Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1858-10-14
A Diabo!icaI Exhibition.

L
Paris, in the course of a Europeal
tour. that my Americanism nigh
be polished down by a little attritior
among the genteel particles Of Pa
risian society. found the worldSo
Paris in a very considerable state o
excitement in consequence OF an ex
trsordinary performance which Wal
nightly exhibited by AN eastern jug
gler, and which was nothing more
nor less than the apparent decapita'
tion of man in the presence OF an
Audience, aGd under the very noses
of "a committee of -emedical gentle
men wbo stood only SO far distant
while the operation Was being per-
formed as TO escape the swing Of the
long two edged sword With which the
juggler smote off the head. | went
to see this exhibition, which took
place in a theatre, in company with
several Americans. The theatre was
crowded with between two and three
thousand spectators, and a curtain
was up displaying common table,
six feet long. upon the stage, at the
very edge of which ! obtained u
seat, having gone very early.
AT the given time, the juggler, a
singular looking man, came upon the
stage, with his shirt sleeves rolled up
to the shoulders, and bearing long,
heavy two-edged sword. He upset
the table on the boards and showed
that there was no concealed drawer
or other recess, and placed it in the
blaze of the foot lights near the
edge Of the stage. Ina few words
be explained what be was going to
do, and requested some of the audi.
ence to come forward aud stand up.
on the stage, that they might see
there was no deception" A number
of medical gentlemen who had been
chosen as a committee to investigate
:he matter, if possible, took theil
position upon the stage and soon af.
ter the victim, who bad been sitting
in the parquette, mounted the stage
removed his coat and cravat, turned
back his shirt collar, and, laying
down on bis back on the table, eleva'
ted his chin to more fairly expose
his neck to the headsmans weapon
The juggler then raised bis keen and
fearful looking sword, and, giving il
wide sweep brought it down.
say brought it down upon the neck
for no one could see thas be did not
even those witbing three feet of hin
upon the neck Of the subject witt
great force! Blood spurted high in
to the air. some of it falling on our
party, and delpged the stage, while
the most fearful sound, something
between a groan ind shrek OF hor
ror from the whole assemblage
shook the building, and numerou
women and come males fell faintinI
in their seats, and we're borne out b,
the ushtrs of the house. The jug
gler raised his sword again, repaate
the blov. and the discovered hen
fell upon the floor! Taking it b
the hair he held it up to the aud
ence for full FIVE minutes, until til
blood had ceased 10 flow from tn
severed arteries, the lower jaw ha
f lien andthe face had assumed th
appearance Of corpse's; then throw
, iDg it heavily upon the stage, he II
quested the committeeeto examir
; it, which they did, passing it fro
hand to hand. They then exami
, el the body opon the table, fro
the headless neck Of which the bloc
! had not yet ceased to drop upon Il
:, floor of the stage; they lifted Il
limbs and let them fall with tt
limp inertia Of lifeless matter. and
course. pronounced the man dead
: all intents and purposes.
. After they had concluded their
. vesiigation, the juggler informed {
. audience that he was going to P
the mans head on again, and reste
!. him TO life. Taking up the head
. laid it on the table, fitted the t.
n parts Of the neck to each other, a.
: began to mutter and make sigus ov
the corpse. In about five minutes t
lately decapitated man slowly turn
. bis ghastly and altogether horrib
J. face. white as snow, toward the an
o once, and an excitement followed 6