The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1905-03-19
HAS EXPERIENCE
JUST AS DREADF Ill
As PR[-DREA
A French Photographer
Meets a Crazy
Inventor.
SHOWN NEW APPARATUS
SHOWN NEW APPARATUS
Finds 1t Imitation Death
Chair instead of Trick
Camera.
TERRIBLE experience, almost

TERRIBLE experience, almost
N worthy of inclusion among the
~ fantastic stories of Edgar AL
Ian Poe, happened to a travelling
photographer named Abraham Frank,
aged thirty-six, in Montreuil. suburb
of Paris.
In that place, in a temporary shed In
the Rue St. Mande. No. 80, there
lived an eccentric named Ardouin. an
old soldier and a retired Snowman. lie
had dabbled much in electricity and had
fixed up In his shed a number Of storage
batteries
He had known Frank for some years
and, learning that he was on the 1alr
ground at the Boulevard Richard Lenoir
with his Photographic booth, he called
on him and invited him to come 10 see
an extraordinary Photographic TRICK
apparatus, which, he explained. ne hao
received from America and which. he
said. was destined to make sehsatioii
if exhibited publicly.
Thinking that he might see something
that would be of interest to him IN MS
profession, Frank agreed to &c, ana ac
companied the old Snowman 10 ms
| shanty. O.
| He was shown a large, black box, tit
! ted up like a telephone call box IL was
| built UP on three sides, and the fourln
| side was left open. In this box there
hung number of copper wires, Win VIZ.
| hoops of brass for the hands ana Iees
| and brass cup for the head.
| After explaining the extraordinary Ell
fects that the apparatus would produce,
Ardou,a tod his visitor TO try II LOT
himself. Suspecting nothing, :. Franz Franz
i stepped into The box and fitted his HANDS
and feet into the loops, and inserteu ms
! head in the brass cap. Ardouin went De-
hind the box, and In an instant. Ieio.e
Frank knew what had happened. AT. AT.
douin pulled all the loops SO uSht that
he was unable to move
| What are YOU doing? What are you
doing? Let me go. he shouted IN great
alarm, for the wires hurt him ana ne
was una bic to move hand or foot But
the old Snowman merely laughed dla-
bolically, and going outside the shed,
switched on the electric current.
Frank received a violent shock and pc
gan to suffer eXcruciating pain he tried
to scream, but was unable to utter a
sourd His teeth chartered against each
| other as though he suffered intense cold,
but all he could do was TO utter loud
| groans.
A strong electric current was rushing
| through his body. After quarter OF ar
hour of intense agony. which seemed an
| eternity to the unfortunate Frank, the
old Snowman rsappsared. His eyes were
blazing with the light OF madness. IL
one hand he held an open razor and Q
! small white jug, and in the other a small
J pistol.
|, You scoundrel. have long waited 70,
this moment. but your death shall bt
useful said the mailman TO his helpless
victim Your death shall serve sci
entiftc purpose. With this razor | an
! going to open your veins and gather
, your electrified blood in this jug while
, the current is at fun tension. ] do no
: WRIT to kill you outright. for that would
spoil my experiment: but II you stir
shall shoot YOU.
, With supreme effort Frank wrenchet
, one foot free and attempted to kick of
the mailman as he approached him L
PIT his threat into execution. In doins
5 50 Frank overturned the box and fel
with the mailman under him. TIL
. mailman managed, however. to dis
charge his pistol, and the bullet grace
the temple
A terrific struggle then followed be
tween the two men. With the white jul
Frank succeeded in infiicting a woun,
on Ardouin's head which stunned hin
for a moment, and the Photographic
2 rushed out of the shanty. He sought Nj
!, GARNER. the police commissaire. an,
, this official. with one OF his inspectors
accompanied NJ. Frank to the Rue 81
Mande. AS they approached the she,
there was sharp report, and, on break
3, ing open the door, which the old show
= man had fastened, they found his dea'
body lying on the floor, with a small
| carbine by his side.-New York Mail.