CARL HERTZ AND THE BIRD CAGE.
When, in the late summer of 1921, a certain respected public body was endeavouring to legalise an Act preventing animals taking part in public performances, there was a good deal of apprehension among many unscrupulous animal trainers in this country.
As luck would have it, one of the persons interested in the passing of the Act--a man named Smith-happened to read an old book of mine in which I had described the disappearing bird cage trick. And it was at this time that Carl Hertz was performing the same trick with so much success.
In my book, however, I had described the trick as performed with an oval bird cage. Hertz always used a square cage. That fact, more than anything else, saved Carl's reputation,
Smith approached Hertz, and threatened to expose him. Now that the whole business is finished, I can do no harm in mentioning the fact, that the American magician actually did kill and injure a large number of birds in his illusion. Things looked serious, and in vulgar language, Carl "had the wind up."
In order to gain time, I arranged a meeting at which both men were to be present. I tried to save Hertz by explaining that the trick I had described was quite different from that used by the American. The only difference was, of course, in the shape of the cage.
Smith did not believe me, and even went so far as to demonstrate the oval cage trick in our presence. Incidentally he made a hash of it. The canary escaped, and probably starved to death. But the demonstration gave us time to think things over.
Hertz called again at my office on the following day.
"Don't look so downhearted, Carl," I said in my cheeriest manner, "I am sure this affair will turn out for your good."
"They are going to expose me, Will," he replied despondently. "This will be the finish of me. They have asked me to demonstrate the trick at the House of Commons. If anything goes wrong, I shall be ruined."
"Rubbish, man!" I exclaimed. "It's the most wonderful piece of luck that you've ever had. If you take care, nothing will go wrong. Think of the tremendous publicity!"
"But supposing--"
"Don't suppose. I can make you a cage right now that will not injure the bird."
Within an hour I had constructed a small cage. It was built up on a framework of cane strips, the wire bars being represented by lengths of fishing line. I arranged a fine mesh hair net on the inside of the cage, so that the canary should not injure its wings against the cane supports.
As Carl was very nervous on the day of the demonstration, I had a long talk with him, and assured him that the show would prove a tremendous success. But he refused to be comforted, and could only speak of the tremendous risk he was incurring.
When the dreaded hour came, however, he seemed to forget that he was a man on trial so to speak, and became once more the polished conjuror, suave and confident. Before the astonished eyes of a Select Committee, he vanished the cage, and produced the canary, quite unharmed, from beneath his coat. His natural gift for showmanship had pulled him through.
The papers could not forget the incident. If Carl had collected all the news cuttings which appeared about him, he could have papered the walls of his house four times over. It was the finest free advertisement any magician has ever had, and he was not slow to take advantage of it.