, 1875-08-01

Hk11 BT1INStc1ck hkpOft@T.
Thomas, or Tom Gardner a. be WAS famillarlv
called xas born on the River st. John, milo
above the mouth Of the MactAquac1 stream, IN
the year 1798- Viewed casually, Gardner gave
no evidence Of unusual power, but when stripped
his muscu:ar development was tremendous, aud
1t ia affirmed that instead Of the ordinary rios
he pussessed scd bony wall on either side,
and that there waa no separation whatever- He
stood feet 10H incnes, erect and full-chested,
and never exceeded 100 pounds IN weight
The late Charles Loug infornsd I'd that At one
time he saw Gardner lift from = tow-boat \
puncbeon Of corn containing at least u bushels,
and. awioging round, deposit it On the sand In
30 doing he tore the sole OF his boot, On an
other occasion number OF men were trying to
LIT stick Of timber. In all the crowd only one
man could ralse it about inches from the skids
Gardner told four men to slt upon it, and thea
lifted it 50 high that the men jumped OF to save
themselves from the fall. Mr. AcKeon has fro
quently known him in lifting to break boom
poles i inches thick. He has known him
also with one hand to Lift, by the rung Of char,
the chair itself aud = man weighing neatly 700
WEIGHT Once in attempting to lift very heavy
man he saw him wrench the rung entirely from
the chair. Gardner at one time saa possessed
OF balky horse, with which he exercised
great patience: but when patience ceased to be
= virtue, he Tould fell him to the ground With
his clenched fist, striking him behind the ear.
It il related Of Gardner's sis:er that on one oc-
casien famous wrestler travelled al the way
from Mlramichi to Toms home in order to
's1y fall with him." Tom Was absent but
the MISTER, looking contemptuous1y upon ths
intruder. declared she could throw him her,
eef, and. auit1ne the action to the word, in
fair trial threw him fairly three times in suc-
ce7sion. The strangers experience with the
sister was sufficient be never Bought future
interview with the brother. The greatest fest
which Gardner was ever known to perform was
on one Of the wharves in St. john. Mr. hcKeen
saw him Lift and carry an anchor weighing POO
pould numbers OF otbet Witnesses esandinR
bv some Of whom are yet alive. Frequently he
has seen him carrying barrel Of PORK under
each ann. and ooce skH him shoulder = barrel
OF pork wbile standing in an ordinary brandy
box When about 40 years Of age Gardner re-
moved to the United States and never returned
to his native Province. 1t u commonly reported
and believed that be met with = sad adventure
or, board Mississippi steamer. heavy bell
WIS On board ~ portion OF the freight, and
the Captain, great, powerful fellow, vas con-
earned ~ to how he should remove Il from its
place in order to make moro roo1n Oh deck. While
Captain and passeuBarB were 1t dinner, Tom,
IN presence OF the crew, to their utter Amaze-
ment, lifted the bell and carried it to the op-
p,site side Of the boat. When the Captain re-
turned he asked how that had been acc mp i,nst,
aud When Gardner laughingly remarked that he
carried 1t there, the former gave him the lie,
and as one word brought on another, he present.
u struck Tom in the face. This WAS too much.
aud for the first time Ia Ills life the strong man
gaye blow for blow: bus one buffet Was sufa
cient. The Captain never spoke aEaio, killed
dead on the instant Tom mads his escaps,
won't West and has never been heard Of tinee.