Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-09-20
TOLD BY SALVINl.
Che Physical Prowess of the Great
 Italian Tragedian.
How Ho Once Upon a Time Knocked a Strong Butcher Scnse1css-A Venetian Mason Who Knew How to De-
 fend His Property.

The announcement of the approaching visit to this country of Sig. Salvini, the cele- brated Italian actor, recalls to a New YorA Tribune writer many pleasant chats he has had with this greatest of Othellos on the oc casions of his former professional trips to this side of the Atlantic. One of the most striking impressions retained is that of tho enormous power. phyeical as well as intel lectual, of the man. From his boyhood he was noted for his extreme muscular vigor, which an anecdote he himself once related will serve to illustrate.
 When he was a student at college there was, as is often the case in other countries besides Italy, constant warfare waged be- tween the students and the townspeople At one time the lads had arrayed against them, on account of some real or fancied insult, all the butchers and butcher lads of the.place. The latter were not allowed by the authorities to carry knives or stilettos, so they sharpened their whetting steels at the point until they made of them most formidable weapons. Armed with these, they one evening attacked a body of students, among whom was the youthful comrades, and bowled over with his fists one butcher lad after another.
 At length he found himself face to face with the leader, and the others paused moment to watch the result of what was in reality duel between the champions of the respective parties. Salvini, after few passes, aimed tremendous blow with his clenched fist at his adversary's head; the latter at the same moment struck forward with the murderous steel; the weapon, needle-polnted, passed clear through Sal vin's wrist, and stuck irremovably in bone and muscle. But this did not seem to stop o~N of arm. The mighty fist descended, carrying with it the steel and struck the butcher so terrible blow that he was knocked sense- less, and had to be carried to the hospital. The trace of the wound can be seen in Sal vini's wrist to-day.
 Like most strong men Salvini is fond of recounting the feats of strength performed byothers, and especially he used to dilate on the extraordinary nerve and strength of venetian mason and builder whom he had known. Some time ago, SO interesting were the tales he told of this man, Sig. Salvini was asked to jot down what he could remember of the stories he had told and this is in substance what he wrote
 ''The name of the man about whom you ask was Luchini, He died few years ago in Venice at an advanced age, but up to the last preserved much of his extraordinary strength, He was by trade o mason, and, though not rich, was always in comfortable circumstances. His strength was allied to wonderful presence of mind and coolness under trying circumstances. Once, for in- stance, he was carrying out to villa he was building some miles from Venice a large sum of money with which to pay off ms Workmen. He carried the money, which was in silver coin, in a bag over his shoulder, though it would have taken two ordinary men even to lift it.
 "At night he found himself some dis tance from his destination and so was obliged to .put up at small inn..' .''' He went :~* &er. -c::..- .-1-z-i - ..