Word: houdinis
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...dead people say things to people who are living. This is false magic; humbler fellows who are content to imitate the mysteries of life and death with 52 cards, a white handkerchief and a tailcoat, are annoyed by such lying fakers; they delight in demonstrating their absurdity. Famed Harry Houdini did it before he died. Famed Joseph Dunninger does it now, the same way, by wagering that he can duplicate the miracles of any supernaturalist by using the mechanics of a stage magician...
...were placed a pail of hot paraffin, a bucket of water, a pencil and a sheet of paper with three names for identification. When the room was darkened, Conjurer Dunninger caused the paper to be snatched away and returned it with this phrase inscribed upon it: "A word from Houdini." Then there protruded from the curtain a "spirit hand" which the magician later admitted to be a paraffin sheath. Conjurer Dunninger said he would make the ghost of Houdini come; at this a spectre mewed at the newsmongers. Two slates bound together were found to have on their previously blank...
...Houdini is dead, but Lawyer Martin W. Littleton is still alive, very. Lawyer Littleton is the man who last week extricated Harry Ford Sinclair from the oil scandal...
There was always a trick in Houdini's more startling performances, something like a false bottom or a split ring. It seemed perfectly legitimate, because the public goes to see a contortionist to be amusingly deceived. There was a trick in the Littleton release of Sinclair, too, only when the verdict was announced, the public did not seem amused...
...cigar box and saturated cotton with a teacupful of chloroform and put that in there with him, and then placed a pound weight on the box lid. The next morning Mr. Toad was gone. He had pulled a Houdini during the night and disappeared...