Patter for the Multiplying Coins

Last week they asked me to go over to the ..... State Prison, just as a visitor of course - and I did some tricks for the prisoners. When I got through I made a tour of the prison and got acquainted with a burglar. He was in Cell #4, - the first one as you turn the corner - and I asked him how he robbed houses. He said "Can you keep a secret?" I said, "Sure," so I'll tell you how he did it. The first thing he said was, "Don't rob a magician's house". "Why?" He said, "Cause you'll never find anything in it."

But he did rob one magician's house, and that was why he was against them for the magician got the money back and he didn't know how he did it. Suppose for instance this is the magician's house. (Show multiplying tray.) - There's twenty dollars on it. (Half dollar coins.) Count them, I wanted to do this trick bad so your secretary loaned me the money. - Now this thing here is the burglar's kit. (Show devil's coin box - will furnish these articles at standard price, if you wish.)

The first thing the magician does is to cover the tray with a handkerchief and then in the darkness the burglar creeps up and steals some of the money. The magician, by the way, is out, of course, - looking for work - and we'll say he takes three dollars. He would have taken them all but he heard a noise - BOO - and it scared him away. He thought it was his tailor. Now he puts the money in this bank and puts the cover on and hides it. I'll hide it over here. (Place on chair or let some one hold it - after getting rid of load.)

Now the magician comes home. He hasn't had any work and he's discouraged. He takes off the handkerchief and thinks he'll count the coins. And he finds three of them gone. So he starts to be a detective. I used to be a detective. In fact I am one now. I'm working on a case at home now. I've got three bottles left. He finds the burglars' house and takes the coins away. And now comes the secret. You reach for one of the coins like this (make reaching movement) and here's a coin. I'll toss it on the plate. (Makes throwing motion and releases the gimmick underneath - (If reader is not familiar with this, write me and I will explain.) and a clicking noise is heard.) That's one. Here's another. Did you hear it. I smelt it. - Now for the last one. It's the hardest one. - Course they're all hard for that matter. That's the way they make'em.

Now the magician counts the coins and finds there are twenty of them. And I'll ask this gentleman that's holding the box, will you count the coins in the box you are holding? What? there is none? Well, I'm glad for it showed you never to rob a Magician's house. I'd explain it to you, but there is no orchestra here to make a lot of noise while I explained it.

(After trick.) "It's a great way to fool a Scotchman." By the way did you ever hear the story about the midget? His father was a Scotchman.