The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-04-04

Standing against a white background
looking into the barrel of Winchester
repeating rife, with bullets singing in
close proximity 70 his body, Ray Poole,
at Keith's this week, stakes his life twice
a day on the craftsmanship OF his friend
and business partner. Frank McCree.
Nothing approaching the feats shown by
this pair OF steel-nerved young men has
ever sent such chills up and down the
spines OF an audience. The onlooker for
gets the admiration due McCree's con-
summate skill I'm the momentary expecta-
tion of a tragedy on the stage.
The attention OF the audience Is first
riveted wien McCree fires thirteen shots
through an ace OF spades as rapidly as
the rifle can be discharged. When the
smoke clears away 1t is seen that the hole
cut by the thirteen bullets is just large
enough to cut the spot OF the card and the
hole can be covered with a silver quarter
Another trick consists In firing two rifles
at once from his hips and smashing two
glass balls across the stage.
When Poole takes his stand before tho
stee-backed shield the real shooting COM
mences he holds five clay pipes between
the fingers OF one hand. and McCree lev
els his rife and skaters them in less
than Ave seconds. After that Poole places
about his head leather hood which sup
ports fifteen glass balls-all within an
inch of the skull, some within that dis
tance OF the temples. They are broken IN
less time than IL would take the average
person TO fire the rifle fifteen times, with
out aim. Poole places five glass balls-all
Of them a mere inch i'm circumference
one on each shoulder, one between the
first and second finger OF each hand, and
the fifth on the top or his head. Four rap
i'd shots shatter as many balls. and then
with slight pause to insure steady aim,
the nth and last ball is. swept from the
head OF the man who apparently does not
fear death. Then the man before the
white background places a pipe In his
mouth and applies a lighted match 10 1t.
As he does so the match is extinguished
by a we'll directed shot. The bowl OF the
pipe is then smashed. After that McCree
skaters the stem. piece by piece, until
fragment less than quarter OF an inch
in length is supported between the lips
OF his partner.
How does Il feel 10 make a human tar
get OF yourself?" Poole was asked. "Oh.
I'm used 10 IT," he replied. with smile.
1T doesn't bother me very much
But don't YOU feel just n little nervous
when the bullets are flying around your"
mo: I can't say that I do" he OBJ
served you sec" he added. II know
what he can do, so l don't hesitate TO let
him blaze away"
That's right" commented McCree.
He frequently wants 10 take chances
that wouldn't stand for l don't think
would have the nerve TO stand UP under
the close shooting he does
What would happen IL any OF the
shots went wrong?"
"Tll show YOU" said McGree Hold up
that stool Poole -
The latter picked up n short stool with
q scat about an inch thick and held IL at
arms length. McCree leveled a rifle and
fired An inspection showed a small hole
through the thick wood and in the brick
wall across the room. shattered portions
OF the masonry indicated tho course of
the bullet that had apparently lost but
little OF it's speed I'm the passage
II took 10 shooting az naturally as
some people take 10 art" said McCree
II have been n good shot ever since I
was a small boy. when my father ran a
shooting gallery In Pittsburg I am 81
now. and have been making fancy shots
ever since l was ntne years old. NV
father and l used to travel around Civ
ing exhibitions but last year Poole. who
was employed in my fathers gallery. suB-
gested that we arrange an act like the
one we now have and we started 90 prac-
tice. IL took us four months TO perfect
ourselves and even today we practice an
hour each day aside from our regular
stage work We viii meet any team In
the world for a purse Of $4,000
THD MATINEE Girl.