STRANGE OCCURRENGE IN A MUSIC HALL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 2, Issue 449, 27 April 1880, Page 2

STRANGE OCCURRENGE IN A MUSIC HALL.

At Leeds, on Saturday, John Holtum, a gymnast, who'advertises himself as *' The King of the Cannon," was .charged betore Mr,.Bruce,, the stipendiary magistrate, with unlawfully ■;wounding Elijah Fenton, a market .porter, of Tork-street, Leeds, in thePifincesßV.Cqncert i1 Ha11,,,m,, that town on Friday night. Holtum had during the week been giving performances showing extraordinary-. !; s|rength 'in the handling of heavy, blubs, cannon-balls,. &c., and'on' Friday.: night; as an inducement to those who were inclined to patronise his benefit, he offered £SO to any person'who could; catch' ball .frred from a cannon, av*he ; (JBoltutn).•.had;,done on „ sevkal consecutive evenin'gs.- ; Thechallenge had' been by three men, and a cannon having- beetf placed on the stage, a suitable cartridge and a ball weighing about 71bs were rammed home. When Holtum called';upon those who accepted his challenge,' Eljjah Fenton' off his : coat, and ..waistcoat . Standing about six " ; : yards from.. the ; cannon's, mouth, ; he de- "' clared that ii m rekdy, and placed hii hands iii poßitipn'. fired the cannon, and the ball struck-Fenton in the forehead, and knocked 1 him 1 down.. He ' managed to- crawl off the stage, and at .' first it -was thought hot wasv.not- much :: hurt. In a short time;"if{erwards,: > ■ ever; the more Beriouß : appearance; andfF(ihton was removed'to the-Leeds General Infirmary, where it was fotind that he had sustained a -compound fr&ture skull, and that his re'ijoverywas''-4lmpst hopelissi I '' The Stipendiary- Magistrate!; remanded Holtum,, ;,,Mr Etobaon,. the! proprietor 0 of the promised . that tiie ( . performance! in '• .ahiould' notb'c tdpeit&d, bqt' stated that. Holtum had bee9i ; pe?fprmii}g !; o|i :the Continueut I in this way for . several! : yean; ■ and had never, hadattaccidentofthiskind before.