The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-09-29
A REMARKABLE NEGRO.

A REMARKABLE NEGRO.
Eats Fire and Handles Red Hot Iron
Plays with Molten Lead, and is Pro
nounced Fire Proof
[Prom the New York Rerald.l
An Easton, Talbot county, Mary
land, correspondent of the New Yorl
Herald furnishes an account of s
wonderful enigma in the person Of &
negro man. The writer says:
Business recently called me to The
eastern shore of Maryland, to the poin
from which we write, the county sea-
of Talbot county. While there ]
heard from several gentlemen @
prominence the story of a negro black
smith, who lived in an adjoining
county, upon whom fire had no effecl
whatever. The story was so incredi.
BILE that I gave it littlesheed, although
it came from most reliable sources
and was related to me by gentlemen
of the highest standing in the com.
munity for honor and integrity. A
day or two after ! first heard of
| THIS REMARKABLE NEGRO,
Mr.. T. r. Robson, editor of the Easton
Star, called at my room, and stated
that the negro was in town, and that
the physicians were going to make an
ex animation of him at the office OF
Or. p. Stack, and invited me to wit
ness the operations, which I very glad
ly did. Mr.. Robson and myself went
at once to DIR. Stacks office, where
were assembled Drs. Anderson, Colds
borough and Comegys, of Easton ;
Mr.. J. A. johnson, editor of the Jour-
nal, at Easton; Mr.. M. A. Pancoult,
and Mr.. John G. Henry, all prominent
citizens of Talbot county.
A brisk fire of anthracite coal was
burning in a common coal stove and
an iron shovel was placed in the stove
heated to white heat. When all was
ready the negro pnlled off his boots
and placed the hot shovel upon the
soles of his feet, and kept it there un-
til the shovel turned black. His feet
were then examined by the physi-
clans, but
NO BURNS COULD BE FOUND,
And all declared that no evidences of
any heated substance having come in
contact with them was visible.
The shovel was again heated red
hot, taken from the stove, and hand
ed to him. He ran out his tongue as
far as he could, and laid the heated
shovel upon it, licking the iron until
it became cooled. The physician ex-
amined the tongue, but found nothing
to indicate that he had suffered in the
least from the heated iron.
A large handful of common squir-
rel shot, procured from store near
DIR. Stacks Office, was next placed in
an iron receptacle and heated until
melted. The negro then took the dish,
POURED THE HEATED LEAD INTO THE
PALM OF HIS HAND,
And then put it into his mouth, allow
ing it to run around his teeth and
gums. He repeated the operation sew
eral times, each time keeping the
melted lead in his mouth until sOlidi-
fled. After each operation the physi-
clans examined him carefully, but could
find nothing upon his flesh to indicate
that he had been in the least affected
by the heated substance he had been
handling. After the performances
with the lead he deliberately put his
hand into the stove, in which was a
very hot fire, took therefrom a hand
full of hot Goals, and passed them
about the room to the gentlemen pres
ent, keeping them in his hand some
time. Not the slightest evidence of a
burn was visible upon his hand after
he threw the Goals back into the slove.
The exhibition was regarded by all
who witnessed it as most remarkable,
for there was no opportunity for
THE PRACTICE OF CHICANERY.
Every gentleman present was there
fer the purpose of detecting, if posi-
BILE, any trick-if tick there was-and
none could have had the least interest
in aiding or abetting the negro in his
performances. Whatever solution
may be had Of this matter, there can
be no doubt but this negro handles fire
in the manner set forth above, with
out the use of any mechanical or chem
ical appliances whatever, for he has
been
SUBJECTED To THE SEvERESTS TESTS,
Possible, not only at the time speci-
fled by me, but at several other times
and places, in the presence of some of
the first men in the State of Maryland.
In addition to the case cited, which
came under my observation, 1 viii
state that in April last. while the
Judges of this Judicial Circuit Were
holding Court at Denton, Caroline
county,-the county in which this
man nlives-Judges Wickes and Stump,
accompanied by Sheriff Richardson,
went to the blacksmith-shop of this
negro, which is situated about six
miles from Denton, on the farm of w.
P. Richardson. The Sheriff made
known to him the object of their visit,
when, in the language of the Judges,
"he performed
MOST ASTOUNDING FEATS,
Such as handling red-hOt iron with his
bare hands, forging it into shape with
out the use of tOngs, putting it upon
his tongue" etc. At q later period he
was visited at his shop by DIR. c. E.
Tarr, editor of the Denton Joaarndl
J. Marion Emmerson, editor of the
Denton american Union; Jas. B.
Steele; T. H. Kemp, Clerk of the
Court; r. J. Jump, late Comptroller
of the Treasury; Colonel r. Z. Car
ter and DIR. p. o. Cherbonier. These
gentlemen came upon him wholly un-
awares, and when requested by them
to perform some of the feats he has
become so famous for in this locality,
he Immediately went through with
THE SAME WONDERFUL PERFoRMAN-
CES,
/ have mentioned. have cOnversed
with great number of people who
have seen him, gentlemen of educa-
ton 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 perfor-
mances in DIR. Stacks office 1 sought
an opportunity to converse with him.
/ found him very ignorant, not able to
read or write, and in all respects
AN UNADULTERATED NEGRO.
His name is Nathan Coker, and he
is about fifty-eight years of age. He
was born in the town of Hillsborough
Caroline county, Maryland, and was
the slave of Henry l.. Sellers of that
place, by whom he was sold to Bishop
Emary. In relation to his ability to
handle fire, and how he first became
aware of it, he said: "Boss, when
was about thirteen years old, old
Massa Emary hired me out to q law
yer whose name was Purnell. He
treated me badly, and did not give me
enough to eat. SHE'D around the kitch-
en- one day, and. when the cook left 1
shotin dipped my hand into the dinner
pot, and pulled out