The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-19
CRESPO HAS NERVE,
Permitted n Performer to Shoot a Glass
Ball Placed His Own Head.

/ n
| Ball Placed on His Own Head.
Caracas Cor. New York Herald.
Gen. Joaquin Crespo, president of the
republic. is noted for his daring. He en-
| deared himself to his soldiers in battle by
| keeping the front rank whenever there
was danger. refusing to heed the eau
| tious warnings of his friends that his life
was too valuable to his country to risk
| unnecessarily, / am told, in predestina-
| ton, and that he will not die until his
| mission on earth has been accomplished.
An American variety company came TO
Caracas recently under the management
| of Ceballes & Tatali. 1t included several
good acrobatic and gymnastic performers,
and two sharpshooters. a man and wife,
advertised as Coleman and Mexis, whose
work soon became the talk of the town.
The manager. Ceballes. who had a long
experience with Barnum & Bailey's circus
in the United States, thought IL would
increase the prestige of his show II he
could have private exhibition of shoot
ing i'm the presence of the president. The
thing was arranged, and on Sunday morn
ing Mr.. Coleman decked his long lean
body in a dress suit with a string of
medals In the lapels of his coat. Miss
Mexis donned pretty dress, with a skirt
reaching to her knees, a pair of top boots
and military cap. Mr.. Ceballos, wearing
diamond pin as large an acorn, es-
NOIltu litin 10 tie Ndfu DaCk OF santa
lnez, the presidential mansion, where the
targets were put up ana all details at
tended to before the president and the
persons who happened to be visiting him
were called out to see the shooting
The exhibition began with fancy shots
at glass balls. The woman, Miss Mexis
broke balls her husband held i'm his hands
She grasped her rife in all sorts of posi-
tions; she stretched backward, forward.
up and down. and at each crack a ball
was shattered. Coleman put a ball on his
head and posed before the target Then
Miss Mexis turned to General Crespo and
told him she would deem II the GREATEST
honor of her life If he would place the
ball on his head The president was
amused by the proposition. He turned to
the manager and asked:
us il safe thing to do?'
II will answer for her with my life"
dramatically replied Ceballos.
Very we'll" said General Crespo. IN
try it just to show what confidence l have
in North Americans"
Mrs. Crespo did not seem to feel the
same confidence in the woman, as she re-
tired without seeing any more of the
shooting. The president walked forward to
the target allowed Coleman to arrange
the little black ball on his head and then
stood still, awaiting results. Mexis' hand
was sure as was that of the traditional
William Tell. Her rife was directed to-
ward the ball for a moment, then crack
and the shattered particles of glass fell
about the president The rest of the shoot
ing was of the conventional order.
Il only consented to place the ball on
my head" said General Crespo to me,
because my confidence in North Ameri-
cans is unbounded and / was willing to
practically demonstrate It,"
Cebailos did not get any local advertise
ing out of the incident, which was not
mentioned by the Caracas newspapers