The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-12-13
A MAN OF MUSCLE.
How He Disposed of THREE Fellows VIII
Had Come to Rob Him.

How He Disposed of THREE Fellows Who
Had Come to Rob Him.
The following curious anecdote of a
man of muscle is told by Salvini him.
self man of great strength: "a
man named Luchini died 8 few years
ago in Venice at an advanced age, but
up to the last preserved much of his
extraordinary strength. He was by
trade mason and in comfortable cir
cumstances. His strength was allied
to wonderful presence of mind and
GOODNESS. Once he was carrying out
to villa he was building. some miles
from Venice, large sum of money
with which to pay off his workmen.
He carried the money, which was in
silver coin, in a big bag over his
shoulder, though it would have taken
two ordinary men even to lift it, At
night he found himself some distance
from his destination, and so was
obliged to put up at small inn. He
went to bed early. placing the bag of
silver in the bottom drawer of small
chest of drawers in the bedroom.
About midnight he was awakened by a
rough shake of the shoulder, and.
opening his eyes, saw by The light of
small oil-lamp two of his own work.
men, each of whom had in his hand
a stiletto the uncomfortably sharp
points of which were pressed against
either side of his throat Luchi nj
grasped the situation instantly and saw
that he was in a position where his
enormous strength availed him but lit
tie. so he coolly- said: What do you
want?' The money! was the answer;
where it it?' Take it, said Luchini,
it is in that drawer and he pointed
to the chest of drawers One of the
ruffians remained to guard the re-
cumbent Luchini, while the other went
to the drawer indicated and tried to
open it. II would not bulge. Give
me the key he growled. 1T is not
locked announced Luchini. Open it,
then,' said the robber, and still with
the stiletto at his throat Luchini rose,
and with one hand pulled open the
drawer the other could not even bulge
with all his strength. At the mems
bidding he then pulled out the bag of
money and threw it on the floor. One
of the thieves began to fill his pockets
with the loose coin so as to tighten
somewhat the weight of the bag. At
the sight of the glittering coin, the
others avarice outstripped his
prudence. Withdrawing his poin-
ard from Luchini's throat he bent
down and burrowed his hands in the
pile of money and began TO follow his
comrades example. The looked-tor
opportunity had come for Luchini.
He calmly stopped forward. grasped
one of the robbers by the hair in
either hand, and then, spreading out
his arms and bringing them together
again with incredice force, he crushed
in the two mems skulls as if they had
been egg-shells. They were dead with
out a groan. Hearing noise at the
window, Luchini then looked out and
saw that third scoundrel was keep
ing watch outside. Taking up one of
the dead men in one hand, he opened
the easement and calling out: There's
something for YOUR he pitched the
dead robber at the living one with
such force that the man below was not
only scared almost to death, but was
seriously hurt, and limped off as fast
as a fractured leg would allow him.
Luchini went back to bed and calmly
slept till morning. San Francisco Ar
MOI