32

MAY 1937
MAGIC -- Age cannot wither, nor custom stale her infinite variety. -- William Shakespeare

BEFORE YOUR EYES

E verybody likes a surprise finish, and this
effect has all of that combined with origi-
nality, to the point action, and definite val-
First, write on the slate, with chalk, the
words, "THE NAME OF THE CARD IS,"as in the il-
lustration. Then erase the various letters so
ue as a club program item. the slate looks like the second one in the il-
lustration. Erase enough of the letter "D" so
Picking up a single slate the miracle work- it is changed to a "Tf. With white paint, you
er writes on it, in chalk letters,"THE NAME OP now go over the letters spelling Ten of Hearts
THE CARD IS." This message fills the slate and and let dry. Now chalk in the missing letters
it is laid aside for a minute. Prom a deck of and put the addition to the "T" so the message
cards, the performer appears as shown on the first slate.
ha3 one selected, re-
marking that through Over this message, half chalk and the other
some unknown phantom half paint, put the flap, have slate on table
friend he will learn and a deck of cards at hand with the ten spot
the identity of what ready to force. Also have a cloth for erasing
card has been chosen the writing.
from the pack. Friend
phantom invariably o- Pick up slate show-
bliges by writing the ing both sides. On the
name of the card fol- flap side print words
lowing what he put on as in the first illus-
the slate in the be- tration. Then lay the
ginning. The selected card is kept by the per- slate on table writing
son in audience, and performer picks the slate side down, and pick up
up with writing towards audience. IT'S EXACTLY the cards. Go in-
THE SAME! to patter theme
and force the ten
The performer looks surprised, remarking on of hearts.Use the
the fact that it is the first time the message method which you
hasn't been completed correctly. Then, pa an do the best. If you can't force one pasteboard
afterthought, he realises that there isn't e- it may be better if you try another profession
nough room left on the slate for more writing. or hobby. (There's a book out with 202 methods
He erases the words he wrote on the slate, but of forcing. Ed.) The spectator keeps the card,
strangely some of the letters stay in view and and you pick up the slate, LEAVING THE FLAP ON
spell the name of a card! Ten of Hearts I Spec- TABLE. The message appears the same as when it
tator reveals hia chosen pasteboard, and it IS was written and shown at the start.
the Ten of Hearts.
You apparently realise

NORMAN
Thusly you put forth a that there is no more room
striking finish which is a for writing, so pick cloth
comolete surprise as well up and erase. The chalked
as mystery. in letters disappear, and
those that remain are
All that you need the ones that spell a

ASH WORTH
for this trick is one card's name. And the
slate with a flap,and card spelled is that
a deck of cards. which was selected.
Page 203
 notice, "Andrew Macallister, Scotch magician,
M uch running around this past month, but not
much of news Interest. We wonder about such
foolish things as "Force" breakfast cereal and
mnd a pupil of Phillippe, was in New York in 1848
and did the astounding feat of pouring 22 var-
guess how many magi eat it. Tip to West Coasterst ieties of liquors from one bottle."
Go after Pat Marquis, the Glendale, Calif, boy
wonder who does a new version of the x-ray eye [FLASH!I (Last minute paste in over some bad
act. Eastern papers make claims that the faculty 'jokes) Robert Rhinehart, author of the Variety
is genuine so much publicity could be garnered articles, is being brought up on charges at th
by a challenge. The Sears-Roebuck catalogue of May S.A.M. meeting. For the result, quizz your
magic is Abbott's new one, with good paper, lots I Parent Assembly acquaintances.
of cuts, and a beautiful printing job. They're
free for a postcard. Max Holden's buying of the rights for Ed
Wolff's Practical Hypnotism has resulted in a
Mickey MacDougall is peddling a story to a very nicely printed and bound work of the for-
weekly mag on a sure way of beating the races. mer manuscript. Those that know praise it be-
I hope he doesn't go broke before they pay for cause of the clearness of Wolff's writing and
it. Incidentally,hunch players at Havre De Grace, the boiling down of the important points and
Maryland on April 20th could have played JINX in methods. Scoopalulti; A 100 page manuscript is
the 3rd race and got $5.40 on top of each dollar being finished by Jack Cutter on gambling and
they might have bet. Generally you can follow a rackets. He's worked for many years as a first
magician's route by the type of tricks that are class hustler, and has been behind the counter
getting a rush over the counters in each city. of gambling emporiums as an expert. His tech-
You can follow Blackstone easier, just by watch- nique is very simple and not the ornate type,
ing the exposes. that alone should make the tome popular.
^Practically all of the material is really new.
Prances Rockefeller King,
Dunninger's manager for years, Times (N.Y.) April 20, 1937 ~
went to the Variety office in
high dudgeon after the March 24th'
article. The copy she carried was
not Variety. It was Jinx 31 where-
WE CAN'T SELL YOU THE
in we reprinted the blurb I Knott
Knotes for April carried a story a
bout Frank Ducrot. Even if Thurston
INDIAN ROPE TRICK
But we have some S t o r e s ) ; MAGIC
didn't originate the elephant trick original ideas that are fully Runko-Malt); MAGIC SETS
at the Hippodrome, and ten thousand as effective. STUNTS INC. (United-Profit Sharing
is puh-lenty for a levitation, the was formed by* master Co.); PUZZLES(ChainStores
picture of a stork coming from a hat minds of magic for the •Everywhere); BAG 0'TRICKS
purpose of supplying wide- (Ralston's); E. J. MAGIC CLUI
and causing a lady to faint is worth (Endicott-Johnson); MAGIC
cwake advertisers with a
the cost of the mag which is an over- powerful and appealing BOXES (Champion Bread);
nite stop at a Knott hotel before the sales weapon. Leading ad- CHANDU (Beechnut).
issue goes. vertisers and their agencies
Hundreds of pieces of new,
I have discovered that
clever mystical magic pro.
kTRICKS, PUZZLES,
That Mew York well known,who recently \MAGIC, GAMES and
dUcts are available with
"got in" with a local lecture bureau at PRACTICAL, PROVEN
t,EGERDEMAIN have the P L A N S OF P R O M O .
good prices, better lay off $3 Y.I.I.G.A - to lift sales volume TION. With a standing
dates or he'll cut his throat and wind up unimagined heights staff of 750 Field Men for
depending on his §50 per week job. The ad i applied along sound, selling, contact and survey,
n merchandising lines. STUNTS INC. offers a
trick in Editrivia last month has been U.
completely rounded service
P.Grant's for about 4 years. I understand creators of S T U N T S
to agencies and advertisers.
have amply demon-
Charles Pricke of L.A. is not only a top results w i t h such
Investigate the sales-build,
Judge but a ballistic expert too. Now I'll " campaigns as "FUN AT COCK-
ing power of MAGIC nowl
have to go west, if only to let him check TAIL TIME" ( S e a g r a m ' s ) ;
W*invttcrafdiirm,nndth.t.
the bullet I catch in the gun trick. He may EDDIE CANTOR'S MAGIC CLUB adoerthing agenciet to larit*
(Pebeco); TNURSTON'S MAGIC {on buiinen letterhead) tor
be mad that I don't answer some of his letters, AIR PROGRAM ( S w i f t H
the free STUNTS Book tilling
the complete ttory of i o i . n i
but the next Improvement page will look like a C o . ) ; ALI BAIA ( S e e m a n ol m c o f f i l l Campaign- ol our
clients. No STUNTS-man will
monument to him, so many ideas of value has he Bros.); MACIKLUB ( 5 4 R e t a i l rail umtti requeued.

sent.

I/iystic Craig's Miracle Bar routine allows of

more drinks being poured than any other method,
STUNTS INC. 14S Ut»»«tt« S i , N w Vurt
$* Ttlaphoni C l n t l
W«lt«m Hud-HitrtM-r 504 D M O V I H BuHdinl «
<-7M0
Detroit, M e t .
and it's the only one where you can pour a sec-
ond drink in the same glass. He brought the port-
able outfit over one night for a party, and was
never so oopular before in his life. There areno Regarding the above advertisement, Mr. Pros-
liquid essences used, it being a different mix-up. kauer, who heads the organization of "Stunts, inc."
as well as boing president of the S.A.M, Parent
Audley Walsh has a "kagician's Dream" effect Assembly, telephoned me and said that positively
about ready to market, and 'tis truly such. I no exposing is being done, that mention of magic
was completely fooled twice is succession and is only a "come-on" for puzzles and games, that
didn't have a suspicion of a lead as to how he Robert Sherman, of "Sherms, Inc." and also of the
handled the card. Vosburgh Lyons' rising card S.A.M. supplies only "slum" apparatus and gadgets,
effect is being built and marketed. It was men- and that he hoped I'd make it clear that he is
tioned here a year ago when I first saw the or- not an exposer and thus head off any barrage of
iginal model and you can do it in a crowd on any untrue accusations.
street corner. It was being produced by another,
so U.P.Grant has been given exclusive on the or- Dr. Jacob Daley says that many magicians have
iginal with signed instructions. to wear gloves for card fans and productions in
order to keep the cards clean! And lastly, watch
De Roze came over here, and started the magic for Mona Lee, the mindreading sensation.
bar craze. I mentioned that formulae and routines
were printed by Stanyon in 190V. Now I find a
Page 204
 REGARDS TO "VARIETY"
N ote: These opinions refer to the much dis-
cussed Variety article and review on magic
and magicians which was reproduced in the last
edto-day by performers who have not learned that
showmanship is more important than sleight of
hand. The way they use their feet while stand-
issue of The Jinx, tie asked readers for their ing before an audience is more important than the
opinions as to whether such articles are good way they use their hanas. ,/hen a person gives me
or bad for magic, and v/hy. The views expressed helpful advice (an efficiency expert would charge
are not to be taken as necessarily being our own. plenty for it) I thank him instead of asking the
»#ft#*HHHHWS world if it was ethical for him to do so.
Dear Ted: (1) A paper has a right to print any- Bertram Adams
thing it feels like. (2) A member of the Society
who knowingly and willingly publicly "pans" a In my opinion, they ./ere written by one desirous
fellow member or his act is not worthy of mem- of furthering his own ambitions with no thought
bership in such society. He is_ a friend, pro- for those whom he might injure by his biased ond
vided he tells the performer and fellow member unfounded statements. One may attempt to justify
that, "if you will change so and so, the act these acts by using the worn out argument, "It
will be better" — he is not a friend if he in- is only his nersonal ooinion", but such a defense
jures his fellow member's chances of further is unavailable to one who writea for a nurveyor
work. (3) Many magicians require the truth be- of news ond does not attach his name to the v,rrit-
ing told about them even the worst of them ings. The tmblisher must of necessity be charged
do not deserve a blasting criticism in print. with the contents of these articles and must re-
(4) No one knows definitely v<ho wrote the review alize that unfair reviews will not do his circu-
in Variety that caused all the trouble. The Great- lation any good. The conscience of the author
est Magician of all said, "Let him who is with- must be bothering him for he knows deep in his
out sin cast the first stone" so let's be heart that his pessimism and general attitude
more kind to our fellow man. towards magic is unfounded and unfair. And then
Julien J. Proskauer may I ask "v/hat are his qualifications to judge
others? Who is he to judge?" Jacob L. Steisel
Dear Theo: A volume could be written on the re-
view situation in Variety. My how squarely the particularly the Society of Amer-
In Ke Joseph Dtmninger
writer does hit the nail on the head! It is a New York, April 5. ican Magicians, which he thinks
bitter pill for the amateur and semi-profession- Editor, VARIETY: is a rap."
In the March 24 issue the follow- In the first place, Mr. Dunninger
al to swallow, but good medicine nevertheless. ing statements were printed in a was not financially interested in the
From the angle of the showman or person who de- story captioned "Inside Stuff on show to which the article refers and
Magis," which refers particularly to therefore is not in any way indebted
pends on box office receipts the writer is cer- Joseph Dunninger. I know it is your to me.
tainly right. It is true that 99$ of us ape the desire to correct any erroneous Furthermore, the second state-
statements. ment is absolutely untiue, since dur-
originals and never create anything of our own. I. "It is reported that he is ing the many years Mr. Dunninger
There are too many copy cats among us, and the has been under my management he
voluntarily working off his in- has not appeared in more than half
best magicians of to-day are the fellows who live debtedness to her at present." a dozen performances without the
2. "He explains to his audi- personal representation of myself or
to themselves and are independent of all magical ences that he is proud of the fact associates.
societies. Wallace, The kagiclan that he is not associated with Frances Rockefeller King.
any magicians' organizations.

If I were an agent, or manager of a theatre,

and .read any of that critic's articles, I would- I have no comment to make. Dunninger
n't hire a magician. If the critic weren't a ma-
gician himself his criticism might be right from It was a mean and unwarranted attack by a man
his point of view, but being a magician and mem- whose own magic show is an expose. If he checked
ber of the society, I don't think a criticism up on himself he'd find that most of the things
from him could be fair to magicians. he says are wrong with magicians are but a des-
Fred Rothenberg cription of his own faults. Max Holden
-JfiHHf-•«">-;(••!!••>** IHHHHHHHHHt
A reviewer is only doing his job properly by Maybe these articles will slightly awaken one
calling them as he sees them (assuming the pa- or two of that most smug group in the world -
per allows him to do so), so he should not be magicians. If it does -- it will accomplish a
blamed for that. Of course, the writer of the great deed that was probably not given a thought
March 3rd article didn't have to review the ben- while writing. I wonder how many members
efit show but, If such performances would gener- would pale, tremble and maybe even miss one meet-
ally be a commercial failure, he did a service ing in order to check up on their own presentat-
in pointing this out. Some of the acts will nat- ion, should they read an honest review In
urally like the criticism but, If it's true, it pages. But of course, such a thing could never
is to their benefit to eliminate weak spots and happen in . So thank God for Variety and
get up to date. In the March 24th reviev/, the your reproducing of the articles. Orville Meyer
writer makes amends to some extent by acknow-
ledging at the start that magic Is having a re- What magicians have needed most is the realiz-
vival, particularly in night clubs. This suffic- ation that they must be of interest to the pub-
iently dispels the bad impressions which bookers lic and cease worrying about fooling other ma-
might have picked up by reading the first art- gicians. As for the reviews, "the truth always
icle. The man certainly knows his magi, and all hurts", so from the yells that have gone up,
Jinx readers should thank you for reproducing his there must have been a good deal of pain.
"Inside Stuff." Tom Bowyer Yachandee
The review is only what Is to be expected from "I'll write you a letter about it."
an S.A.M. member. Past experience has shown that John Kulholland
the society is not sincere in its enforcing of (P.S. No letter. Editor) •~-^~"~""""~-~"
Its own expose rules, so how can one expect a •IHHHHHHt •*•&•«•
member to be loyal to magic and magicians. Wo ever heard of a benefit performance being re-
Tom Worthington viewed other than by way of acknowledging the
services of the performers? The S.A.M. Heckscher
Variety's critic has the right perspective on Theatre show is an annual function for the Ernst
magic and magicians. It is too bad that magicians Hospital Fund. Expenditures are kept to a min-
who disagree with him cannot stop dealing seconds imum because all committee work is gratis. Many
long enough to step back a few feet and view the performers work gratis and others merely get ex-
scene as it really appears. Magic is being ruin- penses to cover the cost of transporting their
Page 205
equioment and incidentals. The article in Var- 2 ./hite hank taken from pocket and color-
iety was a scurrilous attack in which the aud- changed to red through hand. After discussion
ience, performers, and magicians in general were as to proper ways of wearing differently
derided, criticized, and ridiculed in a most colored silks, a visible change was made
crude and unethical manner. I believe this was of the red to a blue silk. Finally the blue
unfair and unjust to those who gave themselves silk was vanished.
for a single benefit performance in which the
stage equipment was far from ideal and proper 3 The torn and restored napkin trick was next
rehearsals almost impossible. THE END RESULT OP with the usual sucker explanation.
SUCH REVIEWS, Y/ILL SERVE ONLY TO HURT THE HOS-
PITAL FUND BY CAUSING QUALIFIED PERFORMERS TO 4 Finale was a combination book test and slate
BE WARY OF DONATING THEIR SERVICES TO ANY S.A.M. test, using a script book of the play "Dead
BENEFIT IN THE FUTURE. I further learned that End" in which Blake currently appears. Col-
no one was invited to review the show. This con- umn of figures were added to select page,
temptible blow to professional prestige coupled and a passage being read, it was found on
with undoubted economic injury to a group of the inside of two slates previously examined
entertainers donating their services to a worthy and held by a girl from audience.
cause by a self-appointed and totally unneces-
sary reviewer, is not only an odoriferous inci- Ur. Blake has an extremely direct and easy way
dent but I believe, libelous. I would advise the of working. While it might have seemed slow to
performers who may sustain any economic losses magi, it was paced with the atmosphere of this
thru this cowardly unexpected assault, to get spot. Talks quite a bit giving subtly humorous
legal advice. I firmly believe, that no reputable and human reasons for what he does. His dress
critic or reviewer would ever review a benefit and deportment stand him well for the ultra in-
performance. It simply is not done I And did you timate swanky rooms. This closed his ninth con-
notice that all other reviews on that page were secutive week at thi's place.
initialed, but the article in question was un-
signed as if the writer was subconsciously a-
sharned of its contents. I think it's a scurvy
trick. What do you think? Dr. Jacob Daley
4MHHHKMHMH* "~~
I want to speak first about the performances
given by magical societies. From time to time
public or semi-public programs are put on by
these groups. I believe that these so-called
magic shows, when witnessed by outside audience*
do more to harm magic as an art and to magicians
who practise professionally than is generally be-
lieved. The magic that is seen on these occasions
COMPOSITf ROUTINE
is often of a very poor quality, and is general-
ly badly presented. I have every right to say
this because I have on numerous occasions been
part and parcel of these shows, and more than
AHNEMANH
that I have arranged many magic programs in the
last 20 years. In New York City it has been some-
what different. At the Annual Show of the Parent
Assembly of the S.A.M. a serious effort is made
to secure the best professional talent available,
J ust a few days before this writing, I was
talking to Jean Hugard, and he mentioned as
a favorite of his, the thought card to pocket
but even with this talent, the shows do not meas- effect, an impromptu masterpiece of subtlety.
ure up to my idea of what a real magic show could I recollected the presentation I've always given
and ought to be. Professional magicians, in spite it, with actually performing it three times in
of their disdain for the amateurs, also at times a row for different spectators. Jean suggested
prove to be "flops." Sam Margules that I write it up for The Jinx but I explained
that there was nothing much original about it
in The Sphinx, July 1936, The Future of MagicT" all except the routine of three. My respect for
Jean's ability and knowledge always makee me bow
low to his views and suggestions, so it is be-
cause of that conversation I am putting this down.

In bare effect, a spectator shuffles an ordin-

ary deck, thinks of a number, and notes the card
at that number from the top. The performer takes
the deck behind, removes one card and places it
in trouser pocket. The spectator's card is now
looked for but has vanished, the performer pull-
Modern Ma ing it out of pocket.

A In the three methods I use for the repitition,

each has one or more strong points that stand
out in the working. If all three methods could
be combined one would have the perfect trick, but
by repeating the trick twice, the audience is
more and more puzzled as they try to check, and
NO. when it is over they only remember the strong
points of each method, and combine them into an
unsolvable problem.
CHARLHB BLAKE
I The first method is the best known and came
out around 1902 in England, being sold for about
Trianon Room, Hotel Ambassador, Hew York City, five dollars. Spectator shuffles, thinka of a
March 26, 1937. Time: 12 Minutes. Reviewed by number from one to fifteen and notes card at that
Th o o. Annenann. spot. Taking deck behind back, the performer re-
moves one card from bottom, brings it to front
1 Entrance with lighted cigarette jhich was with back showing and slides it in right trouser
vanished completely and after a bit of talk pocket, immediately palming it out onto the top
reproduced from trouser leg. Then vanished of deck. Now the spectator is asked what numbesr
for second time. he originally thought of. One at a time the per-
Page 206
former deals cards off deck face down, and at lastly, the fact that they never tell you ANY-
the number named, tosses that card towards spec- THING impresses a lot.
tator, 'asking if that is the card he noted. He
says, "No", and the performer says, "Naturally, Use an ordinary book novel and deck of cards
because I put your card in my pocket." And as stacked in the Si Stebbins order of A-4-7-10-K-
spectator looked at card given him, performer 3_6-9-Q-2-5-8-J-A-4-7 etc., with suits rotating.
palmed off the next card on deck, plunged hand Now don't stop here, because of the above, but
in pocket and came out with it at fingertips. finish to see of what use these objects are made.

Now hand deck to a second person, have him Start by giving the deck a false shuffle or
shuffle and note a card from 1 to 10 from the several straight cuts. Put deck on table with
top. Put behind back, but this time rapidly book and walk away. While your back is turned
count off the top ten, square them, and bring you direct spectator. Tell him to give the deci
them around as one card and put in pocket as a complete cut. Then say, "Better give it another.
before. Ask person what number he thought of. Continue, "How hold the deck in your hand and
He tells you, but then you say, "Here, you do deal three cards in a face up row from left to
the counting." You drop hand to pocket and do right from top of deck. These cards are going to
your counting as he does. He says card isn't indicate a page and v/ord in the book. By the way,
there, and you draw out the card from pocket. are there any picture carda among the three?"

Take deck back, and while you ask for some- If the spectator says,"Yes," you say, "They're
one elae to help you, palm back the extra cards too confusing. Push those three cards away and
from pocket. In the deck is one short card, or deal three more the same way. Are there any pic-
one with a broken corner at each right end, the ture cards there now?" Suppose he says, "No."
same thing. Get this on the top of pack. Tell
this third person to think of a number, and You go on, "Look at the first two cards. If
when you turn back to count off the cards one they are a 6 and 7, open the book to page 67. itf
at a time face down until he has dealt one less they are a 5 and 2, open the book to page 52."
than the number thought of. He does so and you
tell him to look at the top card of deck, and "You have it? How look at that last or third
then replace the pile of cards from table en card. I want you to start at the top of the page
•cop. You turn, take deck, put behind back, run you have and count across on the top line to the
along end until you stop at the short card. Take, word at that number. If it is a 3, count to the
out the card BELOW the short, show back of it third v/ord. If an 8, count to the eighth word."
like the others but put it only half way into
pocket, so it can be seen. Spectator looks for "Now turn the cards on table face dov/n so I
card but it is gone. He himself takes it from can't see them, and keep your finger right on
your pocket. the word you have located." At this point you
turn around, and proceed to reveal the word.
This routine can be done impromptu with a bor-
rowed deck by using the broken corner for s short. This effect can be gotten only through the
Try it out and then listen to them try to figure use of a Si Stebbins1 stack, and no other. THERE
it out and argue against each other about what ARE ONLY POUR POSSIBLE COMBINATIONS OP THREE
was done. CARDS WITHOUT PICTURES. A-4-7, 4-7-10, 2-5-8,
3-6-9. Therefore you previously have looked up
and memorised four words, the 7th word on page
14, the 10th word on page 47, the 8th on page
25, and the 9th on page 36. Two of these page
numbers are even and two are odd. When you turn
around and note spectator holding book with his
finger on a word, you know it is an odd or even
page because ALL EVEN NUMBERED PAGES OP ALL BOOKS
ARE OH THE LEFT AND ALL ODD NUUBERED PAGES OP

£)£TWEfN THE LINE? ALL BOOKS ARE ON THE RIGHT WHEN BOOK IS OPENED
BEFORE YOU. Therefore you are immediately down
to two words. Start by giving the first letter
of one of the two words. If right, continue. If
wrong, say, "n/ell, the last letter is — . " And

ANNFMANN you name the last letter of the OTHER word, and
spell out the word backward, whenever a spectat-
or deals three times on table and has a picture
card each, the fourth or next deal of three will
B ook tests come and go about the same way as
do Pour Ace TricKs, for it seems as though
one is on tne search continually for improve-
AL.JAYS BE A - 4 - 7 . In such a case you don't even
have to turn around, but can name the word im-
mediately. If you get used to a book you can also
ment. Of course, favorite methods vary accord- judge which of the two words it is as the odd
ing to the individual. I've seen some people numbers are 22 pages apart and tY>e evens 22 pages
who would swear by a method that to me seemed apart too.
cumbersome, drawn out, and obviously a fake be-
cause of the round about way of getting to the
word. However, one advantage of using, or at
the least, knowing, several methods for a test
makes it possible for one to repeat it at some
later tine without fear of anyone following the
old method of procedure.

In this oarticular method, I've tried to get

away from the adding of cords, etc., all of which The Jinx is an independent mon-
tend to make the feat appear mathematical. And thly for magicians published by
more often than not, people don't understand just Theo. Annemann of Waverly, N.Y.,
what you want and do just the opposite, being ash- U.S.A. It can be obtained direct
amed to say out loud that they don't know what or through any magical depot for
you mean. 25 cents a copy, and by subscrip-
tion is $1 for 5 issues postpaid
another pood psychological point is that the to any address in the world.
selections appear fair because you have them
select more cards to eliminate pny pictures,
Page 207
V
VOODOO
ery seldom does an effect come to light and
cover the weird phases as does this. It is
only the knotted cord in hand. The string is
replaced in the box and you pick up the piece
strictly a "spook tale" and the reader will see of paper or card. Writing something on the pa-
at once that the whole thing is a gigantic "build per you put it back in box on top of string,
up" and must be done seriously to surround it- close the box and snap bands back on. Now the
self with the right atmosphere. The effect is green light is extinguished, and after a few
at its best in a home where you are a guest or moments the lights are turned on.
present professionally at a small party. The
room wherein you are working must be made dark The spectator who marked the coin is asked
for about four minutes during the "voodoo" por- to pick it up from where it fell on table, and
tion of the trick. IT IS HIS IDENTIFICATION MARK! Then you ask
the hostess to go and get the box from its hid-
A spectator scratches an identification mark ing place. Upon returning she opens it herself
on a Chinese coin which he hands back to you. and finds only the knotted string and card up-
Running a short length of string through the on which is written in bright green ink, "The
hole in coin, you now allow several spectators card you selected was the Ace of Hearts."
to tie one or more knots each in the string,
making it Impossible to remove the coin without Go over that again and see for yourself how
cutting or untieing the cord. it is possible of being a super spook stunt.
The coin on string is placed in a small me- The secret? Good showmanship and two P & L
tal box, and with it is put a blank piece of card boxes. Make the green light with a small
paper or calling card. Rubber bands are snap- flash light in a lota bowl or such container.
ped around the box and it is handed to the host It shoots straight up and gives a weird glow.
or hostess. You ask her to hide it in the most Have the coin scratched. A duplicate coin is
remote corner of the house, in an old trunk, in your other hand where you pretend to put it
under the mattress upstairs, or in the attic. and in taking string from pocket, the marked
She can go alone or take someone with her, but coin is left there. Go to a distant person and
no one who stays in the room knows v/here the have him put coin on string and tie. Others tie
box has been put. When the lady returns, she string also, but keep away from the one who did
is asked to select a card from the deck and the marking. Drop this onenly into upper part
keep it in her possession. of the card box, put blank paper in, close and
snap the heavy bands around it. The lady hides
The lights are now turned out, and after a it and selects a card on her return, the card
moment or two of silence, a small green light being forced. In the bottom compartment of the
glows at the table v/here you are standing, AMD box which has been hidden is a duplicate piece
YOU ARE SEEN TO BE HOLDING THE BOX! You give of string with knots in the center, and a dup-
it a gentle shake and the rubber bands which licate paper with the card named on it. In writ-
are of the heavy type and snapped tightly on, ing on paper, make a mistake and cross it out.
are seen to fall off. The box is opened and Later, when you are seen writing under the green
string with coin removed. Another gentle shake light, apparently make a mistake and cross it
and the coin drops off cord to table, leaving out. It's a subtle detail. In the bowl on your
table is flashlight and the duplicate box, but
the bands around it are made of black cloth to
look like those of rubber, and loose enough to
be shaken off. Back of bowl are two regular
bands. In the box is a knotted string and paper.
When lights are out take coin from pocket and
keep right finger palmed. Reach in bowl and turn
on light. Hand comes out with box. Bands are
shaken off. Open and remove string with fingers
holding coin against knots. Shake it and let the
coin drop. Put string back and take out paper.
Write on paper. Put paper in box on string. Close
box and pick up the two genuine bands from be-
hind bowl, snapping them on tightly. Hold box
in hand which reaches into bowl and turns out
the green light. Hand (in darkness) brings out
the box and pockets as other hand scoops up the
fake cloth bands and also pockets. All lights
on. Have snectator take coin from table and i-
dentify. Have the hidden box returned and open-
ed. In it is the knotted string and the message.

Arthur
Page 208
Monroe