Smyrna times., 1871-08-23
A Champion Eater.

A gourmand, perhaps the greatest, if not one
Of the most remarkable eaters that ever lived,
is at present residing in Los Angeles, in the
person of Herman Schneider, native Of the
Grand Duchy of Monaco. At the age OF three |
years he could mastcate the coarse dried beef !
OF his native country with the apparent ease of |
an adult. His voraciouSneSs seemed to IN |
crease rather than diminish with years, and !
nothing seemed to appease his gluttbuy. On |
arriving at the age OF nineteen wears, through !
the munlcenca of the Grand Duke, his case |
was brought before the college SdruHfS, where
a dlliy examination Of his case was held for
eight consecutive days. The labor proved
IruitcsS; his case bafiled the science and skill
| Of IT," most noted and eminent Of Monaco
mo!icr faculty. At the age Of twenty he was
taken into the service of the Grand Duke and
| trained to a course OF plain diet, such as parch
ed corn, marennil, "a fish caught in the Medj-
! terranean,) on which, f,r time, he seemed to
thrive but aterward declined rapidly and he
came so emaciated that his phy,icln order
ei a restoration OF his former diet. In short
time he again assumed his former appearance,
and with it his allmentary pOwesS increased.
His case now attracted melcal men from far
and near; a diligent study and inquiry was
made, but without avail, and his case was finally
abandoned as hopeless. All agreed that his
unnatural appetite would not shorten his days,
but, nevertheless, would prove a source of
continual illness to him during his life, fact
that has been fully verified. At the age Of
twenty five years be was despatched, with a
number Of troops, as one Of the Grand Duke ;
purchased quota to the lloSpolar OF RoHmania
! He remained with his last master tut long
enough to affect an escape, which he succeed
= ed in doing after serving nearly two years
+ against the marauding Magyars, who, at the
time, made continual lncur>lOns into the prn'
t ce territory. Ills means Of escape was ac-
e camI IlIshed in the dress of a Turkish trader,
+ by which he succeeded in arriving in safety at
= the Austrian port Of Trieste. Here he re
i manned but long enough to secure IA passage L
. New \ Ork, at which port he arrived after
u voyage OF forty days His first exploit on ar
e ryng in America Was to wager that he cOul,
It eat whole ham, one pound of candles, on
y AMI half pounds of biscuit, and drink thirt
cups of tea, all in one day. His advertisement
IN attracted the attention OF the notorious III
l. Burns (lately deceased) who duly installed tn
e remarkable individual as an addition to tn
ct noted canine attractions of his place. KIT
IS first effort on acquiring his charge was to un
dertake a more vigorous system Of training
$ whereby he could test the capacity OF the It
II markable mans stomach, which was accom-
h plished by eating an amount fabulous to con
le template, and which III quantity surpassed hi
le former greatest effort. His case finally a
re tracted the attention of the police, by whol
is he was arrested as a nuisance, and on bcin
K convicted, was sentenced by Judge Barnard +
Il. six months imprisonment on Blackwell
er Island. On his term expiring he mingle
Ee again in the world and was in a short tim
al lost sight of, until recently, when he made b
lie appearance in restaurant in Los Angelo
e. where he ate tor nearly two hours, to the di
lie gust Of the proprietor, and on retiring profile
ut cd twenty-five cents in payment, which the 5
rs loon keeper looked on as only one-tenth Il
he cost of the material. His greatest effort W
n the consumption Of thirty four pounds weig
ry avoirdupois Of what was nearly ali oleagino,
aY matter, such as pork fat, train oil, tallow ca
is dies, etc. lie may be justly considered one
h, the most remarkable men that ever lived, al
III will, ere long, no doubt, attract the attentic
ng OF our eminent medical men as the create
NJ gourmand Of history.