An Exhibition of SHooting.

Otago Witness, Issue 1682, 16 February 1884, Page 22

An Exhibition of SHooting.

Auckland, February S. As several Pressmen and others had ex- j pressed strong doubts concerning the genuineness of Professor Payne's reputed fancy shots, tho maiiasfer (i\Ji'llciwlint>)arrai)g"d fora private exhibition on the stage ot" the Opara house at noon to-day. At tho time stated several Pressmen, Mr W, S. Pulford (manager of the .Intercolonial Nows Ayenoy), Mr H. N. Abbott, Mr W. W. .Robinson, aud several other gentlemen met the professor and bis brother upon tha stage, and preparations were immediately made for the teats. These teats conclusively proved the genuineness of the shooting. At the close of the experiment a semi-tragic incident occurred. A man named George llavord, who is employed about the Operahouse, offered to allow an apple to bo shot upon his head, and, being taken at his word, an apple was placed iv position, aud cleanly hit without injuring a hair of his head. At" this conjuncture Barry O'Noil, who happened to.be present, remaiked jocosely to Mr Pulford that he was not game enough to undergo the test, and the latter gentleman, remembering that itwasuottho first iimo lib had been \indcV fire, at once acceptod the challenge. Tho apple was consequently placed upon his head, and with the utmost coolness he stood firmly up to await the shot. But just aa the professor was taking aim he involuntarily stiffened his figure a little, the result being that the bullot, while striking the apple, also grazed his scalp. The wound, however, was not serious, an<l i)r Tennet at once bound it up. It could not in any way be chargeable to the " bhootibt," for it was obvious to all ttfat the bracing of the frame at the critical moment was tho sole cause of tho accident. There was no wincing, howevor, for Mr Pulford exhibited remarkable composure and steadiness throughout the trial, which would tend to unsettle the nerves of most men.