The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1883-08-16
REMARKABLE MEN.
The Varn cious Pole md the Very Greatest
of Enters..peter, the Wild Boy--The
First Living Skclcton--A Mnn Of Wonder
full Memory.

The Worn cious Pole md the Very Greatest
of Enters..Peter, the Wild Boy--The
First Living Skclcton--a Mnn Of Wonde7
fnl Memory.
Among people who have become re-
markable by their differing from the
ordinary run of humanity, Charles
Domery, called "The VoTacious Pole,
excited great wonder in his day. He
enlisted in the French service, and
was captured by the English in 1893
and immured in a Liverpool prison.
When in camp, if bread and meat
were scarce he made up the deficiency
by eating four or five pounds of grass
daily. In one year he devoured and
skinned ia cats, dead and alive.
When very hungry he did not wait to
kill them before eating. He also ate
dogs and rats, and even their entrails
if food was scarce. When the ship
surrendered on which he was on board,
finding nothing to eat but a mans leg
that had been shot off, hc"began to eat
it, when a sailor snatched it from him
and threw it overheard.
In the Liverpool prison, although
double rations were allowed him, he
devoured everything he could get from
the other prisoners, and would even
swallow their medicines. He daily ate
raw bulIock's liver, three pounds OF
candles and several pounds OF raw
beef, and all that they would give him
of beer or water. His stomach re-
volted at nothing and retained every
thing. The doctors, wishing to try
how much he could eat in one day,
tested him. At 4 in the morning he
broke his fast by eating four pounds of
cows udder raw. During the day,
which was hot, and his appetite poor,
he consumed in all: cows udder, four
pounds; raw beef, ten pounds; candles,
two pounds, and five bottles of porter.
He restrained his appetite on this test
occasion because the other prisoners
frightened him by telling him the doc
tors were going to experiment upon
him.
The greatest eater that ever lived
existed in the days of old Parr, in the
beginning of 1900. His name was
Nicholas Wood, of the county Of
Kent. One of the writers of the time
says:
"He did eat with ease whole sheep,
and that raw at one meal at another
time thirty dozen of pigeons. At Sir
William Sedley's banquet he did eat as
much as would suffice for thirty men.
At Lord Watton's, at one meal, he
did eat four score and four rabbits.
On one occasion he devoured eighteen
yards of black pudding. He made an
end of whole pig at once, and after it
three pecks of damsons. At another
time he ate six penny loaves, three six
penny veal pies, one pound Of butter,
one good big dish of thornback, and
a peck loaf in the space of an hour"
Neither of these men were of ex-
traordinary size, nor in other respects
were they different. from other indi-
Eyiduals.
y OLD Boots, was aneobj jeet OF .cnIir
ERity=@:sns, the Lasts: century. He, was
Ebootblack and servant at an inn in
Ripon, Yorkshire, and was called
"Old Boots of Ripon." His nose and
chin were so long and so close together
that he could easily hold piece of
money between them, and visitors
were usually so tickled at the oddity
of the feat that they seldom failed to
witness it, and customers thronged
from far and near 70 see "Old Boots"
Peter, the wild boy, was found in
1725, in q forest near Hanover, walk
ing on his hands and feet, climbing
trees like a squirrel-nude, and feed
ing on grass and moss. With difficulty
he was caught and taken to Zell, Han
over He was undoubtedly a human
being, and was supposed to be about
thirteen years of age, but could not
speak, consequently no information
could be obtained from him rs to how
he came to be living among wild beasts.
After several times escaping to the
woods, Peter, as they named him, was
taken to England and exhibited. He
had hardly any ideas, could scarcely be
induced to wear clothes, and would
not sleep in bed, but slept crouched
in a corner, which led to the SUPPOSE
ton that he had always slept in tree
for security against wild beasts. He
could never be taught to converse,
though he would get out few words.
George l. gave him a pension, and
placed him with a farmer to live.
Peter was giant for strength, though
his height was only five feet. He ac-
quired many civilized habits, such as
overweening fondness for liquor. lie
was of a gentle disposition, notwlth-
standing the savagery of his early life,
! but could never be induced to notice
the fair sex. He died at the supposed
age of seventy-three. How human
Being came thus deserted in the woods
has ever remained mystery.
The very first living skeleton, and
from whom all subsequent ones take
their name, was Claude Sowrat, born
in France in 1897. lie was tall, and
would have been well shaped had there
been any flesh on him, but every bone
in his body could be seen. His arms
were compared to an ivory flute, and
the abdomen seemed to cling to the
vertebrn. He made a fortune by ex-
hibiting himself. and went to his ma
tive place to enjoy it, but suddenly eN-
pired soon after his retirement.
The first professional corn-cuttcr on
, record was named Hardman.
During the reign of William III.
London swarmed with adventures
from Holland. Among them was
Hardman. He called himself a
chiropodist, and by the singularity of
his dress, and the airs and elegance he
affected soon attracted attention. lie
became patronized by the great, and
even operated or the toes of the king
himself. lie amassed wealth and livcl
IN splendor.
A man named Magliabechi was
possessed of an extraordinary memory.
lie wa; born in Italy, in 1853.
His parents were so poor that they
we're glad to have him engaged as
errand-boy to a grocer. lie could not
read, vet was always poring over the
old leaves of books used as waste-papcr
by his employer. a bookseller know
ing the boy could not read asked him
what he meant by staring at the