The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1869-05-01 00:00:00

A CONJUROR SHOT.

The following deplorable accident interrupted the
performance at the Cirque Napoleon in Paris, the
other evening :—Dr. Epstein, who was perform-
ing tricks of prestidigitation, had just terminated
his first, and was commencing the second. For this
last he made use of a gun, which he himself charged
with a handkerchief thrust into the barrel by means of
a ramrod. He then offered the weapon to a spectator,
with directions to take good aim and fire it at the
doctor, promising to receive the charge on the point of
a sword. The man refused, but another person ac-
cepted. The word to fire was given, but the moment
after the piece went off the doctor staggered and fell to
the ground, excla:naing, "I am a dead man! " Several
persons hastened to his assistance, and a surgeon being
sent for, the unfortunate peformer was removed to his
own residence in a very dangerous state. Naturally a
great sensation was excited amongst the spectators,
although few were aware of thefull extent of the injury
done. It appears that the slight piece of wood used in
ramming down the charge had broken in the barrel,
and that a piece of it perforated the conjuror's right
lung. It is extremely doubtful whether he will re-
cover.

Commenting upon the above case, the Daily Naas
gives the follovring instance of the dangers a conjuror
encounters :
' • -

bert Houdin used to lay that if the public knew what
passes through the mind of a conjuror when he sees the
barrel of a pistol turned towards him in the course of a '' fire-
arm trick," they would perhaps give him credit for as much
nerve and courage as the bravest soldier shows in battle. Au
0111151ii1,11 in some trifling point, the breaking off of a small
part of the false ramrod, or of the real bullet as it is being
withdrawn, may make the discharge fatal. Often, too, the
trick is anew one, and some miscalculation may make the
plan a failure where failure may mean death.
A circumstance in lioudin's life shows how daringly the
conjurors who amuse us will often play with danger, depend-
ing on their ready fingers to secure their safety. Ile had
performed some startling firearm tricks before a party of
Arabians, making use, of course, of the ordinary form of
conjuring pistol, which Is so contrived that the ramrod
withdraws the bullet. While the rest of the party were
expres,ing their admiration, a crafty old 31arabout, who
had some suspicion of the true nature of the trick,
said, " The stranger is doubtless a strong magician ;
"will he suffer me to fire at him with my own pistols?"
" Yea," said Houdin unhesitatingly, but first I must make
invocation to those who assist me." The next day he met
the same party, and offered a saucerful of bullets to the in-
spection of the 31ara1,out. Satisfied that they were lead—as
indeed they were—the Arab handed his pistols to Houdin,
who loaded them, using the Arab's ramrod. His own friends
were in terror, and even his wife, well as the knew his
skill, was in perplexity when she saw him hand back
to the Arab one of the loaded pistols. 'Now fire,'
he said. The Arab did so, and Houdin was seen
with the bullet between his teeth. "Bah !" he said,
seizing the other pistol, "you cannot use your own weapon.!
See here. You have wen unable to draw blood from my
fiesta, and I will draw blood from yonder wall." He alined at
the wall, fired, and immediately a stain of blood was seen.
The Marabout went up to the wall, and when be had dipped
Ids finger in the blood which was trickling down, his awe
and atuaryment were so great that his features assumed a
ghastly has. Yet the trick WIIS simple enough, two prepared
bullets having been akilfully substituted by Houdin for the
leaden bullets he took up from the saucer. But the experi-
ment was quite new, and Houdin tells us that he trembled,
and could scarcely control his terror, as he saw the Marabout
drawing the trigger of the pistol.