The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-09-13
THE BLACK FIRE KING.
EXTRA EXPLOITS OF IN
IGNORANT MARYLAND NEGRO.

Handling Red-Hot Goals and Licking n
White-Hot Shovel-He Pours Molten
Lead into His Mouth and Keeps 1T
There till IL Becomes Solid-Hts own
Account of the Discovery OF HIS
Strange Powers.
A newspaper extract of somewhat doubtful
origin was circulated some time ago, giving
an account of the wonderful performance OF
negro in Talbot County, Maryland, In handling
red.hot iron and doing various other eeats
with fire. and now a correspondent OF the
New York Herald has furnished details of the
matter, with names of witnesses. he says:.
Business recently called me to the county
seat of Talbot County. While there nearo
from several gentlemen of prominence the
story of negro blacksmith, who lived IN an
adjoining county, upon whom fire had no
effect whatever. The story was so Incredible
that gave it little heed. A day or two alter
first heard of this remarkable negro, Mt; 1.
Z. Robson, editor of the Easton Star, called,
tsnd stated that the negro was IN town, and
that the physicians were going to make an
examination of him, and invited me to witness
the operations. Mr.. Robson and myself went
at once to DR.. Stacks Office, where were as.
sembled Drs. Anderson. Golds6orough ana
Comegys, of Easton; DR.. j. A. Johnson, eoltor
of the Journal at Easton; Mr.. A. A. Pascault
and Mr.. John C. Henry, all prominent citizens
of Talbot County.
In common coal stove, and an iron snovel
was placed In the stove and heated to white
of his boots and placed the hot shovel upon
the soles of his feet. and kept 1t there until tne
shovel became black. His feet were then eX-
amined BY the physicians, and no burns could
be found, and all declared that no evidence OF
a heated substance having come In contact
with them was visible.
The shovel was again heated red hot, and
taken from the stove and handed to him. He
ran out his tongue as far as he could, and laid
the heated shovel upon 1t, licking the iron
until 1t became cooled. The physicians exam
ined the tongue, but found nothing to indicate
that he had suffered in the least from the
heated iron.
A large hardful of common squirrel shot,
procured from store near DR.. Stacks office:
was next placed in an iron receptacle ana
heated until melted. The negro then look
the dish, poured the heated lead Into the palm
OF his hand, and then put 1t into his mouth,
allowing it to run all around his teeth and
gums. He repeated the operation several
times, each time keeping the melted lead In
his mouth until solidlfed. After each opera
ton the physicians examined him carefully,
but could find nothing upon his hesn 70
Indicate that he had been In the least affected
by the heated substance he had been hand
ling. After the performances with the lead he
deliberately put his hand into the stove, IN
which was very hot fire, took therefrom
handful of hot Goals and passed them ABOUT
the room to the gentlemen present, keeping
them in his hand some time. NOT the sllght-
est evidence Of q burn was visible upon MS
hand alter he threw the Goals back Into the
stove.
The exhibition was regarded by all who wit.
messed It as most remarkable, for there was no
opportunity for the practice Of chicanery.
Every gentleman present was there Tor the
purpose Of detecting, II possible, any trlcKNn
trick there was-and none could have had the
least interest In aldiRg or abetting the negro
In his performances. Whatever solution may
be had Of this matter, there can be no doubt
but that this negro handles fire In the manner
set forth above, without ther use OF any me-
chanical or chemical appliances wnateVer, lor
he has been subjected to the severest tests
possible, not only at the time specified by me,
but at several other times and places, and IN
the presence of some O. the first men IN the
State of Maryland. 7 have conversed with.a
great number OF people who have seen him,
gentlemen of education and integrity, all OF
Whom declare that they do not believe that
fire has the least effect upon his flesh.
After he had concluded his performances ID
DR.. Stacks Office / sought an opportunity 10
converse with him. found him very igno-
rant, not able to read or write, and IN all re-
spects an unadulterated negro. His name Is
Nathan Coker and he is about hfty-eight years
of age. He was born In the Town OF Hll!sbor.
ough, Caroline County, Maryland, and was the
slave of Henry L. Sellers, OF that place, by
whom he was sold to Bishop Emery. In reia-
ton to his ability TO handle fire, and how ne
first became aware OF 1t, ne said "Boss, wnen
was about thirteen years old, old Massa En-
ery hired me out to a lawyer whose name was
P1rnell. He treated me badly. and did not
give me enough to eat. l spied around
the kitchen one day, and when the COOK lett
Shot in. dipped my hand into the dinner pot
and pulled out rec hot dumping. The boil
ing water did not burn, and l coula eau tne
ho5 dumping without wlnking; so after DAT
often got my dinner dat way. has often got
the hot fat off the boiling water and drank IL.
drink my coffee when it is boiling, and 1t
does not give me half so much pain as IL does
to drink glass of cold water. | always likes
gated him as to the effect heated substances
had upon his flesh, and asked him when ne
handled them with his hands Il he did not SUI
fer more than when he took them inwardly, TO
which lie replied, mo, boss, often take my
iron out The forge with my hand when req
hot, but II don't burn. Since was q little
boy have never been afraid to handle fire.
he then stated that often when by himself he
-Wonld Kick up red hot iron because his
tongs were not handy, and that he never felt
any discomfort from 1t. He felt NO more
harm, he said, from handling fire than stones.
could cite great number of instances be-
side those mentioned, and give the names or
large number of gentlemen of high standing
who have witnessed the wonderful doings OF
this untutored African& but I do not deem 1t
necessary, as what have stated can be more
than authenticated by almost any prominent
man living In this locality. / am thoroughly
convinced, from personal observation, that
fire has no effect whatever upon his flesh, ana
am sustained in that belief by the united
Judgment of all gentlemen wao have seen
him, including large number OF physicians.
ANOTHER MURDER BY ROUGRS.