Subtle Glimpse of Folded Billet

This method of ascertaining the contents of a genuine billet is
subtle because of its very boldness. No one would suspect that
the performer would do this bare faced deed, yet it is
accomplished with the greatest ease. It can be done before small
groups, but is best suited to audiences of thirty, forty, or more.
We have witnessed a performance of
this method, the billets, or slips of
paper measuring about 2-3/4" x 2-
3/4", or a trifle less. This particular
performer used paper of a Golden
Rod color but white would do as
well. Prior to the show, the
performer had folded each of these
slips three times as in Fig. 1 (Note
A, B, C, and D).

After which the billets were just oneeighth
of the original size, and they
were numbered consecutively on the
outside from 1 to 40, or 150 or more,
according to the size of the audience.
In his vest pocket the performer has a number of soft lead
pencils, and with the folded billets in his left hand, on top of a
few opened billets (but with creases), he is ready to proceed. He
makes the usual opening talk about mind reading, etc., and
explains that he has the spectators write their questions the
better to concentrate on them. He steps down in the audience,
and as he passes out the billets and pencils, he calls attention to
the fact that the slips are numbered--each spectator is to
remember his number, then open his billet and write his name at
the top, the question underneath, and finally fold the slip in the
original creases. No one is to show or tell what he has written
but must concentrate his thoughts on the question.
The performer now and then opens a billet before handing it to a
spectator. He moves about from one side of the aisle to the
other, and sometimes steps back and forth, always keeping on
the move, as he talks and passes out the slips. He finally has
only two folded billets remaining in his left hand, on top of the
open billets. One of these folded billets, say, No. 5, was
originally given a bent corner when folded by the performer so
he can distinguish it from the others. He has carefully withheld
this No. 5 billet and now hands it to a spectator who is requested
to hurry up "as the others are all ready."
Performer steps across the aisle, says "anybody else?" hands out
remaining folded billet to a spectator, and at the same time
watches No. 5 to see when he has finished writing, then speaks
out "All ready, we will now collect the questions, who will
volunteer? Anybody?" (man offers his services). "All right,
thank you, sir, go down to the front, and start there--take your
hat for the purpose." The performer turns and looks toward the
rear, and acknowledges an imaginary request for a slip, by
saying, "Yes sir, just a moment, I'll be right there." Performer
quickly turns to No. 5, and extends his hand, quietly saying,
"Are you ready?" and takes the No. 5 question, turns away
quickly and walks toward the rear.
Now comes the bold move. Performer's hands are brought
together and he quickly and secretly opens the No. 5 question as
he walks rapidly to the rear, inquiring as he goes, "Who was it
that wanted a slip ?--Where is that party?" Somebody will
respond. "Oh, there you are, here's a pencil and paper--and
hurry please." Performer takes the bottom, opened slip from left
hand and gives it to the spectator, in the meantime getting a
good chance to read the No. 5 question which is now lying open
on top of the other open slips. This only takes a second, you
need not get all the details if hard to read-merely the name, or
initials and an idea of the subject matter, such as, "J. C. Wilson,
sick father," or anything you can glimpse.
The performer keeps moving about and talking, he quickly
refolds No. 5, and turns around, walking toward stage, and as he
passes the volunteer collector, remarks, "That's right, get them
all," and quietly places his right hand over the hat for a second
as sort of a gesture to pull the hat down to see how many
collected--but the right hand has the No. 5 billet gripped at the
roots of the fingers, and the billet is allowed to drop in the hat
with the others. This casual move will not be noticed, and even
if it were, you would appear to be dropping in some stray billet
that had been handed to you. Nothing is said about it, 'you just
do it. If desired, the performer can stop just before he passes the
volunteer assistant, and, as though to speed up things, turn to
one row and say, "Pass your questions over, please," he taking
them and tossing them along with No. 5 into the hat.
In any event, the performer returns to the stage, requests the
collector to kindly come upon the stage and dump the folded
slips out on the table, the collector returning to his seat. The
performer has spotted the No. 5 question in the pile, either by
seeing the number visible, or by the bent corner--he gives the
pile a stir with finger if necessary to bring the No. 5 question
into view. With right hand, the performer picks up a billet, or
what to the audience appears to be one billet, but he really picks
up two, the No. 5 along with some other billet, for example No.
9. The actual picking up is done with the right hand and the left
hand immediately comes to the right hand, so the two billets are
momentarily held as one, between the tips of the right and left
fingers. The right fingers instantly let go and the right hand is
withdrawn, leaving the billet (really two of them) in full view at
tips of left fingers which then raise the billet to your forehead,
and you pretend to divine the question--the one by "J. C.
Wilson, who has a sick father, etc." This is done in the usual
manner, announcing first the name, then the nature of the
question, and finally giving the answer.
The left hand
has been
lowered, the
right fingers
approach the
left, and with
the aid of the
thumbs,
quickly and
secretly slide
the No. 5
billet into the
right hand
where it is
held or palmed against the roots of the right fingers. See Fig.
1A.

In the meantime, the No. 9 billet is being visibly opened, the
fingers concealing the No. 9 on the slip. The same pretense is
made, confirming the answer just given, and mentally
ascertaining a new question, as previously described. The No. 9
billet is refolded, and in the operation, the positions of No. 5
and No. 9 are reversed--No. 9 being now palmed in the right
hand, and No. 5 in full view at left finger tips. No. 5 may now
be returned to "J. C. Wilson," or may be tossed out into the
audience, or simply thrown upon the floor. It would be well to
use all three of these methods of disposal during the
performance, as was the habit of John Slater in his
demonstrations.
Of course, the readings are continued in the same manner, and
all of the billets can be returned to the writers, if desired, but it
becomes a bit tiresome to the balance of the audience, and it is
much more dramatic to vary the final disposition, as suggested.
The performer we witnessed, repeatedly thrust his right hand
into his trouser's pocket, leaving the billet there so he could
show his right hand empty but he had to dive into the pocket
again to get the billet so he could make the final switch, and this
pocket procedure did not look so good.