Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-04-06
SfGstcllanrous.
A DECIDEDLY TALL STORY.
PnTLApELPHIA. March 10th. 1861


| .Messrs. Editors IL noticed several days
ago, in the Bulletin, clipped article, relating
the wonderful powers Of the East India Magi-
clans. II you will grant me u short space iu
your columns, will tell yon Of what cousid.
er much stranger teat-a feat so strange
| and so completely counterisiting reality, that
1t Was dihcut matter to believe il to be de.
ception. The Trick Of lpgerdemain was per.
formed ten years betore>l saw it by the same
man. | was a student Of medicine 10 Paris
in 1889, and in company with other Ameri-
| cans, tired of the hum drum, monotonous lifo
of the Quarter Latiu, frequently roamed
through the new city, on the west bank of the
Seine. Concerts and operas, gardens and
singing cafes, bazaars and boutiques, we're all
visited by US Que evening, at early dusk,
! party of us were strolling through the Rue
| Richelieu, end when near the 8oulevards, our
attention was drawn to flaming poster of an
Eastern jugger. W ho was performing at some
hall on the Boulevard du Temple. Among
the things very wonderful, this man We uld cut
| of the bead OF living man, and defy any one
to surprise him in the trick Being consider
! ably accustomed to manipulating with the
| knife on the dead, and being thoroughly hard
ened to all sights Of horror, we determined to
go aud see this wonderful necromancer. At
the hour appointed, We repaired TO the hall,
and obtuiued seat near the stage. After
| performing wonderful tricks, the magician
came forward and announced his feat for the
evening, the actual decapitatiOn OF a living
nau apparently. To prevent feelings of hor-
roI among the ladies, he assured the audience,
it was q trick Of legerdemsn. mere slight Of
hand that be did not, 10 reality intend to cut
the mans head off. With this explanation,
be invited any one in the audience, desirous
OF capital punishment, to step forward, prom
isng speedy satisfaction.
For some moments no one appeared anxious
for the honor. At length soldier, private
in the infautry, stepped forward and slgnifed
his readiness TO be decspitated. There could
have been, 1t was plain, 10 cOnnivance between
the men. no man dare assume the martial
bearing OF France, without authority. Di-
rectIng the man to divest himself of bis coat
and neck.tle, or stock, the magician brought
out his instrument of death. 1t was an eDor
nous knife. resembling ponderous cleaver.
lie threw 1t down to show its weight, and il
left large iapress in the boards. There
was 10 deception 10 The weight Of the knife.
Ii then made the man lie down, and placing
The soldiers head fair in block the magician
fixed a long handle to his enormous knife and
proceeded very lesurely, end with heavy well
directed strokes, to chop the mans head off
During this, he merely lowered the foot lights
without obscuring the view at all, Cries ol
horror and amaZement burst from the terror
stricken audience, ss with every descending
blow of the cleaver, the blood spirited away
The man who was undergoing the operation
simply quivered through bis lower limbs.-
Coon the dismembered head rolled on the floor
the blood issued n jets from the cut arteries
and the jaws dropped, while the eyes turned
up in death. 1t was horrible sight. Tb,
magician then took the bleeding head by th,
hair, and passed 1t no. more than three fee
before our party 1t seemed TO me dreadful
reality. l almost expected to see ferc
gen ddrme seize aud arrest the murderer
Suddenly, but only for an instant. the roou
, was darkened In a second all was light ag ain
And we saw the magician busy at work, coap
itating the head to the bleeding trunk. Di
gently ho worked, and for some moments, az
parently to no purpose. All at once. howey
4 er, be slapped the dead soldier smarty on th
i back Immediately the man arose fell ana
iously around bis neck; looked foolisbl
around, and descended amidst the audienc,
This is a yeritabe affair, and there are liyin
Q within three hundred miles Of PHILADELPHIA
= those who can vouch for its truth.
}. Very respectfully, STUDENT.