Excerpt from The Open Court, Vol. 19: A Monthly Magazine Devoted to the Science of Religion, the Religion of Science, and the Extension of the Religious Parliament Idea; August, 1905

As originally devised by Mr. Robinson. The illusion was based upon the Pepper ghost - show, as will be seen in the illustration. Between the cross - bars of a slanting frame was a sheet of plate glass which. Being invisible, left the lady on the chair in full view as long as the light fell upon her. A screen of the same color as the background was concealed above the curtain and placed at such an angle as to allow its reflection to pass out to the audience. The firing of the pistol was the signal for the assistant to turn a switch. The lady was then veiled in relative darkness while the screen was illuminated and its reflection on the plate-glass concealed her from sight. Carrying around the country a big sheet of plate glass is not only an expensive luxury but a risky one, so the illusion was simplified in the manner described by Mr. Parsell.

Bautier de Kolta was the greatest inventor of magic tricks and illusions since the days of Robert - Houdin. He was an absolutely original genius, who set at defiance Solomon's adage, There is nothing new under the sun, by producing in rapid succession a series of brilliant feats that astounded the world of magic. I am indebted to my friend, Dr. W. Golden Mortimer, for facts concerning the career of de Kolta.

Joseph Bautier de Kolta was born in Lyons. France, in the year 1845. For centuries his father's people had inhabited the ancient palace of the Emperor Claudius. Each firstborn male of the Bau tier family was given the Roman name. The subject of our sketch had a sister and two brothers, the latter, with himself, being set apart for the priesthood. His brother Claudius was not given to churchly ways but the second brother actually entered upon the holy orders Joseph was at college when he first saw the wonders of magic as revealed by a strolling magician, and he became so fascinated with the possibilities of the art that he entered upon it at once.

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