Magic and Magicians,—Past and Present
In Australia and New Zealand.
By Robert Kudarz
This grand old world of ours always loved mystery and being mystified and since time began there have been many different forms of magic; the ancients had their soothsayers, their temples of mysteries, and their oracles; the Indians their medicine men; the Puritans their witches; the Hindoos have their Faquers, yogis and Jadoo-Gari; the Australian aboriginals have their medicine men also, as well as their black magic and fearful corroberis; the Maoris of New Zealand their Tohungas and Kehuas (spirits); while the Theosophists still have their seances and their mediums.
But it is not with these forms of magic that I propose dealing. I remember reading a very able article written by the late Alexander Herrmann in which he said, "It would require vast learning, Herculean labor, and a longer period of time than is allotted to the life of man to complete a history of magic."
Our Illustrious President Harry Houdini's classic, "The Unmasking of Robert-Houdin", was a revelation to all magicians, and constitutes a history of our beloved art and our clever predecessors undreamt of in the days of Herrmann. Indeed I would go farther and maintain that in the two years publication of "The Conjurors' Monthly Magazine," and the labor devoted to the above work, Houdini rendered to modern magic and magicians a service that can hardly be overestimated, and magicians the world over are heavily indebted to him for a vast amount of exclusive knowledge relative to their art hitherto quite unknown.
I have often thought way out here in New Zealand, how worthy members of the S. A. M. do love magic for magic's sake alone, and I am glad to see that their love for such-aye, and their work— is beginning to tell. The seeds have germinated, the tree has grown and blossomed and the fruit will soon ripen and prove to be mighty good.
But I am wandering away from the task set me by our beloved editor to write something about Magic and Magicians, past and present, in Australia and New Zealand. This request has since been followed up by a letter saying, "we simply must have it," so that now the request has become a command and must be obeyed. Being associated with the S. A. M. for so many years and having received so many favors and much kindness from many of its members, besides enjoying the privilege of its M. U. M., the command becomes a pleasure. And then our worthy secretary has told us to identify ourselves with the S. A. M. by some actual service, "to be up and doing—do something, and not let a few do all the business and give us Compeers all the pleasures. So be seated, gentlemen, and I’ll do my best.
The first "Wizard of the South" I have any record of is Professor B. Lennot, who gave performances in the large salon of the Royal Hotel, Sydney, Australia. This was in 1854, and some idea of his work can be gathered from one of his programs:
Professor B Lennot
"Wizard of the South"
Royal Hotel (large salon) George. S., Sydney, Australia.
PART I.
The Genius of the Night—The Magic Cage and Invisible
Canary—The Invisible Handkerchief—Traveling cards—
Multiplication of Cards—Mysterious Plumes:—The Magic
Mill—The Cornucopia.
PART II.
The Crystal Balls, introducing wonderful feats of sleight-
of-hand and providing the fallacy of the axiom that "Out of
nothing, nothing comes." The mysterious Cannon. Ball, the
most wonderful delusion of the day.
The Ink Vase Illusion.
The Magical Target, or the Mysterious flight of Handkerchiefs.
Burnt Handkerchief Restored.
The Wizard's Patent.
Flying Rabbit.
Tempus Fugit or "Where is my watch?"
To conclude with
The Inexhaustible Bottle
Acknowledged by all to be the most surprising delusion of
the present age.
If properly presented, Professor Lennot's program would appear to have been a very good one for Australia in 1854, then in its infancy, and evidently came from England. At any rate Lennot was very modest in presenting his entertainment compared to a "Foreign" Professor who appeared in Sydney the following year—about three months after Lennot. Here is one of his preliminary announcements, and although it is presumed he was a stranger in a strange land, he was a whit behind Cagliostro or Katterfelto in "blowing his horn."
Signor Recanati
Royal Lyceum Theatre, Sydney, Australia
March 26th, 1855.
Recanati, the Wizard! The man that can take the shine
out of all the Wizards. In short, he may exclaim with William,
"I am myself alone!" No puff. Come and judge.
Recanati puzzles the wits, confounds the ignorant, mystifies
the sensible, and, as William says, "Amazes indeed the
very faculties of eyes and ears."
Who Is He?
Sage Man
Italian Magician
Grave Preceptor
Necromantic King
Oh, Mighty Wizard
Reign Thyself Alone
Renowned Logician
Eccentric Illusionist
Conjuror Mysterious
Australia's Star
Nature's Son of Science
All Great Philosopher
Thou art Wonder Wise
I'll never look upon thy like again!
About this time there was appearing in New Zealand a Professor Stevenson (all wizards were professors in those days) and he belonged to the Frikell school. In his advertisements he announced "The cumbrous apparatus and paraphernalia hitherto considered necessary in presenting this class of entertainment has been completely discarded by Professor Stevenson, who depends on his dexterity alone, thereby making the illusion more perfect, rapid and complete." Stevenson called himself a prestidigitateur in consequence, and he introduced the great bullet-catching trick into Maoriland.
(To be continued.)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 9, No. 2, (Whole No. 76) in New York, July 1919.
(Continued from July.)
But the first world-famous magician to step down to Australia with a ton of "Cumbrous apparatus and paraphernalia" was Wizard Jacobs and announced himself as "The Great Modern Wizard, Ventriloquist, Improvisatore, Anti-Spiritualist, Ambidextros Prestidigitator, Electro Biologist, Mesmerist, Prince of Wizards, and Master of Hidden Secrets of the Ancient Magic!" This was in 1855, and he appeared under the management of George Coppin at the Olympic Theatre (the old Iron Pot as it was called) in Lonsdale street, Melbourne, and he gave performances the same year at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Sydney, afterwards "touring the provinces".
Jacobs was assisted by his Goblin Spright, or Man Friday, who added much to the enjoyment of the audience by his songs and mystifying them by the Giant Extinguisher Trick. In his place on the table a goose was always found, while Friday walked in from the front. Jacobs also toured New Zealand in 1858, doing all the tricks and illusions he had worked in England and America, but which were entirely new to Australia and New Zealand. Jacobs made two tours of the Colonies, in fact, and it was during his first tour that he had the misfortune of having much of his costly apparatus destroyed by fire in Ballarat.
In January, 1856, he appeared in Adelaide, being this time surrounded by the ingenious, costly, and magnificent apparatus made by several master mechanics of Melbourne aided by his own careful supervision. Probably this was the first time magical apparatus was made in Australia for a professional magician.
One of Professor Jacob's tricks was that of passing a £5 bank note into an egg, and this was specially commented on in a Wellington (New Zealand) paper, as it was also in Australia. Sixteen years after Jacobs had worked the trick I saw the same stunt by little Malini, and again a Wellington paper commented on it, this time assuring its readers that it was "original", and "ilustrated the marvellous dexterity of Malini in getting such an article as a bank note inside of an unbroken egg"! Wonder if that reporter expected a fowl?
Mons. Theo, the French Magician, was our next visitor, and he appeared at the Sydney Prince of Wales Theatre, on March 24th, 1856. Theo's repertoire was rather extensive, as advertised—"The Enchanted Orange Tree and the Mysterious Butterflies—The Telescope of Mephisto—The Magic Casket—The Obedient and Intellectual Clock—The Travelling Halfcrowns—The Atmospheric Washerwoman—The Mysterious Portfolio and Animated Pictures—The Bowls of Neptune and the Shower of Gold fish—The Horn of Plenty, showering gifts of Flora to the audience—Magic Cauldron—The Harlequin—Mysterious Packing Case and Flying Handkerchief—The Mesmeric Canary—The Magic Bouquet and Card Target—The Pyramids of Egypt—The Enchanted Halfcrowns and Mysterious Lampshade—Dissolving Mirror and Flora's basket—The Decanter of Wine and Cameleon Ball—The Enchanted Rose—The Cornucopian Hats—The Magic Clock—The Speaking Bell—Enchanted Bouquet—Travelling Coins—A New Method of Making Coffee—The Bird, dead and alive—The Enchanted Bottle." Looking over this "list of tricks" will, I feel sure, bring happy recollections of "old friends" and favorites to many a good old-time magician of the S. A. M.
The advent of Professor Anderson, The Wizard of the North—the great and only—marks an epoch in the history of magic and magicians in Australia, for neither before nor since has any wizard created such a sensation. From the time he made his first appearance in Melbourne, on the evening of June 6th, 1858, to his departure from Australia, his success was immense. In Melbourne, the Theatre Royal—the largest theatre in Australia at that time—was crowded in every part for six weeks, and no "star" who had at any time visited the capitol of Victoria had achieved an equal victory, or borne away so many bays. None the less victorious was Professor Anderson's tour of Tasmania; while later, in Sydney, he had the distinction of giving his "Royal Entertainment" in the Lyceum Theatre for six successive weeks, and afterwards at the Prince of Wales Theatre, to the largest audiences ever assembled within the walls of either house.
When Professor Anderson came to Australia with his several tons of machinery and tricks to "astonish the natives", he was accompanied by Mr. E. P. Hingston, who acted as the Professor's agent and general manager. Hingston was as great a magician with his pen (perhaps greater) as the Wizard of the North with his wand. Much of Anderson's success was attributable to Hingston, I fancy, for never before did such advertisements appear in such flowery language in Australian papers, or billboards display such tempting word pictures drawing—aye, compelling—attention to what he had to say of the attraction.
E. P. Hingston had a brother in Australia at the time, James Hingston, the "Australian Abroad", and the brothers were bachelors, Bohemians and writers, and, needless to say, both were well up in matters theatrical. When E. P. Hingston gave up his connection with Anderson he became agent for Artemus Ward, and I fancy it must have been Hingston who told Artemus about that "amoozin little rascal" the Australian Kangaroo.
By the way, in the Conjurors' Monthly Magazine of August, 1908, there is a splendid woodcut of Edward P. Hingston.
Professor Anderson's Bal Masque was the first of its kind in Australia and the announcement created excitement amongst tradesmen and anxiety amongst goodly folk. Anderson stated that he was inundated with letters seeking explanation and remonstrating against the novelty or innovation. To these letters the Professor replied, though the hand of Hingston is discovered throughout. Tradesmen abundantly advertised their wares; the police issued special regulations for carriages; omnibuses were put on from Paddington, Glebe, Redfern, Newtown and Woolloomooloo; Joe Rayner (an old theatrical man) advertised that he had fancy dresses for hire, and Professor Jacobs, the rival wizard, announced that he would patronize the masque. Double tickets at £1 each were to be had at divers places.
It was originally intended that the venture should be a fancy dress ball, but Professor Anderson changed his intention and substituted a bal masque, which brought innumerable hornets about his ears. Has advertisements were exhaustive in information. He announced that the characteristic features of the ball would be: "1st. It will be so conducted and such arrangements made for the admission that it shall be worthy of being attended by the most elite of Sydney society; the police regulations exteriorily, and those for the comfort of the visitors to the ballroom will be carried out in a manner commensurate with Professor Anderson's experience of similar entertainments in England and on the Continent of Europe.
"2nd. The dresses worn on the occasion are expected to be of an unusually magnificent character; the notifications Professor Anderson has received from intending visitors render it certain that it will be one of the most gorgeous displays of fantastic splendours ever witnessed at any public assembly in Sydney.
"3rd. No dresses which would be liable to give their wearers an excuse for objectionable conduct, will on any account be admitted; such, for instance, as clowns, harlequins, imps, etc.
"4th. The direction of the dances will be confided to Mr. John Clark, whose high reputation in Sydney is probably a guarantee for the perfection of the arrangements incidental to his department; an efficient corps of gentlemen will officiate as masters of ceremonies, and Professor Anderson will give his personal superintendence.
"5th. The orchestra will be under the direction of Mr. John Winterbottom; his celebrated band will be greatly augmented and special musical effects introduced for the occasion.
"6th. The decorations and fitting up of the theatre will be far beyond anything that has been attempted in the city; preparations have been going on for several weeks past to render the ballroom itself a sight which alone would repay the visitor for his attendance.
"7th. The refreshment department will be adapted to meet the wants of all visitors; suppers will be laid out for all those desirous of partaking of them, and refreshments of every description will be obtainable. A scale of prices will be posted in the theatre so that there may be no overcharge. Mr. Hatch, of the London Tavern, will be caterer on the occasion. For the external arrangements Mr. Anderson is in anticipation of being able to arrange for a large number of cabs and vehicles at a fixed, moderate price, to convey visitors to the theatre, and to be in attendance at the termination of the ball, so that there may be no disappointment in returning home."
The interior arrangements of the theatre were set forth thus: "The interior of the Prince of Wales' Theatre will be entirely remodelled. The immense salle-de-danse will extend from the front to the back wall of the theatre, comprising the entire pit and stage, thrown open to their entire limits, so as to form the most superb ballroom in Australia. The entire house will be hung with tasteful draperies, and its appearance so altered that it will scarcely be recognisable as a theatre, but will have the appearance of a royal festive hall, modelled after that erected for Her Majesty the Queen, at Balmoral Castle, on the occasion of Professor Anderson superintending the birthday fete of His Royal Highness, Prince Albert, in 1849. Ornamentations and adjuncts will, however, be introduced, which will be imitated from the Imperial decorations from Versailles, on the occasion of the last ball given in its regal precincts; rows of glittering chandeliers from the canopy, down each side of the ballroom, will throw a radiance upon the scene such as has not been witnessed at any previous assembly. The floral decorations will be of the most tasteful and artistic character, so as to combine the charms of color with the refreshing odour of real flowers. Music, dance, flowers, and fancy will co-operate to render the evening one which will long be remembered by those present on the occasion.
"The dress circle will be reserved for the special use of visitors to the ballroom, who will have free access to it, that they may enjoy the splendid coup d'oeil beneath them when seeking rest from the exertion of the dance. The upper circle and gallery will be converted into balconies for the accommodation of those who wish to be spectators only. Admission to the upper boxes, 5s., to the gallery 3s.
"Professor Anderson will, himself, superintend the ball-room, and will be at hand to redress any just cause of complaint, or aid the comfort of any visitor. The novel gasfittings will be under the direction of Mr. Turner, the decorations by Mr. Twight, the remodelling of the theatre by Mr. Cooper and assistants, the floral ornamentation by Mr. Walker."
The foregoing advertisement is reproduced not only to show the great showman Anderson really was, but also the cleverness of E. P. Kingston with his facile pen. Anderson's advertisements roused the goody-goodies' ire, and compelled him to answer at length in justification—to the great delight, I am sure, of Hingston. He said that there were no reasons why a bal masque would be less acceptable in Sydney than elsewhere. He had held one in Melbourne, why not in Sydney? Throughout the Continent of Europe, from Paris to St. Petersburg, and from Stockholm to Constantinople, the bal masque was one of the recognized methods of amusement offered to the public. In one city it takes place in a ballroom, in another at the Grand Opera and in another at the Imperial Palace. In London it had become an annual institution, with M. Tullien as its founder, and in the large cities of the British Empire. In deference, however, to the opinions of the cynics, Professor Anderson had altered the title from bal masque to fancy dress ball. And then he was bombarded with letters complaining of the alteration!
Anderson arrived in Australia in the days of the great gold discoveries in Ballarat, Bendigo, and Castlemaine, when there were thousands of California miners on alluvial workings, as well as canvas towns springing up everywhere like mushrooms in the night. Anderson played those towns to extraordinary business and delighted the "diggers" many of whom had seen him before in other countries and heralded his praises in the "land of the golden fleece and big nuggets'".
While in Castlemaine, some thirty-five years after the Great Wizard of the North had been there, I came across this advertisement of his in an old Castlemaine paper, and it has remained in my scrap-book ever since:
(Coat)
THEATRE (of arms) ROYAL
Castlemaine
For Five Nights Only!
Tuesday, July 12.
And Four Following Evenings
Professor
A N D E R S O N ! !
The Great
WIZARD OF THE NORTH
Wiill have the honor of making his appearance in Castlemaine on the above date in his
Royal Entertainment of Magic
And Mystery
or, Three Hours in Wonder World!
On the same scale and with even more gorgeous adjuncts than when he had the honor of performing by command before Her Most Gracious Majesty the Queen, at Buckingham
Palace, and at Windsor and Balmoral Castle.
His performance will not only include salections from the most recherche of the experiments approved by Her Majesty, but also some of the most successful "Tours d'Addresse" included by him in the course of his performances before the Emperors of Russia and Austria, the, Kings of Prussia, Saxony, Sweden, Denmark, Holland and Hanover, and the President of the United States of America.
Great as his success has been on the two shores of the Atlantic for many years past, it has been eclipsed by the triumph he has already achieved in Australia. Hundreds have been turned away nightly, unable to gain admission.
On Tuesday, 12th July
The
Grand Hyper-Magical Entertainment
The apparatus alone has cost Professor Anderson £4000,
and forms the most glittering array of
Jewelled Beauty
Ever Presented on the Stage
The Programme will include selections from the following repertoire:
Anderson's Metamorphic Table
The Wizard's Philophilogican
The Enchanted Chair of Comus
The Cafetiere of the Hindoos
The Bewitched Flowers
The Great Gun Trick; or the
Secret of Invulnerability
The Sketch Book of Sathanas..
Clairvoyance Extraordinary; or
The Charmed Vision
Retro-Reminiscent Orthography, and
Clairvoyance
Miss Louisa Anderson
The Fairy of the Portfolio, with song of
"Bonnie Dundee"
by
Miss Flora Anderson
Ministering Attendants
Miss Eliza Anderson
Mr. J. H. Anderson Junr.
Miss Anderson will preside at the Pianoforte.
Doors open every evening at Half-past seven to commence at Eight,
Stalls 5/- Boxes 4/- Pit 2/6
In Brisbane, Queensland, the Wizard Jacobs arrived by some mismanagement on the part of his agent, just as Professor Anderson had commenced his necromantic display. This clash caused great excitement, one against the other, and the town was billed with all sorts of assertions of what could, would and should be done by each of them. Professor Anderson went so far as to state on a three-sheet poster that he would do, act, and perform anything the audience might request of him. What a feast of Magic! And in Australia, too! Fancy Brisbanites having their choice as to whether they would go and see Professor Anderson in his "Enchanted Psychomatheum", introducing "The Thaumaturgy of the Ancients, the Mysteries of the Rosicrucians, the Wonders attributed to Cagliostro, and the Marvels of the Magicians of the Orient" or spend an evening with the "Great Wizard Jacobs", and witness his "Incomprehensible Wonders and Cabalistic Mysteries", as well as enjoy the "Facetious Drolleries of his Goblin Sprightly". Strange to say, Brisbane had a similar magic choice afforded them a few years ago, Christmas 1910, when Charles Carter and Jean Hugards appeared there at one and the same time, but in different "Types of Magic" of course.
(To be Continued)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 9, No. 3, (Whole No. 77) in New York, August 1919.
PROFESSOR ANDERSON was indeed a man of infinite resources, and when be billed as he did against Wizard Jacobs he knew that something almost unprecedented in the annals of legerdemain would be required of him following such bill matter. And good showman that he was, he was prepared for such emergency, extremity or plausible accident, and it "came off" in Brisbane. On this particular evening his little daughter Julia did the clairvoyant business, and had just completed her task, and it appears besides having all kinds of dummies and one or two highly finished automatic figures, he had a dummy the exact counterpart of his child, and on this occasion it "did the trick." Just as Julia had courtesied and gone off, a gentleman in the stage box got up and said:—"Mr. Anderson, you have announced in your program that you will do, act, and perform anything at all which any person in the audience might require of you. I am going to put your powers as a wizard to the test. This watch I desire you to place upon the reading desk of the church a few paces from this building. I hold the key of the church, and request that I might find; it there within the space of fifteen minutes." "Pass the watch, please. Thank you," said the Professor. To Julia, who had made her exit he called: "Come back here a moment; I have a pleasant surprise for you (addressing the audience) which this gentleman's demand has caused me to omit." Making believe that the child was adverse to returning he said, "Come now, Miss, no nonsense," and after what appeared to be a struggle between parent and child he entered with the figure—the counterpart of Julia in his arms, forced it into the chair, and proceeded to blindfold it, and then while turning to his audience and explaining the wonderful feat of magic that was to be carried out, through, a hole in the stage a light was passed (it could not be seen by the people as all chairs used were covered to the floor) the flimsy gauze which was saturated with spirits, immediately enveloped the figure— which, of course, the audience thought was the daughter—in one volume of flame. Then they cried "Anderson! Anderson! Look to your child." Some rushed from the wings with all kind of cloaks and things to throw upon the blazing mass. Himself appearing ready to faint with distress and horror; the thing is borne off, the father tottering after it wringing his hands.
In a few minutes he returns, pale and agitated, and returning the watch to the gentleman hopes he will excuse him the task allotted to him to perform that evening, as through the unfortunate accident he would not be able to get through anything but ordinary business, and hardly that. He was however, "grateful to be able to assure the audience that his darling daughter had escaped any serious injury and would soon be all right again, while he was indeed indebted to the ladies and gentlemen who had rendered such timely assistance." Every magician, we are told, should be an actor. Anderson that night, was the greatest actor of them all—but then Anderson was an actor before he became a magician, and while in Australia appeared in quite a number of characters, his favorite fancy being Rob Roy. Mention should always be made of Professor Anderson's great generosity all over the world, for be raised thousands of pounds for charitable purposes during his career. During his fifteen months tour of Australia he distributed over £400.
The "Wizard of the Antipodes" appeared in 1860, as did also a "Mr. Charles." The Antipodean necromancer had been associated with Professor Anderson, being engaged to take the part of Dupald when Anderson put on "Rob Roy," and reinacted with him sometimes. He thus had many opportunities of picking up some of the tricks, of his former master. Together with Mrs. Gardiner and a pianist they started to "do the provinces" with the following menu:—
Our Entertainment
PROFESSOR GARDINER
Wizard of the Antipodes, Comedian, and Illusionist
and
Mrs. Gardiner’s
OVERLAND ENTERTAINMENTS.
Part I.
Will be introduced the Magic Boxes—Cards—Metamorphosed Pound Note—Ladies' Rings—Gentlemen's Watches— The Egyptian Juggling Trick, or where do the eggs come from—Flying Shillings—together with a most novel and amusing finale.
Part II.
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner will appear in their celebrated Comic Duets and Funny Dialogues :—"The Drunkard Husband's Return"—"Matrimonial Squabbles"—"Conjugal Felicity"—expounded in the persons of "Mr. and Mrs. Clark," "Mr. and Mrs. Toddles," etc.—"The Tear Fell Gently," and (comic) "Passage-door Courtship by Mrs. Gardiner"—"The Wife's Mangle"—and the "Laughing Man" (comic) Mr. Gardiner. Concluding with "My Poor Brother's Letter" in which Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner will introduce their original Swiss songs and flute solos. Australia, at this time, was divided into States, and Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner's Overland Show was presented in three of them before finally disbanding (the show, not the good couple) in their home town—Melbourne.
What a number of unprincipled people have appeared in the "World of Magic" assuming the names of famous performers and strutting about for a brief period in their borrowed plumes as the originals! And how prone have they been to pick the "big fellows" out. Young Australia was not very old when one of these peculiar fellows appeared in her midst as "The Original Professor Herrmann from Vienna"! He did the "Great Fishbowl Trick", too—perhaps to lend color to the deception. Since "Hermann's" (from Vienna) time this trick of annexation has been presented all over Australia. Anderson, Jacobs, Dr. Lynn, Heller, Kellar, Bertram, Dante, Thurston, and Chung Ling Loo (to mention a few "Familiars,") have all had their counterfeits in the Land of the Southern Cross. When Dante was in South Australia the management wired over to a town in Western Australia for a date, and got the reply: "No use, been here before"!
Our next visitor was Mr. Simmons, and he was not to be outdone by "Herrmann, the Venetian Prestidigitateur." He styled himself "The American Frikell,'' and put Washington to his name, for he was "a fellow of infinite jest" even in 1862. We have it on the authority of Jno. N. Maskelyne, however, that this Washington was, "really Mr. Simmons, a conjuror hailing from the neighborhood of Bristol," and it was years after he had visited and astonished all parts of Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales that the "American Frikell" frankly told us in his "Adventures of a Strange Man," he left England in the "British Empire" for Australia and landed in Melbourne after a voyage of a hundred and nineteen days! It was with "something entirely new" that he did so, and he was undoubtedly the first legitimate conjuror to present the new School of Magic to an Australian audience, which was I believe the original creation of the Famous Wiljalba Frikell. The innovation was quickly recognized by the press, as can be seen from a Melbourne criticism:—"As a magician, Mr. Simmons is unapproachable, and the beauty of his entertainment is that he performs his marvelous tricks without the aid of the usual paraphernalia, his stage being simply furnished with a couple of small tables and a chain or two. His sleight-of-hand is perfectly astounding, his tricks are new, perplexing and puzzling, and so thoroughly is he up to his work as a conjuror that the keenest observer will fail to detect him. In addition to the above Mr. Simmons addresses his audience in a manner that proves him to be a man of refined education and fond of humor." His tour of Australia ended in Sydney, and was thus announced in the Sydney Morning Herald:—
WASHINGTON SIMMONS
"The American Frikell"
Lyceum Theatre, Sydney, Australia, May 4, 1863
Important Attraction for One Week Only
Magic Without Apparatus and Triumph of Sleight-of-hand
WASHINGTON SIMMONS
From St. James Hall, London, will give his Grand Soirees, Fantastiques of Magic and Mystery. Astounding Illusions! No Apparatus! No Confederates! New Tricks every night!
Washington Simmons, the American Frikell, is pronounced by the Victorian and South Australian press to be the most extraordinary performer that has visited the colonies.
THE GREAT SPIRIT SWINDLES
By which Messrs. Foster and Howe imposed upon the fashionable and literary world of London, as recorded in The Times and other journals in March, 1862, will be performed including the "Mysterious Writing on the Arm," "The Raps Under the Table," and "The Writing by the Invisible Hand."
(To be Continued)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 9, No. 4, (Whole No. 78) in New York, September 1919.
(Continued from September)
Among the more extraordinary feats of Prestidigitation performed by Professor Simmons are the following:—Resurrection of the Cards—Little Tommy—Transmigration—Money Making—Spiritual Calculator—The Right Thing in the Wrong Place—Telegraph Eclipsed—Gordian Knot—Mysterious Writing on the Arm—Adventures of a Pocket Handkerchief—The Language of Money—Secret Attraction—The Seals of Love—Mysterious Disappearance and Re-appearance—The Hat that Holds Everything—The Apple of Fortune—Balls and Basin—The Raps Under the Table—The Demon's Handkerchief—Transformation Extraordinary—Diminishing Eggs—Miraculous Bowls of Fish—Two Hundred Balls and Goblets—The Great Pistol Trick—Flying Cards—Metampsychosis—Writing by the Invisible Hand.
The above appearances were the last Washington Simmons gave in Australia, and in May, 1863, he left for China and Japan under the management of R. S. Smythe, the well-known entrepreneur of the colonies. The same R. S. Smythe introduced the same "American Frikell" again to a Sydney public in 1886 but this time as "Dr. Lynn, the Famous Conjuror from the Egyptian Hall, London." In the meantime as Australian magician had "got busy," and in connection with the celebrated Lynch Family of Bellringers had appeared as "Dr. Lynn'' before the original "Dr. Hugh Lynn" could renew his acquaintance with us. But such is one of the results of fame, and an illustration of an Australian magician's flattery!
The youthful days of Washington Simmons were, I believe, spent on the "seas, the rolling seas," being in the Navy, and he quit being a sailor to become a good talking magician. Whether this had any influence with the conjuror who followed him in Sydney I know not, but he announced himself as "The Wizard of the Sea" when he appeared at the Old School of Arts in 1864. His name was O'Brien—no relation to Widow O'Brien made famous all over the world by the late Johnny Sheridan. In 1865 Professor Jacobs made another tour of Australia and New Zealand, introducing "The Seance with the Spirits and Invisible Powers" and featuring his "Grand Shawl and Glass Bowl Experiment." He was followed in 1866 by Maxwell Brown in Australia, and Professor Julien, the Military Magician in New Zealand.
George Coppin had astonished us with Anderson, pleased with Jacobs, but when he presented Robert Heller to Australians he delighted everyone. This he did in 1869. Heller's performances literally took the country by storm, for never before had such an entertainer been in their midst. His "Wonders and Miracles" were discussed everywhere, while his masterly piano playing was the delight of musicians and a charm to all. One didn't know what to admire most in this clever fellow's delightful show—his clever manipulation as a conjuror, his extraordinary faculty as a pianist, or the incomprehensible second-sight of Miss Haidee Heller—all were so marvelous in their way. Another feature about this wonderful man—this "Somatic Conjuror" as he was styled—were his discourses. In Heller, the bombastic, self-sufficiency of the ordinary "magician" were happily wanting, and in the place we had his cool, imperturbable "chaffy" talk, amusing and witty.
After drawing all New South Wales for some sixty performances Heller crossed over to Victoria and on the 17th November opened in Melbourne, being thus advertised:—
HELLER'S WONDERS
172—Bourke Street East—172
Mr. George Coppin has the honor to announce the
First Appearance in Victoria
of the
Eminent Artist
MR. ROBERT HELLER
on which occasion the Famous
Somatic Conjuror
Brilliant Pianist
and
Witty Conversationalist
Will present a programme of
WONDERS AND MIRACLES
Only to be denned as Musical, Magical, Mimetic, Illusory,
Chatty, Anecdotal, Imaginative, Imitative,
Mysterious and Pleasant.
(To be continued)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 9, No. 5, (Whole No. 79) in New York, October 1919.
(Continued from October)
Part I
SOMATIC CONJURINE
1. The Cabalistic Clock
2. The Aerial Bell
3. The Fortunes and Misfortunes of a Handkerchief
4. The Witch's Pole
5. The Rapier
6. Cupid Among the Roses
7. Raising the Wind
8. The Shower of Gold
9. Mocha
Part II
MUSICAL
10. Mr. Heller will perform Thalberg's caprice upon airs
from "La Sonnambula" arranged for the pianoforte.
11. "The Last Rose of Summer"—A Bagatelle—"One of
the most charming fancies woven into fact."
Part III
SUPERNATURAL
12. The Great Mystery of
Supernatural Vision
In which Mr. Heller will be assisted by
MISS HAIDEE HELLER
The Mysterious
Part IV
13. Practical Paradoxical Puzzles
Several excellent and amusing puzzles and parlor tricks will be explained to the audience. In the course of the evening will be introduced the famous and astounding wonder of finding
A YOUNG LADY IN A GENTLEMAN'S HAT
Doors open at half-past 7, to commence at 8 o'clock. In order to prevent interruption and annoyance ladies and gentlemen will oblige by being seated before the commencement of the entertainment. Carriages may be ordered at 10 o'clock.
Prices of Admission:
Dress Reserved Chairs, 3/—; Parquette, 2/—;
Gallery, One Shilling; Infants, One Guinea
N. B.—Hats and Bonnets will not be permitted in the Dress Reserved Chairs except in the back row.
No charges made in the ladies' cloak-room.
Reserved chairs can be secured six days in advance.
A Matinee EVERY Saturday, at 2.30.
Heller had a brother in Australia—Mr. Angelo C. Palmer, a lawyer, residing in Hamilton, Victoria, to whom he left much of his property at his death. Mr. Palmer died a few years ago. After setting all Australia talking about him and his fascinating diablerie, Heller crossed over to New Zealand, and toured Maoriland under the management of R. S. Smythe, the much-travelled, the same as took the "American Frikell" to the East in 1863. Here again Robert Heller was received with the same enthusiasm and admiration he had received from Australians. It was in the Empire Assembly Rooms, Wellington, that I first saw Robert Heller, the conjuror that I had read and heard so much about. This was on the evening of the 18th October, 1870, and the ''Wonders" presented were in the following order:—1. "The Desiccated Canaries;" 2. "The Fortunes and Misfortunes of a Handkerchief;" 3. "The Witch's Pole;" 4."Ehe Mysterious Omelette;" 5. "Raising the Wind;" 6. "Lucifer's Punch Bowl." In the second program were shown:—1. "Card Manipulation;" 2. Cabalistic Cookery;" 3. "The Silver Rings;" 4. "The Seventh Bullet;" 5. "With an Orange;" 6. "A Hatful." The Assembly Rooms were found inadequate to accommodate the crowds that flocked to see Heller and the Odd Fellows' Hall, being then available, was secured and with the same results—people turned away! Prices were 4/— 3/— and 2/—, and it was considered "a good trick" to get down early to avoid the crush brought about by this phase of Hellerism," if one wanted to get a seat. At last the final nights were announced, and they brought along with them what I believe was the first appearance in New Zealand of Mr. Punch. Peruse this notification, my brother magicians, and see what a "time we had" with such a "somatic" conjuror as Heller in New Zealand way back in the beginning of the 70's.
ODD FELLOWS' HALL
Wellington
HELLER'S WONDER'S
Notwithstanding the
Overflowing Audiences
The management are compelled to announce the
LAST THREE NIGHTS
As Mr. Heller positively leaves by the S. S Taranaki
This SATURDAY Evening
MR. ROBERT HELLER
The Most Versatile Entertainer
that ever visited New Zealand will present another
Entire Change of Programme
including
Two Special Features!
Part I.—WONDERS
1. Cash versus Cards. 2. Plumes and Flowers. 3. A Magical Bouquet. 4. Broken Birds. 5. The Flight of Birds. 6. Mocha.
Part II.—MUSIC.
Grand Fantasia on Mendelssohn's "Wedding March" (by Liszt) ; Home, Sweet Home. The Famous Descriptive Scene, first told in words, then in music, entitled
STORM AND SUNSHINE!
The Country—Pastorale—The Village Bells—The Dance—The Storm—The Old Hundredth Psalm—Sunshine.
Part III.—MYSTERY.
Illustrations of SUPERNATURAL VISION
And the further Mystery
What IS It?
Part IV—GUN
The entertainment to conclude with the Grand, Romantic, Historic, and Serio-Comic Drama of
PUNCH AND JUDY
"The most delightful version of the 'dear old story' we have enjoyed since we left Old England"—Australasian. "We laughed till we were sore"—Adelaide Register. "We laughed till we cried"—S. M. Herald.
The Empire Assembly Rooms in which Robert Heller performed were connected with the Empire Hotel, the leading hotel in Wellington for many years. He stayed there, as indeed most of the "stars" did. It was in that famous hostelry many years afterwards that I bid "good-bye" to another magician, known-and beloved the world over, and one who made me "think" also. That was our Dean, Brother Harry Keller. He, too, put up at the famous old Empire, and I wonder if he remembers indulging in his piscatorial pastime and doing a little fishing with the line off the little wharf running from the back of the Empire one day in company with Mr. Litherland Cunard. Ah, there were magicians in those days.
(To be continued.)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 9, No. 6, (Whole No. 80) in New York, November 1919.
(Continued from November)
When Heller finished his tour of New Zealand, Mr. Charles Hillsden, who had been his manager and treasurer, remained with us and in the early part of 1871 introduced Mr. Charles Stodare, styling the entertainment as "Stodare's Wonders" and announcing "Stodare" as the "Great Somatic Conjuror, Brilliant Pianist and Humorous Conversationalist". "Hillsden and Stodare's Supernatural Vision or Second Sight'' was the chief mystery of the Stodare wonder show.
At the time Robert Heller opened his Australian tour, which he did in September, 1869, there was also another magician in our midst. This was W. A. Chapman, who made "his first appearance in Australia" on the 28th October, 1869, at Weston's Opera House, Milbourne, being billed as "The Wonderful Chapman, the Premier Prestidigrtateur" and advertised as Jiaving "lately arrived from America." Now who was W. A. Chapman? I have been told that he was formerly Heller's assistant and was his original "Wonderful Boy Willie"—Chapman's name was William Adam—and that he and Heller had had a disagreement, a court case and a separation. Some years ago I came across a paragraph stating that shortly after Heller's death, W. Chapman had claimed his mantle and had appeared in New York City with promising success but I never heard any further of him—we had no "Sphinx" in those days. Chapman, however, clever performer as undoubtedly he was, founded his show on that of Heller, as can be gathered from his opening programme in Melbourne :—1. Dissicated Canaries. 2. Manipulation Remarkable. 3. The Witch's Rod. 4. Sword Practice. 5. Silver Circles. 6. Cabalistic Cookery. 7. Wonders of Mocha. His second part presented "For the first time in the Southern "Hemisphere that wonderful attractive and varied occult specialty entitled "Supernatural Vision", which is inexplicable to a degree much beyond any exhibition of the kind heretofore exhibited," and adding "no one has been able to arrive at anything like a correct solution, of this clever phenomenal mystery." Chapman's "medium" in Australia was, his "Wonderful Willie,’ and he had an extensive repertoire of "tricks" such as the "Vicissitudes of a Handkerchief," "Wines of a Mystery", "A Million Grains of Rice", the "Great Gun Trick, "A Paraducksical Problem," "Raising the Wind", (producing afterwards quite a number of miniature "stove-pipes"), as well as his famous "Sackful of Ghosts" and "Davenport-Rope-Tying Illusion". Chapman also had a troupe of "Wood Minstrels," and, like Heller, he gave demonstrations and illustrations of several tricks in parlor magic such as the die through the hat, pulling a cord through the tied wrists, cutting a man's nose off, "De", and he also produced "a young lady from a gentleman's hat.", So successful were "Chapman's Wonders" in Melbourne, that the season was extended another twelve nights, and the Famous Lancashire Bellringers, the first bellringers to perform in Australia, were added to the programme, previous to their departure for India. There is no doubt Chapman planted good magic all over Australia from the south of the continent, to the far north of Queensland, as well as in Tasmania, New Caledorya, and New Zealand. He preceded Heller in Melbourn and followed him in Sydney, opening in the School of Arts in November of 1870. That Chapman was some advertiser can be seen from his opening Sydney advertisement:—
CHAPMAN'S WONDERS
SCHOOL OF ARTS
Opening Night, 14th of November, 1870, and until further notice.
Mr. W. A. Chapman
THE WIZARD OF WIZARDS
Will have the honor of appearing before a Sydney audience when he will introduce a number of new novelties never before witnessed in the Colonies.
(To be continued.)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 9, No. 7, (Whole No. 81) in New York, December 1919.
(Continued from December)
Part I.
1. The Wonderful Shot, or showing what can be done, a telling effect—no relation to William. 2. What can be done with an egg and a handkerchief. 3. The Silver Rings. 4. With an Orange—a navel orange procured from the "Galatea" at great expense. 5. The Great Needle Gun! Tremendous admiration with the effects of the explosion, which reverses the order of things in general—by producing instead of destroying life. The gun, it is needless to say, caps all guns—an invention of the Great-Magician who has hesitated in bringing it into active employment from a purely humane motive, as it fires so many million shots a second, and kills so many thousands at a shot that the excitement of a war would only be of a few moments' duration, and would thereby seriously injure the popularity of Californian mails, of which he is a large shareholder. The gun is discharged every evening, but does not go off, as it is securely muzzled and directed to stay where it is.
Part 4.
1. Second Sight and Something Sensational. The Great Sight! The Only Sight! It can be Seen! 2. The Davenport Mystery. The curtings is drawn aside; the horgience is cullected with the hopsticks hopened whide; copyright of the above preserved.
During the evening Mr. Chapman will introduce some parlor magic, which will be fully explained.
While in Melbourne I became acquainted with the late Lance Lenton, a smart press writer and genial fellow, and father of clever Olive Lenton, soubrette. He was the only man I met in Australia who could tell me anything about Chapman. For he had travelled with him for quite a while. They toured New Caledonia together, and I have an idea from "something" you told me lately, that you will have a program, half French half English used in that French possession, which was written by Mr. Lance Lenton (as well as a four-page courier which I forwarded to another demon magical hunter many years ago.) And you may also be surprised (if such a thing is possible when dealing with "magic and its professors") to learn that Chapman was the first handcuff manipulator and escape artist in Australia, as demonstrated in his great spiritualistic mystery "A Man Sealed up in a Sack Full of Ghosts"! Occasionally he would give us some Dutch-English recitations, and tell all about Hans Breitman. He toured New Zealand in 1883 when Miss Ida Bonifon took "Willie's" place in the Supernatural Vision, and Second Sight now became known as "Duteroscopia." But what's in a name—the mystery was just as great, perhaps more so, as Miss Bonifon was a capital medium. While Chapman was performing in Ahaura. a mining town in New Zealand, a familiar character known as "Happy Moments" was arrested on a charge of stealing a watch. "Happy" had been under police surveillance, and on his return to his hut from Ahaura, where he had been witnessing "Chapman's Wonders'', he was arrested and the missing property found on his person. The ingenuity of "Happy Moments" defence was the singular part of the transaction. He assured the magistrate "that in the confusion and mystification produced on his senses during Mr. Chapman's performance one of the borrowed watches with which the wizard effected such marvellous transformations must have been commanded to get into his pocket without his knowledge and of course, without his consent!" Now what became of William Adam Chapman?
Louis Haselmayer opened his Colonial tour at Auckland, New Zealand, in the old Prince of Wales Theatre about the middle of February, 1872 and at once established himself as a magician of exceptional ability. Not only was he a perfect prestidigitateur, as well as a thorough representative of magic and conjuring in all its branches but he was also a professor of music, a plate spinner, and an educator of birds and white mice, and he brought with him two words to sometimes describe himself and his magic that had not been seen on the bills of any of his predecessors. These were "Escamoteur"' and "E'scamotace." (In connection with this word "Escamoteur" I would like to tell you a yarn—a true one. When my first boy was born, some 29 years ago, I thought it fit and proper to give the event due publicity. That evening's Post duly announced "To Mr. and Mrs. Kudarz—a son (Escamoteur)." The first friend I met the following morning said how sorry he was for me as he had seen where the little fellow was "still-born.'' The doctor congratulated us on the name we had selected for him, remarking that he had never met with the name before; while a wag, who was on the staff of the Evening! Post told his good wife, in answer to an inquiry as to what this word meant, that it was a word used by the medical fraternity to describe an extraordinary freak of nature in connection with a male child and that strange to say this was only the second case of the kind known in the world! He then told her what an "Escamoteur"' really was, although in doing so he "created" something far from the truth. No sooner had he left home next morning than the whole street was "made wise" as to this extraordinary little being, and when he returned home in the evening anxious inquiries were made of him from several "elderly dames" as to whether it was possible for them to see this "escamoteur" as they had never heard of such a thing!—and I doubt whether anyone else had, either. Harry Washington Kudarz Driver was the name we gave our little escamoteur, and on his 25th birthday, August 12, 1914, he was among the first troops to leave New Zealand to take part in this fight for freedom. You will be more pleased when I tell you the "big escamoteur'' has been spared us, and returned safely home again a couple of weeks ago, via the Panama Canal, and he speaks in flowing terms of the great hospitality of the American people to the New Zealand troops all the way through the Canal, as well as of the fine comradeship and kindness extended by the Sammies to him and his mates from New Zealand, whenever they were thrown together. Now to resume the "doings" of the original escamoteur in the Colonies.
(To be continued.)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 9, No. 8, (Whole No. 82) in New York, January 1920.
The experience gained by Haselmayer throughout a tour of American from New York City in 1865 to leaving the Golden Gates of California in 1871 en route to the Sandwich Islands, combined with his knowledge and cleverness as an accomplished conjuror, soon manifested itself in New Zealand. As one newspaper said, "Professor Haselmayer comes before his audience as one thoroughly qualified by study and hard practice to fulfil satisfactorily all that he promises on his program." The Haselmayer Soirees soon became the rage, and people flocked to see this "extraordinary escamoteur," "New Necromancer," "Continental Prestidigitteur"—call him what you will. The pakeha was delighted at the cleverness of the tricks, the ladies charmed with the music, while the Maories were dumbfounded and satisfied that Haselmayer was the original taipo. And what a field a magician had to work on in New Zealand in those days with the Maori, for he was everywhere, and Haselmayer was not slow in taking advantage of it. What assisted in this phase of the wizard business was the fact that the Maori women used to sell pits of beautiful peaches for a sixpence all about the streets. Haselmayer executed the "Fruit with the Silver Reed Trick" for all it was worth, much to the surprise of the Maori vendor of course, and with the well known inevitable results (according to the newspapers). While observing a Maori tie up his horse to a post outside an hotel, while he and a companion went inside to "see a man", he waited till the transaction was concluded, and they came out again. While they were talking to some other natives, Haselmayer commenced picking halfcrowns in double-quick time from the saddle-flaps of the horse belonging to the native. The Maori looked on in awe and wonderment for a short time, but at last he could no longer be a mere spectator of another man getting so much "easy money"—besides it was his saddle! Rushing over to his horse, he exclaimed, "Taihoa, pakeha", unloosened the girths and commenced beating the saddle against the front of the hotel. But to his dismay no halfcrowns came forth from their hiding places. The Maori was more and more bewildered and disappointed with his unsuccessful efforts. Fastening on the saddle and remounting his horse he made for his pah, but before leaving the laughing spectators he said—"I tink tat te prurry clever fella', he scoopa te tam pool." Haselmayer's magic was artistic and varied, and presented in a pleasing and refined manner, and his repertoire was most extensive, while his apparatus was of the very best make. In fact there was nothing poor or commonplace about Louis Haselmayer or his "tricks". Take, for instance, his capital handkerchief and watch trick. He used a rundown extending into the "stalls", and on the end of this would be seen an elegant oblong box resting on four claws. At word of command the lid of the box would fly open, and the professor would then find the usual nest of boxes, the last of which would contain a beautiful glass casket in which was found the previously mutilated handkerchief nicely ironed and scented, and also the missing watch. Then again, his "Transformation of Liquids," which was, the trick of the Pyramids of Egypt,”—and Haselmayer's covers were pyramids—the three stands were handsome gueridon pedestals about eight inches in height while the pyramids themselves could be examined and seen through! Brother Oscar Teale has told us that 'Dignified handling gives tone to simple effects, and a little colour judiciously employed will give emphasis thereby lending a measure of importance. . . Simple effects in magic if presented with eclat are as mystifying to the masses of the people as the more complex problems are, sometimes more so." All this was shown to be true by Haselmaver when presenting his trick of the "Transformation of Liquids." So, too, with his trick of "TV.- Enchanted Lithograph". "The Dream of a Miser," and "The Garden of Roses" were two tricks in which Haselmayer excelled, and they appealed especially to his audience.
After realizing considerable capital on the Miser's Dream, he would distribute it in handfuls to those gentlemen anxious to get a little "easy money,” while at the finish of his growth of roses, he would make a cornucopia and mysteriously fill it with cut flowers, which he would distribute to the ladies in a manner worthy of his countryman, Dobler. Many of the "new and original" passes with a billiard ball as shown by some of our "modern magicians" I saw beautifully worked by Haselmayer with an orange in the 70's, and in his "Peculiar Properties of Tobacco" he showed he could manipulate a borrowed cigar with equal dexterity. Just the same with a canary. He would take it in his hands and vanish it in a most mysterious manner and reproduce it in a variety of places, sometimes from his beard, for; he had a fine full black beard. He would then take the little singer, place it in a pistol barrel, and get one of his audience to fire the same, when he would catch the canary on the point of a sword as easy as Horace Goldin does a handkerchief. His "Adventures of Little All Right" showed how a skeleton cage could be filled with canaries in the twinkling of an eye, while in the manipulative trick of the "Treasury Department Outdone," he would take a small piece of paper, and therefrom produce a quantity of bank notes, and at the finish would pick one up and enlarge it to the size of a table cloth! Hazelmayer's "Visitations of a Hat" was the greatest "hat trick" ever shown in the Colonies, and no one that I have seen since has approached him in the manner of presenting the trick of the bottle and glass of wine—the old "Passe-Passe." He called it "The Toast". He would ask a gentleman to come up and assist him do the trick and "watch him closely." He would then pour out the glass of wine and place it on one of his side tables. The bottle he would place on another side table, and after covering the bottle and glass with the tubes, would have the assistant follow him from table to table as he made the articles change places. Covering them again he would ask his assistant to state the position, and would show him he was wrong. When the glass was uncovered Haselmayer would ask his assistant to have a glass of wine, and to state its quality. He would also have a glass; so he would take the empty glass from his assistant, place his wand under his chin, and cause the wine to flow through the wand into the glass again. With this he would then give "The Toast", and in such a manner as only a refined gentleman could deliver. The two magical feature acts in his repertoire at this time were the "Goblin Drum" and "Aerial Bell," in which were introduced the Spirit of a Glass, the Gambler, Problems in Arithmetic, the Drum Corps, Some Men in Trouble, the Dancing Master, etc.
The drum was hooked on to two arms of a tripod stand made of iron while the bell was suspended on a pillar of clear glass which could be seen through while remaining on the run-down throughout the trick. The drum would continue "rolling" after being taken off the stand and the professor carrying it among the audience. Now how did the "influence" get there under the conditions in which the trick was presented? The "Spirit of a Glass" was the self-rising cards, and Haselmayer would have cards drawn, replaced, and the deck placed in a handsome glass and silver mug, and after the drum or bell had told the card.
The drawer of the card would hold the glass and up would gracefully rise the card much to the surprise of the holder of the glass, and indeed of everybody else. In this, as in most every trick he did, Haselmayer reached what might right be called "Teale's Higher Magic", combining art and science with the psychology of conjuring. One of Haselmayer's jokes was his "Goblin Drum and Its Explanation." In order that the audience would better understand the construction of the drum, he would draw it on a blackboard, then, like a "learned professor," proceed to explain certain parts, sections, segments, etc., but no sooner did he come down to solid facts than the drum commenced to tat-tat- and to roll as it never rolled before and to play a devil's tattoo for all it was worth. Haselmayer went right on, amidst this interruption—not a word could be heard—and at the termination of his learned and lucid explanation of the Goblin Drum and its mystery, the audience were as wise as they were before, and more puzzled perhaps than the proverbial Philadelphia lawyer ever was. When one looks back it is astonishing to find how many of the eminent old-time magicians of Austria were excellent musicians and clever cardists. Haselmayer was no exception, he too, was a brilliant pianist and the inventor of a musical instrument that he called the Stylocarfe but which he said the American press had entitled the "Tronduenmiphilipenotrascomomenta". It consisted of an irregular frame upon which were fixed rubber and wood so as to secure the regular scale of notes, the music being evoked by a pair of hammers in the hand. Haselmayer's masterly execution of difficult pieces and popular airs, many compositions of his own, constituted always a pleasing feature of the musical portion of his entertainment. Plate spinning was another novel item, while his wonderfully educated troupe of performing canaries and white mice" delighted young and old and brought the children from the schools to the matinees. Haselmayer's tour of New Zealand occupied about eight months, and then he crossed over to Australia, to meet with greater success than ever and "break all records." He opened in Melbourne on the 28th October, 1872, at the Prince of Wales Opera House, giving sixty performances, and then proceeded to Adelaide in which city he appeared for six weeks. After doing a provincial tour of South Australia, he returned to Melbourne and gave a hundred performances there. Then to Sydney where he had another long run of one hundred consecutive entertainments. In Brisbane, Queensland, forty consecutive performances were given. Haselmayer then returned to Sydney, showing again for a few weeks and then bid us au revoir returning to Europe, after one of the most successful tours of Australia and New Zealand ever undertaken by a magician. Haselmayer gave many charitable performances while in the colonies, and in leaving us the poor little orphans lost a real good friend. He made a second tour some years after but I will tell you "all about it" when I reach, the 80's, for in the interim many other leading lights in the magic world had stepped down and shown us their "wonders" and "inexplicable and unfathomable mysteries."
Among the London Notes in Variety we find the following: "Zomah, the thought reader, whose performance fascinated the Royal party at Marlborough House the other day, and who was later commanded for another show, as some of the Royal family were unavoidably absent from the first, was the guest at a press luncheon which took place in the Balmoral room in the Trocadero last Tuesday. After lunch-
(To be Continued.)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 9, No. 9, (Whole No. 83) in New York, February 1920.
(Continued from February)
The year 1872 was prolific in magic in the Colonies, for while New Zealand was being charmed and delighted by the cleverness of Haselmayer there arrived in Australia from America the first lady magician to enchant us with a woman's wonderful witchery. This was Madame Cora de Lamond, who made her first appearance in Sydney, at the Prince of Wales Opera House, on the 18th of November, 1872.
She was announced as "Madame Cora, the only Female Magician in the world, assisted by her beautiful sister Mlle. Christina and Master Walter," and a "Highly Amusing and Instructive Entertainment in the Art de Legerdemaine" was promised, and faithfully carried out. And not only did this wonderful little lady give a "good show," but she introduced a decided novelty in connection therewith, for Cora's was the first magic show in our country to terminate the entertainment with a lavishi distribution of gifts.
Madame Cora was also the first out our way to feature the Aerial Suspension, calling it the "Couch of the Angels," and introducing "National Historical and Mythological Characters in Beautiful Tableaux with Limelight Effects." It will thus be seen that the little lady from Ohio was quick to get on to a "good thing," and I remember Professor Alfred Silvester, eldest son of Dr. Silvester, telling me that Cora was the first rival his father had in America in connection with their masterpiece. Be that as it may I fancy Brother Hatton could tell us something about that, for I think he was much in evidence at the inception of Dr. Silvester's "Beautiful Entranced Lady."
However, to Madame Cora was Australia indebted for witnessing the mesmerised lady clothed in all her pristine and modern glory whilst suspended in mid-air. Another "novelty" she called the "Protean Sheet." She could also catch money in the air, break and restore dinner plates, separate wine from water and make "coffee diabolique" from paper shavings with the facility of a magic man and the added charm of a winsome woman.
Cora played "all over" Australia, and then did a tour of New Zealand. After a lengthy tour of the Far East, she returned to us, and was assisted by that clever ventriloquist Val Vose, who, by the way, did a little magic "on his own" one time while touring the Colonies previous to joining Cora. Madame Cora became a great favorite in the Colonies, having made three complete tours of Australia and New Zealand, and it was during her third trip that the latter part of her entertainment was devoted to mesmerism, Cora, by the way, being the only lady to present that line of business in Australasia.
Her last performances out this way were given in Tasmania, and in 1890 I bid her good-bye in Melbourne as she was leaving once more for India. Some little time after she visited South Africa and it was while touring there that this much-travelled and experienced enchantress finally passed away, having died in Durban. She never realised her wish of "seeing her own country once more," and I know how she longed to do so in 1890, for she told Mrs. Kudarz and myself that that would be the country where "she would lay down to rest." Alas! how little any of us know as to out future destiny.
Quite a celebrity in magic circles in Australia was the late Benson-Lees, who made his home in Banksia, Sydney. He belonged to what is known as the "old school," and took Robert Heller as his model when he first went out "to conjure." He may be said to be the first legitimate Australian wizard to "take the road,' styling his entertainment "Lee's Wonders" and interspersing his magic with ventriloquism.
He was among the early conjurors to give entertainments in the old School of Arts, Sydney, and it was in that same hall he first saw the brilliant Robert Heller, and studied his mode of work, making up his mind to also become a "Somatic Conjuror" and show his own countrymen what he could do. He had worked the Chinese Rings and Rice and Orange Trick for over forty years, and his "Witch's Pole" card-rising trick was worked with sand, while he flattered himself in 1914 that he was the only one in the city of Sydney who possessed a "card sword," assuring me that "it always went well." He told me that he first saw the Bowls of Gold Fish trick performed in Sydney in the Royal Hotel, George Street, in 1856, by a wizard who afterwards joined the police force! Unfortunately Benson-Lees could not give me this hand-cuff magician's name.
Barry O'Neill, a famous Australian "lion comique" in the early days, gave up the profession to join the Queensland police many years ago, but I was not previously aware the genial Barry had such an example set him by a magician.
Death has only recently removed the "First Australian Somatic Conjuror" from our midst, he having passed away on the 25th of June, 1919, in his 77th year, after holding pride of place amongst Australian stage wizards for some 50 years. Mr. Benson-Lees was a vice-president of the Australian Society of Magicians for many years, and in the death of Mr. Ernest Hoskings, together with that of the dear old veteran, the Australian Society have lost their first president and vice-president and the last resting place of both is the Waverly Cemetery of New South Wales, as it is also of another Colonial conjuror—Lieutenant Manfred Rose.
Another old time conjuror of the 70's in Australia and New Zealand was Signor Ferrari, who in latter years became a well-known merchant in Sydney. He had travelled extensively in the East also. He died a few years ago in Sydney at the age of 65, leaving a widow, Madame De Baraty, formerly an operatic vocalist in Italy and Australia.
Signor Ferrari being connected with Cagli and Pompei, known in Australia many years ago as operatic managers. His great trick was the "Decapitation," which was performed on a table, a la Vanek, but I don't think those that saw Professor Vanek do the trick in America would have recognized it as performed by the Signor down our way. Signor Ferrari was the only conjuror I have seen hit behind the ear with a walnut thrown by one of the ''gods" at him as he ascended his stage steps, but then the Signor's performance was bad enough for anything. Evidently he became a better merchant than he ever was a magician.
Foremost amongst Colonial conjurors to appear after Cora and Haselmayer had gone East was Professor Jacobs. He was a young man of fine appearance, a splendid performer, good ventriloquist, and, above all, a tip-top prestigitateur. He was also able to present a clever musical act, playing the piano and concertina at one and the same time. His rising cards from a glass while held in his hand was a great trick and has never been approached in the Colonies, and he made a splendid illusion with the clock dial.
He and "Aeric, King of the Air" (Jim O'Brien), a remarkable trapezian, by the way, travelled together for quite a while, and then Jacobs joined forces with another conjuring show, the Rose Brothers.
Professor Jacobs claimed to be the son of Wizard Jacobs and ended what might have been a good career as a performer by committing suicide.
The Rose Brothers were conjurors, mind readers, and illusionists, and as such toured the Colonies. Manfred Rose worked a good rope act while in the cabinet, and finished by changing from a dress suit into a lady's costume, hat, wig, and all!
Lieutenant Manfred Ross became well known all over Australia in after years as a theatrical manager, and piloted Alfred Dampier, Walter Bentley, Miss Ada Ward, and the Dacres through Australia and New Zealand. He was a native of Tasmania, but at an early age went to America and served as a drummer in the American Civil War, eventually receiving a lieutenant's commission. Later he was in England, and became amanuensis for Charles Dickens, the novelist. Returning to Australia, he started out as an illusionist, but soon afterwards took to piloting other attractions over the road in preference to his own, and continued doing so up to the time of his "last call" which occurred in Sydney in 1910.
"Magic Beautiful" would aptly describe the charming entertainment entitled' "Mysteria, or the Thaumaturgist" that was first presented to Australia in St. George's Hall, Melbourne, in the beginning of 1875. It was not easy to understand at that period of the "show business" why any sane human being of British speech should dub himself the "Fakir of Oolu," especially as this "Fakir," Angelice, Doctor Alfred Silvester, was a comely English gentleman 40 years old, or so, black haired and full bearded, bright eyed and ruddy, genial in manner, with a fairly musical voice, a tendency to rotundity, a plentiful supply of verbal quips and cranks, and a suspicion of gout, which he joked at as persistently as Falstaff did at his waistband.
Be that as it may. Dr. Silvester, the original "Fakir of Oolu," the world-renowned illusionist and great thaumaturgist of the age'" with his "Beautiful Entranced Lady," the denizen of the air and bewilderment of all beholders," and the magnificent spectacle of his Prismatic Fairy Fountain, entitled. "Minnie-haha, or the Abode of the Queen of the Naiads;'' was at once the producer of the most beautiful and gorgeous presentation of magic and mystery ever witnessed in Australia, and justly entitled to all the encomiums devoted to it by the Australian and New Zealand press.
Not alone did the "Fakir" give us a most elaborate entertainment, but he augmented it with a splendid orchestra, under the direction of Signor Gagliardi. and it can be safely said that in this respect the "Fakir of Oolu's" entertainment has never been equalled in the Colonies. Indeed, from his Colonial debut in Melbourne until his last public appearance in that same city, nothing was ever considered by Dr. Silvester as too good for an Australian audience, and much of his great success out here was attributable to that phase of "doing business."
(To be Continued.)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 9, No. 10, (Whole No. 84) in New York, March 1920.
(Continued from March.)
Swinging on a square plank, suspended from the ceiling by four chains at the corners. At the one side was the Doctor this time encased in mediaeval toggery, at the other a masked executioner, with a tremendous sword which had just done the business of justice upon the still writhing corpse that lay on the floor. Under the Doctor's invocation the head moved, the lips quivered and in sepulchral tones, the dead man told the secret of the plot and recommended his fellow conspirators behind to pursue the path of industry and ensure a life of peace. The scene of an angel bending over the head of the conspirators was beautifully managed.
Quite a novelty to Australians was the Prismatic Fountain of the Fakir's, entitled "Minnehaha" or "Laughing Waters." This was a fountain varying at times from ten to twenty feet in height, rising from the center of the stage, and this while continually changing in form was illuminated with the richest colors imaginable, outvieing the rainbow in brilliancy and literally dancing in the beams of light so cleverly thrown upon them. The Prince of Wales' feathers, the column of Liquid Fire Meteors and Shooting Stars, and the Prismatic Snowstorm were among the wonderful effects of this beautiful aquatic display.
The piece de resistance of Dr. Silvester's entertainment was of course his "Beautiful Entranced Lady." Nothing more spirituelle or amazing than this suspension could easily be imagined. The whole performance of Miss Daisy Silvester was a series of beautiful figures in all kinds of graceful and elegant attitudes, from the winged figure of Mercury, "alighting as it were upon a heaven-kissing hill," to the entranced young lady recumbent upon nothing—the "last lines severed."
It was in the purposes to which Dr. Silvester turned the "mesmeric deep" that the really extraordinary merit of this performance was to be found. By the aid of drapery he made the sleeper assume classical and mythological forms, national and symbolic personifications, and scriptural and poetic figures of great beauty. There was also a most ingenious mode of heightening the effect. Colored rays of the most delicate tints were thrown on the figures, until the sleeping form became almost brilliant with variegated light.
In the representation of angelic forms, where the effect in the first instance was sculpturesque, the chromatic effects were of exquisite delicacy and there could be no question whatever oif the interest which this exhibition excited, managed as it was with such perfect ease and wonderful skill.
A change of program would bring the Fakir's Hermetically Sealed Packet Mystery and his Blood Writing on the Arm Daisy Silvester's "Masks and Faces," or "Lights and Shadows on the Human Face," and an exhibition of Roller Skating by the Doctors' two sons, Alfred and Charles who were announced as the "Californian Silver Roller Skaters."
After a wonderful run of over 100 nights in Melbourne, the Fakir began a tour of New Zealand, opening in Danedin May 14th, 1875, and finishing at the Thames, then a thriving mining town on September 2. Such a big show of magic did the Doctor bring over to Mooriland that only the four large centers could be visited, with "a special and extraordinary engagement" of one week at the Thames, then at its zenith as a gold-mining center. Leaving New Zealand, the Fakir crossed over to Australia again and began his Sydney season at the old School of Arts September 14, 1875. Here he again met with considerable success mystifying and amusing the cornstalks of New South Wales, as he had previously the Gumsuckers of Victoria, and the Pig-islanders of Mooriland. After visiting the various States of Australia at that time, Dr. Silvester settled down in Melbourne, and in 1881 again appeared in St. George's Hall, where he introduced a "Ghsot Illusion" and specter pantomime. In 1884 he gave a number of entertainments in the Opera House, Melbourne, during which Dean Herbert's Royal Marionettes made their first appearance, in Australia, in conjunction with the Fakir's diabliarie, and his two entranced ladies.
It was a little while after this that Dr. Silvester became a sick man, and his fine entertainment had to be laid aside. He had made his home in Melbourne, Victoria, where he died January 30th, 1886, from paralysis of the brain, after a long illness. He was 55 years of age, having been born in London, England, October 17th, 1831. Dr. Silvester was, I believe, the inventor and patentee of the following effects:—• Improved Ghost Illusion, June 30, 1863, No. 1630; Prismatic Fountain, May 10, 1864, No. 1179; Enchanted Canopy, Dec. 1866; Talking Lion, Dec, 1868; Suspension, 1869; Anoetus, Dec, 1873; Amphiarous, 1876.
After the death of the Fakir of Oolu, his artistic entertainment remained a sweet "memory of the past." The family separated, the eldest son Alfred remaining in Australia, the second son, Charles, coming to New Zealand in which country he died, and "Daisy" Silvester "the Beautiful Entranced Lady," became better known to vaudeville patrons as Miss Louie Byron, under which name she has presented her act of "Masks and Faces" all over Australia and New Zealand.
A little while after the Fakir had returned to Australia, Alfred left the show and toured New Zealand "on his own", the father during his tour of Western Australia dispensing with the Talking Lion, and the son presenting to New Zealanders the Talking Hand which was neither Thayer's or Hornmann's, but the "Funny Old Woman of Lushington," which Mr. Silvester put over in a most humorous manner as he also did the Dancing Sailor, the Flying Glass of Water, and a skating act representing "Lord Dundreary on the Ice. He also performed the "Bowls of Goldfish" in an excellent manner, and introduced Mdlle. Naomi in "Masks and Faces," but for various reasons there was no "suspension" of a lady in the Fakir's son's performance at this time.
Eventually Alfred rejoined his father with whom he remained up to the time of the Doctor's death. He settled for a while in Melbourne, and imparted his knowledge of magic to quite a number of budding Australian magicians, among the number being Dr. Russell, Hector Lacie, the ventriloquist who afterwards travelled with S. S. Baldwin, and "Tregaski", who gave up the occupation of "drummer" to become a "Magic Gift King." Alfred Silvester was perhaps the first professional to teach magic and build illusions in Australia, and he was quite capable of doing so. He afterwards went to Sydney and presented quite a number of illusions in Solomon's Museum, an unusually elaborate place of amusement in Sydney at that period of the late 1805—a kind of New York Eden Musee.
(To be Continued.)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 9, No. 11, (Whole No. 85) in New York, April 1920.
Alfred Silvester was the first magician I met when I landed in Australia, as he was also the last man I shook hands with in Adelaide when I left for New Zealand, he had made his home in Adelaide and had presented his "Mysteria" in every nook and corner of South Australia. It was in the Port Adelaide Town Hall I had the pleasure of seeing him, put on a show worthy of his illustrious father. Indeed it was the best "magic show" I saw in Australia. The entranced Lady, Masks and Faces, the Prolean Cabinet, and the Prismatic Fountain were features of the entertainment which brought back pleasant recollections of the Fakir surrounded as it was with many of the original effects and appurtenances of the Doctor.
Alfred Silvester was the first showman in Australia to project an animated picture the full size of the proscenium with the aid of an improved Lumiere Cinematograph. He called it the "Biolegraph". Charles Morritt, the well-known English Illusionist came to Australia with the "Biolograph", and he was much surprised on opening in Adelaide to find the local "Biolegraph" playing in opposition to the imported "Biolegraph". He was not inclined to pay much attention to what local people told him about Silvester's Biolegraph, being the equal of the Bioelgraph, but when Professor T. Kennedy, the hypnotist, who was also then in Adelaide corroborated the story, adding that in some respects it was superior, it made him concerned in the matter, and he went and "saw for himself", with the result that he frankly admitted the invention of his countryman and brother conjuror was a "cute idea" and worthy of all the praise given to it, giving the tip that London was the place for it.
Silvester, the second, was also the first to introduce a "Handcuff Queen" into Australia in the person of Queenie Silvester, his "original" Entranced Lady of Solomon's Sydney Museum. This was at the old Bijou Theatre in Adelaide.
In the death of Alfred Silvester, which occurred in Adelaide in 1907, it may be said the "last link was severed" between the "old and the new magic", which was beginning to bud at that time in Australia. I lost my dear old Australian "magic chum", while Adelaide lost a genial and kind hearted ctiizen, who was ever ready with his wand to assist others for sweet charity's sake.
As I write these words of Alfred Silvester, his son—also named Alfred—is in New Zealand, having come over from Australia under the Fuller management, and is about to present some of the tricks his father and grandfather showed us in the 70's!
Quite a well-known conjuror in the Colonies in the latter 70's was Professor Hennicke, who presented the Arabian Box Mystery with the assistance of Miss Burdetta Stella: As originally presented by Hennicke, the lady got into the box after it had been locked, encased in a canvas cover, and roped. This I think was Maskelyne's original working of this famous illusion. Burdetta was also Hennicke's Suspended Lady. The professor did quite a number of good tricks, almost without appliances and no "sprightly", his assistant being generally a boy from the audience. His tricks were accomplished by bright and witty chatter. He introduced the "Needle Supper," which tricks I have not seen repeated out this way, and his "Inexhaustible Bottle" was not the familiar mechanical one but a transparent glass bottle from which all kinds of drinks were evolved after it has been filled with water. One of his "laughable tricks", with the assistance of the small boy was his ribbon disgorgement, which he entitled the "Magic Dough".
Hennicke was known as the "Wizard of the East" and at one time in Australia he made up as a Turk and performed a silent act in a variety show. He assumed the character during the day, but gave the "game away" at the dinner table in a Queensland County hotel on one occasion, when he requested one of the diners to "oblige by passing the spuds along" with an Irish brogue that could be cut.
For quite a time he was mine host of an hotel in Queenstown, Victoria, but in 1890 picked up his wand again, and left for India, in which country he-had travelled extensively and the Irish-Turk Wizard of the East "From St. James' Hall, London, became lost to Australia.
Herr Tolmaque was another conjuror to visit Australia in the early days, but never journeyed in New Zealand. He was in London when the Davenport Brothers and Prof. Wm. Fay were performing there and had a tilt with them over their mediumistic work when they challenged Tolmaque to produce their "phenomena" but which was side-stepped by the Taschewspieler. It was some time after this that he claimed to be "the only conjuror in Australia who really astounds the public without the aid of mechanical apparatus, electricity, looking glass or trap doors", and "who had been pronounced by the press of nearly the whole world "the Greatest Slight-of-hand Performer Living", besides being "the only rival of Foster, the medium.
He claimed also to be able to present his "marvellous entertainment anywhere, on any stage, or no stage at all." When giving a matinee performance, "Ladies and Gentlemen engaged in the theatrical profession in the evening, were politely invited to witness the feat of producing a theatre, scenery, and one living performer from an ordinary sized hat." Tolmaque, I understand, died in Tasmania.
"Anoetus : A Story of 1,000 Years Ago," was one of the sensational items of the entertainment and was announced as illustrating a legend of the Hartz Mountains. The legend was first graphically told in order that the audience might better understand the scenes to follow. The scene was that of an alchemist's laboratory with the ghastly head of a newly-decapitated body.
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 9, No. 12, (Whole No. 86) in New York, May 1920.
[Continued]
It was while the Fakir of Oolu was exhibiting his diablerie in Australia that the Davenport Brothers and Professor W. M. Fay arrived—in 1876—to present an entirely new phase of magic, namely that of spiritualistic phenomena." Startling Wonders, Mysterious Displays, and Unaccountable Manipulations were announced as occurring in the presence of the Brothers and Professor Fay, and never before had such weird, such miraculous, such inexplicable mysteries been advertised in Australia, nor had the newspapers devoted so much space to "preliminaries" as they did in announcing the forthcoming displays of the mysterious powers of the Davenport Brothers.
The Biography of the Brothers Davenport as published by their late associate Dr. T. L. Nichols was largely availed of by the press in so doing, and the pros and cons of spiritualism debated in consequence. The result was that soon everybody was reading of these peculiar people and learning of their extraordinary career in America, England and the continent of Europe. Moreover, they had publicly announced in England, when they gave their last week's seances at the Hanover Square Rooms in London (with an "Introductory Address by Robert Cooper, Esq.") that—"The Brothers Davenport and Mr. Fay deny explicitly that they have ever admitted themselves to be conjurors, and they solemnly declare that the manifestations in their presence are not produced by them, by confederates, or by any trick, collusion, or agency) of which they have any knowledge." Here, then, was something out of the ordinary—something, indeed, startling, mysterious, and unaccountable." No wonder the public became anxious to see these world renowned "Buffalo Boys" and witness manifestations which might be described as "almost baffling human belief," to quote the words of Kellar in advertising his "weird and wonderful Oriental Occultism" in America many years after he had severed his connection with the Davenport-Fay combination. But the public's time had not arrived, for previous to that a "private seance" was given in the large hall of Hockin's Assembly Rooms at which about a hundred well-known citizens of Melbourne and the representatives of the daily and weekly newspapers were present. This resulted in more publicity and "colonial" endorsement from representative citizens who had been privileged to be present at the private seance. The first public exhibition was given in the Melbourne Town Hall on the evening of Saturday, September 2nd, 1876, and the entertainment consisted of the famous cabinet-seance by the Brothers Davenport and the equally-famous Dark Seance of Professor Wm. Melville Fay, with the Professor selecting the committee and doing the talking. The hall was crowded, and ministers and priests of many creeds were present, anxious to see the powers of darkness; and several noted politicians were also on hand, attracted by the cabinet-trick probably. The performance was a sensation, and the "mediums" were most heartily applauded throughout—while the spectators were completely mystified by the apparently inexplicable feats performed. Dr. Silvester was at this time giving entertainments in Melbourne, and quickly took advantage of the sensation the Davenports were creating by; also putting on a "Cabinet Seance", the Brothers Sylvester being the "mediums", but Professor Fay just as quickly gave the Fakir's cabinet secret away by explaining that Sylvester's modus operandi was in having bolts in his cabinet which would screw out. Imagine a medium turning the tables on a conjuror! But Silvester was no Maskelyne. The Davenport-Fay combination made a six months tour of Australia previous to showing in New Zealand, but they had in the meantime added lustre and beauty to their "inexplicable mysteries", in securing the services of another famous American entertainer— E. D. Davies, the "Premier Ventriloquist of the world", while his beautiful daughter Eva Nora, presided at the piano. It was not long after that this Coterie became a "family affair" and Miss Davies became Mrs. W. H. Davenport. As such they toured New Zealand, and met with great success, the show being so unique and this spiritualism such a new stunt, enabling New Zealanders to witness something which had "mystified the whole world."
Davenports Bros. Challenged
It was while the Davenports were showing in Dunedin, March, 1877, that they were challenged by Captain William Jackson Barry, a very old identity in New Zealand that he would lay a sum of £50 that he could tie them that they would not be able to get free. The challenge was accepted and the contest took place in Princess Theatre the largest place of amusement at that time in New Zealand, and it was "packed to the doors'", and the Otago Guardian next morning saying they "never remembered to have witnessed an audience more excited or interested in the result of any performance than was that assembled in the Princess Theatre on the 16th." Captain Jackson Barry occupied 54 minutes in tying the Brothers, and at the conclusion of his task said—"I have now tied these gentlemen, and I have moored them, and I can assure you, ladies and gentlemen that if they get out of that, without undoing it with their teeth, between now and five weeks they will do well, and they must have some outside agency of which I know nothing. I have been tying knots in this country for 42 years, and I assure you, if these two gentlemen get out there is no one on this side of the line who will tie them securely." The cabinet-doors were then closed, and scarcely had they been so than the musical instruments began to play and the bells to ring! In 7 minutes 20 seconds the first hand appeared at the hole in the cabinet door amidst loud applause. In 8 mins. 40 seconds two hands appeared, and in 12 minutes 35 seconds four hands appeared, at which sign there was more applause. Captain Barry walked nervously about. In 19 minutes 40 seconds the doors flew open and the Brothers stepped out free from their bonds not merely by shaking them off. But every knot undone and the ropes free from tangle. The applause was this time deafening—such as is seldom heard in a theatre, and the feat was pronounced on all hands to have been a most extraordinary one.
Tom Fool's Knot Applied
Captain Barry said—"Well, gentlemen, I have had every fair play. The way I tied those men is a way no other man this side of the line could tie them. You can take that for granted. I started with a Tom fools knot over the shoulders and round the neck; I followed this with a slip hitch on their wrists, and I put clover knots and timber hitches and fastened them down with a mooring; and there must have been an agency or something outside assisting them to get out of the lot." It was mentioned, in connection with this tying feat, that it was ten years since the Brothers had accepted a similar challenge. This was in New Orleans, when for a wager of 1000 dollars they were tied up by a Yankee planter, who took one hour and three seconds in the tying and in 14 minutes the Brothers stepped out to claim the money, but the ordeal they were subjected to by Captain Barry was the greatest tying up they ever had.
I'm afraid this statement was, as the Australian would say a "bit of kid", as the Davenports left America, for England, in 1864.
Wm. Davenport's Death
Shortly after this the Davenport-Fay-Davies combination left New Zealand and returned to Australia. But they were not long back when William Davenport became laid up, and after a long and painful illness passed away in the Oxford Hotel, Sydney, on July 1, 1877, in his 36th year. This was the beginning of the end of the world-famous Brothers Davenport and Professor Fay. Ira Davenport and Professor Fay returned to America, and once more placed their "phenomena" before the public, but without William, their drawing powers seemed to wane. I have often thought what an opportunity the "spirits" lost in not getting their former medium to manifest in the cabinet by invisible agency! Soon after Fay retained to Australia and conducted a large business store in Hay, New South Wales, and is now a wealthy man living in retirement in Melbourne, where his son is a prominent solicitor, and his grandson Lieutenant Fay, A. E. F. has just returned decorated for his services in the late great war.
Davies Commits Suicide
Ira Davenport remained in America and passed away on July 8, 1911, at the age of 72 years, just double the years of his brother. Mrs. W. H. H. Davenport remarried and became Mrs. Trotter (of the celebrated Webb and Trotter's Marionettes) and E. D. Davies settled down and became a wealthy sharebroker in Adelaide South Australia. Sad to say the genial "Teddy" Davies committed suicide in Western Australia in 1899 by shooting himself after undressing and retiring to bed. No reason was ever given for this rash act. Those who had the good fortune to see the Davenport Brothers in their Cabinet-Seance were ever likely to forget it, for it was a great act. I don't think I can better conclude my remarks on the colonial career of these famous performers than by quoting what our most illustrious President said of them in his Conjurors' Monthly Magazine of October, 1907:—"The Davenports stand forth in nineteenth Century history of magic as its most dramatic figures. Other men may have invented or presented more ingenious tricks or illusions, but it remained for the Davenportsto stir up two continents and to create wherever they appeared riots of disapproval or tempests of applause. Societies wrangled over them, scientists gave them profound consideration and the press devoted not columns but whole pages to exposing their tricks or the tirades of their champions. All of this advertisement was not entirely desirable or well-timed, but is served to make them the most-talked of performers of their day."
(To be continued)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 10, No. 2, (Whole No. 88) in New York, July 1920.
Continued from July
IN the year 1876 "something occurred" in Australia which will ever be remember by those who follow magic or were fortunate enough to be witnesses of such a conspicious event in the annals of Antipodean thaumaturgy. This was the first apearance of the "Royal Illusionists." It has been stated by one "Satin, Junior" (who certainly should know, seeing that be accompanied his master "up and down and round the earth") that Royal Illusionists made no stop from the time they left the Sandwich Islands until they reached "Sydney, New South Wales." But I beg to differ from so illustrious and well-informed a character. The steamer "Australia" (on its way from San Francisco to Australia) called, as usual at Auckland, New Zealand, and the fact that she was conveying an extraordinary troupe of magicians known as the Royal Illusionists to the land of the Kangaroo was deemed worthy of a special cable message to the Sydney newspapers, and the first public notification of their coming duly appeared in the "News" columns of the great dailies before the steamer reached Port Jackson, to drop anchor in the "most beautiful harbor in the world."
And who were these "Royal Illusionists," and what claims did they have or what powers did they possess that they should receive such exceptional publicity at the hands of the Government press agent of New Zealand, and their coming be heralded so prominently amongst the cable news of the leading Australian dailies? The "thing" itself was so remarkable, and these Royal Illusionists must indeed be exceptionally, clever fellows to warrant such publicity. Everyone was saying so. And so they were! And every true magician and lover of magic today in America and abroad will say so, too, when they know that this wonderful combination was headed by our beloved illustrious Brother, Harry Kellar, having for his associates two other famous illusionists equally clever in their own particular line of business. These were Ling Look and Yamadeva. Ling Look was a marvelous sword swallower and fire king—a "Human Volcano" while Yamadeva was an extraordinary contortionist, rope expert, escape artist, and a "Man Serpent."
The Royal Illusionists had names to "conjure with" and their offerings were rare feats of magic, illuson, diablerie and fireworks! They made their appeaionce in the colonies in Sydney at the famous old playhouse the Victoria Theatre, in the last weeks of November 1876, and were greeted by a fashionable and crowded audience, which included the Governor, Lady Robinson and a vice-regal party. All were equally delighted and astonished and all joined in giving the Royal Illusionists a royal Australian welcome. Next day the Royal Illusionists were the "talk of Sydney" and the papers were full of praise. Some idea of the impressions made by Kellar and his illusionists in Australia over forty years ago can be gathered from an extract taken from the "Sydney Illustrated News."
"The Royal Illusionists, an exceedingly clever troupe, have commenced a most successful season at this place of amusement, during which they managed to puzzle and please the admirers of magic and mystery in a manner that for thorough completeness has never been equalled in the Australian Colonies. Certain as it is that the citizens of Sydney are familiar with almost every phase of sleight-of-hand and legerdemain, having seen one after another of the great professors of the art in their exhibitions, it is doubtful whether they were prepared to witness many of the truly surprising and sensational feats of the Illusionists. The consummate ability with which each of the members of the company performed the part assigned him is not the least striking feature in the performances of this clever troupe, while the evident absence of much of the paraphernalia supposed to be essential in deceiving the public eye when the various tricks of the 'magic art' are being performed contributed to heighten the wonderment of beholders. Kellar, who essayed the wizard part of the business does all he has to do—and not a little either—with matchless, skill, his great specialty being the trick by which he causes a cage, with a canary in it to vanish at his bidding, baffling the utmost scrutiny of the audience and equally setting at naught the most ingenious or the most grotesque speculations as to how this really admirable illusion is performed. The sword and fire swallowing by Ling Look is startling in its way, being effected with an impunity from ordinary consequences that is suggestive of an entirely different structure from that in which common humanity clothes and shields itself; the adage respecting the danger of playing with edged tools is reversed in his case. The cabinet seance between Kellar and Cunard, in which they ring bells, play tambourines, show mysterious hands at the openings in the cabinet door, while tied hands and feet to two chairs is little short of marvelous, and leaves one in doubt whether nothwithstanding all their assertions to the contrary, they are not in league with the spirits. Yamadeva's feats as a 'rope expert' are also capital, and the ease with which he can untie the most difficult knots and laugh at handcuffs is quite unique."
The distinctive feature surrounding "Kellar's Wonder" was the absence of the hitherto considered essential "centre table" as used by all his predecessors and the subtitution thereof of seven handsome gueridons. This was in itself a "novelty" quickly recognized by those present who had seen and got familiar with the "lay out" of all the "other conjurors." Kellar's tricks also, were mostly all new to us, and the difference of one or two familiar effects as performed by Kellar was in the method of working and presentation. For instance, his ''Talking Bell" was not worked by electricity, as Hellar's and Haselmayar's, but was made to "talk" anywhere, and could carry on a conversation with its master in any language, but preferred to do so in Spanish.
(To be continued)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 10, No. 3, (Whole No. 89) in New York, August 1920.
Continued from July
IN his egg and handkerchief trick he dispensed with the "egg of stodare" and produced the realthing itself, 'placing it in the hand of a spectator immediately after the magical transformation was accomplished; the beautiful roses produced before our eyes were real roses and were afterward presented to the ladies by this Royal Illusionist in a manner worthy of a king—of magicians; the "pig" was likewise real that Kellar produced from his inexhaustible bottle, as were the different spirits that he had so obligingly poured out from the same bottle previously and distributed among the connoisseurs; he made his "marabout mocha" without any wool, and in a manner never before accomplished by wizards either from the north, east, west or south; handkerchiefs passed from one isolated decanter to another with the rapidity of thought at the mere word of the illusionist, while the large glass globe of ink standing on one of the gueridon tables without being covered in any way, suddenly turned into water, and the water contained in a decanter and held in the hands of a judge of the Supreme Court just as quickly transformed into ink without the slightest inkling on the part of the judge as to how it took place. Then there were his South American tricks, "El Sombrero del Brucho" and "Nudos de los medios," equally as puzzling to us Australians as was his "Chinese Paradox." Of course Kellar showed us a card trick or two, and this is what the dramatic critic in the "Leader" said of his artistry; "of card tricks I have seen many, and some card tricks I have found wearisome; but I have seen no card tricks performed with so little of the surrounding of mystery as are those of Mr. Kellar, and very few which were so thoroughly free from the tiresomeness of waiting." And it was just here that Kellar was so very different to any other magician that had appeared in Australia. He was a good talker and worth listening to and in presenting his various tricks and illusions he wasted no time in preliminaries. He began a trick and got through with it in a straight-forward and businesslike manner, without employing any side issues to distract attention. Kellar was a psychological conjuror—a true illusionist. He deceived the mind by tickling the ear, attracting the eye, and misdirecting the senses while he was leading up to the climax of the deception, where he finished by leaving the spectator delighted and mystified with the result. Simplicity was the highest strategy in Kellar's magic.
No conjuring trick got so much talked about by the public or received so much attention from the press of Australia as the "Kellar's Flying Cage." It was a sensation, especially when a writer in the Sydney "Morning Herald" denounced the trick as being a cruel one and asserting a canary was killed every time Kellar performed the feat. This led to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animal taking up the matter and a special afternoon performance of this trick being given to demonstrate the falsity of the statement. The result was perfectly satisfactory to all present, particularly so to Mr. R. Chas. Want Chairman of Committee, and Mr. Chas. Lett the Hon. Secretary of the Committee, and a great triumph for Kellar, and public fears as to "cruelty and oppression" towards the canary were consequently completely removed, and Kellar got a mighty fine advertisement, and continued to fill the old "Vic." 'til the end of the season. From Sydney they went to Mellourne, and opened at St. George's Hall on Boxing Night. The fame of the "Royal Illusionists" had preceded them, the theatre was found to be too small to accommodate the crowd that had assembled in Bourke Street and hundreds were refused admission, and next morning Dr. Neld, the famous critic of the Melbourne Argus (who, by the way, had crossed swords with the great "Wizard of the North" in 1858) told us that "the glowing accounts of the extraordinary performances of the Royal Illusionists in no way exaggerated their merits," while the "Melbourne Age," a week later said "no better proof of their popularity could be afforded than this, that the area of the front seats had to be increased to admit of the enlarged attendance nightly. On Tuesday night money had again to be refused even for five shillings seats. When the Theatre Royal Company were playing, in St. George's Hall, Robertson's exquisite comedies the support given though liberal, was not to be compared to this." The very great success of the Royal Illusionists in Melbourne can be gauged by the fact that never before were so many theatres open and never before had there been such a colossal attraction in Australia to "play against" as Cooper and Bailey's Huge Circus and Menagerie. But it made no difference to the Royal Illustionists.
This reminds me that there was with this circus an exceedingly clever Chinese juggler and Cazeneauve the Famous French magician, with his "Palace of Wonders." Such a gathering of American, French, and Chinese conjurors as were in Melbourne during Yuletide of 1887, would have delighted the heart of a Kellar. Kellar's Flying Cage was again the topic of conversation, and the question "where does it go to" could no more be answered satisfactorily in Melbourne than in Sydney. But Kellar made another "sensation," this time in his Cabinet Seances and he and Yamadeva had the time of their lives "putting it over" the various believers, skeptics, and rope-experts that went up to secure them and investigate always with the same results—a win for the wizards. Indeed Kellar became a greater sensation and was more successful in his Cabinet Manifestations than were the Brothers Davenport. When he appeared in Sandhurst considerable correspondence appeared in the newspapers regarding Kellar's Spiritualistic manifestations. The spiritualists, of course, did not relish this part of the performance, although they admitted Kellar was "a great conjuror—the best they had ever seen," but in regard to his "phenomena," that was only a weak imitation, he couldn't do what their mediums had done etc., but a prominent spiritualist, Mr. Donovan, more satisfied and daring than the rest, challenged Kellar to stand the flour test of the Davenports or accomplish the wonderful coat-test of Professor Fay!
Just fancy our beloved dean being challenged by a colonial spiritualist to do the tricks of the Davenports and Professor Fay! Of course the challenge was promptly accepted and a special evening devoted to it, with the inevitable result that the old Theatre Royal of Bendigo was filled to overflowing, Mr. Donovan being present. The performance that night was a remarkable one, and the excitement grew more intense as the climax was approached, and Kellar successfully accomplished both the coat and flour tests of his old friends the mediums. It was on this occasion that Kellar gave a brief outline of his life (an exceptional one even at that time) which was listened to most attentively by the large audience, who at its conclusion gave him three ringing cheers.
It was a great evening for the public and a well deserved triumph for Kellar. After enjoying equally successful seasons in South Australia and Queensland, as they had done in New South Wales and Victoria, the Royal Illusionists made "rapid transit" to Cooktown in Northern Queensland where they left us for a tour of the Far East, but not before they had given a "special performance" to "King Jacky Tacky" the big chief of the North Queensland Aboriginals, and his dusky tribe. The King was so delighted with these "Devil American Men" and their doings that he ordered a War Dance to be given that evening in Kellar's honor. It was a rare and fitting real Australian Farewell, undreamt of even in Kellar's philosophy, who had for months previously made all civilized Australia dance with delight to his magical piping. What wouldn't Australian playgoers of today give to witness such a magic show as was presented to them by Kellar and his original Royal Illusionists in 1886-87?
(To be continued)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 10, No. 4, (Whole No. 90) in New York, August 1920.
(Continued from August)
AFTER a most successful tour of New Zealand, Prof. S. S. and Clara Baldwin returned to Australia, in which country they remained for quite a while, and then left us for the Orient. Some six years afterwards they returned to Sunny Australia and introduced to the Colonials the Brown-Bishop-Cumberland Mind-reading and Pin-finding feats. In 1885 the Baldwins again visited New Zealand, and not only did the Professor "find a small pin hidden anywhere by the committee; read the numbers of a bank note; tell names of dead relatives; locate a pain in any part of the body merely thought of; read any page or line in a closed book; tell the time of any watch," &c, but he also sang an entirely new song of his own composition, entitled "New Zealand by the Sea," and actually did some card tricks in connection with the beautiful hand of a "damsel!" And yet his day bills still told the public that "Baldwin was not a magician." In dealing with this phase of magic or occultism—call it what you may—I would like the opinion of Mr. William J. Hilliar with the valuable assistance of Dr. Wilson, of the Sphinx, as to whether or not this was a case of pure Ostagoozulum.
When I see so many visionists, seers, yogis, mental scientists, crystal gazers, and other "mind-reading dare devils" now before the public, I would also like M. U. M. to publish the program of the last performance I had the pleasure of seeing Professor S. S. and Clara Baldwin present, away back in the 80's in Wellington City, in the weird and wonderful Land of the Maori. Here it is, and with it I believe the "old original could "hold his own" with the best of them today.
On the evening of the 19th October, 1878, at the Guild Hall, Sydney, John E. Fulton introduced an entertainment of an entirely different character to anything hitherto seen in Australia. This was the first appearance of the famous Professor S. S. and Clara Baldwin, direct from America, "the latest London and New York sensation." The bills distinctly stated that "Professor Baldwin was not a magician," and that "no magic or slight-of-hand would be given." These "Idols of Two Continents" came with an "original and extraordinary entertainment," and claimed that "in their Startling Seances in the Light, on the open stage, they would perform by human agency all the marvellous physical and mental tests of all the most celebrated Spirit Mediums." This weird, uncanny, mysterious demonstration of occultism was also described as the "Funniest Show on this great globe," and the billing for the "show" was perhaps the heaviest and most attractive ever seen in Sydney for a performance which, if not magical, was going to be not only "mysterious," but "chatty, anecdotical, imaginative, illusory and pleasant," to quote the bill matter of Robert Heller, who was a magician. Be that as it may, the pictorial billing of Professor Baldwin would have delighted the eye of any magician and it simply astonished the "cornstalks," and convinced them that if this new "professor" was not a magician, he was a great deceptionist and a mighty good showman, and knew how to decorate his goods with the best of them. The Sydney Morning Herald said "it was something quite refreshing to meet with such adepts as the Baldwins," whose performances were "exceedingly clever, and as popular as they were clever." One class of people were greatly disturbed and perplexed with this entertainment and that was the Spiritualists, for while their eyes were opened as to the frauds, tricks and tests of their mediums, they had the wool well pulled over them by the "Weird Clairvoyancy" of Clara Baldwin, which was, indeed, a most mystifying performance as exhibited by the professor and his good lady.
They, at any rate, were quite satisfied that these clairvoyant perceptions were genuine illustrations of spirit power, but as to Baldwin's alleged exposures of their mediums, that was ridiculous of course, for they knew better! And their heads shook with spiritualistic wisdom as they discussed the marvellous achievements of Anna Eva Fay, Jennie Holmes, Charles Foster, Dr. Slade, &c, &c, with the "humbug" of Professor Baldwin, while they flocked the following night to see if their questions would be answered or their fortunes told by Clara Baldwin, who really was the most wonderful "psychic" and clairvoyant they had ever seen, heard of, or read about. And here, I think, Professor Baldwin showed that he was a great magician! Advertisements a column in length announced the "Coming of the Baldwins" to Melbourne, and they dulyopened in that city on November 18th at St. George's Hall, which had become a regular "Home of Mystery" by that time. Here they were equally as successful as they had been in Sydney, and additional interest was given to the performances of these exposes of Spiritualism, as Dr. Slade, the famous slate-writing medium, was holding seances in Melbourne at the time, and causing a great deal of controversy. Of course, it did not take Professor Baldwin long to size things up, and he was not slow to take advantage of this "Spiritualistic coincidence," so in his second week, when advertising "New Explanations and Dr. Slade's Slate Writing Exposed and Explained," hethrew the following bombshell into the Spiritualistic camp:
£50 CHALlENGE TO DR. SlADE
Or Any Other Slate-Writing Medium.
I will stake any sum from £5 to £50 that I can do all or any spirit manifestation that Dr. Slade will produce in my presence and that of a committee of two gentlemen—one selected by Slade, one by me. I will further make Slade a present of £10 for any manifestation he will produce that I cannot explain and show to be a humbug.
S. S. BALDWIN.
"Sometimes the Spirits work—sometimes they don't." Dr. Slade was particularly careful not to labour in Baldwin's vineyard, so that on this occasion the "Speerits" didn't toil, neither did they spin. Dr. Slade professed to be entirely guided in his travels by a band of spirits, so that, perhaps, was the reason the doctor so quickly got out of Melbourne to catch the first mail steamer to San Francisco after Professor Baldwin's natural spirits had got to work. For six months Professor and Mrs. Baldwin filled the theatres and halls all over Australia, and then turned their attention to New Zealand, opening in the Queen's Theatre, Dunedin, on the 24th May, 1879. The Baldwin entertainment was sufficiently strong to be able to draw on its merits, but additional publicity was given to it in Dunedin by the publication of much correspondence on the questions of Spiritualism between Prof. Baldwin and several prominent spiritualists, much to the delight of the professor, I'm sure, who was so well able to hit back in grand style, for he had got familiar with that mode of attack long before he got to the land of the Scot in New Zealand. As a showman—and Baldwin was a showman—he would delight in the "business." But in New Zealand he had more than Spiritualists to fight against and follow up. He had Magicians! There were three of them, and they called themselves "The Royal Illusionists and Legitimate Exposers of Spiritualism!" Having seen the Baldwins in Australia, they got away with some of their thunder, and with Charley Weightman (the original "natator," the Man Fish), as agent, jumped over to New Zealand and opened up their fireworks in the Queen's Theatre, Dunedin, just two weeks ahead of Baldwin! Those of my readers who knew Baldwin in the 70's can imagine what happened, but I can assure them the New Zealand printers were delighted. And now who were these "Royal Illusionists," and "Legitimate Exposers of Spiritualism" who had combined the legitimate titles of Kellar and Baldwin before the originals could be seen and welcomed in New Zealand? Ask S. S. Baldwin himself, for the opportunity is yours, as I am pleased to learn from Hilliar's Billboard Encyclopedia of Magic that this grand old warrior—this real "White Mahatma"—is still able to manifest in the land of the living. In the meantime, let "Clayton, the man who knows," look into the crystal and tell you—magicians. I just think of Mr. Clayton because he seems to be having the same experience in America in 1920 that Baldwin had in Australia some forty years ago, as can be judged by the following "cough drop" on one of Baldwin's couriers:
£500 REWARD
Beware of Imposters and Thieves!
Every good thing is counterfeited. Prof. Baldwin's grand success has caused imitators to spring up all over the country. Most of these are weak illusionists and would-be sleight-of-hand performers, who, having no merit or brains of their own, seek to trade on Prof. Baldwin's grand reputation, by copying his advertisements and attempting his unique experiments. Numbers of these magicians (?) even assume names that are not their own, taking the names of well-known performers that are a long time dead, thus robbing the grave to trade upon the hard-earned reputation of really clever performers who would shudder in their coffins at the way these butchers perform their well-worn tricks. These performers usually follow Prof. Baldwin closely, as the Jackal follows in the track of the lion. Beware of such humbugs. See the grand and original Baldwins. They are the only Thought Readers and Spirit Exposers in the Southern Hemisphere.
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 10, No. 5, (Whole No. 91) in New York, October 1920.
Continued from October.
A peculiar and funny incident in connection with Baldwin was told me by the late Fred Duval, a well known theatrical agent of a few years ago. It was brought to his mind by looking at an old program of Baldwin's Butterfly Company. Duval met this company in Penang, Prince of Wales Island. Baldwin accepted an engagement to go over to the mainland, to the Province of Larok and give six performances in the Palace before the Rajah and his family.
Among other illusions performed by Baldwin at that time was the "beheading" trick. He had for his assistant in this a Melbourne comedian named "Shorty Taylor." Now, "Shorty" was rather good at makeup. So the first night he was beheaded as a clean-shaven youth, the next night with a full beard, and the third as an old man. On the morning of the fourth day an orderly from the Palace called on Baldwin with a letter which read:
"Dear Sir: Do not kill any more of your company. I enclose you an order on the governor of the gaol. Pleaise take all the prisoners you require."
The title of the "White Mahatma" was given to Prof. S. S. Baldwin while in India, and the clairvoyant act was describieid as "Rosicrucian Somnomancy," and the professor would be surprised how soon the titles were annexed and what a number of “White Mahatmas" and "Somnomentists" (all of them original) have materialized all over Australia, since the days of the Baldwins. The strange feature about these Aussie Mahatmas is that they are all of the female sex! But the "Great Mystery" Surrounding Clara Baldwin's "curious clairvoyancy" and the "romancing" of S. S. Baldwin while presenting this peculiar phase of "Spiritualism" for the first time in Australia and New Zealand in 1879 has never been equalled since. They had all the "high brows" discussing and debating on the "wonderful psychic" powers of these strange people.
The first exposure of magic (call it Spiritualism, if you like) in Australia took place in 1880 and the Baldwins were the victims. That something must have happened can be gathered from the advertisements announcing the "exposure" in thee Melbourne Argus.
TOWN HALL
Sole Lessee and Manager, Mr. John E. Pulton, (late Manager and Proprietor of the Baldwin's Entertainment
"Spiritualism Exposed"
This Saturday Evening
Jan. 24, 1880.
To-night All the Tricks, To-night
To-night Tests, Secrets To-night
To-night and To-night
To-night Performances of To-night
To-night Prof. To-night
To-night S. S. and Clara. To-night
To-night Baldwin To-night
To-night Baldwin To-night
To-night Baldwin To-night
To-night Baldwin To-night
To-night Exposed To-night
To-night Exposed To-night
To-night Exposed To-night
To-night and To-night
To-night Explained To-night
To-night Explained To-night
To-night Explained To-night
To-night On the open stage To-night
EACH TRICK AND TEST WILL BE EXPOSED JUST AS THE BALDWINS DID THEM IN REALITY.
THERE WILL BE NO HALF EXPOSE AT THIS ENTERTAINMENT.
THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF
THE
Principal
TESTS & TRICKS
THAT WILL BE PERFORMED,
THEN EXPOSED AND EXPLAINED.
TO-NIGHT TO-NIGHT TO-NIGHT
The Great Clairvoyancy
First done and then Exposed and
Explained in the Light
The Marvellous Katie King Mystery
First done and then Exposed and
Explained in the Light
The Famous Stock and Pillory
First done and then Exposed and
Explained in the Light
The Handcuff Ordeal
First done and then Exposed and
Explained in the Light
Foster's Blood Writing
First done and then, Exposed and
Explained in the Light
Fay's Coat Test
First done and then Exposed and
Explained in the Light
Seance a la Davenports
First done and then Exposed and
Explained in the Light
DON'T FAIL TO WITNESS THIS
WONDERFUL EXPOSE
ENTERTAINMENT
AVOID THE CRUSH
SECURE YOUR SEATS EARLY
SCALE OF PRICES
Admission—5s., 3s., 2s., and 1s. Reserved seats now on sale at W. H. Glen and Co.’s Music Store.
Doors open 7:15. To Commence at 8. Carriages at 10:15.
John E. Fulton, Manager and Proprietor Melbourne Dramatic and Musical Bureau, 83 Swanston St.
The first performer to set Australia talking about “mind reading” was Professor A. E. Rice, who created something of a sensation out here in 1876. Prof. Rice was a perfect encyclopedia of "Mystery," for while being able to do the feats of Brown and Bishop, he also lectured on physiognomy, phrenology, and psychometry, and then by way of a little variety would do the Wine and Water trick, the Chinese Rings, and the Knotted Handkerchiefs, in which trick he was particularly good, for Prof. Rice claimed to be a magician as well as a humorist! And not content with his public exhibitions he would also give "private readings" to those who desired to consult him, much like some of the Somnotists and Crystal Gazers of more modern times. Rice's fee was one guinea, just five dollars of American money at the period, and it was an illustration of "a fool and his money being soon parted,'' although for those that liked that sort of thing the "professor was just the chap that suited them." For many years "Professor Rice, the famous mind-reader" was the best known entertainer travelling the "back blocks" of Australia and his 'celebrated trick drinking a "schooner" of beer and then swallowing the glass was told by every publican in the country.
Quite a celebrity among Australian conjurors was the late Professor Benson-Lees, who died in Sydney in 1919 at the age of 77 years. He was probably the oldest conjuror in Australia, having taken the road in the early seventies, after having been impressed by the entertainments of Robert Heller. Indeed, he called his own show "Lee's Wonders" and adopted the sobriquet of a "Somantic Conjurer" as used by Heller.
Professor Gardiner, the "Wizard of the Antipodes," of the 60's, of whom I wrote in the early part of these articles, was a much older Australian magician than, Benson-Lees, however, having attained the ripe old age of 90 years when he died in Adelaide, a few years ago. Professor Lees was not only a food conjuror, with the best of the old time tricks, but he was no mean ventriloquist. He took a keen interest in conjuring, was one of the founders, of the Australian Society of Magicians, and told me he had seen every conjuror that had appeared in Sydney since 1861.
Another old timie Australian magician was Mr. P. C. Davis. I believe he was an assistant to Robert Heller in the East, and after leaving him, commenced a tour on his own in the Orient, afterwards touring Australia and for a little while New Zealand as "Professor Lewis," and he claims to be "the most marvellous conjuror that has ever appeared in the Australian colonies."
Perhaps one of the queerest conjurors of the "old school" touring Australia and New Zealand during the 70's was Signor Ferrari. His great feat was the "Beheading Illusion" using a table a la Vanek. To do his "leetle trick" the Signor got down amongst the audience a good deal, and this, rather annoyed one of his patrons at the back of the gallery one evening. He left his seat and walked down to the front of the gallery and threw a well-aimed walnut at the professor, hitting him behind the ear, at the same time telling him to "get on the stage." The Signor was not long in doing so, and when he did "de mana dat trew de nut" heard a good deal more than he had previously seen of the Italian conjuror. Signor Ferrari afterwards settled in Sydney, becoming a successful merchant, and was 65 years of age at his death.
Of late years Sevais Le Roy has introduced two clever "Boscos" to Colonials in connection with his world famous illusory entertainments—the original Leon and the clever "Billy"—but Australia had its own Bosco, a really clever magician and ventriloquist, who toured extensively during the latter 70's.
(To be continued.)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 10, No. 6, (Whole No. 92) in New York, November 1920.
(Continued from December)
It was not long after the first Australian Bosco had conjured with another man's name, than Monsieur Houdin was announced to make his first appearance in Melbourne, at St. George's Hall, on the 18th of February, 1878. During the 70's Australians had seen not only magicians from the East, but also wizards and illusionists from America, England, Austria, Germany and Italy. Now we were going to see the famous conjuror from France. Alas, this M. Houdin was no more a Frenchman, than our Bosco was an Italian, for it was soon discovered on his opening night that he was unmistakably English and under thirty years of age. Mons. Houdin, however, proved to be a good all round conjuror. He could manipulate playing cards, find a bank note in a candle and a florin in a demon, fill a hat, draw eggs from most unlikely places, “raise the wind" by successfully deceiving the eye by the quickness of the hand, as well as conclude with a “dark seance," but when he came to the greatest trick of all, the one that puzzled London in 1873, everybody in 1876, M. Houdin's right arm failed him at the critical period, and the Melbourne Argus next morning made matters wonse by referring to it in these words: "The famous birdcage trick, in which Professor Kellar excelled, was a comparative failure, the flight and destination of the compressed cage being distinctly observable."
But the next continental prestidigitator to come down into Australia via the East soon showed us that the Flying Cage Trick was "wonderful to see—quick as the lightning flash."
This was Chevalier Ernest Thorn, an accomplished Continental magician. It had been usual for visiting conjurors of repute to make their Australian openings in either Sydney or Melbourne, but Chevalier Thorn landed in the Queensland State, after a tour of South Africa and the Orient and so did the far north of Aussie before being seen and welcomed in Sydney in the early part of 1879 at the School of Arts. Thorn was associated with the other thaumaturgists, Messrs. Darvin and Burton, and they styled themselves "The Royal Illusionists and Legitimate Exposers of Spiritualism," for at the time the continental Royal Illusionists were in Sydney exposing Spiritualism both "Dr." Slade and Prof. Baldwin were "raising Cain" over the same "stunt" in Melbourne. In fact one could almost smell brimstone when attending either Thorn's or Baldwin's performances at that period, and when the magicians had finished with the spirit mediums in Australia they started to put it well over one another—in New Zealand. After a brief tour of Australia, Messrs. Thorn, Darvin and Burton came on to New Zealand opening in the Queens Theatre, Dunedin, on the 3rd May, 1897. They were under the management of R. B. Bachelder, the well known entrepreneur and showman to give us colonials our first panorama, which was the great American Civil War, an attraction that packed the theatres to the doors in those days. The "man ahead" was our old friend Chas. Weightman, the original "Natator, the Man Fish" and here is one of his advertisements heralding their first appearance in New Zealand.
QUEENS THEATRE
Lessees . . . . Hiscocks, Hayman & Co.
Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . R. G. Bachelder
Under the Patronage of
His Excellency, the Governor Sir
Hercules Robinson, G. C. M. G.
Saturday, 3rd May, 1879
And every evening during this
following week
First appearance of
Messrs. Thorn, Darvin and Burton
The Royal Illusionists
and only
Legitimate Exposers of Spiritualism
The Colonial press pronounce these
performances the best ever
witnessed in Australia
One Hour in Dreamland
with
Chevalier Thorn
Being a Series of his Illusions, Extraordinary
Modern Novelties
and Latest Sensations
introducing
The Great Fish Bowl Illusion
and
Original Flying Bird Cage
Darvin and Burton's Night with The Spirits
Darvin's Mysterious Sealed Sack
Investigated by him at a seance given
by the celebrated mediums, the
Eddy Brothers
Burton's Marvellous Ethereal Plight
The medium invisibly flies from one
cabinet to another, a distance
of 20 feet
Psycho, the Automatic Turk
Sensation Extraordinary
The Great Katie Mystery
Fifteen minutes with the Spectres
Admission—Dress Circle, 4 s.; Stalls, 2s. 6d.; Pit, 1s.
Overture—8 o'clock sharp. Carriages at 10:15.
Doors open 7:30 o'clock.
C. Weightman, Agent.
The following criticism of Thorn which appeared in a New Zealand paper shows the writer knew something and reads like a "Lesson in Magic" as well as showing the difference of the Chevalier's tricks then, and now:
"It is almost impossible to describe the extraordinary deceptions of an artistic conjuror like Chevalier Thorn. They must be seen, and being seen, one comes to doubt whether he may trust his own eyesight, which indeed he may not; for what at one instant is taken to be one thing, at another is seen to be something else. What it appears to be it is not, and what it is not it still is. This may appear paradoxical, but then it is the conjuror's business to deal in the mysterious. Man is always better pleased at seeing something done when he does not know how it is done than when he knows all about it. For instance. Mr. Thorn performed a very clever bit of legerdemain with a half-crown and a tumbler. It astonished all beholders, it was so cleverly and so cleanly done; but when Mr. Thorn explained the modus operandi of the trick, then all astonishment was at an end; but this lesson was learned—that men are very gullible; so very soft and easily imposed on. And so other feats which at first sight appeared to be impossibilities were, upon the wizard's explanations, seen to he so simple that they become provocative of uproarious mirth. And here in these another lesson was learned—that nothing is impossible to do if one only knows how to do it.
"Mr. Thorn is exceedingly graceful in his movements, marvellously deft in all that pertains to sleight-of-hand, and with an exceedingly pleasing voice, speaking English with a foreign accent. His rose transformation was an elegant performance; quite a conjuring gem in its way. He held a white rose by its stem between the left thumb and finger. With his right hand, which holds a fan, the gently fans the flower. Then slowly, almost imperceptibly, the white rose changes, its hue, until after a time what was a white rose has become a red one. Mr. Thorn explained how this was done, which we think was a great mistake. But in explaining it, Mr. Thorn had an object to serve. He came to expose the swindling spiritualists who go through, many lands, deluding weak, silly, ignorant, credulous people, that conjuring tricks are the outcome of spirits dwelling in border-land outside the world. It was the rose transformation that the impostress, Mrs. Holmes, made large audiences believe was the work of spirits. And how is it done? Well, Mr. Thorn explains in a few words; — A red rose is springled with ladies pearl powder until it becomes white. The fan is fanned near the rose. The pearl powder is blown away find—well, and there you are! So last night were the Davenports, Dr. Slade, and other pretended spiritualists exposed. It was all very clever, very entertaining, very instructive and a great deal of knowledge was obtained for a very little money. Among the numerous exposures for this evening will be the "Marvellous Pillory." The "Show" is well worth seeing."
It was shortly after this criticism appeared that Chevalier Thorn left New Zealand to make his first appearance in America, about the end of July, 1879. Some years after, I was performing in the Theatre Royal in Kumara on the West Coast of New Zealand, when the genial host of the Theatre Royal Hotel, Hans Anderson, told me he had a cabinet something like mine, only larger. Of course I was interested at once, but he explained that there were no spirits in his cabinet, and it was only used for producing eggs. Magicians will understand that I am referring to a cabinet used by the Davenport Brothers—not an egg-bag. Having aroused my curiosity, Mr. Anderson asked me if I would like to see it? I assured him I would be delighted, as I thought mine the only lone in the country!
(To be continued.)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 10, No. 8, (Whole No. 94) in New York, January 1921.
(Continued from January.)
At the time Australia was being mystified by a Thorn, a Baldewin and a Slade. New Zealand was likewise generously treated—indeed, more so by another mystery man "direct from America." This was Ben Allah, the Great American Illusionist, Ventriloquist and Gift King." He was, perhaps, a better ventriloquist than a conjuror, but where he excelled and pleased the people was in his lavish distribution of gifts for at that time Ben Allah ran his show on quite legitimate lines, and the laws of the country permitted him to run a kind of gift-lottery in connection with it which meant a lot of picking-up money for the "Great American Gift King." A peculiarity of Ben Allah's was that he never advertised his show in the local newspapers, so he received no flowery puffs pars before he opened up, and likewise no eulogistic writeups from the "bewildered reporters" after the performance had finished. And yet Ben Allah, without this aid from the press performed to capacity houses right through New Zealand—a cause hitherto unknown and an effect never since repeated in our Dominion.
What Ben Allah did was to flood the towns and districts with his printing, and he took good care that every house got a bill. He would take about a week to get round hiring a horse and trap to visit the suburbs and engaging a number of hands to distribute the hand-bills in every business, shop, office and house in the city. He was a wonderful "flyer" himself, and astonished the "man in the street" by the way he would lift a double-demy hanger from a bundle on his left arm, rapidly form it into a cornucopia with the fingers and thumb of his right hand and shoot it across the street into the open door of the building opposite, or up into a window or on to a balcony. The result of this publicity and the lavish wording of the bill distributed —in which people could read how to get something for nothing, such as suites of furniture, gold and silver watches, half tons of coal, sides of bacon, bags of flour, etc.. etc.—was that hurdreds of eager patrons assembled in front of the theatre long before the doors were thrown open and in half an hour the building was packed. A great deal more money was extracted from the people after they were in, for Ben Allah had quite an army of assistants selling envelopes, containing a number, for six pence each, or six for half a crown right up to the time of the distribution of the beautiful, costly and useful gifts and these packets sold like hot cakes. The novelty of the show "the fun of the thing," the hope of possessing a luck number appealed to the audience and placed everyone in a good humor.
Ben Allah, whose real name was Frank Whitney, proved himself a great showman. He had gripped the people from the start and held them to the finish. The Obedient Cards, Card Caught On A Sword, Bottle and Dove, Chinese Rings, and the California Mail Bag Mystery were his magical stand-bys, while the singing of "Down In A Coal Mine" by one of his ventriloquist figures was a masterpiece, and brought down the house.
Then the fun started when the gifts were announced and the lucky numbers called out and it can be said at the time quite a quantity of real good and useful presents were legitimately given away and eagerly accepted, while there were others, (and which created the fun) which were always refused when handed out to the rightful owner and left on the hands of the humorous American Gift King to be given away the next night to some other "lucky devil" amidst roars of laughter from the delighted audience, who could always enjoy the joke when it wasn't on them.
Ben Allah was the "talk of the town" next day, and again people flocked to see him in the evening, and so he continued right through New Zealand.
Afterwards he visited Australia, opening in Sydney at the Guild Hall in Casterleagh Street and which became the Gaiety Theatre. This was before Thorn appeared in Sydney.
We had that famous English scientific lecturer, Professor Pepper in Australia also In 1879 holding a series of "Grand Science Festivals." Here is one of his Sydney advertisements in which it will be seen that "metempsychosis" was brought out and produced in Australia by one of its inventors a few months after he had shown it in London:
School of Arts
Under the management of Messrs. Hiscocks, Hayman & Company.
Business Manager. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mr. Thomas Kennedy
Second Week
And Genuine Triumph of the Celebrated
English Entertainer
Pepper : Professor : Pepper
Pepper : Professor : Pepper
Pepper : Professor : Pepper
(From the Royal Polytechnic
Institute, London)
To-night
Entire Change of Entertainment
Second Lecture (by desire) on Light and Optics
With New and Beautiful Experiments
Also, Voyages in the Air. "A Visit to Cloud Land"
And a novel series of optical
Wonders
Monday Next—September 29, 1879
First
Production of Professor Pepper's
Newest and Greatest Illusion
The Modern
Metempsychosis
Metempsychosis
Metempsychosis
Metempsychosis
Metempsychosis
First Introduced at the
Royal Polytechnic on Easter Monday
last, and still the rage of London
In this illusion the most extraordinary, Marvellous and Startling Effects are produced. The sensation excited by this wonderful invention eclipses the famous
Pepper's Ghost
It is the joint production of J. J. Walker, Esq., London, and
Professor Pepper
and it is patented in
Great Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Holland, The United States, Canada, Victoria, New South Wales, New Zealand.
It has created the greatest sensation in England since the days of the celebrated Ghost, and will be produced in the same complete manner in Sydney as in London.
To add increased attractiveness to this
Important Production
Miss Octavia Lane
from Melbourne, has been specially engaged, and will appear on
Monday Evening in
Professor Pepper's Great Illusion
Metempsychosis
"Something Out of Nothing." Humorous and Startling Appearances and Disappearances will be given
Prices 3s, 2s, and 1s. A few reserved seats 5s.
Plan at Nichoslon and Ascherberg's.
(To be continued.)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 10, No. 9, (Whole No. 95) in New York, February 1921.
(Continued from February.)
A very clever amateur mystic performance which became popular in Australia during the 80's was that of Dr. Samuel T. Knaggs, who, assisted by Mr. Mathew Dawson, gave quite a number of entertainments for charitable and weal institutions.
Dr. Knaggs was a magician, mindreader, and exponent of spiritual mysteries, and enlightened Australians as the methods adopted by “Dr.” Slade when he was in our midst. Dr. Knaggs had had two sittings with Slade, and prepared methods of detecting the trickery of this famous American slate-writing medium, which were quite unsuspected and unknown to the spook-raiser. I believe Dr. Knaggs was the original spiritualistic exposer of Australia, as well as the first to duplicate and present the “weird clairvoyance” of Professor S. S. and Clara Baldwin, which he did with the assistance of Mr. Dawson.
Here was one of the Doctor's feats of illusion presented in Newcastle, when he had the additional assistance of James Inglis, M. P., author of "Tent-Life in Tiger Land," and an authority on Jadoo-Gari, or Indian Magic. A committee of four gentlemen were selected by the audience to watch the proceedings. With their help Dr. Knaggs spread, a clean white calico sheet on the stage, and four nails were driven thru it into the wood, pinning it to the floor. On this cloth an oblong basket box was next, after minute examination, placed. It was made of interlaced laths, to imitate basket work and was subjected to close scrutiny by the committee.
Mr. Dawson was next brought in and manacled with a pair of handcuffs borrowed from the policeman at the door of the theatre. These were locked and sealed. Thus fettered, Mr. Dawson was placed in an empty sack the committee assisting, and the mouth of the sack was firmly tied and also sealed, and all was lifted bodily into the box on the cloth, the lid closed, locked and a seal set on the lock.
Mr. Inglis then spread a cloth over the box and began his incantations, the orchestra accompanying with slow music and tha lights blazing brightly. The box was right in the center of the stage. Dr. Knaggs then handed Mr. Inglis a sword, and lifting the cloth he plunged it through and through the basket. Screams were heard and blood was seen to ooze through and stain the cloth. The doctor now professed to be alarmed and many in the audience were horror-stricken, while the Committee on the stage looked aghast. Throwing off the cloth and dragging the box down to the front of the stage, the fastenings were hurriedly unlocked and the box opened. There, sure, enough lay the sack and the manacles, the seals unbroken, but where was Dawson?
Giving a shrill, prolonged Indian call, the missing man appeared in the front seat of the dress circle, and bowed his acknowledgments to the mystified audience. The first presentation of the "Real Indian Basket Feat," as originally performed by Colonel Stodare on April 17, 1865, was introduced into Australia and New Zealand by the celebrated Gourley Family when they were appearing in their clever entertainment, “Mrs. Macgregor’s Levee,” Johnny and Minnie Gourley doing the illusion.
The famous comedian of late years who delighted all colonials when he presented "Skipped by the Light of the Moon," was the same Johnny Gourley, of Indian Basket Fame. We had Mrs. George Case out this way in those days of the 70's doing a little "magic” as well as Madame Montebello, and Willard of "Willard's Wanderings" producing his ''wonderful and marvellous interpretations of Psychic Force."
A wizard who toured Australia some forty years ago was Colonel Fergusson. He came from England and was assisted by his daughter Louise, who did "second sight" and appeared as Cupid in the "Aerial Suspension" while a special feature on the 'Colonel's' program was "The Indian Box Rope Escape."
But the greatest feat of all was the " 'Colonel's' banishment from Australia.' That was a profound mystery. It appears that the Colonel was involved in a something concerning a robbery on a London tea merchant, in consequence of which he was arrested in Tasmania and taken to England. But very strange events occurred.
The detective who was accompanying the Colonel on the journey died on the voyage and when the conjuror stepped on English soil again, he discovered that he was free, as the three witnesses who were to give evidence against him were dead also! Has Colonel Fergusson’s “Marvelous Escape” ever been duplicated. I wonder?
(To be continued.)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 10, No. 9, (Whole No. 96) in New York, March 1921.
(Continued from March.)
Queensland had its "Weal Wizard" in the early days in Mr. W. J. Collins of North Ipswitch who gave performances under the name of "Professor W. J. C. Howitts-Dunne."
He had many new ideas and methods, and made all his own tricks, being able to do woodwork turning, tinsmithing, polishing and decorating. The same Mr. Collins contributed some magical effects to Professor Hoffman some years afterwards, and he published them in "More Magic" under the titles of "The Wand Passed Through The Hat" and the "Magnetised Hat." Some idea of his entertainment can be gathered from the following program:
Mirabile Visu!
Professor W. J. C. Howitts-Dunne
Has the honor to inform the inhabitants
of Ipswitch that he will give
his two last performances
at the
SCHOOL OF ARTS
on
Monday and Tuesday,
12th and 13th March
At which he will produce a Fresh
Variety of Amusing and Mysterious
Illusions and New Violin Solos, etc.,
when he hopes to have the pleasure
of yourself and friends. Some of the
experiments are His Own Invention
and others are performed by methods
discovered by himself.
Fresh Programs will be given each
night so as to give an idea of the extent
of his Repertoire.
The Programme will he selected
from the subjoined list of Bewildering
and Incomprehensible Experiments.
The Mysterious Introducton
Where is the Professor? Ah! Where?
Come yourselves and see how it's done
The Evanescent Handkerchief
The Orange of Mystery and Obedient Bran
A curious collection of
Comical Cognition
New Experiments with Cards
(showing how large fortunes are made
and lost when you know how it's done)
The Fairy Flags
(A very pretty and charming experiment)
Anti-Spirtualism
Including Attraction, and Anti-Gravitation
or Levitation and Table Tilting
The Camadean Chevalier
A weird Finale, and one of the most
puzzling illusions of the day
The Adventures of a Silk Handkerchief
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. 10, No. 10, (Whole No. 97) in New York, April 1921.
We are glad to have another Contribution to the Serial by Compeer Kudarz. A protracted absence from Wellington has interrupted the publication which we are pleased to now resume. His own explanation supplies the missing link.
In looking over M. U. M's for 1921, trying to find where I left off, I discovered in the April number of that year that the article on "Magic and Magicians" on page 53 had no "turn over" in any other part of the issue, and that the program of Mr. W. T. Collins got "broke off" in the middle of it, so I now supply the matter, which has for so long been "left over" •—
"The Fairy Columns and Particoloured Balls
(A very elaborated illusion)
Cafe a la Diable
The Mysterious Triangle
(Plays anywhere)
La Scene Infernale
Weird Experiments with the Cabinet
Violin Solos
From "La Sonnambula" "Caledonia," etc.
The Feast of Lanterns
(Although this experiment is called a "Feast", the spectators are advised not to eat them, or they may possibly become light-headed and lantern-jawed)
Be sure you see these charming entertainments as you may not have the chance of doing so again.
Admission — 3s., 2s., and 1s.
God Save the Queen"
Now, has any of our thousand members ever seen, heard, or read of the "Mysterious Triangle that Plays anywhere"? Now I come to think of it, you may have, as I know you were in the confidence of our worthy Dean, and Kellar played Ipswich, when he toured Queensland at the instigation of Mr. W. T. Collins, and he may have told you of the Talking Triangle during his "confidences."
The re-appearance of Prof. Louis Haselmayer, the Austrian Escamotar, was eagerly looked forward to by all those who had enjoyed his previous entertainments. His former success all over Austria and New Zealand was perhaps unparalleled in the colonies, and he well deserved the rest which he proposed to take after leaving Australia. When he left us in Sydney, he proceeded to Europe, and spent some time on the Continent, eventually finding his way to Vienna, his native city, which "home" he had left in 1865 to accompany Carl Herrmann in a tour of America. He had in those years of travel gained Fame, been round the world, and amassed a fortune. It was on his return to Austria that he got married, but shortly afterwards, we are told by Mr. W. Lukesch, through the Sphinx, that Haselmayer "lost his fortune by unsuccessful speculation and bad friends." "Nil desperandum," however, seems to have been the motto of the wizard, so with the help of a charming wife he once more "took the road" with a high-class magical entertainment, wherein was shown man's rare skill and a woman's wonderful witchery.
Together they started for South Africa, and opened in Cape Town in November 1878 and after a lengthy and successful tour of South Africa, left for Australia to show the "cornstalks," the "gumsuckers", the "croweaters," and the "sand-grubbers", something new in magic.
Sydney was their first city, and they opened in the School of Arts on Monday, March 22, 1880, and with unusual iberality, gave their opening performance wholly and solely to a public charity.—The Irish Distress Relief Fund, the whole of the gross receipts being given thereto, and which must have been considerable, as the house was packed and higher prices had been charged for admission.
Needless to say, the professor was enthusiastically greeted by the numerous audience who were evidently glad to have another opportunity of witnessing "Haselmayer's Marvels of Thaumaturgy and Escamotage" and watch the educated canaries and white mice performing.
Madame Wilhelmine Haselmayer proved to be a brilliant and most entertaining little lady, the fortunate possessor of rare charms in face and figure, and with a vivacity of manner that was quite pleasing and which Australian playgoers were not slow in recognizing.
Haselmayer's old tricks were as good as ever, while his new ones (of which he had quite a number) were as good as the old ones. This time the professor brought us the automaton "Psycho", which displayed, as the critic said, an almost superhuman intelligence, and played a hand of whist so cleverly with his partner as to defeat their opponents in every game.
Then there were the "Mysteries of the Wonder Portofolio", "The Magic Clock Dial", used by Haselnaayer in conjunction with our old friend the "Goblin Drum", "Diddle-diddle Duck," "The Egg-laying Rooster", besides "Mystifying Manipulations" with a pack of cards, for did not the professor hail from the land of Hofzinser? And had we not seen his "Variations with Cards" way back in the 70's? How I love to think of them!
"If this be magic, let it be an Art," said Shakespeare, and so says Oscar S. Teale, and so said Stodare. I believe it to be a science also. Haselmayer combined science with the Art of Magic, as can be seen by his programs but this time he introduced to Australians a novelty of a scientific character altogether in some splendid electrical apparatus for the production of sparks in vacuo, through the Ruhmkorff coil in connection with Geisler tubes, by which wonderful electrical effects were exhibited in various positions and beautiful colours.
Madame Haselmayer took part in the "Magical Light-through Air," which was the "Extinguisher Trick" of our old friend Jacobs, by Verbeck at the Piccadilly Hall, when De Kolta's "Vanishing Lady" was all the rage. In presenting this trick Haselmayer looked well ahead and showed his cunning, for he dispensed with his usual centre table and substituted his vanishing table in lieu thereof and which he made use of his various conjurations, and where it remained in sight throughout the evening, till he and his good lady required it for one special purpose, quite unknown of course to their audience.
Madame Haselmayer's "Crystal Cabinet Mystery; or A Lady Emerging Through Plate Glass," was an extrication trick, and another novelty for colonials, and one which the bill told us "had taxed the ingenuity of thousands in Vienna, Paris, and throughout Cape Conony." The "Cabinet" consisted of a large box with glass sides and wooden top and bottom, and this was placed on a small platform. After Madame had got into the box, and knelt down her wrists were secured in a contrivance something like the ancient stocks.
The box was then locked by the two committee-men and a canopy over it. In thirteen seconds the screen was lifted and Madame stood on top of the box free. Madame Haselmayer must be credited with making the most of this trick and she had the satisfaction of having her illusion described next morning by the Sydney Telegraph as "decidedly the best of the kind that has ever been exhibited in Australia; and as the Professor offers £100 to anyone who can get out of the box, it is to be "presumed that the solution is not easy."
After their season in Sydney the Haselmayers visited all the states of Australia meeting with much success and at the end of the year left Melbourne to renew their acquaintances in New Zealand, playing from the South to the North and breaking all records, for the people had not forgotten the "Professor and his tricks." Afterwards they returned to Australia, playing return visits to many places and then took their departure for a tour of India and China, and in 1884 were on their way "home" to settle down once more in Austria.
Haselmayer died at Wien on the 19th April, 1885, at the age of 47 years, at the precise juncture that he had retired with the idea of enjoying the fortune he had again amassed.
Australians were indeed fortunate in the 80's in getting some of the best of magical entertainments from "over the seas", and those, too, with a wellearned reputation. We were now about to have another opportunity of witnessing a magician who was truly great, a veritable "Regal Illusionist". Mr. James Allison, the well-known entrepreneur, heralded this attraction and one morning, a week ahead, we read in the Melbourne Argus:—"Mr. James Allison, announces in our advertising columns the first appearance on Saturday next, at St. George's Hall, of Mr. Kellar, the American prestidigitateur and illusionist, in his famed entertainment entitled "A Night in Dreamland", in which his marvelous automata ‘Arno, Echo, Phono and Clio' will perform in those clever mechanical illusions which have for some years past mystified the London people at the Egyptian Hall." Immediately on reading this "tid-bit" we turned our "Argus" over for further particulars, and read the following advertisement at the head of a column :—
ST. GEORGE'S HALL
Mr. Jas. Allison……Lessee and Manager
Thomas Kennedy……Business Manager
A. Litherland……………. Acting Manager
for Mr. Kellar
Saturday, May 6, 1882
First Appearance
First Appearance
of
KELLAR KELLAR
KELLAR KELLAR
KELLAR of KELLAR
KELLAR KELLAR KELLAR
KELLAR KELLAR
KELLAR KELLAR
KELLAR KELLAR
KELLAR of KELLAR
KELLAR KELLAR KELLAR
KELLAR KELLAR
KELLAR KELLAR
The Great American Prestidigitateur.
Mr. Jas. Allison
Has the honor of announcing that he has made arrangements with the above renowned Illusionist for a tour of the Australian Colonies with his world famous entertainment, entitled
A NIGHT IN DREAMLAND
In which will be prseented for the first time in Australia
The MIRACLES of the AGE
The MIRACLES of the AGE
The MIRACLES of the AGE
KELLAR'S AUTOMATA
KELLAR'S Marvellous AUTOMATA
KELLAR'S AUTOMATA
From the Egyptian Hall, London
These beautiful specimens of ingenuity puzzle the spectators at the multiplicity and superhuman proficiency of their attainments, calculating and solving the most difficult mathematical problems; executing on two instruments choice morceaux of music; and sketching, in the most artistic and life-like manner, the portraits of living or dead celebrities.
KELLAR'S
MARVELLOUS SEANCES
Have been given in presence of the crowned heads and nobility of Europe, including
Her Most Gracious Majesty
Queen Victoria, at Balmoral Castle;
His Imperial Majesty,
the Emperor Napoleon, at the Palace of St. Cloud;
His Majesty,
the Czar of Russia, at the Winter Palace, St. Petersburg;
His Imperial Majesty
Don Pedro II, of Brazil, at the Imperial Theatre, Rio de Janeiro;
And before vast and intelligent assemblages throughout the civilized world, astonishing and confounding the wisest of all countries; the most learned having been forced by overwhelming evidence to acknowledge them inexplicable.
K E L L A R
Is without doubt the
SUPERIOR OF ALL ILLUSIONISTS
Producing without the ordinary physical appliances,
THE MOST PROFOUND AND
STARTLING WONDERS
Which through ignorance and superstition have been
attributed to Demonology and Witchcraft.
An efficient orchestra has been engaged.
Admission—3s., 2s., and 1s.
Reserved seats, 4s.
Plan at Nicholson's
Open at 7:30 Commence at 8
Carriages at 10.
Kellar's reception was most flattering, and the same eminent degree of success accompanied the performance from start to finish. "Skilful as Mr. Kellar is as an illusionist," said the Herald, "it is, however, as the inspirer and director of the wonderful little automata that he is greatest of all. The sight of these neatly dressed figures, obeying with unerring accuracy the most difficult instructions of their lord and master—giving without hesitation the squares and cube roots of any four figures you might name, sketching with surprising delicacy the features of our gracious Queen, and playing with unusual correctness and brilliancy the most difficult and popular airs—was well worth tramping many a mile to see. Which of the four automata was the cleverest, it would be difficult to say, but the fact that the intelligent-looking dwarf from his seat on the stage, gave at once the dates on coins and numbers of pound notes shown to Mr. Kellar while standing among the audience may be taken as proof by those who were not present last evening that this part of the exhibition was of a most extraordinary kind."
It was during this season that Kellar introduced his beautiful trick of "The Fairy Flowers," which for many years has been associated with the name of Kellar. He revived also his Famous "Flying Bird Cage" trick which he had made the most talked of mystery when he came first to Australia with Ling Look, Yamadeva, and Cunard. The show usually terminated with Kellar's pandemonium in the cabinet but for his last week he introduced the famous "Dark Seance", in which, while being unmistakably tied to a chair, and the hall being thrown into total darkness, guitars were seen flying in the air, illuminated, bells and tambourines were coursing round in a similar manner, and on lights being called for, the professor was found with his coat off, but in the same state of captivity, much to the amazement of the audience and committee of inspection on the stage during the "seance".
(To be continued)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. XII, No. 3-4, (Whole No. 114-115) in New York, September and October 1922.
Having given Australia a taste of his "new magic", Kellar crossed over to New Zealand, and gave his initial performance in Sloan's Theatre Luvercayill in the latter part of October 1882. It did not take long for the large audience to be convinced that in Kellar they had a master magician and the papers next day had eulogistic criticisms of the entertainment. The Southland Times saying:—"Such a performance as was given by Kellar at Sloan's Theatre last night has never been seen before in this colony, and may be pronounced at once the most astounding and the most unique exhibition that could well be conceived." And before Kellar could get to Dunedin, the "Otago Daily Times" had this to say of him from its Southland correspondent, which goes to show the interest that was taken in these performances at their inception in New Zealand:—
"Speaking of Kellar, I went to see him the other night, and came away with a very humble opinion of my own perspicuity.
I have seen several of the foremost of these 'Mystery men', but dash my buttons, this fellow beats them all hollow. Of course he has several feats of sleight-of-hand which seem to be common to the fraternity, but even in these his apparatus is of a more elegant order. How he does them is quite another matter.
Then these automata are most marvellous. I scarce know what to call them. To dub them 'things' seems almost to insult them, but when the head of Psycho is thrown back like a tea-pot lid, and a fellow is asked to testify that the little man has not even a liver and when one afterwards sees him erected on a glass cylinder telling the years struck on coins, in the pockets of persons in the audience, one gets a sort of respect for him, and feels inclined to agree with Kellar's remark:—'That there is an intelligence controlling his movements.'
Wouldn't like to say where the 'intelligence' is however. Some people hold that it is in the pit. Of the entertainment it may safely be said that it is the most extraordinary combination that has visited this colony, and is of such a character that even the least credulous must have difficulty in assigning natural causes for."
Kellar afterwards played Dunedin, Timaru, Christ Church, Wellington and Gisborne, and having shown us his "wonders", he decided to see the wonders that New Zealand had to show him.
He took a trip to the weird and wonderful Rotorna—the land of the Maori, beautiful lakes, hot springs, burning mountains, geysers, and, at that time, beautiful pink and white terraces, which Kellar describes as "a sight which once seen can never be forgotten."
To see these "grandest sights on earth" Kellar tells us he engaged two female guides and several oarsmen to take him across the lake, for which he paid four pounds for the trip. Let our dear, beloved old friend tell of the termination of the trip, with his own subtle humor:—"His guides took him to a pool of warm water, and told him that he must bathe. As he was entirely in care of the dusky beauties he obeyed the order, and after a most refreshing dip returned to Wairoa, where the chief ordered a grand "haka", or national war dance, in honor of the visitor—and the $17.50 which he had paid him."
Kellar's last performances in New Zealand were given in Auckland at Abbott's Grand Opera House, and at the finish of the season the "New Zealand Herald" finished a review by saying:—"Mr. Kellar maybe very sincerely complimented upon producing the best illusory entertainment ever presented to a New Zealand audience."
Back to Australia again the "American Nostradamus" went, and opened a season in Sydney at the Opera House, where "Wonderful Feats of Legerdemain of the most original, unique and classical kind," were performed for a number of weeks. For the last two weeks of the season Kellar engaged the popular and versatile Australian comedian, Wm. Horace Bent,—one of the best burntcork artists in minstrelsy ever seen in Australia and who at one time burlesqued Dr. Sylvesteir, the Fakir of Oolu, by appearing as the "Fakir of Woo'loomoolloo", and giving a parody of "Kellar's Flying Cage".
After this Mr. Kellar, at the age of 34, did a little kangaroo-hunting in the wilds of New South Wales, with his old companion Professor William Fay, who at that time was a prosperous business man in Hay, a town many hundreds of miles from Sydney. What a time these 'Miracle-Mongers' must have had! Kellar next found himself in Tasmania (Van Dieman's Land), doing good business all through the island, and then finished up his tour of the colonies by visiting Queensland, where he was enthusiastically received by crowded houses. Kellar's last entertainment in Australia was given in Port Darwin, and then he left us for Singapore and the Far East. In this trip of the north-eastern province of Australia, Kellar broke much new ground, and gave the inhabitants "something in magic" they had never witnessed before, and the press were not slow in recognizing this, one newspaper saying:—"Colonists owe a debt of gratitude to accomplished performers like Mr. Kellar, for visiting such out-of-the-way places as Queensland. This gentleman is so eminently superior as an exponent of a very amusing and instructive art, that he is thoroughly deserving of recognition wherever he goes."
How prophetic were those words published in far away sunny Australia in 1883, for this man Kellar, by just that "superiority" and "recognition" so thoroughly deserved, became the "Dean of American Magicians"—beloved and honored by all.
It does one good to think of such as Kellar, as a magician, for he brought pleasure to thousands, and as a man he had scattered the seeds of kindness "up and down and round about the earth" as he travelled throughout the same.
It would be a difficult task to trace the many magicians who have assumed, and traded on the name of "Professor Anderson, the Great Wizard of the North" since the original Caledonian Magician made his name, title, and magic so famous throughout the world. Twenty-three years "after the original "Cosmopolitan Monarch of Magicians" with his "Royal Mystic Entertainment" had departed from Australia, we had another "greatest Roman of them all" step down amongst us. He, too, was announced as "Professor Anderson, the Great Wizard of the North," and a lavish display of pictorial printing, and many of the original's old-time and highly-colored wood engraving posters were used on the boardings to herald this attraction.
We were further informed, per advertising matter (for this professor, like his predecessor, was a great advertiser) that "all arrangements had been effected for the immediate presentment in Australia of the most celebrated entertainment of modern times, and for the appearance of the greatest magician of this or any age.
The name of Professor Anderson is like "ancient music linked with household words" to those whose remembrances of Home extend over the last 30 years. His new "London, St. James' and Egyptian Hall Entertainment has had the honor of receiving the patronage of Her Majesty, the Queen-Empress, all the sovereigns of Europe, the President and half a million of the people of the United States of America, and comprises marvels in the World of Magic and Mystery which had no parallel in the days of the Egyptian Magi or of the Rosicrucian Necromancer.
Now, I have often wondered who this wizard really was, especially, as some time after he came out, I was travelling side by side with "this great Wizard of the North," and in a letter I received from him he signed himself "Phillip Anderson." This puts me in mind of our dear friend, Servais Le Roy. You know he has been our way twice, and the first time he came he was associated with that genial fellow, Leon Bosco. The second time the great combination of "Le Roy, Talma and Bosco" came our way, it had a different Bosco. Having spent many a pleasant evening with Leon, and regretting his absence from the show, on meeting Le Roy once again I ventured to ask him who this "Bosco" was. Never will I forget the twinkle in Le Roy's eye, with the smile on his lips, when he replied. "Bosco? Why Bosco's Bosco!" That was his "psychic" answer, of course, and it quite satisfied me, that Servais Le Roy was not only a great magician, but also a "fellow of infinite jest."
Of our visitor of 1881, however, I was told that he was a Mr. Holmes, who was the Wizard of the North's assistant at the time of his death in Darlington, England, in 1874, and to whom it was said Anderson left his entire property, and to the exclusion of his daughters, one of whom was assisting him in his business on the night of his last appearance.
Much of this may be true, but this Professor Anderson, while out here, made claim to being a son of the original, and to having been born in London in 1844, and he was able to give us an account of his peregrinations around the world, and he told us that "when he left Australia with his father some years ago, he visited the United States, and thence to England, where he remained some years. In 1862 he took a trip throughout England, visiting most of the principal cities. In 1864 he made a tour through Ireland, including Belfast, Dublin, Cork and Killarney, opening in London at St. James' Hall in September of that year, and also the following season; thence through the English provinces again. In 1869 Professor Anderson proceeded to America on the S.S. City of Boston, landing at New York, and for years his name was to be seen at the principal theatres.
Such is the story related to us through the press by this living Professor Anderson after he arrived in Sydney, from England, in the S.S. City of Sydney. He was accompanied by his wife, Louise Maude Anderson, an American lady of great personality, whom he had married in Boston. I believe. Together they made their first appearance in Sydney, at the School of Arts in March 1881, presenting their "Highly Amusing and Mysterious Cagliostromantheum of Prestidigitation." Their performance proved to be a remarkably complete and exhaustive exposition of the conjuror's art, and anybody who desired more marvels must have been particularly keen on the subject. Professor Anderson gave his adhesion in a great measure to those time-honored feats, many of which had astonished the last generation, and which with age have lost little of their mystery. There was that wonderful pudding made in a borrowed hat, the "Adventures of a Plate, told by Itself," "The Demon Caldron," "Pandora's Boxes," "The Aerial Cards and Golden Star," "Pluto's Bottle," "Ptolomy's Umbrella," "Annihilation of Rabbits," "Flower Gardens quickly Laid Out," and the "Marvellous Production of Bowls of Gold Fish."
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. XII, No. 5, (Whole No. 116) in New York, November 1922.
Mrs. Anderson gave illustrations of supernatural vision and Mental Telegraphy, as well as taking part in the Pillory Test, Arabian Sack Mystery, and the Famous Indian Basket Trick, "as performed in India." Mrs. Anderson also allowed her husband to accomplish the "greatest sensational achievement of the Age"—Beheading a Lady—described as "Novel and Original Beyond all Precedents." One of the professors amusing items was the performance of eating pies against time by four small boys, with their hands tied behind them, and it was wonderful the merriment this absursity created.
But all this did not exhaust the many good things Professor and Louise Anderson had in their "Cagliostromantheum;" by no mean. Many people were attracted to this entertainment by the "Colossal Distribution of Costly and Useful Gifts," consisting of Gold and Silver Watches, Suites of Furniture, Pianos, "and one hundred other useful and beautiful Presents" which the Professor gave away.
Shakespeare tells us there was once a King who proclaimed that he was willing to give "his kingdom for a horse," and it's a pity Anderson never heard him, for before he got through his Sydney season, with unusual generosity Anderson gave away a real live horse to one of his mystified patrons. It was described in the advertisement as a "beautiful quadruped"— and they do know a good horse in Australia, where there are race-meetings held all the year round; not that this was a race horse that Anderson was presenting, far from it! To me, this "beautiful quadruped," as he perambulated the streets of Sydney one hot day, with a gorgeous cover on his back announcing that Anderson was "giving him away" that night, reminded me more of that other horse which J. N. Maskelyne described as having fallen down in a London street from "staggers," but was made to rise to his feet again by that marvellous "Cure All," Dr. Sexton, merely "by the laying on of hands." However, if it really was not exactly a "beautiful quadruped," it was a mighty good advertisement.
After doing a splendid nine week's season in Sydney, Professor and Madame Anderson visited Newcastle, Bathurst, Dubbo, Brisbane, Mary borough, Gympie, and then went to Melbourne, opening in St. George's Hall on Saturday evening, September 17, 1881, and closing the season October 17. During the Melbourne season, Professor Anderson introduced fresh wonders, among them "The Giant Extinguisher Trick," Louise Anderson's Solid Post," and the Living Marionette," and on the final night Mrs. Anderson appeared as Lady Teazle in scene from the ''School for Scandle,'' being assisted by Mr. Ryan as Sir Peter Teazle.
Visits were then paid to Ballarar, Sandhurst, and Geelong, in Victoria, and after a season in Adelaide and a short tour of South Australia, Professor and Mrs. Anderson left us to appear in Calcutta, India, on the 23rd. of December, 1881. In 1884, Professor and Madame Anderson made a second tour of Australia, having, during the time he was away from the Commonwealth, presented his "World of Magic" in Calcutta, Rangoon, Moulmein, Penang, Singapore, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Manilla, Batavia, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Liverpool, then to South Africa, commencing at the Cape, afterwards Port Elizabeth, and thence to the famous Kimberley diamond fields, the Orange Free State, Bloomfountein, Jargersfontein, Bethlehem, and Pietermawriltzburg, after that to Durban, Natal to be followed by Port Louis, Mauritius. Some travelling, eh, with a magic show in those days? From Mauritius, these globe trotters came on to Melbourne, where the Wizard of the North and his good lady opened at the Victoria Hall, January 1884, and successfully ran a six week's season.
During a Sydney season in the Gaiety Theatre, Professor Anderson added to his program Mlle. Jaegerine, "The Amazonian Queen of Fire," her "Mount Vesuvius Feat," and Professor School, who was described as ''The Greatest Performer in the World," and he appeared in his Grand Military Entertainment entitled "Rolling Drums," illustrating, the program said, "with Realistic Effects, the Battle of Lel-el-Keber," the "Grand Military Salvo" being given with 20 drums. Then there was the "Wonderful American Sword Swallower" which we were told was "The Most Sensational Act on Record, never before witnessed in Sydney, and given by that Master of the Dagger and Sword, Look Ling!"
Mr. T. V. Twinning, the Kit-Clarke of Australia at that time, was manager for Professor Anderson, and he must have believed in adding a few lusory items to the wizard's 1001 illusory ones.
Professor Anderson made his first appearance in New Zealand the end of February 1884, opening in Quvercargiel, and then proceeding to Dunedin, the Scottish city of New Zealand. Here he met with great success and performed for four weeks—a record for a ''wizard.'' Oamaru, Timoru, Christchurch, Wellington, Wanganu, Auckland, Thames, Gisborne, Napier, and Nelson followed, and in all these towns he showed us how to work them without an agent and make money. From New Zealand he visited Tasmania then off to Adelaide, South Australia, and then returned to Melbourne where he played a farewell season of one month, at St. George's Hall. From Australia he came to New Zealand again, arriving in Wellington on his way for a tour of South America, at which time I had the pleasure of renewing my acquaintance with this wizard of the North and his charming wife. That Professor Anderson did not forget the way he had been treated in New Zealand can be seen from the following advertisement:—
CARD TO THE PUBLIC
Professor Anderson having concluded his tour of New Zealand, thanks the Public generally for the very liberal manner in which they have generally supported his Entertainment, and in conjunction with his wife, Louise Maud Anderson, bid them farewell as they departed for South America on the ''Aorangi.'' In their tour through the Colony, they have visited nearly every town and met with kindness, pleasure and success.
In connection with this magical show it might be said that both Professor and Mrs. Anderson were possessed of striking figures and had very great personality. Their entertainments were very elaborate and the professor had a tremendous lot of tricks, illusions, and paraphernalia so dear to the hearts of magicians, and though much of the performance belonged to the "old school of conjuring," it was entirely new to New Zealanders. This, with business ability and fair treatment to the public, when "they were in," was the reason of the "good biz." throughout Mooriland.
It was in 1899—some 15 years after we had said "good bye" to one another—that we met again in King William Street, Adelaide, South Australia. I found Professor Anderson, like myself, had aged, his splendid head of hair had turned grey, but his eyes were as bright and his step as elastic as ever. He had just arrived from India, after having been "all over the world" once more. Among his many "adventures" he told me that when he left Hong Kong in the S. S. Celebes, the steamer encountered a most disastrous typhon, by which he lost all his wearing apparel, earnings, diamonds, jewelry, etc., and was three days without food or water. After much hardship the passengers were landed at Saigon, Cochin, China. After that he found his way to India, via Singapore and Penang, "and here I am," he said, "once more in Sunny Australia."
Having told him I was off the following week to New Zealand, he said, '' Then I shall meet you again, for I'm going over there." He spoke truly, for on November 14, 1900, we met again, in the Opera House, Wellington, where he was presenting his entertainment, this time with the assistance of his second wife, Mlle. Blanche De La Cour. I never heard of him after he left New Zealand in 1900, or what became of this "Professor Anderson, Great Wizard of the North, Cosmopolitan Monarch of Magicians, Philosopher, Scientist, and Travellor.''
THE WIZARD OF THE NORTH
AND THE SOUTH
It would be a difficult task to trace the many magicians who have assumed, and traded on the name of "Professor Anderson, the Great Wizard of the North, since the original Caledonian Magician made his name, title and magic so famous throughout the world. Twenty three years after the originl "Cosmopolitan Monarch of Magicians" with his Royal Mystic Entertainment" had departed from Australia, we had another "greatest Roman of them all" step down amonst us. He, too, was announced as "Professor Anderson, the Great Wizard of the North, and a lavish display of pictorial printing, and many of the original's old-time and highly-colored wood engraving posters were used on the boardings to herald this attraction. We were further informed, per advertising matter (for this professor, like his predecessor, was a great advertiser) that "all arrangements had been effected for the immediate presentment in Australia of the most celebrated entertainment of modern times, and for the appearance of the greatest magician of this or any age.
The name of Professor Anderson is like "ancient music linked with household words" to those whose remembrances of Home extend over the last 30 years. His new "London St. James' and Egyptian Hall Entertainment has had the honor of receiving the patronage of Her Majesty, the Queen Empress, all the sovereigns of Europe, the President and half a million of the people of the United States of America, and comprises marvels in the World of Magic and Mystery which had no parallel in the days of the Egyptian Magic or of the Rosicrucian Necromancer.''
Now, I have often wondered who this wizard really was, especially as some time after he came out I was travelling side by side with "this great Wizard of the North," and in a letter I received from him he signed himself ''Phillip Anderson.'' This puts me in mind of our dear friend, Servais Le Roy. You know he has been our way twice, and the first time he came he was associated with that genial fellow, Leon Bosco. The second time the great combination of "Le Roy, Talma and Bosco" came our way, it had a different Bosco. Having spent many a pleasant evening with Leon, and regretting his absence from the show, on meeting Le Roy once again I ventured to ask him who this "Bosco" was. Never will I forget the twinkle in Le Roy's eye, with the smile on his lips, when he replied. "Bosco? Why Bosco's Bosco!" That was his "psychic" answer, of course, and it quite satisfied me, that Servais Le Roy was not only a great magician, but also a "fellow of infinite jest."
Of our visitor of 1881, however, I was told that he was a Mr. Holmes, who was the Wizard of the North's assistant at the time of his death in Darlington, England, in 1874, and to whom it was said Anderson left his entire property, and to the exclusion of his daughters, one of whom was assisting him in his business on the night of his last appearance.
Much of this may be true, but this Professor Anderson, while out here, made claim to being a son of the original, and to having been born in London in 1844, and he was able to give us an account of his peregrinations around the world, and he told us that "when he left Australia with his father some years ago, he visited the United States, and thence to England, visiting most of the principal cities. In 1864 he made a tour through Ireland, including Belfast, Dublin, Cork, and Killarney, opening in London at St. James' Hall in September of that year, and also the following season, thence through the English provinces again. In 1869 Professor Anderson proceeded to America on the S. S. City of Boston, landing at New York, and for years his name was to be seen at the principal theatres and opera houses, astonishing the multitudes who were nightly in attendance.
Such is the story related to us through the press by this living Professor Anderson after he arrived in Sydney, from England, in the S. S. City of Sydney. He was accompanied by his wife, Louise Maude Anderson, an American lady of great personality, whom he had married in Boston, I believe. Together they made their first appearance in Sydney, at the School of Arts in March 1881, presenting their "Highly Amusing and Mysterious Cagliostromantheum of Prestidigitation." Their performance proved to be a remarkably complete and exhaustive exposition of the conjuror's art, and anybody who desired more marvels must have been particularly keen on the subject.
(To be Continued)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. XII, No. 6, (Whole No. 117) in New York, December 1922.
Professor Anderson gave his adhesion to those time-honored feats many of which had astonished the last generation, and which with agehave lost little of their mystery. There was that wonderful pudding made in a borrowed hat, the "Adventures of a Plate, told by Itself,'' "The Demon Caldron," "Pandora's Boxes," "The Aerial Cards and Golden Star," "Pluto's Bottle," "Ptolomy's Umbrella," "Annihilation of Rabbits," "Flower Gardens quickly Laid Out," and Bowls of Gold Fish."
Kudarz and His Wonders
Theatre Royal
For a short season only commencing Saturday, 5th May, 1883,
First appearance in Wellington of the Gifted Magician
ROBERT KUDARZ
ROBERT KUDARZ
The King of Prestidigitateurs in his most Fascinating and Recherche Performance of Modern Magic Entitled
"A Night of Miracles"
Aided and abetted by no confederates, and dispensing with the usual mechanical adjunct hitherto considered necessary Robert Kudarz, King of Prestidigitateurs performs all his wonderful Tricks and Illusions in full view and in the midst of his audience and completely baffles and bewilders the most astute of his spectators. The programme is most attractive and is brought to a close each evening by a Series of
Mystifying and Inexplicable,
Spiritualistic Manifestations,
Kudarz's Mysterious Cabinet.
During the season will be introduced in rapid succession, The Goblin Drum, The Charming Bell, and the Money that Talks. The problem solving Arithmetical Mysteries. The Great Silver Flying Birdcage! The Miraculous Production of Bowls of Goldfish! The Bowl of Roses!
The Seven Locked Boxes. The Mutilated Handkerchief! The inexhaustible Bottle of 1,000 drinks! Raising the Wind or How to Pay Old Debts! The Enchanted Candles! The Crystal Decanters! Curious Card Conceptions! and Signor Verno's Instantaneous Release!
Price of Admission—Dress Circle 4/-, Stalls 2/6, Pit one Shilling.
Doors open at 7 :30, overture at 8 o'clock. Carriages 10 P. M.
Fred Lazelle
Business Manager.
The above advertisement appeared in the Wellington Newspapers announcing the discovery of a "new star" in the magical firmament of New Zealand, after it had been seen in one or two other places, and I think I am correct in saying it was the most complete show of the kind ever put together in the colonies, and the forerunner of colonial magic in New Zealand. Nearly forty years afterwards the "Billboard" describes this "new star" as "the grand old mystery man of Australia" and far be it from me to deny this good fellow's allegation. Whether the entertainment was framed on good and proper lines in 1882 can be gathered from Burlingame's book "Leaves from Conjuror's Scrap Books, or Modern Magicians' and Their Works" wherein he says—"American readers would understand his programme pretty well, (faded text) know that it is modeled on the plan of that of Harry Kellar." This was in 1891 and morever the statement is quite correct and further. And at that period Burlingame was doing business with Kudarz. I do know that Kellar gave much good counsel to young Kudarz—this "King of Prestidigitateurs''—and imparted magical knowledge to him that was never dreamt of by him with all his then "light and learning" in the field of magic. And Kudarz eagerly listened and adopted the good advice so kindly and generously given to him by Kellar—his first real friend in magic—and hurried on his preparations, adopting a model from which he has never seen reason to depart from and obtaining "Lessons in Legerdemain" that have been of untold value to him ever since. Fred Lazelle the business manager of Kudarz at this time, was formally a member of Cooper and Bailey's American Circus that visited Australia in 1879, and who died in Japan. He was a fine fellow, and originally with Cooper and Bailey did French Ground tumbling, doubling up with a performer named Maffit. And what did the Wellington peers say of this new conjuror? The glad hand was first extended by N. Z. Times of May 7th, 1883—"Who is Kudarz, the King of Prestidigitateurs? Whether he be a local genius arisen from our midst, as some do say, or whether he hail from some far off wonderland where hanky-panky is the popular pasttime we hesitate to decide.
(To be continued)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. XII, No. 7, (Whole No. 118) in New York, January 1923.
Let each one of the doubters settle the question for himself by going to see this new 'King' at the Theatre Royal. He is a neat-handed trickster who hoodwinks you with elegant legerdemain…… Kudarz’s stage appointments are pretty and some of them handsomely artistic, whilst his style is pleasant and gentlemanly." The Evening Post followed this up, saying—"A wizard of marvellous power has recently sprung up in our midst. 'Kudarz' is the awe inspiring name by which he is known, and an exhibition of his capabilities was afforded on Saturday evening when he appeared for the first time in Wellington in his entertainment entitled "A Night of Miracles." Prior to his visit to Wellington he appears to have been creating a sensation in the provinces, the good folk of the Wairarapa district being driven to the verge of lunacy by his diablerie. Not a particle of the praise which has been so lavishly bestowed uponhim elsewhere is undeserved. Kudarz is undeniably all that has been claimed on his behalf—a veritable King of Prestidigitateurs, which skill is certain to be recognized where ever he may appear. Kudarz's stage appointments are of the simplest though most excellent description." The two great effects that Kudarz had at this time were "The Silver Flying Bird Cage," and the production of Bowls of Goldfish" together with the production of a large bowl of bouquets of flowers which were distributed to the ladies. One of the bowls of fish would be taken down into the stalls and vanished, its place being taken by a dove which also disappeared when thrown in the air. ''The Enchanted Block and Orange," "Dessicated Canaries," "Gagliostro's Rings" "Value and Secrets Where you Wish," "Soup-plate and Hankerchiefs," "Rice and Cones" were also in the programmes, while Kudarz's Card Tricks included The Egyptian Pocket, The Dissolving Cards, The Four Aces, Precipitation of Cards, and Rising Cards from the Houlette in Wand, Decanter and Glass, besides "Variations with Cards," a la Haselmayer. After the Wellington season a tour of New Zealand was arranged, and Kudarz proceeded to Wanganui where he again met with much success, opening in the Princess Theatre on the 21st May 1883 and how the critic of the "Wanganui Chronicle" handled "Kudarz and his Wonders" can be gathered from his review:—"It is now a long time since a professor of the mystic art of legerdemain favoured Wanganui with his presence and it was not surprising therefore on Saturday night that there was a crowd of eager sightseers in the Princess Theatre. Mankind may, for conjuring purposes, be divided into two classes, those who go to be deceived because they perfectly revel in an atmosphere of mystery, and those who are so suspicious of everything and everybody that they fancy they see a trick in all things under the sun. A first-rate exponent of sleight-of-hand contrives to please both classes. The first set of people he bewilders to their hearts' content anddelights them so much that they would rather not know how the thing is done, for fear of spoiling the illusion. The second class he fools to the top of their by deceiving them first and giving them such explanations afterwards as sent them home just as ignorant of the black art of magic as ever they were, and yet with an excuse for saying that they know all about it. The gentleman who delights in the cognomen of Kudarz—about which there is a sort of Eastern Aroma, half Arabian and half Persian—seems to us to take the measure of an audience far better than any mystery man (not even excepting Milner Stephen) who has been in New Zealand for many a lone year. Kudarz is a man to whom deceiving his fellow human beings, by the quickness of the eye and a knowledge of the weak-spot in their nature has become a pursuit amounting to a master passion. There is a weird and sardonic smile about his face when one of his mystified dupes shuts his hand with sixteen half-crown in it and opens it to find that number grown to a score, which would delight the heart of a Mephistopheles. Persons who indulge in what is called "parlor magic" which generally means performing a simple trick unsuccessfully and with a vast amount of fuss have little idea of the amount of study, patience, and practice which are required before an artist like Kudarz can venture to publicly show his cunning even in the most ordinary trick with a pack of cards, an inexhaustible bottle, or a hankerchief the resources of which like the widow's cruise seem to be unfailing. There are some exponents of magic who, although they have mastered the key of the tricks, never do them well, and look as foolish on a platform as a 'scientific gent' who, although brimful of lore, cannot make his gasses explode at the right moment. 'He means well but he doesn't know how," as Little Buttercup expressively but inelegantly remarks. Now Mr. Kudarz is as different to a clumsy professor of this kind as is a neat handed Phyllis from a slattern, or a glossy belltopper from a shocking bad hat. His performances are the very essence of neatness and finish, and he never sacrifices completeness for rapidity, nor omits any part of the business which can fill the cup of mystery to the brim. We confess to a partiality for those tricks which depend for their success not upon elaborate machinery, carted from town to town by the hundredweight, but, upon the personal cleverness and sleight-of-hand of the performer. Kudarz is an absolute expert at tricks of this kind, and with regard to the majority of them, they have never been better or cleaner done in the colonies. To attempt to enumerate the items in his budget would be useless, but many of them are entirely new to New Zealand. There is scarcely a branch of the art of which Kudarz does not give an example, and as for the Davenport Brothers and their rope feats by means of sham spiritualism, we can only say that though many previous performers have severely attached their reputation, Kudarz gives it the coup de grace. A pleasanter or more successful entertainment has never been witnessed in Wanganui, and it would be a grave error of judgment on the part of anyone not to see so fine a performer as Kudarz. His reputation when he came here stood very high in the opinion of the best judges of the occult science and of the secret of amusing the public, and when he goes up the coast on his tour he will take away with him fresh and well-earned laurels." Kudarz then decided to extend his field of labour and love and gave performances in almost every town of the North Islands during the remainder of 1883. Then he started to exploit the South, commencing on the West Coast, which was the land of the miners-gold and coal and from thence he went to Dunedin, where he found Mr. J. P. Polk, the clever American Comedian, performing with his company in '' The Stratajist" at the Princess Theatre, the largest place of amusement in New Zealand at that time. Moulton, the lightning calculator, of "Moulton's Pain Paint" fame, with Fred Millis, the Famous Australian Ventriloquist" were also holding Forth in Dunedin. This was the same Millis, by the way, who appeared in Keller's entertainments given at Dockstaders, New York in 1889.
(To be continued)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. XII, No. 8, (Whole No. 119) in New York, February 1923.
Kudarz followed Polk in the Princess Theatre, playing a two-week's season, and then gave way to Dunning's Comic Opera Company which included the great tenor Knight Aston, the well-known English comedian, Tom Appleby, and the equally Famous French one, Mons. Lorridan. The Company had arrived from Melbourne on the "Farewell Night of Kudarz," and they attended that night's performance and extended "the glad hand" from start to finish. Never before had Kudarz's Cabinet Seance been presented under such favourable circumstances as that evening, for he had as a committee Mr. Appleby and Mons. Lorridan; and never before had such fun been gotten out of a spiritual effect or a more mirth-provoking, inquisitive committee been obtained for providing just such effects. For twenty minutes the house was in continual laughter and Kudarz confessed after the seance that he was as much perplexed at some of the results as the audience—which was probably some further illustrations of a hidden force. To his mind there was no doubt about it. The lakes and colder regions of the South were then visited, and when Kudarz returned to Dunedin, he found the "Wizard of the North" in possession of the Lyceum Theatre, and doing ''good business.'' He also discovered there was another illusionist on the southern route, Professor W. J. Payne. And when he got to Christchurch he was told of a Professor Fio who had lately given a private exhibition of rope-tying feats as well as performing an extraordinary box trick. Further, Christchurch had its own "Wizard of the South" in the person of Mr. Seager, and he was to be found in the Lunatic Asylum, where, let me hasten to add, he was the much respected Superintendent of the institution. The press of Christchurch had devoted considerable attention to "Professor Fio," who claimed for his feats the merit of originality, and from which I extract the following:—
"Fio requested Mr. J. Webber to act as 'master of ceremonies,' and also asked for a committee to superintend the tying. Accordingly Messrs. G. R. Hart, Harvey and E. W. Roper were nominated. The first trick was as Fio explained one of those practised by the Davenports. His hands were securely bound at the wrists, and his elbows fastened by Mr. Roper who certainly tied the performer tightly and well. The latter, however, stood before the audience in three and a quarter minutes after the curtain had been drawn to conceal him while untying the rope. After this his hands were again tied behind him and his legs lashed together at the ankles and kness. In this state he was placed into a sack made of scrim, the mouth of which was fastened above his head by being tied round with thick twine. In five and a half minutes from the time when the curtain was drawn he emerged a free man. The third trick was one claimed by Fio as his own invention. A common wooden box, just large enough to contain a man was placed upon trestles on the small platform at the end of the hall, this platform being enclosed with the curtain before mentioned. The lid of the box was provided with a rim, which fitted closely over the edge of the box. The latter was closely examined by the committee and several other persons, who satisfied themselves that there was no ' trick' about it. After these preliminaries, he was again tied at the wrists and elbows by Mr. Squires and another gentleman. He was then placed in the box, which was closed and corded. The curtain was drawn and 5 1/4 minutes afterwards Fio stepped to the front of the platform with the cords in his hands. A careful examination of all cords used showed that they were intact, so that by whatever means the performer freed himself, cutting the ropes was not one of them.
(To be continued)
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. XII, No. 9, (Whole No. 120) in New York, March 1923.
Fio proceeded to give a display of his skill in tying knots under difficulties, which was certainly as marvellous as the exhibition of untying them. Mr. Roper again tied his arms behind him at wrist and elbow, the knots used being a 'clove hitch' and ' half-hitches.' So securely was this done that it seemed a matter of impossibility for the prisoner to use his hands in the least. Yet, while pinioned thus, the performer undertook to cord the box with himself in it and fulfilled the task! He was placed in the box, crouching in a most uncomfortable position, the lid was closed, the rope laid on it, and the curtain, which, on being passed round it twice across and once longitudinally, and knotted where crossing. On the cord being removed from the box, the performer was discovered tied as when the lid was shut.'' After these feats had been accomplished, Fio announced that he intended shortly giving public performances in one of the theatres of Christchurch, and so he might have done, had not there happened to be in the city at the time a person of a rather curious and enquiring turn of mind, one Professor W. T. Payne, and he smelt a "rodent." Much to the consternation of "Professor" Fio, the newspaper men were enlightened by Professor Payne as to how they had all been ''hypnotised'' into believing Fio had done all thosewonderful novel feats whereas he had never done the tricks at all! The real performer in this "joint-hoax" was another fellow who, as soon as the curtains were drawn, came "up from below"—quietly and unknown and got to work on behalf of Fio, then made a rapid disappearance to the lower regions, leaving the "great rope expert" to receive all the bouquets! That was Fio's Waterloo. His bluff had been called, and his audacious plans for "roping in" the paying public never matured.
[To be continued] —
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. XII, No. 10, (Whole No. 121) in New York, April 1923.
After a big tour of the South Island, Kudarz brought it to a close in Christchurch City and played a two week's season in the Theatre Royal augmenting his show with that of Professor Payne's which included a legitimate boxtrick, in which the Professor made his escape out of a locked and corded box, and an exhibition of Fancy Rifle and trick shooting for Payne was a wonderful shot—a regular Dr. Carver. Before the season was concluded the police took a hand in the shooting display, and prohibited Professor Payne from shooting the apple from off his brother's cranium. Variety was given to "Kudarz's Farewell Entertainments" by the engagement of Johnny Foley the Irish Comedian and Dancer and Quick Change Artist, who gave his performance under the title of "Foley's Familiar Faces." "Foley's Circus," his Fathers, was the first Circus to travel New Zealand in the early days, and, in that circus I witnessed for the first time an exhibition of rope-tying by a Professor Lipman, who got free from all sorts of rope ties, and afterwards walked a rope, a la Blondin. Some few years afterwards a Professor Fio was advertising in the London Era as a "Fancy Trick Rifle Shot,'' and I wondered at the time if this was Payne under another name, but I have long ago ceased to wonder to anything a magician might do and Kudarz after a most successful tour of the whole of New Zealand returned to Wellington.
In 1886-87 Prof. Kudarz made another tour of New Zealand, this time accompanied by Miss Nellie Lingard (Mrs. Kudarz,) who, in addition to taking part in the larger illusions, gave an exhibition of ''Silent Thought-Transmission.'' Kudarz presented the famous illusion of the Vanishing Lady and also that of the "Mystery of She," for the first time in New Zealand on this tour; whilst other novelties introduced were ''Illustrations of Odic Force," "Table Turning Extraordinary," and the "Sackful of Ghosts," in which mystery Mrs. Kudarz, whilst handcuffed and placed in a sack, and secured in the cabinet, was able to materialize spirit faces and forms which emerged from the cabinet and dematerialized in view of the audience.
[To be continued]
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. XII, No. 11, (Whole No. 122) in New York, May 1923.
The completeness and merit of this entertainment was quickly recognized and Prof, and Mrs. Kudarz made perhaps the most successful tour of the whole of New Zealand ever hitherto undertaken by exponents of magic and mystery. So successful were they in their own country, that they determined to make a tour of Australia, and in 1888 left Auckland for the Land of the Golden Fleece. Australia, at that time, was divided into five different states, and the conditions of the country were far different to those that prevailed in New Zealand, and Kudarz soon found that away from the five capital cities, "magic shows" were not looked upon very favorably—crook exponents with inferior conjuring being the cause.
Indeed, one-night stands were entirely out of the question, it being necessary, no matter how small the town, to put up two nights, in order for the first night's performance to guarantee and advertise the second. But, when once the Australian became acquainted with the magician and found out that his "Magic" was worth while, and his entertainment was not a "takedown," then he was one of the best in patronizing the same liberally and also in advertising it ''all along the line.''
For many years Robert Kudarz and Nellie Lingard travelled all over Australia, where their entertainments became as familiar as household words, and in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, Kudarz was honored by giving performances in the Government Houses, by command of their Excellencies, Lord Carrington, the Earl of Hopetown, and Sir William Buxton, the three respective Governors of New South "Wales, Victoria and South Australia.
While in Melbourne, Kudarz had the unique experience of giving a magical performance in the open air on the beautiful lawn of the Coulfield Race Course (and with the heat about 100 in the shade!) for the proprietors of the Melbourne Argus Newspaper at their annual picnic, which was given before a thousand guests seated in the grand-stand. Of this performance the Argus said:—"Professor Kudarz, assisted by only a simple conjuror's wand, performed some most wonderful magicial feats with the dexterity of an Indian Fakir and the glibness of a professional politician. Kudarz should make belief in the doctrines of Dr. Slade and Madame Blavatsky easy."
In 1902 he returned to New Zealand, and settled down to private life once more in the city of Wellington, but the bringing over to New Zealand of Charles Bailey, the notorious spiritualistic medium from Australia, in 1912, was the means of bringing Kudarz once more before the public. Looking upon Bailey as simply a trickster and knowing his methods of producing "apports," Kudarz determined he would not let Bailey exploit New Zealand without being challenged to produce his manifestations under strictly test conditions and under the critical eye of a conjuror, and wagering L100. on the result. This, Bailey refused to do, and got away from Maoriland as soon as he could.
Before he could get away from New Zealand, however, Kudarz had demonstrated clearly that it required no supernatural gifts in order to produce "apports" under the very conditions which the spiritualists said were absolutely impossible. This occurred in the Wellington Town Hall on September 22, 1909, and the attendance of the public that evening constituted the New Zealand record, and when, as the Sydney Bulletin afterwards said, "Kudarz, amid tremendous applause produced spirits of a better brand than Bailey's best."
Kudarz now makes Wellington his "home-town," but occasionally does a tour of New Zealand with his anti-spiritualistic entertainment, in which as "the man who exposed Bailey," he combats Spookology and ''punctures the Frauds, Fakes, and Follies of so-called Modern Spiritualism."
Dr. Lynn, the famous conjuror and humorist, "from the Egyptian Hall and Crystal Palace, London" and where "for 16 years he had been the bright particular star," commenced a tour of Australia at the Academy of Music, Sydney, on December 6, 1886. This was the original Dr. Hugh Lynn," we were told, and this announcement was made necessary, through some Australian "magician" assuming his name in New South Wales and Queensland some time previous. I have referred to this peculair Australian "annexing" in a previous article, when referring to the "American Frikell." However, this Dr. Lynn was the real Simon pure, and his "Soiress Miraculeuse" were original as presented by him, and his method of work far different to anything that his imitator may have given. But the original "Dr. Lynn" of London, in 1873, was found to be our old original friend, Washington Simmons, "the American Frikell" who had puzzled and pleased Sydney in 1863.
By a strange coincidence, the much-travelled entrepreneur, Mr. R. S. Smythe, happened to be in Sydney when the Doctor arrived and he undertook the management of Dr. Lynn's show, as he had done 23 years before, when he and Washington Simmons had left Sydney for China and India. Dr. Lynn's tricks were much the same as he had presented so many years before in Australia, but he had added one or two novelities to his program—the Flying Cage being one, which he performed, by the way, in a different manner to that given previously in Australia. He held his cage on his left hand, holding his wand in his right, and with a spectator from the audience seated on the stage. With a one, two, three, and a tap of the wand, the cage vanished. You will remember that the inventor of this famous trick made his first appearance in London in conjunction with Dr. Lynn, at the Egyptian Large Hall, where he appeared as Dr. De Bautier, when the late Professor Hoffman pronounced "Dr. Bautier, unquestionably, the most finished prestidigitateur that has appeared since the elder Frikell.''
The Vanishing Lady was the big butt-end and climax of Dr. Lynn's entertainment, and one of the Sydney papers said rather curiously, ''there was positively no deception about this" and then pronounced it as "one of the most bewildering illusions ever seen in Sydney."
To be Continued -
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. XII, No. 12, (Whole No. 123) in New York, June 1923.
Kudarz reads M. U. M. in the Geographical Centre of New Zealand 500 feet above sea level, 1922.
On the 27th of December. Dr. Lynn appeared in Melbourne at the Freemason's Hall, but afterwards shifted to the Athenaeum Hall, where he presented his famous Palingenesia illusion, in which he took a living man to pieces and restored him by instalments. In announcing this "Great Vivisection Feat," performed by Dr. Lynn upwards of 1100 times in the Opera Theatre of the Crystal Palace," medical men "desirious of witnessing this astonishing operation were informed that they could obtain tickets from the money taker, and the same ticket would admit to the remarkable physico-spiritual exhibition of the Blood Writing on the Arm." After witnessing Dr. Lynn's Soirees Miraculeuse colonials could reiterate the statement of the London Morning Post that "Dr. Lynn's position is one of peculiar and exceptional eminence."
After doing Australia, Dr. Lynn made a successful tour of New Zealand. In one of the towns visited he had "the bottom knocked out" of one of his most cherished illusions, in this wise:—A Maori gentleman, who had went forward from amongst the audience for the purpose of assisting the Dr. in his Vanishing Lady Illusion, upon being asked to seat himself in the chair, did so with such unnecessary force as to completely break the bottom out of it, and so utterly spoil the performance of the feat, much to the discomfiture of the magician, the surprise of the Maori, and the laughter of the audience especially when the native said, looking up at Dr. Lynn while wedged between the chair legs "Tats de damn goot trick; de Maorite Fellow!"
Mr. W. E. White Kudarz
A quiet chat on Magic in the New Zealand Bush. 1922
Harvard was another conjuror from London who appeared in St. George's Hall, Melbourne, in December, 1886. He was a member of Agrati and Lesseros Star Combination, which also included that wonderful performer, Wainratta, "King of the Wire." For some reason or other, this clever combination fell to pieces shortly after their opening in Melbourne, and consequently Harvard was very little seen in Australia. Unfortunately for Harvard, Dr. Lynn had "got in" first with the Vanishing Lady Illusion, where he was presenting it at the Athenaeum Hall when the Star Combination opened in St. George's Hall, and in consequence of this competition, the public were "made wise" to Various methods that might be used in connection with this famous illusion.
Harvard's presentation of "L'escamotage d'une personne vivante" was advertised as "the instantaneous disappearance of a lady whilst seated on a chair, the chair being placed on an ordinary table, showing at once that the marvelous illusion is performed by Harvard without the aid of a stage-trap"; while Dr. Lynn, not to be outdone by a mere conjuror from the London Music Halls, notified that in presenting his Vanishing Lady Illusion "no table or second lady will be used!" Thus, both these clever performers, from London, endeavored to kill De Koltas good old goose in Australia.
One of the best known wielders of the magician's wand in Australia is Mr. G. W. Heller, who, with the valuable assistance of his wife, Maudeena, have given entertainments all over Australia and right through New Zealand for the last thirty years and more. They came out to the colonies in the 80's by the same steamer as brought Jolly John Nash and his London Pavillion Company, of which, by the way, Mr. John Fuller, one of the now well-known Australian firm of theatrical managers, was a member. They accepted an engagement with this company with their act of "Second Sight" and opened in Melbourne, but the life of the London Pavillion Company, like that of Agrati and Lesseros Combination, was short-lived, and in consequence, Mr. and Mrs. Heller launched out "on their own" with their well-equipped magic show, as they had originally intended doing when leaving Edinburgh, and it was not long before G. W. Heller and Maudeena Heller soon satisfied Australians that they had some show and their's was a name to conjure with.
G. W. Heller has claimed to be the nephew of the famous Robert Heller, but the relationship was denied by Robert Heller's brother, Angelo C. Palmer, a solicitor, who lived and died in Hamilton, Victoria, Australia. Provo, a clever juggler and shadowgraphist, who was out here for quite a time, says that G. W. Heller was none other than Wezner, with whom he had performed in Great Britain. There certainly was a Robert Wezner touring that country many years ago who advertised himself as being "the only successor of the late Robert Heller, Esq." However, Mr. G. W. Heller by any other name would have proved just as good a conjuror in Australia, as indeed he has done, and his entertainments equally as acceptable and worthy of patronage.
It was in 1889 that Heller, Baldwin and Kudarz were giving entertainments in adjacent towns of New South Wales, and it was in that year that Heller added to his program the "Weird Clairvoyance" of the old professor who, by the way, left Australia in that year to create a sensation with it in England, and ever since Mr. and Mrs. Heller have presented their "Hypnotic Trance Portrayals" and "Psycholmetric Sleep Visions" all over the Commonwealth of Australia and the Dominion of New Zealand.
I have not seen Heller for many years, but the last time I witnessed his show (1909) he presented the following program: Part I—1. Elements; 2. With a Lamp; 3. Hindoo Rice and Pawney; 4. The Latest Continental Fancy, the Bridal Chamber; 5. The Fountain of Cards; 6. Pail of Water; 7. Big Gun Practice and the Three Mystic Boxes; 8. Gem Pictures—a selection of the latest art productions. Part II—Fifteen Minutes in Spiritland; "Somnomosts" by Miss Maudeena Heller and Marvelous Seances in Odic Force, Mental Telepathy; The Wonders of Karma. Magic shows in "Aussie" may come and go, but Heller's Bonanza Coterie seem to go on forever in our midst, although I know our "King of Funland" has expressed his intention 99 times of "quitting the road," but G. W. and Maudeena Heller are still motoring over the same old continent with an entertainment that is described as "Funnier than a Pantomime, more Interesting than a Circus, more Exciting than a Tragedy, more Novel than a Comedy or Drama, and is by long odds the Funniest show on earth, and which has been recommended by over 1,000 clergymen."
Stuart Cumberland, the well-known "mind-reader," was in Australia in 1886, giving exhibitions of "Divining the Unuttered Thoughts of People," and when his first seance was advertised to take place in the Town Hall, Melbourne, on the 10th of April, 1886, the following "Special Notice" was at the foot of the announcement—"Of course, Mr. Cumberland's experiments are entirely different from anything of the kind that have ever been given in Melbourne. It is he alone who has been so cordially welcomed at the principal courts of Europe, and who has made successful experiments with the most illustrious personages in the world. His seances, in their scientific interest and dramatic intensity are of equal interest to all classes."
Reviewing Mr. Cumberland's claims and seances, the Melbourne Daily Telegraph of the 14th of April handled the subject in the following manner: "Mr. Stuart Cumberland is a very ingenious and fortunate gentleman. No other visitor to this city has ever before been so cheaply and thoroughly advertised, or has attracted so great an audience on so slight pretences. In his heart Mr. Stuart Cumberland, we suspect, must regard us as a very simple community of infantile and easily tricked curiosity. Mr. Cumberland has ridden into face by virtue of the possession of a certain abnormal sensitiveness of muscle, or of nerve, which enables him to detect the involuntary vibrations of other people's muscles and nerves. We are not anxious to expound the philosophy of 'thoughtreading.' The subject in fact has no philosophy in it. All pretences of a power possessed by one human being to invade, at will, the sanctity of another personality is the idle boast of a charlatan."
Stuart Cumberland was the first exhibitor in Australia to present an open air experiment of "finding a pin," and referring to this now well-worked stunt, the same paper had this to say about it, in the same leading article:
To be Continued—
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. XIII, No. 1-2-3, (Whole No. 124, 125, 126) in New York, July, August, September 1923.
This is the last installment of our Late Lamented Compeer Robert Kudarz's notes on Magic and Magicians of Australia.
"Today Mr. Stuart Cumberland proposes to exercise his gift in the face of day, and the amazed public will have the opportunity of beholding Mr. Stuart Cumberland, blindfolded, and towing behind him a shamefaced-looking citizen, dashing along the pavement in search of a pin which has been, with due solemnity, concealed round the corner. 'To those who like this sort of thing'—to quote Abraham Lincoln—'this is just the thing they like.' An atrabilious critic would have his bile sadly stirred, however, by the spectacle of wondering crowds watching with breathless excitement Mr. Stuart Cumberland revolving with bandaged eyes round the habital of the missing pin, till he triumphantly descends upon it."
In the Conjuror's Monthly Magazine for December, 1907, there appeared an excellent illustrated article from Herr Ottokar Fischer on Ben Ali Bey (Max Auzinger) the inventor of "Black Art." In the February number of 1908, the late J. N. Maskelyne took notice of the article, and wrote saying he was "much surprised to read in the Conjuror's Monthly Magazine that Max Auzinger who is an absolute stranger to me, is the originator of what is known in America as the Black Art. I have always been under the impression that the late Buatier de Kolta originated this class of illusion, and I believe that is the general opinion of persons interested in matters magical." I was rather surprised to read Mr. Maskelyne's letter, and learn of his not knowing anything about Max Auzinger and his original Black Art, which had actually been produced in the City of Berlin, by the originator himself eighteen months before anything of the kind was staged in the Egyptian Hall, London.
Now, had Mr. Maskelyne possessed as good a knowledge of the history of magic and magicians, as he did of Modern Spiritualism and its mediums, he would have been better informed, for as far back as 1895—thirteen years before Mr. Maskelyne penned his letter—H. J. Budlingame, of Chicago, had published a little work on magic and magicians, and on page 20 of it, he told us much about Auzinger and his Oriental Black Art, and of his being the inventor of it. But happily, it was through Houdini's Conjuror's Monthly Magazine that Herr Max Auzinger was enabled, while still in the flesh, to justify his right—to prove it—of being the inventor of this wonderful mystery—call it "Oriental Black Art," in Berlin; "Modern Black Magic," in London; or "Oriental Occultism," in New York, as our late brother Dean Kellar did when he introduced "Nana Sahib, the Bewildering Oriental Necromancer" in connection with this "grand, weird and wonderful exhibition." I wonder how many in Australia "interested in matters magical" knew anything of this same "Nana Sahib" when he was in their midst presenting his new bewildering oriental necromancy. ( ?)
The first presentation of Black Art in Australia was given by Professor Robert Jensen in 1889 and, strange to say, he also claimed to be the inventor of the act, which was performed by him under the guise of Achmed Ali Bey. Jensen's "Congress of Cabalistic Wonders" was a combination which left San Francisco on the 21st of December, 1888, for a tour of the Orient, and at the termination of which they came on to Australia, playing Western Australia first, then Southern Australia, and then on to Victoria, and New South Wales. Originally, when they left America, Wash. Norton was one of the company, but he never came to Australia with the Jensens. Wash. Norton had, however, been out there many years previously, when he showed Dr. Lynn's Thauma illusion throughout the colonies, doubling up with Professor A. E. Rice, the mind-reader.
Professor Jensen brought to Australia a very elaborate entertainment of Occidental and Oriental Magic, and his performances were of a refined and unexceptionable character, whilst he recognized the value of a pretty stage when presenting his "Great Senace of Modern Magic," the scarlet brilliantly lighted "back" of oriental draperies being very fine and handsome, as well as something decidedly out of the common. Jensen proved to be a good man in his peculiar line, and as a magician, fortunately possessed clearness and confidence as a speaker. He could make gloves enlarge or diminish to fit any hand, by a little gentle pressure; fire a watch from a pistol into the middle of a mirror, smashing it, same being hung suspended from its centre; handkerchiefs were changed into pigeons, the pigeons wrapped up in paper and burned, the ashes stuffed into a blunder-bus, and the contents fired over the heads of the audience at a cage suspended in the air, which immediately opened, liberating the pigeons. Then there was the Japanese Apple and the Arabian Ball Casket, as well as the Indian Sand Trick and "Ibicus", the Animated Skull which held a Spirit's duet with a magic drum.
The second part of Jensen's program was devoted almost entirely to "Black Art," in which he appeared under the name of Achmed Ali Bey, who was described as "the Great Hindoo Wonder," and performed all the weird effects to be found in a well-equipped outfit, terminating with the Hindoo Basket Trick. Professor Jensen was accompanied from America by Mr. Albert Linton, a clever young man who was able to paint a picture in oils upside down in less than five minutes.
Originally published in the M-U-M in Vol. XIII, No. 4-5, (Whole No. 127, 128) in New York, October, November 1923.
