Hocus Pocus:
Magician on target with predictions
By SARA FRISCHKORN
Journal Staff Writer

COLUMBIANA --- Some news was good news for a local magician who successfully predicted headlines in two local newspapers yesterday.

Michael Dustman, self-taught magician, opened two envelopes which were sealed and notarized in Eastern Area County Court last Thursday. Dustman claimed the envelopes would each contain front-page headlines for stories in the Morning Journal and Salem News Friday.

He had written each headline on a piece of paper that was signed, dated, stamped and sealed in the papers’ respective envelopes last week. The envelopes have been in the possession of the newspapers since then.

With Judge Mark Frost as witness, reporters met in Columbiana at Frost’s office to open the envelopes yesterday morning.

Dustman asked that everyone in the room examine the envelopes to be sure they were not tampered with or split open. He asked this reporter to open the Journal’s envelope.

The legal envelope contained a smaller manila envelope, in which was the folded paper placed in it last week.

Trembling ever so slightly, Dustman took the smaller envelope and pulled out the folded paper. The paper was unfolded and it read: “The headline for Friday, Aug. 6, on the front page of the Morning Journal will read to the effect of: State to create new state route roads to Route 11.”

The Morning Journal front page sitting on Frost’s desk proved Dustman knew what he was doing. Below the fold read the headline: “ODOT unveils 3 possible Route 30 paths.” The story goes on to say the three proposed routes each lead to Route 11.

A Salem News headline reading “Clinton’s tax bill squeaks through House” corresponded almost identically with Dustman’s prediction.

Another feat accomplished by Dustman yesterday sent chills up this reporter’s spine.

He asked that I pick a card from a deck spanned face down before me. I pointed to a card and he asked that I keep my finger on it.

I was allowed to keep the card, showing others in the room, but not him. Later, he pointed to an advertisement in Friday’s Morning Journal on page 2 that read “You will select the three of hearts.”

Indeed that was the card I had in my possession and the advertisement was placed the previous day.

How does he do it? We may never know, but he assures his fans it was merely a trick.

“I’m not a psychic or a mentalist, “ Dustman said. “I’m just a rookie.”

Dustman, a 1992 graduate of Columbiana High School, will be performing at the Harvey S. Firestone Park Festival of the Arts at 1 p.m. today.