Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-09-08
a SAMSON For SULLIVAN.
An AIgIers Wonder. Capable of Knock
ing the Great Slugger Ont.

An AIgIers Wonder. Capable of Knock
ing the Great sIugger Out.
The reporter, in his rambles last week,
says the New Orleans Times Democrat,
among other places visited Algiers, the
city suburb that lies on the other side of
the river. 1t was broiling day; the sun
was beaming down as straight as he could
send his rays, and the head Of the scribe
was slippery with perspiration. Hurry
ing across the leyee bank he struck the
shade Of shed on the corner, pulled of
his Mackinaw and began to mop himself.
a dog lying on a step lOlled its tongue out
and painted; the horses were blowing like a
herd affected with the hives: the street
hens, with their chickens, were gasping
Tor breath. While the reporter was MOTTO
ing these various incidents, intending to
say on his return to the city, 1T was a
mighty hot day in Algiers,' and in conse-
quence getting sat down on by the en-
ragged city editor for venturing an original
remark, he was accOsted by friend, who
said:
sHelIo, old fellow, come over to see the
Algiers wOnder!' \ negative answer
being given to this interrOgatOry saluta-
ton, the Algerian continued: You must
come with me and see this most wonder
full prodigy. You will be astOunded. He
is certainly the coming man to knock out
Sullivan. The Boston boy will not reign
much lOnger.D
This was enough for the reporter, who
determined to see him, fraud or no fraud.
Walking out Patterson street to the
vicinity Of the Morgan depot, the gentle
man stopped, saying, "Ihis is the house."
1t was a small neat cottage house, with a
portion of an upper story, and gallery
IN front, on which were flower pots,
trellis vines, swinging bird cages contain
ing singing canaries and the SOuth's
mimic warbleTs, the hooking birds. Mr..
Metz, for that was the gentleman's name,
rang the bell, which was soon answered
by a bright-faced little girl, who said papa
was in, and the visitors entered.
A light-cOmpleXiOned man wearing a
blonde mustache and apparently about
thirty years Of age, and weighing about
$50 pounds, arose TO greet the new corners.
He was introduced to the reporter as Mr..
John Treatwell, and told the object OF the
call. "Well," said he, "let's 90 up stairs
to my exercise room and L will exhibit
myself to you. l am in training now
every day because when l change myself,
as YOU Will see further on, L am very awk-
ward and unwieldly. This L must over
come bv practical boxing lessons, which
l am taking now every day, and l am i'm
proving slowly but surely" With this he
began preparing himself for his tights.
After be had dOnned his costume he re-
quested the reporter to feel him and ex-
anime him closely.
The scribe did so, as he had on a pre-
viOus occasion expressed his admiration
for the great Sullivan. Mr.. TreatwelPs
hand, arms and limbs were comparatively
small for his size, remarkably soft and
pliable. When the examination was COM
pleted he swung his arms over his head,
threw himself into position, saying, Feel
me now" His bulk had simply become
immense; he had assumed the proportions
of a perfect Jumbo of man. The reporter
stretched out his hand, taking hold of the
giants arm. The man had actually
turned into stone! As soon as he could
speak the writer asked him if he could
move about under such conditions. Ger
taInlv he could. With the reporter hang
ing on to his shoulders like fly on the
back of an elephant, he went flying
around the room as actively as could be.
Stepping on TO scales he registered 245
pounds! "HOw much do you weigh other
wise ?" asked his astOnished visitor. He
smiled and said, ''1S5." He then released
himself, became as soft as ever, and 1856
was his weight.
When questioned as to his power Of
such strange metamOrphOses, he could not
covered il accidentally one day while at
work boiler making. He was doing some
work that caused him TO exert his strength
i'm a very cramped and strained position,
when he suddenly found himself becoming
hard and endowed with superhuman ply
seal ability. At first he was frightened,
but when he had finished his lifting and
came back to his normal condition all
right his alarm passed away. and by prac-
rfrfuu mo som learned he could On intO rho
stone state and come out Of 1t whenever 1t
suited him. On convincing some friends
of this fact, they agreed he was the man
70 conquer Sullivan, and Immediately
placed him in training, so he could get
used to handling himself.
After a few minutes conversation he
again became the stone man, and picking
up a large block Of oak that lay on the
floor literally knocked it to pieces with
his fists. He then took in his hands an
iron ball about three inches in diameter
and crushed il into a thin sheet of metal;
this he tore to shreds with his fingers.
Taking from of a table a hickory board
some three feet long, a foot wide and two
inches thick, with one quick blow he
drove his INST clear through it. After this
feat he came back to his natural fOrma-
zion, took a seat and begun: Il am a ma
tive Of Algiers; am we'll known here. L
have always worked at the boiler making
trade. | expect to have one fight, that
with John J.. Sullivan, and mean to van
quish him. Ny idea is to learn how to
spar sufficiently well to move about on the
stage without appearing too clumsy, and
after a few passes with the champion to
strike him a blow that will knock him
completely out of time. If he hits me one
OF his powerful shoulder strikes he will
only injure himself, and l will not feel it.
whether the big man will fight me or
not is the question. l mean to challenge
him in about two weeks from now, and if
he accepts will go either to Boston or
New York. just as it suits him. OF course,
that will be my first and only COMBAT, as
no one else would ever dare stand before
me. / wouldn't enter the ring profession
ally, any way" With this the reporter
left. fully satisfied that if they come to-
gether Sullivan will be flOOred by the
Algiers wonder.