AERIAL ACROBAT TUMBLES.
Thrilling Accident at Shriner Circus
Witnessed by 6,000.
Toki Murati, the Japanese aerial acrobat who does the "slide for life" in the Rhoda Royal circus, fell from his precarious footing in midair at Convention hall last night, and as he was protected by no netting, struck the floor of the big arena. He was unconscious for half an hour, and upon examination by Dr. Emanuel Manko, it was found that he had suffered injuries to his back and chest. Dr. Manko will make another examination today and will be able to say whether the performer can go back to his act. The doctor said the performer may have suffered a slight fracture of one of the ribs. Fully 6,000 persons saw the accident.
Murati wears soft shoes which are cleft between the big toe and other toes of his feet. Thus he is enabled to walk up the rope which is attached to one of the big girders, forty-one feet in the air. When he reaches the top he releases his grip with his toes and slides down the rope, which is steeply inclined.
He had reached the middle of the rope last night when the spectators saw him sway and then fall from the rope. After he had regained consciousness he said that the flapping of some of the trappings of the circus had distracted his attention and thus he lost his balance.
