Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-02
CRESPO HAS NERVE.
The President of Venezuela EnaC
the Role of William Tells Son.

| The President of Venezuela Enacts
the Role of William Tells Son.
General Joaquin Crespo. president of the
| Venezuelan republic, is noted for
his daring, writes correspondent
OF the New York Herald. He en-
deared himself to his soldiers in battle
| by keeping in the front rank whenever there
was danger, refusing to heed the cautious
| warning of his friends that his life was
too valuable to his country to risk .unneces-
sarily He believes, l am told, in predesti-
nation, 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
Ceballos & Tatali. 1t included several good
acrobatic and gymnastic performers, and two
| sharpshooters, man and wife, advertised
as Coleman and Mexis whose work soon
became the talk of the town. The manager,
BarIum & Bailey's circus in the United
States, thought that 1t would increase the
prestige of his show II he could have a
private exhibition of shooting in the pres
! ranged, and on Sunday morning Mr.. Cole
man decked his long, lean body in dress
suit, with a string of medals in the lapel
of his coat. Miss Mexis donned a pretty
dress, with a skirt reaching to her knees, a
pair of top boots and a military cap. Mr..
an acorn, escorted them to the yard back
of Santa Inez, the presidential mansion,
where the targets were put up and all de-
tails attended 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 in his hands. She
grasped her rifle in all sorts of positions;
she stretched backward forward, up and
a hal hat
tered. Coleman put ball on his head and
posed before the target. Then Miss Mexis
turned to General Crespo and told him that
she would deem 1t the greatest honor of her
The president was amused by the PROPOSE
ton. He turned to the manager and asked: :
rs 1t safe thing to do?"
II will answer for her with my life," dra-
matically replied Cebalos.
"Very we'll" said General Crespo. "Ill try
1t, just to show what confidence / have in
North Americans.
Mrs. Crespo did not seem to feel the same
confidence in the woman, as she retired
without seeing any more OF the shooting.
The president walked forward to the tar
get allowed Coleman to arrange the little
black ball on his head, and then stood still,
awaiting results. Mexiss hand was as sure
as was that of the traditional William Tell.
Her rife was directed toward the ball for a
moment; then crack! and the shattered par
tices of glass fell about the president. The
rest of the shooting was of the conventional
order.
II only consented to place the ball on my
head" said General Crespo to me, because
my confidence in North Americans Is un-
bounded, and ! was willing to practically
Demonstrate it,"
Cebailos did not get any local advertising
out of the incident. which was not men
toned by the Caracas newspapers.
~
George Buck Given Another Week.
In accordance with the order Of Judge
Baxter, George Buck. administrator de bonis
non of the estate of w. l.. Hubbard, ap-
pearcd in court yesterday, with his attor-
ney, ]. w Eler, the late county judge, to
show cause why he should not be adjudged
In contempt Of court for not obeying the
order OF the court to turn over money sup
posed to be In his hands and due the heirs
OF the estate In question. The amount in
yolyed is about $500 and Eller promised that
his client would make a strong effort to
scrape up some money and turn 1t over to the
heirs IL he was given little more time. The
court gave him until next Saturday TO comply
With the order.