Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1883-08-29
POINT COUNTY DAKOTA WEDNESDAY
Tnnr Lfinntas Under Water.

When the moment arrived for BlAtt
TO 90 under for his four-minute trial he /
moved gracefully to the left, falling up
on his right knee, his left leg being ex-
tended down the tank and his chin just
touching the water. Then he raised his i
chin a few inches. opened his mouth
wide, drew long, big breath to initiate
his lungs with rs much air as pos
sible, and sank into one corner.
facing the audience, with head resting
in the angle of the glass case. His eyes
were closed, and he appeared like one
asleep. For a minute he did not move
a muscle. there not being pereeptiblc J
movement of the body. When Mr.. Stei-
gers called lone minute, there was
movement of tho right hand. and then
OF the body. and shortly afterward the
chest began to rise aud fall. At tive.
minutes it was apparent that the maIt
fish had begun to suffer. One foot was
first drawn up, ond his right hand clutch
ed the water conyulsively. At thres
minutes the spectacle became one Of exs
treme agony to most OF the lookers-on-
/ The man s lungs were fighting ffr oxr.a
gen. His bread chest rose and Tell Ike
that of "A person making \ last grand
struggle for one more breath OF air.
Bubbles were coming thick and fassg
from lis no sc to the surface Of t,e WAT
er, denoting the escape OF tue last OF the
iife-giying remnant from his body. As
the seconds piled up the horrors ofdeat5
from asphyxia gathered on his face, ms
mouth opened and shut quickly. and
two white eyeballs glared from the wat
er. Spectators began to get sick with
terror. On their faces were reflected
the agony of the man in the tank. An
artist who had hold of the reporters,
arm clutched it as if he would tear the
flesh off, and said Good God! why
don't they take the man outp" The
faces of the time-keepers and judges
werv liyid with horrible excitement. and
when Mr.. Steigers called out wildly,
"three minutes and half!' several
exclaimed, '.that's enough!' and man
/ ager Gregory cried Take the man out.
| Iii give the money upl' But the man
| staid, piling one second on another IN
| his terrible feat. The whole museum
| was in n state OF unutterable suspense.
The Madagascar woman and the Albinc
man, the spotted boy, the armless and
| legess man, the lady vocalists and the
1 \
less horror. the ladies saving, "oh, why
don't they take him out?' AT three and
three-quarter minutes there were sgnif-
! icant indications that nature had sur.
rendered The body ceased to move.
| there were no more contortions. the
head was limp upon the breast Fol
the past minute the spectators had been
sustained by the hope that the distor.
tons were the simple incidents ofa pro-
longed holding of the breath, but now
they were certain that the man had Civ
en- 1p the ghost. "Take him out!'
"Take him out'' was the general cry.
| But no one moved. '.Five seconds
more, if he can live through itr' called
out timckeeper Steigers, his eyes flash.
ing with mingled excitement and terror.
How those FIVE seconds dragged. "Foul
| minutesr' called Steigers, but the man
in the glass case did not move. He lay
| like one asleep in death. Then there
were fearful cries of ..take him out!'
and attendants rushed TO the tank. His
coat of mail weighs over twenty pounds,
and one man c,luld not handle him. and
when the assistant got over tine tank anc
Blatt was drawn up four minutes clever
aud half seconds had expired. dc
was as limp as n rag. His body anC
limbs tell around like man just dead
Cries OF "take him to the platform"
roll him on the iioor!'' were heard OF
all sides. For moment they rested
tie body on the frame of the tank. then
it was dragged down, hitting heavily
against the railing of the small stair
way leading to the platform. Ia,
in the midst of wild uproar and ex
element. when everyone Was filled witt
horror that a lie had been wantonly
sacrificed, Blats began to snow signs O
vitality, and all at once be struggled tt
his feet, rubbed Ills cFes and head Wig
orously, looked wildly about him ant
said: Ladies and gentlemen, car
beat thai time. "--et Louis G}oss Dem
scrGt.