San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1889-01-04
A MODERN HERCULES.
Smashing CobbleStoneS with his
Fists as Though they were
SheIibarkS,

| Smashing Cobbiestones with his
Fists as Though they were
Shelbarks,
From the Philadelphia Telegraph.
The clinic hall at the Pennsylvania
hospital was well filled this morning
at the usual clinic, including in the
number fifty women from the Wo-
mans Medical college, but toward its
close students began to pour in until
it was literally packed. The unusual
attendance was caused by notice
that had been sent to all the colleges,
stating that at the close of this clinic
DR.. Morton expected to show the class
the most remarkable exhibition of hui
man strength and development. In
view of this announcement DR.. Pack
ard shortened his clinic.
The exhibition was prefaced by
bringing in a small, square. yellow
painted pine table, on which were
placed an immense iron ball, huge
ring and an assorted collection of the
best Philadelphia cob bles tones. There
was buzz of excitement and cram
ing of necks by the vast audience
when the door opened, and the lead
ing Philadelphia medical practition-
ers, professors in the various colleges
and a number of we'll known newspa-
per men entered and completely filed
the arena and doorway. Finally DR..
Morton appeared, accompanied by the
man whose great strength was to be
tested, VINO was barred to the waist,
with a blanket thrown over his
shoulders.
In introducing him to the assembled
audience DR.. MOI ton said that he had
been brought to his notice by present.
ing himself to be treated for slight
confusion of the finger. His name is
Sebastian Miller; he is 26 years old, a
native of Munich, and has given eXhi-
billions of strength in various parts of
Europe.
This mornings exhibition strength
consisted in SCATTERING with his fist Sc
veral pieces of cObblestone. The stone
was first placed in the ring, and then
put on the iron ball. In preparing for
the blows which were to break the
stone, he first braced one foot firmly
against the rung which ran across the
legs of the table near the floor. He
then gave three powerful circular
swings with his right arm, bringing
cracked the stone, the second broke
it, and the third shattered it into bits.
These feats were greeted with deafen-
ing rounds of applause.
When he first began these exhibit
lions the minute shattered particles
frequently found their way under the
skin, producing intense soreness. To
Obviate this difficulty, he generally
h.
performing his feat. When the stone
is soft he does not take this precau-
ton, and gave one exhibition of the
sort this morning.
A the conclusion of these feats of
strength, Miller, who is man of
average height, with pleasant face,
chestnut-brOwn hair and mustache,
and blue eyes, stood up in the centre
Of the arena, while DR.. Morton drew
the attention of the audience to his
great muscular development, which,
he said, reminded him of Hercules of
old, in the muscles of the arm and the
great breadth of chest. A tape meas
ure was furnished by one of the
nurses with which to take his meas
urements. 1t was too small
for the purpose, which assumed the
assembly, anu Cne place rang WIN
their shouts of laughter. A suita BILE
one was finally procured, and the de-
sired measurements taken. The dis
lance around the chests AZ 1-2 inches:
most prominent part of the biceps,
Is 3-4 inches, with Is ~ inches around
the right arm. When he stood up
with folded arms the muscles were so
prominent as to resemble tumors.
In addition to his stone-breaking
feats, he has beaten the worlds rec
ord az litter. With harness over his
stomach he can raise dead weight of
5000 pounds, and with his hands
merely 1900 pounds. He has also
lifted above his head a single dumb
bell weighing 2l9 pounds, and broken
with three successive blows of his fist
a block Of Quincy granite 5 feet in
depth and in thickness. Altogether
he is a most remarkable evidence that
the much Wanted strength Of the an
clients was not entirely founded on fiC-
ton, but thatsOme oft has descended
to our own day.