PREFACE.
The author in presenting this little volume does so with the intention of assisting his readers to solve some of the mysteries and illusions that are performed on the public stage to-day by conjurors and so-called spiritualists, and also with the hope of dispelling the idea that these mysteries are accomplished by occult or supernatural methods, which belief is growing to quite an extent in this country.
The author has made a very careful study of the many illusions both in magic and in spiritualism, and of the transmission of thought, which is known by a great many different names, and in this little volume he intends to show how these illusions may be performed by purely mechanical means. It should be borne in mind, however, that it is not so much the apparatus employed as it is the shrewd, ever-observing methods employed by the performers, who are very sharp, keen men. The devices employed by the performers are so numerous that it is impossible to say just what methods they will use next. As soon as one method is exposed they immediately begin to plan, and evolve an entirely different method of performing the same illusion. The great success of the magician is in disarming the suspicions of the skeptic, and this is accomplished by leading him to think a certain method is employed when he is really using another.
The author merely offers some solutions and points out certain fundamental principles which are usually employed, and which he thinks will assist his readers in solving these mysteries for themselves. No literary merit or perfection of style is attempted in this little volume for it is written in every-day language, but I hope it may prove of interest and value to my readers.
DR. HERMAN PINETTI.
CHAPTER I.
CABINET TRICKS.
Cabinet tricks have always been a great stand-by for performers in spiritualism. A committee from the audience is usually chosen, and after tying the performer securely to a chair or board or in some other way binding him very securely, he is then placed in a cabinet, the curtains drawn, and immediately manifestations take place, such as the ringing of bells, the banging of tambourines and playing of guitars.
I will now explain three of the latest and best cabinet tricks which I know. The first is known as the “Mahatma Miracles,” and the effect of same is as follows:—
A cabinet with a translucent gauze opening in the front curtain stands on the stage and is freely inspected by a committee to see that there are no double backs, sides or tops. The medium then takes a seat in the cabinet and passes his or her hands through two apertures in the sides of the cabinet, where they are tied with ribbons and the ribbons held on the outside of the cabinet by the committee. The curtains are now closed, but due to the translucent gauze opening in the front of the curtain the medium’s head and shoulders are seen by all. In spite of this, however, bells are rung, tambourines played, a glass of water is raised to the medium’s mouth, a newspaper which is placed on the floor of the cabinet is cut into beautiful designs, and many other manifestations take place.
The secret of this trick lies in the cabinet. It is an ordinary cloth one, with a raised platform about four feet square. The front curtain, as above mentioned, has a gauze opening about eighteen inches in diameter, and the two side curtains have openings large enough to allow the medium to pass his hands through. The legs of the cabinet are about six inches high and five inches in diameter. The secret of this cabinet lies in one of the front legs, which is hollow. The floor of the cabinet is laid off in squares so that one of the squares comes over the hollow leg and acts as a trap. A strong screw-eye is screwed in the under side of the trap and a rope attached to same. This rope passes down through a hole in the floor to an assistant underneath the stage, who holds the trap down while the committee inspects the cabinet.
The medium takes his seat on a chair in the cabinet, and passes one hand through each aperture in the sides, where they are securely fastened with ribbons or ropes, the ends of which are held by the committee. The curtains are now closed and the tests occur. The assistant under the stage works everything by pushing his hand and arm up through the hollow leg. He is thus able to ring the bells and play the musical instruments which are placed on the floor. In the glass-of-water test the assistant has a stuffed glove, with wires running up each finger, which is painted flesh color, and is fastened to a stick. He bends the wire fingers of this glove around the glass of water and pushes same up to the medium’s mouth. In regard to the paper test. An ordinary newspaper is placed on the floor of the cabinet with a pair of scissors. The assistant promptly draws this paper down through the hole in the floor and places another paper, cut into beautiful designs, on the floor of the cabinet, where it is found when the curtain is drawn aside. Many other tests can be performed, all of which I think will now be clear. It is needless to say that the assistant must always pull the trap down and hold it tightly by the rope after each test so the committee can discover nothing upon examining the cabinet. The medium gives the assistant a signal when to open the trap by tapping his foot on the trap. The cloth of the cabinet should be of some dark material.
The spiritualistic post test is the next which I will describe. In the most common form it consists of a post of pine wood two and a half feet long. This is given to the committee, one of whose members bores a hole through it, near its upper edge, and then passes an ordinary rope through the hole. A knot is then tied in the rope on each side of the post. The knots are pressed against the sides of the post to prevent the rope from being pulled through the hole. The ends of the rope are now unravelled, and the post is fastened to the floor with spikes. The medium takes a seat behind the post and his hands are securely tied to the post with the unravelled ends of the rope. Small pieces of court plaster are pasted over the knots so as to prevent him from slipping his hands from the fastenings. A nail is driven into the top of the post and a rope is secured to it. This second rope is held by the committee. A screen is now placed around the medium. Bells are rung, etc., showing that the medium has the use of his hands.
The secret of this trick consists in boring a hole in the center of the end of the post. A chisel is then inserted in the hole and the opening closed with glue and sawdust colored with paint. In boring the hole through the post 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 the top of the post it forces the chisel down and cuts the rope. The medium may now ring bells, etc. After the medium is through he puts the rope ends back in the hole in the post and holds his hands very tightly against the post while the knots are inspected by the committee.
I will now explain what is known as the cotton bandage test, which is usually used by female mediums. A male performer, as a rule, uses rope or wire. In this experiment the committee is chosen from the audience and furnished by the performer with pieces of cotton cloth about an inch and a half wide and three feet long. One of these cotton strips is tied securely around each wrist of the medium, the performer instructing them to tie a number of good hard knots. As an extra precaution, a needle and thread is now furnished and a number of stitches are made above the knots to prevent them from getting untied. Strips of court plaster are also fastened over the bandages on wrists to prevent them from being slipped off the hands. The medium now places her hands behind her, and the ends of the strips from each wrist are now tied together by a number of good hard knots by the committee. What ends are left are evenly cut off near the knots. Another strip of cloth is now produced and one of the committee ties this strip around the knots between her wrists, leaving the ends of about equal length. The medium now takes her seat on a small stool with her back toward a ring in a board which has been fastened to the floor. One end of the last strip is passed through the ring and several knots are tied. Another strip is produced and tied around the medium’s neck and then tacked against the upright board. Two more strips are now used, tying one around each arm above the elbow, and the ends of same are also tacked to the board. The committee having done all this work themselves are thoroughly satisfied as to its genuineness. As an extra precaution, to show that the medium does not use her limbs in any way, a cord is tied around both feet, an end of which is held by a member of the committee.
A cabinet is now placed over the medium, and no sooner is the curtain closed than the usual manifestations take place, such as the ringing of bells, tooting of horns, banging of tambourines, driving of nails, etc., etc. Each time the curtain is opened the medium is seen with her hands apparently securely tied as before. Finally a pocket knife is placed in her lap, the curtain is closed for a few seconds, and soon the medium comes forth with her bonds cut, but only the wrists separated. This is supposed to be done by the spirits. Now, I will explain this mystery.
In a convenient pocket in the back of the medium’s dress or in her belt she has slipped a small sharp open knife, with which she cuts through the bands between her wrists. She is able to do this as her hands are not tied absolutely tight together, because in tying the bandages around the wrists the performer instructs the committee to tie a number of good hard knots, and furthermore to sew the bandages together about two inches above these knots. These knots are also tied on the inside of wrists or above the palms of the hands. It will be readily seen that when the loose ends are tied together there is a three or four inch space between her hands, so it is not at all difficult for her to cut herself free. She cuts the bandage which connects her wrists close to the band which fastens her to the ring and slips this bandage off, leaving it whole and still tied to the ring, and now has the free use of both hands, and as the strips tied around her arms were tied above her elbows she has full use of her forearms, and is thus able to raise a glass of water to her mouth, tie knots in a handkerchief around her neck and drive nails into a chair. She makes what manifestations she chooses, and by placing her wrists one on each side of the ring and clasping her hands together, pressing all tightly together, she is ready for examination. The ring being wound with cotton cloth the same as used in the bandages the committee cannot see that anything has been changed, and, being a little ill at ease upon a public stage, they are ready to say that she is bound without making the most thorough examination possible. Another thing to notice is that she is finally cut free. The reason of this is that if the investigators were to release her they would discover the secret.
This cotton bandage test is also performed in a little different manner, in which the medium is not cut free at all. In this case, when she places her hands behind her, she rests one hand on each hip so that her hands are about nine inches apart, and then has the committee tie the four ends together and then fasten her as in former case. She is now able by reaching with her left hand in back of her as far as possible to slip her right hand into her lap and get hold of what musical instruments are placed there. At first thought this may seem impossible, but with a little practice and some contortion on the part of the performer it is quite easy to perform the trick in this manner.
CHAPTER II.
TABLE LIFTING.
Most spiritualistic performers usually perform a test of table lifting or of floating tables. 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, projecting above the table about a quarter of an inch. There is a good-sized head to this pin. The performer wears a ring with a slot in it. The body of the pin easily enters the slot in the ring, but the head of the pin being of good size 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. This trick may be performed when the table is covered with a borrowed silk handkerchief, as the handkerchief, being of fine, soft texture, does not prevent the pin slipping into the slot cut into the ring. This addition makes the trick a little more effective.
There is also another method employed of raising a table which has been examined beforehand by a committee, who also examine the performer’s hands to see that there is no sticky substance on them. In this method, instead of having a slot cut into the ring, a strong needle point is soldered to the outside of the ring and at a slight angle to it. This ring is placed upon the performer’s hand so that the point is sticking toward the tips of his fingers. The ring may be turned upon his finger so that the point can be concealed between the fingers when his hands are being examined. When he performs this trick he merely turns the point around to the inside of his hand, and the top of the table being of some soft texture, such as cardboard or wood covered with felt, he is able to push this needle point well into the top of the table, and is thus able to raise it without trouble.
Small, light tables are sometimes floated in the air with the performer holding his hand well above the table and not touching it at all. This is easily accomplished by having two strings running from one side of the stage to the other worked by assistants. They merely raise these strings from the floor so they come underneath the table, when by a little effort they are able to raise the table completely off the floor.