MAGIC - UNITY - MIGHT
iwiftg of Ammran fHagtrians voi.. XII-NOS. 3-2
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NEW YORK, JULY-AUGUST,
OUR WELCOME TO NOTED MYSTIFIERS
Single Copies 20 cents
W H O L E NOS. 112-113
French card manipulator, recently arrived in this country; Jansen, who returned a few weeks ago from Austria, and Arthur Lloyd, the "human card index". A feature of the entertainment that followed was a recital by»Houdini of his lecture exposing noted fraud mediums, which he will give thruout the United States the coming season in connection with his latest film release, "The Man From Beyond".
RECEPTION OF HONORED GUESTS and LADIES NIGHT August twelfth was none too warm for a host of members, their ladies and friends to extend a warm welcome home to Mystic Clayton, and a magical welcome to Mr. Gus Fowler — the noted English magician, always on time, we can safely say; his specialty being the passing of time mysteriously; dealing with watches and alarm clocks; to be precise, he is a CHRONOMETRICAL ILLUSIONIST — and Long Tack Sam, an Oriental jnystifler of equal fame; this trio having been fellow passengers on ship-board. The fete was scheduled for Thursday night, August 10th, but arrival being delayed twenty-four hours, a change was precipitated of necessity, and postponement notices mailed posthaste, with result of a goodly attendance of representative members and friends. Had there been no necessity for change in time, attendance would undoubtedly have been much larger. After a protracted informal greeting and personal introduction; the meeting was called to order by Pres. Houdini and a program, long to be remembered was put on in good order. A cordial welcome was extended officially by the president, including hospitable courtesies to each one of the visitors individually, which was acknowledged by each in most appreciative language — each, in return, extending cordial invitation to members of the S. A. M. to visit their respective native land, with assurance of a royal reception awaiting them. Mystic Clayton was most emphatic in his expression of the royal hospitality extended him while in Europe, likewise in corroboration of expression by the other guests of honor. The Billboard has so faithfully reported the event that we avail ourselves of the privilege of reproducing their version. It is more pleasant to publish what reportorial representatives of prominent professional
magazines say of our affairs than to sing our own praise. In the speech of welcome, Harry Houdini, president of the S. A. M., expressed hope that American Magicians and American audiences would make the stay in this country of Fowler and Long Tack Sam as pleasant as the English Society of Magicians and English audiences made that of Mystic Clayton during his engagement on the other side. Houdini also is president and founder of the British organization, and has done much to cement the two societies. Glowing in his tribute to Will Goldston and the English Society of Magicians, Mystic Clayston told of the royal reception accorded him by that organization while in England, stating that he had been the guest at no less than seven functions arranged by it in his honor. He declared that he had never met a finer group of conjurers in all his travels, which extended all over the globe. He exhibited the silver cup which was presented him at occasion of his departure from England, and said that, in the future, all American magicians visiting the other side would be presented with like tokens of good-fellowship by the British society. Fowler and Long Tack Sam expressed their appreciation of the honor accorded them by the Society of American Magicians, and assured its members that a like reception awaited them when they visited England. Fowler will begin a thirty weeks' toui of the Keith Circuit next week in Sioux City, la., and Long Tack Sam will be seen in the new show at the Hippodrome, this city. Howard Thurston, recounted happy reminiscences of his various trips abroad, declaring that he always enjoyed British engagements because of the fact that in that country, as in no other, an artist got his just due. Other speakers were the Great Maurice,
Houdini said he has been an ardent investigator of spiritualism for the past thirty years, during which time he has witnessed more than 5,000 seances, but never once has he detected any phenomena that might lead him to believe in the existence of a spirit sphere. He declared that he is not a skeptic; that he has always attended seances with an open mind receptive to evidences of truth, but, that as yet in all his experiences he has never seen a sign which would cause him to change his belief. Among those present were Mr. and Mrs. Harry Houdini, Mr. and Mrs. Francis J. Werner, Horace Goldin, Jansen, Arthur Lloyd, Oscar S. Teale, George Mellville, Long Tack Sam, Meyenberg, the Great Blackstone, Mystic Clayton, Mrs. Clayton and daughter Doris, Art Felsman, Doris Baker, Harry Linaberry, Harry Dreilinger, George Heller, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Berryman, Dr. Marcus Beyman, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Hill, Drake B. Smith, Blanche Grotjan, Ferdinand Holly. John Mulholland, Gus Fowler, Howard Thurston. During his 35 weeks on the Keith and Orpheum time, every member of the S. A. M. should avail himself of an opportunity to witness the expert work of Gus Fowler. Those in the immediate vicinity of New York City will have a 10 week chance beginning at the Colonial Theatre, November 20th. Keep your eye open also for appearance of Long Tack Sam; sorry we are unable to give his itinerary at this writing. His novelties will surely win your favor. We have much pleasure welcoming our highly respected Compeer Frederick E. Powell back to New York City, but deplore the fact that his life-long companion and chief assistant, his good wife, is debarred from helping him on the stage as of yore. May their prosperity and restoration to good health of Mrs. Powell, be abundant and complete.