THE "BLUFF" MAN

Marlborough Express, Volume LX, Issue 230, 29 September 1926, Page 7

THE "BLUFF" MAN

FAKIR'S SEANCEi IN EONDON. "IN THE INTEREST9 OF SCIENCE." Authorc, politicians, doctors and j.cople of fashion were at the Scala Tlieatre at a private se.inco given by Falcir Dr Tahra Bey. says the 1 cprcsen t ati vc of a London paper, who was present. Tlie Fakir walked amongst them with great showers sticking through his face. He had a Jong and ugly kitchon knife with which every -r.oiv and hgain he gave horrid jabs through his neck. He lay on a bed qf sharp naii points1. 'Te rested with his neck and his feet 011 scythe blade, and had a genuine pavement stone on his chest. a genuine stage-hand hitting the paving stone with genuine blows from a geimine sledge hammer. But somehow we remained unimpressed. Perhaps it was because of the patter. Dr Tahra Bey somehow eonnected his skewered skin with the happy life and gave as muelx talk about "subconsciousness" and "magnetism" and other mysterious things which have become the stock in trade of the psychologieal eheapjack. . We wero told thafc the Fakir vould "stato what it contained in sealed letters hauded in by tlie general publie and Medical Jiiry." This turned out to be the speaking _ of three names in three successii?e envelopes — "Jolm" "William," "George." It seemed to

fliake the Fakir to the foundations of his soul to discover these tliree words, though we have secn :it done hetter at a childrcn's parfcy by a Cockney conjurer at a guinea an evening. It is • lifticult to estimate the value of the searice, becauso in such an affair you can trust no one exeept yourself. A bluff and honcst fellow suddenly turned up on tho platform and said: "My wife is somewhere in the stalls, I do 110b know where she Is. Oan you take me to her?" llic Fakir did. But who was the bluff and honest fellow? Even assum'mg h© was not an ordinary aecomplice, was he capable of concealing from the Fakir, who had him by the hand, a fiign of reoognition when lio passtM his Avife — -a tiny checldng of tho muscles of his face? Thcn tho Fakir was put i 1 1 a coffin and covered ivith sand for 10 minufces. Ifc was gruesomo, but if. v as not more mysterious than many of tho box trieks dorie with a laugh in Sfc. George's Hall, Last liighfc's was a: freo demortstration "in the interests. of science." A show of hands was taken for another puhlic perfortnance, perhaps in the Alberfc Hall and it was carried unanimously.