Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-12-03
SOME PRACTICAL JoKfRs.

The late Count Bellayitis, an eminent
mathematician Of Padua, some time before
his death prepared letter to a friend at
Rome, informing this friend that the
writer had Just died. Count Bellavitis left
a space in this strange epistle for the date
to be inserted, and had instructions pre-
pared for his executors that when he died
the day was to be flied in and the letter
sent to it's destination. The Instructions
were faithfully cbeyed and the grim joke
was completed, and the first intimation the
Roman friend had of the death of Count
Bellavitis was the receipt Of letter from
him stating the fact. The grim pleasantly
was not original, az in the last century a
Frenchman wrote on his dying bed letter
to friend dated year ahead and describ-
| ing his experiences in hell. and left it to
his execu tors to be mailed at the expiration
of a year. August 10, 1880, number of
New Workers were hoaxed by 4 communica-
ton to morning paper announcing the
writer's intention of shooting himself at
P. NJ. on the rock in the lake in Central
Park, opposite the Mall. Unfortunately
he failed to keep faith with the public.
Mr.. Fairfax Williamson, whose persecution
of the Rev. Morgan Dix will be remem-
bered, and the unknown man who sent
Mr.. L. P Brooks, ticket agent OF the B.
and o. Railroad in the city, wagon after
wagon loaded with meat, fruit and
vegetables, c. o. D., were commonplace
| imitators of Theodore Hook and much less
able than the facetious young lady of Phil
| adelphia who several years ago issued
the name of one OF Mr.. Child's near neigh
f..1I ofi
tions so as to include fifty assorted
pairs of mortal enemies-and then
kindly ordered magnificent dinner
| from a restaurant for the occasion. A
decidedly sensational practical joke was
perpetrated in Brazil on the occasion OF the
| introduction of new safety brake, Dom
Pedro, who was on the train, being an ac-
complete. At one part of the line, where
it passes through a cutting bounded by
rocks, gigantic construction of lath and
canvas, painted to represent a mass of fallen
rock, was placed on the rails so that the
driver would catch sight of it just as he
rounded q curve He did so, and stopped
the train in a hurry, SO that both the joke
and the trial were successful. But sup
pose he had jumped off? When the steamer
Potosi left Plymouth recently for Aus
tralia a practical joker cried out, " Man
overheard /" A life boat was lowered, but
the falls became entangled, and FIVE men
were plunged into the water, two being
drowned At Linthwaite, Eng., John Dis
kin, boy of sixteen, thought it would be
great fun to scare his mate, lad of Is, by
throwing rope round his neck and put
ting the end of it round the machine shaft.
The object of the joke was dashed to pieces.
At Sixty-fourth street. New York, in Au-
gust last, Pietro Franchi's mates under
took to wake him from his nap by wheel.
ing truck with man on it against him.
It struck him On the head and killed him.
At Chicago, NJ. B. Gould, prominent
business man, resolved to scare the janitoI
by overturning things in his room and hid
ing in the closet. While he was chuekling
with companion over the success of theil
strategem, the janitor, having vainly sum
moned the alleged burglar to surrender,
fired through the door and killed him.