CHUNG LING SOO.

Hokitika Guardian, 3 July 1918, Page 3

CHUNG LING SOO.

MYSTERY OF FATAL GUN TRICK

j The. inquest on the -music-hall artist Chung Ling Soo, whoso real name was Elsworth Robinson, and who was shot at the Wood Green Empire on Saturday night, opened on March 29th. The widow, Olive Robinson, said she had acted as her husband’s assistant for -5 years. Part of his performance was an illusion known as “defying the bullet,’’ which consisted of pretending to catch on an earthenware plate bullets fired from two guns. He always cleand and loaded the guns himself. They had been in use for 12 years. Describing the trick. Mrs Robinson said her husband produced two ordinary bullets in a cup containing a false bottom beneath which were two specially prepared bullets. The two ordinary bullets were marked by members of the audience, but on her way back to the stage Mrs Robinson removed them, leaving the specially prepared ones, and those were used in the trick. On Saturday night the trick was performed successfully at the first house, and when j the show was over she took the guns, i and, locking the door, gave her husband ' the key. j The accident happened at the second house. Directly the gun had been fired at him the husband crjed out, “Something has happened ; lower the curtain,” . and then she noticed that ho was bleed, j ing from the chest and back. I The Coroner: It is not intended that the .bullets placed in the gun barrel j should come out of the gun when fired ? ' —That is the. trick. The bullets should - remain in the gun. The inquest was adjourned for ox- ' port examination of the gun. !