Death Chung Ling Soo

chung ling soo in old , new magic (1906)

on march 23, 1918, chung ling soo performing @ wood green empire in london. performed act without incident until got famous condemned death boxers illusion. night, 1 of assistants fired @ him, gun malfunctioned , fired live bullet soo s lung. fell ground , said in perfect english, oh god. s happened. lower curtain. first , last time since adopting persona william chung ling soo robinson had spoken english in public. soo taken passmore edwards cottage hospital, died following morning. buried in east sheen cemetery in east sheen, suburb of london. assistant fired gun, jack grossman, appeared on uk tv show paul daniels magic show, broadcast on november 6th 1982, assisted magician paul daniels recreate trick.

during inquest, olive dot path explained nature of chung ling soo s trick. muskets soo used in act brazed steel barrels. after each performance, avoid expending powder , bullets, soo never unloaded guns properly. rather firing them off or drawing bullets screw-rod, normal practice, removed bullet , powder dismantling breeches of guns. on time, residue of unburned gunpowder able form in channel had made allow flash bypass barrel , ignite blank charge in ramrod tube. thus, when soo performed trick night, ignition of residue in channel allowed flash pan ignite charge behind marked bullet in barrel of gun being used. consequently, bullet not supposed fire fired in normal way, hitting soo in chest. circumstances of accident verified gun expert robert churchill. soo s death ruled accidental final verdict of misadventure .

after chung ling soo s death, public shocked learn not chinese. soo s true identity largely known among professional magicians. year before soo s death, english magician goldston commented in interview magician monthly public did not question soo s identity because ... he has presented public , not might prefer .