Handwriting is something which may or may not identify one person from another. It’s a moot question and therefore leaves the path open for a magician to make the most of things.

From a newspaper clipping reproduced here we have seen that the effect might be of use to many readers. What we reveal here is an effort to give a method so that all may accomplish the same thing, if not genuinely, as per the English newspaper man, by underhanded trickery as per nearly all magicians.

In a room from 10 to 20 people the performer passes out a bunch of cards to correspond. The performer states, and makes it clear, that he is a graphologist, a student of handwriting, and that he is therefore able to judge a person’s characteristics through the pen strokes found on his pad sheet.

Each person getting a paper writes, at the direction of the performer, a sentence selected from the classics, but something not running over ten or twelve words in its length.

The performer turns his back or retires from the room during the interval when the papers are collected and mixed in any acceptable container. Then he returns to the scene and continues to prove his graphological sense.

Reaching into or amongst the papers or cards the performer looks at each and proceeds to gaze over those watching him. Then he deliberately approaches one and gives him or her the writing. It is always correct! This action is continued until all present are satisfied.

The clipping reproduced here gives the reason for the method put down in this space. It’s an effect which was forwarded to me and the explanation to follow is my own. Perhaps the fellow lauded in print is expert enough to do what the article portends, but there are many tricksters who can make use of the effect by means of a subterfuge and cheat a bit in the interest of entertainment.

The entire problem boils down to a way of discerning one from another of from 10 to 20 people. The passed out cards must be different in some manner, but not necessitate a prolonged scrutiny on the part of the performer.

I first thought of the tinged glasses and luminous writing on the cards which would show up perfectly under that kind of “looking at” but this was discarded because no one can put on glasses or spectacles before friends for a particular trick without exciting suspicion.

That’s an example of but one method I tried, and after that there came a number of others, all of which fell by the deckside, until I found one that stood up against all conditions that have come along to date, even though it is very early in the new year.

Quite a few years ago, Theodore DeLand, then of Philadelphia, invented or created, an edge reader deck of cards which made history then and today has its place in one of the niches of rare items. The performer uses from 10 to 20 personal cards and naturally, one side bears the performer’s name and address, which subtle angle prevents the spectator from using that side for writing.

This allows of the cards being “marked” with the edge reader principle, otherwise, should the cards be writeable on both sides, this cute and practically indetectable idea would not be available.

Take a packet of twenty such cards in hand, all facing one way as far as the blank sides are concerned. Divide the long edge into two parts and, with a dot on the edge of each card, mark them from 1 to 5 and then 5 to 10. Ten cards remain. Instead of one dot this time, make two close dots for each number and these markings identify cards from 11 to 20.

Turn the whole packet over end for end and look at the newly presented long edge. The cards are marked again from 1 through 20. Now, as long as the printed sides of the cards are faced in one direction, the performer can take the packet, glance at the edges, and pick out any one of the cards from 1 through 20.

This is, insofar as I have been able to test under practical conditions, the best possible method for finding the right cards under the strictest conditions and surveillance.

At the start the cards are in order from 1 to 20. They are handed out, after a preliminary talk on graphology and the way a person’s handwriting reveals his characteristics to one who is educated to read the hidden signs. Although the performer is set for 20 cards, he may hand out only 8 or 12 as the case may be and pocket the rest. This is done from the left to right or in such order that the performer can remember those who have been given cards.

To be really effective and in keeping with the idea, the performer now should pick up a book at random and read from it a short sentence of five or six words. A book of prose or blank verse suits admirably.

It matters not what this sentence or line may be, for all those who have cards write the same thing. The performer retires while the writing and collecting by some disinterested (that is, not active) spectator is taking place.

Upon his return the performer takes the packet of cards, all of which will have been collected facing the same way because of the printed side. He apparently dips amongst them and takes out one. He studies it for a moment and looks the spectators over carefully. Then he approaches one and hands him the card he is holding. It is admitted correct.

Faster and faster the action is continued. The performer obviously “gets hot” as he “swings” into the judging and one by one the cards are handed back to their rightful owners.

Through the medium of the edge marks the performer is able to pick cards out from the packet and know, as he does so, to whom these cards belong. Collectively, the cards might afford a clue as to their subsequent separation. Singly they offer no solution to the problem and stand almost the ultimate of inspection.