Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-09-19
WHAT Is IT!
Lulu Hurst and Her Powers-Experi-
ments Last Evening.

lady. rather above the medium hight,
weighing about 135 pounds. Although
bv no means slender or delicate, there is
nothing about the young lady to indicate
more than ordinary muscular power. The
first exhibition was with an umbrella.
Mr.. Deming, of Lake county, took firm
hold of the handle of the umbrella, Miss
Hurst laid her own hands against 1t, NOV
ing them slightly for perhaps quarter OF
a minute. Then, of u sudden, the UNI
brella began to dance through the air, the
man trying his best TO hold it, and
Miss Hurst apparently simply trying
to keep pace with it. Both were
pulled about the floor in q lively manner,
Deming being hurled against the auditors
in the first row of benches, and for mo-
ment the situation was very much like that
of "the devil among the tallors. Again
and again was the experiment tried by diff
ferent persons, but it was of no use; the
person grasping the umbrella was hurled
and dragged about the hall by some ire
sistible power, and finally the umbrella was
shattered against the stage. Next, expert
ments were tried with a char. The test
was for any man to hold the chair still by
clasping it closely 10 his body while Miss
Hurst laid her hands upon 1t, one Hat upon
the chair seat. the other upon one of the
back bars. As soon as her hands touched
the chair the holder began to experience
difficulty in standing still. At times one of
her hands grasped the back bars. The
holder was jerked about and made to act
very much like a drunken man. Some
half-dozen large, strong men-among them
Judge Holl, of this city-each in turn
endeavored to hold the chair still, but
failed to do so. On being asked
bv parties in the audience to explain what,
if any. effect they experienced during the
tests, Abe Newman, the well-knoWn
wholesale butcher of San Francisco, re-
marked " | have handled a great many
strong cattle in my time, but this was the
first time ever. tackled any living thing
that was too much for me" Another "a
soiourning medical NAM said: The
power, whatever it is, is not violent; | felt
no violence whatever, but 4 soft, gradually
increasing power. Indeed, it seemed as if
there were a thousand different powers
combined all about me" Another, an
AmaGor-county granger, declared that
he had handled cattle, horses,
women and children but this girl
beat anything he had ever encoun-
tered Next billiard cue was brought
out. A large, strong man went forward
and seized it near the middle with both
hands Miss Hurst placed the palm Of her
hand upon the cue, the thumb extending
downward past it. Presently the holder
began to sway back and forth and to be
pulled about over the floor in the effort
to hold it still and apparently resisting all
the while to the utmost of his strength.
Then he tried to force one end of the cue
down upon the floor, but could not do it
Al +aI
against it. At times she had both hands
upon the cue, and once or twice one hand
grasped it. Two more powerful men tried
it. with the same result. John hatcher of
this city, man of more than ordinary
strength, was also conquered. Then
David Lubin and a RECORD UNION rep
resentative both took hold OF the billiard
cue simultaneously but We're unable to
force one end of it to the floor. Several
other couples made the same attempt with
like result. The next experiment was
made with a Cane-seated char. Four
strong men took hold Of it. at waist hight,
and tried to force it upon the floor. They
failed, although getting ii very nearly
down In each case the girl laid her
hands upon and under the chair. Several
other muscular quartets tried the same
thing and with the same result. Often
chair, while the girl stood outside the
group. and STOPPING had to reach in to
tluch the chair Many thought that Miss
Hurst had her hands grasped upon the
chair, but frequently her hand was merely
resting upon il. Then Judge Holl. who
weighs perhaps two hundred pounds, by
request seated himself in the chair. Miss
Hurst placed the palms Of her hands
against the sides Of the back of the chair,
she STOPPING over the back Of it, and raised
the chair and its occupant nearly a foot
from the floor, quickly and with forward
movement. This was twice repeated. In
each case the sitters feet rested uDOn the
floor and he was requested to lean firmly
back on the chair. George II. Smith and
several other heavy-weights were in like
manner lifted from the floor and pushed
about IT, The last one was requested 10
remain ana allow Mr.. Smith to experiment
rs to the lifting power necessary 10 exert.
BY grasping the chair strongly he was able
to lift ii and its burden from the floor, but
IL required seemingly very much more OF
exertion than was put forth by Miss Hurst
when doing it by apparent palm
pressure. The exhibition concluded with
repetition of the attempt by four
men to force the chair upon the floor.
| Porter Ashe r. c. Lowell and two other
! equally muscular young men grasped the
! chair, threw the combined weight Of their
| bodies upon it, and their strength upon it,
! but could not quite force ii down. Miss
! Hurst will give another exhibition tonight
al the same place, when it is expected that
some interesting tests Will be made BY
prominent physicians TO determine whether
I or not there is evidence of great muscular
| eXerti0n on the part Of the young lady af-
ter one of her experiments. In these con-
tests it was noticed that, while the men all
| became greatly exhausted by their efforts,
Miss Hurst seemed 10 be not disturbed in
/ The least but went quickly from one test
to another against fresh young men Those
| who witnessed Miss Hursts exhibition
last evening were by no means unanimous
! in their belief that She possessed more than
/ ordinary muscular power, some expressing
! the belief that there may have been some
| trick in 1t. Since opinions diller 80 widely,
I the matter certainly becomes an interesting
one for study or investigation by those who
take IN interest in such matters. After The
exhibition several gentlemen tried to force
down q chair held by tir. Ashe with the
back against his breast, and he was able to
resist them But il is fair to say Miss Hurst
did not hold the chair in her tests. On the
! contrary, her opponents grasped it, and she
simply put her hands upon II. and some
times in the midst of tine struggle had but
/ one hand on the chair. The same gentle
( mon experimental with the lifting OF men
/ on the chair and succeeded. bat did so by
getting partial grip with the index ard
( middle fingers, and by pressure of the up-
I per arm. II what Miss Hurst does is by
the aid Of some unknown physical force il
] IS marvellous; if it is by suggestion, as
J the theory is called, it is an adroit art; il
by muscular trickery. it is admirably and
most cuuuinSly managed
AnuseIucnts.
METROPOLITAN THEATER -" VI lss was
played by the GriSmer-Dayies company last
+ evening to a good house. Tonight the
sensational drama, Claire and the Forge
Master "a play of deep interest, probable
and of finished character 1t has been
/ played here once, and proved 4 great sue
: cess. The present company is fully capa-
/ BILE of presenting it thoroughly well.
THE TfyoL1-The Ward Comedy Com.
I pany again tonight in the comedy drama
! The Winning Hand.