GYMNAST KILLED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13193, 2 June 1906, Page 2 (Supplement)

GYMNAST KILLED.

" HUM AN BULLET" FINDS A DEADL?

BILLET.

An inquest was held at Manchester on the body of Arthur Baxter, 23, a gymnast professionally known as Hilton, who was fatally hurl when qualifying as understudy to the "Human Bullet," a man named Gassi i, at the Aid wick Empire Theatre. A brother of the deceased said the latter, who was an experienced gymnast, had told him all that happened. He said he went to the Empire to see the performance, and somebody told him that an understudy was wanted for the "Human Bullet." -Ueceased saw the manager, who, ill agreeing to allow him !o enter. the gun, said there was no danger or risk. He prepared for the flight, and entered the gun to jjerfortn, i* the hist, place, a somersault. Three timer he vu shut out of the cannon and turned somersaults into the net, and for the tourth attempt he asked for the trapeze to be put into its ordinary position. Tho manager said lie had been a little short, and advised him to give a "push oil" when inside the gun. He obeyed the instructions, but after being shot into the air he found himself uuabio to reach the bar. .Ho made an efloit. to catch it, which threw him off his balance, and being unable to recover himself fell into the net. Samuel Zalu, tho maker of the gun, who was in charge of it. at the lime of the accident, said he told deceased lie '* must bike all risk on his own responsibility.'' After his first attempt he said it was all right except that he could not see anything, but after the third shot lie remarked that he could see everything. For the fourth attempt he asked for the trapeze, and his request having been granted. he got into the cannon again. Whilst inside the manager repeated his warning and instructions, and also told him. to give a push off. The Coroner: Why did you 101 l linn it) push .ill'? Witness: Because he was a little lighter than Cassini. Witness discharged the gun, and, as deceased was approaching the bar, he "ducked," and his legs striking the bar. he fell into the. net on 'his shoulders. lie seemed to "funk," and if he had had the presence of mind he could have dropped into the net properly. The mechanism of (he gun was afterwards explained by witness, who had prepared a. rough plan. He said there was 110 compressed air used ; it was merely a question of springs. The coroner, in summing up, siid that the machine, stripped from all advertisement and dodge, was simply a, matter of springs and pulleys. Tho performance was given out as 'highly sensational. yet it seemed that- no particular skill was required, and there was no beauty in it. People of a certain class who had a morbid craving for such things simply went to see it in the hope of seeing 'an accident; that was what it practically came to. It seemed to him that music-halls were not licensed for experiments of acrobatic feats to be made ' meant that, they were not. schools for novices - to try dangerous tricks. But tho unfortunate young man who had met his death had voluntarily offered to try the feat, and in that sens® he was the only ,one responsible for his own death. The jury, after a consultation, returned a verdict of "Accidental death, brought about by the fall into tho net." LOVKIA* LEOVILLE, • The " human bullet" trick is, of course, a, very old one, though, to tho present genera- 1 lion it may appear as the "dernier eri" k>. things gymnastic. "Trick" we call it advisedly, for the affair is - worked by means of an arrangement of huge springs and pulleys. There is, of course, a bang at the psychological moment, but it is not necessary to the shooting part of the business. It must be many years since " Zawl," a: pretty young gymnast, was tho first to be shot from a cannon. Her performance was the sensation of the day. There were many imitation Hazels,' but the original one whs in private life Miss Ada Valletta. One of the most popular of the human projectiles was a. charming gymnast- known as Leoville. The amorous youth of that timethe prosaic and bald-headed men of to-dayflock-ed to sco her. They marvelled at such an, exhibition of feminine courage. Bouquets wore showered on. Leoville. The fair gym nast accepted them with a, modest .'smile, which wonderfully became her delicate features. But time has brought its changes. . " Leoville" is now a photographer in the States. And ho has a flowing beard ! /