The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1889-01-12

A LATTER-DAY SAMSON.

A LATTER-DAY SAMSON.
Some Of the Wonderful Perform
ances of Modern Giant.
Charles q. Sampson, = German Athioto'
Bursts steel Chains Fastened Around
the Muscles of His Arms and Body
Is Though They Were Strings
When James Wilson, the expansionass,
was described few weeks ago. it was os-
iieved by the medical fraternity, and by AL
who saw Mr. wilson in his wonderful per-
formances, that no other man on the taca
of the earth possessed such strength. But
the New York Evening SUMS freak hunter
has been prowling about town Tor o tort
night, seeking parallel for Wilson, ana
has found him. The new mans name Is
Charles n. Sampson. He is thirty years OF
age, of medium build and height, not man
who would be picked out as giant IN
strength. but quiet, ordinary looking per-
son.
Mr.. Wilson broke great trunk straps one
at time. Mr.. Sampson breaks three OF
the same straps at once. Mr.. wilson broke
nine steel wire cables Of eight strands each
with the power of his chest. Mr. sampson
broke in the presence of the reporter 40
thicknesses OF the same steel wire caole, Or
in all. 1000 strands. He went still further.
aud broke steel trace chain. such as are III
use on truck harness, fastening it ABOUT
his chest and bursting its links like so much
glass. The same chain, link by link, he de-
liberately pulls in two with his hands t5as~
pipe one inch in diameter he bends into
elbows by striking the length of the pipe
across his left arm. He has successfully
pulled III tug of war against twelve strong
men.
The reporter obtained al interview with
Mr.. Sampson in a private room IN an up
town residence. The name OF the man As
st once looked upon as an assumed one, ZOE
the very reason that it fits his profession SO
we'll. Nevertheless his true name is Samp-
SOD.
Charles e, Sampson was born on the 10th
Of April, 1859, in Baden, Germany, and IS,
therefore almost thirty years of age DE
came to America only short time since,
after having Travelled all over Europe en-
! hibiting his strength.
Selecting piece of steel chain about three
feet long Mr. Sampson forced open one OF
lust large enough to fit over the biceps
muscle of the arm A second chain was
formed in the same manner and carefully
fitted When the arm was allowed to hang
| loosely at the side these chains were found
to st snusly about the biceps. Then Mr..
! Sampson's fingers began to twitch and
| close systematically, the muscles and ten
dons OF his arm slowly swelled and in
creased In size, his forearm was carefully
| carried upward and az the elbow crooked
| the strain upon the chain became trenen-
dous. The arIn was further bent, when
! there was g sharp snap, piece OF EACH
| chain flew to the ceiling and the chains
dropped 70 the floor. broken squarely IN
two. There was no ssfake" about it. 1t waa
| genuine feat in strength, which no other
i man, as far as Known, has ever accom-
| plished. The chain is made from steel
three sixteenths Of al inch thick, and
formed in double links one and one half
| inches long The tensile strength is esti-
mated at about four thousand pounds. Mr.
| Sampson says it does not Inconvenience
him in the least to break them, and he aI,~
| parent]y does it witt as much ease IS il
bending his arm with nothing on it at all.
| Taking Up roll Of the small steel wire
| cable previously referred 10, Mr. Sampson
| made belt of it, containing one hundred
and twenty-five lengths OF the cable, which
he wrapped around his chest. III don's
propose to break this cable by expan-
! sicn,': he said, 70 for have but very l15tle
chest expansion. You will notice, how
ever, that the muscles in nv back aud
sides are wonderfully developed. BY
| swelling them up I accomplish the same
| result Mr.. Wilson does with his wonderful
y. 1~;.. rl,y n,>
swelling Of all the muscles of his chest,
back and shoulders, strain On the cable
and it parted with metallic snap in less
shan three seconds from the time he began.
| Next be bent the gas pipe, as before de-
scribed.
| "Have you ever tried wrestling!" asked
the reporter.
| "Ch, yes; and here are some testimonials
| from high authority to show that 10 man
ever vet threw me- unless by trick. do
| not claim to be catch as-catCtl-can Wrest-
! Ter, but il any man can put me on my back
fairly by main strength, would like to see
/ him do it, In ST. Petersburg had a large
ring made from inch iron. The ring was
eight feet in diameter, and / stood in the
middle of it aud fourteen strong men had
hold of the ring. They tried 20 push me or
move me out of q certain Limit marked on
the floor, but could not / can and will
withstand the combined strength of any
eight men you have in This city, not bar
ring Sullivan, Mitchell Or any one else"
! In 1878 Mr.. Sampson started en- tour OF
! the continent and was seen by many royal
patrons of manly sport. He has received
| ffty-one decorations and medals for his
! prowess, of which fortyeighS are from royal
donors. Some OF them are magnificent spec,-
mems of fine handiwork on gold. Among
the names Of the donors are found the en-
graved autographs of King William OF
Prussia, Emperor of the German Empire;
Francis Joseph, Emperor OF Austria; Alex
ander, Car of Russia, presented June 49,
1875. Other royal gifts are from Prince
Alexander of Roumauia, the Kings OF Wur.
temburg aud Bavaria, the Grand Duke OF
! Baden, the Grand Duke of Resse, and more
| than forty more from lesser digniraries.
On August 10, 1878. Mr.. Sampson en-
gagged to slay steer with his fist. The
feat was performed with single blow in
the presence OF Emperor Wilhelm and EN-
peror Francis Joseph. He wears a hand,
| some decoration commemorating that event.
This feat Of skill and strength was re-
| at Emo Eorr,onv st ch,1.,