The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1882-01-15
.rhc Lord of Fire.

uow THE nRAfNe or A SPECTATOR WE'RE
nIowS OUT ny TIE CANNON OF AN Acko-
Rat. ,
frightful accident took place on the
o-th ultimo at the Oxford Theatre OF VAN,
cttcs. New road. A Chinaman na'heu
Ling Look, who IL described rs "Ine Loiu
Of Fire, Cannon, and Sword" had almost
closed his performance, his final feat being
10 balance cannon on sword when nc
holds in his mouth. In this position, SAYS
the London Telegraph, the cannon
which Is yard long, with threc-
inch bore, is fred-of course ON!
having a small charge. AT night ne
requested the audience in the gallery 10 W
seated prior to getting his gun into posi-,
tiou, and the Chinaman further cNpiaineo
his REQUEST. The Chnaman then placed
the point OF his sword in hole in the can.
non, and passed il down his throat, so Una.
/ fine cannon rested across his face. HIS
/ wife. who takes part in the entertainments
/ then applied red-hot iron to the iouch-
/ hole. The report followed. Just at that
moment a lad Of fifteen, named emytne,
who was sitting on the front row oil tue
/ left side OF the gallery. unfortunately
projected his head, and was struck with
I a large pellet Of paper, which had been III
some incxplicablc manner placed IN lhc
cannon. The pellet was about the size OF
small orange. This completely scattered
the poor lads brains IN all directions.
The scene i'm the hall was most horrible.
The blood bespattered number OF people
sitting around the lad, and scene OF con-
fusion followed. Shouts were heard TO
proceed from the gallery and some cries on
"Fire!" and rush was made TO tne
doors. fully half the audience leaving. Az
one time il looked ~ il panic would
occur with serious results. The chlir-
man. with either great presence OF
mind or perhaps not knowing the cA-
tent Of the disaster, announced the next
artist. and this to some degree re-
stored something approaching order. lie
fore any appearance could be made, now
ever, an intimation rs to the nature OF the
occurrence was conveyed 10 the chairman,
and he promptly closed the performance.
Medical aid was at once procured, but IL
was Of no avail, the poor lad having beeh
instantaneously killed. The scene in the
ball, rs described by those present, was OF
the most horrible character. Blood ran
over the side Of the gallery, and the scene
was CHASTITY in the extreme. screams loi-
lowed the shot, which Ii was at hrsi
thought were the result OF tundty; bul
on the mangled head Of the lad being seen
panic for time held its sway. In the
rush out OF the hall several were
bruised. but not seriously. The poor
lads remains were taken to the
mortuary at the Town Hall, where they
await an inquest. Ling Look has been APP
pretended, and will be brought before The
magistrates. IL is stated that he was care
fully explicit in asking his audience to
keep their heads low and out OF the line Of
fire. The pellet is stated TO have com
pact ball OF paper almost rs hard as wood
Ling Look, on being apprehcndcd, he moi
being able to speak English, wrote that ht
did not cause the death OF the lad, mean
ing, no doubt, that he did not do so vii
fully. 1t is not thought that Ling Lool
knew Of the pellet being in the cannon.