magic and real detectives-第40节

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envelopes　from　the　small　table　where　they　lay　in　full　view。　　He　now

descended　and　rapidly　returned　the　unopened　envelopes　to　their

respective　writers。



The　basket　is　what　is　known　as　a　〃Billet　changing　basket。〃　　It　is

lined　with　red　satin　and　is　a　small　affair　with　straight　sloping

sides。　　It　has　a　handle　which；　when　down；　locks　two　flaps　up

against　the　sides　of　the　basket。　　This　is　done　by　two　little

projections　on　the　base　ends　of　the　handle。　　They　are　of　wire　and

are　bent　into　such　shape　that　they　project　downward　when　the　handle

is　down；　and　hold　the　two　side　flaps　up　against　the　sides。　　These

flaps　are　of　pasteboard；　and　are　covered　with　red　satin　the　same　as

the　basket　lining。　　There　is　a　spring　in　each　flap　which　closes　it

upon　the　bottom　of　the　basket　when　it　is　released　by　raising　the

handle。　　Envelopes　in　the　bottom　of　the　basket　are　thus　hidden　and

retained；　when　the　flaps　are　released；　and　the　duplicates　drop　into

the　basket；　from　the　sides　where　they　were　concealed　by　the　flaps。



This　basket　can　be　supplied　by　the　conjuring　depots；　or　it　can

easily　be　made。　　The　handle　can　be　made　of　wire　and　wrapped　with

raffia　grass　which　is　on　sale　at　the　department　stores。　　A

pasteboard　lining　covered　with　red　satin　must　first　be　sewed　into

the　basket；　and　then　two　flaps　of　pasteboard　should　be　hinged　to　a

pasteboard　bottom　by　pasting　on　a　hinge　of　cloth。　　A　suitable

spring　can　be　made　of　spring　wire　and　sewed　into　position；　after

which　this　is　all　covered　with　red　satin　and　placed　in　the　basket。

The　basket　should　have　sides　about　four　inches　high；　and　the　bottom

should　measure　about　seven　and　one…half　by　ten　inches。　　The　sides

and　ends　slope　outward；　and　the　basket　is　open　wicker　work。

Suitable　bows　of　ribbon　on　the　ends　of　the　handle　and　corners　of

the　basket　conceal　the　mechanism。



In　the　present　instance；　the　assistant　behind　the　scenes；　after

reading　and　placing　the　questions　in　duplicate　envelopes　which　the

manager　had　previously　numbered；　sealed　them　and　placed　them　in　the

sides　of　the　basket；　bent　up　the　flaps　into　position；　and　lowered

the　handle　locking　them　in　place。　　He　now　pushed　this　basket　into

view　on　a　table　at　the　rear　of　the　stage；　and　when　the　manager　was

ready　to　return　the　envelopes；　he　scooped　the　dummy　envelopes　from

the　table　（where　they　lay　after　the　bag　was　emptied）　into　this

basket。　　He　then　lifted　the　handle　which　released　the　flaps；

covered　up　the　dummy　envelopes　and　dropped　the　originals　into　view。

These　he　took　down　and　quickly　distributed　to　the　writers。　　Being

numbered；　this　could　be　quickly　done。



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I　will　now　describe　the　method　employed　on　the　third　evening。　　This

time　dummy　envelopes　were　placed　in　the　sides　of　the　basket；　and

the　handle　left　in　a　lowered　position　while　the　operator　gathered

up　the　envelopes。　　As　the　manager　returned　to　the　stage　he　took　the

basket　by　the　handle。　　This　released　the　dummy　envelopes；　and

covered　up　the　originals　retaining　them。　　He　emptied　the　dummy

envelopes　upon　the　small　table　and　then　laid　the　basket　on　a　table

near　the　flies　in　the　rear；　and　rather　out　of　view。　　An　assistant

behind　the　scenes　took　out　the　original　envelopes；　opened　them；　and

as　he　read　the　questions　repeated　them　into　a　small　telephone。　　The

wires　from　this　telephone　ran　under　the　stage　carpet　to　a　pair　of

metal　plates　with　a　tack　in　the　center　of　each　plate　which　pointed

upward。　　These　plates　were　located　under　certain　spots　in　the

carpet　and　directly　in　front　of　the　medium's　chair。　　There　were

also　two　other　pairs　of　wires　leading　to　two　other　positions　on　the

stage。　　The　medium　was　dressed　as　a　〃Mahatma〃　on　this　evening；

wearing　a　large　turban。　　A　large　tassel　dangled　by　his　left　ear；

completely　concealing　a　small　〃watch…case　receiver〃　which　was

attached　to　this　ear。　　Two　tiny　wires　led　from　this　receiver；

inside　his　collar；　down　his　person；　and　were　connected　inside　his

shoes　to　other　wires　which　penetrated　the　soles　of　his　shoes。

These　latter　wires　were　soldered　to　copper　plates　which　were　tacked

into　position　on　his　shoe　soles。　　He　now　took　his　position　in　the

chair　and　placed　his　feet　over　the　hidden　tacks；　which　now

contacted　his　shoe　plates；　completing　the　circuit；　so　that　anything

whispered　into　the　telephone　on　the　stage　was　repeated　in　his　ear。

He　then　gave　a　few　tests；　tapping　his　spirit　bell；　which　was　a

signal　for　more　information　from　the　assistant。



He　soon　grew　nervous　and　walked　away　giving　a　test　as　he　walked。

He　now　paused　in　a　certain　position　for　a　moment；　placing　his　hand

to　his　head　as　if　somewhat　dazed　and　tapping　his　bell。　　In　this

position　his　feet　were　again　over　two　concealed　tacks；　and　he　again

secured　information　for　another　test；　which　he　gave　as　he　walked

about。　　He　now　paused　in　a　third　position　and　gave　another　test；

after　which　he　returned　to　the　chair；　continuing　his　work。　　This

maneuvering　he　kept　up　until　all　the　tests　were　given；　after　which

he　fell　upon　a　couch　exhausted；　but　with　his　feet　from　the

spectators。



The　manager　now　stepped　to　the　rear　of　the　stage　and　took　the

basket；　which　was　now　in　place　containing　the　original　（？）

envelopes　behind　the　flaps；　and　stepping　to　the　small　table　he

scooped　in　the　dummy　envelopes；　then　taking　the　basket　by　the

handles；　he　stepped　down　the　runway　and　rapidly　returned　the

unopened　（？）　envelopes　to　their　writers。　　The　assistant　had；　of

course；　sealed　the　questions　in　duplicate　envelopes　previously

numbered　by　the　manager。　　He　had　placed　these　behind　the　flaps；　and

shoved　the　basket　into　view　on　a　table　at　the　rear　of　the　stage。





I　use　a　variation　of　these　tricks　in　my　double　parlors。　　I　have

made　a　〃billet　changing　basket〃　as　above　described；　and　have　also

made　a　similar　basket　except　that　it　contains　no　mechanism。



I　pass　cards　and　envelopes　to　the　spectators　in　the　front　parlor。

When　the　questions　are　written　and　sealed　in　the　envelopes；　I

gather　them　up　in　the　mechanical　basket；　I　step　to　a　table　in　the

rear　parlor　and　apparently　empty　them　upon　it。　　In　reality；　I　have

just　raised　the　handle　so　that　the　originals　are　retained；　and　the

dummy　envelopes　are　emptied　on　the　table　instead。



I　now　step　to　an　adjoining　room　for　an　instant；　to　get　a　small

decorated　screen。　　I　secretly　leave　the　basket　containing　the

original　envelopes　in　this　room　and　return　with　the　other　basket　in

my　hand　in　its　place。　　I　place　the　small　ornamental　screen　on　the

table　back　of　the　envelopes；　but　leave　the　envelopes　in　view　and

request　the　spectators　to　notice　that　I　do　not　go　near　them　until　I

get　ready　to　give　the　tests。　　I　now　carelessly　lay　the　non…

mechanical　basket　on　a　table　in　the　room　where　the　spectators　are

and　proceed　with　some　other　tricks。



Usually　I　give　the　series　of　experiments　described　in　the　chapter

entitled　〃Mediumistic　Reading　of　Sealed　Writings。〃　　I　state　to　the

spectators　that　I　will　not　give　the　tests　for　the　sealed　envelopes

until　later　in　the　evening。



Meanwhile；　should　anyone　think　of　such　a　thing；　he　can　easily

examine　the　little　basket；　which　he　thinks　I　have　just　used；　as　it

still　lies　on　the　table　in　the　front　parlor　with　other　discarded

paraphernalia；　including　slates；　etc。　　I　use　no　assistant；　so　after

a　time　has　elapsed；　and　when　by　the　performance　of　other　sealed

readings；　suspicion　has　been　diverted　from　the　tests　with　the

billets；　my　wife　retires　on　some　trifling　errand。　　While　out；　she

opens　the　envelopes　in　the　basket；　prepares　the　sheet　of　questions；

and　places　it　in　the　Bible；　then　she　re…seals　the　questions　in

envelopes　previously　marked　by　me；　places　them　in　the　sides　of　the

basket；　raises　the　flaps　and　lowers　the　handle。　　She　then　usually

enters　with　some　light　refreshments　for　the　spectators；　which

explains　her　absence　with　a　word。



I　continue　with　other　experiments　for　ten　or　fifteen　minutes　after

her　return；　then　I　gather　up　my　surplus　paraphernalia；　including

the　dummy　basket；　and　carry　all　to　the　room　adjoining　the　back

parlor；　where　I　leave　it。　　I　return　instantly　with　the　mechanical

basket　which　I　place　near　my　own　table；　and　then　I　give　another

experiment　of　some　kind。



I　now　pick　up　the　basket　and　announce　that　I　have　decided　to　return

to　their　writers　the　envelopes　on　the　table　in　front　of　the　screen

before　attempting　to　give　the　tests。　　I　do　this　as　if　it　were　a

later　notion。　　I　now　scoop　in　the　dummy　envelopes；　and　raise　the

handle；　which　action　covers　them　up　and　releases　the　originals　（now

sealed）。　　I　now　distribute　to　the　writers　their　envelopes；　which　I

can　do；　as　they　are　numbered　as　described　earlier　in　this　chapter。

I　request　each　sitter　to　hold　his　envelope　until　I　shall　give　his

test。　　Then　I　usually　perform　some　other　little　experiment　before

giving　the　tests。



I　now　take　up　my　Bible；　which　I　will　stake　I　brought　into　the　room；

unnoticed；　when　I　returned　w