THE TRUTH ABOUT THE ZANCIGS.

IT IS not my intention to set down a detailed life story of Julius Zancig. I have neither the space nor inclination to do so. But in view of the public interest aroused by Zancig's recent death. I feel that a few words on his humble start in life and his meteoric rise to fame will not be out of place.

Julius Zancig was a Dane, but for some reason best known to himself, he preferred the world to believe he was a Swede. He was born of humble parents, and, for want of a better calling, his father decided to put him into the iron trade. When he had learnt all there was to be known about smelting, young Julius decided to emigrate to America where he thought he might stand a better chance of earning a living.

Shortly after his arrival in the United States, Zancig was invited to a gathering of Danish emigrants. There he was startled to meet a deformed lady whom he had known many years previously in his native land. For a time they had been sweethearts, but as young Julius had grown into manhood, the friendship had been dropped in the manner so common to such child affairs.

Agnes--for such was the lady's name was of a gentle and retiring disposition. Her loneliness and extreme poverty touched Julius heart for the second time in his brief life. After a short courtship he proposed marriage and was accepted. It was one of the finest bargains he ever struck.

The Zancigs started their thought reading act when requested to do a small show for a Church Brotherhood Society. Having no musical ability they hit on thought transference as being something novel and distinctive. Their first programmes were very simple, but the originality of their turn brought in a few requests for charity meetings and semi-professional concerts.

It was about this time that Julius met with a terrible accident which eventually proved the turning point in his life. In the course of carrying on his trade as an iron smelter, his hand was badly burned by a mass of molten metal, and for many weeks he lay seriously ill. A sound constitution pulled him through, but on his recovery he decided to drop his position in the factory for the less dangerous but more precarious calling of a professional thought reader.

They went to Coney Island, and it was here that Horace Goldin discovered them, doing thirty or forty shows a day. The magician saw possibilities in the act, and mentioned them to Hammerstein of New York. The latter attended a special demonstration, and a press show arranged by Goldin proved a wonderful success. The Zancigs worked at Hammerstein's Winter Garden for several months, but eventually decided to undertake a tour in England.

Their first appearance was at the Alhambra, London. This performance was witnessed by Lord Northcliffe and W. T. Stead. His lordship, in particular, was much impressed, and decided that the extraordinary couple from America possessed genuine psychic powers. Stead concurred in this view, and on the following day the "Daily Mail" (Lord Northcliffe's newspaper) was filled with columns lauding the extraordinary powers of the Zancigs. It was a marvellous boost, and from that moment the pair were made.

"Psychic--that is the word which has made my fortune," Zancig once confided to me." I had never heard it until Lord Northcliffe used it in connection with my work. At first I did not understand it, and thought it had some connection with physic or medicine."

"Tell me why you became so famous," I asked.

"It is just my luck," he replied simply. I owe it all to Lord Northcliffe."

What a confession! But it was the simplicity and frankness of his nature which marked him as a man out of the ordinary. Even when he was earning huge salaries at the best theatres in America, he lived, as he had always done, in quiet and humble surroundings. He must have saved an enormous amount of money during his lifetime.

Zancig's turn was no better than a score of other thought reading acts which were touring the States at the same time as himself. As he said, it was "just my luck." On one occasion I asked him if he was really psychic.

"I prefer to say nothing," he replied.

"Would you submit to a private test in my office?" I asked.

"Certainly," he agreed.

That test was duly held. It was probably the only one at which the Zancigs completely failed. I wrote a number of common Hebrew words on slips of paper and handed them to Julius asking his wife to spell them out. He took one glance at the words I had written, and then handed the slips back to me.

"We cannot do it," he said.

I thereupon persuaded him to tell me his secret, giving him my word of honour I would not betray it during his lifetime. With Zancig's death, the ban of silence is removed and I have no qualms in putting down the story as Julius gave it to me.

The pair worked on a very complicated and intricate code. There was never any question of thought transference in the act. By framing his question in a certain manner, Julius was able to convey to his wife exactly what sort of object or design had been handed to him.

Long and continual practice had brought their scheme as near perfection as is humanly possible. On several occasions confederates were placed in the audience, and at such times the effects seemed nothing short of miraculous. All their various tests were cunningly faked, and their methods were so thorough that detection was an absolute impossibility to the laymen.

It often happened that Julius was handed some extremely unusual object which he found impossible to convey to his wife. He would simply pass on to another member of the audience, and so quick was his work that the omission was rarely noticed.

The fortunes of the Zancigs progressed by leaps and bounds until the death of Agnes caused the act to come to an untimely end. Julius however, nothing if not persevering, decided to find another partner to carry on the work of his late wife. He found a lady called Ada, who consented to marry him and to cooperate in the thought reading act.

This second partnership was never as successful as the first. Zancig's name was, of course, a huge draw at any time, but reports from America indicated that Ada lacked something of the ability and showmanship of Agnes.

The return visit of the Zancigs to this country started badly. A press demonstration arranged by an astute publicity manager proved a fiasco, and they were labelled failures. Julius was despondent about his reception and told me he intended to return to America forthwith.

Let me arrange another press show for you at the Magicians' Club," I urged. "We may save the situation yet."

Julius was agreeable, for he had nothing to lose and much to gain. Eight hundred guests were invited, including representatives of all the leading British newspapers.

Shortly before the performance was due to begin, the Zancigs were approached by a reporter from one of the London dailies.

"Zancig, I believe you're a fraud," said the enterprising young man. "But if your wife can tell me the word written on the card inside this sealed envelope, I will believe in you.

"Let me see the envelope," returned Julius motioning his wife to the far side of the room. The reporter watched him closely, but failed to see him press the envelope against a sponge concealed beneath his armpit. That sponge was saturated with alcohol, a spirit which, as most people are aware, makes paper transparent. Julius had no difficulty in reading through the covering.

When Ada spoke the secret word, the reporter was astounded.

"It's marvellous!" he cried. And when the envelope was returned to him sealed and fastened as it had left him, he could only stand and goggle inanely at the performer.

The subsequent public show was a huge success, and the Zancigs found themselves on their old pedestal of popularity. There can be little doubt that the incident of the envelope and card did much to help them in their struggle for lost fame.

It has been said that Julius Zancig was never happy with his second wife. This is absolutely untrue. Ada was a faithful and loving wife, and the following letter, which I received from her shortly before going to press, only confirms my opinion. I am printing the letter without the slightest alteration.

September 17, 1929.                                                                           BOX 36,                                                                                    Ocean Park,                                                                                                CALIF. My dear Mr. Goldston, I am in receipt of your kind letter and also of the newspaper sheets for which I thank you. I am making quite a collection, for I have also received some well written articles in this respect from several magazines and papers here in New York, New Jersey, and the middle West. I am grateful that they have done Julius this honour, for it seemed to me that after laudibly performing his public work for so many years, those in the profession should honor him at his passing, in a public way. There were some rather odd things said about me, almost intimating that I had no brainy capacity at all, being but a school teacher but these in America are considered rather brainy, being put to such severe mental tests before entering the profession. I may add that I was not in the grades, but had a college training as a specialist in the teaching of Young children, so I'd rather not be considered an idiot. Julius always said that I had taken a very rapid and comprehensive understanding of his work, and did not hesitate to show me off at the highest class affairs here or elsewhere (not meaning theatrical work, but very elegant home or club affairs of the wealthy and refined). I miss him more than I can say, and most truly appreciate every word that is said in his praise. These I am collecting for the closing chapters of our notable scrap book, and it is a sad closing to me. He was a brave soldier to the very last breath, and as I kissed his brow in the last farewell, I felt truly that a brave and talented man had gone, and since his going several men have tried to get me to join them in the same line of work, but I have refused, for it would not be the same to me ever again. I am running the business here alone for several weeks, giving private readings and selling occult books and other things pertaining to our work, and I am getting on very well, having had a very successful season, and I have several pupils at work learning the Mind Reading act, but at a distance, so they will not conflict with me. They clamour to share the title, but there can be only one Zancig in that field worth while. I am still getting kind letters of condolence from many parts, and I welcome them all and feel very grateful, as I have said, in the honor they are paying him. Many regret that he allowed the operations, and I was one, for we wanted to hold on to him, and although he was genial and often merry, the pain was more than he could bear, and I know he must be enjoying a glorious freedom from pain, and a fine rest with some congenial companions of the past. His wife, Agnes, must have been glad to welcome him to her side, after all the years of separation.                I am,                      Most gratefully yours,                           (Signed) ADA F. ZANCIG.