Los Angeles herald., 1906-04-01
LOOP THE LOOP
FEAT EXPOSED
METHODS SHOWN UP IN LON
DON COURT INQUIRY
Supposedly It Is Full of Danger but
Ropes and Cables Prevent Fall.
Wheels Run in Slot-PubIic
Likes Horrors
snec,al Cable TO The Herald.

Special Cable to The Herald
LONDON, March S1.-Amusing dis
closures concerning the startling feats
with which the music hall audiences
are entertained were made yesterday
in the Kings Bench Division. The par
ticular feat under discussion was that
known as "looping the loop on Il
bicycle incidentally Justice Darling eX-
pressed himself strongly on the brutal
ity of such exhibitions.
Miss Hamilla l.. Nj. StamiroWskl
sued Nine. Madeleine Barber for dam
ages for personal injuries alleged to
have been caused by the negligence OF
Nine. Barber or her agents.
Nine. Barber produces variety shows
at the provincial music halls, and Miss
Stamirowski was member of kaut-
mann's troup of trick cyclists, her part
of the performance being TO loop the
loop' on a bicycle. Her counsel, Mr..
LIE Breton, K. c., in opening her case,
said that the feat was originally car
ried out by Diavolo, and he used to
ride an ordinary machine. feat which
required a great deal of nerve and skill.
There seemed TO be some difficulty in
getting any other person of the requisite
nerve and skill for the performance,
and Mime. Barber resorted to a trick.
Tricks of the Trade
An ordinary bicycle was shown to the
audience, which was led to believe that
it was the one used in performing the
feat. Both the bicycle actually used
and the loop were, however, contrived
peculiarly, and the performance itself
required no skill whatever 1t was
so arranged that even if the bicycle
lost its momentum 1t could not fall, but
would remain suspended from the loop.
The safety of the rider was also Sc
cured by a sash round the shoulders, to
which was attached hook, which was
made fast to the saddle.
On November 49, 1904, a loop was
fitted at the Hall of Varieties Sunder-
land, and it was subsequently tested by
q sandbag being run round on the bl-
cycle to see that the alignment was
true Miss Stamirowski then rode on
1t, but on the following day Tuesday
at the second performance, she heard
click while she was at the top of the
loop, the machine went back little
and then fell with her on the stage
twenty feet below.
She was picked up senseless and re-
moved to the hospital. Her skull was
fractured and for some time she was
blind and her memory was impaired
and she had not yet completely recoV-
cred.
Mr.. LIE Breton said that the alignment
of the apparatus was out of order on
this occasion; that just before the per-
formance the loop was not tried by
sending a sandbag round and that there
was no net provided.
Taste for Horrors
81 suppose the public would not care
about it if they were quite sure she
would not be killed." said Justice Dar-
ling.
Mr.. lie Breton said that this was ex-
actly what he was going to suggest to
the jury.
Taylor, the loop manager, said that
he announced that Miss Madelin' was
about to perform one of the greatest
and most daring feats ever performed
on a bicycle. The exhibition of the twin
bicycle without the apparatus necessary
to attach it to the loop was bluff,
he said
Justice Darling in summOning up,
said that what the loop manager called
a bit of bluff was called by many
names. Some used longer and some a
shorter word.
I'm this country we do not allow bull
fights" he said. mo one is allowed to
endanger the life of a bull or horse,
but being a highly civilized country, we
do allow girls to loop the loop and per-
form tricks of this kind, and it does
occasionally occur that they fracture
their skulls. When such thing hap
pens we are told that it really is
necessary part of this engaging per-
formance and that it is part of the
ordinary risk which girls in this coun-
try are to voluntarily incur and one
of those professions for which they are
to be carefully educated, with the as
sent of everybody in this highly civ
ilized country
The jury answered a number of ques-
tions in favor of Miss Stamirowski and
assessed the damages at $50 pounds.