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Around May 1890 Oscar appeared at the Walker Opera House with another amateur organization, the Black Bird Minstrels. It was not until he saw Alexander Herrmann, however, that he started to think of a professional career. In January 1893 Oscar performed at the Opera House, Bountiful, and in February/April he made appearances with a group of professionals, the Deseret Minstrels, including a three month season at the Salt Lake Theatre, a tour of states surrounding Utah, and a return performance at the Grand Theatre, Salt Lake City. Around this time he made a name for himself by exposing and duplicating the 'spirit manifestations' of Anna Eva Fay. A Dr. Waite was similarly exposed, in order to settle a wager of $1,000.
He made a tour of the United States in 1896, backed by a Major Silva, displaying such illusions as "Escape from the Gallows", "After the Ball", and two more of which we shall speak later, the "Japanese Trunk Mystery" and the "Mysterious Cycle Ride". He met with great success, and ended the tour with a season at the Grand Opera House.
Oscar had previously met up with a young lady, Edmunda Hammer. Her full name was Juliana Edmunda Virginia Hammer, but she was known as 'Verge', and may have been connected to the Maltese and Hammer minstrels mentioned previously. Edmunda was engaged in performing the same feats as
Lulu Hurst, otherwise known as the 'Georgia Magnet', in which she would defy committees of men to lift her from the ground (making use of the principles of leverage to defeat them). Oscar was attracted, and they were married on May 21, 1892. Though they were married under the rites of the Mormon Church, Oscar appears not to have had strong associations with church in later years.
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