The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-09-30
An Iron Jaw and stomach.

Saws the Springfield (MasS.) RepUbij-
can: Every New England village has
its notable sscharacter," distinguished
by individualities more or less odd and
wonderful, but for purelyamazing pow
ers of mastication, deglutition and as
similation in private citizen, who has
never made any public exhibition or
special boast of his capabilities. Bland
ford begS leave to take the palm. Nor
is she likely to be disputed in it. Her
champion is John McDarby, a G5-year-
old Irishman of very pronounced Celtic
and stupid appearance, having scraggy
chin-whiskers and gray hair, who Is OF
medium height and marked by gaunt
development of chest and body; and
this individual will eat live snake for
YOU, taking mOuthfuls from its head
downward, will hold a bull-frog by its
leg and crunch it down, piece by piece,
or will MUNICH smaller game in the way
of bugs, grasshoppers, etc. But the
massive strength of his Jaws and teeth
is best illustrated when he chewS crock
ery, crushing and grinding it topowder
with his ordinary food, when so dis
posed. For sanitary reasons, however,
he wisely refrains from deyourin% glass.
All of which. and much more, is solemn
" vOuched for by responsible taxpayers
of Blandford and vicinity.
A deserter from the English army at
Quebec, McDarby first appeared in this
region about 10 years ago, and in his
escape it is said he ran 81 miles i'm y
hours without food-which is credible,
perhaps, for he Is possessed of an
iron constitution. He made an I'M
preston upon the natives at South
Hadley Falls by calling 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 vicinity, where he has
displayed all his various accomplish
ments. just now he resides with a sis
ter at Russell and helps johnson Tiffany
on his Blandford farm. He has four
children living, to none of whom, for
tunatelv, have descended the fathers
tastes or strength of jaw. At Chester,
several wears ago, with the utmost non
chalance, he lifted barrel of pork by
the iron hoop. with his teeth; and then,
in wager, put down three dozen eggs,
shells and all. He won dollar bet ut
North Blandford, too, by eating a raw,
twO-and- pound pickercl. And
even church members affirm that he has
been known to chew up-nOt exactly
three tubs of ice and then call for so
da water''-but an earthern porter bot
tie. McDarby served in the war-and
now draws a half pension for leg
wound-making a very convenient sol
der at times. He was with the mount
ed infantry, and when the eXigencies Of
the campaign put his horse upon short
rations, the obliging fellow would give
the faithful steed his human fodder, and
subsist himself upon animate snakes,
bull-frOgs, worms, rats, etc. Again,
while marching from Mobile to Florida,
a black snake disputed the way, and the
captain ordered the negroes to cut clubs
and slay the 'sarpent''-sO the story
runs-when the useful McDarby seized
it, and, amid the astOnishment OF the
crowd, bit its head off. We are not sur
prised, either, when Med. tells Us that
one of the witnesses of the feat ran To
his commander and demanded to know
:. What kind of a - snake-eater they
had in camper After a battle, McDar-
bv has been known to slice off a bit Of
dead horse and subsist upon with appar-
ent relish.
His marvellous strength is only in his
laws, which are not malfOrmed, appar-
emily; his teeth are good, though he
has lost two, which he Knocked out
with hammer when they showed signs
of decay. In conversation he Will new
or look at YOU, and cannot be drawn out
directly to talk about himself. More
than one attempt has been made to en-
qage him by travelling shows, but ne re-
fuses all such allurements. He used to
be very free to amuse any private par
ties by devouring snakes or frogs, but
latterly insists that he is growing old
and must be paid for exhibiting himself.
In this connection he is willing to wager
$50 that he ''will eat a tOm-cat's head
off before it is done kcking," The man
has never been sick but once in his life,
and, though a hard drinker at times,
has never had any after headaches Ike
common folks. Though the stories told
of him seem so highly improbable, 1t
certainly is a fact that well-nigh all are
implicitly believed up Blandford way,
where the people, indeed, have seen
much with their own eyes.
In the pouch of a Squirrel, shot by
San Francisco lady, at CaliStOga, Cal,
were found 73S grains of wheat slowed