The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-12-05
The Exploit Of the Quail Eater.
Madison (Ind.) Courier.

About one year ago the Calhoun (ky)
PROGRESS published the following:
"We are reliably informed that purse OF
$50, 900 is offered by company in Madison
Vile. Kv., to any man who will eat thirty
partridges in thirty days, eating one each
day. The experiment has been tried by sew
eral parties of that place, but twenty-five is
the highest number reached. 1t appears sin
gular but it is said that after dozen birds
have been eaten the sight OF one produces the
most severe vomiting. The money Is on de-
post in the Bank of Madisonvllle. Ii the
party fails, he is to forfeit one hundred
dollars"
This item went the rounds of the press,
and brought out many comments npon the
i'm possibility of accomplishing the apparently
easy feat. The idea that it could oe done
became conviction without proof IN
the minds of many, like that one in regard to
| man weighing no more after eating hearty
meal than before eating.
Those who seemed best posted on the sub
ject were most eager to wager their funds that
it could not be DONE One day last October,
James O'Donnell, in the presence OF ten or
twelve persons, ate large-sized cream pie,
on trifiing wager in four minutes and eight
seconds, when Robert r. Rea N. Maccubbin
and others who witnessed the commanding
were 50 impressed with his voracity and CD
pacity that they determined TO give him
trial on thirty quails in thirty days. Ar
rangements were made accordingly at Null
lens restaurant for the quails. A committee
was selected to witness the eating, each even
ing at 7 o'clock, who were to keep q record of
each meal. During the first few days of the
test but few persons besides the committee
witnessed the "exercises."
As O'Donnell progressed in his undertaking,
L 4 4Io, 4rfa
from the press of the country, the interest ill.,
creased among the curious; bets were made
upon the result in sporting circles in this and
adj lining cities, and the restaurant contained
a large number of spectators every evening
Last night, on the eating OF the thlrtieth
bird, the house was crowded. ODonnell
went at his task with his wonted voracity.
Those who had expected him to fail on the
last one were surprised at the apparent relish
with which he extinguished the fowl, and
were astonshed to hear him call for "another
quail for good measure !" This was also con-
sumed. Then he called for dozen steaming
stewed oysters, and ate them. Then reaching
over the table he tackled piece of pie, which
in turn went the way of all the quails, and
finished up with large apple.
1t is said that great deal of money chang
ed hands upon the result, but O'Donneil him
self had no money up. He received nothing
for the performance Of this hitherto (said to
beg unparalleled feat but the quails, the noto-
riety and about seven dollars contributed by
the crowd last night. He says that since the
twentieth quail was eaten, the birds have had
wild, bitter taste, which slightly increased
up to the eating of the thrtieth one, but this
flavor produced nothing like nausea. O'Don-
nell is of Irish parentage, is twenty. eight
years of age, five feet seven inches in height,
weighed one hundred and sixty-three pounds
at the commencement of the task, and has
lost but three pounds since; of light or sandy
complexion, and is a blacksmith by trade.
DR.. G. w. Lawder has been his attending
physician, and many other medical and
scientific students have watched the under
taking with considerable interest