Magic, Stage Illusions and Scientific Diversions, Including Trick Photography
3. The opening in the end of the post is now carefully closed and all
670 words | Chapter 45
signs of such an opening are concealed by the aid of glue, sawdust, and
a little dirt rubbed over it.
When the committee are invited to bore a hole in the post, the performer
takes care to start the bit, in order that there will be no mistake
about getting the hole directly beneath the chisel concealed in the
post. When the rope is passed through the hole and knotted it is
directly under the sharp edge of the chisel, with a thin layer of wood
between. When the nail is driven in the top of the post it strikes the
chisel, forcing it through the thin shell of wood above the rope and
through the rope, thus releasing the performer, who can withdraw his
hands from the post and do any trick he chooses, and when finished, by
merely replacing the ends of the rope in the holes from which he removed
them, and holding the hands tight against the post, can allow a most
rigid examination of the seals to show that it was not possible for him
to have released his hands, and the persons holding the cords that are
fastened to the nail testify that they did not feel any movement of the
performer or the post.
The Handcuff Test is a great favorite of the “medium.” In this test the
performer uses any pair of handcuffs furnished by the audience, and by
them put on him. Yet, in a very few moments after he takes his place in
the cabinet, his coat is thrown out, but on examination the handcuffs
are found to be on his wrists just as they were placed by the audience.
As a final test, the performer comes out of the cabinet holding the
handcuffs in his hand, removed from the wrist but locked.
The explanation of this trick is very simple, but, like many simple
tricks, very mysterious. There are only a few styles of handcuffs made
in this country, and all that a “medium” has to do is to secure the
proper key for each style, which keys are concealed about the person,
and by the aid of fingers and teeth the proper key can be fitted to the
handcuffs. In some types of handcuffs it is impossible to get the
fingers to the key-hole. If such a pair is placed on the performer and
he cannot use his teeth to hold the key, he slips the key in a crack in
the chair or cabinet, which crack he makes sure is there before
undertaking the test, thus holding the key and unlocking the handcuffs.
As the space allotted for this article is limited, the writer will
explain but one other piece of apparatus used to secure the “medium,”
which is known as the Spirit Collar.
[Illustration: THE SPIRIT COLLAR.]
The collar is made of brass, and fits closely about the performer’s
neck. Through the openings in the ends of the collar is passed a chain,
after the collar is on the performer’s neck, and this chain is passed
around a post, carried back and through the padlock which is used to
lock the collar. By this arrangement the performer is fastened securely
to a post, at least it appears so to the audience. This collar is shown
in our fourth engraving. As seen by the cut, the collar is decorated
with a number of small bolts, which impart to it an additional
appearance of strength.
These bolts are all false with one exception. This genuine bolt can be
removed by the performer when the collar is on his neck, thus allowing
the collar to come apart at the hinge, as shown in the cut, thus
releasing the performer, allowing him full liberty to perform any trick
he wishes, and permitting him to again apparently fasten himself
securely. This loose bolt fits so securely that there is no danger of
any of the committee removing it with their fingers. The performer uses
a small wrench to remove the bolt.
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