The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-09-28
rne MAN Win an From Saw.

The Man with an From 5sw.
TIE FEEDS on LIVE DyLL-fRoEs. SNAKES. AND
FISHES, AND MasTICArGs cRocKERY on occA-
SION.
rSpringAe,d tMass) Republican,
Every New England vilisge has it's pota.
h,e " character" distinguished by indiyidu.
al;ties more or less odd and wonderful; but
for purely amszing powers of mastication,
declutition, and assimilation in q private CT.
zen. who has never made any public eXhl.
bition or special boast OF his capablhticS'
Blsndford begs leave to take the PAIN.
Nor is she likely to be disputed IN IT.
Nor champion Is John McDarby, q sixty.
6ye-year.old Irishmau, Of very pronounce
Celtic and stupid appearance, having
scragcy chir-whiskers and gray hair, VINO
ia of medium height and marked by giant
DEVELOPMENT of chest and body; and this 10
diyidual will cat live snake for you, taking
ropthfuls from its head downward, Will
hold a bull frog by its leg and crunch 1t
down. piece by niece 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
crockery, crushing and grinding it to pow
der with his ordinary food, when so dis
posed. For sanitary reasons, however, he
wisely refrains from devouriDg glass. All OF
which, and much more, Is solemnly Vouched
for by responsible taxpayers of Bandlord
and vicinity.
A deserter from the English army at Que
bee, McDazby first appeared in this region
about forty years ago; and in bis escape, II
is said, he ran siXty.four miles in twenty
four hours without food, which is credible,
perhaps, for he is possessed Of an iron con
HI nrpSSInD
natives at South Hadlcy Falls by calling tol
pie and cheese at the hotel, or rather in VIVA
followed, when he bit through plate and al,
He has since worked in Bradford and vlcl'
nity. where he has displayed all bis various
ACCOMPLISHMENTS. just now be resides
with q sister at Russell, aud helps John
SON Tiffany Oh his Bradford farm. he
has four children living, to none OF
whom, fortunately, have descended the
fathers tastes or strength of jaw. Al
Chester several years ago, with the utmost
nonchalance, be lifted barrel OF pork oy Tue
iron hoop with his teeth; and then, ia a
wager, put down three dozen eggs, shells
and all. He won a dollar bet at NORTH
BIapdford, too, by eating raw tWo-and-
ope.balf pound pckcrel; and even church.
members affirm that he has been known to
chew up not exactly "three tubs OF ice and
then to call for saltwater" but an earther
porter.boitle. McDarby served in the war
and now draws half pension for leg
wound, making very convenient soldier al
times. lie was with the mounted infantry
and when the eXigencies of the campaign
put his horse upon short ratons the obliging
fellow would give the faithful steed his hu
man fodder and subsist himself upon ami
mate snakes, bul-frogs, worms, rats, &c
Again, while marching from Mobile TO Flor
ida, a black.snake disputed the way, and the
captain ordered the negroes to cut clubs and
slay the "sarpint 80 the story runs when
the useful McDarby seized it, and, amid the
establishment Of the crowd, bit bis head oil
We are not surprised, either, when McDarby
tells us that one Of the witnesses OF The Zeal
ran to his commander a1d demanded to know
"what kind Of -- snake-eater they had
in csmp!" After q battle, McDarby ba'
been known to slice off bit of dead horse
and subsist upon it with apparent relish.
His marvellous strength is only in his jaws
which are not malformed, apparently. Hi
teeth are good, though he has lost two, which
he knocked out with q BANNER when they
showed signs of decay. In conversation ht
will never look ut you, and cannot he draw
out directly TO talk about himself. More tn al
one attempt has been made to engage bia
by travelling shows, but he refuses all suct
a,lurements. He used to be very free tC
amuse any private parties by devourine
snakes or frogs, but latterly insists that b.
is growing old, and must be paid for exhi
biting himself. In this connection he il
willing to wager fifty dollars that he "wil
eat a tom.cal's head off before it is done
kicking" The man has never been sick bu
once in his life, and though a hard drinkel
atumcs has never had any after-headache
like Common folks. Though the stories toll
of him seem SO highly improbable, it Ger
tainIy is fact that we'll nigh all are implicit.
believed up Bland(ord way, where the PEG
pile. indeed, have seen much with their owl
eyes.