The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-08-09
AFTER FORTY DAYS FAST
DIR. TANNER BREAKS IT ON GEORGIA
WATERMELON.
Tho Old Fellow GorginE Himself at .
Hate to Create Apprehension as
TO the Resulr.-He Gains Nine
Pounds I'm u Day.

1
long without eating. Forty days ago, 4
noon on the Goth Of June, he entere
Clarendon Hall and began sbstainingfr frol
food. He had theory years ago that tn
use Of the will only was needed to carry
person through many days Of fasting, an
he frequently went week or two at q tim
without partaking OF nourishment.
II is tho verdict OF physicians and c
newspaper men who have watched hir
carefully that there has been no fraud
The conditions were such that fraud coul
not be possible, and 1t Is not even sus
pected that Tanner has been fooling eithe
the watchers or the public. This h
proved, too, in the fact that, while he ha
yomited freely almost from the first, not
particle OF solid food has been ejecteC
from bis stomach. What has been thrown
off was q irothy, light liquid. Since tn,
second day, too, the Doctor has not had al
abdominal passage OF solid matter
another proof that he has not partagen o
aught save liquids.
There was q new light in DR.. Tanner
eye when he awoke at daylight this morn
ing. His unstable stomach had disturbed
him two or three times during the night
and once some catsin neighboring grape
vine had aroused him from slumber; bu
he arose in the morning refreshed and
vigorous.
Men and women began to file into the
hall as early as eight O'Clock. Many o.
them were OF peculiar aspect, representa-
tiyes OF various advanced ideas" who
came to participate in what each regarded
as in some way triumph OF the special
ism he or she represented. A majority,
however, were merely curiosity.hunters.
DR.. Tanner hung limpin his easy chair in
the gallery. There was no smile of re-
ioicing on his face, butt was easy 10 see
that nothing was escaping his gaze. A
pouderous dark-green watermelon, in
which were inserted miniature britain.
Unaware knife and fork, was brought in.
It was q foot and half long and very
thick. 1t bore on its pale'green rind the
following inscriptions
ITO DR.. Tanner, for his first meal, from
the Georgia State Horticultural Society, In
Convention at Atlanta, July 30th." 1t
weighed forty.six pounds. 1t was restor.
ed to the table, where other watermelons
and store OF grocers' goods, consisting oi
a. score OF patent articles oi food, including
q bundle OF zwiebach. About the time
thd Georgia melon arrived, small boy
approached Doctor Tanner with other Wis.
itors in the gallery, and said he wanted to
present him with q peach. The Doctor
smiled his thanks, and let his fingers close
on the peach. Nobody saw this peach
again for long time. The Doctor slowed
it in ole OF his pockets.
At 1915 o'clock he emerged from the
cushions ot his easy chair aud led his
watchers In o line down stairs to the in.
closure. Here he lay quietly on his cot,
apparently not noticing the throng OF five
or six hundred, until five minutes before
II o'clock, when the Doctor arose, put on
his black coat-that had grown so large
around the waist during his fast-and
bolted through the crowd to the ante.room
at the north eud OF the hall. The crowd
followed to the DOOR, which is next to the
east side OF the hall. There the crowd
glued It's eyes into long column,
three or four abreast, 10 see as far
as possible Into the ante.room, the door of
which was kept open to admit air. In the
room the faster sat with his back toward a
window. His features had the dull red
appearance OF leather. There were cfeases
In the brow and about the mouth. The
CLEAN in his blpe ewes and his freedom
from achicdistprhances alone showed
that the clos 'ng hours ol his fast were
acting as stimulus 10 his nerves. His
sparse white hair was smoothed down
upon the shining prominences OF his skull.
DR.. Tanner did not drink drop Of water
after Q 6:45 o'clock in the morning.
While the physicians were discussing,
DR.. Tanner drew the peach which the boy
had given him from his pocket and began
to toy with 1t in his hands.
"Whatis he going to eat Grst2" asked
DR.. Deems Of DR.. Gum.
"He wants to eat that peach first" was
thereby. U.
"But he ought not to. You'd better put
yourself in the hands OF your physicians"
said DR.. Deems to the faster.
"When the clock strikes" said DR.. Tan
ner, "pop goes the peach into my stom,
ach. ! know better than any OF them
about my stomach. II this one won't
stay down, I'll put down another; and II
you'll hurry up the time, doctor, I'll give
you aquarter."
Watches had been compared q moment
previously. BE was guided by DR.. Guun'e
watch. A moment before the minute hand
pointed TO ths dot, the whistle OF neigh
boring manufactory sent forth q peal
Hardly had It's sound died away before 4
roar ol cheering voices was heard from thf
street. At the came instant DR.. Tanner
put the peach to his mouth, and took
small bite. 81,
"Don't do that-don't do that" sale
several physicians near him. "The people
in the other room are expecting to see yot
break your last"
II can't help It." said the Doctor, ~ an
going to eat this peach, and eat 1t now"
Just then, realizing that he was beinl
cheered by those on the street, hi
stood, faced the open window, and waved
the empty paper In response. The peach
with one or two bites left on the pit, wa
held in the right hand. He put what wa
left 10 his mouth In sight Of the crowd ii
the street. This brought forth anotht
and enthusiastic round OF cheers.
He stepped on the scales, alter throw
ing of his coat, and was found TO weigl
lust 1911 pounds. Then DR.. Reilly helpe'
him on with his coat, and he was hoistel
| into his easy.chair, which had been place
on top OF q stout, round table in sight G
all. The people shouted In their excite
ment. Professor Wark handed him
beer.glass full Of pure milk (not diluted
He drank half Of 1t without Q stop, the
shook his head to express his satisfaction
The spectators laughed aud applaudec
he drank half Of what was left, and th
people applauded again. perhaps" b
said, "you don't believe this Is good" Il
handed the glass back to Professor Warl
sat back in his chair and rested momeI
after his labors. Whatever he said or dl
provoked applause aud laughter. "Nov
them" said he, grasping his big ebon
. cane by way Of emphasis, "tap the Georg
; Watermelon"
There was no knife. AT last DR.. Palli
ger, before whom the big melon WI
placed on the rourd table st Dr.. Tanner
I a