The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1875-10-14
AN IRON JAW.
Wonderful strength Of Jaw Possessed by d
Springfield Irishman.

wonderful strength OF Jaw fossesseu ny u
Springfield Irishmah.
Every New England village has its
notable character" distinguished by
Municipalities more or less odd and won
derful but for purely amazing powers
of mastication, deglutition, and asslmll-
alton in a private citizen, who has eve
made any public exhibition or special
boast of his capabilities, Blandford begs
leave to take the palm. Nor is she like
ly to be disputed in it. Her champion
is John McDarby, a 65-years-old Irish
man of very pronounced Celtic and
stupid appearance, having scraggy chin
whiskers and gray hair, who is of medium
height and marked by a gaunt develop
ment of chest and body; and this
Individual will eat a live snake for you,
taking mozthfuls from its head down.
ward, will hold a bull=frog by its leg and
crunch it down, piece by piece, OF vii
MUNICH smaller game III the way of bugs
grasshoppefs; etc. But the massive
strength of his jaws and teeth is best
illustrated where he chews crockery,
crushing and grinding it to powder with
his ordinary food, when so disposed.
For sanitary reasons, however, he wisely
refrains from devouring glass. All OF
which, and much more, is solemnly
vouched for by responsible taxpayers Of
Blandford and vicinity.
A deserter from the English army at
Quebec, McDarby first appeared in this
region about forty years ago, and in his
escape, it is said, he ran sixty-four miles
in twenty-four hours, without food,
which is credible, perhaps, for he is pos
sessed of an iron constitution. He made
an impression upon the natives at South
Hadley Falls by callingf for pie and cheese
at the hotel, or rather in what followed,
when he bit through plate and all. He
has since worked in Blandford and vicin.
ity, where he has displayed all his various
accomplishments. Just now he resides
with a sister at Russell and helps John
son Tiffany on his Blandford farm. HI
has four children living, to hone o.
whom, fortunately, have descended the
fathers tastes or strength OF jaw. A
Chester, several years ago, with thu
utmost nonchalance, he lifted a barrel O.
pork by the iron hoop, with his teeth
and then, in a wager, put down three
dozen eggs, shells and all. He won
dollar bet at North Blandford, too, b.
eating q raw two-and-on e-half-pount
pickerel. And even church member
affirm that he has been known to che,
/, up-not exactly "three tubs of ice am
then to call for soda water"-but a
earthen porter bottle. McDarby serve
in the war-and now draws a half per
, sion for a leg wound-making a very cor
venient soldier at times. He was wit
, the mounted infantry, and when the ex
gencies of the campaign put his hors
| upon short ~rations, the obliging fello7
f would give the faithful steed his huma
fodder, and subsist himself upon animal
: snakes, bull-frogs, worms, rats, ett
> Again, while marching from Mobile t
Florida, a black snake disputed the wa,
: and the Captain ordered the negroes I
cut clubs and STAY the " sarpint"-so til
story runs-when the useful McDarb
seized it, and, amid the establishment
L tho crowd, bit its head off. We are NJ
surprised, either, when Med. tells l
that one of the witnesses of the feat "a
to his commander and demanded
know "what kind of a - snake-eatt
I, they had in camp" After a battl
}, McDarby has been known to slice off
bit of dead horse and subsist upon
r with apparent relish.
His marvellous strength is only in h
jaws, which are not malformed, appa
emily; his teeth are good though he h.
|, lost two, which he knocked out with
hammer when they showed signs of d
cay. In conversation he will never loc
y at you, and cannot be drawn out direct
to talk about himself. More than OF
attempt has been made to engage him /
travelling shows, but he refuses all sue
I alluremeAts. He used to be very FIRE
to amuse any private parties ry devon
ing snakes or frogs, but latterly insis
I that he is growing old and must be pal
$ for exhibiting himself. In this come
v ton, he is willing to wager that he I" wi
eat a tom-cat's head off before it is dor
\ kicking!" The man has never been sic
! but once in his life, and, though a han
/ drinker, at times, has never had any aft
headaches like common folks. Thong
' the stories told of him seem so high
improbable, it certainly is a fact th;
n nearly all are implicitly believed Z
Blandford way, where the people, il
;. deed, have seen much with their oW
. eyes.-Sprinatield (Mass.) Repubtica,