The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1878-04-19
NUMBER 1s.
A STARTLING TRAGEDY.

STARTLING TRAGEDY.
efFoy1DENoE, Il. l., April 5.-A terrible
tragedy occurred this evening at the Opera
House, In Pawtucket in this State, during
one OF those sensati6nni and reckless exhi.
bitions IN craftsmanship, originally intro.
duced on the stage by Frank Fraync and
he ste,, Miss Cara Butler. In this in.
-steee tho, holder Of the rife wac a woman.
ana ebe ipsiaatl 3 killed an pther woman who
s,as "a hoidi22 apple aimA q at on her head.
Oh Monda tast a variety aompany, hailine
from thS Mszart Gardeaf In the cisS Of
siSroek!yp, ". y eonmenl ia an engage
,n,eut at the, PeFknIkas 0pd NIouse fbe;r
peffor,nanco s4nsA character
IExQeafas sfsx,i - =; Iliaa h.sNr.'.
JssSifss Ffa6E INF Isl q began "a Sy bv
lAtihs at a target and fsfots objects,
closing that part df kpsa afsru,snee by
shooting at an apple pl Esa on i che. head Of
another member of .thd bonpany; known as
eae 9, nerfSrnse uS,a%ee VINO sia ppeared as trap
SHOOTING wfrn A AvEpLEoTED AIM.
~ In order to intensity the sensational char
acter Of this act, Miss Franklin, instead of
taking direct aim at the apple on Mile. Vo-
lantes head, faced in an opposite direction
and obtained her range by means of small
mirror placed at the wing This mirror has
to be arranged at such an angle that its
face will bring the face of the person sun.
porting the apple directly in the centre of
the glass. The holder of the rife places
the weapon over her right shoulder, keeping
40 frIO IL
to her shoulder, and then takes aim through
the sights at the reflected image before her.
The trick has been repeatedly accomplished
with success, but it requires great coolness
and steadincss to strike the reflected apple
with precision, and has always been deemed
a foOlhardy and dangerous experiment.
A STARTLING TRAGEDY.
This evening the variety entertainment
passed off as usual until the rife shooting
act, when the audience was Mortified by see
ing the unfortunate trapeZc performer shot
dead. Miss Franklin displayed consider
able skill in hitting her target and other OBJ
jects while firing directly at them, ard she
seemed confident and assured when the final
feat was to be attempted. Mile. Volante
stepped alcrtly to her station, smiling at the
an ordinary sized one, on the top of her
head, where it rested in her luxuriant hair,
she stood motionlcss as statue. Miss
Franklain also took her station near the
tootights in front Of the mirror, and delib-
erately aimed over her shoulder through the
glass at her ll>fatcd friend The audience
sat in silence, curously watching the per-
formers and suspeeting some deceitful trick,
when suddenly the trigger was pulled and
at the same instant IL shrek resoundcd
through the hall and the unfortunate Vol
ante fell forward on the stage.
A HoRRIFIED AUDIENCE.
Everything was now in confusion, both
before and behind the footlights, the audi
encc being in state of terror at the denouc-
m,em of what had promised to be only
pleasant. bit of sensation. At first it was
only supposed that Mile. Volante had been
wounded, but it was not many minutes be-
| fore the news spread that the woman had
been instatly killed, the fatal bullet having
entered her forehead and pierced the brain
Miss Franklin was Immediately placed under
arrest by the local police, and is now locked
up to await the action of the coroner Sho
seemed to be half crazcd with horror at the
occurrence, only realizing the recklessness
Of her act when it was too late. Mile. Vo-
lantc, who so suddenly closed her career in
this shocking manner, has only been on the
variety stage four or five weeks, and no one
at Pawtucket or here seems to know her
history The tragedy has naturally caused
great excitement in the Town of Pawtucket.
This accident will, of course, put a stop to
all such exhibitions, no matter who may at
tempt them.