Reel and Slide (Mar-Dec 1918)

26 REEL and SLIDE mention the film. Those who did not attend the meeting had heard all about it, nevertheless, from fellow members. This, naturally, is a very exceptional case, and might never be duplicated; but it indicates the selling possibilities. Incidentally, this particular show was given with a small suitcase projector (incandescent lamp) mounted on two or three tables placed one on top of another to shoot through a transom from an adjoining room. The entire expense of projection in this case was barely $5. The "Black Art" is not released to theaters, nor for showing to any audiences except those properly restricted to bankers and responsible business men and women of mature years. The reason for this restriction is found in the close-ups, which are unique in motion photography, in that they show "professional" penmen actually at work, how they secure their "raw material," and all the technique of the way they ply their pens. These close-ups were very expensive and difficult to photograph, and thousand? of feet of film were wasted before the desired results were obtained. What the Film Told "B. Good," a salesman of the scientific school, is trying to sell a Protectograph to "I. M. Crusty," an Illinois horse and mule trader, for the purpose of protecting his bank checks. Crusty is a hard customer, and has ordered Good out of his office many times. Good persists, and, with the aid of the pretty office girl, finally gets Crusty to consent to "just three minutes." Good then proceeds to make a most uncanny demonstration of "raising" numerous checks by adding little pen strokes to the original words and figures. Crusty brings out some of his old canceled checks, and these are raised as fast as Good can dash his pen over the paper.Then Crusty says his checks are always care fully written, forgetting that these were hi3 own checks, so Good says, "Write a check as carefully as you can." Crusty complies, filling in a check very cautiously for $3, and Good boosts it to. $800 so swiftly that Crusty's cigar falls out of his mouth in alarm. Still, he is unconvinced that this could happen to him, and Good opens his scrapbook and shows him photographs of dozens of genuine checks that have been raised and used to swindle their signers. He points to a check for $480, issued by a little shoe dealer, and the hands of time are turned back 25 year* and the shoe dealer is seen sitting in his old-fashioned store issuing this check for only $8.50 to a customer, who is then shown in the act of washing it off with acid and raising it to $480. Again the salesman turns the page to a check for $27,000, and a Chicago contractor is seen in his office drawing this check for only $27 to his salesman. Somebody else is seen taking this check to a Chicago bank and having it certified. Then the crook is shown in a hall bedroom adding five little pen strokes after the "twenty-seven and," making it a certified check for $27,000. It is taken to another bank and cashed; there is a search for the crook, who cannot be found; the contractor himself is suspected of raising his own check, and the incident ends with his arrest and showing him in prison. These are both actual cases, shown in detailed action to the life, and are selected from hundreds of other actual cases in the salesman's album for the purpose of convincing the customer. Crusty's "just three minutes" stretch into a half hour, and he finally picks up his pen and is about to sign the order for the machine when "Mrs. Crusty" bursts into the office and sizes up the situation. Some more money to be squandered for "useless junk." She grabs the order book, kicks the poor salesman's bag out of the door, and leads her protesting husband away by the ear. Later, Crusty has occasion to mail his check for $6.75 to the U. S. Revenue Collector for taxes. He is very cautious in drawing the check, and even insists on mailing it himself. Nevertheless, it falls into the hands of a notorious gang of check raisers, who are watching the Revenue Collector's mail. They seize Crusty]s $6.75 check along with many others from different points. Then the den of forgers is seen, with "Scratcher," the "prince of pen men," hard at work with his acid bottles and mysterious tools. He boosts Crusty's poor little check from $6.75 to $1,875, makes it payable to "Bearer," and hands it to hia confederate, "Presenter," with a large bundle of other checks that he has raised. "Presenter" departs on his travels, with instructions to visit each of the towns from which these checks were mailed, including, of course, Crustytown. (This is typical of the work of this particular type of check-raising swindlers, and the character of "Scratcher" is said to be copied to the life from one William Boland, known to the police as the most skilful in his trade. Boland, by the way, is his real name in the police records.) "Presenter," in the course of his trip, reachei Crustytown, manages to secure an introduction to Crusty, and makes him believe that he has a big contract to buy horses and mules for the Army. Crusty sees a big deal in sight and "falls" for Presenter. When Presenter feels worried over having so much money on his person. Crusty gets a flash at the roll and takes Presenter over to his bank and introduces him to the Cashier. While they are in the bank. Presenter manages to convey to the Cashier the idea that he is going to sell horses to Crusty — instead of the other way around. Then, with the stage all set, Presenter gets Crusty out of town by a fake telegram, strolls into the bank with Crusty's little check raised to $1,875 and the date changed to that day. He informs the Cashier he has finished his deal with Crusty and has taken his check for $1,875, which he wishes to turn into cash and N. Y. drafts. The Cashier examines the check, says "Mr. Crusty's check is as good as gold," and hands over the drafts and currency. "That is the last seen of Presenter. Crusty learns a few days later that his bank account is overdrawn. He has a fit, which is not helped by the fact that Mrs. Crusty hears the bad news immediately and rushes in to denounce him; for "Why didn't you have sense enough to buy the check machine from that fellow who was here the other day, then this couldn't have happened?" So they wire for Good, and the fourth reel fades out with Crusty signing the order for the whole darned Todd system, and Mrs. Crusty pretending that she has been trying for years to induce her husband to purchase this machine. ONLY GROUND FLOOR MOTION PICTURE STUDIO WITH SKYLIGHTS, STAGE, SCENERY, MERCURY LIGHTS IN CINCINNATI OCCUPYING THEIR OWN TWO ENTIRE BUILDINGS. PRODUCERS SPECIALIZING IN SINGLE REEL FEATURES BOOKED THROUGH PATHE EXCHANGES, AND THE MANUFACTURING OF COMMERCIAL REELS FOR CIVIC AND INDUSTRIAL PURPOSES PHOTOGRAPHED BY ELECTRICITY— 160,000 C. P. PORTABLE LIGHTING SYSTEM CARRIED IN GRIPS ~ BETTER THAN FLASHLIGHTS STILL AND MOVIE COMMERCIAL— 8XT0 — CIRKUT— BIRD'S EYE VIEWS FREE TESTS AGAINST ANY COMPETITOR, ANYWHERE, ANY TIME. CAMERA MEN SENT ON WIRE. CINCINNATI MOTION PICTURE CO. RITUALISTIC — INDUSTRIAL — EDUCATIONAL Special Reels to Order. Estimates Furnished POSTER BLOCK AND TYPE PRINTING BEST EQUIPPED Exclusive SHOW PRINTING PLANT 24 SHEET <n»i {\n EACH— 2 COLORS, $1.00 35.00 STANDS *]P±.V/V/ RED AND BLACK. IN LOTS OF 25 OR MORE — DISPLAY TYPE ONLY. ONE SHEETS ZINCOGRAPHED — 4 COLORS PER /^ COLOR fi» o n n n ^^^ 1000 ^TYPE *P ^V.\J \J 1000 innn osheets lUUU ©ENGRAVED 500 Half-Sheets, $8.00 — 500 One-Sheets, $10.00— 100 ThreeSheets, $9.00— Type — Dates — Soft printing — Shipped same day. 500 WINDOW CARDS, $15.00. 10,000 6x9 DODGERS, $10.00 Cash with Order— Union LabeL Express Only. RUNEY SHOW PRINT 160.00 POSTER MAKERS PHOTOGRAPHERS ZINCOGRAPHERS STER EOTYPERS CLARENCE E. RUNEY RUNEY BUILDINGS, CINCINNATI. OHIO, MANUFACTURERS — FIVE DISTINCT PLANTS Motion Picture Studio, Portable Projectors, Photo Engravers, Poster Printers, and Lantern Slide Makers LANTERN SLIDE ^ $16.00 PER 100 COLORED PORTABLE PROJECTORS $175 CARRIED IN GRIP Please say, "As advertised in REEL and SLIDE," when you write to advertisers.