The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-01-31
a Michigan Ssiakgf.

THE MELANCHOLY Sioh1 o0 AN
SPECIMEN OF MANHOOD.
From the Ypsilanti Sentine.l
Charley Freeman, along back in the thir-
ties. appeared for the first time among gang
of laborers on the Flat Rock and Gibraltar
canal, and be moved among ordinary men
| like a son of Apak. He looked eight feet
high, at least, and three feet across the shout.
ders. His arms Sprang from his chest AS
| large as any middle-sized mans body, and
tanered down to band three inches tuck.
and. when doubled into est as big and hard
| as a rai.splittet'S maui. He gave his age as
seventeen, and he was growing. He hired
| for the wages and work of an ordinary hand;
but when he seized a shovel it went through
the clay like breakirg.u plough, and the
handle soon came Off il the blade held. An
ordinary axe was but feather in his ham d.
| It sank TO the eye in the wood, and the helve
splintered. He dealt oat strength by the
whole, and he could not weight out bis force
| Ia the measure of ordinary men.
When be stood among gang Of laborers
the contrast made them look like children.
The strolIing Indians woGld stare 10 amuze-
ment few moments, aud then with deep
"ugh !" get out of sight of him as fast as
their dignity would let them. He was put to
do the work of three pairs Of oxen. That
was removing the trunks of trees, cut in ten.
or tweve-foot lengths, out of the way OF the
dicgers; not htcbed 10 them like oxen to
snake them away, but with bis right hand
under the end, raising one from the ground,
then balancing it across bis LETT forearm, be
shot the saw logs far to one side with all the
ease that skilful workman piles his split
cord-wood. And thus day after day the
giant moved, until the canal was not built
any more. :.
He appeared again on the boats that piled
along the Huron river, Michigan. he was
engine and tackle to handle heavy freight.
What others could not shoveor roll he would
pick up and carry or toss. when the hea'
viy.freighted boat stuck on the rlpples ne
Just stepped out Of the stern and boosted her
over. Nobody would have felt surprised If
be had taken the whole boat and cargo right
under bis arms, as q woman carries dough-
tray. and marched across by land, when they
came to long bends in the river. Nobody
ever said be did this. because they never
wanted to exaggerate his feats any more than
We do now.
But navigation did not pay, and that stop
ped, too. Some of the 8 fancy" heard of the
unceebrated giant, and took the notion that
there was money in him. He was as simple
as d child. Any one could lead him. 1t never
got through his skull that he was remarkable.
The sharpers meant to keep him 80, and
speculate on bis prodlgiOus power. They
coaxed him off eastward. Al Buffalo they
sent him into q dock saloon with q 1900
pound anchor under bis left arm, just ss
chopper carries his axe, to pawnit FOL. drinks.
He got the drinks, and the keeper was
glad to treat him for carrying it out again.
| Thus he and his friends travelled on his
muscle to the sea coast, and ae -oss to Eng
land. They intended 10 get soft thing on
some English champion. They bad too
much of good thing. A friendly sparring,
as an experiment, with professional boxer,
showed that match with any living pugilist
was impossible. The giants face could not
be effectual!y reached. Blows on the body
might as we'll have been planted 90 sand
bag. When bis unskilled maui came down
1t came with the force OF pile driver. and 40
matter what it met. the obstacle went to the
earth. By the ruse of representing him az
large and strong, but green, they maze
match of science and skill against power
with noted pugilist. TIE parties came on
the ground, but at the first sight of him his
opponent turned away saying 81 came to
| Il ght with large man, not with mountaIn."
Seconds, referees, and all hands declared the
UlitCQ IN1TIS " uOLullS SouIu
be made out of him, his sharp attendants de.
serted him. From Michigan to Liverpool
the route had been one of continued d'ssi
patton, and be contracted the seeds of dis
ease. Deserted in strange land, he was I'm.
cared for; an object of awe and curiosity,
useless to any body else, and helpless to care
for himself, he soon died consumption,
and was buried in pauper's grave.
Tins pprShp1 nerhqDS the most maUnifI-
cent specimen of physical manhood that the
United States ever produced. He never
learned letter; he never felt refining iu-
6uence; he never had real friend. His
rapid growth, great size, and immense
strength prevented all possible parental
moulding Or influence. 1t was fortunate for
! others that be was not vicious. 1t was for
| tunate for himself that his birth was in
place and at time where and when neces.
sity, We may say, forced him to run to waste.