Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-01-20


mentioned.
Travellers of the latter part of tie six
tenth century related wonderful tales of
tribe of giants inhsbiting the southern
extremity of South America, especially Of
those parts contingent to the Straits OF
Magellan. These fanciful tales have, in
part, been exploded by travellers Of the past
century.
Muster says that the largest men in bis
employ during his travels in Patagonia
did not exceed 6 feet by over 2 inches,
and furthermore, that he never saw q
Petagonian that would measure over 6
feet 4.
In the latter part of the sixteenth CEN
fury there lived wonderful English giant.
John Middleton, of whose great physical
strength innumersble incredible stories
have been related. He was a good two
feet taller than Long More and very CON-
pactly built. Long More was an Irish
giaut of feet H. who lived in the time OF
Edward the Black Prince about 1867
1t is told of Middleton that at one time
he carried barrel containing AZ gallons Of
wine the entire length of London bridge
without harness, and on another occasion
he carried two casks of water over the same
bridge, each cask filled to the brim with
% gallons each. His neck measured q
inches in circumference, and his bicsp',
each % inches. The muscles of his neck
were more like iron than flesh and blood;
strong man could cause him rot the
slightest degree of pain by squeezing his
neck with both hands. He could catch
pewter pot of three pints under his chin
and crush it out of all resemblance to
table furniture by slight inclination
of the head forward, 20 as to bring
the pot in contact with his
breast bone. Pennies between his fingers
and thumbs were like egg-shells in the
hands of common man; he could easily
of nobility carried these odd pocket-pieces
in memory of Middleton, the Terrible"
Middleton, the Terrible" was misno-
mer in the case Johns temper was as
smooth and unrUffled az a frog pond in
June. He seldom lost his head, and when
he did it was only for a moment. An
angry Irisbmln once attacked John with
fail, to the infinite amusement Of the
latter, who only laughed and doubled up
his great fists like pair of boxing gloves
as be reminded the belligerent son OF Erin
what would be the consequences should
he conclude to use them on the diminutive
anatomy.
Rivland, the celebrated snatomist who
wrote during the seventeenth century, says
that some years before there was to be
seen, in the euburhs OF St GERMAN, the
tomb of the giant IsOret, who, during life
was fraction over 30 feet in height.
Platerus, another famous medical man,
declares that he saw, at Lucerne, the
bones of true human subject which must
have been at lest 10 feet high.
The eighteenth century ushered in a new
era in the annals CT Abnormal humanity.
About 1870 Max Christopher Miller,
better known as the Saxon giant, was first
put on exbibitionin London. Max WAS at
that time about So years Of age, having
bsen born at Leipsic in 1876 He bad
been renowned for his great size and re-
markable strength almost from infancy.
At tender age he became great traveller,
visiting all the principal cities Of Europe
before making his debut at the English
capital at the time mentioned above. His
face ond head were Of enormous size, even
for one Of his proportions (he being feet
, inchee) and almost struck the beholder
with terror.
His favOrite dress wcs n pair Of white
trusers, rich red Hungarian jacket and
tall head piece ornamented with peacock
feathers.
In the year 1861, two babies destined 10
be known through the civilized world on
account Of their pounder0us build. were
born in Ireland. II is surely rather a
curious coincidence that gives the world
two giants from one small island during
the same year. Cotter, the first of these
exaggerated Irishmen, came of family
who were very poor. and the strippling
giant at the age OF Is SGT out for London
in search of fortune. Even at that tender
age his bodily proportions unerriDgly
pointed toward coming greatness "
He soon engaged to a Snowman for exhibit
ton, his contract being for three
years ~ ESQ per annum. Asking some
clined to grant, Cotter forthwith refused
to show himself to the eager cockneys.
Starting out in his own behalf, be Ieslized
ESQ before the end of the third day Of ex-
hibition. His popularity with the show
going people from this time forward wss
assured. At the age of % he changed his
name from Cotter to O'Brien 10 add
weight 10 the fiction set forth on the glsr-
ing hand.bills that he was "a lineal de-
scsndant Of thu renowned King Brian
Borochme, and in person exhibits all the
characteristics of that great and grand pc.
tentate" At the age of % Cotter was
eight feet three inches high, and although
he lived to be over 40, bis height never ex-
ceeded the fgules given.
He died at Clifton, Eng, Sept. 8, 1904.