CONTINENTAL SENSATIONS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 30 October 1907, Page 4

CONTINENTAL SENSATIONS.

MADMAN IN A TRAIN. A young German fady has had an unpleasant experience with a lunatic, who. was a passengw on the same train that waa bringing fcer from her summer holiday. Without any reason the man suddenly yelled, *'lt is she!" battered her head with his fisto, and pulled her backwards and forwards, by her hair before ttu, passengers who were aloegring, could intervene. The train was stopped, and the madman, whose identity is unknown, awa manacled with the utmost difficulty. The victim's Condition is serious. A STRANGE COINCIDENCE. A remarkable story is related in a, tx'le--pam reaching the newspapers in Milan from Buba-Pestb. Some nights ago a young actor, named Viuary, who was fulfilling ao engagement at the National Theatre in the Hungarian capital, suddenly awoke from deep, and as he bad to rise very early, be consulted his watch, only to discover that it bad stopped lit twto o'clock. Fear, ing that ho might be late in his appoint, ■rent, he ronaed his housekeeper, and asked her tbe time, but learned that her watch had stopped aisu at two o'clock. Three other (jocks placed in different rooms had also stopped at precisely the same hour. Viszary »aa much surprised at this strange simultaneous stopping of no fewer than five time-beepers and told several friends of tin cccurranoc. Later on he learned that at two o'clock that morning his wifehad died at an betel in Venice, whore she had been staying for several days. FIENDISH VITRIOL JOKE. Ibe Leader's Paris correspondent wives: A young workman named Andre Lebbe was tbe victim of a fiendish act ol cruelty on Sunday evening in the Mc'oilmontant quarter of Paris. He was walking wpdi his sister and brother-in-law when he 'was ariicd with a fainting fit. As be lay on tbe pavement a crowd collected round him. His sister was about to run to fetch tome water when a tall clean-shaven man of aboqt forty stepped forward and said, "There is do n«d to fetch water; I have what be wants.'

n» bystanders 'ell back, and the "doctor" (for everyone took lnm to be a medical man) drew a small bottlo from hh pocket, knelt down, and poured a few dnope over the nose, checks and neck of the unconscious man. Then he walked qtockly away. A few seconds later Andre Labbe recovered consciousness, and Bat up yelling with pain, and tearing at his cheek) and dying, "Help me, I'm suffering agony.'* Ho was taken to a chemist, wh'i at onoe saw that vitriol had been sprinkled over his fare.

Fortunately the eyes are intact, but Labbo is disfigured for life. The madman or practical joker had disappeared. CXNEJIATOGBAPHTN'G A LION FIGHT Public attention in Copenhagen has been i attracted by the efforts of an enterprising photographer to secure a realistic lion hunting scene for Ac cinematograph. A small isolated island close to Copenhagen had been selected by him for the execution of his scheme. With the aid of palms and sandhills ho conveyed the spot into tropi. cal aoene, into which were introduced horses, deep and sportsmen in conventional liGn-hunting garb. To complete the picture two lire lions, were purchased from Hagenbeck, the animal dealer oi Hamburg. At the last moment tho Minister for Justice learned of the proposed hunt, and gave orders to the police that it was to be prevented. The photographer, however, made a secret excursion to the island, and with a staff of asdstaats suooccded in car. rying out his pre gramme. Men armed with cinematograph apparatus took up their ptsition—some in iron cages and others in boats—the liens were liberated, and the hunting began. One of tho beasts at first refused to stir. When, however, its companion dashed upon and killed a horse, the othar awoke, and a fuxious struggle followed between the two for possession of the taoms's carcase. When sufficient film had been secured the hunters fired and kiKed both beasts; All concerned then made a hasty retreat from the spot in order to avoid arrest. DOGS AS POLICEMEX.

Tie competition of police dogs, already mentioned in these cclumns, was held in Paris on Thursday, August showed conclusively that the dog can be trained to act as policemen with great success. Ten dogs competed.

Ajnong their accomplishments were high jumps of over 6ft., long jumps of 14ft., climbing walls, vigorous defence of their master against the attacks oi hooligans, and tracing the 'latter after their flight. How to kiuck a man down by running between his legs, and how to keep him on the ground with vigorous biows of the mu*. Rio are acts in which all the competitors were perfect.

A man who played the role of hooligan, brandished a stick, and fired a pistol, was over come by the winning animal's clever aWafk. The dog, Athos, a black Belgiao coolie found the "hooligan" when he hid ip a tub, and pursued him over the ■slates when he took reluge on a roof. Othei competitors ran the winner close in similar

Athos has developed a new irethod of at tack, which his owner says he. never yet failed. Instead of flying at the throat or seizing the leg, he hurls himself head fore, iroet at tJ>at part of the opponent's ana tomy kl.own to the fraternity as tho "wind." Hie result is said to be rather more effective than a knockdown blow with the fist.