This story starts with an admission - we do not have a definitive answer, but in the process of delving into Mr Chapman's tour, we will try to strip away previous speculation and, starting from the bare facts, suggest some likely reasons for his actions.

Chapman is an interesting character in his own right, and he spent five years touring in Australia and New Zealand, but it is his link to Robert Heller's career that makes this overly-detailed search for answers worthwhile. This essay is the second in connection with Heller (the first being the story of H.B.Wilton and the booklet "The Somatic Conjuror") and a third essay covers the tour of Heller in Australia.

Although Heller was one of the most influential magicians in America during the nineteenth century, it remains the case that his life has been incompletely documented. Relatively short essays exist, and interesting investigations into some areas of his career have been made (1) but no full biography has yet been written, probably because of the difficulties of chasing Heller around the world in the 1870s.

William Henry Palmer, his real name, had an early career in his native Britain before moving to the United States where he later (1855) took a hiatus from performing magic, concentrating on his second highly successful career as a skilled concert pianist (2). Most histories place his return to the magic stage as 1861, but in fact Heller performed at the Washington (D.C.) Theater from May 4, 1860 with his "Soirees Fantastiques".

His celebrity status continued to grow from this time, particularly when he collaborated with entrepreneur Edward P. Hingston who is credited with guiding Heller into his new stage persona as a laconic wise-cracking American in the style of Artemus Ward. By 1865 he was advertising his success following a season of thirteen consecutive months on Broadway.

One of Heller's most famous routines, though not original with him, was the "Second Sight" feat in which a blindfolded assistant on the stage described objects handed to Heller as he walked amongst the audience. The two-person mindreading act, dating back to Robert-Houdin or even Joseph Pinetti, made Heller's reputation for the clever combination of methods which completely deceived even those "in the know". He had featured the Second Sight in his earliest shows in Britain, and in the United States as early as February 1853 (3) and would continue presenting it for the whole of his career until his early death in 1878. He was assisted by "Ernest Heller" (4) who is mentioned in both Britain and the United States. M.H.Levett, a friend and New Yorker, was the "Ernest" during his first U.S. tour but he then married and left the show.

The Daily Alta California of March 1, 1867, refers to Heller's appearance at the Metropolitan Theatre in San Francisco, a theatre which became a favourite of the magician.

"We dropped in last evening … mainly to see his exposition of the rope-tying and untying humbug [a development of the Davenport Brothers "spirit" rope tying] … Heller and Willie again played off their little game of second-sight, to the astonishment of the multitude and with their usual success … the tying up and untying process was repeated, Willie showing great cleverness in his demonstrations that some things can be done as well as others."

On March 5, "… the second sight part of the performance is bewildering; Willie, his assistant, blindfolded, naming each article as quickly as it is touched; specifying even the number of the watch, the maker's residence, the blades of a knife, or the date of a coin."

April 2 - "Heller's fifth programme proves to be the most wonderful of all … the second-sight is made still more bewildering by the additions made last night; Willie walked blind-folded through the parquette and correctly answered the questions propounded by Mr. Heller from the dress circle - a hand-bell being sometimes the means of interrogation."

Sacramento Daily Union April 27, 1867 - "The effect of butchering Willie, whose person quite fills the basket and leaves little room for a harmless sword thrust, is appallingly produced, and yet there's nobody hurt."

"Willie" is seen to be not just an assistant in the Second Sight routine, but a helper in several other magic effects. It cannot be stated certainly that he was not with Heller prior to 1867, but no record has been found.

They were back at the Metropolitan Theatre in June where, on June 25 a Complimentary Benefit night was given to "Willie A Chapman, popularly known as Willie", the 27th being Heller's benefit before he farewelled on the 28th.  We know from later reports that Willie's name was William Adam Chapman, and that he had come from Philadelphia, though his marriage certificate indicates that he was born in Boston. Little else is known about Chapman's origins, or even his birth date (his marriage certificate indicates he is "full age" but no more).

The Sacramento Daily Union, July 1 1867, lists Robert Heller departing San Francisco on the steamship Montana, for Panama. On the passenger list with Heller is W.A. Chapman. Apparently this stage of the tour met with trouble (5) "Heller … was not conjurer enough to make a couple of thousand Indians who stood between Salt Lake City and St. Louis disappear, and so he had to come back and will return east on the next steamer. The heavy freight and passage bill of expenses to the latter place from Virginia City ($2,800) left Heller out of pocket, although he did good business there for two weeks."

It is possible, although unconfirmed for Heller's European trip in 1868, that Willie remained with the show until he is next noted, again at the Metropolitan, in April 1869. "He is admirably assisted in his mechanical tricks by Willie, who attracted so much attention in the second sight mystery on the occasion of Heller's former visit. The audiences are composed of the most fashionable people, who exhibit the greatest delight at the illusions."

A brief inspection of reviews at that time does not mention the performance of the Second Sight routine, nor of any assistant (Houdini states (6) that he did not perform Second Sight in London). However it is likely that during this period, Heller met and contracted with Miss 'Heller', whose real name has been claimed to be Rosa Kitts. If this were correct, Miss Heller was no relation to the family but it suited the magician to imply that she was a sister or half-sister, since he was a married man (Miss Kieckhoefer, and the 'Annie Maria Palmer' referenced in Heller's will of 1878).

However, in December 1878, Haidee issued a strong denial that she was Rosa Kitts (see 'Final Interview' below) and we are again left without definite proof of her identity.

By the time the small troupe travelled to Australia, though shipping records called her either Rosie or Rosa Heller, she was billed in Australia as Haidee or Haydee Heller. A cabinet photograph in the collection of the State Library of New South Wales is labelled as "Ada Heller", but comparison with a confirmed image of Haidee shows the faces to be the same.

Back in the U.S. in 1869, both Rosie and Willie continued to work with Heller, being noted at the College Hall, Oakland around early June; the division of duties is not known but it might be expected that Willie assisted in the more physical tricks such as the rope tying.

On June 6, Robert Heller, along with William and Rosie, departed from San Francisco aboard the Ashburton. They had been engaged by the actor-manager, George Coppin, a gentleman of giant stature in the Australian theatre world, who was in 1869 coming into his peak of wealth and influence after a wild career of success and loss. Coppin's previous triumphs with magicians were bringing the Wizard Joseph Jacobs to Australia in 1855, and John Henry Anderson "The Wizard of the North" in 1858 where each dominated the magical scene with a flurry of publicity.

A correspondent from San Francisco made a telling comment that "Mr. Heller will also be accompanied by Mr. Willie Chapman, who is himself a really clever magician, and his sleight-of-hand-tricks are considered quite equal to Heller's. The latter clever artist has exercised great discrimination in engaging so talented an assistant."

They finally arrived at Melbourne on August 31 after what the Melbourne Herald described as "rather a tedious passage from California". The intention was to then sail northwards to Sydney, where Heller would open at the School of Arts in Pitt Street, which was being refurbished for the occasion.

Now the mystery of Chapman vs. Heller begins. Shipping lists for September 8 show Robert and Rosa Heller, Mr Willy Chapman, and Mr. George Coppin as passengers aboard the steamer "City of Adelaide" destined for Sydney. However on its arrival on September 10, the list of passengers did not include Chapman. The strong inference is that William Chapman never boarded the ship, and remained in Melbourne.

Here we are left with nothing more than speculation as to whether a dispute had arisen either during the trip from California, or shortly after the arrival in Sydney. Given that Chapman's name was on the passenger list for Sydney, it seems more likely that any argument came about after the group was in Australia.

We have, in fact, only two sources to confirm that there was any kind of dispute, and nothing to indicate the cause. Robert Kudarz (New Zealand magician Thomas Driver) made mention of that claim in June 1922, in the magician's magazine "M-U-M". The other comes direct from Chapman in 1878 (see "Final Interview" below) and only states "…. after Heller and Chapman had fallen out…."

One more possible source of information, yet to be investigated, might be the personal correspondence of George Coppin to his wife and daughter, held at the National Library of Australia.

Left to wonder about the cause of the breakup, we might speculate that Chapman had become disenchanted with his role in the show since the recent arrival of Miss Haidee Heller, and her prominent role in the feature "Second Sight" routine. Chapman's involvement may have been relegated to that of an anonymous assistant in the Davenport trick and others. Chapman's interview in 1878 also remarks that he "claims to have assisted him in constructing the system," which is unlikely given that Heller had performed the routine since the 1850s; and "the mysterious power in a handsome woman having greater fascinations for the public than in a man."

It seems very surprising, though, that Chapman would sail across to the other side of the world simply to abandon his employment. With an insider's knowledge, and an aptitude for performing which had been praised by the press, perhaps Chapman considered the time ripe to make his own reputation as a magician, by setting up in business for himself.

While Robert Heller and Haidee settled in at the School of Arts in Sydney for a five-week season, Chapman in Melbourne had to start from scratch - finding a venue, management representatives, props, assistants and advertising. He managed to make a contract with the lessees of the St.George's Hall, a single-level hall in Bourke Street which had opened in 1862 and would become a centre of entertainment for many years, featuring Minstrel shows and hosting the likes of Oscar "Dante" Eliason. In 1869 the hall had briefly been re-named as Weston's Opera House and was under the control of showman and patent medicine salesman, Frank Weston.

Weston, who co-founded of several Minstrel troupes was at that time in partnership with Frank Hussey, a comedian and troupe leader who, coincidentally, was American and had arrived in Australia in February of 1869. Notably, although Weston and Hussey had been running a minstrel troupe at the 'Opera House' they vacated the hall to allow Mr. Chapman to take possession, while the minstrels went out on tour; and by April the next year, their troupe had become insolvent, and disbanded.

So William Chapman had a theatre, and found an assistant by the name of Mr.Howard (8) and he commenced to advertise his forthcoming appearance. Initially this was under his own name as Manager (Argus, October 25) but soon under the agency H.B. Wilton, whose convict and theatrical history is told elsewhere in connection with a booklet which exposed the secrets of the very magic which Heller and Chapman featured.

By the time he had constructed his show, and given a dress rehearsal in a private home on October 27 prior to opening night on the 28th, Chapman ended up with barely three weeks to establish himself before Robert Heller arrived back from Sydney and opened his own show on November 17. It was at least an advantage, since Melbourne had seen nothing of Heller so far, and the press made no commentary at all regarding the split between the two magicians; the only remarks were that Chapman had come to the country with Heller.

There is no question that William Chapman appropriated his entire repertoire from that of Robert Heller. Although he did not perform all of Heller's repertoire (which was extensive), the tricks he did use were Heller's, as were the titles of the tricks ("Desiccated Canaries", "Witch's Pole" etc); and if had the grace not to announce himself as the "Somatic Conjuror" which was Heller's primary billing, he would do so later; his later advertising also appropriated Heller's show titles, "Chapman's Wonders" and "Salle Diabolique".

Chapman was not presenting the entire evening's amusements alone. He started in association with a (marionette) minstrel troupe, and later with the 'Lancashire Bell Ringers'. From reviews of his first performances, it is apparent that he also attempted to copy Heller's successful stage persona. Heller's rise to fame had taken an upward trajectory when he adopted a witty talkative style in the mode of Artemus Ward or Mark Twain, or even Will Rogers. Though British, he performed as a pun-cracking American, and it was sometimes remarked that his good-humoured patter was every bit as entertaining as his magic.

Following his opening night, Chapman received several reviews which were mostly favourable, though where he was criticised, the fault often lay in the fact that he was trying to be Heller, and not quite succeeding. The reviewers, too, had not yet seen Robert Heller in action.

The Age, October 29 - "Weston's Opera House was crowded to excess last evening when Mr W. A. Chapman (who is described as the Premier Prestidigitator) made his first appearance before a Melbourne audience, and succeeded in making a very favourable impression … one great feature is …. the entire absence of the paraphernalia usually to be seen at such entertainments … an especially good trick is performed with a number of apparently solid metal rings which he connected and disconnected with the greatest ease and dexterity … maintains a running fire of jokes and execrable puns which create roars of laughter … the hesitancy of his manner tends to deceive the spectators by making them believe that he is on the point of failure, when to their great surprise the trick is cleverly performed. He is assisted by Mr. Howard, who, being blindfolded on the stage, minutely described various articles given to Mr. Chapman … the entertainment is very amusing and will likely draw large audiences."

character of the programme the audience were led to expect some spiritual manifestations, but nothing of the sort was attempted. The performance consisted of some rather clever tricks of legerdemain, but none of them equal to those performed by Jacobs or Anderson, with the exception of one executed with a number of large silver rings. By way of interlude there was exhibited a

company of Marionette Nigger Minstrels, but they failed to create the same degree of amusement as the original Weston's Troupe. Several of the tricks went off tamely, and one failed altogether, but this was probably owing to the awkwardness of a first appearance. Mr. Chapman does not possess the fluency of speech usual in gentlemen following his calling; indeed, he speaks with a hesitancy that leads the audience to expect a break down, and then it is suddenly discovered that he has made a joke. One of the most amusing parts of the evening's entertainment was the sudden laughter of someone who had discovered a pun two or three minutes after it was uttered. This happened more than once. The house was well filled. A select hand under the leadership of Mr. Feuillade, played some lively music during the intervals ; but, taken as a whole, the entertainment was not many degrees removed from a failure."

Weekly Times, November 20 - " …. What I like best in Mr. C. is his quaint, off-handed way of talking, and introducing his sleight-of-hand. He is gradually improving the capacity of his audiences to understand his puns, which some people could not at first …."

As he worked, Chapman would have been looking over his shoulder, as the newspapers started to promote Heller's upcoming arrival in Melbourne: "The celebrated and world renowned Somatic Conjuror, brilliant pianist and witty conversationalist will shortly introduce Wonders and Miracles in his Temple of Magic, 172 Bourke Street east."  His Sydney season having been a complete success, Heller was bringing his full repertoire to bear, which amounted to a new programme of tricks every week over a five-week period. On the day before he opened at the Apollo Hall (on November 17, 1869), a lengthy advertisement listed Heller's first programme including ten magic routines, a pianoforte selection, the 'Supernatural Vision' of Miss Haydee Heller, and a concluding illusion titled "Finding a Young Lady in a Gentleman's Hat" in which, from a borrowed hat, were taken a gown, next a crinoline, then a pair of socks and a pair of stays, and lastly a young lady "in a particularly lively condition."

Chapman's promotions were far less detailed, promising a generic range of 'miracles, Mephistophelian Philosophy' as well as the identically-titled Supernatural Vision. His props were limited to those he had been able to have constructed in Melbourne, and funded by his partners, Weston and Hussey which would soon lead to a dispute in the courts.

A comparison of Chapman's early reviews against Heller's shows the difference between a magician working hard to establish himself, versus an experienced and confident performer. Except that it is doubtful that Heller "literally" brought down the house, his first notice was glowing:

The Age, November 18 - "Mr Robert Heller, the far-famed conjuror and pianist, made his first appearance before a Melbourne audience last night, at the new Temple of Magic, 172 Bourke-street east. The hall, which has been elegantly decorated, was crowded to excess by a fashionable and

enthusiastic audience, and the entertainment was an unqualified success, literally bringing down the house. Mr Heller's feats of legerdemain cannot be justly described by the terms ordinarily applied to this class of entertainment, being simply marvellous, while his conversational powers are such as to keep the attention of his audience constantly riveted upon him. His experiments were a series of brilliant triumphs, the adroitness with which they were managed defying detection. The execution of the musical part of the entertainment proved that Mr Heller is even greater as a musician than as a magician, while the supernatural part of the programme, in which he was assisted by his sister, Miss Haidee Heller, formed an appropriate climax to the whole. Pressure on our space compels us to hold over our detailed notice of the performance."

And what reaction resulted from the two magicians playing in opposition to each other, and featuring similar routines? Effectively, none at all. While the press might have been expected to at least comment on the fact that Chapman had set up against Heller, or that they were both competing with the Second Sight / 'Supernatural Vision' feature, there was no commentary at all. On Robert Heller's part, it was as though Chapman did not even exist; there were no snarky letters in the press, no combative bluster in his advertising, nothing. In the same way that Heller dealt with H.B.Wilton's book of exposure he simply chose to pit his talents against the distracting forces, and he won.

It should be said that Robert Heller was no stranger to imitators; he was one himself. His early career had slavishly copied Jean Eugene Robert-Houdin, right down to the French accent and a trick-by-trick duplication of his magic. Since imitation did not work for him, perhaps Heller realised that he was at no risk from being copied. Chapman did not have the full equipment, the ease of speaking, the attractive female assistant, and certainly not the added bonus of being a brilliant concert pianist.

William Chapman continued his announced season at Weston's until the end of November, which only amounted to a ten-day competition against Heller. According to the Australasian of December 4, he had "enjoyed a month's very fair success and, considering the somewhat difficult circumstances under which he commenced, he may be said to have succeeded singularly well."

He then moved across to Ballarat, still under the management of H.B.Wilton, opening at the Mechanic's Institute from November 30. Perhaps in another attempt to steal Heller's limelight before he arrived in that town, Chapman's advertising showed even more tendency towards copying. Chapman was now "the American Somatic Conjurer" with "Chapman's Wonders", featuring Supernatural Vision, the Witch's Pole, Desiccated Canaries, the Silver Rings, as well as a sack escape from Heller's early repertoire, titled "A Sackful of Ghosts". A young lady was also announced to be "found in a gentleman's hat", proving that Chapman was sourcing his material directly from Heller. It is not known who he employed as his female assistant.

If William Chapman had no ongoing dispute with Robert Heller, the same could not be said of his business partners, Frank Weston and Frank Hussey who, throughout December, entered into court proceedings against Chapman which resulted in widespread and adverse publicity for the magician.

Chapman had commenced his season at Ballarat and was "giving his performances to large audiences, but these are not nearly so large as we might expect to see at an entertainment which consists in the exhibition of so many cleverly-executed tricks." (9) By December 10, however, the local press announced that "Mr. Chapman still continues indisposed, and in consequence there was no performance at the Mechanics' last evening." There were no further performances in Ballarat.

In fact, Chapman had been hauled back to Melbourne to face charges brought by Weston and Hussey; obtaining money under false pretences, and 'larceny as a bailee' (in other words, improper use of goods or money which he had been given for legitimate purposes). It seems that the hasty court action had been brought about because Weston suspected that Chapman was making plans to flee the country, and that possibly some of his magic apparatus had already been sent on to New Zealand.

Although the case was concerned with amounts up to £150, it was ultimately argued around the paltry sum of £1. Chapman was immediately bailed out on surety of £40 provided by Messrs. Jamieson and Coleman (see Reference 10 regarding Jamieson). The ensuing case is of interest for the information it provides about Chapman's business affairs and his new apparatus.

The allegation made was that Chapman had, on a number of occasions, been handed cash by the managers in order to pay for apparatus and goods making up the props for his new show. That cash had been pocketed by Chapman. It was recorded that Weston and Hussey had advanced £150 in cash, and then been called upon to pay a further £300 for paraphernalia of various kinds, under the arrangement whereby the managers would fund Chapman's show, and he was to take half of the net profits.

On the specific charge, Chapman had obtained £1 from Frank Weston in order to buy a corset and a crinoline dress on November 15, to be used for the illusion of "Finding a Young Lady in a Gentleman's Hat". He had then obtained a further £1 via his agent, H.B.Wilton for the same purpose but, on purchasing the goods he had instructed the shopkeeper to bill Weston's for the cost. Ultimately the main charge was dismissed, and the other charges failed to proceed, because the court was of the opinion that Chapman was not in a master-servant relationship with Weston & Hussey, but was a partner in the enterprise; and as he could not steal from himself, a charge of larcency was unsustained. Chapman intimated that he was then going to proceed to sue his partners in the Supreme Court for £1000, on a malicious prosecution charge.

However, Weston was not satisfied to let the dispute be seen as just a £1 argument. He permitted another case to go to the District Court, in which he was summoned by a Mr. Perry, a machinist who had constructed William Chapman's magic apparatus (and is thereby the earliest-known manufacturer of magic props in Australia). Perry was owed £21 7s. 6d. and Mr. Weston was quite willing to pay the amount, but wanted to place it on the record that he had been imposed upon by Chapman. He had already given money to Chapman, intended to pay off the bill, which was never paid to Perry. Mr Weston further explained that the apparatus "had been sold on Ballarat by the sheriff's officer to satisfy a private judgement creditor of Chapman's."

The magistrate sympathised with Mr. Weston on having to pay his bill twice, but gave judgment against him with minimal costs. Chapman, for his part, wrote to the Argus on December 18 denying the allegation made, and looking forward to his day in court.

Whatever negotiations followed, the whole affair was put privately to rest and, on January 8, 1870 (11) Weston and Hussey published an unqualified apology:-

[29th December] "Dear Sir - A personal inquiry into the circumstances connected with our late unfortunate legal differences, and the proceedings taken thereon, have convinced us that you are entirely free from blame in what you did, and you having met with us in the fair and manly manner you have, we shall not be doing justice to the feelings we entertain towards you if we hesitate to acquaint you with the conclusions we have arrived at. Wishing you success in whatever path of life you take, and giving you permission to publish this letter if you deem it necessary. We are your sincere friend (signed) Weston and Hussey."

So far as the Young Lady from a Hat is concerned, if she was introduced into the crinoline via a stage trap, as is likely, the illusion was probably impractical in most of the smaller venues which Chapman would later play.

Having freed himself from litigation, Chapman's next step was something rather surprising. Having been in Australia for only six months, he married. The ceremony took place at All Saints' Church, St.Kilda on February 3, and the bride was Emily Knox, only daughter of the late Rev. John Knox of Liverpool, England. The newspaper announcement mentions that Mr. Chapman was "from Philadelphia", but a copy of the marriage registry records his birthplace as Boston. Unfortunately, the age of both parties is shown only as "full age" leaving us without a birthdate.

What the circumstances of the speedy relationship may have been is unknown. It might be thought, however cynically, that Chapman was in need of a travelling companion. For ten years previous, newspapers had reported numerous court actions involving an "Emily Knox" of St. Kilda. Though it is not entirely certain that they were one and the same, remarks made in court report regarding her living arrangements with Mr & Mrs Blackwell at Alma Street, seem to confirm the link, since that street is only two blocks away from the All Saints Church in Chapel Street. It seems that in 1860 she was a servant in a barber's shop and refreshment tent.

Mostly the charges were the use of abusive language and fighting with neighbours. The Age, May 1 1867 refers to "Emily Knox, a showily dressed young female, of some notoriety in the borough …. Mr Follard assured the bench that he had said nothing worse than that she was a bad woman, and a disgrace to her sex, and that she ought to have been ousted from St. Kilda long ago."

Emily Knox would become prominent again in an 1877 libel case, at which time she was the licensee of the Freemason's Hotel in Swanston Street Melbourne. "I was never a member of the demi-monde", Knox told the court.

Chapman resumed performing on February 26, at the Lyceum Theatre Bendigo, the Echuca Town Hall in mid-March, and Avoca in April at Trevena's Theatre. As before, his performances, when not compared against Heller, received high praise. "Mr Chapman was witty and pleasant", wrote the Avoca Mail (12), "without the slightest tinge of aught that could offend the most delicate taste. Mr Chapman has evidently taken great pains to make himself master of the attractive art he possesses, and there is a neatness and dexterity about his manipulation." It was mentioned that he was using a male assistant nicknamed "Willie", and his repertoire was relatively light on apparatus - the 'Silver Rings' (linking rings), Davenport rope tie and spirit cabinet, sack escape, and Second Sight being his mainstays. While he was using Heller's tricks, he was not attempting to duplicate the scale of his show.

At Kyneton on May 30 it was noted that Chapman "has studied under a master of the art; has, in fact, assisted him in many of his feats … it would be difficult to excel the former in neatness of manipulation, though the beautiful mechanical effects of the latter might possibly tell in his favour … Mr. Chapman enlivened the proceeding by most execrable puns - as for instance, he alluded to a canary as a 'trained performer', because he had come by railway." On a second performance on June 1, it should be noted that Chapman allowed himself to be handcuffed by a member of the police force and then escaped from both the sack in which he was confined, and the cuffs; making him a competitor against magician Samri Baldwin for the honour of being the first magician to perform a handcuff escape.

In late June, William Chapman returned to Melbourne for a brief appearance on a Benefit concert. Meantime, Robert Heller had followed him to Ballarat, journeyed to Adelaide for a full month of performances, played at Geelong in May, and returned to Melbourne where he gave his final magic and piano recitals. His clever assistant, Haidee Heller, was given a benefit night prior to her departure for England (she would return by December) at which time "the house was crowded almost to suffocation in every part, and many persons must have left the theatre unable to gain a view of the stage." (13)

Heller departed after June 30 for a six-month tour of New Zealand, leaving Melbourne once again open to Mr. Chapman, and he took full advantage, opening on July 9 at the Polytechnic Hall with a show titled "Salle Diabolique", no doubt adopting Heller's old billing as a homage! He was well received, notwithstanding that his main routine of 'Second Sight' was being seen for a second time; and with support from other musical acts, and the appropriation of Heller's novelty act, "Punch and Judy", the Polytechnic season continued successfully until late July, followed by appearances in the Melbourne suburbs until early August.

Chapman's next destination was Tasmania, in company with 'Willie', and it becomes clear that as a performer, he was well able to stand on his own. The Cornwall Chronicle (Launceston) of August 20, said, "In all our experience of conjurors … we have never met with any one with a solitary exception, who has pleased us so much as Mr W. A. Chapman… in plain evening costume, totally without the usual paraphernalia, sans all meretricious gegaws and obviously without extraneous assistance, he performed all his tricks with neatness and such a marvellous dexterity." The same report mentions the canary transposition into a cage, a cut and restored handkerchief inside a lemon, the cutting off and restoring of Willie's nose, and coins from the air in addition to the regular Davenport tricks and Second Sight.

Chapman made his way down the east coast, performing to good audiences at Evandale, Longford, Campbell Town, Ross, Oatlands and Green Ponds before arriving at Hobart in late September, now under the (also appropriated) title of "Chapman's Wonders". Hobart also fell under his spell with exceptional commentary ("… the greatest Wizard that has visited Tasmania") and reviews which noted the production of doves from a flaming pan wearing some missing gold finger rings, the now-familiar pattern-making with the Linking Rings, rising cards, eggs from Willie's mouth, and general astonishment at the Second Sight routine. The season lasted through to early November, after which the wizard steamed northward to Sydney on board the 'City of Hobart' at which time Mrs. Chapman was listed among the passengers.

In Sydney, he opened on November 14 at the same venue which had been used by Heller only a year earlier, the School of Arts in Pitt Street. Advertising made a big play of some illusion called the "Needle Gun" without actually explaining what that was, though it seems to have been a magic gun which could snuff out candles and drill holes in playing cards. Opening night, possibly due to poor weather, was poorly attended but his reviews the next day labelled him as "bordering on the miraculous, thoroughly gratifying and astonishing his audience with his delusions." The season lasted three weeks, followed by appearances in Parramatta.

As 1870 drew to a close, Robert Heller returned from New Zealand, Haidee Heller came back from her journey to England, and the pair settled back at Sydney for a month. Heller, during 1871, would then travel to Tasmania in February, a triumphant return season in Melbourne from April, other Victorian townships through until August, and then back to Melbourne, before finally departing Australia for good, headed for Bombay on September 23.

Chapman was not in competition. Having discovered that his best course of action was to steal a march on Heller by being the first to visit a township, he now travelled north to Queensland.

After appearing at the Theatre Royal (Watt Street) Newcastle and Maitland 'prior to his departure for San Francisco' up to January 21, 1871, he made his move to Brisbane, appearing at the School of Arts from March 6. Here his reviews continued to be good, mentioning the "Million grains of rice" trick which was probably the 'Rice Bowls', and "Vicissitudes of a Muchoir" (handkerchief).

March 1871 - Intending to visit Ipswich, Toowoomba, Warwick, Dalby

March 22 - School of Arts, Ipswich or three nights, with Alfred Wilkie, tenor

April 3 - Royal Hall, Gympie, announcing "first appearance of Mrs. Chapman who will sing several solos."

April 4 - Union Hall, Dalby

April 8 - Ransome's Rooms, Warwick

May 3 - Theatre Royal, Maryborough

May 6 - Varieties Theatre, Gympie

May 13-15 - School of Arts, Rockhampton

June 1 - School of Arts, Rockhampton, raising £11 17s. for the local hospital.

August 3-10 - School of Arts, Rockhampton

September 7 - Drill Hall Rockhampton

November 16 - Benefit night appearance for Mrs. Shaw at Theatre Royal, Rockhampton

January 9 - Rockhampton

February 26, 27 - Oddfellows', Maryborough

March 12 -19 - Yengarie, Owanyilla and Tiaro.

March 30 and April 2 - Royal Hall, Gympie

Further to his settling into local residency, Chapman announced in May his intention to apply for the Publican's Licence of the Exchange Hotel at Gympie. This he did, but the licence was only held until November before being transferred to William Flynn. There are also some indications that he was not having great success with his performances; possibly the population was too small to find a regular audience. On May 20 his pianist took Chapman to court for wages owing, saying that he had played for six nights and had been ready to play for another three, but did not do so because there was no attendance at the shows. In August Chapman was again sued for the cost of hiring a buggy.

For December 19 Chapman announced a show at the Theatre Royal, Gympie, supported by amateur performers and concluding with a pantomime. The Gympie Times wrote, "Mr W.A. Chapman has apparently resolved to keep the ball rolling in the matter of theatrical amusement. He announces an entertainment to tomorrow evening at the Theatre Royal; and we have no doubt that he will give a performance worthy of a good house … Mr. Chapman's lines have not fallen in pleasant places of late, and it is to be hoped that his friends and acquaintances will not hold back on the occasion, but act up to the proverb 'A friend in need' &c. "

1873 rolled in and Mr. Chapman was seen in at Brisbane in March, though again it was remarked that the weather had caused him to sustain losses. He departed Queensland and made some sporadic appearances in Sydney and Newcastle during June, but clearly he was not performing regularly. His June appearances included twelve nights from the 14th, on a variety bill at the Theatre Royal, Sydney, under the billing "Henry Chapman, the Magician of Magicians - Heller Out-Hellered".

Possibly Chapman decided that he had burned through his territory in Australia, and aimed to make a new start. In early October he said a final farewell to Australia and shipped across to New Zealand, opening in Greymouth in early October. His time in New Zealand is documented by Bernard Reid in "Conjurors, Cardsharps and Conmen".  It seems that he was sometimes very successful, and sometimes less so, despite his undoubted talent as a performer, and lauditory reviews. Reid attributes this to a possible over-emphasis on his spiritualistic tricks, and trying to follow the highly successful Madame Cora De Lamond. He was also following in the steps of Heller's earlier tour.

Chapman would tour around the townships of New Zealand (14) for about sixteen months, performing up to February 1875. At some stage his male assistant "Willie" was replaced by a Miss Ida Bonifond. His wife, Emily Knox a.k.a. Mrs. Chapman, does not feature in shipping lists as they moved around the islands. The press mentioned that Chapman had been to New Caledonia (possibly in mid 1873?) but the residents had been "indifferently able or disposed to patronise conjurors."

In July 1874 the Evening Journal (South Australia) reported a most peculiar hoax played upon Chapman at Dunedin. "He was giving an entertainment at the Queen's Theatre, about 10 o'clock one night, and collecting articles from his audience, which he held up - after the style of Heller - while a young lady clairvoyant on the stage described them, a piece of paper folded up was handed to him, which Chapman unsuspectingly asked to be described, when to his horror he was told that it was a summons for an advertising account due to the Otago 'Daily Times and Witness Company'. When the case came before the local Magistrates, Chapman protested against the harsh manner in which the summons was served, but the Bench, in giving judgment for the amount and costs, stated that it had been the means of showing that there really was something in his performances."

In late 1874, travelling with Miss Bonifond (or Bonnifond) and Mr Eugene Beda, a one-legged gymnast and dancer, the Wellington newspapers noted that although Chapman was a conjuror 'of little less proficiency than Heller', he had been in ill-health to the detriment of his season. Again in January 1876 the New Zealand Herald, indicating that Chapman was still in the country, said "we regret to learn that Mr. W.A.Chapman, the 'Somatic Conjuror', who performed in Auckland a few months back, has been seriously indisposed. He is, however, now recovering, and is at present a visitor at the Hot Springs where he is likely to be restored to health. During his stay at the springs the company at the hotel have been very much amused with the free parlour entertainments given by him on several occasions."

As is often the case, clues about our performer's whereabouts start to become scarce in later years. A news report originating from Honolulu in September 1876 (15) said "The Wizard Chapman is here in destitute circumstances. He opened to a good audience some weeks ago, but he made some remarks which offended his patrons, and he has not had a good house since."

In 1877, Chapman's wife Emily made a reappearance in the legal news of Melbourne, in a libel case which ran for several months. Without trawling through the detail, Mrs Emily Ada Chapman alleged that a Richard Lee had intended to defame her character as landlady of the Exchange Hotel, suggesting through his illustrated sensation-rag the "Citizen and Police News"  that she had accepted money for 'immoral purposes'; further, that Lee had approached her to extort hush-money for keeping the story out of his paper.

As part of this case, her relationship with William Chapman was reported. Emily Chapman declared that she had gone with her husband to Tasmania in 1870 for six weeks, had not lived with her husband for about a year and nine months, that he had gone to Fiji and she believed him to be dead though it was discovered during the trial that Chapman had not in fact died, but was at Honolulu.

The case was ultimately abandoned by the Bench, on the basis that the libel was of private nature, and that related charges of extortion were unsustained. Mrs Chapman bore a heavy toll from the loss of this case and, by June 1878 (16) she declared insolvency on the grounds that her furniture and effects had been sold under a bill of sale, sickness, loss of business and heavy legal expenses - deficit of £1097.

By January 1878, William Chapman had returned home to the United States, where he was noted on a bill at Woodward's Gardens in San Francisco, the Dashaway Hall in May, and the YMCA Hall on December 14. Around this time he was interviewed by the San Francisco "Call" which is reproduced below. To date nothing more has been located of Chapman other than a passing reference many years later (17) in 1897 to "Mr W. R. [sic] Chapman, the magician, whose wand rules the festival", and this cannot be confirmed as our subject. His death date is still unknown.

So we return full circle to the original question. What triggered the split between Chapman and Heller? The newspaper interview given in 1878 provides few details, but it does confirm that there had been a falling-out. Some of Chapman's claims in the interview are perhaps designed to reflect well on Chapman, as it cannot possibly be said that Robert Heller suffered any ill-effects from the one-side battle of the conjurors.

Among the many other things which Heller devised for the mystification of the public was what he was please to term "second sight, " or the suppositious transmission of intelligence of the nature of objects from his own mind to that of another far removed from him. Everyone knows with what success the trick was performed in this and eastern cities. It baffled the investigation of savants and newspaper reporters, and was finally acknowledged to have been so cunningly devised as to be inexplicable. Accompanying Heller was a brown haired lady, who appeared on the stage as a blonde, whom he represented as his half-sister, and who was supposed to possess this mysterious power of second sight, at least to appearances having some supernatural attributes of mind which could not be explained.

On Howard street, in this city, at present resides W.H.A. Chapman, a gentleman who travelled with Heller for upwards of six years over a large part of the world, and who claims to have assisted him in constructing the system on which Haidee Heller, the lady above referred to , was enabled to perform such wonderful tricks. [Since the routine was in use many years earlier, and M.H. Levett was an earlier assistant, it could only be said that Chapman might have helped improve the routine].

In conversation with a representative of the Call yesterday, Mr. Chapman stated that Miss Heller was not Miss Heller at all, but a very smart young woman named Miss Rosa Kitts, who became acquainted with Heller in 1863, while the latter was doing his tricks at the Haymarket Theater. [Not correct; Heller was not in England in 1863] It was at this time that Heller and Chapman had about perfected the "second sight" mystery, and as the result showed, proved to be a grand success - the mysterious power in a handsome woman having greater fascinations for the public than in a man. In reply to a direct interrogatory as to the "second sight" mystery, Mr. Chapman refused to explain it. He stated, however, that while it was founded on a system of intonations of Heller's voice when he asked Miss Kitts the question as to what he held in his hand, the fact that no one had ever discovered the secret showed the system to be complicated. The ability to learn and master the trick he considered a gift, which this lady possessed in an eminent degree, and having which, practice was only necessary to render success certain. At one time, after Heller and Chapman had fallen out, and while both were in Australia, the latter organized a "second sight" entertainment on his own hook and totally regardless of Heller's hook, which resulted in considerable excitement in that country. However, as "second sight" competition proved unprofitable to both magicians, the enterprises were soon mutually abandoned.

Haidee's Rebuttal
Chapman's interview was republished by the New York Times on December 22, 1878. On the following day a letter to the Editor was published (page 3) under Haidee Heller's name:

(1) See, for instance, essays by:

Sidney Wrangel Clarke - "The Annals of Conjuring" (Magico Magazine 1983 and others)

Henry Ridgely Evans in "The Old and the New Magic" (1906), "History of Conjuring and Magic" (1928), and "Melody Magic" (compiler Harry L. Clapham, Washington D.C. 1932)

Dr Charles J. Pecor - "The Magician on the American Stage 1752-1874", Emerson and West, Washington D.C. 1977. (Probably the most extensive writing on Heller)

David Price - "Magic - a Pictorial History of Conjurers in the Theater" (Cornwall Books 1985)

and contemporary research by Dean Carnegie at http://www.themagicdetective.com/2011/01/go-to-heller-part-1.html

(2) Dean Carnegie's blog (above) also gives a plausible explanation of why Heller retired, having lost his money in a building speculation. However Heller was still performing in early 1855; note, for example, his appearance at the Liberty Hall, Alexandria VA on February 22 1855 with his "Casket of Wonders".

(3) New York daily tribune, February 14, 1853.

(4) S.W.Clarke - "The Annals of Conjuring" p.176. Real name Morris H. Levett - his real name is identified in various sources including M-U-M magazine May 1919.

Another known assistant, possibly later in the 1870s, was Fred Hunt Jr., who wrote an expose of Second Sight in the London Times, following Heller's death. This was published in Albert J.Hopkins' "Magic: Stage Illusions and Scientific Diversions" in another essay by Henry Ridgely Evans; also in a booklet "How to do Second Sight" (1898)

(5) New York Clipper, July 20 1867

(6) The Conjurers' Monthly Magazine Vol 1 No. 4 December 1906

(7) "Kellar's Wonders" by Mike Caveney and Bill Miesel. Mike Caveney's Magic Words 2003

(8) The Age, Melbourne, October 29 1869

(9) Ballarat Star, December 3 1869

(10) The Public Record Office of Victoria holds documents relating to a civil case from 1869, between a George Henry Jamison and WA Chapman (1869/3856 Series number VPRS 267, Consignment P007, Unit number 199). While these have not been inspected, it may be that Jamison was the same "Jamieson of the City Buffet" who had supplied Chapman's bail and later made some claim against him. Another possibility is that he was the 'private creditor' whose action in Ballarat caused the sale of some of Chapman's apparatus.

(11) Details of the court case - see especially:

Geelong Advertiser, December 14 1869 p.3

Apology letter - The Herald January 8 1870 p.1

(12) Avoca mail April 16, 1870

(13) The Age, June 15, 1870 p.3

(14) Further detail on Chapman's travels in New Zealand can be sourced from the online newspaper archive at paperspast.natlib.govt.nz

(15) Published in the Australasian, September 23, 1876 attributed to Honolulu

(16) The Herald June 24, 1878 p.3

(17) Portland Daily Press, October 18, 1897, p.5 referring to the "Great Maine Festival"