The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-08-18
NEW BULLET PROOF SHIELD.
Was Not Pierced by Fifty Calibre
Rifle Ball

that bullet-proof clothing will soon
become so common that no we'll
regulated family will be without it.
The class of maiden ladies who
are accustomed to carry life pre-
servers and fire escapes in their
trunks when they travel will pro5a-
bly, add this new means of protec-
ton, and signs announcing fire
sales of the new clothing may be
expected to appear on the Bowery
before winter.
The latest aspirant for bullet
proof honors is Hermann Zeitung,
who was formerly a Vienna tailor.
He stands four feet one inch in his
stocking feet, and is thirty-two
years old. He attained some no.
toriety four years ago by travelling
about in a pyramidal wooden box,
which he had shipped as freight.
When he arrived in Paris from
Vienna he was arrested for beating
the railroad and fined 100 francs,
which was paid by LIE Petit Jour
nal. Zeitung had made wager
with some Vienna students to go
around the world in his box.
From Paris he was shipped to Am
sterdam, Antwerp, Christiana,
Stockholm, Berlin, Hamburg, Lon
don, Glasgow, Halifax, Boston,
New York and Chicago. When he
reached the western part of the
United States, however, he met
with insuperable obstacles. He
was generally taken for a train
robber, and finally he gave up the
experiment and lost his bet.
Zeitung says he invented his
bullet-proof cloth two years before
Herr Dove invented his, and he
produces a programme to show
that he exhibited his coat in Cop
enhagen on April s, 1892. Doves
first exhibition took place on April
s, 1894. Zeitung says that some
of Doves men worked for his own
employer in Copenhagen, and
partly learned the secret of his in
vention, thus furnishing the basis
for Doves cloth. He claims supe-
riority for his own, however, on
the ground that it is elastic and
flexible and not as thick as other
bullet-proof cloth. He has applied
for a patent, but will let nobody
examine or handle it. He says
that pitch, tar, and sand enter into
its composition. Dove and Len
nard are trying to interest their
Government in their inventions,
but lettings will be devoted to
public exhibition at so much
spectator.
Yesterdays exhibition took
place at 3 P. NJ. in the basement of
the Seventh Regiment Armory,
says the New York Sun. The |
shield was in the shape of a large
sized liver pad and was about an
inch thick. 1t was made to resem-
bic the front view of a uniform
and had two rows of brass buttons. |
Il can't let you handle this" said |
Zeitung, "but for 5000 l will take |
knife and cut it OPEN" He as
sured the spectators that its weight |
was from six to eight pounds.
When it had been strapped over
his chest a white disk was pinned !
on it for the marksman to aim at.
Eight shots were fired by Zeitung's |
marksman, Harry Romano, with a
32-calibre Winchester at range of
eighteen feet, and Zeitung didn't |
move a muscle when he was
struck.
Captain William II. Palmer, in
spector of rifle practice of the Sew
enth Regiment, suggested a trial |
with one of the regulation 50-cali-
bre rifles. Romano refused to take
chances with a gun he was not &C
quainted with, but Zeitung said
that Captain Palmer could fire
himself if he wished. The Captain
insisted on having the shield hung
up on a target stand and Captain
Palmer blazed away. The target
stand was knocked over, but the
bullet did not 60 through the
shield.
Captain Palmer said that the car
fridge had 20 grains of powder be-
hind it, and would have pierced
twelve inches of pine at that dis
lance. Zeitung's agent was so elat-
ed that he offered to cut rates and
chop the thing open for $50. No
one took him up.
When the test was over Zeitung
put the shield down and leaned on
1t to keep anybody from getting at
it. The most he would do was to
allow the reporters to stand at
arms length and probe their fin
gers into the bullet holes. Zeitung
said that he fe,t nothing at all !
when the bullets struck him.
Sometimes he would hold q board