LIFE AND HISTORY

HARDEEN I

20 Years of an Eventful Career on the Stage

FULLY ILLUSTRATED

Containing Numerous Tricks and Secrets

ESPECIALLY COMPILED BY

HARDEEN

HARDEEN
The Sensation of Both Hemisphers. The Man Who Has Baffled the Police Departments of the World.

THEO. WEISS HARDEEN

BROTHER OF THE FAMOUS HOUDINI

Hardeen, the wonderful performer, known throughout the civilized world as being able to escape from the strongest handcuffs and bonds devised by the police, has combined showmanship with ability, and presented to the theatre-going public a performance which will be talked of by the grandchildren of those who have had the good fortune to have witnessed his act. He is an American, born in the city of Appleton, Wisconsin, on February 29, 1876, which day, falling on a leap year, gives him only one chance to celebrate his birthday every four years. He is the son of the learned scholar Rev. M. S. Weiss, LX.D., Ph.D., and the brother of The Famous Houdini. Other members of his family have gained prominence in their respective professional and business pursuits. While still a youth, at the age of seventeen, in 1893, he made his debut as an artist before the American public in conjunction with his brother, both being known as the Brothers Houdini. He only performed a short time, then retired and followed a cemmercial pursuit for five years, during which time his brother, Houdini, had traveled the world over, gaining fame and fortune, and was eventually conceded to be the greatest international drawing card ever exploited. The managers clamored for Houdini, but he was unable to fulfill all the offers made to him, so they then started to look for someone to duplicate his performance, but were unsuccessful, until one day a progressive manager from Magdeburg, Germany, having heard that Houdini, a few years back, performed with his brother, sent a representative to America to engage him, and a few weeks later, the whole of Germany was wrought up to a state of enthusiasm with the sensational exploits of the newly arrived American HARDEEN, who was appearing before the German public, for the younger brother, not wishing to confuse the public by adopting the same name as his older brother, had coined the name HARDEEN, which now is known throughout every country in the civilized world.

A brief summary of the marvelous and sensational things HARDEEN has accomplished, and some newspaper accounts of these exploits will surely prove of interest to the reader.

THBO. WEISS-HARDEEN

HARRY

WEISS-HOUDINI

As they appeared in 1893, when they called themselves the Houdini Brothers.

An example of numerous exploits with the chiefs of police in the large cities he has visited is well illustrated in the following newspaper article from the Grimsby, England, Daily Telegraph, of J anuary 9, 1902:

CHIEF OF POLICE STIRLING BAFFLED "To the casual observer a glimpse of the proceedings in the Borough police office last night would have given one the impression that a truly desperate character had been captured, for in the center of a group of officers, sergeants, inspectors, and detectives, a man with his wrists held together by several pairs of handcuffs was to be seen. No arrest had been made,

Hardeen, as manacled hand and foot by the Chief of Police Stirling.

however, for the man who was so securely bound was Theo. Hardeen, the Handcuff King, who had come to demonstrate to the police force and Chief Constable Stirling that he could release himself from any regulation handcuff that they could produce. Bracelets of all kinds, sizes, shapes and degrees of strength were brought out for trial, and locked upon him.

Hardeen retired into the Chief Constable's office, and, after a lapse of 26 minutes, emerged therefrom with the bracelets in his hands with the locks undone, and himself bathed in perspiration. The Chief Constable, on congratulating Hardeen, acknowledged himself baffled." THE MURDEROUS INSANE STRAIT-JACKET CHALLENGE While playing in London, England, two police constables, finding that Hardeen escaped from the police manacles with the greatest of ease, determined further to test his ability, and one night brought to the theatre a strait-jacket, which

Hardeen, strapped in the strait-jacket as used on the murderous insane. Front and back view.

is used to restrain the murderous insane, and challenged him to allow them to strap it upon him. An account of the result is herewith reprinted from one of the local newspapers: "HARDEEN AND THE STRAIT-JACKET." AN EXCITING SCENE AT THE EMPIRE. Success After Quarter of an Hour's Tussle. "With hair dishevelled, and collar and front crumpled, Theo Hardeen, 'the handcuff king,' emerged in a state of evident distress from a cabinet at the Empire on Wednesday

evening; and a large assembly looked on amazed. The famous 'iron bracelet' manipulator had accepted a challenge from two police constables, who undertook to secure him in a straitjacket of the most up-to-date construction, and now after a struggle extending over a quarter of an hour he was free! "The indep.endent committee who appeared on the stage seemed at a loss to understand what had happened, while Hardeen himself left the stage at once, the feat having tested him severely. The jacket in which he was fastened is similar in every respect to those used to secure the murderous insane, the arms being folded across one another and strapped securely behind. To the onlooker Hardeen's plight was absolutely hopeless, and while he was hidden from view, two policemen kept the cabinet under close observation. Throwing discretion to the winds, one tried to peep inside, and when he was forced back the audience did not seem at all pleased. "As time went on people grew indignant, and on one or two occasions there was some hooting. When at length Hardeen walked, or rather staggered out, his exit was viewed with mixed feelings. One policeman stepped to the front of the stage, and remarked that they were not at all satisfied, because they were convinced that nobody could escape from the jacket unassisted. He invited Hardeen to submit himself to being secured in the jacket again, but naturally the artiste was not at all anxious to do the trick twice the same evening. "Mr. Hardeen has since publicly announced that in view of any dissatisfaction that may exist, and to prove that he has no confederate to assist him to escape from the appliance, he will on Friday evening, at the second performance, permit himself to be fastened in a similar manner, in the same straitjacket, and will free himself in full view of the audience without using any cabinet." The following is another account from the same newspaper, which appeared a few days later. "HARDEEN CONVERTS THE SCEPTICS." "STRAIT-JACKET REMOVED IN VIEW OF THE AUDIENCE." "A Remarkable Scene at the Empire." "An entertainer, who accomplishes what to the average individual is impossible, cannot reasonably complain when he

finds his methods criticised. When Theo. Hardeen, the handcuff king,' liberated himself from a strait-jacket of the type used to secure the murderous insane, at the Empire a few evenings back, the bulk of those who saw him emerge free from the cabinet refused to believe that he had extricated himself without assistance. There was talk of trap doors and other contrivances, and Hardeen, instead of gaining applause, had to put up with something in the nature of a little demonstration. "But his chance to retaliate came with a vengeance on

HWOCn HAS S C R E E DT O mUUiHHSUF r m l 1 H TO SANS STRS1T JACKET ,

E'

IN PULL VIEW OF-AUDIENCE

1 2 N H W FRIDAY 1
1 TO PROVE"1 TRICKERY J |

Billing matter used by Osward Stoll, Bsq., during the many years he used Hardeen, as his feature act.

Friday evening, for, as the result of a second challenge, he undertook to get out of the same strait-jacket in full view of the audience. Having been securely strapped into the straitjacket, the famous performer remarked good-humoredly that he would expect an apology from those gentlemen when he had freed himself; and an admiring assembly cheered lustily. To attempt to faithfully describe how Hardeen removed the jacket would be next to impossible, for, surprising as it may appear, he undid the bulk of the straps with such rapid move-

ments that nobody seemed able to follow him. Rolling on the stage and turning somersaults, Hardeen appeared to contract certain muscles, and having freed one of his arms by a dislocation which would have shattered the bones in the limbs of any ordinary individual, his task was simplified. The buckles at the back of the jacket were undone last of all, and Hardeen, with hair and clothing disarranged, stepped to the front of the stage to receive an ovation, the like of which has seldom if ever been given at the Empire. "Panting hard after his great exertion, he bowed his acknowledgments." HARDEEN APPEARS BEFORE A MIGHTY AUDIENCE OF EIGHTY THOUSAND PEOPLE.

Hardeen appearing at the Shrewsbury Gala before 80.000 people.

The managers noting that Hardeen's drawing powers were so enormous that hundreds and often thousands of people were turned away at every performance, eventually decided to have him appear at the Shrewsbury Gala, where arrangements were made for admitting an unlimited number of people, and the result was that over 80,000 people witnessed Hardeen's first performance.

This was the largest attendance the management had ever been able to get together. Hardeen, as the feature act, continued touring Europe, being engaged and re-engaged for five years by Oswald Stoll, Esq., the most noted music hall director in the world, having under his control over forty houses, and being the managing director of an English syndicate capitalized at 30,000,000, or $150,000,000. KING OSCAR OF SWEDEN SEES HARDEEN. Director Jacobsohn, from the Olympic Hippodrome of Stockholm, Sweden, happened to be in England when Hardeen's exploits so widely enthused the public, that he contracted for his performance in Sweden. On his arrival in Stockholm, Sweden, some one determined to ruin his reputation, and publicly declared him to be an impostor, and challenged Hardeen to escape from some handcuffs which he had specially made for him. All preparations were made for the acceptance of the challenge at the special matinee in the theatre, and, on the appointed day, when Hardeen and the audience had assembled to witness the strife, the challenger failed to appear. The newspapers of course devoted columns and columns to this episode, and so much court comment was made about the matter that King Oscar of Sweden determined to see this stranger who had raised such furor of enthusiasm, and personally attended Hardeen's performance in company with the Royal Family one evening during the month of April, 1901, at the Royal Olympia Hippodrome, Stockholm.

KLAW AND ERLANGER ENGAGE HARDEEN. When the Klaw and Erlanger firm determined to entei the vaudeville field in America, they scoured the world in order to bring feature acts to America, and decided to engage Hardeen. He came to America in the summer of 1907, was paid an enormous salary, and toured the country as the feature act of the most expensive bills which the American public ever had seen in one theatre.

10

Police and Hardeen, before he Jumped, handcuffed, from a bridge sixty feet high, into the Ohio River, in L,ouisville, Ky.

11 HARDEEN JUMPS HEAVILY MANACLED INTO THE OHIO RIVER FROM THE 18th STREET BRIDGE, A DISTANCE OF SIXTY FEET, INTO SIX FEET OF WATER, AND RELEASES HIMSELF WHILE UNDER WATER.

Hardeen, handcuffed, jumping from the bridge into the Ohio River a height of sixty feet. Viewed by a crowd of ten thousand people.

In order to stimulate interest in the fight which the Klaw and Erlanger forces waged against the Keith faction in the vaudeville field, Hardeen determined to astound the American public with his most dare-devil and death-defying feat So one morning on the twenty-sixth day of September, 1907.

12 he allowed a number of police officials of Louisville, Kentucky to securely fasten heavy handcuffs on him, and leap into the Ohio River from the 18th Street Bridge, which is sixty feet above the level of the water, and in a few minutes released himself while under the water. This feat caused much comment, and the newspapers gave so much space to this exploit, that the theatre-going public created such a demand for his appearance in the cities throughout the country that the newly formed vaudeville houses of Klaw and Erlanger were sold out as soon as it was known that Hardeen was to appear. In order to keep the public's interest stimulated, Hardeen repeated this bridge jump in many other cities, and always had thousands of people present to witness this feat. LIVES OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE JEOPARDIZED. While performing in Norfolk, Va., in February, 1908, in the midst of winter, while ice was floating in the Elizabeth River, he jumped into the water while manacled by the local police, and released himself from the handcuffs while under the water. Fully twenty thousand people witnessed this feat and lined the river front in all directions, even the top of houses and river crafts were loaded with the sight-seers. The jam on Crosby's dock, on the Atlantic River side of the bridge, was so intense that the dock collapsed, throwing many into the icy waters and creating a panic which was only stemmed when it became known that the people fell into water which was only waist deep. A brief account of the jump is herewith reprinted from a two-column front-page account of the Ledger Dispatch of Feb. 11, 1908: "It was almost 12.30 o'clock before Hardeen made his appearance on the big iron bridge in a bathing suit of blue and white. He was greeted with tremendous cheering, and had two pair of handcuffs placed on his wrists by Captain Ford and Detective Cotton. He then mounted a rail and jumped into the river, disappeared for a second, and came up smiling, with the handcuffs in one hand. He struck out for the launch Julian, which had been placed near the bridge by Commodore Dodson, of the Hampton Roads Yacht Club, and was soon inside, changing his wet clothing for drier and more comfortable ones. The whole thing looked as easy for Hardeen as eating out of a spoon, and the people who saw it will talk about it for a long time."

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HARDEEN ESCAPES FROM A PRISON CELL IN AUBURN, NEW YORK. Auburn, being noted throughout the world as an American city which contains a jail noted for its strength in holding prisoners, afforded Hardeen an excellent opportunity to try his ability, the result of which is herewith reprinted from the Auburn Citizen, at the time he presented his performance in that city: "HARDEEN GAVE POLICE PRIVATE EXHIBITION OF JAIL BREAKING. OUT OF CELL IN EIGHT MINUTES. "Hardeen, the handcuff expert showing" at the Burtis Opera house this week, gave a private exhibition for the

14 members of the police and official circles at the City Hall this morning, when, after being shackled and locked in a cell, he bade farewell to his friends for eight minutes and then reappeared free of the nippers, leg-irons, etc., gaining a round of hearty applause as he walked out of the jail and greeted the party of spectators. "Hardeen arrived at the police station at 11 o'clock and, after looking over the odorous jail, asked some one to designate a cell for him to occupy. A Citizen reporter humanely pointed out No. 7, near the open transome on the Market street side, where a breath of fresh air might be obtained, and, after Roundsman Graney had placed leg-irons on his ankles and a fine new pair of Maltby handcuffs on his wrists, everything was ready. "Hardeen, however, asked for more, and Chief Bell produced an old-fashioned pair of 'bean-cuffs,' which were also placed tightly on his wrists. Having displayed what is known as 'thumb-cuffs,' two small claw-links that grip the thumbs like a vise, to one of the spectators before the arrival of Hardeen, Chief Bell was asked to place them on the man's thumbs. " 'Let's see them first,' said Hardeen when the suggestion was made. " 'Oh, you've got all you can handle to get away with those now on you,' replied Chief Bell. "Hardeen was insistent, however, and, after taking a look at the little vest-pocket affair, said, 'Put them on.' They were accordingly placed snugly on his thumbs, and he was shoved into cell No. 7, and the spectators withdrew to the locker room in the police station. "It was exactly 11,12 o'clock when Roundsman Graney locked the cell door on the shackled prisoner, and eight minutes afterward he walked out into the locker room carrying the opened cuffs, irons, etc., in his hands, and handed them back to the police officers. He was loudly applauded. " 'I advise you, chief, to get a new cell; that one is easy,' he remarked as he stepped out. He admitted that he spent seven out of eight minutes in getting out of the little "thumbcuffs.' "

15 HARDEEN'S ACT WAS THE FIRST ACT TO BE HONORED WITH A RETURN ENGAGEMENT ON THE KLAW AND ERLANGER VAUDEVILLE TOUR. The distinction of being the first act to play a return engagement on Klaw and Erlanger Vaudeville tour belongs to Hardeen.

Hardeen advertising; matter as employed by Klaw & Brlanger on moving vehicles

The firm of Klaw and Erlanger were looking to pack their new vaudeville theatres, and when they saw how successfully this object was accomplished when Hardeen appeared at a theatre (even though they had so many hundreds of feature acts engaged), they found it more advantageous to their interests to have him appear a second time in many of the theatres at which he had appeared but a few weeks previously. HUNDREDS BUY STANDING-ROOM ON THE STAGE. The theatres were so packed at his return engagements that when the management informed the public that the houses were sold out, the people clamored to buy standing room on the stage, in order to see Hardeen, and so every matinee and night, during his appearance, hundreds of tickets were sold admitting people on the stage during Hardeen's performance..

16 When the Klaw and Erlanger and Keith strife was brought to a close, the Keith interests immediately took over

As billed on the Poli Circuit

the Klaw and Erlanger contract with Hardeen and gave him an extended contract over their tour for the following year. ENGAGED AND RE-ENGAGED FOR THE PACIFIC COAST THEATRES. Having played both in the eastern and western parts of the United States, and as the managers on the extreme Pacific coast had long negotiated for Hardeen, and as his contracts now allowed him some spare time, he agreed to play some of these theatres for a short time. His reputation had so far preceded him that, long before he made his appearance, the houses had been sold out during his engagements. Following in the course of his footsteps of his entire American engagements, hundreds of seats were sold on the stage at every one of his performances, and in Spokane, Washington, an extra night show was given on a Friday, which was the first time this had been done since the theatre had been erected. When he completed the tour and returned to New York, he at once was telegraphed for and engaged, at an increased salary, to return immediately and perform over the same tour he had just completed.

17

THB FAMOUS HOUDINI

Notwithstanding all statements to the contrary, Houdini is the full brother of Hardeen and but two years his senior. The above picture is an excellent likeness of Houdini and the striking family resemblance may be readily noticed.

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JEW YORK, ever hungering for sensation, has certainly got one in H a r d e en, the handcuff king and marvelous jail-breaker, at the Plaza Music Hall this week. Audiences have probably never been so spellbound as when this wonderful man a llws himself to be placed in an iron milk can filled witn water, his hands securely manacled with regulation handcuffs and the lid pla'ced on and secured by padlocks. Failure to release himself means death by drowning. Can you i m a g i n e such a thrilling attempt and right m your full view, too? You just feel like restraining the daring Hardeen when he tells you that if he fails to maxe his appearance
the alert attendant will knock a hole in the can with a _ conveniently placed axe the only thing which may save his life. With your heart in your mouth you count the dragging seconds. Can he possibly get out?- When all of a suddenwell, the rest has just got to be seen, and see it vou may by visiting N e w York's Music'Hall de Luxe this week. There are nine other star acts, every one a wipner.

PLAZA MUSIC HALL

When William Morris went into the direct opposition to the United Booking Offices in 1909, Hardeen was again one of the first headliners selected. The above plate will indicate the manner in which Morris billed Hardeen.

19

Interior the Majestic Theatre, Pittsfield, Mass.

During the engagement of Hardeen in Pittstield the house was completely sold out and thousands turned away at every performance. Special police were engaged to clear the street in front of the house so that cars could run past the door. Famous Circuits that have featured HARDEEN Klaw & Erlanger, Advanced Vaudeville, Barrasford Circuit, Win. Morris, Brill & Graydon's, Marcus L,ow's Circuit, Mac Naughton's, Orpheum Circuit, Livermore Circuit, Keith's Circuit, Moss & Thornton's, Sullivan & Considine's Circuit, Stoll Circuit, Pantages' Circuit, and all Continental Miles' Circuit, Theatres. HARDEEN was re-engaged everywhere.

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From Daily News, Bangor, Maine, December 11, 1913. IRON BARS COULD NOT HOLD HIM. Handcuff Wizard solved tramp chair problem before Bijou Theatre Audience Tuesday night. Between 2,500 and 2,600 people saw HARDEEN, the Handcuff Wizard, step from the "Tramp Chair" at the Bijou Theatre Tuesday night at the first performance. After he accomplished it in eleven minutes he made a great hit with his audience. The ability of the man to do this thing caused everybody to marvel, and the question uppermost in the minds of all was: '' How is it all accomplished ?'' The "Tramp Chair" used in Bangor years ago for hauling tramps through the city streets, was placed in the middle of the stage. A committee from the Bangor City Department, consisting of F. H. Moulton, Melvin Ellis,T.B.Cowan, Walter Pree and Fred. M. Howdy, put shackles on Hardeen's ankles. He was then seated in the formidable appearing iron chair. The door was locked and barred, after his ankles had been shackled to each other and to the chair. One of the committee said: "There, when you get out of that scrape you will be ready for breakfast." Hardeen smiled. The chair rolled under the canvas. While the orchestra played, the Wizard worked in there in silence. The committee stood about the canvas and they were satisfied that Hardeen was receiving no assistance. In just eleven minutes he came from the chair in smiles, and the audience greeted him with great applause. Afterward, while removing his limp linen in his dressing room, Hardeen told a reporter that he had never seen such a chair as Bangor's famous "Tramp Chair." "I saw^ that the_ shackles were strong and old-fashioned, not at all like anything I had ever tried to get out of, and I knew I would be bothered considerably by this new sort of imprisonment. But I found it easier than I had expected. Nothing gave me much trouble but the Yale Lock." To the committee and the reporters on the stage and in the wings Hardeen's feat of Tuesday was as mystifying as they were to the magnificent audience. How does he do it? Echo answers, "It's only a trick, says one." Yes, and it's a very clever one.

23

SOME OF THE PRINCIPAL HANDCUFFS USED BY THE POLICE DEPARTMENTS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

Li
sac

Q Si
1

D is the American Bean Handcuff. E is the American Bean Giant Handcuff. F is the Bean Prison Leg-iron.

G is the American Army Handcuff. H is the American Prison adjustable Leg-iron. I is the American Guiteau Handcuff. J is the American Jersey Handcuff. K is the American Lilly Iron.

24

L The M The N The O The

French Handcuff with letter lock. Russian Leg-irons. Egyptian Hand and Leg-iron. Latest Russian manacle.

P is a South German Handcuff. Q is the Berlin Handcuff. R is the Houdini bell lock handcuff. It contains a bell which rings when the handcuff is locked or unlocked. S is a Spanish pair of manacles. T are a pair of thumb screws which were used in the Bastile in Paris.

25

SOME HANDCUFF SECRETS EXPOSED. One of the means employed of imitating the handcuff performance is to allow members of the audience to hand up locks on specially prepared neck, wrist or ankle irons, the secret of which is that the performer does not have to unlock any of

the locks, but simply removes a false rivet and so releases himself. A glance at the accompanying diagram will quickly explain everything. The dotted line A shows where the rivet is held in place, and it is so constructed that it can only be lemoved with the use of a pair of pliers.

English Regulation Handcuffs

26 The easiest handcuffs to open are the regulation English handcuffs. With but one exception, these handcuffs have spring locks, and are opened by simply inserting the key which is screwed into place until the lock opens. In the accompany-

ing illustration several styles of the handcuffs are shown, and if you will equip yourself with a split key as per illustration, you will be able to open almost every English regulation, screw snap handcuff.

TO PRODUCE A LIGHTED CANDLE FROM YOUR POCKET. Take an ordinary candle and remove about an inch of the wick from the end which is to be lighted, and carefully insert a wax match in the space formerly occupied by the wick. Next sew a strip of emery cloth or sandpaper in the pocket from which you wish to produce the lighted candle. Then place the prepared candle in the prepared pocket, resting the head of the match against the emery cloth or sandpaper. When you wish to produce the lighted candle all you have to do is to reach into the pocket and while taking out the candle rub the match head against the emery cloth or sandpaper, thereby igniting the match and so producing a lighted candle. You can produce candles from a number of pockets if you prepare them as you did the one described above. Comedians modify this trick by placing the emery cloth or sandpaper with matches in a number of pockets, and attempt to light a cigar that stubbornly refuses to allow itself to be lighted even though matches are applied to it which are produced lighted from an innumerable number of pockets.

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SIMPLE METHOD OF EXCHANGING A MARKED COIN. In case you have to exchange a genuinely marked coin in the course of your performance, the reader can try the following method once, and he will find that it is most effective, and no false movements are required. There are lots of methods of exchanging coins, but this is the cleanest and simplest we know.

First of all take two ordinary playing cards, and place them face to face; now place them in this position on a table or chair, with the coin that you are going to exchange for the borrowed one underneath, in such a position that you can easily pick it up. Advance to the audience, ask for (let us say) a half dollar, as that is the magician's favorite coin size. When you have been offered the coin, say "I have no wish to touch the coin, as 1 wish it marked before it leaves the loaner's hands." You look about for a plate, and not seeing one, (for the simple reason you have no wish for one) accidently on purpose spy the playing card; walk deliberately up to it, pick it up and say that you will ask the gentlemen to place the coin on the card, and ask them to watch it very carefully. When the marked coin is placed on the card simply hold it on its place by using only your thumb. The concealed coin you are now holding with only your index finger as you show the audience the coin on top. With a slight movement turn the card around and show the coin under your index finger. You can now go ahead with your trick, as it is hardly possible that it is suspected you are deliberately and boldly deceiving them right in front of their eyes.

28 THE SPELLING BEE CARD TRICK. A clever little trick which will be useful in parlors and small circles is to take thirteen cards and arrange them in such an order as to enable you to spell out the cards in sequence from 1 (ace) to the king, by simply holding the 13 cards in your hand with face downward and removing one card from the top with each letter you spell. Preparation. Arrange the cards in the following sequence: 3-8-7-1-K-6-4-2-Q-J-10-9-5 which arrangement with face downward makes the 3 the top card and the 5 the bottom card. Explanation. Commencing at the top, you remove one card with each letter you spell, but be careful not to disarrange the sequence of the cards as previously prepared: viz., O-N-E, one; having removed one card with each letter, you turn over the fourth card when you pronounce the word one, and it will be found to be the ace. This you will place on the table, as you have no further use for the card and if it is returned to the pack it will break up your previously arranged sequence. Next spell T-W-O, two, and the fourth card will be again turned up and discarded upon the table and will be found to be the two, or deuce card. Next, T-H-R-E-E, three, is spelt and with the pronunciation of the word three, the card is turned up, discarded upon the table and will be found to be the three. Continue in this way to spell, F-O-U-R, four; F-I-V-E, five; S-I-X, six; S-E-V-E-N, seven; E-I-G-H-T, eight; N-I-N-E-, nine; T-E-N, ten; J-A-C-K, jack; Q-U-E-E-N, queen, and K-I-N-G, king. The trick affords excellent pasttime and is very simple if you will only remember not to disturb the sequence of the cards, and be sure not to place the card back into the pack when it has once been spelt and discarded. Should you prefer to spell the Jack by its other name, K-N-A-V-E, the sequence is as follows: Q-4-1-8-K-2-7-5-10-J-3-6-9, and it must be remembered that the card to be spelt must be turned up and discarded with the last letter name of the letter spelt, viz., O-N-E-, as the E is named the card is turned up and will be found to be the ace; T-W-O, as the O is named the card is turned up and will be found to be the two; T-H-R-E-E, as the E is named the card is turned up and will be found to be the three, and so continue to spell each number, turning up the spelt card with the naming of each last letter, and remembering not to break the prearranged sequence and not to return the spelt card to the pack. The first method is the preferable one; st :i l, both are given for the reader's benefit.

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SPIRIT TABLE LIFTING. A Clever Little Trick Which Can Be Done With Great Success Preparation.Cut a slot in a ring which you can place on one of your fingers as is depicted in the accompanying illustration. Then drive a common pin into a small, light weight table, (as per illustration), which you intend to lift. By slipping the slot of the ring behind the head of the pin you are able to get quite a firm hold on the table and so can lift it from the floor. Execution.Place your hand on the table and casually slip the slot of the ring behind the head of the pin and slowly

and carefully raise the table, which will make it appear to the audience as if you lifted it with your finger tips. To add effect to this, you can spread a silk handkerchief over the top of the table to show there is no preparation, for it will not prevent you from slipping the slot of the ring over the head of the pin. You can now lift the table and move it about to the accompaniment of music, and with the last movement remove the pin and hand the table around for examination.

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THE JAPANESE BUTTERFLY TRICK. Effect.The performer walks toward the footlights with two butterflies in his left hand and a fan in his right hand. He commences to fan the butterflies and they start to fly away, but hover about him wherever he goes. Eventually he stops fanning them and they alight on a bouquet of flowers which the performer has taken from a table near at hand. Preparation and Explanation.Take two pieces of silk paper, a little larger than the ordinary sheet of cigarette paper, fold them as shown in Fig. 1, and cut them as near as possible into the shape of a butterfly, as depictured in Fig. 2. Turn the points, which represent the heads a little, and fasten to each point, or head, an end of a lady's blonde hair about two and one-half to three feet in length.

In the center of this hair connecting the two heads of the butterflies, tie an end of another blonde hair, of a longer length if possible than the first, as depictured in Fig. 3, at A, and at the other end, B, place a small piece of wax. Be careful not to entangle the two butterflies, and for this reason it is advisable to fasten them on the wall by means of the wax until you are ready to go on the stage to present this trick. When you are ready to present the trick, fasten the waxed end, B, on your forehead under your hair where it will not be seen, as depictured in Fig. 4, hold the butterflies in your left hand between your thumb and middle finger, take a fan in your right hand, address your audience by words or pantomine, and as you commence to walk backward, release one butterfly at a time and fan them from underneath. The fanning keeps the butterflies in the air, and the hair attached to your forehead causes them to follow you where-

31 ever you go. When you wish them to alight, stop fanning and they will fall on whatever object you have prepared for this purpose. You can let them alight on the fan, but the effect

is prettier if you have a bouquet of flowers on your table, which you take in your left hand and allow them to alight on this as you stop using the fan. As the hair is imperceptible to the audience this trick lias a most pleasing and mysterious effect. Amateurs should carefully practice it in private ere presenting it in public.

A MIND READING TRICK. Effect.Lay two cards, coins or any two small objects on a table, and instruct a member of the assemblage to place a hand on one of the objects, while you are blindfolded and while your back is turned to the table, and ask him to raise the object in his hand to the level of his forehead, and intently think of it while he slowly counts twenty. Then he is to lay it back on the table, and you will turn around, gaze intently into his eyes, and announce the particular card, coin or object he has selected, and is at present thinking of. Explanation.When performing the trick, make the selected member of the assemblage place both hands on the table at the same time, ere you commence the trick. Then instruct him to select the card, coin or object while your back is turned, and hold it up on a level with his forehead; this causes the blood to flow from the hand and makes it appear

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whiter than the hand which has not been used and which remains on a low level on the table, retaining its natural color. Naturally when you turn around and look into the eyes of the committee, you manage to look for the paler hand, and select the coin, card or object located on the same side of the table with the paler hand. If you wish to use a confederate all that is necessary is for him to hold a toothpick in his mouth, and move it either to the left or right side, to correspond with the object that has been selected. In fact, it adds a little to the effect if three objects are placed on the table, and if the middle one is selected he moves the toothpick to the center of his mouth.

HARDEEN'S HOME 394 Kenmore Place, Flatbush, N. Y.

THE S E N S A T I O N OF BOTH HEMISPHERES This marvellous man has been handcuffed Hyail the Principal Police Departmenls.of the World.and has managed tobafflethemall