The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-07-03
VOL. IV.-NO. 80.
: r
TaIbot's Steady Nerve.

Jack Talbot, the minstrel comedian was
wonderful shot with pistol. In talking
upon this subject he said:
swell, shot occasionally In public, but
1t was not until, think, 1862, that I gave
an exhibition on Il theatrical stage. That
| was In San Francisco. BY the way, there
| good story In connection with the affair.
johnny Dc Angels, one of the company.
agreed to let me shoot an apple from his
| head, after had demonstrated practically
that there was no danger. in it. A few days
before the exhibition his nerve forsook him,
and ne rcsorted to neat little str9tagem to
test the accuracy Of my aim. We were to
nave rehearsal that mo. o.nipg, and when
got on the stage was surprised to sec Dc
ANGELS propping up'a skeleton against my
that thing2 l asked. Il want, YOU to
shoot an apple Off Its head he answered,
Just to SEQ whore:the ball will hit if YOU
miss tho mark fred y few shots, split
ting the apple each time, and that reassured
him. Before the show was gwen we heard
that the city officials would object to the
shooting on the ground OF its danger, aud
we invited them to witness 1t. The night
came and Do Angels, who had previously
taken an affcctfonate farewell Of his wife,
stood like statue, waiting for the first shot.
l used large-bore Colts revolver. I fired
and Clipped off the Upper part of the apple
Shoot little closer, said Johnny, who
wanted to show his nerve This time l
sent the bullet through the centre. Closer
again said johnny, who was growing more
courageous The third shot du4, out the
bottom of the apple and raised lock of his
halr. 'Ihat VIII do,' said he; that's low
enough.
''Blly Birch had q benefit in Frisco IN
1854, aud volunteered for him. That time
Woman held the apple. During that year
John K. liackett, who was then living in
California, had a wide reputation as
crack shot. Some friends arranged match
between us but for sO.ne reason or other
it did not come off. Dan Bryant, who was
bosom friend Of mine. had great faith in
my shooting. When he was leaving Cali
fornia, in 1869, big party of US went
down to the steamship to see him of.
There was no Pacific railroad in tn ose days.
Dan got up on the hurricane deck, and
shouted to me: Got your pistol, Jack p
Yes, said |. Dan held bottle OF wine
Oh the palm of his hand and said: Lets
sec you uncork this l bazed away and
knocked the cork out without breaking tho
bottle. Dan drank my health as tho ship
carried him out of the Golden Gate l gave
several exhibitions after that, generally as.
sisted by De Angels, who often held up Il
twenty-five cent piece for me TO shoot from
his fingers, at Il distance of about forty.tive
feet. My best feat was ignting a match
with bullet without breaking the match"
'Iou never knew George Winship7n
"Ncver met him." ..7.
''Wcli, George and were travelling with
Wilson's circus few years ago, performing
this shooting act, lie doing the standing.
While III Oakland the act was placed well
down on the bill, and when we came Into
the ring the candles in the chandciers-it
was before oifand gas were introduced as
circus luminarics-had burned 80 low that
they shed very dim light. There was no,
an apple to be had, and had to substitute
lime for it. I fired and the bullet hit the
lime faily, but the concussion raised lump
on Georges head lie died about three
years after Of paralysis, and he always
blamed thu: shot as the origin of it, but
never could believe II had anything to do
with it," .....,s ..
Frank Fraync. who is now an expert
rifie-shot, has often stood for nlo, and 80
has my wife, but have never injured q
halr of their heads DR.. Carver, whomi
regard as the most wonderful. shot In the
world, performs many fcats with the rifle
which | hive often accomplished with the
pistol, both mounted and on foot. In Gold
Hill, New, l shot match at rs yards
against Henry rife, using "A Colts re-
volvor. The target was a medium sized sGr-
dine box put six balls through it, against
my opponents five. l have performed
with Woods, Campbcll's Moore s. Bar
gucsss in London, Carncross & Dixeys
and other well known minstrel troups, 80
that my time has been well taken up; but
a few days practice with the pistol and iii
guarantee to show you in private some
points in pistol shooting that you never
dreamed Of"