801 N. Federal Ave.
Mason City, Iowa
April 30, 1935
Dear Mr Annemann;

Having read your swell Dead Men Tell No Tales in Sh-h-h–! It’s a Secret, I conceived a third method which is certain and, in my opinion, easier than using a mirror. So far as I know, it is quite unique.

My first idea was to follow the presentation of the second method given for the effect, but work as follows: When stepping up to the assistant and pointing up and down the column with the index finger, run the finger slightly along the surface of the slate. This will result in a slight streak of the chalk below the name written, and this identifies the dead name when the performer sees the slate.

Fearing that the volunteer might catch this, I hit upon a more fool-proof method of working. When the volunteer has finished writing the dead name, the magi states that without looking at the slate he will hand it to someone else who should write a living name. Take the slate with the left hand and in transferring to the right, the right index finger rubs along the surface and it is undetectable. When the second person finishes he hands the slate to someone else, etc.

Going further with this principle, I worked out a completely novel effect on the patter basis of identifying individuals by their handwriting.

There is a column of three numbers on the slate. Three spectators each write a word before one of the numbers. The performer looks at the slate and tells which spectator wrote each word, though his back was turned during the writing. Proceed with the first person just as described before. Ditto with the second person, only the finger is extended a bit more than before. No trickery with the last writer.

Now by looking at the slate, the performer finds two slight chalk traces below the word written by person #1 and only one under that of #2.

The method may not be the best but I believe you will admit the effect to be different. Hope you may be able to use the ideas in one way or another in your Jinx.

Respectfully,
R. H. Parrish.