pages: unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf, 232
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unmaskingrobert00houdgoog.pdf | 232 | SECOND SIGHT at his own theatre, February I2th, 1846. Unquestionably at this time he employed the speaking code, wherein the answer is contained in the question asked of the medium by the performer. As he describes scene after scene in which he and his son participated, it is almost possible for a conjurer or any one interested in magic to follow his code. Apparently the amusement-loving public be- came familiar with his speaking code, for three years later, according to the illustrated appendix of the French edition of his "Memoirs," he adopted a code of signals, which he states was especially arranged to confuse those whom he terms his "fearless discoverers." A mysterious bell was used in this connection, but he admits that it mattered not whether the bell struck or was silent, his son could name the object under consid- eration or answer the question. While Robert-Houdin asserts that he did not employ electricity for working his silent code, investigations make it almost certain that this was the method used. It is known throughout the world of conjuring that in 1850-51 Robert Heller (William Henry Palmer) reproduced Robert-Houdin's entire répertoire of tricks, with the exception of the suspension, and all worked precisely by Robert-Houdin's methods. In the second-sight trick, which he first presented with a young man as the medium, then later with Miss Haidee Heller, the medium was seated on a sofa fully equipped with wires and electric batteries. Heller's second sight was worked with both the speaking and silent codes. His confederate was concealed behind the scenes watching Heller through a peep-hole, or possibly he used another, seated in the au- dience, and had the wires strung under his chair, arranging [ 205 |