Northern Weekly Gazette. — 1903-01-31 (Stockton-on-Tees, Cleveland, England)

FATAL BULLET- CATCHING  TRICKS.  Ben ja.min H. Watts, for many years the assistant of Harry Kellar. once told the writer the history of bullet catching, says an American contemporary. "The trick," said Mr Watts, "was invented by Philip ketley, the manager of a travelling show. Before going into this business he was an American soldier. During his term of service two of hie comrades had a quarrel, and he was tasked to. act as second to one of them. This led to the invention of the trick. Having suceeeAied in winning over the other second, Aetley obtained two blank tin tubes, closed at one end, and just the right shape and colour, to fit on the end ot the wooden ramrods without being conspicuous. Powder and wadding were rammed into the old-fashioned pistols, and while the antagonists were seleatieg the bullets the seconds dropped the tub: .s inen the barrels. When the bullets were d opped in they fell into the tin tubes; the rcxls were rammed in, the tubes stuck on the ends, and out they came with the bullets inside of them. Of course, neither principal was injured, and the affair was arnicab'y adjusted. On turning showman Aetley dedicded to make use of the idea in a SOMCwhat different form. A spectator was to fire a pistol loaded with ball, and Astley was to catch the bullet in an apple held oe a fork. The trick was enormously successful, but it would not pass muster now, because the method was clumsy and necessitated Astley's going off the stage with the ramrod and 'faking' the apple. The trick was adopted by other conjurors, and here begins the trail of blood. The flee fatality," continued Mt Watts, "was the killing of a showman in Berlin, by the accidental substitution of a loaded pistol for the one with the bullet extracted. The next appeared at Strasburg in a sketch called 'The Son of William Tell.' The boy held the apple in his mouth while his father shot at it. The bullet was supposed to lodge miraculously in the fruit, which had, of course, been manipulated. The trick bullet was made of a mposition which crumbled on being rammed home; but be mischance a real bullet was ued, and the boy was killed on the spot. A more tragic case was that of a murder brought about by the bullet trick. It occurred about 15 years ago in a then unsettled portion of Australia. A conjuror was announced to give an entertainment one evening, the great turn being the bullet trick. The bullet was selected and marked by one of the rough illOll of the audience, dropped into the pistol, and extracted by means of the ramrod in the usual was. The audience waited breathlessly while the magician was seen smiling, with the marked bullet between his teeth. Just as he was bowing in acknowledgment of the one of their number, a dead stiot, took aim and fired. When the smoke cleared away the magician was seen smiling, with the marked bullet between his teeth. Just as he was bowing in aeknowledgment of the applause, a men jumped on the stags and pointed a pistol at the conjurer's head. 'lf you are so good at eatain.g bullets, catch. this!' he cried, as he pulled the trigger. The man fell dead." Mr Watts also told of a Ca:110 of deliberate suicide. A man named Sertelle loaded the pistol himself with a reel bullet and took his stand at the end of the stage for one of the audiencie to fire at him_ lie asked that his mother should be informed of whet had happened if he were killed, which the audience regarded as a good joke, but the eigni&Arca of which they understood when he fell dead. A narrow serape from death was that of a magician named Blitly. ll,e had prepared the pistol and had tested a stup:d looking young man te oome up on the stage and fire at bine He walked to the end and took up his position; all was reedy when a man cried out "Step!" and jumped on the stage in an excited state. He declared that he had WWI the young man drop something into the berrel. An examination revealed a brass button, which would have done the work as deadly as any leaden bullet.. The most sensational shooting trick in the history of magic was introduoed by Alexander Herrmann a year or two before his death. He had a corporal's guard of four soldiers march into the hall to shoot at him. Fain' bullets were selected and maiked; the guns were inspected and found to be in good order. The bullets were placed on a tray and handed to the men. it seemed that deception was quite impossible. When the smoke cleared away Herrmann stooo smiling on the stage holding four bulleta iii his hand. While this is a simple feat, it is nevertheless an extremely foolhardy one, anl has within the last five yearn caused the death of at least seven performers. In the nowl method employed by Herrmann the result of the experiment depended en