Vol. 35No. 5

Cnarles A. RossRamJULY

1955

THE LINKING RING

The LI RINGVOLUME 35 No. 5

JULY1 9 5 5

Official Headquarters

OFFICIAL PUBLICmONOP

INTERNATIONALBROTHERHOOD

OF MAGICIANS

(An O/uo Corporation) ^fS^SBMt^ Kenton. Ohio, U. S. A.

ALL COPYRIGHT PRIVILEGES RESERVED

Alvin Richard Plough, Editor, 1636 N. Argyle, Cincinnati 23, Ohio

John Braun, Features Editor, 716 Hand Avenue, Cincinnati 32, OhioAssociate Editors, Eddie Clever - Frances Ireland - J. G. Thompson, Jr.Hazel M. Krock, Advertising Manager Nelson C. Hahne, Art Director

• Send advertising and CHANGE OF ADDRESS to IBM Kenton, Ohio

International IBM OfficersCHARLES A. ROSSKAM, PRESIDENT,

Chauncey M. Sheridan, 1st Vice-PresidentJulian V. Boehm, 2nd Vice-PresidentA. L. Baldwin, M. D., SecretaryMrs. Hazel M. Krock, Treasurer and

Executive SecretaryEugene Bernstein, P. P., Legal CounselJohn Braun, P. P.A. Ren Clark, P. P.Walter Coleman, P. P., Chairman,

Advisory CommitteeForrest P. Hendricks, P. P.Reeder C. Hutchinson, Executive Committee

52 Oak Hill Drive, Warwick, Khode IslandFrnnces Ireland (Mrs. Jay Marshall),

Executive CommitteeJames B. Lake, P. P.C. James McLemore, P. P.Arthur D. Reichenbach, P. P.,

Advisory CommitteeH. Adrian Smith, P. P., Chairman,

International Relations CommitteeWilliam Russell Walsh, P. P.L. A. Waterman, Executive Committee and

Ring Co-ordinatorFrank Werner, Executive Committee

Dime Novel Magiciansbj Morris N. Young, M. D.

Charles A. RossKam by David LustigRomance of Playing Cardsof legierdemaine by John BraunBurling (Volta) Hull by Lou HallGamboling In Gotham by Harold GierieAbroad With Frances IrelandDante (Hairy Jansen)

by Milbourne ChristopherWizard's Wanderings

by Milbourne Christopher

Contents15182432343839

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Address By President Charles RossKamInconsequentialities by Stanley Collins

Hocus Pocus Parade Edited byEddie Clever

Focus On Hocus by Jim ThompsonJack Potter's BarSick and Convalescent by Harry Cecil

Applications and Reinstatements

Ring Reports27th IBM Business Meeting and

Convention

4850

55818391

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Copyrighted 1955 by the International Brotherhood of Magicians (an Ohio Corporation) andpublished monthly for members only. Reproduction or use, without express permission, ofeditorial or pictorial content in any manner is prohibited. The Linking Ring will not beheld responsible for submitted material which should be accompanied by self-addressedstamped envelope. Copy must be double-spaced type-written. Closing date 15th of eachmonth. Liability of The Linking Ring limited to cost of printing in any line error occurs.Not responsible for lost photos or manuscript. Editorial Office, 1636 North Argyle Avenue,Cincinnati 23, Ohio. Publication Office of printer, 103 North Main Street, Bluffton, OhioEntered as second class matter, July 30, 1927, at the Post Office, Bluffton, Ohio, U. S. A.under the Act of March 3, 1879.

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old and new magic. No one ever lefta visit with Jess without somethingnew to work on—a trick long forgot-ten, a new wrinkle or bit of showman-ship. He was exceedingly generouswith his knowledge of magical se-crets. The ring will always owe muchto Jess.

Luther SouthworthNO. 17, TORONTO, CANADA—Hat and Rabbit ClubMeets 1st and Srd Thursdays at TorontoMen's Press Club, 99 Yonge St.STAYNER DUROCHER, President118 Lord Seaton Road, Willowdale, Ontario,CanadaCHAUNCEY M. SHERIDAN, Secretary35 Plateau Cres. Don Mills P. O., Ontario,Canada

June meeting being the final one ofthe 1954-1955 season, we had ourusual evening of nominations. This isour way of spending this particularevening each year. The presidentstarts the ball rolling by doing atrick. He then nominates anothermember who does a trick and nominat-es the next person and so on, untileveryone has taken part. This is asplendid method of getting all themembers to take part, and providesgood fun and entertainment for every-body. Not too many members werepresent, but all who were, took part,and another evenful season came toa close.

Chauncey Sheridan* * *

NO. 20, HARRISBURG, PENNA.—Eddie Clever Keystone RingMeets 3rd Pri., at Lady Josie's SpaghettiHouse, 1719 N. 3rd.JOHN LIPPY, PresidentEDDIE CLEVER, Secretary

May meeting was held at Shelley'sin Steelton, Pa. A lively businessmeeting was devoted to the plans forthe MAES Convention with all Com-mittees reporting good progress. DonShenenberger who arranged for aRing picnic May 26 was the originatorof the picnic and spark-plugged it allthe way with shows and dealers.Clint Riedel brought guest WayneHetrick of the Lancaster ProfessionalMagicians Club to our meeting. Thewriter had as his guest Sgt. TomGaston, stationed at New CumberlandArmy Depot awaiting his discharge.Tom is a mentalist and after gettingout of the Army plans on taking outa mental and spook show, with spooksand not just waving sheets. His homeis Nashville, Tenn. Keep your eyesopen for news of Tom Gaston in themental field, he's going places. A lotof table magic went on instead of ashow.

Eddie Clever

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NO. 21, HOLLYWOOD, CALIF.—Caryl Fleming RingMeeting place: Plummer Park, 7377 SantaMonica Boulevard, 1st Mon. of each month.except July and August.CHARLES W. SMITH, PresidentT9107 Archwood St., Reseda, Calif.DR. JOHN A. GRASHAM, Secretary15358 Cohasset Street, Van Nuys, Calif.

June 6 was Instruction Night, withmembers having been asked to teacha move, sleight, or piece of business.Members were also asked to demon-strate Liquid Tricks. Aldini openedthe program with Coke Flight. Heplaced a full bottle of Coca-Cola intoan empty bag. The coke was remov-ed from bag one and placed into asecond empty bag. Subsequently thecoke vanished from bag two and re-turned to bag one. Dr. Grashamshowed how milk diminished whenpoured by a magician—how it did notdiminish when poured by himself—and subsequently found the milk in aglass which appeared inside of tubespreviously shown empty. He thenasked the members to imagine thatthey were all 10 years of age, askedone "boy" to come forward in orderto learn a trick, and performed anegg bag routine. Hal Robbins pre-sented card effects. He asked thatthe deck be shuffled, and five cards beremoved, and one card thought of.Cards were placed on the table. Fiveother cards were placed at the op-posite end of the table. He thenordered the thought-of card to passfrom the first pile to the second pile.A member counted the cards in thefirst pile and one was missing. Rob-bins asked the man to reveal histhought-of card. A member countedthe cards in the second pile and therewere now six cards. The thought-of •card was found to have made its wayfrom the first pile to the second one.He then demonstrated methods ofstealing and switching cards. Thenhe demonstrated "The Greatest Trickfor Laymen." It was a trick in whichfive cards, thought of by five mem-bers of the audience, were revealedwithout sleight-of-hand manipulation.Robert Wagner showed a cup, whichwas placed on a tray, covered by afour sided cover (handkerchief box).The cup contained wine and wasplaced in an empty sack together witha silk. Cup and silk vanished fromthe sack, and found back on tray inbox. The silk was in the cup—wet—and had absorbed the color from thewine which now proved to be colorless.He followed with a card trick in whichhe and a spectator each shuffled apack of cards. A freely selected card,

removed by the spectator, when in-serted in the other deck proved to benext to the corresponding card in theother deck. He also showed how toforce two cards, and how to scale acard into the air and have it returnand imbed itself in the deck next to achosen card. Bennie Roth performedtwo card effects. He asked a volunteerto think of a number between one and10, count to his card, cut deck, riffleshuffle twice, and cut again. Then herevealed the card. His next effect in-volved the cutting of the deck into twopiles and look at one of the cards.Again he was successful in namingthe chosen card. Visitor Tom Canfieldentertained by showing various meth-ods of shuffling a deck—bridge shuf-fle, Hindu shuffle, Chicago shuffle,one-hand shuffle (with both hands),one-hand cut, and the Chinese shuffle.He then did a trick in which the cardwas found reversed in the deck. Thiswas followed by a demonstration ofsecond dealing, by a fast four Aceeffect, and by an astounding cardspelling trick. The Rev. Hannar ask-ed that five cards be removed fromthe deck, remembered, and returned.Cards snuffled and dealt five at atime. Each time one of the chosenones appeared it was revealed correct-ly. He next demonstrated the use ofa longitudinal crimp which was notdisturbed by the action of springingcards from hand to hand. The meritsof this location device became obvious.Charles Smith had a showy effect inwhich two ropes were tied aroundthe neck of a "volunteer." Endswererun down the sleeves of the victim,additional knots were tied, and lockswere placed over the ropes. Twomore assistants pulled on the ropesand the man was instantaneouslyfreed. Norman Gilbreath, a visitor,demonstrated "Magnetic C o l o r s."Cards were riffle shuffled and dealtinto two piles, a member assisting.Although the cards had been shuffledit was found that in every instancethere was a red-black pair. The set-up was then explained by the per-former who was the inventor of theeffect. The next meeting will not beheld until September. It was votednot to have the Memorial Show LaborDay as has been the custom, but onthe Saturday after Labor Day. LyleStalcup will produce the show withAndrell Henry assisting by obtainingthe variety acts. The club may havea picnic this summer at a location tobe announced.

Dr. John A. Grasham

NO. 22, DETROIT, MICH.—Harry E. Cecil RingMeets 1st week day of each month at De-troit-Leland Hotel. If meeting falls on alegal holiday, meeting held following Friday.JOHN WOJTALA, President516 Elm Street, Wyandotte, Mich.CHARLES ROMIG, Secretary351 Gardendale, Ferndale 20, Mioh.

No business at meetings June, Julyand August. Meeting June 1 featuredsound film lectures; Frances Ireland'son kid shows—Kid Stuff lived up toits reputation as a must for everyonewho does or ever intends to do kidshows; then U. P. Grant's film MagicMade Easy starring the "little Gener-al" himself. Two showings of thefilms with a discussion period anddistribution of manuscripts of thefilms took nearly 2% hours. With theadmission charged and the fees forthe voluntary purchases of the manu-scripts the Ring cleared all expensesand made money. All comments aboutthe meeting enthusiastic and we in-tend doing this again.

July meeting is our yearly "Deal-er's Night". The swapping and dick-ering, buying and selling are alwayslooked forward to. Picnic get-to-gether in August at a nearby lake.

Charles A. Romig* * *NO. 23, CLEVELAND, O.—Blackstone Ring

Meets 1st Wed., each month, Colonial Hotel.JOSEPH J. MOORE, President4412 W. 187 St., Cleveland, O.WILLIAM PARKINSON, Secretary607 East 96th Street

May meeting afforded 25 membersthe opportunity of witnessing a per-formance by Simon Finesilver. Open-ing with a cigarette production andclosing with a tremendous produc-tion of flowers, this magician cater-ed to his all magician audience byavoiding run of the mine effects forthe heart of his px-ogram. Simon'sefforts were well received and wehope that more of our members willpresent full programs during the com-ing year. A good many of us plan tobe in Pittsburgh and the summermeetings should afford an opportun-ity for a great deal of new magic.

William Parkinson* * *

NO. 26, NEW YORK CITY—Harry Roz-onMeets last Pri., Barbizon-Plaza Hotel.IRVING M. LEWIS, President16 Court Street, Brooklyn, N. Y.SAM AARONSON, Secretary17 West Englewood Ave., W. Enerlewood,N. J.

After-meeting show June 3 was thelast before adjourning for the sum-mer. Henry Bihari, in charge of theentertainment, tried an innovation, ofan impromptu show, mustered at thelast moment, which proved a suc-cess. Henry Bihari, emcee, intro-

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