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SECOND SIGHT
SECRETS
AND
MECHANICAL MAGIC
BY
DR. HERMAN PINETTI
BRIDGEPORT, CONN.
BEING A COMPLETE DESCRIPTION OF MANY OF
THE LATEST EFFECTS IN MECHANICAL MAGIC,
TOGETHER WITH SECRETS AND EXPLANATIONS OF
HOW MANY OF THE PERFORMANCES IN SECOND
SIGHT AND MIND-READING ARE PERFORMED.
COPYRIGHT 1905
BY
THE DUNHAM PRESS
BRIDGEPORT, CONN.
CONTENTS
Chapter 1. Cabinet Tricks, 7
Chapter 2. Table Lifting, 14
Chapter 3. The Floating Girl, 18
Chapter 4. Second Sight and Kindred Phenomena, 24
Chapter 5. Parlor Amusements, 48
PREFACE.
The author in presenting this little volume does so with the intention
of assisting his readers to solve some of the mysteries and illusions
that are performed on the public stage to-day by conjurors and
so-called spiritualists, and also with the hope of dispelling the
idea that these mysteries are accomplished by occult or supernatural
methods, which belief is growing to quite an extent in this country.
The author has made a very careful study of the many illusions both in
magic and in spiritualism, and of the transmission of thought, which
is known by a great many different names, and in this little volume
he intends to show how these illusions may be performed by purely
mechanical means. It should be borne in mind, however, that it is not
so much the apparatus employed as it is the shrewd, ever-observing
methods employed by the performers, who are very sharp, keen men.
The devices employed by the performers are so numerous that it is
impossible to say just what methods they will use next. As soon as
one method is exposed they immediately begin to plan, and evolve an
entirely different method of performing the same illusion. The great
success of the magician is in disarming the suspicions of the skeptic,
and this is accomplished by leading him to think a certain method is
employed when he is really using another.
The author merely offers some solutions and points out certain
fundamental principles which are usually employed, and which he thinks
will assist his readers in solving these mysteries for themselves.
No literary merit or perfection of style is attempted in this little
volume for it is written in every-day language, but I hope it may prove
of interest and value to my readers.
DR. HERMAN PINETTI.
CHAPTER I.
CABINET TRICKS.
Cabinet tricks have always been a great stand-by for performers in
spiritualism. A committee from the audience is usually chosen, and
after tying the performer securely to a chair or board or in some other
way binding him very securely, he is then placed in a cabinet, the
curtains drawn, and immediately manifestations take place, such as the
ringing of bells, the banging of tambourines and playing of guitars.
I will now explain three of the latest and best cabinet tricks which I
know. The first is known as the “Mahatma Miracles,” and the effect of
same is as follows:—
A cabinet with a translucent gauze opening in the front curtain stands
on the stage and is freely inspected by a committee to see that there
are no double backs, sides or tops. The medium then takes a seat in
the cabinet and passes his or her hands through two apertures in the
sides of the cabinet, where they are tied with ribbons and the ribbons
held on the outside of the cabinet by the committee. The curtains are
now closed, but due to the translucent gauze opening in the front of
the curtain the medium’s head and shoulders are seen by all. In spite
of this, however, bells are rung, tambourines played, a glass of water
is raised to the medium’s mouth, a newspaper which is placed on the
floor of the cabinet is cut into beautiful designs, and many other
manifestations take place.
The secret of this trick lies in the cabinet. It is an ordinary cloth
one, with a raised platform about four feet square. The front curtain,
as above mentioned, has a gauze opening about eighteen inches in
diameter, and the two side curtains have openings large enough to allow
the medium to pass his hands through. The legs of the cabinet are about
six inches high and five inches in diameter. The secret of this cabinet
lies in one of the front legs, which is hollow. The floor of the
cabinet is laid off in squares so that one of the squares comes over
the hollow leg and acts as a trap. A strong screw-eye is screwed in the
under side of the trap and a rope attached to same. This rope passes
down through a hole in the floor to an assistant underneath the stage,
who holds the trap down while the committee inspects the cabinet.
The medium takes his seat on a chair in the cabinet, and passes one
hand through each aperture in the sides, where they are securely
fastened with ribbons or ropes, the ends of which are held by the
committee. The curtains are now closed and the tests occur. The
assistant under the stage works everything by pushing his hand and
arm up through the hollow leg. He is thus able to ring the bells and
play the musical instruments which are placed on the floor. In the
glass-of-water test the assistant has a stuffed glove, with wires
running up each finger, which is painted flesh color, and is fastened
to a stick. He bends the wire fingers of this glove around the glass
of water and pushes same up to the medium’s mouth. In regard to the
paper test. An ordinary newspaper is placed on the floor of the cabinet
with a pair of scissors. The assistant promptly draws this paper
down through the hole in the floor and places another paper, cut into
beautiful designs, on the floor of the cabinet, where it is found
when the curtain is drawn aside. Many other tests can be performed,
all of which I think will now be clear. It is needless to say that
the assistant must always pull the trap down and hold it tightly by
the rope after each test so the committee can discover nothing upon
examining the cabinet. The medium gives the assistant a signal when to
open the trap by tapping his foot on the trap. The cloth of the cabinet
should be of some dark material.
The spiritualistic post test is the next which I will describe. In the
most common form it consists of a post of pine wood two and a half feet
long. This is given to the committee, one of whose members bores a
hole through it, near its upper edge, and then passes an ordinary rope
through the hole. A knot is then tied in the rope on each side of the
post. The knots are pressed against the sides of the post to prevent
the rope from being pulled through the hole. The ends of the rope are
now unravelled, and the post is fastened to the floor with spikes. The
medium takes a seat behind the post and his hands are securely tied to
the post with the unravelled ends of the rope. Small pieces of court
plaster are pasted over the knots so as to prevent him from slipping
his hands from the fastenings. A nail is driven into the top of the
post and a rope is secured to it. This second rope is held by the
committee. A screen is now placed around the medium. Bells are rung,
etc., showing that the medium has the use of his hands.
The secret of this trick consists in boring a hole in the center of
the end of the post. A chisel is then inserted in the hole and the
opening closed with glue and sawdust colored with paint. In boring
the hole through the post the medium starts the bit so that there is
no danger of the committee boring the hole too low or so high that it
will strike the chisel. When the nail is driven in the top of the post
it forces the chisel down and cuts the rope. The medium may now ring
bells, etc. After the medium is through he puts the rope ends back in
the hole in the post and holds his hands very tightly against the post
while the knots are inspected by the committee.
I will now explain what is known as the cotton bandage test, which
is usually used by female mediums. A male performer, as a rule, uses
rope or wire. In this experiment the committee is chosen from the
audience and furnished by the performer with pieces of cotton cloth
about an inch and a half wide and three feet long. One of these
cotton strips is tied securely around each wrist of the medium, the
performer instructing them to tie a number of good hard knots. As an
extra precaution, a needle and thread is now furnished and a number of
stitches are made above the knots to prevent them from getting untied.
Strips of court plaster are also fastened over the bandages on wrists
to prevent them from being slipped off the hands. The medium now places
her hands behind her, and the ends of the strips from each wrist are
now tied together by a number of good hard knots by the committee. What
ends are left are evenly cut off near the knots. Another strip of cloth
is now produced and one of the committee ties this strip around the
knots between her wrists, leaving the ends of about equal length. The
medium now takes her seat on a small stool with her back toward a ring
in a board which has been fastened to the floor. One end of the last
strip is passed through the ring and several knots are tied. Another
strip is produced and tied around the medium’s neck and then tacked
against the upright board. Two more strips are now used, tying one
around each arm above the elbow, and the ends of same are also tacked
to the board. The committee having done all this work themselves are
thoroughly satisfied as to its genuineness. As an extra precaution, to
show that the medium does not use her limbs in any way, a cord is tied
around both feet, an end of which is held by a member of the committee.
A cabinet is now placed over the medium, and no sooner is the curtain
closed than the usual manifestations take place, such as the ringing
of bells, tooting of horns, banging of tambourines, driving of nails,
etc., etc. Each time the curtain is opened the medium is seen with
her hands apparently securely tied as before. Finally a pocket knife
is placed in her lap, the curtain is closed for a few seconds, and
soon the medium comes forth with her bonds cut, but only the wrists
separated. This is supposed to be done by the spirits. Now, I will
explain this mystery.
In a convenient pocket in the back of the medium’s dress or in her belt
she has slipped a small sharp open knife, with which she cuts through
the bands between her wrists. She is able to do this as her hands are
not tied absolutely tight together, because in tying the bandages
around the wrists the performer instructs the committee to tie a number
of good hard knots, and furthermore to sew the bandages together about
two inches above these knots. These knots are also tied on the inside
of wrists or above the palms of the hands. It will be readily seen
that when the loose ends are tied together there is a three or four
inch space between her hands, so it is not at all difficult for her to
cut herself free. She cuts the bandage which connects her wrists close
to the band which fastens her to the ring and slips this bandage off,
leaving it whole and still tied to the ring, and now has the free use
of both hands, and as the strips tied around her arms were tied above
her elbows she has full use of her forearms, and is thus able to raise
a glass of water to her mouth, tie knots in a handkerchief around her
neck and drive nails into a chair. She makes what manifestations she
chooses, and by placing her wrists one on each side of the ring and
clasping her hands together, pressing all tightly together, she is
ready for examination. The ring being wound with cotton cloth the same
as used in the bandages the committee cannot see that anything has been
changed, and, being a little ill at ease upon a public stage, they
are ready to say that she is bound without making the most thorough
examination possible. Another thing to notice is that she is finally
cut free. The reason of this is that if the investigators were to
release her they would discover the secret.
This cotton bandage test is also performed in a little different
manner, in which the medium is not cut free at all. In this case, when
she places her hands behind her, she rests one hand on each hip so
that her hands are about nine inches apart, and then has the committee
tie the four ends together and then fasten her as in former case.
She is now able by reaching with her left hand in back of her as far
as possible to slip her right hand into her lap and get hold of what
musical instruments are placed there. At first thought this may seem
impossible, but with a little practice and some contortion on the part
of the performer it is quite easy to perform the trick in this manner.