Title: Spirit Slate Writing and Kindred Phenomena
Author: Robinson, William E.
Language: English
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  [Illustration: “The Spiritualistic Séance.”]



  SPIRIT SLATE WRITING

  AND

  KINDRED PHENOMENA


  BY

  WILLIAM E. ROBINSON

  Assistant to the late Herrmann


  _SIXTY-SIX ILLUSTRATIONS_


  MUNN & COMPANY
  SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN OFFICE
  NEW YORK CITY

  1898



  COPYRIGHTED, 1898, BY MUNN & COMPANY.

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.



PREFACE.


The author of the present volume is not an opponent of
spiritualism--on the contrary, he was brought up from childhood
in this belief; and though, at the present writing, he does not
acknowledge the truth of its teachings, nevertheless he respects
the feelings of those who are honest in their convictions. At
the same time he confidently believes that all rational persons,
spiritualists as well as others, will heartily indorse this
endeavor to explain the methods of those who, under the mask of
mediumship, and possessing all the artifices of the charlatan,
victimize those seeking knowledge of their loved ones who have
passed away. As a great New York lawyer once said, it was not
spiritualism he was fighting, but fraud under the guise of
spiritualism.

Owing to the fact that the author has for many years been
engaged in the practice of the profession of magic, both as a
prestidigitateur and designer of stage illusions for the late
Alexander Herrmann, and has also been associated with Prof. Kellar,
he feels that he is fitted to treat of clever tricks used by
mediums. He has attended hundreds of séances both at home and
abroad, and the present volume is the fruit of his studies.

Some of the means of working these slate tests may appear simple
and impossible of deceiving, but in the hands of the medium
they are entirely successful. It should be remembered it is not
so much the apparatus employed as it is the shrewd, cunning,
ever-observing sharper using it. The devices and methods employed
by slate writing frauds seem innumerable. No sooner are they caught
and exposed while employing one system than they immediately set
their wits to work and evolve an entirely different idea. It is
almost impossible at the first sitting with a slate writing medium
to know what method he will employ, and should you, after the
sitting, go away with the idea that you have discovered his method
of operation and come a second time ready to expose him, you may
be sadly disappointed, for the medium will undoubtedly lead you to
believe he is going to use his former method, and so mislead you.
He accomplishes his test by another method, while you are on the
lookout for something entirely different. The great success of the
medium is in disarming the suspicions of the skeptic, and at that
very moment the trick is done. Slate writing is of course the great
standby of mediums, but there are many other tricks which they
employ which are described in the present volume.

The publishers have added a chapter on “Miscellaneous Tricks”
which may serve as a supplement to their “Magic: Stage Illusions
and Scientific Diversions, Including Trick Photography,” which has
already obtained an enviable position in the literature of magic,
and has been even translated into Swedish. These tricks are by Mr.
W. B. Caulk and the author.

  NEW YORK, November, 1898.



TABLE OF CONTENTS.


  CHAPTER I.
                                                   PAGE
  The Single Slate                                    3


  CHAPTER II.

  The Double Slate                                   32


  CHAPTER III.

  Miscellaneous Slate Tests                          41


  CHAPTER IV.

  Mind Reading and Kindred Phenomena                 51


  CHAPTER V.

  Table Lifting and Spirit Rapping                   71


  CHAPTER VI.

  Spiritualistic Ties                                82


  CHAPTER VII.

  Post Tests, Handcuffs, Spirit Collars, etc.        93


  CHAPTER VIII.

  Séances and Miscellaneous Spirit Tricks           101


  CHAPTER IX.

  Miscellaneous Tricks                              115



SPIRIT SLATE WRITING

AND

KINDRED PHENOMENA.



CHAPTER I.

THE SINGLE SLATE.


There has probably been nothing that has made more converts to
spiritualism than the much talked of “Slate Writing Test,” and
if we are to believe some of the stories told of the writings
mysteriously obtained on slates, under what is known as “severe
test conditions,” that preclude, beyond any possible doubt, any
form of deception or trickery, one would think that the day of
miracles had certainly returned; but we must not believe half we
hear nor all that we see, for the chances are that just as you are
about to attribute some unaccountable spirit phenomena to an unseen
power, something turns up to show that you have been tricked by a
clever device which is absurd in its simplicity.

There are a large number of methods of producing slate writing,
but the writer will describe a few which will be sufficient to
give an idea of the working of slate tests in general. First we
have the ordinary one in which the writing is placed on the slate
beforehand, and then hidden from view by a flap or loose piece of
slate. (Fig. 1.) After both sides of the slate have been cleaned,
the false flap is dropped on the table, the side which is then
uppermost being covered with cloth similar to the table top, where
it will remain unnoticed, or the flap is allowed to fall into a
second slate with which the first is covered. In the latter case
no cloth is pasted on the flap. Sometimes the flap is covered with
a piece of newspaper and is allowed to drop into a newspaper lying
on the table, then the newspaper containing the flap is carelessly
removed, thus doing away with any trace of trickery.

[Illustration: Fig. 1.--Ordinary Slate with Flap.]

Another way of utilizing the false flap is as follows: The writing
is not placed beforehand on the slate, but on the flap, which,
as before, is covered with the same material as the table top.
This is lying on the table writing downward. The slate is handed
around for inspection, and, on being returned to the performer, he
stands at the table and cleans the slate on one side, then turns
it over and cleans the other. As he does so he lifts the flap
into the slate. The flap is held in firmly by an edging of thin
pure sheet rubber cemented on the flap between the slate and the
cloth covering of the slate. This grips the wooden sides of the
frame hard enough to prevent the false piece from tumbling out
accidentally.

We now come to another style, wherein a slate is cleaned on both
sides, and, while held in the hand facing the audience, becomes
suddenly covered with writing, and the slate is immediately given
for inspection. The writing is on the slate previous to the
cleaning, and is hidden from view by a flap of slate colored silk,
held firmly in place by a pellet of wax in each of the corners of
the silk. Attached to this silk flap or covering (at the end that
is nearest to the performer’s sleeve) is a stout cord or string,
which is also made fast to a strap around the wrist of the hand
opposite to that holding the slate. If the arms are now extended
their full length, the piece of silk covering will leave the slate
and pass rapidly up the sleeve out of the way, and thus leave the
writing exposed to view. (Fig. 2.) The slate is found to be still a
little damp from the cleaning with the sponge and water it had been
given previously. This is easily accounted for. The water from the
sponge penetrates just enough through the cloth to dampen the slate.

[Illustration: Fig. 2.--Removing the Silk from the Face of the
Slate.]

There is still another slate on which we can make the writing
appear suddenly. It is composed of a wooden frame, such as all
wooden-edged slates have, but the slate itself is a sham. It is a
piece of cloth painted with a kind of paint known as liquid, or
silicate slating, which, when dry and hard, is similar to the
real article. This cloth is twice the length of the slate and just
the exact width. The two ends of the cloth are united with cement,
so as to make an endless piece or loop. There is a small rod or
roller in both the top and bottom pieces of the frame, the ends
being made hollow to receive them. Over these rollers runs the
cloth, stretched firmly and tightly. Just where the cloth is joined
or cemented is a little black button, or stud of hard rubber or
leather. This allows the cloth to be pushed up and down, bringing
the back to the front; and by doing so quickly, the writing which
is written on the cloth at the rear of the frame is made to come to
the front in plain view. (Fig. 3.)

[Illustration: Fig. 3.--The Endless Band Silicate Trick Slate.]

Still another idea in a single slate is as follows: An ordinary
looking slate is given out for examination, and, on its being
returned to the medium, he takes his handkerchief and cleans or
brushes both sides of the slate with it; and, upon again showing
that side of the slate first cleaned, it is found covered with
writing apparently done with chalk. The following is the simple
explanation of it: Take a small camel’s hair brush and dip it in
urine or onion juice, and with it write or trace on the slate
whatever you desire, and when it becomes dry, or nearly so, the
slate can be given for examination without fear of detection. The
handkerchief the performer uses to clean the slate with is lightly
sprinkled with powdered chalk. He makes believe to clean the one
side devoid of preparation, but the side containing the invisible
writing is gently rubbed with the handkerchief, not too hard just
enough to let the powdered chalk fall on the urine or onion juice,
where it leaves a mark not unlike a chalk mark.

It will not be out of place to describe a trick by which writing is
produced upon an ordinary china plate by a somewhat similar means.
The plate is examined and cleaned with a borrowed handkerchief,
and then the performer requests the loan of a pinch of snuff, or
uses a little sand or dust, which he places on the plate. He now
commences to move the plate around in circles, and while doing so
the snuff or sand is seen to gradually form itself into writing.
The explanation is simple--whatever writing you desire to appear
on the plate is placed beforehand on it. It is done with a camel’s
hair brush dipped in the white of an egg and allowed to become
dry before being handed around for inspection. As the performer
cleans the plate he breathes on both sides of it, as if to give it
moisture enough to help take off any dirt that might be thereon
when rubbed with the handkerchief. In breathing on the front of
the plate containing the writing done with the white of the egg,
he moistens the writing enough to make the snuff or sand, as the
case may be, adhere to it. Of course, in cleaning the front of the
plate, care must be taken not to brush or disturb the invisible
writing.

It may not be amiss to also mention another method of producing
writing, employed by mediums to obtain a message on a blank piece
of paper which has been placed between two slates, which are held
by the medium in his hand, high above his head, and, on afterwards
taking the slate apart, the paper is covered with writing. This
again calls into use the extra or false flap. (Fig. 1.) A piece
of paper with writing on it is placed face downward on one of the
slates and covered with the false flap. It then looks like an
ordinary slate. On this is placed the plain piece of paper, and
over this is laid the second slate. The slates are now held up
in plain view of the audience, and on being lowered to the table
they are turned over, thus bringing the blank piece of paper under
the false flap and the one with the writing on it on the top of
the flap, which has fallen from the slate, which is now the top,
but originally the bottom one, on or into the under one, and, of
course, on the removal of the present top slate, the writing is
found on what is supposed to be the original blank paper.

[Illustration: Fig. 4.--False Table for Developing Communications
Written with Sympathetic Ink.]

If the paper is to have a private mark put on it by an observer, so
as to prove the writing really does appear on that identical piece
of paper, the operation is varied as follows: The false flap is
done away with, and the paper, which is furnished by the medium,
has written on it the desired communication with ink, which is made
visible and brought out black by means of heat. For the invisible
ink you can use sulphuric acid, very much diluted, so as not to
destroy the paper. The necessary heat is obtained in the following
manner: The table (Fig. 4) on which the slates are resting is
hollow, and has concealed in it a spirit lamp filled with alcohol.
This lamp sits directly under a trap in the table top, which is
covered underneath for safety with sheet iron, so it will not
catch fire. When the slates are placed on the table they are laid
over the little trap door, which, in conjuring parlance, is known
as a “trap.” This is now opened, and the slates allowed to become
well heated and the trap then closed, and the prepared paper, upon
coming in contact with the hot slate, is thus covered with writing.

[Illustration: Fig. 5.--The Development of Spirit Writing.]

Another medium employed a somewhat similar method, only the paper
in this case was placed in a glass vial (Fig. 5) which had been
lying on the iron trap door. The medium’s hand covered the vial,
which was corked and sealed, while the writing was making its
appearance. You can also produce writing on the paper in the vial
without resorting to the use of heat by using a vial that has been
washed out with ammonia and kept well corked, and writing on the
paper with a weak solution of copper sulphate, which is invisible
until the paper is placed in the vial, when the two chemicals
produce writing in blue. Still another message is produced as
follows: The writing is done with iron sulphate on blank cards. Of
course this is invisible. These cards are placed in envelopes and
sealed up. Upon opening the envelopes shortly afterward the cards
are covered with the writing which was before invisible, but is
brought out by a solution of nut galls with which the inside of the
envelopes had been slightly moistened.

The subject of sympathetic inks is such an interesting one that
we give thirty-seven formulas, which include all those which are
liable to be used by the medium.

The solutions used should be so nearly colorless that the writing
cannot be seen till the agent is applied to render it visible.
Sympathetic inks are of three general classes.


_Inks that Appear through Heat._

1. Write with a concentrated solution of caustic potash. The
writing will appear when the paper is submitted to strong heat.

2. Write with a solution of ammonium hydrochlorate, in the
proportion of 15 parts to 100. The writing will appear when the
paper is heated by holding it over a stove or by passing a hot
smoothing iron over it.

3. A weak solution of copper nitrate gives an invisible writing,
which becomes red through heat.

4. A very dilute solution of copper perchloride gives invisible
characters that become yellow through heat.

5. A slightly alcoholic solution of copper bromide gives perfectly
invisible characters which are made apparent by a gentle heat, and
which disappear again through cold.

6. Write upon rose colored paper with a solution of cobalt
chloride. The invisible writing will become blue through heat, and
will disappear on cooling.

7. Write with a solution of sulphuric acid. The characters will
appear in black through heat. This ink has the disadvantage of
destroying the paper. (See the caution given on page 9.)

8. Write with lemon, onion, leek, cabbage or artichoke juice.
Characters written with these juices become very visible when the
paper is heated.

9. Digest 1 oz. of zaffre, or cobalt oxide, at a gentle heat, with
4 oz. of nitro-muriatic acid till no more is dissolved, then add 1
oz. common salt and 16 oz. of water. If this be written with and
the paper held to the fire, the writing becomes green, unless the
cobalt should be quite pure, in which case it will be blue. The
addition of a little iron nitrate will then impart the property of
becoming green. It is used in chemical landscapes for the foliage.

10. Put in a vial ½ oz. of distilled water, 1 drm. of potassium
bromide and 1 drm. of pure copper sulphate. The solution is nearly
colorless, but becomes brown when heated.

11. Nickel nitrate and nickel chloride in weak solution form
an invisible ink, which becomes green by heating when the salt
contains traces of cobalt, which usually is the case; when pure, it
becomes yellow.

12. When the solution of acetate of protoxide of cobalt contains
nickel or iron, the writing made by it will become green when
heated; when it is pure and free from these metals, it becomes blue.

13. Milk makes a good invisible ink, and buttermilk answers the
purpose better. It will not show if written with a clean new pen,
and ironing with a hot flat iron is the best way of showing it up.
All invisible inks will show on glazed paper; therefore unglazed
paper should be used.

14. Burn flax so that it may be rather smoldered than burned to
ashes, then grind it with a muller on a stone, putting a little
alcohol to it, then mix it with a little gum water, and what you
write, though it seem clear, may be rubbed or washed out.

15. Boil cobalt oxide in acetic acid. If a little common salt be
added, the writing becomes green when heated, but with potassium
nitrate it becomes a pale rose color.

16. A weak solution of mercury nitrate becomes black by heat.


_Inks that Appear under the Influence of Light._

17. Gold chloride serves for forming characters that appear only as
long as the paper is exposed to daylight, say for an hour at least.

18. Write with a solution made by dissolving one part of silver
nitrate in 1,000 parts of distilled water. When submitted to
daylight, the writing appears of a slate color or tawny brown.


_Inks Appearing through Reagents._

19. If writing be done with a solution of lead acetate in distilled
water, the characters will appear in black upon passing a solution
of an alkaline sulphide over the paper.

20. Characters written with a very weak solution of gold chloride
will become dark brown upon passing a solution of tin perchloride
over them.

21. Characters written with a solution of gallic acid in water will
become black through a solution of iron sulphate and brown through
the alkalies.

22. Upon writing on paper that contains but little sizing with a
very clear solution of starch, and submitting the dry characters
to the vapor of iodine, or passing over them a weak solution of
potassium iodide, the writing becomes blue, and disappears under
the action of a solution of sodium hyposulphite in the proportions
of 1 to 1,000.

23. Characters written with a 10 per cent. solution of nitrate of
protoxide of mercury become black when the paper is moistened with
liquid ammonia, and gray through heat.

24. Characters written with a weak solution of the soluble platinum
or iridium chloride become black when the paper is submitted to
mercurial vapor. This ink may be used for marking linen. It is
indelible.

25. C. Widemann communicates a new method of making an invisible
ink to _Die Natur_. To make the writing or the drawing appear which
has been made upon paper with the ink, it is sufficient to dip it
into water. On drying, the traces disappear again, and reappear by
each succeeding immersion. The ink is made by intimately mixing
linseed oil, 1 part; water of ammonia, 20 parts; water, 100 parts.
The mixture must be agitated each time before the pen is dipped
into it, as a little of the oil may separate and float on top,
which would, of course, leave an oily stain upon the paper.

26. Write with a solution of potassium ferro-cyanide, develop by
pressing over the dry, invisible characters a piece of blotting
paper moistened with a solution of copper sulphate or of iron
sulphate.

27. Write with pure dilute tincture of iron; develop with a blotter
moistened with strong tea.

28. Writing with potassium iodide and starch becomes blue by the
least trace of acid vapors in the atmosphere or by the presence
of ozone. To make it, boil starch, and add a small quantity of
potassium iodide in solution.

29. Copper sulphate in very dilute solution will produce an
invisible writing, which will turn light blue by vapors of ammonia.

30. Soluble compounds of antimony will become red by hydrogen
sulphide vapor.

31. Soluble compounds of arsenic and of tin peroxide will become
yellow by the same vapor.

32. An acid solution of iron chloride is diluted till the writing
is invisible when dry. This writing has the remarkable property of
becoming red by sulphocyanide vapors (arising from the action of
sulphuric acid on potassium sulphocyanide in a long necked flask),
and it disappears by ammonia, and may alternately be made to appear
and disappear by these two vapors.

33. Writing executed with rice water is visible when dry, but the
characters become blue by the application of iodine. This ink was
much employed during the Indian mutiny.

34. Write with a solution of paraffin in benzol. When the solvent
has evaporated, the paraffin is invisible, but becomes visible on
being dusted with lampblack or powdered graphite, or smoking over
a candle flame.

35. To Write Black Characters with Water.--Mix 10 parts nutgalls,
2½ parts calcined iron sulphate. Dry thoroughly, and reduce to fine
powder. Rub this powder over the surface of the paper, and force
into the pores by powerful pressure, brush off the loose powder. A
pen dipped in water will write black on paper thus treated.

36. To Write Blue Characters with Water.--Mix iron sesquisulphate
and potassium ferrocyanide. Prepare the paper in the same manner
as for writing black characters with water. Write with water, and
the characters will appear blue.

37. To Produce Brown Writing with Water.--Mix copper sulphate and
potassium ferrocyanide. Prepare the paper in the same manner as
before. The characters written with water will be reddish brown.

Here is another trick calling for the use of sympathetic ink. A
medium suggests a number of questions to write on a paper, one of
which you select and write on a slip of paper furnished by the
medium. Writing is done with pen and ink. You are requested to dry
it with a blotter, and not to remove the blotter for a time, the
medium says, so as to keep the paper in the dark, thus giving the
“spirits” better conditions under which to work. After a while the
blotter is removed, and an answer to the question is found on the
same paper. The questions suggested were all of such a character
that one answer would nearly do for any one. The paper the question
was written on had this answer written with invisible ink brought
out by a reagent on the blotter, with which it was saturated, and
thus another mystery is easily dispelled.

We will now take up a few slate tests, in which the slates are
brought or furnished by the spectator or investigator. The tests
in which the slates are brought by skeptics and tied and sealed by
them, and still writing is obtained upon them, are the ones that
are the most convincing and most talked about, and they are offered
to the unbeliever as proof absolute of spirit power.

[Illustration: Fig. 6.--Writing on the Slate with the Pencil
Thimble.]

First we will begin with the single slate which has just been
handed to the medium, after being thoroughly cleaned by the person
bringing it. The skeptic holds one end of the slate in one hand and
the medium the opposite end in one of his hands, and both persons
clasp their disengaged hands. In a short time the slate is turned
over and a few words written in a scrawling style are found. I
must acknowledge that when I first witnessed this test it somewhat
staggered me, but afterward, on seeing it the second time, I was
enabled to fathom its mystery. It is patterned somewhat after the
style claimed to have been used by Slade, wherein he used a piece
of slate pencil fastened to a thimble, and with apparatus attached
to his forefinger of the same hand holding the slate he did the
writing. The thimble (Fig. 6) was fastened to an elastic which
pulled the thimble out of sight up the sleeve or under the coat
when it was done with. But it always required a little scheming
and maneuvering both to use and conceal the device and get rid of
it, and there was always the fear of being detected with this bit
of machinery about the person; so someone of an ingenious turn of
mind hit upon another method. There are some slate pencils made the
same as lead pencils, that is, a very small piece of slate pencil,
about the size of a match, is enclosed in the wood after the manner
of lead pencils. A tiny piece of this pencil is placed at the tip
of the forefinger and over it is placed a piece of flesh-colored
court plaster well fastened to the finger (Fig. 7) and well blended
in with aniline dye with the finger, so both are exactly the same
color. After everything becomes dry and hard a little hole is
made in the court plaster, so as to allow the point of the piece
of pencil to come through enough to mark on the slate. The finger
thus prepared is what does the writing. The message or name must
be written backward, so that when the slate is reversed it will
appear in its correct position. To learn to do this quickly, stand
in front of a looking-glass with the slate in your hand and watch
your writing in the glass as you go along. You do not need to hold
the slate underneath the table in this test; hold it in the air
with a handkerchief over it, so as to disguise the movement of the
finger. The message must necessarily be short, on account of the
radius through which the medium’s finger can travel.

[Illustration: Fig. 7.--The Prepared Finger.]

We now come to another method of using the single slate. The
medium takes the slate and places it on the table and requests the
spectator to write a question on a piece of paper. He, the medium,
gains knowledge of the contents of the paper in various ways; one
is by using a pad of paper which contains underneath the second
or third layer of paper a carbon sheet made of wax and lampblack.
Whatever is written on the first sheet of paper will be transferred
or copied by means of the carbon paper to the sheet underneath it.
Another way is by requesting a person to fold the paper and hold
it against his head, and, under the pretense of showing the person
how to hold it, exchange it for a paper of his own folded in like
manner. This exchanged paper is then opened and read by the medium
while his hand is below the level of the table top, and while he
is holding a conversation with the auditor. After it is read, the
paper is again folded and kept in the performer’s lap until needed.
As he now knows the contents of the paper, he can frame in his
mind a suitable answer. He remarks: “I will ask the spirits first
to give you a decided answer, through me as an independent trance
slate writing medium, whether they will answer your question during
this sitting.” So the medium takes a pencil in hand and writes on
one side of the slate, apparently under spirit control, and then on
the other side. The message is read, and it says the conditions are
very favorable, and no doubt, if the skeptic will place the utmost
confidence in the medium, there will be satisfactory results. After
the slate has been shown with both sides covered with writing, it
is thoroughly cleaned and placed on the table. The medium now picks
up the original paper from his lap and asks the person to give him
the paper he is holding. This the medium apparently places under
the slate; however, he really holds this one back and introduces
the one he has had in his hand, which is the one originally written
upon. He has now his own paper in his hand, and the one with the
question is under the slate. On the slate being turned over in a
short time, it is covered with writing, forming a sensible reply to
the question on the paper, which is now opened and read to compare
it with the answer. All that remains to be explained is how the
writing on the slate appeared there. The false flap is again used,
but in a directly opposite manner to which it has been employed
heretofore. One side of this flap is covered with a portion of the
writing that the medium first wrote under spirit control. Let us
say the first half supposed to have been written on the one side
of the slate, and which he afterward reads off in connection with
that written on the last or second side of the slate. What he
really wrote on the first half of the slate was a correct answer
to the question, and after he turns the slate over to write on
the opposite side he slips the false flap over the answer on the
slate. Of course it is what is on this false flap and on the other
side of the slate that the spectator really reads, and when the
slate is cleaned it is this flap and the opposite side of the
slate. The writing, covered by the flap, which is the answer to
the question, is never seen or touched until after the flap is
allowed to drop into the medium’s lap. The slate can be examined;
and, of course, no trickery can be found in connection with it. The
method described above, in the hands of a calm and cool person, is
a convincing one, and never fails to satisfy the most exacting of
skeptics.

I wish to remark that, if any person tells you he took two slates
of his own to a medium, thoroughly well tied or sealed, and that
the slates never left his (the skeptic’s) hands, and that there
was writing obtained upon the interior surface of the slates
under those conditions, he was sadly mistaken, and has failed to
keep track of everything that actually took place at the time
of the sitting. Suppose two slates tied together are brought to
the medium. Both he and the stranger sit at a table. The slates
are held under the table, the medium grasping one corner and the
skeptic the opposite corner, each with one hand, and the disengaged
hands clasped together above the table. After a while the slates
are laid upon the table, the string untied, the slates taken
apart, but no writing is found. The medium states it must have
been because there was no slate pencil between them. So a small
piece of pencil is placed between the slates, and again they are
tied with the cord by the medium, and he again passes them under
the table, both persons holding the slates as before. Presently
writing is heard, and, upon the skeptic bringing the slates from
under the table and untying the cord himself, he finds one of the
slates covered with writing, although but shortly before they were
devoid of even a scratch. Here is the explanation: The medium does
not pass the slates under the table the first time, but drops them
in his lap, with the side on which the string is tied or knotted
downward, and really passes a set of his own for the skeptic to
hold; he (the medium) supporting his end by pressing against the
table with his knee, which leaves his hand disengaged. There is a
slate pencil, called the soapstone pencil, which is softer than
the ordinary. This is the one used by the medium. He now covers
the face of the slate which is uppermost in his lap with writing,
doing so very quietly and without any noise. Now, as he brings the
slates above the table, he leaves his own in his lap and brings up
the skeptic’s with the writing side down. The slates are untied and
taken apart and shown, devoid of writing upon the inside, which
he claims was caused by not having any slate pencil inside. The
medium now places the pencil upon the slate which was originally
the upper one, and covers this with what was the bottom slate,
which is covered with the writing inside on the back or bottom of
slate. This maneuver or action brings the slate on top with the
writing upon its inside. Nothing could be more simple and natural.
The slates are again tied together, and in doing so the slates are
turned over, bringing the slate containing the writing, still upon
the inside, at the bottom instead of the top, and the string tied
or knotted above the top slate. Of course, when again separated,
the writing is found upon the inside of the lower slate. When the
slates are passed under the table the second time, the spectator
himself is allowed to do this, and the medium, with one of his
finger nails, while holding his end of the slate, produces a
scratching noise on the slate closely resembling the tracing of a
pencil. It is not really necessary to pass the slates under the
table the second time, but they can be held above it if preferred.

Now, suppose two slates are brought that are riveted or screwed or
sealed at the four corners. How can writing be obtained upon them
without disturbing any of the above arrangements? The slates are
held under the table in the same manner as in previous tests. To
produce the writing upon the slates the medium is provided with a
few simple, though effective devices, one of which is a little hard
wood tapering wedge, and a piece of thin steel wire, to one end of
which is fastened a tiny piece of slate pencil. An old umbrella rib
will be found to work admirably, because there is a small clasp
at one end and at its other end a small eye. The pencil is made
to fit into the end with the clasp. Now take the wooden wedge and
push it between the wooden frames of the slates at the sides. The
frames and slates will give enough to allow the wire and pencil to
be inserted and the writing be accomplished with it, after which
the wire is withdrawn, and then also the wooden wedge, and all is
done without leaving any trace or mark behind as to how it is all
performed. (Fig. 8.)

[Illustration: Fig. 8.--Wedging Apart the Slates.]

A well known conjuror at one time made a remark that he could
duplicate any slate writing test he ever witnessed, he having
publicly declared, time and time again, the slate writing test to
be a fraud. He gave a test in private at his own home and hit upon
a rather unique idea. A slate would be cleaned on both sides and
a private mark placed on it, and the slate allowed to lie flat on
the table, and the magician and the committee sat around it and
placed their hands upon the slate. Presently writing was heard, and
upon lifting the slate the side underneath was found covered with
writing. The table was a kitchen table with the ordinary hanging
cloth cover, or table cloth. The table had a double top with room
enough between the two to conceal a small boy. There was a neatly
made trap in both the table cloth and the top of the table; the
cloth being glued around the opening to keep it in place. The trap
door opened downwards. The boy concealed in the table opened the
trap door and did the necessary writing on the slate, and closed
the opening. The idea of having the committee hold their hands on
the slate was to prevent the slate from being accidentally moved
by the boy when writing. The above idea was improved upon by doing
away with the use of the boy and the double top of the table. The
trap in the cloth and table top was still used. But the test was
done with the lights turned out or down low, and the medium had a
confederate sitting at his right hand side. This allowed the medium
to take away his right hand, introduce it under the table, open the
trap, do the writing, shut the trap, replace his hand, and on the
lights being turned up the writing is found. It should be stated
that the medium and committee sat around the table with their hands
resting on the slate, and each person’s hand touching that of his
neighbor; so neither could move without the other being aware of
the fact, but the medium’s right hand neighbor, being one of his
confederates, allows him to take his (the medium’s) hand away
without any one being the wiser.

[Illustration: Fig. 9.--The Trick Slate.]

I will now describe how the writing is obtained upon the interior
of two slates sealed together, and all hands placed on them, and
without the assistance of a confederate. The table is the same as
previously described, that is, it contains the trap. The slates
are two single ones hinged together and sealed around the edges in
any manner the committee may see fit. One of the slates is a trick
slate made in this fashion: The slate part itself is made to work
on a pivot or hinge along one of its sides. (Fig. 9.) The side
opposite to where both slates are hinged together, by touching a
portion of the hinges that hold the two slates together, a catch
concealed in the wooden framework is released, which allows the
slate part itself to drop down on its own hinge or pivot. So when
the slates are placed on the table they are put directly over the
trap in the table, and with the hinges of the two slates toward
the medium. The medium, as he places the slates over the trap in
the table, pushes the hinge releasing the catch, which allows the
underneath slate to drop as far as the table. Now, when the trap
in the table is opened, the slate opens or drops far enough for
the medium to write on that part, also on the slate above it. He
closes both the slate and the table, and the slates, upon being
unsealed, are found covered with writing. The only thing that
remains to be explained is how the medium gets his hand free to
do the writing without being detected. The lamp or gas jet is
close to the medium’s right hand, where he can reach it. Now, all
the persons are seated around the table with their hands on the
slates, and each other’s hands or fingers touching one another.
The medium takes his right hand away to turn down the light, and
his next door neighbor, as soon as the light goes out, feels his
(the medium’s) hand or finger replaced. At least, so he thinks.
What really happens is this: The thumb of the medium’s left hand
is stretched far enough over to touch the hand or finger of the
person sitting on the performer’s right hand side. (Fig. 10.) The
medium immediately goes to work and produces the writing, and when
finished, just as he goes to relight the gas or lamp, he removes
the left thumb to create the impression that he has just taken his
right hand away again for the light.

[Illustration: Fig. 10.--The Medium Holding the Two Skeptics’
Hands.]

Here is a trick I once saw a medium do. He had a number of slates
piled on top of the table; he would clean these, one at a time,
showing each, and after they had been thoroughly examined, he
placed them on the floor. He would then pick them all up together
and replace them on the table, and select two of them, put them
together, holding them in his hand above his head, would shortly
separate them and show one covered with writing. The slates were
devoid of all trickery, as was easily proved in allowing them to be
thoroughly examined.

[Illustration: Fig. 11.--The Slate under the Carpet.]

The explanation is as follows: The floor was covered with carpet.
In this there was a slit or cut just large enough to pass or draw
a slate through. A slate with writing on one side is previously
placed under the carpet, with that side down. (Fig. 11.) The
slates, as they are cleaned, are laid on the carpet immediately
over or near this concealed one, and, on lifting the slates from
the floor, this one is also carried with them, and all placed on
the table.

Of course, it is this slate and one of the prepared ones that are
afterward used. There is little likelihood of any one taking notice
of there being one more slate in the pile.

Some mediums use two single slates, and, after cleaning them on
both sides, hold one in each hand. They sit a little way from the
table and place the right hand, with the slate, under the chair, as
if to draw the chair closer to the table. What the medium really
accomplishes is an exchange of slates. There is a little shelf, or
drawer, under the seat of the chair. On this lies a slate, one side
of which is prepared with writing. The medium picks up the slate
and leaves behind in its place the one held in his right hand as he
moves the chair. This is a method used to a considerable extent and
always successfully.

The following is a clever ruse, ofttimes used by mediums to destroy
all traces of the use of the false flap when it is employed. It is
the test where the flap is used to cover the writing on one slate,
and then that slate is covered with another. Now, if the slates
are turned over or reversed, the writing is uncovered and the flap
remains in the opposite or underneath slate. Now, to get rid of
that flap, the medium deliberately presses his knee against that
slate, breaking not only the slate, but also the flap contained in
it. The broken flap mingles in with the broken slate, and nobody is
any the wiser. Nobody for a moment thinks of picking up the pieces
to see if there are one or more slates. Of course, when the slates
are broken, it is done secretly under the table, and the medium
remarks: “The spirit force is so strong it has smashed the slate.”
A test with a single slate that I once saw done was rather neat in
its way, and I think it worth describing. The slate was examined
and cleaned on both sides, and placed on a small table covered
with a little fancy cloth. On lifting the slate afterward, its
underneath side was found with writing on it. The top of the table
was no larger than the slate. When the slate was laid on the table,
the medium remarked: “To convince you there is no trickery about
the table, I will remove the cloth;” which he did, with the slate
still on or in it, and then replaced the slate and cloth. Now, on
this table top was resting another slate covered with writing on
one side, and that side upward, and this covered with the table
cloth. When the medium picked up the cloth and the slate, which had
just been cleaned, he also carried along the second slate with it,
which was under the cloth, and in replacing the cloth he simply
reversed the sides, laying the first slate on the table, where it
was covered by the cloth, and the second one was thus brought to
view. It is astonishing how such barefaced and simple devices will
deceive the spectator. It is the boldness and air of conviction of
his assertions that carry a medium’s test successfully through.



CHAPTER II.

THE DOUBLE SLATE.


We now come to a slate called by the mediums “The double slate.”
It is, to all appearances, two ordinary slates hinged together at
one side and locked with a padlock, the shackle of which passes
through a hole in the sides of the frame of each slate. This slate
also contains the false flap or slate, but the slate or flap is
held firmly in each frame as follows: The inside edges of both
ends of each frame of the slates are beveled inward a trifle. One
of these ends of each slate frame is also made to slide or pull
out about one-quarter of an inch. These are prevented from sliding
until wanted by the medium by a catch in the framework, which is
connected with a screw in one of the hinges. This screw stands a
little higher than the rest, so as to be easily found. The hinges
are on the outside of the frame instead of inside. By pressing
this screw it undoes the catch, which allows the ends to be moved
a trifle. The false flap is just large enough to fill in the space
under the bevels of the frame, and if, in the top frame, the catch
is released and the end moved, the flap will drop into the bottom
slate, where it is held tight and firm by releasing the catch in
that frame, moving the end until the flap settles into its place
and then sending the end back into its original place again. The
writing is placed beforehand on one side of the flap and on one
slate, both the written sides face to face, and after the flap has
changed slates it presents two slates with written sides.

There is still another double slate used with hinges and padlock.
(Fig. 12.)

[Illustration: Fig. 12.--The Sliding Trick Slates.]

One of the ends of the wooden frame of one slate is fastened
securely to its slate, which is made to slide out completely from
the groove in the frame. This allows the insides of both slates to
be written upon. After that is done the slate is slid back into
its frame. Care should be taken, in sliding the piece back, not to
reverse it so as to bring the writing side out. The best way is not
to pull the slate completely out, and write upon the inside of the
stationary slate, and then reverse the slates, which will bring the
inside of the movable slate into view. Write on that and then close
the slate.

I have seen a medium use the double or folding slate and get rid of
the false flap in this way: He used a pair of small slates. These
he opened out with the flat side towards the audience, and while
in his hand, cleaned those two sides away from the table. He now
showed the reverse sides and cleaned them likewise. He now closed
the slates, but toward him, instead of away from him, holding them
close to his body, and as he does so, the false flap, by this
movement, slips easily and unperceived beneath his coat or vest.

I once witnessed a test which, for a time, completely nonplussed
me, but, after considerable study and experimenting, I solved it.

This is the effect of the test: A person was allowed to bring two
slates; he was to wash them himself and securely seal them in the
presence of the medium, the medium placing, before the slates were
sealed, a piece of chalk between them. The slates were sealed after
this fashion: Around the whole length and width of the slates court
plaster was stuck, and that was also sealed to the slates with
sealing wax, making it an utter impossibility to insert a piece
of wire, or like substance, between the slates. Nevertheless, the
slates were held under the table and presently removed, unsealed,
and writing in a very poor hand found upon the inner surface of one
of the slates. It could hardly be called writing, being hardly more
than a scrawl.

Now, how can this be accounted for? By one of the simplest
devices imaginable. The medium placed the piece of chalk between
the slates. This was composed of pulverized chalk, mixed with a
little water, glue and iron filings, and allowed to become hard.
The medium, while under cover of the table, traced with a magnet
below the slate the words found upon the inside, but backward, the
same as type is set for printing; if not, the writing on the slate
will be in reverse. The chalk, on account of the iron filings it
contains, follows the direction of the magnet. (Fig. 13.)

[Illustration: Fig. 13.--Magnetic Writing.]

We now come to another idea with two slates. Have two slates made
with fairly deep wooden frames, deep enough to hold the slate
proper and a false flap of slate. One made of silicate book-slate
stuff is preferable. Your apparatus consists now of two slates and
one false flap. The false flap is made to fit very tightly, so it
will not fall out of its own weight. The slates in the frame also
fit snugly. The frames are mortised out a little thicker than the
slate, say twice as thick. This allows the slate to work backward
and forward, from front to back, and _vice versa_. If the slate
is well pushed down and the flap placed on it, the flap will not
fall out, but if you press the slate on the back forward, it shoves
out the flap, and if it is covered with the other or second slate
during this operation, it is forced into the second slate, which
holds it firm and secure.

[Illustration: Fig. 14.--The Thimble Carrying False Key and Chalks.]

Another test, which was supposed to be convincing to skeptics, was
one in which a double slate was used; it was hinged and provided
with a lock in the wooden frame. The slates were examined, locked,
and the key given to the skeptic. The skeptic was allowed to select
from a number of pieces of colored chalk the color that he desired
the message to be written in. Upon the slates being unlocked and
opened, the writing is found in the color selected. While the
slates are being examined, the medium seizes a duplicate key which
fits the lock. (Fig. 14.) This key has a thimble attached to it
which fits the performer’s right thumb; also attached lengthwise to
the key are several small colored pencils or crayons of different
lengths. When the slate has been examined, it is placed under the
top of the table and held in position by the thumb of the right
hand, which is underneath, and the fingers above the table. During
this manipulation the thimble is placed on the thumb, and the
performer, with the key attached to it, opens the slate, using his
knee to assist or support the slate. One part of the slate opens
downward and rests on the knee, which holds it in position, i. e.,
at an incline, pressing it against the table top. On this part of
the slate the writing is now done with the colored crayon selected,
which are usually red, blue, green and white. When the color of
the crayon is selected the performer turns the thimble around,
bringing that color upward. Although not easy to execute, it is,
nevertheless, a most surprising and effective test.

The above test was used by a medium very successfully for years in
England and France, and was found out recently.

A test I once received was, I thought, quite clever. I was asked to
write a question on a piece of paper furnished by myself and place
it between two slates without the wooden frames. The medium said I
would in a short time receive an answer. He then opened the slates,
stating the answer must be there, but none was found. He remarked
that perhaps we did not give the spirits time enough. So he
replaced the slates together with the paper containing the question
between. Again, on taking the slates apart, they were devoid of
writing, but, strange to say, the answer in what looked like lead
pencil was found on the paper containing the question. When the
slates were removed the first time, the medium got a glimpse of
the question on the piece of paper and then gave me one slate to
examine, and apparently was looking at the other one himself. What
he really was doing was this: On the side of the slate toward him
he was writing a brief answer to my question with a pencil composed
of mutton tallow and lampblack pressed very hard. This pencil was
attached to his thumb. He held the slate at the ends with both
hands, thumbs behind and fingers in front, the writing being done
backward. When the slates were replaced the writing, being black,
was not seen against the black slate, and was placed immediately
over the paper and the writing transferred to it. This is the
reason the slates were used without the wooden frame, because with
the frame the two slates would not come close together to press
hard enough to transfer the answer.

A test, using a half dozen or so of slates, is as follows: Two
slates are cleaned and examined and given to be held together by
a skeptic, and the other slates cleaned on both sides and placed
on the table. The medium now takes the two slates apart, but no
writing is found; one slate is given to the skeptic and the other
is placed on the table by the medium, who picks up another slate
and places that with the one held by the unbeliever. After a short
time the slates are again removed by the medium and no writing is
found. As if in despair, the medium takes one slate away, placing
it on the table, picks up another, showing both sides, places it
with the one in the spectator’s hand, and in a little while the
skeptic himself separates the slates and writing is found on one of
them.

This method brings in use again the slate with a false flap. This
slate is among the others on the table. The two slates first given
to the individual to hold are all right when the medium takes one
slate away and places it on the table the first time and picks
up another slate to place it with the one held by the skeptic. It
is the flap slate, and this he places underneath the other slate
and asks the skeptic to hold them. When the medium again separates
the slates he turns them over, bringing the slate with the writing
uppermost and also allowing the flap to fall into the lower slate,
which is now taken away to be replaced by another taken from the
table. Care is taken not to show the underneath side of the upper
slate during this transaction. The slates the skeptic now holds are
devoid of trickery, and when exposed with the writing on will cause
wonderment.

[Illustration: Fig. 15.--Slate with False Hinges.]

There is still another style of slate made, and used to good
advantage. It is two slates hinged together, making a double slate.
It has also two holes in the frame opposite to the hinges, through
which tape or cord can be run and tied and sealed to the slates.
(Fig. 15.) The secret of getting the writing upon the inside lies
in the fact that at least one-half of each hinge is screwed to
the slate; the other half is made fast to a little projecting
piece in which there is a slight notch. These projections enter
corresponding holes in the other slate, in which is concealed a
spring bolt which engages these catches of the hinge. This bolt is
shoved back to release the catches by means of a pin pushed through
a hole in the end of the frame.



CHAPTER III.

MISCELLANEOUS SLATE TESTS.


At a public test or séance given by a medium I saw the following
clever trick performed: A slate, clean on both sides, to all
appearances, and, of course, devoid of writing, was given to a
spectator to hold above his head. The medium then loaded a pistol,
putting in, instead of a bullet, a piece of chalk, which he rammed
well in. He then took careful aim at the slate, fired away, and the
slate was covered with writing from the chalk that was placed in
the pistol. The medium, beforehand, allows any one in the audience
to choose from a plate containing different colored chalks the
colors they desire. The chalk is all right, and is actually placed
in the pistol and crushed to a powder by the ramrod. The slate has
been written on one side with glycerine. This side of the slate is
supposed to be cleaned, so as to keep clear of the glycerine, in
order that the invisible writing may not be disturbed. It is this
prepared side that faces the medium when he fires the pistol. The
powdered chalk adheres to the glycerine, and thus we make clear
another slate miracle.

A clever trick employed to deceive me on one occasion was as
follows: I was handed a slate and a damp sponge, with a request to
cleanse the slate. I did so, and handed it back to the medium, who
held it in plain view in one hand. In a short time the slate was
given back to me with writing on it that could not be produced by
any of the methods I was already acquainted with. I witnessed this
test a second time, and it was only by accident that I discovered
it, and all through the breaking of a string, to which the device
employed was attached. The apparatus was a strip of narrow wood,
nearly the length of the slate. Glued on it were raised letters of
cork (felt would do also). These letters were in reverse, and were
well rubbed with soft chalk. This strip of wood was attached to
a cord running up the left sleeve, across the back, and down the
right arm-hole, and thence under the vest and the end fastened to
a button. The length of the string allowed the wood to hang behind
the slate when held in the left hand. To keep the wood up in the
sleeve until wanted, there was a loop on the string far enough
up to suit the purpose. This loop was slipped over the button,
where it could be easily detached with the right hand. The sponge
was soaked in water containing alum, which makes the chalk adhere
better to the slate. When the slate was handed to the medium, he
held it downward in his left hand, and allowed the strip of wood
to slip down behind it, when it was pressed firmly against the
surface of the slate, and then pulled up into the sleeve again out
of sight. This same idea has been utilized in using a blotter, the
same as is used for ink, to dry the slate with. The blotter has the
writing done on it with chalk, thus doing away with the strip of
wood.

Take a slate and cover it with writing on one side. Cover this
writing with a piece of slate-colored silk, held in the corners
lightly with wax. At one end of this silk have a few minute hooks.
The slate is now cleaned on both sides, and, placing the slate on
the floor, the piece of silk is allowed to attach itself by means
of the hooks to the medium’s pants, or dress, as the case may be,
thus leaving the slate devoid of trickery. It is hardly necessary
to remark that the slate is placed on the floor written-side
downward.

[Illustration: Fig. 16.--The Caustic Trick Pencil.]

A friend of mine told me of a medium he once went to see, who gave
him a most remarkable test. He brought his own slate, and, as he
afterward said, there could have been no trick about it. The medium
took the slate for a moment, and with a pencil covered the slate
with writing on both sides, just to see, so he said, if it would
be good enough for the test. He then cleaned off the slate on both
sides and gave it back to my friend, requesting him to hold it
close against his breast, and then in a short time remove it, and,
when he did so, he was thunderstruck to find writing on it on the
side nearest to him. This struck me as being a most astounding
proof of spirit writing. I had a meeting with the medium, who gave
me the same test. It seemed strange to me that he should want my
slate to write on and wash it off again, for the same reason as he
gave my friend, and that was to see “if it was good enough for the
spirits to work with.” I received a message on the slate, after
it was washed, and saw that there was none on there after it was
cleaned and handed to me. I went home puzzled, and experimented to
no avail. I had another sitting with the medium, but he did not
give me the same test; so I returned home again and tried to fathom
the mystery, and was eventually successful. The trick was mainly
in the pencil. It was pointed at both ends. (Fig. 16.) One end
was a genuine slate pencil, the other end was a silver nitrate, or
caustic pencil. In writing on the slate he wrote the lines quite
a little distance apart with the slate pencil; in between these
lines he wrote with the caustic pencil, the writing of which was
invisible. The sponge the slate was cleaned with, was dipped in
salt water. That part of the slate containing the writing done with
the silver nitrate was just lightly tapped with the sponge, the
rest of the slate was thoroughly cleaned. The salt water, when the
slate becomes dry, brings out the silver nitrate white like a slate
pencil mark. I consider this trick as ingenious and clever a one as
it has been my good fortune to witness, and one that caused me much
mental effort to solve.

[Illustration: Fig. 17.--Writing with the Toes.]

Here is another test. A slate just cleaned and marked is placed
under the table on the floor. The medium and the skeptic grasp each
other’s hands across the table. In a few seconds the slate is taken
up from the floor and is found with writing on it. The solution of
this, like all the rest of the slate phenomena, rests in simplicity
and boldness. The medium wears slippers or low-cut shoes, that he
can slip his foot out of easily. His stocking on his right foot is
cut away so as to leave the toes bare. Now, attached to his great
toe is a bit of pencil, and with this the writing is done. (Fig.
17.) Sometimes the test is varied. Five or six pieces of chalk of
different colors are on the table, and the investigator is allowed
to select one, place it on the slate. In this case the chalk is
held between the great and adjoining toe, and the writing is thus
produced. It is surprising to see, with a little practice, what
you can educate the foot to do. I myself can easily pick a pin off
the floor and write quite well. Sometimes, by way of variation,
instead of the medium or investigator lifting the slate from the
floor, it is seen to mysteriously make its appearance above the
edge of the table, being lifted there by means of the toes of
the medium’s foot. Another method used is that of scratching the
writing on the slate with any metal instrument and then wash the
slate on both sides, being careful not to show the scratched side
until it is wet from the washing. In this condition a casual glance
will reveal nothing, but as soon as the slate becomes dry the
writing or scratching appears. Writing has also been made to appear
on a slate on the table while the medium and investigator sit with
both hands clasped across the table. The medium accomplished this
by the simple means of a pencil concealed in his mouth. At the
proper moment he holds it between his teeth, leans his head over
and writes on the slate. Of course this is all done in the dark,
and the writing is not very good, but it answers the purpose, and
that is all that is necessary.

Here is still another test. A person writes a question on the slate
and places it, written side down, on the table. All this when the
medium is not looking. The medium takes his seat at the table,
places one hand on the slate (so does the skeptic, the other hand
on the medium’s forehead). With the disengaged hand the medium
now proceeds to write on the upper surface of the slate. When he
has finished, the communication is read, and it is found to be a
correct answer to the question on the opposite side of the slate.
To perform this seeming impossibility the medium has to employ a
table containing a trap smaller than the frame of the slate. When
the slate is placed on the table, the medium shifts it over this
trap. The trap is then opened, and by means of mirrors, 3, 4,
5, placed at angles of 45 degrees in the body of the table, the
writing is reflected to the very place where the medium is sitting,
and the image is reversed to normal by the third mirror, and it is
easy then to give an answer to it. (Fig. 18.)

[Illustration: Fig. 18.--Reading the Questions by Means of Mirrors.]

The following is how writing can be made to appear on a slate on
which a person has placed his initials in one corner of it, which
is then placed with that side downward on the table, and shortly
afterward, on turning it over, it is found completely covered with
writing, and the signature of the visitor proves there has been no
exchange of the slate. The secret of obtaining this effect is both
a unique and quite original method.

[Illustration: Fig. 19.--The Interrupted Flap.]

The writing is already on the slate and is hidden from view by the
false flap, which has a corner missing from it. This missing corner
is where the clever idea comes in. After the medium cleans both
sides of the slate, he says: “I will just draw a chalk mark down
in this corner of the slate wherein the gentleman is to place his
signature.” He really draws the chalk mark on the slate proper,
but close to the edge of the missing corner of the flap, thus
disguising the joint, and after the flap is dropped out of the
slate of course this mark and signature still remains. (Fig. 19.)

Here is still another. The medium cleans a slate on both sides and
hands it to a skeptic to place his mark on it. It is then placed
on the table, face downward, and in a short time, on being turned
over, it is found with a spirit message on it. This is performed as
follows: Let the message be written on the slate and then sponged
out with alcohol, and when the slate dries, the writing will be as
plain as ever.

Here is another slate writing secret. Dissolve in hydrochloric acid
some small pieces of pure zinc, about one-half ounce to an ounce
of acid. With this solution write upon the slate with a quill or
a small camel’s hair brush the desired communication. When dry
it closely resembles writing done with a slate pencil. When the
time arrives for the test, wash the slate, and it appears to be
perfectly clean; allow any one to examine it and hold it until it
becomes dry, but with the prepared side down. On the slate being
turned over it is found to be covered with writing while in the
spectator’s hand.

Here is still another idea. The medium has a number of slates in
his arms, say four. He hands the investigator the top one to clean.
When he has done so, the medium receives it back and places it
at the bottom of the pile of slates and hands him another again
from the top to be cleaned, and repeats this operation until all
four slates have been cleaned. He now takes two of the slates,
places them together, and, on removing them again, writing is
found on one of them. Here is the method of procedure: Prepare
your communication on one of the slates, and let it be the bottom
of the pile, with the writing side down. Have your visitor seated,
stand by his side just a trifle behind him, hand him the top
slate to clean; after he has done so, hand him the second one and
receive the first one back, placing it at the bottom of all the
slates, and repeat until the third slate. While this one is being
cleaned, slip the fourth, now the top slate, to the bottom again.
When the third slate is received, place it on the bottom and hand
the fourth, really the first one over again; it is, of course, the
top one and dry by this time, and the investigator is none the
wiser. Of course, the two slates placed together afterward are the
one prepared with writing and one of the blank ones. Instead of
slipping the top slate to the bottom, sometimes another dodge is
used. The medium simply turns the three slates over by a twist of
the hand. This brings the prepared slate at the bottom and the last
slate cleaned at the top, and he says he will clean this one, thus
saving time; really, however, to disguise the fact that it is still
wet from the last cleaning. He says, however, to the visitor, “You
can clean it also, if you desire.”



CHAPTER IV.

MIND READING AND KINDRED PHENOMENA.


Having now described the principal slate tricks which mediums
use to entangle the unwary for their own ends, we come to other
tricks which are used from time to time to impress the credulous
with the idea that the medium is imbued with supernatural power
and can perform what are, in effect, miracles. These tricks are
legion, and they vary from clumsy attempts at mystification to the
use of elaborate pieces of magical apparatus which call for rare
mechanical genius in their design and construction. The present
chapter will deal more particularly with what might be termed
mind reading tricks and the reading of concealed writing. Of
these tricks one of the most perplexing is that of reading sealed
communications, or answering questions placed in an envelope which
is well sealed.

If I were to tell you that I could read whatever was written on
a card inclosed in an envelope, and that envelope not only well
sealed, but also stitched or sewn through with a thread and needle
or machine, and the thread sealed to the envelope also, without
removing the seal, stitches, etc., you would hardly credit the
assertion. It is nevertheless true, and is easily and readily
accomplished by very simple means.

Prepare a sponge with alcohol. With this you rub or brush the
envelope, which immediately becomes transparent as glass, thus
enabling you to see through it and read what is written on the
card. It takes but a few seconds for the alcohol to evaporate and
leave the envelope in the same condition as before, without leaving
a trace as to what or how it has done. This test was used most
successfully for years by a celebrated Philadelphia medium.

[Illustration: Fig. 20.--The Thumb Pencil Carrier.]

We now come to a test often employed. A card is given by the medium
to a skeptic with the request to write a question on it. The medium
now holds the card in his hand against his forehead. Presently he
hands the card back to the spectator, and on it, in writing, is
found an answer to the question. The medium accomplishes the above
feat by means of a little apparatus which is easily attached to
the tip of the thumb. Part of it goes under the thumb nail and the
lower part has a small needle point which embeds itself in the
flesh. In the center of this little apparatus is a tiny piece of
lead pencil. With this clever bit of mechanism the medium does the
writing with the thumb of the hand holding the card. (Fig. 20.)

Four or five persons are seated around a table. They are given
paper and pencil and requested to write questions, then fold their
papers up and place them in their pockets. The medium will give
them replies to their questions; in fact, can tell them the full
text of the questions they asked, and, what is more mysterious,
he has been out of the room all the time the writing has been
going on. To produce this effect, you are provided with a table
containing a hollow leg. Now, spread a piece of thin white silk
on top of table, then on the top of that a piece of carbon, or
duplicating paper, or cloth. Now, over all, a thin table cover,
fastened around the edges, so it cannot be raised up and looked
under by the inquisitive.

To the white piece of silk is fastened a string leading down the
hollow leg, through a hole in the flooring, to the cellar or room
below. Whatever writing is placed on the papers is transferred
by the carbon paper to the silk below it. The medium pulls the
string, down comes the silk. One corner of the silk has a mark
corresponding with a certain corner of the table, and by this
method not only does the medium know what is written, but who wrote
it, as he has simply to see the position the writing occupies on
the silk, and it will have been done by the party occupying the
same position at the table. Another way is by using a pad of soft
paper and hard pencils, and, after the writing, remove the pads.
It will be found that the hard pencil has caused an imprint, or
indenture, of the writing on the page below, not readily seen by a
casual glance, but easily seen by the skilled eye of the medium.

A test sometimes offered is as follows: A card is offered to a
person to write a request. It is then placed in an envelope and
sealed by the medium and placed on the table sealed side up. The
medium now takes a pencil and slate and writes something on it. It
is given to the skeptic who wrote the question, and it is found
to be an answer to his query. The medium now opens the envelope
by tearing it at one end, and takes out the card containing the
question and hands it to the spectator. This is another humbug,
and is accomplished by exceedingly simple but bold means. It will
be observed that the medium places the card in the envelope, also
takes it out. The skeptic never sees it. This is the secret: The
envelope, on its face, has a slit cut in it a little lower down
than the opening on the other side of the envelope. This side, the
face of the envelope, is never shown. The card, in being placed
in the envelope, is deliberately pushed through the slit in the
envelope into the medium’s hand and palmed by him and read. Of
course, it is an easy matter to write some kind of a sensible
answer when the question is known. The card is inserted in the
envelope in the same manner as it is taken out.

Another trick is to have an answer appear written upon the
inside of the body of the envelope in which is enclosed the
question. The envelope is closed and sealed with sealing wax.
This is accomplished without disturbing the seal. In the ordinary
manufacture of an envelope, three of the flaps are stuck together
with adhesive gum of far less strength than the fourth flap, which
is to be moistened and closed by the user. It is generally an easy
matter to insert the blade of a penknife behind the bottom flap,
that is, between it and one of the end flaps, and separate them a
trifle. Then, if you insert into this a wooden skewer, or hard,
round-pointed stick, like a pencil, in fact, a lead pencil will do,
but look out it does not leave marks behind; and by pushing this
along, and giving it a rolling motion, you will separate the flaps
up as far as the seal, and, if done carefully, without tearing or
mutilating the envelope. Now, on a slip of paper write the answer
or suitable message, but in reverse or backward writing, as the
words would appear in a looking-glass, with a carbon or copying
pencil. Pass this slip through the opening in the envelope, shake
it into the desired position, now rub the envelope over this spot
until you think the envelope has taken the impression. Then remove
the slip of paper by the same way it came in, moisten and gum the
opening, and the trick is done. In rubbing the envelope, it is a
good plan to place a piece of paper over it to keep the envelope
clean of marks, which would be liable to appear from damp or moist
fingers during the rubbing.

The following is from the experiments of a German scientist. He
discovered, by the use of an embryoscope, or egg-glass, that the
shells of eggs were of very unequal thickness.

It occurred to him to make experiments in order to ascertain how
many leaves of ordinary letter or official paper must be laid above
and below a written leaf, in order to make it illegible to a highly
sensitive eye in the direct sunlight. He found that after he had
rested his eye in a dark room for ten or fifteen minutes, he could
read a piece of writing over the mirror of the embryoscope that
had been covered with eight layers of paper. He called in other
observers to confirm this. The letters, however, that could be
thus deciphered were written in dark ink on one side of the paper
only. If four written sides were folded together, and especially
if there had been crossing, it was hard to make out the drift
of the writing; and there are some kinds of writing which, when
folded thrice or twice, admit too little light for the purpose of
decipherment.

In this way, possibly, many of the performances of “clairvoyants”
may be explained. By means of the egg-glass it is, as a rule,
easier to make out the contents of a letter or telegram without
the slightest tampering with the envelope than it is to detect the
movements of the embryo in the egg.

Suppose the writer of a billet, the contents of which are known
only to himself, lets it out of his hands and loses sight of it
for five minutes, it may be carried either in the direct sunlight,
or into electric or magnesium light, and be read by the aid of
the egg-glass. The placing of a piece of cartridge paper in the
envelope, or the coloring of it black, is a means of defense at
hand. In their present form, telegrams cannot be protected from
perusal, unless delivered at once into the hands of the addressees.

A few tests employed by mind readers and clairvoyants, so called
from their presumed ability to read other people’s minds, will, I
think, prove interesting. Let us suppose the performer, as a means
of proving his ability to cause his subject to read his mind from
a distance, or by mental telegraphy, execute the following feat.
His subject, let us say his wife, is at home. The professor is in
a public place, a store, or banking house, etc. He requests some
one to write a question; he hands this person a fountain pen and
a pad of paper. After the person has done so, he is requested to
fold the communication up, place it in an envelope and seal it, and
then put it in his pocket. He is now asked to write a letter or
note to the professor’s assistant, asking her to inform him what
it was that he had asked on the paper inclosed in the envelope in
his pocket. This note, and the pen also, for fear the lady has no
writing utensils, is carried by the gentleman himself to the lady.
She reads the request, and, turning the paper over, she writes
the answer correctly on the other side. Sometimes, instead of the
gentleman himself going with the note, a messenger boy is sent with
it and the answer brought back by him. In either case the paper and
pen are sent along. The pen is an ordinary fountain pen, and it is
by means of it that the lady receives the desired information of
what has been written. First the professor has to know what has
been written. He simply says to the gentleman: “You must allow
me to read the question; for, if I do not see it, how can my
assistant see it, for it is through me she is enabled to know? What
I see I convey to her by mental telegraphy, and thus convey the
communication.” After the professor sees the communication he goes
to a desk and gets an envelope, or takes one out of his pocket,
and gives it to the gentleman to place his question in and seal it.
While this is being done he stealthily writes on a piece of fine,
thin paper an exact copy of the question. This he makes into a
little pellet and places it in the little cap or end that is made
to cover the point of the pen for protection. Of course it is now
easy to see the method by which the question is made known to the
assistant. She has simply to remove the pellet of paper, unfold it
and read it. Sometimes a pad of paper is used that has cunningly
concealed between two of its leaves, near the top, a piece of
carbon duplicating paper. These two sheets are pasted around the
edges so as to appear as one, and when the person writes a question
it is duplicated on the sheet of paper following the one wherein
is concealed the carbon paper. The professor has simply to tear
out this sheet and inclose it in the cap of the fountain pen. The
name of Foster is almost invariably coupled with any test wherein
there is reading of sealed letters, pellets, etc., just the same as
Slade’s is connected with the slate writing tests.

Foster was an inveterate smoker, anywhere and everywhere,
especially at his séance, and it was all for a purpose. The
visitor who desired a sitting with Foster was asked to write a few
questions on small pieces of paper, fold them up separately, and
press them into small balls or pellets. Foster would pick one of
these up and hold it to his head, as if to try and penetrate it.
Apparently failing to do so, he would place it back on the table.
This he would repeat with others. Finally, he hands one of them to
the visitor, after holding it against his forehead, requesting
him to hold it himself. Foster then took a pencil and paper, and
scribbled something on it, and then bared one of his arms, and
showed it devoid of any preparation. He then rubbed this arm with
his hand, and, on removing it, a name was seen. On reading what
Foster scribbled on the paper, the visitor finds an answer to one
of his questions, and the name in blood red on Foster’s arm is
found to be the name of a person addressed by the visitor in the
note. Foster had a pellet of paper of his own concealed between his
finger tips, and, at some convenient moment, instead of placing
back on the table one of the pellets he has just taken up, he
substitutes one of his own, keeping the bona fide one in his hand,
which he lowers into his lap and unfolds. Holding it in the palm of
his hand, he strikes a match and lights his cigar, and while doing
so he is deliberately reading the note, which he afterward crumples
into a ball and conceals in his hand. He now takes up another
pellet and tries to see through it by holding it to his forehead.
He, however, fails, and gives it to the visitor to hold, really
exchanging it for the one he has just read. He now has his own and
the visitor has his. He now allows his hands to lie carelessly in
his lap, and, while conversing with the visitor, he pushes one of
his coat sleeves up a short distance, and, with a sharp-pointed
stick, writes the desired name on his arm, pressing down hard. In a
second or two he writes the answer to the visitor’s question, minus
the name he has just placed on his arm. He now shows his arm bare,
and rubs the spot where he has written, with his fingers slightly
moistened, whereupon the name appears in bright pink writing. If
it is desired to make it disappear, hold the hand above the head
a few seconds. To make it appear again, rub once more with the
fingers.

Here is another trick which apparently calls for mind reading.
The performer’s assistant is sent out of the room. Now, a sum of
figures in addition is placed on the slate by a spectator. When he
has concluded, the performer takes the chalk and draws a line under
the numbers, turns the slate downward on a table, so nothing can
be seen, places chalk on the slate, and retires into a corner of
the room. His assistant is now called into the room, steps up to
the table and seizes the chalk and marks down the correct answer
to the sum of figures which is on the other side. Like all the
tricks that appear the most incomprehensible, this is one of the
most simple. The performer stands watching the person as he places
down the numbers on the slate, he mentally adds them, and, with his
hands behind his back or under his coat-tails, with a lead pencil
in one hand, he writes on a piece of chalk held in the other hand
the correct answer. It is needless to say that it is this piece
of chalk he places on the slate, and not the one used. The chalk
is scraped or filed flat a trifle lengthwise. This is to keep it
from rolling on the slate, thus avoiding accidental exposure of the
writing on it, and also give it a flat surface to write on.

Here is an effect I produced as a stage illusion some years ago,
somewhat resembling a spiritualistic effect. Hanging up against the
scene, at the rear of the stage, was a large blackboard. On this
blackboard writing appeared gradually, done in chalk, as though
some unseen hand were actually at work. The blackboard was really
nothing but fine wire slate-colored netting. There was a large
hole cut in the scene immediately behind the blackboard. This hole
was completely boxed in by curtains or woodwork, so as to make it
as dark as night. A man was in this space, and he was dressed in
a complete suit of black; also a black mask and gloves. He was
provided with a pot of white paint, composed of whiting, water and
glue, and a brush. Now, the man can see through this netting, but
the spectators are unable to see him behind this screen of netting.
With the brush and paint he traces on the wire netting whatever is
desired. The paint comes through the meshes of the netting, and,
adhering to it, makes a very good imitation of a chalk mark. It
should be remembered the person doing the writing does so backward;
so it will be in correct position when seen by the audience.

[Illustration: Fig. 21.--The Board Facing the Audience.]

The following is somewhat in the same line, and is called the
“Educated Fly.” When the curtain rises a large mirror, in a gilt
frame, is seen resting against an easel. (Fig. 21.) The magician
takes the mirror in its frame from the easel and rests it on the
floor, showing both sides to the audience. He also removes the
glass from the frame, and rests the glass against the easel while
he exhibits the frame to the audience. The frame has a solid wooden
back. The mirror is about four and a half feet wide and three feet
high, and after it has been inspected, the magician replaces it
in the frame. He now takes a piece of soap and marks the glass
off into twenty-eight even squares, which he numbers from one to
twenty-six, and letters from A to Z; one of the remaining squares
is zero, and the other is left, as the prestidigitateur says, for a
starting point. He now takes a large fly from the table and places
it on a little shelf which projects from the empty square. He then
asks that a letter or number be called. As soon as this is done,
the fly is seen to travel across the mirror and stop at the desired
square. This is repeated time and time again, the fly every time
returning to the starting point.

[Illustration: Fig. 22.--The Mystery Explained.]

The reason for having the mirror separate from its frame, and
exhibiting it separately, is this: It will be remembered that the
mirror is rested against the easel as the frame is shown, and that
this frame has a wooden back. In addition to the wooden back, it
has a cloth back, which is firmly fastened to the frame, and then
comes the wooden back. This back is hinged to the frame at the
bottom. Now, when the frame is placed on the easel and the mirror
rested on the floor, the space behind the easel from the floor up
is concealed by the mirror, and this gives an opportunity for a boy
to get through a trap in the floor and pull down the back of the
frame, to make a shelf on which he sits. (Fig. 22.) Of course, the
cloth back is still in the frame; so the boy cannot be seen. The
mirror is taken up and replaced in the frame; then it is marked off
into squares, as already mentioned. The black cloth is previously
marked off into squares which exactly duplicate those which have
been made on the face of the mirror. The fly is made of cork, with
an iron core which is set flat against the glass. The boy behind
the mirror is provided with a strong electro-magnet attached to a
wire running down the leg of the easel and under the stage, where
it is connected to a powerful battery. He brings up the magnet
and several feet of wire with him while the mirror is resting on
the stage. When the boy hears the numbers called, he applies his
magnet to the corner where the fly is resting on the little shelf,
and the magnetic attraction, working through the glass, draws it
successively over the squares until it comes to the desired spot,
which the boy can see on his chart; and, of course, the proper
letter or figure is indicated where the fly stops.

The most sphinx-like problem ever presented to the public for
solution was the second-sight mystery. There have been many exposés
of “mental magic,” and some of the best of them are described in
“Magic: Stage Illusions and Scientific Diversions, Including Trick
Photography.”

We have now to concern ourselves with “mental magic” where the
results are obtained by clever tricks. There have appeared, from
time to time, before the public, individuals who generally work
in couples, termed “operators” and “subjects,” who have given
performances which were termed mental wonders, silent second-sight,
etc. The operator invariably tries to impose on the public with
the idea that he possesses some mysterious power over the “subject”
by which he is enabled to communicate information to her by his
will power over her mind, without a word being spoken. There are,
of course, various methods of performing this trick, as by a code
of predetermined signals in which sentences like the following are
used: “Say the number. Well? Speak out. Say what it is.” But these
methods are not comparable with the mechanical means which we are
about to describe.

The “operator,” after informing the audience of the wonderful
powers of divination which the subject possesses, introduces the
“subject,” who is invariably a lady. She is seated on a chair near
the front of the stage, in plain view of the audience. Her eyes
are heavily bandaged, so she cannot see. A committee is invited to
go upon the stage to see that the lady has had her eyes properly
blindfolded, and also, ostensibly, to help the operator. A large
blackboard is placed at one side of the stage, behind the lady.
One of the committee is requested to step to this blackboard and
write on it, with chalk, some figures, usually up to four or more
decimal places; and after he has done so he resumes his seat. The
lady immediately appears to add up the number mentally, calling out
the numbers and giving the results of the addition. Each member
of the committee is invited to step to the blackboard and touch
a figure. No sooner has he done so than the lady calls out the
number. Other tests of a similar nature are given, such as the
extraction of square and cube root, etc. They all prove that the
lady has a thorough knowledge of the numbers on the blackboard
and the relative position which they occupy. It is, of course,
proved beyond a doubt that the lady cannot see the blackboard.
The question then arises, How does she obtain the information?
There are two methods of performing this trick. In either case
her information is obtained from a confederate, who is generally
concealed under the stage, who has the blackboard in sight, and who
transmits to the lady the desired information.

[Illustration: Fig. 23.--The Foot Telegraph.]

In one method the lady has a hole, one and a half inches in
diameter, cut out of the sole of one of her slippers. (Fig. 23.)
She places this foot over a hole in the stage, through which a
small piston is worked pneumatically by the assistant. The piston
is connected with a rubber tube, which runs to where the assistant
is concealed. The assistant looks at the blackboard and manipulates
the bulb, thus causing the piston rod to strike the sole of the
foot, giving signals which can be readily understood by the
subject. Robert Heller used a system somewhat similar, only an
electro-magnet was used instead of the pneumatic piston.

[Illustration: Fig. 24.--The Speaking Tube.]

Another and bolder method of conveying information is the speaking
tube. In this case a Vienna bent-wood chair is used. The chair is
specially prepared for the trick. One leg of the chair is hollow,
and the air passage is continued to the very top. The lady usually
has a long braid of hair hanging down her back, and, if not blessed
by nature with this hirsute adornment, she wears a wig. In either
case, concealed in the hair is a rubber tube, one end being close
to the ear and the other hanging down with the braid, so that when
the lady is seated on the chair the operator can easily connect it
with the tube in the chair. (Fig. 24.)

[Illustration: Fig. 25.--The Head Telegraph.]

[Illustration: Fig. 26.--The Signaling Instrument.]

There is still a third method, which is so absurdly simple that
it deceives even a very knowing committee. The committee places a
chair on any part of the stage they may see fit, and the subject
seats herself and is blindfolded as before. A thread runs from the
side of the subject through a small ring attached to a chandelier
overhead. (Fig. 25.) One end of this thread is held by an assistant
and the other end is fastened to a hammer working on a pivot
secured to a metal plate concealed in the hair of the lady, her
hair being dressed high. When she walks on the stage, the assistant
pulls in the slack of the thread, and when she is seated on the
chair, the assistant pulls the thread taut, so that he is able to
communicate signals to her by a very slight motion of the thread,
which causes the hammer to work on the plate, which is resting very
close to the skull, so that the signals are easily felt at every
stroke of the hammer. (Fig. 26.) Predetermined signals may be used,
or the regular Morse alphabet, as in telegraphing. There are a
number of other ways of convey conveying information, but the three
methods we have described are perhaps the best.



CHAPTER V.

TABLE LIFTING AND SPIRIT RAPPING.


[Illustration: Fig. 27.--Table Lifting Trick.]

So much has been heard about table tipping and floating tables, it
will, I think, prove interesting to explain a few of the clever
devices employed to produce the above phenomena. Small, light
tables are lifted by the mere “laying on of hands.” The arms are
raised in the air and the table is seen to cling to the hands and
follow every motion. This is accomplished by a pin driven well into
the table, and a ring with a slot in it (Fig. 27) worn on one of
the medium’s fingers. The body of the pin easily enters the slot in
the ring, but the head of the pin, being larger, prevents the table
from falling away from the hand. After the table has been floated
successfully, an extra strong upward pressure of the hand pulls the
pin out, and the table can be examined. Another test on somewhat
similar lines is the lifting of a bowl of water by immersing the
hand in the basin of water. In this case a pin is fastened firmly
into a leather or rubber sucker, and the finger ring again does
the work. (Fig. 28.) This can also be used to lift anything that
is not of a porous nature. A table with a well polished top can
be easily lifted. In lifting large tables the medium is assisted
by a confederate among the assembled guests. It is his duty to
get as near opposite the medium as possible. The medium and the
confederate have fastened to their wrists, by means of a leather
cuff and straps, a bent hook. (Fig. 29.) Their hands rest on top
and the hooks under the table. By this means it is a simple task
to raise the table. Sometimes the above device is varied; instead
of hooks fastened to their wrists they use hooks from under their
vests, hanging by a loop from their necks. (Fig. 30.) I have seen a
square table lifted without the use of either of the above devices.
The medium and his confederate simply got the linen cuffs of their
right hands well under the corner of the table, and with their
hands on top they found no difficulty in raising the table by this
improvised means.

[Illustration: Fig. 28.--The Sucker.]

Although spiritualists claim they have, and can, make pianos float
in the air, I have never seen it accomplished, and I could never
get a medium who was able to produce the effect, and I sincerely
doubt if any one can honestly and truthfully acknowledge they have
witnessed it.

[Illustration: Fig. 29.--The Leather Cuff and Hook.]

I saw a small, round table once floated in the air without the
medium touching it. It was accomplished by means of two threads
running across the room and worked by two confederates. The threads
were on the floor and lifted up and allowed to catch under the
table.

I have also seen a letter raised from a table and float in the air
into the medium’s hand. This was done also with a thread, one end
fastened in the wall above the table the letter rested on, the
other near the medium. The letter is not sealed. This allows the
thread to go between the flap and letter, or envelope, and when the
medium pulled the thread taut, it made an incline for the envelope
to travel on, right up to the outstretched hand.

[Illustration: Fig. 30.--The Loop and Hook for Table Raising.]

Years ago Robert-Houdin, the celebrated French conjurer, produced,
at his pretty little theater in Paris, an illusion which, for
startling effects, has not since that time been excelled; and the
means which he employed for operating the stage machinery have
been employed in many stage tricks of more recent date. The stage
is set to represent a drawing-room, and, in stage parlance, would
be called a “box set.” There are side scenes, as well as a “drop”
or back piece. In the center of the room is a large door, and a
grand piano rests against one of the side scenes, a small table
being placed near the door. When the illusion is to be performed,
a lady enters carrying a bouquet, which she leaves on the table
and advances to the piano. (See Frontispiece.) She seats herself,
opens the cover of the piano and plays a short piece; then, closing
down the cover, remarks that she does not feel in the humor to
play. She extends her hand toward the bouquet on the table, which
mysteriously rises and falls through the air into her hand; and, at
the same time, she is seen to rise upward in the air still seated
upon the piano stool. When she reaches a point midway between the
ceiling and the floor she glides toward the opposite sides of the
room, and the piano, which seems as if it will not be outdone,
rises also and follows her through the air. This is usually
received with great applause by the audience, and the curtain
falls. The explanation of the phenomena is the following (Fig.
31): In the first place, the piano case is cleverly made out of
_papier maché_, and is really a mere shell containing no keyboard
or action. The back of the piano is open; immediately behind it, in
the side scene, is a trap, and at the back of this scene is a real
piano mounted on a truck, so that it can be easily moved backward
and forward. Our engraving shows both the piano and the trap. When
the real piano is run into the _papier maché_ case the keyboard is
in its normal position, so that the lady can play upon it. When the
lady finishes playing she closes the lid of the false piano. As
soon as this is done an assistant behind the scene moves the piano
back, thus leaving the empty shell, and the trap in the scene is
closed. The false piano is, of course, very light, and to it are
fastened fine wires, which are invisible at a short distance; one
is secured to each corner. These wires run up over pulleys on a
truck overhead, which can be run backward and forward immediately
over the scene. Each wire is terminated by a bag of sand or shot,
which counter-balances the weight of the piano. It will be noticed
that there is a fifth wire secured to the false case. It is run
up also over the pulley in the truck, and then off to the side of
the stage beyond the side scenes. By pulling this wire the piano
is raised or lowered to any desired distance. Counterweights hold
the instrument at any position. There is a rope attached to the
overhead truck, so that it can be pulled back and forth, thus
causing the piano to move across the stage. There are, of course,
slits in the ceiling of the mimic stage which allow the wires to
pass through.

[Illustration: Fig. 31.--The Mystery Explained.]

The lady is raised by a curious device. There is attached to the
piano stool a clear piece of plate glass, which comes up through a
slot in the stage technically known as a “slider.” This glass is
made to raise or lower by means of a windlass. The glass rests on a
cross-piece of wood and works up and down in a grooved frame, which
is secured to a movable truck under the stage. The slot in the
stage is continued in the direction in which the glass is to move,
and the carpet is of a marked design which will cover the narrow
opening.

The bouquet is secured with a thread attached to the piano, and it
then goes through the door, where an assistant holds the loose end.
A small loop of wire is attached to the bouquet, and a thread runs
through it. When the lady enters the room and lays the bouquet on
the table, this thread is passed through the loop of wire. When the
bouquet is desired to travel to the lady, the assistant has only to
raise the end of the thread high enough and the bouquet slides down
the incline into the lady’s hand.

[Illustration: Fig. 32.--The Telegraph Set.]

A medium in Detroit, Mich., has lately been hoodwinking the public
and coining money with an idea that was quite original. He employed
a small, shallow box, composed of wooden sides and ends and slate
top and bottom. The box and its lid were about of even height, and
were hinged together. (Fig. 32.) The box contained a telegraph
key connected up to a sounder and a dry battery sitting outside
of the box on the table. The medium allowed everything to be well
examined. It was proved that the battery on the table was the
only means of operating the sounder whenever the key was worked.
If one of the wires were disconnected, or the box were closed and
the key thus out of the way of manipulation, the sounder would
not work. After everything was satisfactorily explained, notes
were written on pieces of paper, which were folded and placed
upon the table. These are taken, one at a time, and placed in the
box and the lid closed. If conditions are favorable, the spirits
will be enabled to read one of the inclosed notes, and will send
a telegraphic reply over the sounder; and such is ofttimes the
result. Of course, we know spirits do nothing of the sort; it is
the medium who accomplishes all of this. How does he know the
contents of the note? How does he cause the ticker to work with
the key inclosed in the box? The visitor is placed on one side of
the table, generally facing a window, so as to have the light shine
into his or her eyes. The medium sits opposite with his back toward
the window; the box containing the key is at his side of the table,
with the hinges, or the back of the box, toward the visitor. Now,
if the lid of this box is opened and a paper taken off the table
and placed in the box and the lid closed, you could not tell for
certain if the paper was actually placed in or not, for the simple
reason that the cover of the box, when up, completely masked the
operation. It is by the above scheme that the medium obtains the
notes on the paper. The first one or two are actually placed in the
box; then the next one is deliberately dropped into the medium’s
lap instead of the box. He unfolds it, reads it, refolds it, and,
on opening the box, apparently takes it from there and places it
back on the table and does not lose track of it. Two or three other
papers are placed in it by the visitor, and again taken out by him.
Again the visitor is asked to place in it the one the medium knows
the contents of. Now the ticker commences to work. With his left
hand carelessly resting on the corner of the closed box, the medium
writes with his right hand, with a pencil, on a pad of paper, the
communication received over the ticker. The visitor removes the
paper from the box, and the answer just written by the medium on
the pad is found to be a reasonable one to the written request.

All that remains to be explained is the working of the sounder. It
is very simple. In the first place, the lid and box are hinged so
as to be hinge bound; that is, they will not, of their own weight,
quite touch each other, possibly about an eighth of an inch, or
less, apart. But by the pressure or weight of the hand they will
come together. Now, the telegraph key, like all such instruments,
is provided with a tension screw, which can be screwed one way
or the other. When the medium desires his instrument to work, he
raises this tension screw, to which is fastened the button of the
key, just high enough to touch the lid on the inside of the box
when it is closed of its own weight. Now, when the hand is resting
on the box, he proceeds to make the sounder “speak” at will, with
no perceptible movement of his hand. A simple muscular contraction
of the palm of the hand, which cannot be detected, is sufficient
to control the sensitive key, by pressure of the box cover on it.
The whole thing is so simple, and at the same time puzzling, that
it makes one laugh to think how little it takes to make a fool of
a man.

In the case of this medium, the head of the tension screw was
brass, and left a brassy mark on the slate top. He soon observed
this, and changed it for a hard rubber one, which left no telltale
marks behind. Sometimes he did not raise the tension screw, but
laid the folded paper the question was written on on top of
it. This made up the required height. Other mediums improved
on the above method by working the key through the box by an
electro-magnet concealed in the table top. The current to the
magnets was turned on and off, or broken, as the line is used, by
means of a small button in the body of the table, pressed by the
medium’s leg. This method allowed him to keep his hand off the box.

The raps, or noises, are produced in various manners. Press your
boot heel gently against a table leg. The slipping of the leather
against the wood makes perfect spirit raps, wood being a good
conductor of sound. The raps apparently come from the table top if
attention is directed in that direction. Some mediums, with the
tips of their fingers pressed firmly on a table top, slip them,
by a dexterous movement, along the varnished surface, thus making
very fair examples of raps or thuds. Some mediums, in their own
homes, have tables provided with electro-magnets concealed in them,
by which the knocks are accomplished. Medical experts claim that
a very good result can be obtained by the mere displacement of
the tendons of the muscle called _peroneus longus_, in the sheath
in which it slides behind the external _malleolus_. Others again
produce it by snapping the toe or knee joints. Watch a boy some
day as he snaps his finger joints, and if he were to rest his
elbows on the table while doing so, the sound would be intensely
strengthened.



CHAPTER VI.

SPIRITUALISTIC TIES.


“Ties” have always been one of the great standbys of mediums,
second only to slate writing.

The following is a simple test with a rope or piece of string: A
long piece of rope is given for inspection, and, on its return to
the medium, he coils it up and lays it on the table; the two ends
are tied together and sealed fast to the table. The coils of the
rope are now allowed to drop on the floor. Lights are lowered, and,
in a few minutes, when the lights are relighted, the coil of rope
is found with numerous knots tied in it that could not naturally
have been accomplished without the ends being untied and unsealed.
This mystery is accomplished by simple means. When the medium
receives the rope back he does not coil it up as a person would, in
the ordinary fashion, but makes the coils so they really form half
hitches, and, as he lays them on the table, he runs one of the free
ends through all the coils, then ties the two ends together. Each
coil will now form an overhand knot. An easy manner of manipulating
the rope is as follows: The rope is held in the hands, with palms
upward; now, to form the coil, or half hitch, the right hand is
given a half twist; this brings the palm facing the person’s breast
and back of hand outward, and leaves the rope as seen in Fig.
33; this loop is transferred to the left hand (Fig. 34), and the
operation repeated until the supply of the rope is exhausted. Now,
to make the knots, one end of the rope has simply to be passed
through all the loops.

[Illustration: Fig. 33.--First Position.]

[Illustration: Fig. 34.--Second Position.]

I have seen the above test worked also as follows: Two skeptics
were used. One end of the rope was fastened to one of the skeptic’s
wrists and the other end to the wrist of the second skeptic. The
knots were sealed. The rope in this case was quite long, about
twenty feet. The medium now makes the rope up into a few coils; out
go the lights, and, in a few minutes, on the lights being turned
up, the rope is found with knots. This is what happens: When the
lights went out, the medium went up to one of the skeptics, and,
while talking to him and moving him two or three feet further away
from the other skeptic, he has passed the coils over this one man’s
head, and allowed the coils to drop to the floor. As soon as the
skeptic steps out of these, the job is done.

There is another test on somewhat similar lines. A short piece
of rope is examined and the performer holds it in one hand and
then tosses it into the cabinet, which is empty. On opening the
curtain in a few seconds the rope is found with a knot on it. The
performer himself actually ties the knot with one hand in the act
of tossing the rope into the cabinet. The rope is held in the hand
palm upward, very near one end, the short end in the hand being
with the long end hanging down, the shorter part being between the
thumb and the forefinger. The hand and arm are given a kind of half
circular sweep in tossing the rope into the cabinet; this causes
the long portion of the rope to swing under, then over the wrist,
and across the fingers of the hand. This end is then seized between
the fingers and drawn through the loop just made; at the same time
the loop is dropped off the wrist as the rope is tossed into the
cabinet. In reading the above description it seems like four or
five different movements, but with practice they all blend into one.

Here is another test. A single knot is tied in the center of a
piece of string; now the ends are tied together and knots sealed.
The lights turned down; on their again being turned up, the knot
from the center of the cord has disappeared. The moment there was
darkness the medium started to work, and kept slipping the knot
along the string until it joined the rest at the top of the string,
where there is not much fear of its being seen. To further protect
himself he uses the following plan: He chews gum colored the same
as the sealing wax used. Now in the dark, when he has the single
knot up against the others at the end of the string, he covers this
knot with part of the chewing gum and blends it in with the sealing
wax.

I will now explain a few ties, rope and otherwise, by which the
mediums allow themselves to be tied. It is almost invariably the
rule for the medium to suggest to the investigator the general way
he wishes to be tied. They must have certain conditions, so they
say, or the spirits will not work. It is safe to say the conditions
are very strict and always in favor of the medium. The female
medium has a preference for ties in which tape or muslin, or cotton
cloth torn into strips, is utilized. The male performer, as a rule,
uses rope and wire. I will first describe what is known as the
braid or tape test. Take a piece of tape about three-quarters of
an inch wide. Have one end of this securely tied around the wrist;
now the person who is conducting the test seats himself in a chair
with his hands behind the back of the chair; now have the loose end
of the tape passed between the uprights forming the back of the
chair; have the other end fastened around the remaining hand. The
moment you are in the dark, or hidden from view, you can produce
any manifestation that requires the use of one or both hands, by
following these instructions. The first hand can be tied as the
investigator pleases. Now, when the second hand is to be tied,
keep a strain on the tape enough to keep it taut. By so doing a
square knot cannot be tied on the tape, but simply a running knot,
or a knot around the strand of the tape--a knot that can be slid
backward and forward.

Here is what is known as the cotton bandage test. A ring staple
or ring screw eye, the ring being about two inches in diameter,
is wound around with unbleached muslin of the same color as used
to tie the medium’s wrists with. This ring is fastened securely
into the door jamb or any stationary wooden support by one of the
investigators. Two strips of muslin about three feet long are
given to the investigator; one of each is tied around one of the
medium’s wrists and the knots sewed and sealed. Her (for the medium
is supposed, in this case, to be a lady) hands are now placed
behind her, and the ends of the strips from each wrist are now
tied together and the knots tied and also sewed; and what ends are
left are evenly cut off near the knots. Another strip of muslin,
about the same width and length as the others, is now produced,
and one of the committee ties this strip around the knots between
her wrists, leaving the ends of equal length. The medium now takes
her seat on a small stool, with her back toward the ring in the
door jamb. One end of the last muslin strip is passed through the
ring and several knots are tied. After tying several knots, the
ends of the strips are tacked securely to the woodwork of the door.
Another strip is procured and tied around the medium’s neck, and
then tacked also to the door jamb. Two more strips are now used,
one passed around each arm, not tied, and the ends of each tacked
to the door. The committee, having done all the work themselves, of
course, are thoroughly satisfied as to its genuineness. They now
retire from the cabinet, which has been simply made by a curtain
across one corner of the room, forming a triangular space. No
sooner is the curtain closed than the usual manifestations occur,
such as ringing of bells, tooting of horns, banging of tambourine,
etc. Immediately the curtain is opened and the medium found
securely bound and not a bandage disturbed. Finally a pocket knife
is placed upon her lap, the curtain is closed, and in a few seconds
the medium comes forward with her bonds cut, but only the wrists
separated; this has been done, she claims, by the spirits, with the
use of the knife which was placed in her lap. Now to explain away
the mystery. In a convenient pocket in her belt she has concealed
a small, sharp, open knife, with which she cuts through the bands
between the wrists. She cuts this band between the knot on her
right wrist and the knot in the middle made by tying the ends of
the wrist bands together. She now slips the loop which was tied
around off, leaving it whole and still tied around the ring. She
is now free to use both hands, and, as the last strips around
her arm were not tied, they are easily managed. She makes what
manifestations she chooses, and by placing her wrists one each side
of the ring, and clasping her hands together, pressing all tightly
together, she is ready for examination. The ring being wound with
muslin, one cannot see that anything has been changed; and this
is the reason it is wound. Another thing to notice is that the
spirit cutting is the last test. The reason of this is, if the
investigators were to release her, they would discover the secret.
Male performers use the same idea for rope ties from which they
find it impossible to release themselves. They have a knife blade
soldered firmly on to a brass plate, which is riveted or sewed on
the back of the performer’s trousers, the edge of the knife blade
being outward. He has simply to run the rope up and down over this
contrivance, and he soon gains his liberty.

[Illustration: Fig. 35.--The Davenport Tie.]

I will next illustrate a tie made famous by the Davenport Brothers.
(Fig. 35.) The rope used is what is known in trade as a sash
rope. Silver Lake or Sampson brand is the best. This is a stiff,
polished or smooth, hard finished rope. With this style of rope
it is an almost utter impossibility to be tied but what you can
free yourself. The Davenports, on first being secured, would try
and induce or lead the committee who did the tying to do so in
a way which would be advantageous to the medium. See Barnum’s
“Humbugs of the World,” page 136: “The brothers saw they could not
wriggle out of the knots. They therefore refused to let the tying
be finished.” Of course, they did not make the request pointed, or
apparent, but, in the coolest natural way, and not suggestive of
any conceived plan. Their method was as follows:

One of the committee, holding a piece of rope, about twelve feet
long, as near the center as possible, would be requested to tie
first one of the medium’s left hands, tying two or three good,
hard, square knots about the wrist, the knots coming to the inside
of the wrist or palm side of the hand. The medium, during this
part of the tie, faces the audience. He now explains to the person
who does the tying that when he, the medium, places his left hand
behind his back, he will place his right hand close against it,
and requests the skeptic to tie a few or as many knots on top of
that hand as he may see fit. The medium, after this explanation,
places his hands behind his back, and then turns around, with his
back toward the audience. The committeeman now secures the right
hand against the left. The medium now enters the cabinet, is seated
in a chair, or on a bench, in which two holes are bored. The ends
of the ropes are now passed through these holes, and knots tied in
the rope close to the seat of the chair, and thence carried to the
front legs of the chair, where it is fastened. Two other smaller
ropes are used to tie the medium’s legs to the chair. The usual
manifestations, such as ringing of bells, tooting of a horn, hands
at cabinet window, etc., take place. After this is repeated a few
times, the medium comes forth entirely free from the ropes, which
he now holds in his hands devoid of knots. Of course, the medium
is really the cause of all the demonstrations, and to accomplish
the results he must free himself. Now, let us see how it is done.
The first hand is tied fair and square, but when he places his
two hands behind his back, that’s the time the trick is done. In
placing his hands behind his back, and before turning around, with
back toward the audience, he catches up a little slack of the rope,
and, pressing the two hands together, manages not to lose that
slack as the two hands are tied together. Another plan is employed
so as to be certain not to allow this slack to get away from the
medium. In the act of placing the hands behind the back, one part
of the rope is allowed to go around the middle finger. The ends are
then crossed, A going behind B, before the right hand is placed
against left. Of course, the right hand covers the rope, or false
tie, completely. When the hand is to be released, the finger has
simply to bend down, and off drops the slack part of the rope, and
gives plenty of room to draw the hand from the loop. With one hand
free, it is easy to produce the desired manifestations, also to
release the other hand, and then completely untie the rope. Now,
whenever the committee cannot be influenced to tie in the above
manner, they are allowed to proceed as they wish. Very few persons
can tie a medium securely with the stiff rope furnished. The medium
will manage, by slight contortion of his body, to secure a little
slack rope, by which agency square knots can be easily upset into
a slip or running knot, and, when he fails in this, the rope is
deliberately cut with the little knife blade on belt, as described
previously. This destroyed rope is now concealed on the medium, and
he takes also from his clothes a similar rope and walks out of the
cabinet with it, stating the spirits had released him. He again
retires to the cabinet, and, in a short time, he is found retied,
with his hands behind his back, securely fastened. Here is the
explanation:

[Illustration: Fig. 36.--The First Knot.]

When he enters the cabinet, he allows both ends of the rope to hang
down, holding the rope in center; the rope now, in its doubled
condition, has a knot tied near its double end, leaving a knot
and loop. (Fig. 36.) Then a single knot, tied in each portion of
the rope, each side of this loop knot, far enough away so as to
give length enough for the ropes to encircle the wrists, and these
single knots come up hard against the loop knot. The ends of the
rope are now run through the loop knot, and two loops are thus
formed, which can be made larger, as desired, to slip the hands
out. (Fig. 37.) The ends of the rope are now run down through
holes in the chair seat, and ends fastened, and the medium inserts
his wrists in the loop and pulls up taut, and he is ready for an
investigation. It will readily be seen the medium can now do as he
pleases, remove his coat, place on a borrowed one, etc.

[Illustration: Fig. 37.--The Double Loop.]

Another tie frequently used is that in which the medium seats
himself in a chair, takes the rope, and ties it around his legs at
the knees, with the single knot on top. On this he places his two
hands, close together, and has the committee tie his hands with
as many knots as they please, from which he nevertheless frees
himself. The whole scheme lies in the fact that the medium tied but
one knot around the legs, but did not pull it deep into the flesh.
When the knots are tied over his hands, he keeps the legs a trifle
apart. Now, to release himself, he simply has to draw his legs
together, and strain on the ropes, so they sink into the legs a
trifle, and let all the slack go above the single knot, thus giving
room for the hands to be withdrawn. By forcing the hands apart, the
desired slack is easily taken up.



CHAPTER VII.

POST TESTS, HANDCUFFS, COLLARS, ETC.


The “Spiritualistic Post Test” is one of the latest and most
successful of mechanical fastenings used by mediums. The most
common form is made of what appears to be a piece of joist. This is
given to the committee, one of whose members bores a hole through
it, near its upper end, and then passes an ordinary rope through
the hole, a knot being tied in the rope on each side of the post.
The knots are pressed against the post, so that the rope cannot be
drawn through the post. The ends of the rope are now unraveled, and
the post is fastened to the floor with spikes. The medium is tied
to the post by the unraveled ends of the rope. A nail is driven in
the top of the post, and a rope is secured to it. This second rope
is held by the committee; after the curtains are drawn, bells are
rung, etc., showing that the medium has the use of his hands. The
trick consists in boring a hole in the center of the end of the
joist; a chisel is then inserted in the hole, and the opening is
closed with glue and saw-dust tinted with water color. The medium
starts the bit, so that there is no danger of the committee boring
the hole too low, or so high that it will strike the chisel. When
the nail is driven in, it forces the chisel down and cuts the rope.
The medium may now ring bells, etc. After he is through ringing the
bells, he puts back the ends of the rope in the post.

[Illustration: Fig. 38.--The Trick Post.

  1. Lead weight with notch.

  2. Spring catch.

  3. Hole in catch by which cord is secured.

  4. Roller over which cord, 5, runs; cord is attached at one end,
  3, to spring catch, and at other end at 6 to bolt in angle piece.]

There is another very good rope and mechanical post test sometimes
used by mediums. A post in an upright position is securely fastened
to the floor. In the upper part of the post a hole is bored clear
through, to allow of two small ropes being passed through the
opening from side to side. The medium passes the ropes through
the post, then invites the committee to tie his hands fast against
the post, and then to tie or nail the ends of the rope down on the
floor. All the usual manifestations take place. The medium is also
instantaneously released, and rope and knots are found undisturbed.
By glancing at Fig. 38 the mystery will be cleared up. The post
is hollow, and carries a leaden or iron weight. This weight has
a horizontally extending passage to correspond with the channel
in the post. This weight is held in the top part of the post by a
catch, which is released by a projecting bolt-head at the bottom of
the post. It will be remembered that the post is made fast to the
floor by screws passing through angle irons fastened by bolts to
the post. It is one of these bolt-heads that releases the catch. At
the bottom of the post is another catch, which will also hold the
weight at the bottom. The one bolt will release both catches. The
medium runs the ropes through the post, releases the catch, which
allows weight to drop, carrying ropes with it; and the catch locks
the weight at the bottom of the post. They can now tie the medium.
All he has to do is to release the weight; he can then pull the
rope up and get as large a slack as he desires, allowing the weight
to drop back again. There is a chair--an ordinary-looking wooden
kitchen chair--worked on somewhat the same style. There is a hole
bored through each rear leg or upright of the back. The medium sits
on the chair, facing the back of it, and has a hand tied to each
upright. The slack is obtained the same as in the post, with the
exception that a spring instead of a weight is used, and it is
locked or released by the backward or forward sliding of a portion
of the chair-seat.

A convincing trick often employed is the iron ring test. The medium
and investigator sit opposite each other, clasping their hands. An
iron ring is now placed on the medium’s lap, and the cabinet door
is closed; in a few moments the door is opened again, and the ring
is found on the investigator’s arm, although he has never released
his hold of the medium’s hand. The medium has concealed in his
coat sleeve a duplicate of the ring used. When the cabinet door is
closed, the medium spreads his legs apart, allowing the ring to
drop on the seat of his chair, the bottom of which should be of
cane or of cloth, in order to avoid the noise due to the dropping
of the ring. He now replaces his legs, and, of course, this ring
is hidden merely by his sitting on it. The ring in his sleeve he
tosses on to the skeptic’s arm, and, of course, without the hands
being unclasped.

The handcuff trick is always a great favorite with the medium. He
has no objection to placing his hands in any pair of handcuffs
furnished by the audience. A few moments after he has entered the
cabinet, he begins throwing out various articles of clothing; but,
on examination, the handcuffs are found to be still on his wrists.
It is impossible to see how he could have taken off his coat.
As a final test the medium comes out of the cabinet holding the
handcuffs in his hand still locked. There are only a few styles
of handcuffs made, and all the medium has to do is to secure the
proper key for each style. He conceals these keys on his person,
and by the aid of his fingers and teeth the proper key can be
fitted to the handcuffs. It is impossible, with some types of
handcuffs, to get the fingers to the keyhole. If such a pair are
placed on the performer, and he cannot use his teeth to hold the
key, he slips the key into a convenient crack in the cabinet or in
the chair. The lock of the handcuffs being forced on to the key,
the handcuffs can then be readily unlocked.

The spirit collar is also a favorite instrument of the medium. It
consists of a brass collar which fits closely about the performer’s
neck. Through the openings in the end of the collar, is placed a
chain. After the collar is on the performer’s neck, the chain is
placed around a post and carried back and through the padlock used
to lock the collar. By this arrangement the performer is securely
fastened to a post; but after he is concealed by the use of any
convenient means, he suddenly appears before the audience minus
the collar, while the collar will be found locked, as before. The
trick depends for its success on the series of bolts with which the
collar is studded. The bolts, with one exception, are all false,
being pieces of metal simply screwed into the top and bottom of the
collar, and not penetrating through them. One bolt, however, passes
through the collar and engages the two parts thereof; the parts
terminate in a tongue which fits in the socket in the other half
of the collar. The bolt passes through this tongue so accurately
that there is no danger of its being removed with the fingers. The
performer uses a small wrench to remove the bolt.

There are numerous other devices, such as trick bolts, which are
inserted by a spectator through a post and screwed up tight, the
medium being fastened to the bolt. He has simply to give the bolt a
half twist, usually toward the right, and the bolt comes apart. The
joint is invisible to the eye, and, in fact, is made more so just
before it is used each time by being rubbed with sandpaper, which
slightly roughens the bolt, making the joint imperceptible to the
naked eye. There are staples, ordinary looking staple-plates, which
are apparently screwed fast into the bench on which the medium is
seated. The hands of the medium are fastened to the staples by
wire. The staples are not fastened to the plates by riveting them,
as is ordinarily done, but are held by a spring catch, concealed
under the plate, and working in a notch in the staple. This is
released by the medium’s pushing the catch back by the insertion
of a piece of clock spring between the staple plate and the bench.
After releasing himself he performs the stereotyped manifestations,
and at the finish has simply to jam the staples back into their
plate, whereupon they are locked or held fast by the spring catch
or bolt. This was a device used by a Boston medium.

There are also trick bags in which the medium is bound up or tied.
In one style of bag there is a string running in the selvage, or
turned-over portion of the bag at the top. As the string is about
to be drawn taut the medium inserts one of his fingers into a
portion of this selvage not sewn, and pulls down enough slack of
the cord to allow him, after the tying, either to place his arm
through or to get out entirely. Another style is this: The medium
has a round wooden plug, covered with cloth like the bag. This
he has concealed about him. As the mouth of the bag is gathered
together to tie the string, the medium inserts this plug, and bag
and plug are both tied. After the tying he has simply to remove the
plug and he can then place his hand through and release the cord,
or shove it off the bag completely. Still another way is to have
a duplicate bag concealed down one trousers leg and coming up at
the back of the neck under the coat, the mouth of the bag being
upward. When the medium gets in, his manager or the director of
the séance gathers the mouth of the bag together, and, at the same
time, pulls the duplicate bag out from under the medium’s coat. He
pulls this up four or five inches higher than the original bag and
ties his handkerchief around where the two bags are joined, so the
trick will not be detected. He then allows a committee to tie, and
even sew, the bag together--of course, the duplicate, not the first
one. The medium has simply to pull the first bag down around him,
get out of it and conceal it on his body. A “dodge” used sometimes
is to borrow one of the investigators’ handkerchiefs and drop it
into the duplicate bag; and, after the medium has escaped and the
bag is given for inspection, the bag is opened and the handkerchief
found inside. This strengthens the effect of the trick, inasmuch
as it convinces the onlookers that the medium certainly must have
been got out by the aid of spirits, as the handkerchief--a very
small article, in comparison to the body of the medium--could not
be removed until the string had been released from the bag.

Mediums are great judges of human nature; they know full well the
usual action of the human mind, the direction the thoughts are
liable to travel in. This is part of their stock-in-trade--to try
to do just such things as the handkerchief “dodge,” in order to
convince the skeptic of the truth of the wonders witnessed.



CHAPTER VIII.

SÉANCES AND MISCELLANEOUS SPIRIT TRICKS.


A test which made the Eddy Brothers famous was their “light” and
“dark” séances. Horatio Eddy gave what he termed a “light séance,”
and William was famous for the “dark séance.” Instead of using a
cabinet of wood, Horatio formed one simply by stretching a couple
of shawls or curtains across a corner of the room, thus making
a triangular inclosure. A table containing the usual musical
instruments, bells, tambourine, guitar, etc., is placed in this
space. The medium sits on a chair in front of this curtain, to
the left hand side. Next to him, on his right, sits a gentleman
selected from the audience, and to the right of this gentleman, a
lady similarly chosen. William Eddy now pins across the breasts of
the two gentlemen a third shawl, attaching the ends to the curtain.
(Fig. 39.) Previously to this, however, Horatio has grasped with
both his hands the gentleman’s left arm; the lady is requested
to grasp the gentleman’s right arm. In this position neither can
make a movement but what one of the others would be immediately
cognizant of it. Presently there is a commotion among the articles
on the table behind the screen; they appear floating in the air
above the top of the curtains, some coming through and tapping the
trio on the head. A hand comes through the curtain and writes a
message on the slate held by William Eddy. Numerous other tests
are performed--all in subdued light, not darkness. Now, to raise
the veil from this mystery: In grasping the left arm of the person
in the center, the medium first grasps the gentleman’s left arm
with his, the medium’s, left hand, fingers being spread apart as
far as possible. With this hand he presses quite hard, and takes a
light hold of the same arm, but above the left hand. If the medium
gently and carefully removes the right hand, the action cannot, by
sense of touch, be detected. Sometimes, so as to enable him to use
both hands, another ruse is also employed. A piece of heavy sheet
lead is cut in the shape of the medium’s hand. This is placed in
his left hand. With this hand he grasps the skeptic’s arm. Being
made of lead, the hand easily conforms or bends to the shape of the
arm, and, what is more, if the real hand of the medium be quietly
removed, the leaden hand remains behind, giving the same sense
of touch as if the actual hand were there. (Fig. 40.) Of course,
with the hands free, the medium can stealthily glide between the
curtains, grasp and manipulate the instruments, and throw them to
the floor, immediately replacing his hands gently.

[Illustration: Fig. 39.--The Light Séance.]

[Illustration: Fig. 40.--The Mystery Explained.]

A rather clever test used in a dark séance, given by Miss Annie
Eva Fay, is one in which the hands are not bound. Miss Fay made
cotton, bandage and tape-ties a success, and sometimes varied her
séance by not using a tie, but by continually clapping her hands
together during the darkness. She also had her mouth filled with
water. Nevertheless, the usual manifestations occurred. The horn
“tooted,” the tambourine and guitar floated, bells rang, etc.
The dodge she employed was this: Instead of clapping her hands
together, she slapped one against her forehead, which gave the same
sound, and gave her one hand at liberty. She also swallowed the
water. She was now at liberty to blow the horn, ring bells or the
like. When she was finished, she refilled her mouth with water from
a bottle concealed on her person, and again resumed, clapping her
hands together instead of striking one hand against her forehead.
An investigator suspected the idea of the water and once came
prepared with a glass of milk, which he requested the medium to
use instead. She consented. The horn tooted just the same, and the
medium’s mouth still contained the milk. She had simply inserted
the end of the horn in one of her nostrils. Another time she merely
emptied the liquid into one of the hand bells on the table and held
it upside down in her lap. Still another “wrinkle” is the use of a
rubber ball with a hole in it. This can readily be attached to the
horn, and squeezing the ball does the tooting.

Dr. Henry Slade was, of course, identified and recognized as the
principal slate-writing medium, but at various times he presented
other phenomena, one of which was the playing of an accordion
while held in one hand under the table. The accordion was taken
by him from the table with his right hand, at the end containing
the strap, the keys or notes at the other end being away from him.
He thus held the accordion beneath the table, and his left hand
was laid on top of the table, where it was always in plain view.
Nevertheless, the accordion was heard to give forth melodious
tunes, and at the conclusion was brought up on top of the table
as held originally; the whole dodge consisting in turning the
accordion end for end as it went under the table. The strap end
being now downward, and held between the legs, the medium’s hand
grasped the keyboard end, and worked the bellows and keys, holding
the accordion firmly with the legs and working the hand, not with
an arm movement, but mostly by a simple wrist movement. Of course,
at the conclusion, the hand grasped the accordion at the strap
end, and brought it up in this condition. Sometimes an accordion
is tied with strings and sealed so the bellows cannot be worked.
This is for the dark séance. Even in this condition the accordion
is played by inserting a tube in the air-hole or valve and by the
medium’s using his lungs as bellows.

In regard to dark séances and materializations, I would state that
they are so barefaced and bold it is hardly worth while to worry
about them. What cannot be done in the dark? Spirit costumes,
to be donned later by the medium to impersonate people from the
other world, are concealed in strange places under the very eyes
of the investigators--in the body of the guitar, in a drum, about
the person of one of the circle of skeptics, who is really a
confederate, or behind the surface of a wall. Time and place make
all the difference in the method of work used by mediums. In their
homes mediums have any number of accomplices, who enter the room
under cover of darkness by various means--one way, by means of a
trap in the floor. This opens upwardly; the carpet does not have
to be cut, and can also be well tacked down. The trap is not cut
square, but triangularly, across the two sides of the room in one
corner. Through this trap the confederates, disguised as spirits,
enter from the cellar below and vanish. Another method is to gain
admittance from an adjoining room. Between the two rooms are
sliding doors, misnamed “folding” doors. The space in one of the
walls is not only large enough to receive its own single door, but
also a portion of the other. Before commencing the séance, the
doors are locked and the key kept by a committee. The doors are
also sealed with court plaster across their joints, and said court
plaster sealed with sealing-wax. The confederates are not obliged
to push the doors apart; they simply slide both at the same time
toward the side previously mentioned. This side receives one door
and a portion of the other, thus leaving an opening for a person
slyly to creep through.

Sometimes, in the circle of investigators, there are five or six
confederates. Three of these are placed or seated together. Now,
if all in the circle join hands, it seems no one could assist the
medium without the fact being discovered; but in the center, one
of three confederates, sitting together, releases the hands of his
companions, and, in the dark, “cuts up” all the tricks he wishes
and returns to the circle again, no one being any the wiser. Of
course, if one confederate were seated between two of the skeptics,
he would not dare let go his hands; but when a friend is placed
each side of him, it makes no difference. A test often used, when
everybody, medium included, is sitting at a table, is the wire
test. A copper wire is threaded through the shirt sleeve of every
male member present, and through the sleeve of the ladies’ dresses,
the wire being fastened to the table by staples. When the lights
are put out, the spirits “raise Cain” again. It is the medium
again. The wire did not go through his shirt sleeves, but through
two short extra shirt sleeves, or cuffs, which he wears over the
real sleeves. All he has to do is to slip out of these, produce the
manifestations, and slip back into the cuffs again.

[Illustration: Fig. 41.--Ground Plan of Cabinet.]

A test that caused more talk and wonderment than all the rest of
the cabinet tricks combined is the chair and net test. The medium
enters a very small cabinet, just large enough to contain him when
sitting down in a chair. The cabinet is closed by a single door,
locked with a padlock, the keyhole of which is sealed; the door is
also sealed all around the edges. A fish-net so finely meshed that
even the finger of the medium could not be pushed through, is now
placed over this cabinet and tacked to it all around the bottom.
This miniature cabinet is set in the cabinet proper, and a chair,
with the usual bell, tambourine, etc., placed beside it. Doors are
closed, and immediately the fun begins. Bells, tambourine, and
horns all play together. A sudden fall of the chair and instruments
is heard, and the cabinet doors being opened, everything is found
strewn about; the smaller cabinet is, however, still found as it
was left, with the netting over it and seals undisturbed. Again
the large cabinet is closed, and almost immediately it is opened
from the inside, and out walks the medium; and the netting on the
smaller cabinet is examined once more, and likewise the padlock
and seals, everything is found intact. The whole trick depends
upon the construction of the smaller cabinet. Fig. 41 represents a
ground plan of the apparatus. The floor is not nailed or fastened
to the sides. There are four battens or strengthening pieces, one
in each corner of the cabinet, running from top to bottom; these
are securely fastened to the floor, but not to the sides of the
cabinet. Over these battens is laid a strip of wood that is really
made fast to the cabinet. This leaves in each corner a socket or
pocket the height of the cabinet, and in these work, telescopic
fashion, the four battens which are made fast to the bottom. The
bottom is set inside of the cabinet, not on the outside. It is
only tacked to the sides of the bottom of cabinet. It will now be
readily observed that the medium has only to stand up in order
to raise the main part of the cabinet quite a height above the
bottom, as seen at Fig. 42. It is held in the above position by a
concealed catch. The medium can now produce manifestations, and,
as he is about to drop the cabinet back into the bottom, he gives
the leg of the chair a jerk and over it goes, and down drops the
cabinet. There is also a catch that automatically locks the bottom
firm to the cabinet, so as to allow inspection of the same.

[Illustration: Fig. 42.--The Trick Cabinet.]

The above manifestation was in use long before the wire cage test,
and is considered by some mediums more convincing than the latter.
While speaking about the wire cage test, I may as well describe
one form of it. There are numerous makes, but the one explained
will serve as a sample of the rest. A cage composed of uprights
and cross-bars of iron is made fast to an iron frame containing a
small door through which the medium enters. Sometimes the door is
done away with and the bottom of the cage is separated from it. The
medium sits on this bottom, and the cage is lifted and placed over
him. The bottom and cage are padlocked together or bound with wires
and sealed.

[Illustration: Fig. 43.--The Wire Cage.]

No matter what method is used, the results are the same; the medium
can play the instruments or escape, as he may see fit. The wire
cage is, we shall say, of a design similar to that shown in Fig.
43. There is no door to it, and the cage being secured by a wire
bottom padlocked on or nailed fast to the floor. A close inspection
of Fig. 44 will help to expose the fraud. The lower cross-bar is
not riveted through the frame at its end, but ends square against
it, and a false rivet head, having no connection with it, is
riveted on the frame where this cross-bar is supposed to emerge.
All of the upright rods are made fast only to this cross-bar. In
the other cross-bars they simply go through holes, not closely,
but loosely, to ensure then to be slid up and down. The tops of
these rods are riveted, but not made fast to the frame at the top.
The center rod is not made permanent in the lower cross-bar, but
is fastened so it can be turned around one way or the other. Now,
where all these rods are supposed to come through the lower part
of the iron frame are rivet-heads representing the heads of the
rods, should they have come through. The bottom frame is drilled
half way through for the end of each rod to enter a little, the
middle rod is tapped with a thread like a screw on its end, and its
corresponding hole is also tapped. It will now be seen why this
rod was left to turn. By pulling cross-bar down and then screwing
this middle rod tight, everything is solid; but unscrew the rod and
raise the cross-bar, and all the upright rods will travel with it
and the medium is at liberty. And we have another spirit mystery
laid bare. I could describe numerous other tricks and devices of a
like nature, but a few are as good as a quantity; sufficient, in
fact, to place the investigator on his guard against being duped by
like contrivances.

[Illustration: Fig. 44.--The Cage Opened.]

I believe a few words in regard to spirit photography will not be
amiss. These are made or produced in various ways: First, a glass
with an image on it of the desired spirit form could be placed in
the plate holder, in front of the sensitive plate, so that the
image on the glass would act on the sensitive plate. The size and
distinctness of the resulting spirit form would vary according to
the distance between the two plates. Second, a figure clothed in
white can be introduced for a moment behind the sitter and then be
withdrawn before the sitting is over, leaving a shadowy image on
the plate. Third, a microscopic picture of the spirit form can be
inserted in the camera box alongside of the lens, and by a small
magnifying lens its image can be thrown on the sensitive plate with
that of the sitter. This is the trick used when the skeptic brings
his own plate for the negative. Fourth, a glass with the spirit
image can be placed behind the sensitive plate after the sitting
is completed, and afterward, by a feeble light, the image can be
impressed upon the plate with that of the sitter. Fifth, the silver
nitrate bath could have a glass side, and the image impressed by a
secret light while the glass plate apparently was being coated with
the sensitive film. Sixth, the spirit form can be printed first on
the negative and then the living sitter by a second printing, or
the spirit can be printed on the paper and the sitter’s portrait
printed over it. Seventh, a sensitive plate can be prepared by
what is known as the dry process, the spirit form being impressed
on it; and then, at a subsequent time, the portrait of the living
sitter can be taken on this same plate, so that the two will
develop together. Eighth, take a solution of sulphate of quinine
and paint on the background screen a picture of any one; when it
dries it is invisible to the naked eye. Still, when the picture
is taken, the painted picture is very plainly seen on the glass
negative. Ninth, small pictures are taken on thin, transparent
celluloid and fastened against the front lens of the camera, and
when the photograph is taken the picture appears. Of course, the
above are by no means all the methods, but enough to illustrate the
possibilities of obtaining two pictures on the same plate or at one
sitting.



CHAPTER IX.

MISCELLANEOUS TRICKS.


The “Magician’s Omelette.”

The magician has never proved himself an adept at the art of
cooking, from an epicure’s standpoint; yet the ease with which he
can bake cakes in borrowed hats and cook omelettes in empty pans
has long been a source of wonder to the economical housewife, as
well as to the professional cook.

To see the magician hold a small, shallow, empty pan over the
blaze of a spirit lamp for a few moments, when an omelette, done
to a turn, appears in the pan and is cut up and distributed to the
audience, one is almost convinced that at least one person has
solved that most perplexing of all problems--how to live without
work.

But has he solved it? No! my friend, no more than you or I. He has
merely deceived you; but most cleverly, you must admit.

The pan is without any preparation whatever; but as much cannot be
said of the wand, which he is continually stirring around in the
pan. This wand is hollow, with an opening at one end only; and in
the wand, previous to the trick, of course, are placed the properly
seasoned ingredients of an omelette, after which the end is closed
with a metal plug that is turned and enameled to correspond with
the opposite end of the wand.

When the pan is being examined the performer is holding the wand
in his hand, and such an innocent-appearing black stick is never
suspected of being in any way connected with the trick.

Just before holding the pan over the lamp the performer finds it a
most easy matter to remove the plug from the end of the wand, when,
by holding the wand by the closed end, he can empty the contents
into the pan in the mere act of passing the open end of the wand
around the inside of the pan. (Fig. 45.)

[Illustration: Fig. 45.--The “Magician’s Omelette.”]

The metal of which the pan is made being thin, and there not being
a great quantity of the omelette, assisted by a large flame from
the lamp, it only requires a few moments to cook the omelette, when
it is turned out on a plate and carried down to the audience.

It is hardly necessary to say that when the cooked omelette is
carried down, the wand is left on the stand, which prevents any
inquisitive person asking to see it.


Spinning and Balancing Tricks.

The spinning handkerchief is a great favorite with jugglers. A
handkerchief is borrowed, thrown in the air and caught on the end
of a whirling stick held by the juggler, when the handkerchief
spreads out to its full size and commences to spin around rapidly.
The secret is that in the end of the stick a needle is inserted
about one-quarter of an inch, leaving the sharp end out. When the
handkerchief is caught on the end of the whirling stick the needle
point passes through it, thus preventing its falling off the stick,
which is rapidly whirled around, and the handkerchief will spread
out and spin about on the end of the stick.

[Illustration: Fig. 46.--The Spinning Handkerchief.]

Jugglers are very partial to tricks performed with eggs, and
spinning an egg on its smaller end is a trick they are almost sure
to perform. It is impossible to spin a raw egg; so our juggler
uses a hard-boiled one, and spins it on its small end in a shallow
japanned tray. If the tray is kept gently moving in a small circle
in the opposite direction to that in which the egg is spinning, the
latter will continue to spin as long as desired. (Fig. 47.)

[Illustration: Fig. 47.--Spinning an Egg.]

The egg spinning trick is usually followed by a balancing trick in
which a playing card is balanced upon a small wand, and an egg is
then balanced on a corner of the card. This trick usually calls
forth a great pretension of skill on the part of the performer,
when, in reality, no skill whatever is required.

[Illustration: Fig. 48.--Balancing Card and Egg on Wand.]

The wand is of ebony, or some dark wood, and about three inches
from one end is a small hole. The egg is made of wood, painted
white, and with a small hole in one end. The card is composed of
two cards glued together, with a fine steel wire between them,
running diagonally from corner to corner of the card, with the ends
of the wire projecting about a quarter of an inch. The prepared egg
is on a plate with several ordinary eggs, and the card is placed
on a pack of common cards. The wand is held in one hand, the card
taken in the other and apparently balanced on one corner on the
wand; but in reality the wire point is placed in the hole in the
wand. Now the assistant passes the prepared egg to the juggler, who
carefully balances it upon the corner of the card; that is, slips
the hole in the end of the egg over the wire point projecting from
the card.

A fitting finale to such a juggling act is that in which a potato
is placed on the hand of the assistant and cut in two with a sharp
sword, without leaving any mark upon the skin. As a general thing,
a second potato is then cut upon the throat of the assistant. This
apparently marvelous mastery of the sword always brings forth great
applause.

[Illustration: Fig. 49.--Cutting a Potato on the Hand.]

Among the several medium-sized sound potatoes on a tray are placed
two potatoes prepared as follows: Insert a needle crosswise of
the potato near the bottom. After showing the sword to be really
sharp, by cutting paper and slicing one or two of the potatoes, the
performer picks up one of the prepared potatoes and places it on
the assistant’s hand; but apparently it does not lie to suit him,
so he slices off one side of it, using care to cut away the side
just under the needle and as close to it as possible, then places
the potato once again on the assistant’s hand. After making a few
flourishes with the sword, he cuts through the potato, dividing it
in half. (Fig. 49.)

In striking the potato with the sword he makes sure that the sword
will come exactly crosswise on the needle; consequently, when the
sword reaches the needle it can go no farther, and the brittle
nature of the potato will cause it to fall apart, the very thin
portion below the needle offering no resistance to the separation.
The second potato is then cut in the same manner on the assistant’s
neck. There are many other false juggling tricks, but the above
will suffice to show that “there are tricks in all trades but
yours.”


The Blindfolded Juggler.

While watching the clever manner in which a good juggler passes
various articles from hand to hand, how many people ever give a
thought to the many hours of practice devoted to even the simplest
trick that he performs? To become even a passable juggler, many
weary months of constant practice are necessary. There are tricks
in all trades, and some of the most successful entertainers in
this line can scarcely do a half dozen genuine feats of juggling,
yet they are great favorites with the public. It has been truly
said that “the tricks that require the most practice are the least
appreciated by the average spectator.” It is our intention merely
to show how a simple trick has won fame for several well-known
jugglers.

This is the trick of juggling blindfolded. An assistant tightly
binds a heavy handkerchief over the juggler’s eyes, and then,
to make sure that he cannot see, there is placed over his head
and shoulders a sort of bag, made of heavy goods, which should
exclude all light, even if his eyes were not tightly bound with the
handkerchief. Regardless of this, the juggler performs the usual
passes with balls and knives. Yet, when the bag is removed, the
bandage over his eyes is found undisturbed. (Fig. 50.)

[Illustration: Fig. 50.--The Blindfolded Juggler.]

[Illustration: Fig. 51.--The Illusion Explained.]

The explanation is simple. The bag is made of the usual coarse
bagging, and a few threads are pulled out of the part that will
come in front of the juggler’s face when the bag is over his head,
thus allowing him to see between the remaining threads as though
looking through a coarse screen. (Fig. 51.)

When the bag is being placed over his head, and during the seeming
effort of passing the arms through the armholes in the bag, the
performer or assistant has no trouble in pushing the handkerchief
up from the eyes to the forehead, thus allowing him to see through
the open work of the bag. In removing the bag after the act, there
is no trouble in pulling the handkerchief down over the eyes.


The Chinese Rods and Cords.

Nothing excites curiosity in the public mind more than a simple and
clever puzzle, and the “Fifteen Puzzle” and “Pigs in Clover” have
given enjoyment to hundreds of thousands. The Chinese rods and
cords, which forms the subject of our engravings, is in the line of
ingenious inventions, and is really more in the nature of a trick
than a toy. (Fig. 52.)

[Illustration: Fig. 52.--Chinese Rods and Cords.]

[Illustration: Fig. 53.--The Illusion Explained.]

It is of Chinese origin, and the example shown in our engraving was
purchased in Chinatown, San Francisco, Cal. The puzzle consists
of eight pieces of bamboo or hollow ivory tubes, each containing
seven holes spaced equidistantly. Through these holes are seen to
pass seven silken cords, each with a bead at the top and a tassel
at the bottom. The toy is held by the loop at the top, which serves
to hold the upper rod. When it is first picked up, its condition is
shown in our first engraving at the left. There are seven of the
rods at the top and one at the bottom. Now the lower bar of the
upper set is moved down to the bar at the bottom; the two lower
bars will appear to be supported by three cords at the center,
as shown in our engraving, four of the cords having vanished. If
the next bar is brought down, another change is observed, only
the two outer cords being seen. This is shown to the right of our
engraving. If the next bar is brought down, the end cords have
approached the center, and five of the seven cords have vanished.
The next rod brought down brings five cords into view, the two end
ones and the center one being visible. When the next bar is pulled
down, the center and the outer cords only remain; so that, if all
the bars between the top and bottom bars are brought together, the
seven cords appear to pass entirely through them. Fig. 53 gives a
clew to the mystery. The rods are all hollow, and each contains
seven holes; and our engraving shows the course of the silk cords.
It will be noticed that where a number of cords pass through a
single hole, the strand which is formed is much thicker than are
the single cords; as they are of different colors, the effect
is most pleasing. It will be observed that the strings go clear
through the top bar; but in the next bar, although they enter the
seven holes at the top, they emerge from three holes at the bottom,
three of the strands going through the center hole and two through
each of the end holes, and so on throughout the entire number of
bars, the strings changing their course, as is clearly shown in our
engraving, thus causing the increase and decrease in their number.


The “Surprise” Pen.

Our engraving shows a very clever trick pen which would tend to
create great surprise among the uninitiated. Let us suppose that
a gentleman is seated at his desk and is busily writing when a
neighbor comes in, and he jokingly challenges the latter to try
and forge his signature. He hands the pen to his friend, who
attempts to write. Immediately there is an explosion, and the paper
receives a big ink blot. The writer is apt to be surprised by the
report, which is like a pistol shot, and, if a timid person, is
apt to be frightened. The noise comes from the pen itself, as it
is so constructed that it can be loaded and shot off at will. The
person in the secret can handle the pen with safety, but the poor
unfortunate will experience a rather unexpected shock to his nerves
when he attempts to write with it.

[Illustration: Fig. 54.--The “Surprise” Pen.]

The upper part of the penholder, into which an ordinary writing pen
is thrust, works on a pivot about half way down its length. This
separate part is provided with only one-half a bottom, in order
that it may engage the conical head of a piston rod, which ends
in a plunger, which sets off the cap secured in the bottom of the
penholder. The normal position of the plunger is against the cap
of the holder; but it can be raised by means of a projecting pin
riveted to the rod and passing through a slot cut in the side of
the lower part of the holder. Now, the closed half of the bottom of
the pivoted end enters a notch caused by the conical head of the
plunger; and the plunger, with its spring, is cocked, as it were,
by means of the projecting pin, and is held in place by the bottom
of the pivoted section. When the pen is pressed to the paper the
pivoted section swings on the pivot, releasing the plunger, which
is forced down on the explosive cap by the spring.

The lower end of the penholder is threaded, so that it can secure
the end cap firmly in place. The explosive cap is put in the end
cap, and it is screwed on the bottom of the holder. Ordinary paper
caps for children’s pistols are used. As long as the plunger simply
rests on the cap there is no danger of an explosion; but, just
before the joker wishes to give his friend a scare, he cocks it by
pushing the plunger up with the pin, until the pivoted top engages
it.


The “Miraculous Wineglasses.”

As a rule, magicians are very generous fellows, always ready to
give their audiences something, such as coins and handkerchiefs,
but, just when one thinks they have the gift safely in their grasp,
it mysteriously vanishes. However, there are a few exceptions to
this rule, one of whom is a very popular English performer.

[Illustration: Fig. 55.--The “Miraculous Wineglass.”]

[Illustration: Fig. 56.--The Glass Covered with Rubber.]

This magician goes among the audience and borrows a gentleman’s
handkerchief, and immediately produces from it a glass filled
with sherry. This he offers to the ladies, then, shaking the
handkerchief, he produces a second glass full of port for the
gentlemen, next one of ginger beer for the younger members, and
one of milk for the very young, but there being present one or two
teetotalers, he next produces a glass of water, and lastly a glass
of stout for himself. All of these are pronounced by the audience
to be excellent.

The glasses are of the small stem wineglass pattern. On both sides
of the magician’s coat, inside, of course, are large pockets,
and in each pocket is placed in a prearranged form three of the
glasses. To prevent a possible spilling of their contents (and, as
each glass is filled to the brim, this would be very difficult),
there is fastened over the mouth of each glass a thin soft rubber
cap or cover, as shown in the small engraving.

To produce the glass, the performer spreads the borrowed
handkerchief, which should be a large one, over his breast in
such a manner that one hand is concealed under it; and with this
hand he reaches in the pocket and brings forth the proper glass,
removing the rubber cover and leaving it in the pocket. This move
is repeated until all the glasses have been brought out. After
producing three of the glasses with, say, the left hand, he must
spread the handkerchief so as to cover the right hand, leaving the
left one free to manipulate the handkerchief, as it would be most
awkward to try and produce the glasses from both sides of the coat
with the same hand.

[Illustration: Fig. 57.--The Miraculous Wine Bottle.]

This trick is a most effective one, as the spectators cannot
understand how it would be possible for the performer to conceal a
glass filled to the brim, as these are, about his person.

After distributing the glasses, and offering an apology for his
inability to treat all present, he pretends to overhear a remark
that his audience is not satisfied, and that many think they have
been slighted. He states that he will endeavor to comply with the
demands of his thirsty audience, and retires to fetch a bottle.
Off the stage he removes his coat and places under his right arm a
rubber bag filled with wine. To the bag is attached a rubber pipe
with a small metal point, which pipe he holds next to his right arm
and replaces his coat, leaving the metal end just within the cuff.

[Illustration: Fig. 58.--The Miraculous Wine Bottle.]

The bottle has a small hole in the side, near the bottom, of such
a size as to fit the metal point on the rubber pipe. In rinsing
the bottle the performer keeps one finger over the hole, thus
preventing the audience discovering that the bottle differs from an
ordinary one. In rinsing the bottle the outside has become wet, and
in drying it with a cloth the performer places the metal point on
the rubber pipe in the hole in the side of the bottle, thus making
connections with the bag of wine. By holding the bottle well down
toward the neck, and close to his wrist, he can venture among the
audience without fear of detection.

By pressing the right arm against his side the bag is compressed,
forcing the wine through the pipe into the bottle.

The glasses are of special make and of very thick glass, making
quite a bulky appearance, but of very limited capacity. An
assistant carries a tray containing one hundred of the glasses.


The “Mysterious Vase.”

Tricks performed with ink and water have always been favorites with
magicians, and they have devised means of keeping this trick fully
abreast of the times, thus retaining its popularity. The manner
of performing the latest ink trick involves such novel principles
as to puzzle even those who are well posted on modern magic. The
“Mysterious Vase” has been presented by but few prestidigitateurs,
and the secret so well guarded that comparatively few people know
how it is done. (Fig. 59.)

[Illustration: Fig. 59.--The “Mysterious Vase.”]

The attention of the audience is called to a glass vase that is
filled with water which is resting on a light stand. This vase
resembles a large octagon celery glass. In the vase there are a
few cut flowers, which the performer removes as he calls attention
to the vase and the clear water it contains. The flowers are given
to the ladies in the audience, as they have no further connection
with the trick.

A lady’s handkerchief is borrowed and the vase covered with it
for a moment. On removing the handkerchief, the water that was
seen in the vase appears to have changed to ink. While this rapid
transformation is very startling, yet the most marvelous part of
the trick is to come. The magician bares his forearm, that the
audience may see that his sleeves have no connection with the
trick, and then proceeds to remove from the ink in the vase six
silk handkerchiefs and two lighted candles, each article being
perfectly dry.

[Illustration: Fig. 60.--The Illusion Explained.]

The means by which this seeming impossibility is performed are as
simple as the trick is mysterious, as the following will show. In
the center of the vase, reaching from side to side and from the
bottom to within a half inch of the top, is a piece of polished
mirror. The side edges of the mirror rest in the angles of the
vase, and as the vase is only seen from the front, the edges are
not seen. The front half of the vase being reflected in the mirror
leaves the impression that one is looking directly through the
vase, when in reality you only see one-half of the inside. (Fig.
60.)

To the back of this mirror is attached a watertight tin box, in
which are placed six small silk handkerchiefs and two candles. The
exterior of the box and back of the mirror are painted a dead black
color. Enough water is poured into the vase to reach the top edge
of the mirror. In the water is dissolved a small portion of iron
protosulphate. A few cut flowers are placed in the vase, which is
then placed on the stand with the mirror side to the audience, and
the candles lighted.

After the flowers are removed and a handkerchief borrowed, the
magician secures possession of and palms between his fingers a
small lozenge made of pyrogallic acid, which he drops in the water
in front of the mirror in the act of covering the vase with the
handkerchief. In a very few moments the lozenge dissolves, and the
pyrogallic acid of which it is composed causes the water, which
holds in solution the iron protosulphate, to change to a good black
ink.

On removing the handkerchief with which the vase was covered, ink
is seen to have taken the place of the water, and from the center
of the vase the performer removes the silk handkerchiefs and
candles.

Our first engraving shows the vase of water on the stand; the
second shows the vase after the water has changed to ink, with
the magician removing one of the silk handkerchiefs. The third
illustration represents the vase with one side broken away, showing
attached to the back of the mirror the tin receptacle that contains
the handkerchiefs and candles.


The “Mermaid’s Head.”

M. Alber, the prestidigitateur, describes in _La Nature_ a variant
of a trick which, although old in principle, has recently been
brought out in a new and attractive form.

Upon a light tripod placed in an alcove or recess hung with some
sort of a red fabric, such as cotton velvet, stands an aquarium in
which gold fish are observed swimming about, and in the center of
which is seen a living female head that moves, smiles, and seems to
be absolutely at its ease, although deprived of a body and immersed
in water. A reference to the figure will show how the apparatus is
arranged.

The tripod consists of three gilded copper rods fixed at the
bottom to a triangular platform and supporting at the top another
platform of nickel-plated metal. At their point of union the three
rods, which are firmly brazed to each other, seem to be united by
a simple ribbon tied with a bow knot.

[Illustration: Fig. 61.--The “Mermaid’s Head.”]

From the base to the ribbon there is an empty space, but above
the latter there are fixed between the rods three triangular
glass mirrors backed with thin and resistant steel plate. The
nickel-plated top is movable. Previous to the entrance of the
spectators, the woman whose head is to appear, places herself
between the mirrors, crosses her legs and rests upon her heels.
It is impossible for the apparatus to topple over, since it is
firmly screwed to the floor. The nickel-plated top, which is in two
pieces, embraces the neck so closely, when put in place, that the
joint can scarcely be seen at a short distance. Since the mirrors
reflect the floor, which is covered like the walls, it seems as if
it were the back of the alcove that is visible between the rods at
the upper part; and the entire apparatus appears to be absolutely
open.

As for the aquarium trick, that is simple. The aquarium is an
adaptation of one that has long been found in the market, and in
which are perceived birds that seem to be flying about in the water
amid fishes.

The crystal glass aquarium, which is manufactured especially for
the purpose, consists of two receptacles. The central one of these
is open at the bottom to receive the head, while the outer one is
open at the top and contains the water and fishes. As the glass
is exceedingly transparent, it is almost impossible to detect the
empty space in the center.

The aquarium is placed upon four small nickel-plated supports that
permit of the introduction of air into the internal receptacle. The
position of the decapitated woman is an exceedingly cramped one,
and it is therefore necessary for her to make her exit from the
tripod between each exhibition in order to take a well-earned rest.


“Card Cricket.”

One of the most effective and pretty tricks performed by the
celebrated English magician Mr. Devant is known as “Card Cricket.”
In this trick the performer shows his hands empty, and takes a
pack of cards and requests three ladies to take one card each, and
to remember what the cards are. The cards are then replaced in
the pack, which is well shuffled and cut by one of the audience.
The performer then passes for inspection an ordinary cricket bat,
which, on its return, he places on a table in full sight of all.
He then asks if any one in the audience can bowl, and requests the
gentleman who can, to come and have a game of cricket.

The performer now asks the gentleman to take the pack of cards and
bowl at him, and he will be the player or one at the wicket. The
performer picks up the bat and says “Play.” The cards are bowled at
him, and he hits the pack with the bat as the cards are in the air,
and, to the astonishment of the audience, the chosen cards are seen
sticking to the bat. This very pretty card trick is quite simple to
work.

[Illustration: Fig. 62.--“Card Cricket.”]

In selecting the cards the ladies were under the impression that
they exercised their own free will, but such was not the case. The
pack of cards was what is known to magicians as a forcing pack,
that is, consisting of only three cards, which, for convenience
sake, we will say are the ace of clubs, five of hearts, and nine
of spades, one-third of the pack being composed of only one of
these cards. The pack being thus made up, it is very easy for a
skillful performer to present to the first lady the portion of the
pack containing only ace of clubs, to the second lady the part
consisting solely of five of hearts, and to the third lady the part
that contains only nine of spades. By using such a forcing pack
the performer is sure to have the proper cards selected. While the
ladies are examining their cards the performer steps to his table
on some pretense and slyly changes the forcing pack for an ordinary
one consisting of the usual cards, with the exception of the five
of hearts, ace of clubs, and nine of spades. This pack he hands to
some member of the audience and requests them to have replaced the
selected cards and shuffled.

[Illustration: Fig. 63.--“Card Cricket.”]

The cricket bat is an ordinary one, which, after being examined
by the audience, is laid on a table until the performer finds a
gentleman who will bowl the pack at him.

In this simple act of laying the bat on the table we find the
principal secret of the trick.

Previous to beginning the performance the magician has placed face
down on the table, in a line with each other, an ace of clubs, five
of hearts, and nine of spades. The back of each of these cards
is lined with cloth similar to the covering of the table, thus
preventing any one noticing the cards when placed face down on the
table. On the cloth covering of each of the cards is smeared a dab
of soft adhesive wax. In placing the bat on the table, care is
taken to lay it directly over the three cards, the wax on the backs
adhering tightly to the bat.

After the gentleman who has consented to bowl the pack of cards at
the performer is in place, the performer picks up the bat, steps
back a few feet, and says “Play.” The instant the flying cards
touch the bat the performer turns it over, bringing into view the
side of the bat to which the three cards are sticking, which appear
to have been caught on the bat from the flying cards.

Until the pack of cards are thrown against the bat, the magician
exercises the greatest care not to turn the side of the bat to
which the cards are sticking toward the spectators. Properly
presented, this trick has proved most illusive.


“Cupid Lighter than a Butterfly.”

The pleasing trick which forms the subject of our engravings owes
its success to the ingenious application of mechanical principles.
The magician presents for inspection to the audience a large pair
of balance scales. The audience is allowed to examine the various
parts of the balance before it is erected on the stage. It consists
of a central column and a beam resting on a knife-edge, and two
pans suspended by cords or chains. After the column has been put
in position, the beam is put on and a pin inserted, thus making a
center for the beam to work on. A gentleman is asked to stand in
one of the scale pans, and then weights are gradually placed in the
other pan until his exact weight is ascertained. The weights are
removed, and the gentleman steps down off the stage. The audience
is now convinced that the scale is to all intents and purposes
like the ordinary balance which is so much used in groceries for
weighing tea, coffee, etc., although, of course, in the present
instance, it is built on a mammoth scale.

[Illustration: Fig. 64.--“Cupid Lighter than a Butterfly.”]

The magician now goes on to say that he will prove the old
assertion that “love is lighter than a butterfly” to be absolutely
true. He introduces a little boy dressed as Cupid, with wings and a
bow and a quiver of arrows. When the child steps on the scale pan,
it immediately sinks to the floor by his weight. The conjurer now
takes a butterfly, and, asking all to direct their attention to the
scale, drops it on the opposite pan, which immediately descends to
the floor, at the same time raising the pan with the Cupid high in
the air. If he takes the butterfly off, the Cupid descends, and
every time the prestidigitateur replaces the butterfly, Cupid is
raised off the floor.

[Illustration: Fig. 65.--The Illusion Explained.]

The trick depends for success upon a carefully devised and
concealed mechanism. The balance beam is devoid of any preparation,
but the mechanism is cleverly concealed in the column, and motion
is imparted to the beam by means of a shaft and bevel gears. The
hole in the beam is not perfectly round; it is slightly oval, but
not enough so to be easily seen by a casual glance. The pin is
also oval, instead of round, and it is made to fit tightly. It
will be seen that, when this pin is rocked or tilted, the beam
is moved, carrying one scale pan up and the other down. The top
of the column is of considerable size, and one side of it is cut
away to admit of a bevel gear, which also has an oval hole the
same as the beam. When the balance is put together and the beam is
placed in position, the oval pin passes through the bevel gear and
the beam, forming a horizontal shaft. This vertical wheel meshes
with a horizontal gear wheel, which is also secured in the head
of the pedestal. A shaft runs through it to the space below the
floor, where it terminates in a lever secured at right angles.
The magician’s assistant, under the stage, grasps the lever, and,
pulling it back and forth, transmits a seesaw motion to the beam
through the medium of the shaft, the two bevel gears, and the oval
pin.

The trick depends very largely for success upon the apparent
willingness of the prestidigitateur to allow all parts of the
apparatus to be examined, and, as the gear wheels are very cleverly
concealed, there is almost no chance of the trick being discovered.



INDEX.


                                              PAGE

  Bags, trick,                                  98

  Balance illusion,                            143

  Balancing tricks,                            117

  Bandage test,                                 86

  Blindfolded juggler,                         121

  Blotter trick,                                17

  Bottle, miraculous,                          130


  Cabinet test,                                108

  Cabinet, the trick,                          109

  Card balancing,                              119

  Carpet, slitted,                              29

  Chair and net test,                          108

  Chalk, writing on,                            60

  Chalks, writing with colored,                 36

  Confederates,                                107

  Cricket, card,                               139

  Cuff, leather,                                73

  Cupid lighter than a butterfly,              143


  Davenport tie,                                88

  Double slate,                              32-41


  Eddy Brothers, séances,                      101

  Egg glass, use of,                            55

  Eggs, spinning,                              118


  Fay’s séances,                               103

  Finger, prepared,                             19

  Flap, false,                               21-38

  Flap, interrupted,                            48

  Fly, educated,                                62

  Folding slate,                                33


  Hands, holding,                               28

  Handcuff test,                                96

  Head, mermaid’s,                             136

  Hinges, false,                                39

  Hook for table raising,                       74


  Inks, sympathetic,                         11-17

  Interrupted flap,                             48


  Juggler, blindfolded,                        121


  Light séances,                               101

  Loop, double,                                 92


  Magician’s omelette,                         115

  Magnetic writing,                             34

  Mind reading and kindred phenomena,        51-71

  Mirrors, reading writing by,                  47

  Miscellaneous slate tests,                 41-51

  Miscellaneous tricks,                    115-146


  Omelette, magician’s,                        115


  Pad, transferring to,                         20

  Pen, surprise,                               125

  Pencil carrier, thumb,                        52

  Pencil, silver nitrate,                       44

  Pencil thimble,                               18

  Photography, spirit,                         113

  Pistol loaded with chalk,                     41

  Post tests, etc,                          93-100

  Post test, mechanical,                        94

  Post test, ordinary,                          93

  Potato cutting,                              120


  Raps, spirit,                                 81

  Ring test,                                    96

  Rods and cords, Chinese,                     123

  Rope test,                                    82


  Séance, spiritualistic,                       76

  Séances,                                 101-114

  Silica slate,                                  6

  Silk flap,                                     5

  Silver nitrate pencil,                        44

  Single slate,                               3-32

  Slade, Dr.,                                  105

  Slate, double,                             32-41

  Slates exchanged,                             30

  Slate, folding,                               33

  Slate writing on china,                        8

  Slates, locked,                               36

  Slate tests, multiple,                        38

  Slates, padlocked,                            32

  Slates, pivot,                                26

  Slates, riveted,                              24

  Slates, screwed,                              24

  Slates, scaled,                               34

  Slates, sliding,                              33

  Slates, tied,                                 22

  Slates, transferring,                         37

  Slates, wedging,                              24

  Slates with false hinges,                     39

  Sliding slates,                               33

  Spinning tricks,                             117

  Spirit collar,                                97

  Stencil, wood,                                42

  Sucker for table lifting,                     72

  Sympathetic ink writing,                       9


  Table, false,                                 10

  Table lifting and spirit rapping,          71-82

  Table, traps in,                          25, 26

  Table trick,                                  47

  Telegraph,                                    77

  Telegraph, foot,                              66

  Telegraph head,                               68

  Thimble key,                                  36

  Thimble pencil,                               18

  Thumb pencil carrier,                         52

  Tie, Davenport,                               88

  Ties, rope,                                   85

  Ties, spiritualistic,                      82-92

  Toes, writing with the,                       45

  Traps,                                       106

  Tube, speaking,                               67


  Vase, miraculous,                            132


  Wine glass, miraculous,                      128

  Wire cage test,                              110

  Wire, cloth,                                  61

  Writing, reading concealed,                51-58



       *       *       *       *       *



MAGIC

Stage Illusions and Scientific Diversions, Including Trick
Photography.

BY A. A. HOPKINS.

With an Introduction by H. R. EVANS.

568 pages. 420 illustrations. Price, $2.50 postpaid.

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This work appeals to old and young alike, and it is one of the most
attractive holiday books of the year. The illusions are illustrated
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and spiritualistic phenomena are, in many cases, furnished by the
prestidigitateurs themselves. Conjuring, large stage illusions,
fire-eating, sword-swallowing, ventriloquism, mental magic, ancient
magic, automata, curious toys, stage effects, photographic tricks,
and the projection of moving photographs are all well described and
illustrated, making a handsome volume. It is tastefully printed and
bound.

Acknowledged by the profession to be the

  Standard Work on Magic

==> Circular of Contents and sample illustrations with testimonials
from W. E. Robinson, M. Trewey, W. B. Caulk, Harry Rouclere,
Jewett, Clivette, etc., free upon request.

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This unrivaled publication is now in its fifty-fourth year, and
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journal published. The excellence and variety of the reading matter
render it one of the most interesting and widely read journals in
the world. Each issue is fully illustrated and no topic of popular
interest germane to science or industry is neglected. The latest
tricks of the greatest modern conjurers are published from time to
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  Scientific American

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1898 EDITION

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  TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE

  Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been
  corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within
  the text and consultation of external sources.

  Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text,
  and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained.

  Pg 61: ‘are nable to see’ replaced by ‘are unable to see’.
  Pg 82: ‘great standbies’ replaced by ‘great standbys’.
  Pg 129: ‘handerchief, and’ replaced by ‘handkerchief, and’.
  Pg 147; Index entry ‘Post tests’: ‘93-1 0’ replaced by ‘93-100’.
  Pg 147; Index entry ‘Slates, padlocked’: ‘3’ replaced by ‘32’.





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