A dreadful occurrence was recently witnessed in the market place at Leighton Buzzard. A travelling negro fire-eater was performing on a stand. Having executed several feats with redhot iron, he filled his mouth with benzoline, saying that he would burn it as he allowed it to escape. When he had applied a lighted match to his lips, however, the spirits took fire, running all over his face, neck, and chest, and burning him in a fearful manner. He dashed from his stand, and raced about like a madman among the crowd, tearing his clothes from him, and howling with agony. A portion of the spirits was swallowed, and the inside of his mouth was terribly burned. He was taken into a chemist's shop, and oils were applied, but afterwards he escaped in a state of frenzy from a lodginghouse, and was captured by the police and taken to the workhouse infirmary.
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Bibliographic details
Cromwell Argus, Volume XI, Issue 574, 9 November 1880, Page 7
Word Count
151Page 7 Advertisements Column 2 Cromwell Argus, Volume XI, Issue 574, 9 November 1880, Page 7
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