The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1896-11-06

~ =
line, looking through the barrel of each
mans rifle to see that there was no
cartridge in it. Then he retired to one
side.
The sergeant took six regulation
United States army rifle cartridges,
with fixed balls, from his pouch and
placed them on salver handed to him
from the wings. These he then passed
to the committee for examination.
After the committee was satisfied that
the cartridges were what they pur-
ported to be, the sergeant went among
the audience and allowed anyone who
pleased to examine them and put identi-
fication marks on the bullets. AT least
so people inspected them. When all
were satisfied of the genuineness of
the deadly missiles he returned to the
stage, gave a cartridge to each soldier.
and uttered the command LOAD" The
locks clicked, the rifles were brought
to carry" and the squad was marched
down on an improvised platform over
the heads of the audience about 20 feet
from the stage. They faced about and
were ready for the volley, three kneel-
ing and three standing.
Meanwhile Hermann had stepped to
the wings and taken from table there
china plate. This he placed on the
stage floor at his feet. Then he braced
himself as though to meet shock and
held his hands, palms out, in front of
his chest.
81 am ready" he said, in voice hard
ly above a whisper.
AS he stood there, his pale face set
and his black eyes looking into the
muzzles of the six loaded muskets, the
audience gave one mighty gasp and
held it's breath.
"Firel" commanded the sergeant.
There was crash, a sheet OF flame,
and through the wreath of blue powder
smoke Hermann could be seen bending
over and dropping the bullets upon the
plate. Some women had screamed,
others had tainted. Then came tu-
multi of cheers. Hermann was I'M
hurt except for some burns on his
fingers made by the hot bullets. Yes,
they were the same bullets. They were
positively identified by the people who
had marked them.
1t was very thrilling, but it was al
theatrical effect. As matter of fact
Herman was not in danger for one
second, and no bullets were fired al
him. He himself has never explained
the trick, but from an authoritative in
side source am able to tell exac = how
it is done.
This is how the trick Is worked:
The sergeant is confederate. The
soldiers are not, and are as much sur
prised as anybody that their shots dc
not take effect. The sergeant is the
man who really performs the trick. al
though he has very little to do. So sim
pie is it that he requires no rehearsal
and is not even told what to do until he
comes to the theater with his men. Ten
dollars is liberal pay for what he does
Several days before the performance
Herman secures six ball cartridges ex-
actly like those to be given the sergean,
for use in the performance. He ex
tracts the balls from these cartridges
and substitutes in their place bullets
made of a composition of mercury and
/ black lead. This composition can be
/ nodded into any shape, and whei
placed in the shell looks exactly like ,
genuine leaden bullet. The mercury I,
so heavy that the weight of the fax,
cartridge is also the same as the req
article. The soldiers in handling then
cannot detect the difference withou
feeling of the bullet end of the car
fridge, and that they have no oppor
tunity to do. When fired. the mercur,
and plumbago fly into dust and do nj
harm. 1t cannot even be felt o few
feet away from the muzzles.