The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1876-01-07
An Extraordinary Man.


The Detroit Post tells of a most extra |
ordinary person who has been giving
public exhibitions of several marvellous
feats, which confound the doctors and |
astound all spectators. His name is
Thomas, and he is short, thick-se. and
wonderfully muscular negro, who says
that he was born in Sheffield. England, |
and is thirty-five years of age. He was
in the States several years ago. The
Post there decribes his performances
Thomas claims to have double set |
of ribs, one under the other. and is able |
to lower the inner set at pleasure, like
the drop-curtain at theater. This was
the first thing that he proceeded to ac-
complish last evening. Barring his
breast and abdomen, about which there
is nothing unusual in appearance. he in
dulged i'll variety of appalling abdomi-
nal contortions, suggestive ofa severe
attack of collie, produced by a too free
indulgence in green apples, and presently
sure enough, the false ribs settled down,
and could be distinctly felt by pressure
upon the abdomen. In shifting the po-
sition of the heart Thomas indulged in
a similar series of internal gymnastics,
and the heart could be seen to drop down
at least ten inches below the normal po-
sition Again, he was able to shift it at
will to the right side. and back again to
its proper place with but little apparent
effort. No matter where the heart was,
the pulsations could be distinctly seen
and felt. Another feat no less puzzling
was the voluntary stoppage of the pulse.
One of the physicians applied stetho-
scope to Thomas breast, the heart being
then where it properly belonged, while
two other persons each seized one of his
wrists and applied finger to the pluse
Suddenly the action of the heart and
pulse apparently ceased. and neither of
the three examiners was able to detect
the talntest pulsation. All this time
Thomas continued to converse in AN orr
dinary and natural tone. This singular
man claims that he does not know by
what means he is able to accomplish
these wonderful performances, and says
that they do not cause him the slightest
pain or Inconvenience.
complishments Thomas is the possessor
of almost phenomenal strength. His
muscular development is something re-
inarkablc. He gave surprising and
practical proof OF his strength last even
ing by rolling up his left sleeve and
striking across his bare forearm heavy
iron cane. three-fourths of an inch in
diameter, with such force as to bend the
cane very perceptib.y with half q dozen
blows. Probably no ordinary man could
bend the iron rod by taking it IN both
hands and striking 1t across an iron post.
Thomas forearm is covered with thick,
calloused surface caused by the terrible
blows which he has ralned upon it with
his iron canes. Heclaims that on former
occasions he has succeeded in bending
an iron rod one aud one-half inches thick
in the same manner. He also says that
he has lifted 4, 800 pounds with the aid
OF harness. It is to be feared, however,
that Mr.. Thomas is not strictly accurate
in all his statements. For instance, ai-
though apparently an iliiterate person,
he claims to have graduated at medical
college in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1850.
Now, inasmuch as he is only tllirty-five
years of age, it would really seem as if
there was some little mistake about this.
This is how the 'Walla Walla STATES
man views the Alaska annexation:
Senator Mitchell has introduced q bill
annexing Alaska to Washington Terri.
tory. An Improvement, in our opinion,
would be to annex Puget Sound to Alas
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