The Washington bee., 1901-11-30
BULLET PROOF CLOTH
Genuine Life Protectors for Rulers
and Public Men.
Had President Mckinley Worn One
of szeEepanik's Undershirts No
Anarchist Could Have
Killed Him.

that Buffalo anarchist entirely harm
less. A month from now all rulers
and great many public men the world
over will be wearing them, that is, il
We can supply the demand"
The Austrian Edison pointed to a
woven fabric cut in the shape of high
waistcoat, and drawn oveTsa lay figure,
possessing just as much elasticity and
power of resistance as a live human
body.
Have you got your revolver with
you?"
The correspondent protested that he
never carried such thing.
Pardon me-" cried the inventor, "I
thought every American did"
He opened drawer containing an
assortment of siX-shooters of all cali
bers and makes. The correspondent
selected a well-knOwn pattern regis
tered "seven millmeters caliber,"
loaded it carefully, and took a posi-
tiOa near the door.
mo, no." said Szcezepanik, "nowa-
days assassins come up quite closely
to their intended victims"
''What is the proper distance?"
''Suit yourself. Stand six feet, or
twelve, or fifteen, or two, or four. It's
all the same"
The bullet, which was of consider
able size, rebounded the instant it
struck, and fell upon the floor. Three
more shots fred in quick succession,
and Well aimed, had the same negative
result. The correspondent was given
full liberty to investigate. He sound
ed the lay figure, handled and punched
it. Szcezepanik does not care at pres
ent to reveal the nature of its material.
However, the writer feels certain that
it has nc metallic substance. It is
pliable and ss little resisting to the
touch of ones finger as the swelling
of a woman's arm.
On the covering there were four dark
spots, the Impressions of the bullets
fired on to it, not intoit. The material
is white silk-like and about four milIi-
meters thick. "One could make a nice
winter coat out % this" said the in
ventor, ''if it was not so expensive, but
a shield of this stuff worn under the
shirt viii suffice for the purposes for
which it is intended-the protection
of rulers and public men in general
The shield should cover all vital parts.
The head could be protected by a skull
cap, and the face, if necessary, by fan
or an umbrella of this material.
And if you want to go still further,
the cover Of the carriages used by the
executive, as well as the curtains and
hangings of his box at the theater
might be manufactured Of this bullet
and dagger proof material"
So sure is SzceZepanik of the invul-
nerability of the cloth that he offered
himself as a target to the correspond
snt, who declined. "There are more
than a dozen men in the factory who
feel as strongly as on the subject"
he said.
president CarnG and the unhappy
empress of Austria died by the assas-
sins knife" continued the inventor.
Indeed, at one time the European Sc
cret police gathered information to the
effect that anarchists had decided to
abandon altogether revolver, shotgun
and Internal machines for the dagger.
Hence, a life protector of this kind
would not be perfect unless respond
ing TO all possible emergencies.
There" pointing TO a drawer, "you will
findan assortment of stillettos, bowies,
butchers knives, and several other
sorts of knives. Select any weapon
you please and perfOrate my cuirass if
you can"
A brigand's knife was used first, then
a bowie was used, bread knife, and a
shoemaker's knife afterwards, but the
point of neither penetrated the silk ma
terial by one hundredth part of nilli-
meter, even though the newspaper man
did the stabbing with all the force and
strength at his command.
As to the why and wherefore, Szceze-
panik would only say this: "It's all in
the weaving. The method Of weaving
adopted paratyZes concussion by dis
tributing the shock over the entire area
al is especially selected for the pur-
pose"
Szcezepanik is sure that his inven-
tion will at last furnish rulers and pub
lie men with the necessary life pro.
tectOr necessary as long as there ara
anarchists and other lunatics in the
world. AS intimated, the price Of the
cloth is great, for the present at least,
but that cuts no figure. Eventually the
dagger and bullet proof material may
become cheap enough to revolutionize
warfare, but that is long ways OF.
Asks $4,000 for Her Kisses.
A circuit court jury at Sheboygan,
Wis, awarded Mrs. Bouska, OF the
town of Aden, q verdict for $500 as
balm. Peter HugsEt Was the defend
ant in the case. Hs promised Mrs
Bouska one dollar for every hEs she