
i performs the hair-raising trick of
of 'Now You See It, Now getting himself shot with a high-
| powered rifle and catching the bul-
You Don't' I let in his teeth. This is not a new
i trick. It goes back to 1641, and since
' then, Mr. Anneman is proud to say,
(Continued From Page One) a round dozsn men have died of it.
our 5800 members, I have no doubt [ then, Us doesn't expect to die of it, "but
there are a few doaen more." neither did the others," he ad-
mits. The first man who died (back
William M. Durbin, who is presi- ' j n '"i^if didn't ilyget hit with the
dent of the brotherhood, and regis- '
trar of the U. S. Treasury, has a quebus, swung by an assistant who
candidate for first honors, as have become annoyed at the magician.
any number of other members, but The last one was Billy Robertson
Mr. Durbin's candidate is not him- of Providence, R. I., who was popped
seif. in the chest in 1918 while playing in
"My own choice is a magician who London under the name of Chung
uses the name of Dante, although he Ling Soo. Mr. Anneman knows how
is a Dane by birth and an American Robert-son did the trick, but he
| by naturalization," said Mr. Durbin. doesn't really know what caused his
Eliminated Competition death.
i "Dant has been on a long tour for Wife Was Peeved
; years througr Europe, Africa, Aus- It might have been accident, or it
, tralia and so on, and is now in Hoi- mi'ght"'have'*been'"suicide or worse,
Hand. I'll tell you how good he is: I t s e e m s t h a t M r Robertson's wife,
, Howard Thurston started him off on w h o fU.ed t h e g u n i w a s v e r y m a d a t
that tour, and admitted he did it to h l m a t t n e Ume_ c o t l a n d Yard went
get Dante out of the country and mfco i t throughly but got nowhere,
eliminate competition." Anneman only lets policemen, state
Strictly speaking, there is to be t r o o p e r s a n d people like that, who Syracuse (N.Y.
no "second Thuriton," or "second c e r t a i n l y w o u ] d b e a r h i m n o grudge, Post-Standard 5/22/36 Lockport (H.Y.) Union Sun & Journal
Houdini." All agree on that. Con- y ^ t h e f-rjgger June 5, 1936 the audience, drew applause from
fidentially, the boys say that_ the T h i g b u s i n e s s o { shotj#t is Hisses to Mark the clubmen.
bags of tricks of the late moguls of masic, of course, for magic is a limit-
magis are outj.of date. less field, including such parapher-
Their shows were designed for a nalia as playing cards, rabbits, can-
Approval When BAFFLING STUNTS I Mr. Guest then introduced his
trained dog, Gimme, which per-
formed what might pass as the
full-sized theater, with distance and nons to shoot pretty (though un-
dim lighting as aides, and nobody usually not) girls out of, coins, bil- Magicians Meet canine version of "St. Louis Blues,"
to the piano accompaniment of Mrs.
but trusted lieutenants and hand- liard balls, and nonsense. Guest. The dog has broadcast over
maidens behind. Just to show you how big is the There'll be strange goings-on In the radio and has been mentioned
stock in trade, take Bob Gysel of three 10th tlor parlors of Hotel Syra- in Robert L. Bipley's columns, Mr.
Vaudeville Passe cuse at 8 tonight when cen- Radio Magician And Wife Guest said.
Tjnf matrix M I thi« llnrtrpp <;<*»Ionian
Toledo, a machine operator in an
;<»Ionian
who arrived here tral City ASF .ably 14 Of the Society The most perplexing trick of all
now eSnTaSngofSfpastlJen wautomoUw: plant
lth a smtcas £ul1 o£
i vaudeville which was sliehtlv sec- icks a n d a v«a s t d i s t a s tpadlocks and
of American Magicians conducis Its Mystify Clubmen was the illusion Mr. Guest achieved
stmi-annual open meeting and stage of shooting a bullet through the body
SS atSd 'side the "big'W "show"
h " • PP" * *- i t et{fo r ,hUj
hifelf "l performance. At Luncheon. of his.wife into a target placed be-
„ Thurston, Houdini or Herman, low magacians, with a very few ex- Ace magicians of Syracuse and hind her. After the shot was fired,
has long been dead and now is al- ceptions. vicinity will yank their trick bags Leslie Guest, known as the radio the audience saw the bullet fixed in
most forgotten. Wbes Lac*3 wide open with a baffling series of magicia.., featured the program at the target with a long red streamer
There still remains school and Mr. Gysel (pronounced Gee-zil or silk, car.-l and floating ball acts, ven- the Kiwants luncheon at the Park attached to it apparently passing
lyceum engagements, getting fewer Gye-zil as you like) has a vast con- triloquism, ^abbit "production" and hotel Thursday noon with a mysti- through Mrs. Guest's body. The bul-
every year, so that many a magician tempt for card palmers, puppets, and all the r st. fyi: g exhibition of sleight of hand let bore the same mark after firing
has had to give up his profession all the similar bits of "small magic." The 8\j Invited guests (all seats tricks and more elaborate stunts, re- as it had previously. The mark was
and go back to work. But the prln- The reason may be that he was were token yesterday) will ba asked qu. Ing special apparatus. Mr. Guest made by Dr. Raymond G. LaPort,
cipal support lies in different fields, rjght-hand man to Harry Houdini to Refrain from applause. They must waa assisted by his wife. president of the club.
smaller, much more intimate. for five years, and therefore is par- liss approval instead. Harris A. Solo- ^he more ordinary, but none the A committee was appointed to
j In short, the night club. tial to elaborate illusions, and more mon, assembly president and mastei 1 as baffling handkerchief and card draw a resolution extending the
"I don't know what we would particularly to picking locks. of ceiemonlfts, has announced. tricks were accomplished by Mr. sympathy of the membership to
| have done if the night club hadn't He used to be the man behind the Performers will include Joseph Guest without a slip and were the John Irwin in his recent bereave-
I turned, up,'' a sad young magician curtain—no, we can't tell that. Also, Br i c k Eldrecl Hall. Lynn Searles aad more mystifying because of his ment. William H. Bell, chairman
I said. he jumped off a 50-foot brinde once H*irry Ttenkr-n. al1[ 8yrr.<:usans. and proximity to his audience. His spe- of the Lockport chapter of the Amer-
"But it is did, and it's getting tied up in a gunny sack, with thumb- El; Eokum of Rochestt r, preside:nt cialty of causing a deck of cards to ican Red Cross, extended an invita-
better. Night club audiences get cuffs locking his hands together. of th( I Intornationfll Broth >rhood ol l diminish in size until scarcely larger tion to clubmen to attend the an-
' awfully tired of that silly singing and But then, Mr. Gysel has another Mftgicifms than calling cards, in full view of nual banquet this evening
rPage 128
are letters in his name, although you don't tail
him this. Thus, in this case, you have him write
a row of five figures. If the name were John
he would be told to write four. You quickly put
down the second row under his, and write the
W ithout fear of successful contradiction I
key number you have memorized. He writes the
third row and you write the last two. The rule
that governs the writing of the last two rows
is the 'nine' rule relating to the top and the
third lines. Thus, in v/riting the fourth line,
you watch the first line and put down figures
which, added to the figures directly above eactla
one, total nine. If the top row is 63052, the
fourth line will be 36947. The fifth row is
written while v/atching the third row and the
same rule applies. Then the line is drawn and
the sDectator adds the problem.
The resulting sum will be exactly what you
have prophecied on the folded slip he has pock-
eted. That's the first climax. Now explain that
you will go further and that there is an unknown
force or power at work when the spectator jots
down his numbers at random. &&H him his first
or last name as the case may be. Then turn over
the slate or pad. On it is the list of letters
and figures as listed here.
A 1 K :i. V 1 You may remark that you have
B 2 L 2 V 2 numbered the letters over and
C 3 M 3 w3 over soiaewhat as is done by
numerologists. Don't say 'as
D4 K 4 X 4 done (exactly) by them1 be-
N 5 0 5 Y 5
P 6 Z 6 cause numerologists leave out
P 6
the zero in bheir computations.
G 7 Q 7
There will be, in each case,
Ha R 8 one more figure in the total
I 9 S 9
J 0 T 0
than there are letters in the
name. Say, therefore, that you
will use only the correct number of figures as
the/ were written down in the total. Counting
from right to left you cross out the first fig-
ure. He names the first letter. H. The figure
after the letter H Is 8, so you write H under
the 8 in the total. He names the second letter.
A. The figure after n is 1, so A is written un-
der the second figure in total. This continues
until finished MD THE NAME OF THE SPECTATOR
ASSISTING IS SKEW TO COINCIDE EXaCTLY '.KITH THE
TOTAL OP THE PROBLEU HE HELPED ASSEMBLE!!
The presentation of this effective idea may
be varied by using two slates. One contains the
chart, while the other is used for the problem.
Start by having spectator who assists put the
chart slate (without it being shown) under his
chair, or in a safe place. Now you write some-
thing on one side of slate and say it is a
prophecy. Don't show it but continue by having
the problem written on the other side. When the
total is read aloud, turn slate over to show ysmr
prognostication correct. Now have spectator take
his slate and show the chart. Ask him the first
letter of his name. He says H. Ask him what fig-
ure is after the letter on the slate. He says
8. Then you openly write H under the first 8
on your slate. Continue in this manner, which
is very effective to the audience, as they don't
realize you know the name beforehand and it is
fascinating to watch the name build up under
the total.
Although, at the start, this stunt may appear
a bit complicated, I doubt if anyone will have
trouble understanding and making it -work if
they will just try it out on a piece of paper
to get the idea clearly in their minds. Many
who know the nine principle of the addition are
thrown off still because even that part is not
done in the same oraer as the old trick. The
smart ones generally look for adjoining lines
to total nine, disregarding separated lines.
There are but two operations before present-
ing it; changing the name to figures, followed
by memorizing the key number. Try to use last
names whenever possible.
Page 129
| A QUESTION OF PO.JER. (L.Vosburgh Lyons; |
can assert myself in the claim that here
is a new and different way of revealing a num-
ber of chosen cards, kethods are legion, I know,
but this effect lends itself to an interesting
angle of patter.
Three cards are selected and returned. I
have always said that one repetition is enough,
but after trying it out a number of tines, I
can say tliat three times for this effect is
correct. The performer stanas at the front and
remarks that tricksters usually find cards by
exercising a strange power which enables them
to have the cards appear at any position in
the deck. The common position, of course, is
at the top. However, the performer turns over
the top card to show that it is not one of those
chosen. Turning it over, he asks a spectator to
name his card. Snapping the too of deck, the
card is turned again and the selected card is
there! Turning it back, the performer says that
had he asked another one of the three persons
first, the result v/ould have been the same. A-
nother is asked for his card, and on snapping
the back and turning the card, again it is the
one named. This is repeated with the last per-
son, whereupon the performer finishes by re-
marking that had no one named a card, the or-
iginal pasteboard would have remained. Turning
top card again, the first one shown is there,
and the deck may be used for further mysteries.
Host all of the twenty cent decks at Wool-
worth stores now have an extra Joker which is
the same as the regular Joker. It is necessary-
only to have a duplicate card and I prefer an
outstanding one such as the Joker. Have them on
top of the deck together, and have the top one
trimmed as a short card. Shuffle deck, leaving
these two in place, and have three cards re-
moved by three spectators. Undercut about half
of deck, have first card replaced on top half
upon which lower half is dropped and deck squar-
ed in passing to the next. Riffle to the short
card break and have next card replaced on top
of short card which puts it just below the first
card replaced. Repeat this with the last card.
How, as you return to front of audience, cut the
deck several times, the first time at the short
card again and then cut three cards from the
bottom to top. This leaves you with the three
cards selected on top in correct order as re-
placed, followed by the two Jokers. At this
point, cut off about fifteen of the top cards,
laying the rest aside, saying you will need only
a few to make clear your example of power.
As you say this, the left thumb pushes a little
to the right the four top cards (to get the cor-
rect number) under cover of the right hand, and
you make practically the common two-handed pass
v/ith the exception that the four cards in pass-
in^ to the bottom are reversed ana left there
with faces against face of deck. ,ixtii cards in
hand and in making the ordinary movements for
The Jinx is an independent mon-
thly for magicians published by
Theo. Annemann of Vi'averly, N.Y.,
U.S.A. It can be obtained direct
or through any magical depot for
25 cents a copy, »and by subscrip-
tion is $1 for 5 issues postpaid
to any address in the world.
the pass., it will be found almost as simple to
have them face up as face down. This leaves only
one of the Jokers on top, and the right hand as
usual has covered the move.
Now hold the deck with backs out (real backs)
in left hand with fingers at lower end and the
thumb at upper end. The deck is standing up and
the backs are towards audience. Turn over the
back card by sliding it off towards you with
right fingers and replacing it on deck with its
face out. It is the Joker. (Go back and follow
the general line of talk as suggested) In mak-
ing the same move to turn this card back again,
it is pulled off about a quarter of an inch
when the right thumb at back of the deck also
pulls off the card there behind the front one,
and both are turned together and placed on
front of deck. To the audience you have turned
the front card face out and then back again.
The first person names card, you snap back, and
turn the top card only over. It's the one. as
you mention about the possibility of asking
someone else for their card first, repeat the
move of turning the card back again and another
is stolen from the back and left on front. This
is the second card, and after this is turned
back, the third card is in place. Finally, in
turning the third card back, the last of your
reversed cards on back of deck is brought" to
the front. How you say that if no one had named
a card, the original pasteboard would have re-
mained there and you turn it over to prove. The
deck is all one way now for anything else you
want to do.
I THE CARD PHENOMENON. (Audley Walsh) |
ne of the many many variations in card spell-
O ing, but with a different twist, is the foll-
owing. Set your deck by having all cards that
spell with twelve letters on top. There are 14
of them in all: the 4-5-9-J-K of Hearts and
Spades, and the 3-7-8-Q of Clubs, .above these
put four indifferent cards.
Hand deck to spectator with the request that
while your back is turned he is to count off any
number, say up to a dozen, in one pile. You di-
rect him to pocket these for the moment and deal
another pile of the same amount. He is then to
shuffle this second pile, note the bottom or
face card and place the packet back on top of
deck. At this time, and remarking that you can
have no knowledge of the number of cards count-
ed, you turn and explain the rest of the proced-
ure. He is to take the cards from his pocket,
place them on top of deck, and then proceed to
spell his card by dealing off one at a time with
each letter. As you explain this you illustrate
by naming a card at random and doing it. You take
a twelve letter card (and the card you use, to
be certain is not his, is the one at top of deck
before adding the four cards when you set it up)
and spell it off deck into a pile and then turn
over the next card. Having shown spectator what
to do, pick up this spelled off pile (cards of
which have been reversed in order) and put them
back on top of pack. Now step away, and have him
remove the cards from his pocket and put them on
top. Then he names his card for the first time,
spells it out, turns the next card and it is
there!
This is an age old mathematical problem done
over with the oards. If you follow the above, it
will work out every time although you never know
Page 130
the name of the card nor how many cards the spec-
tator has dealt off into each pile. This is a
baffling point, to many magicians.
I "HERE'S Y-OUR CHANGE. ?" (IAI-Brent))
fter reading "The tiuick Change .artist" coin
A effect as described in Ireland's clever book,
"New Card and Coin Manipulations of 1935," this
idea came to mind. However, this"method differs
in effect and certain sleights are 'eliminated.
The performer borrows a half-dollar or uses
his own. Dropping it on table to show it real,,
the performer explains that he will show how it
can be made to travel from one joint to another.
He picks it up with right hand after which it
is placed in the left. The coin is now passed
from behind the left knee to the right. Explain-
ing that the hardest part is to pass it from
the right to the left, lie does but on opening
left hand it is found to contain a number of
small coins. Upon dropping the change on the
table, they are counted and total forty cents,
there being three nickles and a quarter. Saying
that some of the money must have gone astray,
he reaches behind his right knee and produces
the missing dime. The hands are both seen empty.
This method does not require very much prac-
tice except for making it a smooth procedure.
Prepare by palming the small change in the crook
of the left hand third and fourth fingers, a sort
of finger palm, while the dime is palmed in the
crook of the right ring finger. The left hand (Ban
now hold a cigarette while smoking to make a nat-
ural appearance of the slightly curled fingers
but you need not worry about this. You will find
that you can drop the half-dollar to table and
pick it up with either hand while still keeping
the loose change and the dime in their respect-
ive places.
The right hand now picks up the half- dollar
and it is apparently placed in the left hand, but
in reality it is thumb palmed in the right. The
position of the dime makes this quite easy. Pre-
tend "Co pass the coin from behind left knee to
right. Show the coin has passed, and immed-
iately attempt the passing from right to left.
Give a slight right turn as you do this, and
as you open left hand and the change is seen
and heard, the right hand containing half is
near coat or trouser pocket and the coin is
dropped in. This is the most important move
and must be timed with the production, the
misdirection being perfect. The change is
counted on table and only 40 cents found. The
other dime is produced from behind right knee
and nothing extra is left in the hands at
the finish.
This is a very cute interlude or introduc-
tion to any coin routine or trick which uses
a half-dollar. The passes may look familiar
to many, but the moment the change makes its
appearance it is a surprise to all. Then give
the change to someone for another half and
proceed with the other effects.
There are many effects of this nature which
can be used advantageously in such a way. A
simple bit of seeming by-play with an object
about to be used appears perfectly impromptu
and often impresses more than the regular
trick. It gives also the impression that you
can do something at any moment with any object.
J/ N>

B: lefore you is the third issue
I of The Jinx Extra to appear.
We say this very blatantly be-
cause we are of the opinion that
never before has there been pub-
lished a service for magicians so
particular about the concocted
effects it dishes up. We may not
always score a bullseye and we may
not be able to please all of the
readers all of the time, but from
the response our efforts have re-
oeived, we know at least that we are pleasing
all of the readers some of the time, and some
of the readers all of the time. That's two-
thirds of the revamped quotation anyway, and
about as far as it is possible to go. Go back
over all of the issues to date and ask your-
self if they aren't worth the small amount in-
vested, and invested is the correct word. If
you don't think so, and if you are of the opin-
ion that the same amount of outlay in other
directions would have brought you as much or
more value, then we're not only a total loss to
you but to ourselves as well.
P roducing The Jinx is no easy matter. If we
print a joke, readers say we are silly, if
we don't they say we are too serious. If we pub-
lish a trick, they say we shouldn't expose magic,
if we don't, they say it isn't a magical paper
without a trick. If we make our articles short,
they say we are not explicit, and if they are
explicit, they say they are too long. If we pub-
lish original matter, they say we lack variety,
and if we publish things from other sources, we
are too lazy to write. Some magus probably will
say we swiped this from some other paper.
s o ;VE D I D f
K idding aside, however, it isn't the easiest
job in the world to get good material. I try
to be a bit particular and it's because of that
that I am getting quite a list of knockers when
I keep sending back material. Everything works
out fairly well though in the long run. The list
of boosters and subscribers grows faster than
that of the knockers because more people than
not rather have a few good tricks than wade
through a lot of good and bad mixed. Nine out
of ten tricks I use are ones I see performed
publicly or privately and get permission for their
use when I can see that they work. That's my
idea of publishing magical effects.
I wish I had the space to reproduce the full
show program of Mr. Amos Rohn of Canton, 0.,
mainly because it is too refreslaing for words
to find someone who actually gives program cred-
it for the effects used. No magician has ever
nor will ever live who will do a complete nro-
gram entirely of his own origination. And al-
though it doesn't make a lot of difference to
the audience, it is a gesture of greatness and
an admission of confidence in one's entertaining
ability to credit the originators and inventors.
A lmost seven years ago there started in Bal-
timore a monthly publication called "The
Tablets of Osiris." Eighty-three copies of this
Society of Osiris organ have steadily appeared,
and I prize my complete file very highly because
of the sentiment they express about all things
magical. I always get a kick out of my copy and
wonder about what sarcastic comment about some
current malefactor will appear next to a senti-
mental paragraph v/ith photographic attachment.
These actual pasted in photos, appearing quite
often, are a very nice touch, and make one feel
as though special effort has been put into his
own copy. Trick material is scarce in this pub-
lication, but its aims and beliefs together with
its fearlessness and longevity make it worth
recommending in a paragraph like this.
Page 132
I NDIA Is a strange country and the
mother lode of strange tales. Prom
there, during the past five years,
has come a little monthly paper of
the name, "The Indian Magician". It
is the only such publication in the
land and, written in English., gives
a thrill to me with its true views
of Indian magic and magicians as they are to-
day. An evening with my file makes me feel as
though I'm right among the gentry with their
weird ideas of trickery, and Dr. Lele is here-
by publicly thanked for giving occidental magi
the opportunity of knowing the conditions of
Indian magic as it is in the present age.
I t has been my opinion always that were a
magician to subscribe to ALL of the published
magazines and periodicals pertaining to the Art,
at the same time securing as many as possible
from the past, he would have a constant inflow
of knowledge as well as a complete history re-
garding all things magical. The changing tempo
and modes of presentation, the rise and fall
of the greats and near greats, and the evolu-
tion of every known principle would pass before
such a reader's eyes, in comparison, the cost
of such an array of information is not close
at all to the amounts expended yearly for man-
uscripts, brochures, books of the present day
and other whatnot, many of which are good read-
ing, but of which many more are not, being on-
ly thrown together rehashes of what has gone
before.
D r. Irving Calkins dropped in from Springfield,
Uass., and the conversation veered into the
age old question of what constitutes exposure.
The Jinx therefore respectfully offers the fol-
lowing suggestion. An exposure consists of giv-
ing or selling for publication for the general
public, any effect or piece of apparatus des-
cribed and sold in any catalogue distributed
among magicians by any dealer in such wares. It
would be pretty difficult to name an effect not
carried in a magical catalogue of the past or
present. The effects have thus been advertised
and sold magicians for magical purposes and an
exposure of such secrets is a plain case of de-
priving one of his purchased stock in trade. It
is my opinion that this interpretation of an ex-
posure could be placed in the By-Laws of all
honest magical societies and prove the perfect
yardstick. I fear, however, that even though it
were adopted, the first dark night v/ould see some
sneaking critter tying a whitewash brush to the
end of the yardstick so as to be ready for the
first exposing member affected by the ruling.
G roans i3sue from me whenever I read Cfltch
lines of magicians that aren't original.
If ever a magus should be original, it's when
he makes up his stationery, business cards
and theatrical billing. Keating had a really
clever one - "The Mayfair Mountebank," and
for years upon years Gene Laurant has been
identified with "The Man of Many Mysteries."
My own first letterhead (printed in red and
green because it was near Christmas and the
printer slipped my job through between hol-
iday orders) proudly carried the line, "The
Mysterious Visitor," and Max Malini's very
cute concoction was, "Honest to goodness, I
only cheat a little." All of this came to
mind lately when I saw one of the cleverest
and most talked about fellows of to-day using
the line, "A Young Man To Be Watched." Go-
ing back to slightly yellowed pages (my copies
aren't bound) of The Sphinx for March 1923, I
find the paragraph, "Nate Leipsig, the famous
card manipulator, was one of the headliners
at B.P.Keith's Royal Theatre, Bronx, Hew York,
during the week of February 19th. He was bill-
ed as 'A Young Man To Be Watched.'"
 A CfldiOa Aei of
to use. It give a much longer stretch, and too
I n tiais one man magical program for clubs and
homes there are seven effects, although The
Itineram: Dollar trick runs a little longer
many pulls make you hold your hand in an awk-
ward position.
than the others and makes use of practically
three different tricks. The routine, as a whole, For the "Itinerant Dollar" use the pull for
runs about twenty-five minutes and is effective the second vanish right on top of the cigarette,
for audionce of from 10 to 250 people. and for the third vanish use a pocket handker-
chief with a folded paper sewn into the hem. To
necessary adjuncts are as follows: your inside coat pocket have fastened the regu-
lation wallet for the now common "Card in Wal-
let" effect. For the last vanish hold folded
One rubber novelty cigarette. bill (not folded as small as before though) in
One bag of tobacco. left hand and cover with hank In right. Left
One package of cigarette papers. fingers carry up the faked corner and spectator
A cigarette lighter. holds. You first take hold of apparently the
One genuine cigarette. bll through hank with right fingers, and as you
One unopened pack of cigarettes. hand it to spectator the left hand with bill
A cigarette pull. goes to pocket and brings out the wallet. Snap
Three prepared dollar bills. the rubber band to show it secured and give
One wallet for the "Card in Wallet" trick. this to spectator's free hand. Then whip away
Some business size envelopes. the hank and bill has vanished. How take wallet
2 pieces of waxed paper about 3 x 3 inches. and open it to show bill under the glass. For
3 lemons. this last test with the bill, have the owner
A poc.Ket handkerchief feked as described. check it after the lemon bit. Then do the last
A pencil. effect as an afterthought, but tell him to mark
One set of ten "Policy" cards. his initials on it this time. This is a neat
One padlock' and eight keys. throw off for anyone who might not think the
One ordinary dpck of cards. same bill was being used throughout.
The program below is listed in the order of
performance and taken from copies of The Jinx Here is the program in correct; order:
to date. The routine, as set, consists of equal-
ly effective items and entirely varied in type. A Cigarette Rolled By Proxy. Ho.11 Page 54
There is no confliction of ideas, and the two The Dixie Cigarette Vanish. No.10 Page 51
starting items, which blend together, make an Itinerant Dollar.'35-'36 WInter Extra Page 85
opening that allows of an audience settling A Matter of Policy. No. 9 Page 35
down before the real serious business is begun. Seven Keys to Baldpate. (new) No.12 Page 58
The Acme Thot Card Pass. No.IS Page 80
Too many times an audience will take their The Torn Deck Location. No.17 Page 96
time about quieting aown, and if one waits un-
til they are ready_, he'll have quite a wait. The opening speech may go something as fol-
However, once started, the onlookers will quiet lows :
down by themselves during the first item or so. "Ladies and gentlemen; there are a great
many people of the o-
In setting up, you need plnlon that all magic
only a small table of any is accomplished by the
common type, and a chair hand being quicker
should be handy. The few than the eye. That such
articles you use can then a belief Is wrong I
be laid out.There are many hope to prove beyond
places where the performer any possible doubt, be-
is compelled to set an act cause everything that
practically in front of an I shall attempt here
audience, but in this rou- will be done slowly
tine that is not a diffi- and deliberately In
culty. Have your pocket ma- order that you may fol-
terial set before you arr- low closely whatever I
ive, when it is necessary am doing. Then, and
only to place a few arti- only then, If you see
cles down while in view. me making fast moves
or underhanded bits of
business, can you hon-
In the "Policy" effect estly say that I am a
only 10 cards are used in- charlatan on deception
stead of 20 as experience bent. And that, ladies
has proven this number to and gentlemen, Is a
be better. The new arrange magician's way of say-
ment with 10 cards follows ing that I wouldn't de-
here: D-R-D-D-R-R-D-D-R-R. ceive you for the world.
In this case,however,every
fifth card is eliminated
instead of tenth as before With that opening
in the routine. you proceed to show
how a magician would
Take note of the set up roll a cigarette if his
for the pull which i« much hands were full. Good
better and more practical luck from there on.
Page 133
 CARD REVERSAL. (Lynn Searles) j
f AM
R ather unique is this reversal of a chosen
card in bhat it also is combined with a ver-
sion of the 'card to the top' effect. The work-
ing will be described along with the effect. A
double backed card to match the deck is used.
Place this double backed card on top of the
pack and have a card selected. Undercut about
half of the pack, have the chosen pasteboard
replaced on the top of deck, and cover With the
undercut lower half. At this point the chosen
card, with double backer directly under it, must
be brought to tne top. You may employ a pass if
you are accustomed to using it, or, if you use
the Hindu shuffle, tne lower half is shuffled
onto the upper half, the top few cards of this
half being lifted and shuffled to the top. Then,
on top of this, the decit is given a dovetail
shuffle and two more cards left on top. The set
up at the moment is, reading from the top down,
two cards, the selected card, and the double
backer.
How turn over the top card, and make a double
or two card lift. Ask if this be the card. The
answer is no, as it is, say the .ace of Clubs.
Turn the two cards as one face down, take off
top card and insert in center of deck. Now turn
the next card face up asking the same question,
"Is this your card?" It is the Ace againl Sur-
prised, they say no once more. At this point, the
Ace is face up on deck. In turning this over as
before THREE cards are turned as one. Then you
lift two cards as one and insert in deck to-
gether. This action replaces the actual chosen
card reversed in deck center. Once more you ask
if the top card be the chosen one. Once more it
turns out to be the Ace! Then you give up and ex-
plain that when you can't make a chosen card be
at the top, there is only one way to find it and
that is by making it turn over. The/ name their
chosen card, you spread them and in the center
the card is found face up. The combination is
very surprising and effective.
| A PARADOX OP PAIRS. (Dr. Jacob Daley)!
M any versions of the "You Do As I Do" ef-
fect have come to my attention but so
far all have used two decks. In this arrange-
ment only one deck is used and but a moment
is needed for the preparation, if it can be
called that.
Take any deck and note the two face cards
as you hold them facing you. These should be
preferably a red and black card. Run through
the deck and pass to the top or back of pack
the two cards of same value and color. Thus,
for example, the top and bottom cards might
be the fours of clubs and spades, and the
second card from top and second card from the
bottom might be the tens of hearts and dia-
monds .
Start by dovetail shuffling the pack so
as to retain the top and bottom pairs in
their respective places. Then place the deck
on the table and ask the spectator to cut
it into two piles. At this point you pick up
each half and shuffle it overhand style and
there is a bit of skullduggery in this that is
far from being difficult. Pick up the top half
first and overhand shuffle, running the two
top cards one at a time and shuffling the rest
on top. This puts them on bottom in reversed
Page 134
order. Shuffle once more but the fingers (of
the hand holding the cards) against the face
or botbora card, hold it there while the rest
of the under portion is drawn away and shuffled
off on top to the last card which is left on
top, and this half of pack is replaced on the
table. The other half is picked up and given
only one shuffle. The fingers of hand holding
the' cards rest against the face of packet and
retain the bottom card while the under portion
of packet is drawn away and, shuffled off on top
to the last card. Replacing this half on. the
table, both halves are now apparently well
mixed. However, the top card of each packet
(if arranged as described before) is a red
ten, and the bottom card of each is a black
four. Up to this moment everything has been
perfectly aboveboard as the deck was genuinely
shuffled to start, then cut by a spectator,
and each half shuffled again,
The spectator is asked to pick up a packet
and you take the other. Each of you deal a card
at a time into a face down pile together until
the spectator wishes to stop. Immediately you
prove an unseen force at work by turning each
packet face up on the table and showing two
red tens. Now you ask him to count the remain-
der of his cards onto the table singly in a
pile and at the same time you do likewise. If
he has the most, he is to place his top card
(as deck stands nosy) face down on table without
looking at it. You turn over your top card.
(making a two card turnover), show it, turn
it over again with back up and deal it on table.
Now he turns up his card and it is a black four.
You looked surprised and say that to be correct
your card should also be a black four. Turn
your card over and it is seen to have changed to
match his card. If you had the larger packet in
the counting, you merely do your turnover first
and lay the card out, asking him to turn over
his after and finish the same. If both packets
have the same number of cards you call attention
to the fact that he cut them himself and that
the two packets have a strange attraction for
each other. Any way you have him, the cards
match and the number of cards in each pile
only serves as the excuse for the counting to
reverse the packets and make possible the last
part of the trick.
| THE AHNEMAM BELL BOX. |
P erhaps I have taken some liberty with the
title of this number but few will remember
that part anyway. Several years before Houdini
died, he attempted an exposure of Boston's top
medium, ilrs. Leroy Crandon, better known around
the psychic globe as "Margery". One of his art-
icles dealt with a device she used and for want
of a better name it was termed a "bell box."
Inside a rectangular box was a bell, a battery,
and the combination was connected to a slightly
sprung lid, pressure upon which caused the bell
to ring. In the dark, and while the medium was
secured, her control "Walter" would exert his
spiritually encased force upon the lid and ding
dong the bell for the edification of the invest-
igators. Houdini sought to prove that the psychic
was the "force" and by various bits of chicanery
pushed the lid down at will.
I made some notes at the time and later fixed
up a box to duplicate the test, but from a dif-
ferent angle. Shortly after, someone in England,
I think Harry Price, revealed a method for fak-
ing a box, and several years after that Prank
Lane marketed a box designed for the same pur-
pose. For the first time I am giving out my or-
iginal secret as I built it, and I still think
it to be the most practical and foolproof.
The dimensions of the box are as follows: I
made mine from three-quarter inch pine which
gave it a massive appearance. The bottom is &
by 12 inches. The sides are 5 3/4 by 12 inches.
The ends are &| "by 7-J- inches. The top is 7t? by
12 inches.
In assembling, the sides are nailed against
the side edges of the bottom. Then the ends are
.nailed on, and lastly the cover is hinged on.
These measurements ai-e exact for 3/4 inch stock.
The whole makes a compact and solid appearing
container. My cover is different for the reason
that I never thought it necessary to have the
sprung lid. The main idea is to have a bell ring
while encased.
I n this force, the moves are so natural and to
In 'the box is clamped a single dry cell and
an ordinary house bell, together with a stan-
dard push button. The strong feature is that all
of these pieces may be removed from the box and
put back into place by anyone. However, there
is a bit of chicanery present. Take an ordinary
push button and examine the back. There are two
screw holes for the fastening of bell. There are
also connections for the two wires. As all of
the different makes of push buttons are slightly
different it would be difficult to make this
tiart clear by drawing, but there is no push but-
ton which can't be "shorted" from the wire con-
nections to the screw holes. On some bells the
screw holes ARE the wire connections.
Now, when the sides are nailed against the
bottom of box, nails with not too prominent
heads are used and placed about 5/8th of an
inch apart. However, at the point opposite the
spot where push button is located, as per the
sketch, two nails are only about an eighth, of
an inch apart at the heads but they are driven
in to separate and contact the push button
screws. Therefore, the screws may be taken out
and replaced with no thought that they are con-
tacting nails inside the wood. Thu3, the bell
in box may be rung either by using the push but-
ton in the normal way, or closing the circuit
between the two nail heads on outside of boxl
That, in short, is the secret of a bell box
that is simple, cheap, easy to make, and which
can be pulled to pieces nail by nail and screw
by screw. To work, one can do as Margery did,
by having the box on the floor between her feet
while her hands were held and toes stepped on.
In the side of your shoe you have driven a tack.
Once you are close to the contact point, the
slightest pulsation of foot rings the bell. If
you have it on your hands and a glass of water
rests on the lid, a finger ring does the trick.
I always used the trick with the lid open,
the lid being there apparently only for carrying
the box closed. Somehow or other thi3 gives pes>-
ple the impression (especially in the dark) that
you are pushing the bell somehow but they can't
find out how, the misdirection of this point be-
ing quite perfect. Used in a series of medium-
istic tests with the remark that such a box has
been successfully used by the Boston medium, it
makes a very nice addition. I have used it just
as a single test by having a card selected (from
a stacked deck spread on the table) and dropped
Page 135
into box without anyone knowing it. In the dark
and with hands and feet held, I slowly named the
values from Ace to King and the bell rung at the
right time. Likewise with the four suits. It
also could be used for forced numbers or other
selections.
) THE "SO SIMPLE" FORCE. (Lynn Searles) |
the point that even you, yourself will, at
times, wonder at its working. Take any pack and,
noting the bottom card, overhand shuffle it to
the top. Or, if you wish, use any peek so as to
know the top card. Again, if you are using your
own deck and intend forcing some particular
card, have that card a short one so you can put
it on top when ready.
Hold the deck face down in the left hand be-
tween the thumb on one side and the fingers on
the other. Approach a spectator with the request
that he cut off any number of cards, and as he
does so, have him replace them face up to mark
the cut. You now have a pack with each half
facing outward.
Now tu-rn the left hand with back up and just
spread the cards on the table. Thus you have
turned the deck over, giving it a new top, and
by pushing out the face down card at the division
of face up and face down packets you force the
card desired, as it actually is the card which
was on top of the deck.
Not alone can this be used as a force, but
as a minor trick. Knowing the top card you may
write a prophecy, have deck cut, make the spread,
push out the card, have prophecy read and the
card turned over. It also makes a neat and fast
discovery. Bring the selected card to the top
and then have spectator cut and apparently find
his own card in this manner.
I DICE AMD A BOOK. (Annemann) |
V ery few magi haven't a set of
the five dice used in Heath's
Dyciphering Dice Trick, it tie ing
one of the few highly effective
pocket tricks of the past several
years. After using it for a time
I discovered several points which make for
a subtle test in connection.
Produce the five dice and mention that they
are used for some money game,(without going in-
to that part further) as an excuse for their
being numbered with three digits to a side. Let
someone shake and roll them. You line them up
in a row, and turning your back ask them to add
up the figures and get the total. Then ask them
how many figures are in the total. You know, of
course, that there are four but ask them anyway.
They reply and you tell them to look at the
first two and the last two. Toss them a book,
apparently picked up at random, and have them
open at the page represented by the higher of
the two numbers, and taking the other number,
count to that word and remember it. You take an
ordinary pocket notebook, jot something down on
a page, tear it out and hand it crumpled to a-
nother. rhe word is now disclosed. Your paper
is read and you have divined the word!
A monstrous variation of this is possible for
those who are at hone with a set of books or
encyclopediae with the pages running consecutive-
ly through the volumes as high as 3,911. In such
a case, you tell them to look through the set
and find the page represented by the entire to-
tal! Then they are to add together the figures
of the total reached and count to that word.
You successfully reveal the word in this case
tool
I have found that, to the onlookers, the use
of the dice make the test appear very fair, and
there is never a thought that in the moment of
putting the dice in line, or as you tell the
subject what to do, you have learned the total
by the short cut process possible with this
trick. The opinion they have is that there can
be hundreds of variations.
As a fact, there are only 27 different grand
totals possible, and going still further, if
one separates the four figure totals in half,
using them as large and small two figure num-
bers for page and word, there are only 15 pos-
sible words that can be selected! Thus, on the
inside cover of your notebook, you have the
list of the 15 words followed by the 15 small-
est figures in all possible totals, and your
information comes from there as you jot some-
thing down and tear out the page.
For the encyclopedia variation, there are
only 27 pages that can be selected. When you
add the four figures of any total you get 14
in every case except two when it is 5. Your
notebook in such a case, carries the 27 totals
with the correct word after each.
In the first method of the test, the comb-
inations are as follows:
Page Word Page Word Page Word
39 11 34 16 29 21
38 12 33 17 28 ?.?,
37 13 32 18 27 23
36 14 31 19 26 24
35 15 30 20 ?£> 25
Only a few will use the enclopedia version
and the 27 possible totals are easily figured.
You'll find, upon use, that this method for a
book test is very convincing in its fairness.
I "WE STAMP PAT" (Lu-BrentTI
O ften performers are called upon to exhibit
bheir talent in a Poker dealing trick, yet
very few know how to stack packs or employ oth-
er card table artifices. The following enables
the performer to deal out a four handed game of
poker with each member holding a pat hand, yet
the performer who does the actual dealing holds
the highest and best hand, the same thing occur-
ing after each dealing for several hands.
Requiring some showmanship, the effect other-
wise needs no skill and it looks impossible to
the audience. There is a bit of prearrangement
beforehand, but I will endeavor to show my read-
er how this is overcome so that it will appear
as though no such thing ever could have occured*
Page 136
I do not recommend this deal as a single mag-
ical effect, but by all means put it in your
regular card act, especially when someone pulls
the usual remark, "I wouldn't like to play cards
with him." Thi3 would be the logical time to
switch packs for this occasion.
Prepare the pack as follows: First take out
all of the high cards, i.e., .nces, Kings, Queens,
Jacks and Tens. Separate these twenby cards and
arrange as follows: JH, QD, KS, AD, 10H, QO, JC,
AS, 10S, QH, KD, AH, 10D, JS, JD, AC, IOC, KH,
QS, KC. Now reverse their order by dealing one
at a time in one heap so that afterwards the
King of Clubs will be the top cards while the
Jack of Hearts will be the bottom card of this
heap. Place these cards on the bottom of the
rest of the deck and all go into the card case*
To perform, remove the deck and instruct a
nearby spectator to cut the deck into two about
even heaps and dovetail shuffle them together.
This apparent shuffle takes away all thoughts
of a stack, but because the upper half is only
shuffled into the lower half, the arrangement
of the bottom twenty cards is not disturbed al-
though they are separted a little by the mixed
in cards. Mow state that in order to get the
highest hands possible, it will be best to use
only the high cards. Turn the deck face up and
deal off the cards singly, dealing the high
cards into a separate pile, which action brings
them out of deck exactly as stacked but now in
reverse order, but as they should be. Put the
rest of deck aside and taking packet of twenty
in hand, deal a four handed game without your-
self as fourth man. These cards are dealt face
down each time and the hands then turned up but
kept in order.
The first deal around will show the first man
with four Tens, second man holds three Queens,
the third man ha3 two pairs, Jacks and Kings,
while you have four Aces.
Begin picking up the hands of card3 in clock
fashion. Pick up your hand first, face up, and
then around to the left putting each face up
hand on top of yours. Tuna packet face down,
false cut if you can, and deal again. This time
each player holds a high straight, but you hold
a royal flush of spades.
Pick up the hand3 as before but pick up the
third hand first and so on. around the table
clockwise. Deal face down. The first man holds
a pair of Tens, second has a pair of Aces, third
has a pair of Kings, and you have a straight.
Pick up the hands again but start with the
first hand. Deal as before. The first has two
pair, Jacks and Kings, the second has three
Queens, third has a pair of Tens, and you beat
them with three Aces.
For still another deal, pick them up again
starting with your own hand. Deal them out and
everybody gets a high straight while you have
the spade royal flush as in the second deal.
Write the arrangement on inside of card case
flap. You'll find that this business at a card
table will make you out to be quite a "shark."
1 GOVERNMENTAL WIZARDRY. (Charles Hagle)|
I t seems as though Mr. Roosevelt called a con-
ference between kr. Morganthau, Mr. Ickes, and
himself. He explained that he had 28 million
which had been left over from somewhere, and tsnt-
ed to divide it equally among the seven different
relief departments running at the time. The 28
million was credited to the treasury and the two
went on their way.
UTm Ickes figured thusly: we have 28 million,
(write down) and 7 departments (7/28). 7 goes
into 8 once with 1 to carry (put after the 2 ) ,
7 goes into 21, 3 times, and therefore they get
13 million apiece (write the 13 under the 28).
Mr. Liorganthau had a piece of paper and a
pencil, too. He remarked that it didn't sound
exactly right but the thing to do was multiply
the 13"by the 7 (write 13 with 7 under to mul-
tiply). 7 times 3 is 21, 7 times 1 is 7, and 21
nlus seven are 28. All seemed very
much correct at this time, but both 13
agreed that it was a lot of money 7
and they should be sure before let- 21
ting any of it go. They figure they have
7 departments that get 13 million each. _I
Therefore they write down seven 13"s 28
in a column and proceed to add them up. Go-
ing up the right hand column, they reach a
total of 21. Then, at the top, they start
down the left hand column, saying, "22, 23,
24, 25, 26, 27, and 28." Marking the 28
underneath, they march off to the treasury,
allot 13 million to each of seven different
departments, and no one ever knows the dif-
ference except the magicians who use the
problem In front of their audiences, on black-
board or slate, as a form of amusement rather
than education in political finance.
I TRICKERY! (Annemann) |
a uite some time ago I developed an effect of
this type. It was accepted as being "good"
and at the time I had a lot of fun with it in
front of magicians and card men. Later I work-
ed out the following In order that I could pre-
sent the problem in front of a group rather than
before very few at a card table.
Anyone is as->ted forward to stand on your right.
He looks over the deck to see that it is well
mixed and you explain that he to have five of
the cards in his side coat pocket. He is to take
any one of them out and show it to the audience
while the performer's back is turned. 'Then he is
to reolace it somewhere among the others, bring
out the entire packet and hand it to performer.
The performer places the five cards in his pock-
et and remarks that through some strange sense
of direction he is able to repeat the spectat-
or's moves. He reaches into pocket and takes out
the same selected card!
In your pocket at the start you have four dup-
licates of one card, say the Ace of Spades. Use
the deck for any other tricks. Then have the
spectator forward. Pan through the cards to show
them mixed (also letting him see they are not
prepared), and locate the regular Ace of Spades
which you cut to the top, Give deck a dovetail
shuffle and leave four more cards on top of this.
Now explain the procedure. Run off four cards
from top of deck and tell him that he will put
five cards into his pocket without showing them.
You put these four cards in a bunch into pocketfc
on end so as not to mix them with the others.
How pull out one of these four cards and show
it. Then replace it, immediately bringing out
the packet of four duplicates which you drop
on top of deck. That leaves five duplicates now
on ton. Give deck another dovetail shuffle not
Page 137
disturbin' these five and deal them face down
into spectator's right hand, whereupon he pockets
them. Then he pulls out any one and shows it
while performer's back is turned. Then he puts
it back anywhere and brings out the packet which
performer takes with right hand. The deck has
been placed aside or on table.
The performer puts these five cards in his
pocket on their sides. Mow, after remarking about
the sense of direction, you reach in and take
out one of the duplicates. Holding it with back
to audience, you ask the name of the chosen caa-d.
Then you turn your card to show it the right one.
At once you reach into pocket and remove the four
different cards, throwing the five onto table
with the deck which now may be examined or used
as it is perfectly unprepared and complete.
| OH THE WIRE. (Annemann)
D uring the past three years I have
often us 3d the following as a pub-
licity effect from newspaper offices,
and many times as an impromptu stunt
from homes after a performance. As
will be seen, the working is far from
difficult or out of the ordinary run
of such tests, but the effect on the
watchers and listeners is very striking. There
is something about mental stunts on a telephone
that makes tall and creates interest. The bus-
iness of naming cards over a phone lias been toss-
ed around so much that it isn't of much value
anymore, so my thoughts along these lines have
been to make them one man tests, but still use
the telephone. If any of my readers show any
interest, I'll write up a test for a forthcoming
issue in which any word in the Englifah language
can be sent, rather than a card, which is too
common now.
Getting back to the present situation, the
performer is near a phone and says he will try
a rather interesting feat. Someone, or the host,
is asked to think of someone whom they call up
quite often, and who could be reached by phone
at that moment. They are given a slip of paper
upon which they write the name, and the slip is
folded several times. It is put, still folded,
under the phone. The performer asks for the tele-
phone number and proceeds to call it. Ution the
call being answered, the performer ASKS FOR THE
PERSOH THOUGHT OF! Reaching that person, he says
that he is at the home or office of so-and-so,
is conducting a test of mental powers, and that
Mr. so-and-so was thinking of him (the man at
the other end) so you (the performer) have call-
ed him up. You hope he hasn't been bothered and
thank him for his cooperation (?). Hanging up,
you take the paper from under phone, and return
it to the writer. Eight times out of ten, the
person called will call back to find out what it
is all about, and naturally learns about you be-
ing a great man, which is an ad in itself.
Liy method for this is a mere switch. In my
left coat pocket I have a pad of paper about
2\ x 3-jj. (Small i/oolworth scratch pads.) These
slips are best folded the long way ond then t\Jice
the" other. Have one loose slip on top of pad
which has been unfolded, so they will use the
same folds. Also have a folded dummy there so
you can pick it up.
Generally, I try to Dick a person sitting
down a little ways from the phone as the subject,
but this doesn't really matter. Take out the
pad and separate slip. Give it to them with a
pencil and put the pad back, picking up the
dumny billet, -'hey write the name and fold.
You. take the pencil back with right hand, and
your left (with slip second finger palmed) takes
their folded paper. Inoving to the telephone,
the written on slip is nulled back by thumb and
the duoray pushed forward to be dropped under
the phone. Your left hand joes directly to the
pocket as you ask person for the telephone num-
ber. I always ask first if he Knows the nunber,
and then ask for it. Ellis gives a few seconds
longer stall, and the left hand has opened the
slip against the pad.
Taking pad out, I pull off the top sheet from
under the open slip, but this action gives me
a glimpse of the name. The pad and ooen slip are
replaced in pocket and on the blank sheet I write
the telephone number. How I sit down with the
number before ne ana m k e the call, aere is a
lot of time now to drop hand to pocket and refold
the si in, finger palming it again. Then, at the
finish, your right hand moves phone, left picks
up the slip, and it is returned to owner, the
switch back being made on the way.
You'll find a finger switch much more prac-
tical then anything using a gimick. A. few hours
practice ana you have it, it bein- useful in
many ways. Although this may sound simple, it
is a fine effect on chose watching because it
is different a n a unusual.
| THE L'QVBLJY BOX "sELKCTIOH. (Lyman Allen) I
O ne of the cleanest, and
most novel forces which
I have seen is With the
use of one of the novelty
cigarette boxes of Japan-
ese make and on sale at
i.iany five and ten cent
stores, as well as novel-
ty shops. From the sketch
it can be seen (end view)
how the box operates, xhe
outside container has a
center upright the length
of a cigarette, and curved in at the top to all-
ow of a cigarette laying there. Into this is
put a sort of inverted container with a. slot in
the top to match the center upright. As can be
seen, this part of the device has slanted pieces
upon which the cigarettes are loaded. By lifting
the inside part up, until these pieces reach the
top, a cigarette rolls onbo the upright from one
side or the other (it oan only hold one), and
dropping the pulled up portion back causes the
cigarette to appear on top of the box.
rflth one of these boxes before you, loosen
the cigarette platfom on one of the sides and
move it about half an inch higher. That is the
secret. You will easily see just how high you
can lift the inside before a cigarette will roll
onto the upright, BUT A CIGARETTE FKOI,i THIS liOVED
UP SIDE ,/ILL IidVE TO KOLL OH FIRST.
This makes possible an excellent color force
using wooden cylinders of various colors and
made cigarette size. There is an opening on the
top of these boxes to allow of being loaded. If
the colored cylinders are dropped in, but the
one of the correct color goes on the hi(jher
side, it is the one that will cone out first.
If you want to force two or three colors in
Page 138
succession, just drop them on the higher side
in the correcb oruer for their appearance.
inhe box as shorn by an end view, has had the
Toiece moved up on the one aide. I have made it
loosely and a little out of proportion to give
the idea. Jhere are many variations for the use
of such a device, ana if any reader wants to
send in combinations, I'll be glad to use them.
THE "AD LIB" SPELLING. (Dr. Jacob Daley)
ver 15 years ago a laethod on the order of the
O following was sold by Larry Gray through the
columns of The Sphinx. This method of handling,
however, adds a little surprise, and gives the
onlooker a little something else to think about
than the actual trick.
Use any deck, and have the spectator give
them a thorough mixing. Fan for a selection,
which is perfectly free. The card is put back,
and in any way suitable to the individual per-
former it is brough to fane top or bottom, .at
this point, the card is only glimpsed and the
deck handed spectator, as an afterthought, so
he can shuffle. Taking the deck back, and sec-
retly' knowing the card, you fan through the
cards face up, ana remark, "As I go through the
deck I want you to note your card is still there
somewhere. Don't stop me or let anyone what or
where it is. Just be satisfied that I didn't take
it out in anyway before you shuffled."
As you are talking along you watch for the
card as the cards go by. iflien it comes along, o
you keep right on but start counting with the
selected card and spell its full name. The mom-
ent you have swelled its name, you note the card
you have finished soelling on and do the same
thing over with that card. Ytoen you reach the
end of the deck, just start over again and fin>-
ish the spell. The spectator will quickly tell
you he has seen it after the first run and be-
fore you've gone far on the second. Just cut the
deck at the spot where you finish the second
spell.
Now explain that he is to do the rest him-
self, and that any card can be found merely by
swelling. The performer continues, "Take any
card, for instance the Six of Spades (naming
the second card spelled). You just deal the
cards one at a time and spell the name. On the
last card you turn it over, and there it is."
Aa you have spelled out the name of the card
mentioned, it shows up. Drop it back on top
of the pack, drop the pack on the dealt off
cards, give them to the spectator. He names
his chosen card and spells. He'll aft&rwards
swear he shuffled and kept the cards always.
The Jinx is published monthly fox* Mr
magicians by Theo Annemann, Waverly ^ 5
New York, U.S.A. jf
By the copy, 25 cents. By subs crip- al.
tlon, $1 for 5 Issue3 postpaid, The
Jinx Extra la a semi-annual at #1 ^1
per copy. No subscriptions. w^.
Order through any magical depot or «f
direct from the publisher above. ^^
* * * * * * * * * * * *
 (continued from page 140)
was toeing directed to them and lie was glimpsing
and refolding the question out of sight. How
he would extend his left hand, with finger
palmed "billet, towards the lady next to him,
and say, "Give me that paper," pointing iiot
to the dummy but the other one. Taking this it
was apparently opened and spread on the table,
but in reality the one taken was drawn back
into the finger palm by thumb while the paper
in hand was pushed out by fingers from where
the right fingers took hold and opened it up.
Thus the one opened on table was the one just
answered and finger palmed was a fresh one.
Again the 'business' would be gone through and
new marks made and a new answer given. This
time a slip from the second lady would be re-
quested and apparently opened. Following this,
the man's paper would be taken, then back to
the second lady, and lastly the lady next to
him again which would bring the dummy back to
him in return for the final slip.
For single people Reese had a slightly dif-
ferent routine, although practically everything
he ever did was based on one-ahead ideas. Four
or five slips would be given a man to write
questions on and fold. They would be thrown
onto the table as written and Reese would mix
them a little with his finger, but in doing so
would switch the dummy for one paper, AS the
gentleman was writing his last paper, Reese
would walk away, and in his wandering would
open and read the stolen paper. The single
fold each way of these papers made them very
easy to open with one hand, A S the person fin-
ished the last question, Reese would return to
the table and asic him to put one paper in his
left coat pocket, another in his right coat
pocket, one in his left shoe, one in his right
shoe, and the other perhaps inside his watch.
Reese only watched to be certain into which
spot went the dummy slip of the five. Knowing
the contents of the finger palmed slip in left
hand, he would walk back and forth around the
room and give the answer. Then he would point
to one of the locations on the spectator's per-
son and ask for that paper. Taking it, he would
open and read it, aloud, actually reading what
was on the slip he knew and memorizing what he
now saw. Folding this paper he would finger
palm it in the right hand and left hand would
toss the other to table. Reese invaribly smoked
a cigar and the action of taking it from the
mouth in thumb and finger of either hand served
as an admirable mask for the finger palmed paper.
He would proceed by answering the next ques-
tion and so on until the last, always leaving
the dummy in its resting place until that time.
It was a regular procedure of his to have the
papers placed about the person in odd places,
such as the watch case, for instance, and my
theory for this is that such places, being un-
usual in character, were always remembered by
the sitter in preference to the more common
spots. Afterwards, in telling about the ordeal,
they could be depended upon to swear that they
had put the paper there and that he had answered
it without being near it or them.
Another angle that Reese brought into play
often was in asking people to write the name
of their favorite school teacher when a child;
the name of the town or city where they were
born; their auto license number; their telephone;
their mother's maiden name; and any number of
odd but personal bits of information to which
he could have no access but which would be viv-
idly personal enough to the sitter to be remem-
bered and talKed about. Such items are far bet-
ter than merely having any number or any word
written.
In many cases, when Reese was going to work
for someone he knew of, it was a simple matter
Page 139
to check up on their telephone number before
starting. In such a case, he would sandwich
the request for a telephone number in among
the other slips as they were being written. A.
steal was made of one of the others and read as
described before. Watching the telephone number
slip on the table and also the dummy, he would
have them pocket or conceal the slips as usual.
However, when they picked up the telephone slip
he would have it placed in a pocketbook, between
the pages of a notebook, or some other difficult
spot. The rest of the slips would be read as
usual but the telephone slip apparently forgot-
ten. Then he would recall that there was another
slip out, and merely taking the article which
contained the slip and holding it to his fore-
head he would answer the question and hand it
back. The sitter had been told so many things
no one else could know that the idea of a per-
sons getting his number would never be thought
of. Not alone the telephone number could so be
used, but there are many little bits of infor-
mation about a person that are dropped by others
and of these most anything can be used, touch
information about doctors, for instance, can be
secured from a medical directory and it is poss-
ible to have the name of their college on one
slip and the name of a professor at that college
on another. The first you know, and the second
request makes it logical to have the other.
Reese, when before a group of people, also
had slips written upon, folded and collected.
He would absently pick them up again, hand them
to another person and ask him to put the papers
under objects around the room. Of course, the
switch had been made, Reese would light his ci-
gar and read the slip in his cupped hands, and
proceed to walk around the room to the various
spots and apparently read the paper which was
concealed at that point, leaving the dummy until
the last. In all of these variations, it is to
be noticed that the effect was what counted. The
stories that are told about these happenings
afterwards are unbelievable. Like the famed Dr.
Hooker rising cards, there were so many varia-
tions of the same thing that afterwards, one was
put to difficulty to remember exactly the pro-
cedure on each test, and not get them confused
with each other.
And now I want to give a bit of information
which I doubt has ever seen print. Much has been
said about soft paper that will not crackle as
it is furtively opened. Invariably it has been
left to the reader to search out a soft quality
and experiment. Reese used a soft paper but he
took it from a most natural spot. At his home,
especially, when giving a test for visitors, he
would pick up a book, and tear out the blank
page at the back. Pulp paper books give you this
perfect soft paper and right in front of people
without the necessity of bringing out prepared
sheets. This detail alone was one of his most
potent secrets.
I haven't exhausted, by far, the many inci-
dents and stories about Reese situations. How-
ever, I have given a practical and working know-
ledge of how he worked, and the fact that this
man traveled the world over for years, and in
the highest circles, while being looked upon by
many as a competent psychic advisor, proves that
such work is worth developing and extremely ef-
fective on the audience, A S far as I know, and
I keep a fairly complete file, nothing has been
written about the man for magicians, although
reams have been printed in the press about his
marvels. Of one thing I'm sure. This type of
work is more sought after, better liked, and
talked about more than any other phase of the
mystery game. And last but far from least, the
monetary gain of those successful in this line
far outdistances that of those successful in
other branches of magic. BUT WATCH YOUR PRESEN-
TATION, AND FORGET ABOUT I.IAGICAL MOVEMENTS THaT
IMMEDIATELY CLaSS YOU AS A MANIPULATOR.
$eA&
D own through the ages have come but few noted
billet readers, and Invariably such men have
been able to fool Kings, Premiers, Presidents,
and scientists. Dr. Lynn,and Poster, the medium,
were two of renown, but in the past 30 years
one man stood out as a charlatan par excellence
at the business of reading the folded slip. The
man was Berthold Riess, born In 1841 in Posen,
which was then Prussian but now Polish. Later
he became known universally as Bert Reese and
before his death in 1928 had crossed the ocean
over 50 times to humbug such people as Charles
M. Schwab, Ignace Jan Paderewski, Premier Muss-
olini, Woodrow Wilson, Warren Harding and Thomas
Edison. Professor Hugo Muensterberg, of Harvard,
became such a believer in Reese'a powers that
he was preparing a book on him when death pre-
vented its finish.
As I look through my file of articles, clips
and stories about the doings of Bert Reese, I
marvel at the constantly appearing statements
that he never touched the written on paper.
It Is a psychological point of Importance to
any and all performers who do anything of this
nature. Only a trained observer of such things
can give an accurate account of every move,
even though they may not know the method of
trickery. What, to the ordinary spectator, may
be the most natural of movements, can be the
one detail that would solve the problem In
recounting the experience.
Thus, what may seem like a bare faced and
rather open action to a performer not acquain-
ted with this type of deception, it being psy-
chologically different in its entirety from
the technique of magic, may be looked upon
as a phenomenon by the most educated, and
far removed from the realm of what would
be, in their eyes, sleight-of-hand or just
trick stuff. It is important that a per-
former remember then, that an audience
is in a different frame of mind at the
time it watches a billet reading exhi-
bition, and traditionally magical ges-
tures of sleeve rolling or of showing
the hands empty are ridiculous, not
mentioning ruinous. The last detail
I want to bring out Is that the on-
ly really great and successful hum-
bugs in this line have not demon-
strated from the theatrical stage
but rather from the lecture plat-
form and in the semi-privacy of
the home and drawing rooms where
the theatrical atmosphere is not
present, and the demonstration
is cloaked with a scientific or
almost religious demeanor.
Pa-re 140
Reese did not care whether his subjects
called it telepathy or spiritism, being eon-
tent to let people credit him with whatever
solution of power they deemed most fitting.
Here was a good point as he did not antagonize
any particular group but left it to their own
individual credulity and gullibility.
He ever was ready to demonstrate at any mo-
ment or place, another point which emphasized
his benign sincerity of purpose in making use
of his apparently strange faculty.
Above has been illustrated one of his rou-
tines using three sitters. Reese is sitting at
the left. Borrowing a piece of writing paper,
he tore it into slips about two by three in-
ches. He would be standing at the time, and
this done while the others were sitting down
and making ready. Five slips were put on the
table, the rest of the sheet being crumpled up
and tossed away. However, Reese really would
make six slips and retain one, folded once in
each direction, as a dummy for his own use. A
detail here was that afterwards, the sitters
would relate that he had used their own pri-
vate tinted or watermarked paper rather than
any of his own. Wow he walked around the room
while questions were being written to dead
people on the slips and folded once each way.
The folded papers were mixed together on the
table and Reese would take his seat, the dummy
billet being finger palmed in the right hand.
He then said, "Give one to this lady to hold,"
pointing to the one farthest away, and the
sitter opposite him (a man in this case) would
hand her one paper. Reese had not touched it
but the pointing was being done to aocustom
all to the gesture. "Give one to this lady,"
he'd say next, pointing as before but to
the lady next to him. The gesture was once
more planted, and moreso when he repeated
it again by having another paper given
to the first lady. Mow he would tell
the gentleman to keep the remaining
two, but as an after thought would say,
"Perhaps we'd better let this lady
have another." This time he would
casually take the slip being passed
over to the lady next to him, com-
plete the six or eight inch journey,
but in that space make the switch
for the dummy which she would hold.
The stolen slip was dropped into
his lap and opened with the left
hand while, with his right, he'd
make marks on a sheet of paper on
the table and apparently get his
answer from these vrtiile attention
(please turn back to page 139)