Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1858-09-14
sTAI7NTON VIRGINIA. TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER IA, 1858.
A Diabolical Exhibition.

I, SEFlEMbEh II, i
A Diabolical Exhibition.
"In the year 1882" said to us yesterday dis.
tinguisbed legal gentleman of New Orleans, 81
visited Paris, in the course of an European tour
that nv Amerieanism might be polished down
by little attriton among the geDteel particles
of Partisan society. found the world OF faris
in very considerable state of excitement IN
consequence of an extraordinary performance
which was nightly exhibited by an eastern lng-
ger, and which was nothing more or less than
the apparent deeapitaton of o man in qhe pres
ence OF an audience, and under the very noses OF
a committee of medical gentlemen who stood
only so far distant while the operation was be-
ing performed TO escape the swing of the long
two edged sword with which the juggler snote
off the head. | went to see this exhibition,
which took place in theatre, in company with
several American gentlemen. The theatre was
crowded with between two and three thousand
spectators, and the curtain was up and displaying
a common table, six feet long, upon the stage at
the very edge of which obtained seat, hay-
ing gone very early.
AT the given time the juggler, singular look
sleeves rolled up to the shoulders and bearing q
long, heavy two edged sword. he upset the Ia
be upon the boards and showed that there was
no concealed drawer or other recess, and placed
it in the blaze of the footlghts near the edge OF
the stage. In few words ne stated what ne
was going to do, and requested some OF the an-
dience to come forward and stand upon the
stage, that they might see there 'scas no decep-
tion." A number Of medical gentlemen who
had been chosen as q committee to lnVesugate
the matter, if possible, took their position upon
the stage, and soon after the victim, who had
been sitting in the parquette, mounted the stage
removed his coat and cravat, turned back his
shirt collar, and laying down upon his back on
the table, elevated his chin to more fairly expose
his neck to the headsman's weapon. The Jug
gler then raised his keen and fearful looking
sword, and giving it o wide sweep, brought it
down. say brought it down upon the neck, for
no one could see that he did not, even those
within three feet Of him-upon the neck OF the
subject with great force! a.4s sI
Blood spurted high into the air, some of it fall
ing on our party, and deluged the stage, while
the most fearful sound, g something between
groan and shrek of horror from the whole as
semblage, shook the building, and numerous
women and some males fell fainting in their seats
and were borne out by the ushers of the house.
The iuggler raised his sword again, repeated the
blow, I'd the discovered head fell upon the floor
Taking t by the hair he held it up to the audi,
ence for sull FIVE minutes, until the blood had
ceased to flow from the severed arteries, the
lower jaNI,hRd fallen and the face had assumed
the appe8 8Ss@ce of corpse's; then throwing it
heavily upafthe stage, he requested the COM
rnittee to examine it, which they did, passing it
from hand to hand. They then examined the
body upon the table from the headless neck of
which tbes5lood had not yet ceased 70 drop Upon
the fiodc the stage they lifted the limbs and
let them fall with the limp inertia OF Efeless
matter; md of course pronounced the man dead
to all in.ents and purposes.
Aftasthey had concluded their investigation,
the iuggler informed the audience that ne was
going to put the mans head on again, and res
tore him to life. Taking rp the head he laid it
on the table, fitted the two parts OF the neck to
each other, and begun to mutter and make signs
oysr the corpse. In about five minutes the late
ly decapitated man slowly turned his ghastly,
and altogether horrible face-white as snow
towards the audience, and an excitement follow
ed exceeding, if anything, that which occurred
when the first blow of the sword fell. In few
moments the eyelids gradually opened and dis
played the eyes wearing q CLASSY, corpse-ilke
Stare; by degrees, iife-iks speculation came
into them, some color returned to the face; and
after stretching his limbs, the man arose from
the table, resumed his coat, walked down from
the stage and mingled with the crowd.
Tie exhibition was over. The neck Of the
apparently decapitated man bore a red mark and
scar around it, like the cicatrce ota newly heal
ed wound. All this ! saw with my own eyes,
which were as efectualy deceived as those OF
tens of thousands of other persons. l could in
no way, consistently with reason, account tor
any feature of this horribly thrilling feat OF
trickery. l have never heard of the trick being
performed by any other man, and very possibly
it originated and died with him. However it
is scarcely more unaccountable than many often
displayed feas of the adroit fraternity Of Eastern
juggers.--N. D. True Delta.