The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1916-06-07
CRACK CRAFTSMANSHIP
ACT ON THE STAGE
Written For The Banner by Frank E.
Butler, Husband of Annie Oakley,
The Most Famous Woman Shot i'm
The World.

To begin with, you require black
background and supply of balloons
such as street vendors sell. These are
painted black and inflated to about
6 inches in diameter. They are at
fixed to the background and small
white spots one inch in diameter are
painted on them. From a short dis
lance the outlines of the balloons are
invisible, and you have a target of
some 80 inches to fire at. A repeat
ing rifle is used and it is an easy
matter to make 10 targets in as many
seconds. A shot anywhere would
puncture one of the balloons, and
with its instantaneous collapse the
white target would vanish.
Where lighted candles are extin-
guished with a rifle, candles are
placed in compartments or open box
es, on a background. The whole is
painted black to mask the partitions
in the boxes. At the back of each
box is placed a loosely hung plate of
steel, suspended only by the top and
free to swing slightly. Before this
is placed the lighted candles, and the
shooting begins. 1t should be re-
marked that these plates are in
ches square and consequently give
an area of large size to shoot at.
When a bullet strikes a plate any
where the conclusion of the air caus-
ed by the quick movement of plate
anywhere in response to the impact
of the bullet blows out the candle
instantly and the trick is accom-
plished.
The old familiar trick of shooting
glass balls, cracking eggs, etc., thrown
in the air, is believed to be done
with rifle. 1t usually is, but the
rifle cartridge is filled with a good
charge of bird shot.
In the feat of disrobing an assis-
tant with rifle bullets the garments
are made in two halves, front and
back, fastened together with thin
glass globes, about two and half in
ches in diameter, and of dark materi-
al, and the usual white spots painted
on them, while the assistant invari-
ably stands against a. block back
ground. If you can shoot reason
ably straight it is not at all difficult.
Nearly everybody has seen marve-
lous revolver shooting at moving
targets. This is generally done with
cartridges filled with bird shot, also
You have probably seen the man
or woman who goes up into the top
gallery and snuffs out the lighted
candle or breaks small balloon
This is sometimes done the same way
as described above, although many
use steel funnel with a 12-inch op-
ening, which narrows down to about
l inch where the object is placed
This opening on account of the black
background does not show to the
audience, and all the marksman has
to do is shoot into the opening and
the bullet will finally reach the small
end. I remember few years ago,
Frenchman came over to America
and created quite a sensation while
playing in theatres throughout the.
country. He did about half a dozen
straight shots; the rest were clearly
fakes, and he had no trouble in fool
ing the general public. But one
night, while he was playing the pi-
ano, supposed to be using bullets to
strike the keys, his rifle stuck; the
| viano kept on playing, only for few
seconds, but long enough to make
the audience sit up and take notice
never found out how he worked the
piano kept on playing, only for few
striking a inch iron plate which
connects with the keys and strikes a
note with the assistance of the or
chestra. They manage to play
I"Home, Sweet Home" or some other
simple tune without the aid of the
orchestra. You could call the tune
anything. There may be some shoot
ing acts on the stage now done fair
ly, but if there are haven't seen or
heard of them.
I heard of theatre manager in a
small town who had some trouble
with man who was giving shooting
exhibitions. The shooter threatened
to quit. The manager said, "All
right, go ahead, and get out, but
leave your trick targets and the
property man can do your act. Many
newspapers have exposed these acts,
and as rule those doing fake shoot
ing do not stay long before the pub
lie, but anyone who is ambitious to
pose as a crack shot on the stage can
do so if they get the proper para
phernalia. But 1 would advise them
not to try any of these tricks out
doors, where the spectators get near
and can see how it is done.
FRANK E. BUTLER.