Potato Jones
By Horace Goldin

THE mise-en-scene of this illusion was built around the wonderful feat of Capt. Jones. of the British Merchant Marine, in running a shipload of potatoes through the blockade to Santander, Spain. during the Spanish War. These potatoes saved thousands of the Spanish civilian population from starving. The captain became a popular hero with the English and was affectionately nicknamed "Potato Jones." As everyone knew of Capt. Jones and his humanitarian exploit, it not only made the illusion timely but of popular interest.

The effect was that Capt. Jones, or rather one of my assistants suitably uniformed and made-up, was caused to disappear after having been buried in a crate of potatoes.

The crate was a wooden and wire mesh affair--the frame was made of wood; the sides, wire mesh. It was therefore possible to see right through the crate. Capt. Jones entered the crate by a door at the back, which was then closed so that he looked as if he were standing in a cage.

Then a large sack of potatoes was hoisted up above the crate and opened at the bottom. The potatoes fell down. around and above Capt. Jones in the crate, burying him completely. The crate was then hauled aloft by ropes from above. A large tarpaulin was spread out beneath the crate, and the bottom was opened so that the potatoes fell into the cloth, leaving the crate as empty and innocent-looking as it was in the beginning. Capt. Jones came running down the aisle from the back of the audience to its surprise and delight.

The illusion is based on the optical fact that the eye can discern only one wire mesh, though two be used on each side. This second mesh is nearly a foot inside the visible outside mesh. Bracing slats of wood, at least that seems to be their purpose, mask the edges of the inner wire mesh. The top of the space within the inside wire mesh is also covered with the meshed wire. This is formed into a dome, so that when the potatoes are dropped from the sack, they will fill the spaces between the inner and outer meshes. From the front the crate appears to be full of potatoes, actually they are only between the two meshes.

Capt. Jones enters at the back of the crate. The door is put there to mask the fact that there is a double mesh. It is so designed that inner and outer sections swing out together.

When the potatoes come tumbling into the crate from above, Capt. Jones bends his knees and squats down. When the potatoes cover his squatting figure from view, as the rest of the potatoes pour into the crate, the Captain makes his escape through a trap in the bottom of the crate and a similar opening in the stage beneath it. The instant the crate is filled, the suspended potato sack is swung out of the way and ropes are attached by hooks to the four top corners of the crate. The crate is immediately pulled up into the air. Four assistants, one at each corner, spread out the tarpaulin, and a string is pulled which opens the bottom of the suspended crate and releases the potatoes. The bottom of the crate is hinged on the side away from the audience and the potatoes come tumbling down in full view. The crate is empty-the Captain appears in the audience.

The potatoes used in the illusion are artificial. Not only are they lighter than real ones but they can be used over and over again.