Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1871-08-03
ZWEI LAGER !
The Greatest Beer-Guzzling feat
on RecOrd---Score 13I to I3O.

We clip the following from a Cincln-
natl paper:
Much comment having been excited in
regard to a beer-drinking contest which
took place cover the Rhine" on Sunday
last, and a profound feeling of wonder
at the enormous quantity of the Teutonic
beverage consumed on that memorable
occasion, one of our reporters, at great
expense and not without much inconven-
ience, possessed himself of the facts in
the case, and now, for the benefit of an
impatiently curious world, lays them be-
fore our half-million, more or less, of
readers.
1t seems, then, that about half-past
eight ON the morning named, as "Big
john" a well-known saloon-keeper of
the trans-Rhenish portion of the city,
was passing along Vine street, he was
accosted by "Barney the butcher" who
is at least an equally noted local celebrity,
with an invitation to imbibe glass of
beer at the Iatter's expense. Now, John,
among his many claims to notoriety, has
for a long time held the proud position
of a champion in the field of bibulous
achievements, and very naturally his
friend Barney asked him, on the present
occasion, how many glasses he thought
he could drink at a single sitting. John
sat down his glass slowly, shut his eyes
reflectively, opened them studiously,
glanced up to the ceiling perpendic-
ularly, and replied, calmly and leis-
urely:
"farney, I dOn'd nod know. I nefer
ssVell, Shon," says Barney, "I will pet
you dwenty dollar 1 kin trink more
peer as you before We goes do ped do
night
This was challenge John had not ex-
pected; it made him stare in unfeigned
astonishment upon his friend Barney,
who had rashly s'bearded the lion in his
den, the Douglas in his hail." or more
properly speaking, bantered him-hina-
Big John, ''der man init der schtomach,"
who had vanquished single-handed ev-
ery competitor in the sublime art of hid
ing beer under his waistband, to a trial
of skill and endurance in his own pc
culiar science. He glanced at Barney
irefully at first, then with pity, as he re-
piled with lofty contempt:
ssVat for you say dat, Parney? Don'd
YOU know 1 can trink two dimes so many
peer as you, unit den schwaller you yusht
like nodings ?"
"An rightr' says Barney; 'EOf you
dinks dot, all you haf got to do is yust
to pud up der shtamps. 1 amt 'fraid do
dry id on, anyhow. So come down NIT
der pictures, olt weller, unit veil see
apout dot"
Big John ruminated upon the situa-
ton for a moment, and then quietly and
thoughtfully produced his pocket-book.
Barney hastened to put up his double-X,
which was promptly but deliberately
covered, John simply remarking as he
did so,
II only want you to do Won iddle ding,
Parney, before We begin der race"
FFVat ish dot, Shon?"
ssNoding but yusht to wash your teets,
Parney; dot ish all. III -.-.-=
sSOh, nefer mind, Shon; will led you
off mitout schwallerin' me if you trink
der mosht. I dond nod dink you will pc
able to holt any more"
So, the preliminaries being settled to
the mutual satisfaction of the parties.
they adjourned to private room, where
the struggle at once began Time, 8
O'Clock A. NJ.
From this hour until 10 there was no
noticeable advantage on either side, ex-
cept that Barney was compelled to re-
move his coat and hat, and famed him
self violently, while John was to all ap-
pearance entirely unaffected by the heat.
Score, twenty-three glasses each.
Conversation in the tongue of the
Faderland was animated between drinks
until II 80 P. NJ, when both took glass
of beer and adjourned to dinner, the
score standing Barney 81, John 53; ad-
vantage for Barney, 1. The advantage
of one glass inspired Barney's friends
with renewed confidence, and even bets
were made on the result, the odds previ-
ously being in favor of John.
At l 80 the antagonists resumed their
seats and the beer began to flow again.
Desperate efforts were made by the back
ers of either to force the contest, but at
8 O'Clock John had barely closed the gap,
and they stood Ill to Ill. Barney gave
| evident signs of fatigue, but was not at
all dispirited, and declared that he would
vanquish Big John or perish in the at
tempt. Neither was unduly elated,
though Johns chair did unquestionably
slip from under him after his 99th glass,
and Barney twice missed the mark when
reaching for his Tooth. Both were going
slow, very slow however, each probably
determined that he would remain awake
the longest.
At 80 the score was removed from
their sight, and beer was only brought
in as it was called for. The tally was
then, Big John 125, Barney 123. The
alarmed, and encouraged him all they
could, while he only replied to their re-
marks by an occasional grunt or yawn.
From this time until IL 10 they took it
| glass and glass, when John rose to his
feet, and after steadying himself against
the door, thus addressed his adversary:
"Parney, 1 promised mein vrau dot
would go mid her do meedin' do-night.
Dis ish nod geepin' mein word, unit I'll
dake anoder glass init you unit go. Das
ish right, don'd id ?"
1t IS due to Big John to say that he
was ignorant of the time of night, it
had passed so pleasantly and quickly.
"Yah, Shon, das ish right. 1 hat god
do 'dend do mein business in der morgen
doc, so I'n yusht dake anoder for night
cap, you see, unit go home"
| This final glass was taken, and the
score counted up, when it was found that
Big John had slowed away 131 glasses
and Barney 13O. 1t is probable that the
latter would have tried some more, but it
was decided that the contest was ended,
and the money and the bill was paid,
and the living beer-casks piled into a
| hack and sent home.
Thus ended one of the most notable
contests of the kind that has ever occur
red in this country. Both participants
engaged il their usual employments the
next day, and no ill effects were appar-
ent. The question now is, What is the
average capacity for beer of the Germans
as people and will beer intoXicate?
| TO Ma1,E