The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1905-04-28
SHOOTS OFF HER CLOTHES.
A Successor to william Tell Has
Been Found.

been found. Col. Bordeverry occupies
that proud position; but instead of util-
izing the old-fashioned, out-of- date bow
and arrow, or cr~oss-bow, a rifle serves
his purpose.
True, Col. Bordeverry does not shoot
an apple from off the top Of a boys head.
He, however, performs feats still more
marvellous, and at the Lyceum on Mon
day last, when he commenced his first
visit to London with his astonishing new
turn, the audience was held literally
sp%ellbound by his daring feats with rifle
and revolver.
One of his most wonderful perform
ances is to literally shoot a lady's dress
off. During these performances, in the
lady assistants hat, on her shoulders
and elbows, are various small targets,
the "bull' of which is scarcely the size
of a threepenny-pit. However, it is
quite large enough for Col. Bordeverry's
purpose. Rife in hand, he stands at
one end of the stage, while his intrepid
assistant takes up her stand at the other.
In a trice the champion rifle and revolt
yer shot of the world raises his weapon,
there is a sharp report and the lady's
hat is seen to fall to the ground. The
bullet has penetrated the small bullseye,
thereby loosening the %fastenings OF the
hat. Another sharp report quickly rings
out and one side of the lady's dress is
seen to fall from her shoulders, and so
the marvellous shooting continues until
the lady's dress is literally ''shot off her
back" and she stands unframed and
calm, CARRIED in loose, hanging robes.
That such precise craftsmanship is
truly marvellous goes without saying,
and it demands steady nerves from both
the shooter and his human target. Col.
Bordeverry, however, has nerves OF iron.
On one occasion, in Germany, a gem
tleman in the audience protested that
the Colonel's feats were not genuine.
Twill you kindly step on the stage
was the quiet reply. 81 see you are
smoking a cigarette said the famou
shot, as the dubious member advanced
towards the footlights. YES, and why
no?' came the nswer "Oh, well,
never mind" replied Bordeverry; "In
put it out for you, as it's against the
rules this side of the footlights." Hard
" had he spoken than a shot was heard
and the erstwhile smoker found his CT
gazette flying out of his mouth. 1t had
been shot i'll W parts at a distance OF
over twelve yards.
-hIlolIItl IIGI NNiotic iN"t wv "i'C''
marksman performs is to shoot a piece
of sugar from between two mems fore
heads. Leaning together, forehead to
forehead, the two men hold in that posi-
ton an ordinary piece of lump sugar.
AT a distance OF seven yards the Colonel
raises his rifle and, seeming scarcely to
take aim, shoots the sugar away from its
human supports. The rapidity with
which his leafs are performed has justly
earned for this marvellous markSman the
title of the worlds greatest rifle and
revolver shot"
1t seems as easy to him to lean over
backwards from the dress circle OF a
theater and snuff out a row OF candles,
one by one, with Il rifle, a. it is for the
ordinary shot to hit a three-foot target
at "A distance of three Yards.
1t should also be mentioned that the
Colonel is an expert piano player. He,
however, scorns to play the piano with
his tiDgers-that is lar too easy. lie
has another and much more original
way OF making music; he shoots the
"Cavalleria Rusticana" from the piano
with a revolver. Note by note, he makes
a target OF an ordinary piano. And when
it is said that he can play several pieces
from beginning to end with an ordinary
six-chambered revolver, the noted must
elan ear hardly be termed a beginner,
either as a piano player OF as a revolver
shot. The writer had a short talk with
the intrepid lady whose dress is shot of
in the u~nceremonious manner described
in this article. Il never feel the slight
est nervousness she said, for never
on a single occasion since ! have taken
up the novel profession of a target has
Col. Bordeverry shot a hairs breadth
away from the center of those tiny bulls
eyes'-and she displayed the dinlinutive
Circles of steel in her large picture hat
and pretty evening gown.
The gallant Colonel is also modest.
In reply to various questions anent his
extraordinary skill, he merely said
oh. it's nothing. could not miss now
i have had so much practice, will
shoot Your cigar out OF your mouth II
YOU like The writer declined this
generous Offer-iOndon Mail.