The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-27

he naQ Just become expert enough 10 DC
worth salary, when he saw Battin, the
sword swallower, perform some of his
feats, and he detected him in trickery.
McLone experimental with himself,
first with wire with a knob at the end,
until he had overcome the muscular and
nervous resistance of his throat. Then
he practiced with a sword until he was
able to swallow a blade of about twenty
inches up to its hilt.
Constant practice made his throat cal
lous to or ia niliar with intrusion, and
fourteen Years ago, when the United
States man-of-war Lancaster was at AL
giers, and minstrel show was given on
board, he appeared as the American Ac-
robat," and gave an exhibition of sword
swallowing without using sheath or
any device to lessen the severity of the
ordeal to which his throat was put. His
pseudonym was given him two years
later in a Paris cafe, after bottle of
The Widows had been splashed over
him. ...-...
He last appeared in public at Pittsburg,
three weeks ago, and was to appear at
Montreal tomorrow, but the date has
been cancelled. To kill time he and his
manager went to Boston, and his ability
to swallow almost anything, except an
insult, was demonstrated before Dr.
Bowditch, professor of physiology at Har-
ward College, and others in B. F. Keith's
office in the Gaiety Theater. DR.. Bow
ditch, at the end of the exhibition, asked: :
Can youswallow anything"
'tNes," replied McLone.
'Then swallow my canen'
Il will If you'll wipe the ferrule.'
This was done, and the cane was pushed
twenty-five inches down the chevalier's
throat, and the spectators marveled.
The staff of the Metropolitan Throat
Hospital deny that McLone was invited
to appear before them. They say that he
was brought there by his manager. They
are familiar with the feats that a throat
accustomed to distension will endure, and
say that, physically considered, what Nc
Lone did on Friday was startling, but not
especially wonderful. He first caused the
22-inch blade of Chassepot saber to dis
appear up to the hilt, and then swallowed
four sword blades twenty inches long
The swords were made for the purpose
and the hits were in the same plane as
the blades, which fitted into each other
like a nest of spoons.
Then, taking the abre, Clieuot fastened
at right angles to the hilt hollow rod of
iron. four feet long, and to each end of the
rod attached a dumboell maker fourteen
pounds" Then, raising the rod until the
point of the sabre was in his mouth. he
swallowed it again, as he had done when
nothing was attached TO 1t.
While the sabre was in his oesophagus
McLone gave the bar half twist, some
thing he had never before attempted, &C
cording to Manager Howell. The doctors
were asked if they wished to see fowl
ing piece attached to the bar and dis
charged while four inches of the sabre
were out of the juggler's mouth, so that
the sa bre would force the blade down to
the hilt, but they declined, and McLone
prepared to do the next feat, that of
swallowing fourteen swords, the blades
of which were like those used in the
second feat.
Howell admits that when the sabre
with the bar and the dumbells was drawn
from its living sheath McLone appeared
to suffer, and that he should have them
desisted, or have been made to do.
The fourteen swords were swallowed
like the bunch of four, and the ordeal
was little more severe, except that the
distension of the throat was greater. Be
fore swallowing the swords McLOne said
that if any one wanted to draw them it
should be done one by one, and not in a
bunch.
The swords were not half their length
in McLone's economy when he appeared
to be suffering and turned his back when
they were beginning to disappear, and he
heard one of the doctors say, My God e,
this is going too far"
He turned to see DIR. G. B. Hope grasp
the swords by the butts, and sharply
withdraw them, instead of pulling them
out quickly, one by one, as card player
deals cards, and as McLone does on the
stage.
McLone gave groan, and leaned for
ward. He appeared to be in great agony,
and could not speak for several moments.
He then complained of severe pain in the
stomach and throat. --..
After a hyperdermic injection of NOR
phine had been given to him he was taken
to his hotel in a cab.
II was at first feared that either his
throat had been lacerated or that there
was puncture of the stomach, and that
an operation would be necessary, but
there was no hemorrhage, and his con-
dition had so far improved yesterday
afternoon that he was able TO drink some
kumySs.
Manager Howell was convinced that the
new trick of turning the saber with the
bar and dumbbells attached was too
great strain for organs that had been
strained and stretched to fit them for alb
normal uses. He expected, however, that
McLone would be able to go to Toronto to
fill an engagement at the end of this
week. His wife, who aids him 10 his pt r
formances, was so satisfied with his con
dition that she went out for walk with
friend.
The staff of the hospital say they were
not responsible for McLone's collapse.
Before he gave his exhibition his throa
was examined, and, while it was found to
have become distended, it appeared to be
healthy. McLone admitted that fire.
quently after he had been idle for some
time he swallowed food with difficulty,
and had several times been almost
choked by food. He also suffered from
dyspepsia when not lin practice" but
found relief when he swallowed sword
He was advised not to attempt any feat
that would tax his throat more than it
had been, and tokeep it exercised.
There was, the doctor said, absolutely
nothing new in McLones performances.
They were simply taking violent liberties
with delicate organs which had gradually
become accustomed to distension but had
lost tone and muscular health They
could well be compared to rubber tube
which constant distension or imitation had
robbed of its originl elasticity. Nc
Lone's throat was, before he juggled with
swords, the same as any healthy mans
There was nothing abnormal about 1t
then. 1t was extremely probable that his
three weeks rest brought the muscles
nearly to normal condition. and that in
his desire to excel he overstrained them
When warned against allowing his throat
to relax and cautioned against straining
it more than it had been. McLone said
these were new hints, and that no physi-
oiaY had nm In then seen any merrill in HE